8k8 casino app download Salah nervelessly converted a 63rd-minute penalty, his 16th goal of the season, after French referee Benoit Bastien had been advised to take another look at Donny van de Beek’s clumsy challenge on Luis Diaz. In the process, he became just the 11th man to score 50 goals in the competition – Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe later also joined that exclusive club – on a night when victory at the Estadi Montilivi meant the six-time European champions will enter 2025 sitting proudly at the top of the table. France international Michael Olise produced a moment of magic to set the seal on Bayern Munich’s demolition of Shakhtar Donetsk and ease them towards the knockout stage. Olise’s brilliant stoppage-time run and finish capped a 5-1 victory for the Germans, in which he had early scored from the penalty spot, in Gelsenkirchen. Kevin’s fifth-minute strike had given the home side the perfect start, but Konrad Laimer levelled before Thomas Muller’s 55th goal in the competition sent the visitors in ahead at the break and set the stage for Olise’s double either side of Jamal Musiala’s strike. Jude Bellingham breathed life back into Real Madrid’s campaign as they held off Atalanta to earn a 3-2 victory in Bergamo. After Charles De Ketelaere had cancelled out Mbappe’s opener from the penalty spot, second-half goals from Vinicius Junior and Bellingham in quick succession put the visitors in charge, although Ademola Lookman’s 65th-minute strike meant the contest was alive until the final whistle. Ross Barkley took Aston Villa a step closer to automatic qualification with a late winner against RB Leipzig in Germany. Villa had led twice through John McGinn and Jhon Duran, but equalisers from Lois Openda and Christoph Baumgartner kept Leipzig in it until substitute Barkley struck five minutes from time to snatch a 3-2 victory. Goals from Goncalo Ramos, Nuno Mendes and substitute Desire Doue – his first in the competition – handed French champions Paris St Germain a much-needed three points after a comfortable 3-0 win at RB Salzburg. Nordi Mukiele left it late to end Inter Milan’s unbeaten Champions League record as Bayer Leverkusen claimed a dramatic 1-0 victory at the BayArena. Mukiele struck in the 90th minute to inflict a first defeat across six games in this season’s competition on the Serie A champions – it was also the first goal they have conceded. Casper Nielsen came off the bench to fire Club Brugge to a 2-1 home victory over Sporting Lisbon after Eduardo Quaresma’s own goal had handed them a way back into the game following Geny Catamo’s early opener. Julien Le Cardinal’s first-half strike was enough to handed Brest a 1-0 victory over Eredivisie leaders PSV Eindhoven, while Kasper Schmeichel’s save from Marko Pjaca’s close-range 80th-minute header ensured Celtic returned from Dinamo Zagreb with a 0-0 draw.Federal coalition to release nuclear power costingsIndependent TDs seeking three junior ministerial roles and super junior appointment

Advocates say there aren’t enough of them in Texas long-term care facilities(CNN) — The Biden administration is working to surge deliveries of weapons to Ukraine in its final days in office in a concerted effort to put Kyiv on a strong footing going into 2025, according to a senior administration official. The push is in stark contrast to that of the incoming Trump administration, with President-elect Donald Trump sharply criticizing a recent US move to allow Ukraine to use US-provided weapons to strike inside Russia in an interview with Time Magazine published Thursday. In the latest show of support for Ukraine, the Biden administration plans to announce an expected $500 million aid package in coming days that will pull equipment out of the US military’s stocks. And the senior administration official told CNN that the administration is pouring resources into getting previously announced weapons for Ukraine into Kyiv’s hands before Biden leaves office. “DoD is undertaking a historic effort to move massive quantities of weapons into Ukraine in the next five weeks,” the senior administration official said. “Between now and mid-January, we will deliver to Ukraine hundreds of thousands of artillery rounds, thousands of rockets, hundreds of armored vehicles, and other critical capabilities.” An interagency effort to deliver the weapons is being led by national security adviser Jake Sullivan, the senior official said. In November, Sullivan told Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on behalf of the president to “accelerate” the deliveries of armored vehicles, rockets, artillery and more to Ukraine. The Pentagon is now conducting sealifts and airlifts to meet the delivery deadline. Sullivan just briefed Andriy Yermak, the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, about the sealifts and airlifts last week, a source familiar with the matter said. David Shimer, the National Security Council’s Ukraine director, has been coordinating with the Pentagon on their efforts specifically. The renewed push for delivery to Ukraine hasn’t changed the situation that there are no US boots on the ground in Ukraine, the source familiar said, and the weapons are being moved through Europe the way they have been throughout the war. But the source said that the surge in deliveries is involving a significant number of flights and sea vessels. Meanwhile, in the interview with Time — which was conducted in late November but published Thursday with Trump’s selection as the 2024 Person of the Year — Trump was pushed on how he will support Ukraine after taking office. He said in the interview that he “vehemently” disagreed with the decision by the Biden administration to allow Ukraine to strike inside Russia with US-provided weapons. “We’re just escalating this war and making it worse,” Trump said. “That should not have been allowed to be done. Now they’re doing not only missiles, but they’re doing other types of weapons. And I think that’s a very big mistake, very big mistake.” Mike Waltz, Trump’s pick to be the next national security adviser, has been weighing proposals for ending the war, including one from retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg — whom Trump announced as his special envoy to Ukraine and Russia — that would make continued US aid to Ukraine contingent on Ukraine’s participation in peace talks with Russia. Another proposal would allow Russia to keep the territory it currently holds in exchange for giving Ukraine NATO membership. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he wants to work “directly” with Trump and that he believes the war will end “faster” when he is president. Trump and Zelensky met just last week in Paris, along with French President Emmanuel Macron. CNN has reported that the Pentagon is unlikely to use all of the nearly $7 billion left in funding that was authorized by Congress to arm Ukraine by the time Biden leaves office, largely due to limitations in the military’s ability to refill its own stocks. The source familiar, though, said the administration is confident that they’ll use the appropriated funding for Ukraine, drawing a distinction from what was authorized. But still, the biggest challenge facing Ukraine is not its weapons stocks, the senior administration official said — it’s manpower. The source familiar with the matter said that the Biden administration’s emphasis on Kyiv’s need to address its manning issue is part of the larger push to ensure Ukraine is in as good a position as possible going into 2025. “Ukraine is not currently mobilizing or training enough soldiers to staff its front-line units,” the official said. “The US stands ready to help train newly mobilized soldiers: If Ukraine mobilizes additional soldiers and sends them to training sites outside of Ukraine, we will train them. But first, Ukraine needs to make the decision to mobilize more soldiers.” The-CNN-Wire TM & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

Sony Gr's SONY short percent of float has risen 8.33% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 7.84 million shares sold short , which is 0.13% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 2.06 days to cover their short positions on average. Why Short Interest Matters Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. Short selling is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises. Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish. See Also: List of the most shorted stocks Sony Gr Short Interest Graph (3 Months) As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for Sony Gr has grown since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to fall in the near-term but traders should be aware that more shares are being shorted. Comparing Sony Gr's Short Interest Against Its Peers Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis. According to Benzinga Pro , Sony Gr's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 4.74%, which means the company has less short interest than most of its peers. Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it. This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Arsenal put on one of the best performances of the Champions League so far to thrash Portuguese side Sporting 5-1 away from home. ( More Football News ) Gabriel Martinelli put Mikel Arteta's side ahead after just seven minutes and they hardly looked back from that point. Kai Havertz and Gabriel Magalhaes added a second and third respectively before half-time as the visitors did their best to kill the game as a contest. BY Stats Perform Things got a little more competitive when Goncalo Inacio pulled one back for the hosts within two minutes of the restart, but a Bukayo Saka penalty in the 65th minute soon quelled any chance of a comeback. Leandro Trossard got the fifth eight minutes from time after coming off the bench to help Arsenal move above Sporting into seventh place in the 36-team league. Sporting, meanwhile, are one place back on goal difference. With his assist for Kai Havertz tonight, Bukayo Saka is already on 14 goal involvements for the season (all comps). Havertz (9) is second for Arsenal in 2024-25. pic.twitter.com/Xf99Qctdca Data debrief: Arsenal wow in Lisbon Arsenal's 5-1 victory away to Sporting was their biggest away win in the Champions League for 21 years. The result matched that of the scoreline they managed against Inter Milan in 2003. It is a result that is made more impressive given that it is Sporting's first defeat at their own ground in 14 matches in all competitions, and the only home game they have failed to win this season.YourUpdate TV speaks with Meaghan Murphy about Adding a Little “Yay” to the Holiday Season

Former American sports radio host Ryen Russillo has revealed the "ice cold" reception he received from Meghan Markle when he reached out to her with a promotional opportunity. Speaking on The Bill Simmons Podcast on Thursday, the 49-year-old revealed he first met Markle in February 2014 during a celebrity flag football game. At the time, Markle was already well-known for her role on the hit legal drama Suits. The sports commentator recalled the event as being full of "swimsuit models" like Hannah Davis and Nina Agdal, noting that Markle wasn’t the centre of attention. "So I was like, that’s my lane, like she’s probably doubting herself a little bit right now and she’s never been more obtainable," Russillo said. After securing the game-winning touchdown over American football legend Deion Sanders, Russillo said he felt a surge of confidence and decided to send Markle a direct message. The message, he explained, was a "very soft sell". "It was, 'Hey, I know the new season of Suits is coming out. If you ever want to come on the show to promote it'. It was very professional and it was a gauging of interest. So if I got an emoji back, who knows?" he said. However, Markle’s response was anything but encouraging. "It was ice cold," Russillo said. "It was, 'Oh, I don’t know anything about sports, but thanks for the offer'." At the time, Markle had recently split from her first husband, Trevor Engelson, and was rumoured to be dating Irish golfer Rory McIlroy - though the romance was never confirmed. Russillo admitted he wasn’t aware of Markle’s personal life, saying: "A friend asked, 'Do you know who she’s dating?' and I was like, 'I dunno, I don’t pay attention to this stuff'. And it didn’t work out." Two years later, the actress would meet Prince Harry, and the rest is history. Reflecting on his Markle debacle, Russillo said he would playfully reshare negative press about Markle on X, adding captions like "It gets better, don’t worry" or "If you need to talk, I’m here" for friends in on the joke. While most people missed the humour, former NBA coach and commentator Jeff Van Gundy took notice. According to Russillo, he said: "Dude what is wrong with you she's not that great, like have you ever paid attention to this Prince Harry thing?" The radio host laughed as he recounted Van Gundy’s reaction: "Jeff Van Gundy texted me to tell me I was better off without Meghan Markle" The interview was recorded in front of a live audience, who seemed to enjoy the story. Interestingly, Russillo’s remarks came during a discussion about favourite "movie/TV girlfriends" where he joked, "Well, Meghan Markle is available again, right?" Simmons quickly asked, "Is she available? Is that the word on the street?" Russillo replied, "After I think that podcast thing didn’t work out..." The podcast host said: "I think she’s still married though."

Lewandowski joins Ronaldo and Messi in Champions League 100-goal club. Haaland nets 2 but City drawsHudson Meek, the 16-year-old actor who appeared in “Baby Driver,” died last week after falling from a moving vehicle in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, according to CNN affiliate WVTM. The teen sustained blunt force trauma in the fall on Dec. 19 and was admitted to the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, where he died from his injuries on Dec. 21, the Jefferson County Coroner’s office told CNN affiliate WVTM . “His 16 years on this earth were far too short, but he accomplished so much and significantly impacted everyone he met,” reads a post on his Instagram account . Hudson Meek attends the "A Different Man" premiere during the Deauville American Film Festival in Deauville, France, on September 9. The teen actor had various acting and voice over credits, most notably playing a younger version of Ansel Elgort’s character Baby in 2017 movie “Baby Driver.” Meek also voiced the lead in “Badanamu Stories” — a children’s show that examines themes relevant to preschoolers, according to IMDb . He also appeared in shows including NBC’s “Found” and The CW’s “Legacies,” as well as the recently released thriller “The School Duel.” Meek’s obituary described the teenager as a “reflective and thoughtful” avid traveler and fan of the outdoors. “He loved snow-skiing and could easily navigate the hardest trails that no one else in the family would dare attempt,” the obituary read. “One of his favorite places to be was at the lake, tubing and wakeboarding.” The Vestavia Hills Police Department is still investigating the circumstances surrounding Meek’s death, WTVM reported. CNN has reached out to Vestavia Hills police for more information on the incident. Germany players celebrate after Andreas Brehme, left on ground, scores the winning goal in the World Cup soccer final match against Argentina, in the Olympic Stadium, in Rome, July 8, 1990. Andreas Brehme, who scored the only goal as West Germany beat Argentina to win the 1990 World Cup final, died Feb. 20, 2024. He was 63. Brian Mulroney, the former prime minister of Canada, listens during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the Canada-U.S.-Mexico relationship, Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Mulroney died at the age of 84 on Feb. 29, 2024. The Rev. James Lawson Jr. speaks Sept. 17, 2015, in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Lawson Jr., an apostle of nonviolent protest who schooled activists to withstand brutal reactions from white authorities as the Civil Rights Movement gained traction, has died, his family said Monday. He was 95. His family said Lawson died on Sunday after a short illness in Los Angeles, where he spent decades working as a pastor, labor movement organizer and university professor. Lawson was a close adviser to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who called him “the leading theorist and strategist of nonviolence in the world.” Lawson met King in 1957, after spending three years in India soaking up knowledge about Mohandas K. Gandhi’s independence movement. King would travel to India himself two years later, but at the time, he had only read about Gandhi in books. Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Jerry West, representing the 1960 USA Olympic Team, is seen Aug. 13, 2010, during the enshrinement news conference at the Hall of Fame Museum in Springfield, Mass. Jerry West, who was selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame three times in a storied career as a player and executive, and whose silhouette is considered to be the basis of the NBA logo, died June 12, the Los Angeles Clippers announced. He was 86. West, nicknamed “Mr. Clutch” for his late-game exploits as a player, was an NBA champion who went into the Hall of Fame as a player in 1980 and again as a member of the gold medal-winning 1960 U.S. Olympic Team in 2010. He will be enshrined for a third time later this year as a contributor, and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver called West “one of the greatest executives in sports history.” Actor and director Ron Simons, seen Jan. 23, 2011, during the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, died June 12. Simons turned into a formidable screen and stage producer, winning four Tony Awards and having several films selected at the Sundance Film Festival. He won Tonys for producing “Porgy and Bess,” “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder,” “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,” and “Jitney.” He also co-produced “Hughie,” with Forest Whitaker, “The Gin Game,” starring Cicely Tyson and James Earl Jones, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations,” an all-Black production of “A Streetcar Named Desire,” the revival of "for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf" and the original work “Thoughts of a Colored Man.” He was in the films “27 Dresses” and “Mystery Team,” as well as on the small screen in “The Resident,” “Law & Order,” “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” and “Law & Order: SVU.” Bob Schul of West Milton, Ohio, hits the tape Oct. 18, 1964, to win the 5,000 meter run at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Schul, the only American distance runner to win the 5,000 meters at the Olympics, died June 16. He was 86. His death was announced by Miami University in Ohio , where Schul shined on the track and was inducted into the school’s hall of fame in 1973. Schul predicted gold leading into the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and followed through with his promise. On a rainy day in Japan, he finished the final lap in a blistering 54.8 seconds to sprint to the win. His white shorts were covered in mud at the finish. He was inducted into the USA Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1991. He also helped write a book called “In the Long Run.” San Francisco Giants superstar Willie Mays poses for a photo during baseball spring training in 1972. Mays, the electrifying “Say Hey Kid” whose singular combination of talent, drive and exuberance made him one of baseball’s greatest and most beloved players, died June 18. He was 93. The center fielder, who began his professional career in the Negro Leagues in 1948, had been baseball’s oldest living Hall of Famer. He was voted into the Hall in 1979, his first year of eligibility, and in 1999 followed only Babe Ruth on The Sporting News’ list of the game’s top stars. The Giants retired his uniform number, 24, and set their AT&T Park in San Francisco on Willie Mays Plaza. Mays died two days before a game between the Giants and St. Louis Cardinals to honor the Negro Leagues at Rickwood Field in Birmingham , Alabama. Over 23 major league seasons, virtually all with the New York/San Francisco Giants but also including one in the Negro Leagues, Mays batted .301, hit 660 home runs, totaled 3,293 hits, scored more than 2,000 runs and won 12 Gold Gloves. He was Rookie of the Year in 1951, twice was named the Most Valuable Player and finished in the top 10 for the MVP 10 other times. His lightning sprint and over-the-shoulder grab of an apparent extra base hit in the 1954 World Series remains the most celebrated defensive play in baseball history. For millions in the 1950s and ’60s and after, the smiling ballplayer with the friendly, high-pitched voice was a signature athlete and showman during an era when baseball was still the signature pastime. Awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2015, Mays left his fans with countless memories. But a single feat served to capture his magic — one so untoppable it was simply called “The Catch.” Actor Donald Sutherland appears Oct. 13, 2017, at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills, Calif. Sutherland, the Canadian actor whose wry, arrestingly off-kilter screen presence spanned more than half a century of films from “M.A.S.H.” to “The Hunger Games,” died June 20. He was 88. Kiefer Sutherland said on X he believed his father was one of the most important actors in the history of film: “Never daunted by a role, good, bad or ugly. He loved what he did and did what he loved, and one can never ask for more than that.” The tall and gaunt Sutherland, who flashed a grin that could be sweet or diabolical, was known for offbeat characters like Hawkeye Pierce in Robert Altman's "M.A.S.H.," the hippie tank commander in "Kelly's Heroes" and the stoned professor in "Animal House." Before transitioning into a long career as a respected character actor, Sutherland epitomized the unpredictable, antiestablishment cinema of the 1970s. He never stopped working, appearing in nearly 200 films and series. Over the decades, Sutherland showed his range in more buttoned-down — but still eccentric — roles in Robert Redford's "Ordinary People" and Oliver Stone's "JFK." More, recently, he starred in the “Hunger Games” films. A memoir, “Made Up, But Still True,” is due out in November. Actor Bill Cobbs, a cast member in "Get Low," arrives July 27, 2010, at the premiere of the film in Beverly Hills, Calif. Cobbs, the veteran character actor who became a ubiquitous and sage screen presence as an older man, died June 25. He was 90. A Cleveland native, Cobbs acted in such films as “The Hudsucker Proxy,” “The Bodyguard” and “Night at the Museum.” He made his first big-screen appearance in a fleeting role in 1974's “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three." He became a lifelong actor with some 200 film and TV credits. The lion share of those came in his 50s, 60s, and 70s, as filmmakers and TV producers turned to him again and again to imbue small but pivotal parts with a wizened and worn soulfulness. Cobbs appeared on television shows including “The Sopranos," “The West Wing,” “Sesame Street” and “Good Times.” He was Whitney Houston's manager in “The Bodyguard” (1992), the mystical clock man of the Coen brothers' “The Hudsucker Proxy” (1994) and the doctor of John Sayles' “Sunshine State” (2002). He played the coach in “Air Bud” (1997), the security guard in “Night at the Museum” (2006) and the father on “The Gregory Hines Show." Cobbs rarely got the kinds of major parts that stand out and win awards. Instead, Cobbs was a familiar and memorable everyman who left an impression on audiences, regardless of screen time. He won a Daytime Emmy Award for outstanding limited performance in a daytime program for the series “Dino Dana” in 2020. Independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman speaks with the media Nov. 7, 2009, at his campaign headquarters in Austin, Texas. The singer, songwriter, satirist and novelist, who led the alt-country band Texas Jewboys, toured with Bob Dylan, sang with Willie Nelson, and dabbled in politics with campaigns for Texas governor and other statewide offices, died June 27. He was 79 and had suffered from Parkinson's disease. Often called “The Kinkster" and sporting sideburns, a thick mustache and cowboy hat, Friedman earned a cult following and reputation as a provocateur throughout his career across musical and literary genres. In the 1970s, his satirical country band Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys wrote songs with titles such as “They Ain't Makin' Jews Like Jesus Anymore” and “Get Your Biscuits in the Oven and Your Buns in Bed.” Friedman joined part of Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue tour in 1976. By the 1980s, Friedman was writing crime novels that often included a version of himself, and he wrote a column for Texas Monthly magazine in the 2000s. Friedman's run at politics brought his brand of irreverence to the serious world of public policy. In 2006, Friedman ran for governor as an independent in a five-way race that included incumbent Republican Rick Perry. Friedman launched his campaign against the backdrop of the Alamo. Martin Mull participates in "The Cool Kids" panel during the Fox Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour on Aug. 2, 2018, at The Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. Mull, whose droll, esoteric comedy and acting made him a hip sensation in the 1970s and later a beloved guest star on sitcoms including “Roseanne” and “Arrested Development,” died June 28. He was 80. Mull, who was also a guitarist and painter, came to national fame with a recurring role on the Norman Lear-created satirical soap opera “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman,” and the starring role in its spinoff, “Fernwood Tonight." His first foray into show business was as a songwriter, penning the 1970 semi-hit “A Girl Named Johnny Cash” for singer Jane Morgan. He would combine music and comedy in an act that he brought to hip Hollywood clubs in the 1970s. Mull often played slightly sleazy, somewhat slimy and often smarmy characters as he did as Teri Garr's boss and Michael Keaton's foe in 1983's “Mr. Mom.” He played Colonel Mustard in the 1985 movie adaptation of the board game “Clue,” which, like many things Mull appeared in, has become a cult classic. The 1980s also brought what many thought was his best work, “A History of White People in America,” a mockumentary that first aired on Cinemax. Mull co-created the show and starred as a “60 Minutes” style investigative reporter investigating all things milquetoast and mundane. Willard was again a co-star. In the 1990s he was best known for his recurring role on several seasons on “Roseanne,” in which he played a warmer, less sleazy boss to the title character, an openly gay man whose partner was played by Willard, who died in 2020 . Mull would later play private eye Gene Parmesan on “Arrested Development,” a cult-classic character on a cult-classic show, and would be nominated for an Emmy, his first, in 2016 for a guest run on “Veep.” Screenwriter Robert Towne poses at The Regency Hotel, March 7, 2006, in New York. Towne, the Oscar-winning screenplay writer of "Shampoo," "The Last Detail" and other acclaimed films whose work on "Chinatown" became a model of the art form and helped define the jaded allure of his native Los Angeles, died Monday, July 1, 2024, surrounded by family at his home in Los Angeles, said publicist Carri McClure. She declined to comment on any cause of death. Vic Seixas of the United States backhands a volley from Denmark's Jurgen Ulrich in the first round of men's singles match at Wimbledon, England, June 27, 1967. Vic Seixas, a Wimbledon winner and tennis Hall of Famer who was the oldest living Grand Slam champion, has died July 5 at the age of 100. The International Tennis Hall of Fame announced Seixas’ death on Saturday July 6, 2024, based on confirmation from his daughter Tori. In this June 30, 2020, file photo, Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., speaks to reporters following a GOP policy meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington. Former Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma died July 9. He was 89. The family says in a statement that the Republican had a stroke during the July Fourth holiday and died Tuesday morning. Inhofe was a powerful fixture in state politics for decades. He doubted that climate change was caused by human activity, calling the theory “the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people.” As Oklahoma’s senior U.S. senator, he was a staunch supporter of the state’s military installations. He was elected to a fifth Senate term in 2020 and stepped down in early 2023. The Oak Ridge Boys, from left, Joe Bonsall, Richard Sterban, Duane Allen and William Lee Golden hold their awards for Top Vocal Group and Best Album of the Year for "Ya'll Come Back Saloon", during the 14th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards in Los Angeles, Calif., May 3, 1979. Bonsall died on July 9, 2024, from complications of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in Hendersonville, Tenn. He was 76. A Philadelphia native and resident of Hendersonville, Tennessee, Bonsall joined the Oak Ridge Boys in 1973, which originally formed in the 1940s. He saw the band through its golden period in the '80s and beyond, which included their signature 1981 song “Elvira.” The hit marked a massive crossover moment for the group, reaching No. 1 on the country chart and No. 5 on Billboard’s all-genre Hot 100. The group is also known for such hits as 1982’s “Bobbie Sue." Shelley Duvall poses for photographers at the 30th Cannes Film Festival in France, May 27, 1977. Duvall, whose wide-eyed, winsome presence was a mainstay in the films of Robert Altman and who co-starred in Stanley Kubrick's “The Shining,” died July 11. She was 75. Dr. Ruth Westheimer holds a copy of her book "Sex for Dummies" at the International Frankfurt Book Fair 'Frankfurter Buchmesse' in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, Oct. 11, 2007. Westheimer, the sex therapist who became a pop icon, media star and best-selling author through her frank talk about once-taboo bedroom topics, died on July 12, 2024. She was 96. Richard Simmons sits for a portrait in Los Angeles, June 23, 1982. Simmons, a fitness guru who urged the overweight to exercise and eat better, died July 13 at the age of 76. Simmons was a court jester of physical fitness who built a mini-empire in his trademark tank tops and short shorts by urging the overweight to exercise and eat better. Simmons was a former 268-pound teen who shared his hard-won weight loss tips as the host of the Emmy-winning daytime “Richard Simmons Show" and the “Sweatin' to the Oldies” line of exercise videos, which became a cultural phenomenon. Former NFL receiver Jacoby Jones died July 14 at age 40. Jones' 108-yard kickoff return in 2013 remains the longest touchdown in Super Bowl history. The Houston Texans were Jones’ team for the first five seasons of his career. They announced his death on Sunday. In a statement released by the NFL Players Association, his family said he died at his home in New Orleans. A cause of death was not given. Jones played from 2007-15 for the Texans, Baltimore Ravens, San Diego Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers. He made several huge plays for the Ravens during their most recent Super Bowl title season, including that kick return. The "Beverly Hills, 90210" star whose life and career were roiled by tabloid stories, Shannen Doherty died July 13 at 53. Doherty's publicist said the actor died Saturday following years with breast cancer. Catapulted to fame as Brenda in “Beverly Hills, 90210,” she worked in big-screen films including "Mallrats" and "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" and in TV movies including "A Burning Passion: The Margaret Mitchell Story," in which she played the "Gone with the Wind" author. Doherty co-starred with Holly Marie Combs and Alyssa Milano in the series “Charmed” from 1998-2001; appeared in the “90210” sequel series seven years later and competed on “Dancing with the Stars” in 2010. Actor James Sikking poses for a photograph at the Los Angeles gala celebrating the 20th anniversary of the National Organization for Women, Dec. 1, 1986. Sikking, who starred as a hardened police lieutenant on “Hill Street Blues” and as the titular character's kindhearted dad on “Doogie Howser, M.D.,” died July 13 of complications from dementia, his publicist Cynthia Snyder said in a statement. He was 90. Pat Williams chats with media before the 2004 NBA draft in Orlando, Fla. Williams, a co-founder of the Orlando Magic and someone who spent more than a half-century working within the NBA, died July 17 from complications related to viral pneumonia. The team announced the death Wednesday. Williams was 84. He started his NBA career as business manager of the Philadelphia 76ers in 1968, then had stints as general manager of the Chicago Bulls, the Atlanta Hawks and the 76ers — helping that franchise win a title in 1983. Williams was later involved in starting the process of bringing an NBA team to Orlando. The league’s board of governors granted an expansion franchise in 1987, and the team began play in 1989. Lou Dobbs speaks Feb. 24, 2017, at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Oxon Hill, Md. Dobbs, the conservative political pundit and veteran cable TV host who was a founding anchor for CNN and later was a nightly presence on Fox Business Network for more than a decade, died July 18. He was 78. His death was announced in a post on his official X account, which called him a “fighter till the very end – fighting for what mattered to him the most, God, his family and the country.” He hosted “Lou Dobbs Tonight” on Fox from 2011 to 2021, following two separate stints at CNN. No cause of death was given. Bob Newhart, center, poses with members of the cast and crew of the "Bob Newhart Show," from top left, Marcia Wallace, Bill Daily, Jack Riley, and, Suzanne Pleshette, foreground left, and Dick Martin at TV Land's 35th anniversary tribute to "The Bob Newhart Show" on Sept. 5, 2007, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Newhart has died at age 94. Jerry Digney, Newhart’s publicist, says the actor died July 18 in Los Angeles after a series of short illnesses. The accountant-turned-comedian gained fame with a smash album and became one of the most popular TV stars of his time. Newhart was a Chicago psychologist in “The Bob Newhart Show” in the 1970s and a Vermont innkeeper on “Newhart” in the 1980s. Both shows featured a low-key Newhart surrounded by eccentric characters. The second had a twist ending in its final show — the whole series was revealed to have been a dream by the psychologist he played in the other show. Cheng Pei-pei, a Chinese-born martial arts film actor who starred in Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” died July 17 at age 78. Her family says Cheng, who had been diagnosed with a rare illness with symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease, passed away Wednesday at home surrounded by her loved ones. The Shanghai-born film star became a household name in Hong Kong, once dubbed the Hollywood of the Far East, for her performances in martial arts movies in the 1960s. She played Jade Fox, who uses poisoned needles, in “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” which was released in 2000, grossed $128 million in North America and won four Oscars. Abdul “Duke” Fakir holds his life time achievement award backstage at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 8, 2009, in Los Angeles. The last surviving original member of the Four Tops died July 22. Abdul “Duke” Fakir was 88. He was a charter member of the Motown group along with lead singer Levi Stubbs, Renaldo “Obie" Benson and Lawrence Payton. Between 1964 and 1967, the Tops had 11 top 20 hits and two No. 1′s: “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)” and the operatic classic “Reach Out I’ll Be There.” Other songs, often stories of romantic pain and longing, included “Baby I Need Your Loving,” “Standing in the Shadows of Love,” “Bernadette” and “Just Ask the Lonely.” Sculptress Elizabeth Catlett, left, then-Washington D.C. Mayor Sharon Pratt Dixon, center, and then-curator, division of community life, Smithsonian institution Bernice Johnson Reagon chat during the reception at the Candace awards on June 25, 1991 in New York. Reagon, a musician and scholar who used her rich, powerful contralto voice in the service of the American Civil Rights Movement and human rights struggles around the world, died on July 16, 2024, according to her daughter's social media post. She was 81. John Mayall, the British blues musician whose influential band the Bluesbreakers was a training ground for Eric Clapton, Mick Fleetwood and many other superstars, died July 22. He was 90. He is credited with helping develop the English take on urban, Chicago-style rhythm and blues that played an important role in the blues revival of the late 1960s. A statement on Mayall's official Instagram page says he died Monday at his home in California. Though Mayall never approached the fame of some of his illustrious alumni, he was still performing in his late 80s, pounding out his version of Chicago blues. Erica Ash, an actor and comedian skilled in sketch comedy who starred in the parody series “Mad TV” and “Real Husbands of Hollywood,” has died. She was 46. Her publicist and a statement by her mother, Diann, says Ash died July 28 in Los Angeles of cancer. Ash impersonated Michelle Obama and Condoleeza Rice on “Mad TV,” a Fox sketch series, and was a key performer on the Rosie O’Donnell-created series “The Big Gay Sketch Show.” Her other credits included “Scary Movie V,” “Uncle Drew” and the LeBron James-produced basketball dramedy “Survivor’s Remorse.” On the BET series “Real Husbands of Hollywood,” Ash played the ex-wife of Kevin Hart’s character. Jack Russell, the lead singer of the bluesy '80s metal band Great White whose hits included “Once Bitten Twice Shy” and “Rock Me” and was fronting his band the night 100 people died in a 2003 nightclub fire in Rhode Island, died Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024. He was 63. Juan “Chi Chi” Rodriguez, a Hall of Fame golfer whose antics on the greens and inspiring life story made him among the sport’s most popular players during a long professional career, died Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. Susan Wojcicki, the former YouTube chief executive officer and longtime Google executive, died Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, after suffering with non small cell lung cancer for the past two years. She was 56. Frank Selvy, an All-America guard at Furman who scored an NCAA Division I-record 100 points in a game and later played nine NBA seasons, died Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. He was 91. Wallace “Wally” Amos, the creator of the cookie empire that took his name and made it famous and who went on to become a children’s literacy advocate, died Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, from complications with dementia. He was 88. Gena Rowlands, hailed as one of the greatest actors to ever practice the craft and a guiding light in independent cinema as a star in groundbreaking movies by her director husband, John Cassavetes, and who later charmed audiences in her son's tear-jerker “The Notebook,” died Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. She was 94. Peter Marshall, the actor and singer turned game show host who played straight man to the stars for 16 years on “The Hollywood Squares,” died. Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024 He was 98. Alain Delon, the internationally acclaimed French actor who embodied both the bad guy and the policeman and made hearts throb around the world, died Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024. He was 88. Phil Donahue, whose pioneering daytime talk show launched an indelible television genre that brought success to Oprah Winfrey, Montel Williams, Ellen DeGeneres and many others, died Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, after a long illness. He was 88. Al Attles, a Hall of Famer who coached the 1975 NBA champion Warriors and spent more than six decades with the organization as a player, general manager and most recently team ambassador, died Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024. He was 87. John Amos, who starred as the family patriarch on the hit 1970s sitcom “Good Times” and earned an Emmy nomination for his role in the seminal 1977 miniseries “Roots,” died Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. He was 84. James Darren, a teen idol who helped ignite the 1960s surfing craze as a charismatic beach boy paired off with Sandra Dee in the hit film “Gidget,” died Monday, Sept. 2, 2024. He was 88. James Earl Jones, who overcame racial prejudice and a severe stutter to become a celebrated icon of stage and screen has died. He was 93. His agent, Barry McPherson, confirmed Jones died Sept. 9 at home. Jones was a pioneering actor who eventually lent his deep, commanding voice to CNN, “The Lion King” and Darth Vader. Working deep into his 80s, he won two Emmys, a Golden Globe, two Tony Awards, a Grammy, the National Medal of Arts, the Kennedy Center Honors and was given an honorary Oscar and a special Tony for lifetime achievement. In 2022, a Broadway theater was renamed in his honor. Frankie Beverly, who with his band Maze inspired generations of fans with his smooth, soulful voice and lasting anthems including “Before I Let Go,” has died. He was 77. His family said in a post on the band’s website and social media accounts that Beverly died Sept. 10. In the post, which asked for privacy, the family said “he lived his life with a pure soul, as one would say, and for us, no one did it better.” The post did not say his cause of death or where he died. Beverly, whose songs include “Joy and Pain,” “Love is the Key,” and “Southern Girl,” finished his farewell “I Wanna Thank You Tour” in his hometown of Philadelphia in July. Joe Schmidt, the Hall of Fame linebacker who helped the Detroit Lions win NFL championships in 1953 and 1957 and later coached the team, has died. He was 92. The Lions said family informed the team Schmidt died Sept. 11. A cause of death was not provided. One of pro football’s first great middle linebackers, Schmidt played his entire NFL career with the Lions from 1953-65. An eight-time All-Pro, he was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1973 and the college football version in 2000. Born in Pittsburgh, Schmidt played college football in his hometown at Pitt. Chad McQueen, an actor known for his performances in the “Karate Kid” movies and the son of the late actor and racer Steve McQueen, died Sep. 11. His lawyer confirmed his death at age 63. McQueen's family shared a statement on social media saying he lived a life “filled with love and dedication.” McQueen was a professional race car driver, like his father, and competed in the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Daytona races. He is survived by his wife Jeanie and three children, Chase, Madison and Steven, who is an actor best known for “The Vampire Diaries.” Tito Jackson, one of the brothers who made up the beloved pop group the Jackson 5, died at age 70 on Sept. 15. Jackson was the third of nine children, including global superstars Michael and Janet. The Jackson 5 included brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael. They signed with Berry Gordy’s Motown empire in the 1960s. The group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 and produced several No. 1 hits in the 1970s, including “ABC,” “I Want You Back” and “I’ll Be There.” John David “JD” Souther has died. He was a prolific songwriter and musician whose collaborations with the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt helped shape the country-rock sound that took root in Southern California in the 1970s. Souther joined in on some of the Eagles’ biggest hits, such as “Best of My Love,” “New Kid in Town,” and “Heartache Tonight." The Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee also collaborated with James Taylor, Bob Seger, Bonnie Raitt and many more. His biggest hit as a solo artist was “You’re Only Lonely.” He was about to tour with Karla Bonoff. Souther died Sept. 17 at his home in New Mexico, at 78. In this photo, JD Souther and Alison Krauss attend the Songwriters Hall of Fame 44th annual induction and awards gala on Thursday, June 13, 2013 in New York. Sen. Dan Evans stands with his three sons, from left, Mark, Bruce and Dan Jr., after he won the election for Washington's senate seat in Seattle, Nov. 8, 1983. Evans, a former Washington state governor and a U.S. Senator, died Sept. 20. The popular Republican was 98. He served as governor from 1965 to 1977, and he was the keynote speaker at the 1968 National Republican Convention. In 1983, Evans was appointed to served out the term of Democratic Sen. Henry “Scoop” Jackson after he died in office. Evans opted not to stand for election in 1988, citing the “tediousness" of the Senate. He later served as a regent at the University of Washington, where the Daniel J. Evans School of Public Policy and Governance bears his name. Eugene “Mercury” Morris, who starred for the unbeaten 1972 Miami Dolphins as part of a star-studded backfield and helped the team win two Super Bowl titles, died Sept. 21. He was 77. The team on Sunday confirmed the death of Morris, a three-time Pro Bowl selection. In a statement, his family said his “talent and passion left an indelible mark on the sport.” Morris was the starting halfback and one of three go-to runners that Dolphins coach Don Shula utilized in Miami’s back-to-back title seasons of 1972 and 1973, alongside Pro Football Hall of Famer Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick. Morris led the Dolphins in rushing touchdowns in both of those seasons. John Ashton, the veteran character actor who memorably played the gruff but lovable police detective John Taggart in the “Beverly Hills Cop” films, died Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. He was 76. Maggie Smith, who won an Oscar for 1969 film “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” and won new fans in the 21st century as the dowager Countess of Grantham in “Downton Abbey” and Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter films, died Sept. 27 at 89. Smith's publicist announced the news Friday. She was frequently rated the preeminent British female performer of a generation that included Vanessa Redgrave and Judi Dench. “Jean Brodie” brought her the Academy Award for best actress in 1969. Smith added a supporting actress Oscar for “California Suite” in 1978. Kris Kristofferson, a Rhodes scholar with a deft writing style and rough charisma who became a country music superstar and an A-list Hollywood actor, died Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. He was 88. Drake Hogestyn, the “Days of Our Lives” star who appeared on the show for 38 years, died Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. He was 70. Ron Ely, the tall, musclebound actor who played the title character in the 1960s NBC series “Tarzan,” died Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, at age 86. Dikembe Mutombo, a Basketball Hall of Famer who was one of the best defensive players in NBA history and a longtime global ambassador for the game, died Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, from brain cancer, the league announced. He was 58. Frank Fritz, left, part of a two-man team who drove around the U.S. looking for antiques and collectibles to buy and resell on the reality show “American Pickers,” died Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. He was 60. He's shown here with co-host Mike Wolfe at the A+E Networks 2015 Upfront in New York on April 30, 2015. Pete Rose, baseball’s career hits leader and fallen idol who undermined his historic achievements and Hall of Fame dreams by gambling on the game he loved and once embodied, died Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. He was 83. Cissy Houston, the mother of Whitney Houston and a two-time Grammy winner who performed alongside superstar musicians like Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin, died Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in her New Jersey home. She was 91. Ethel Kennedy, the wife of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, who raised their 11 children after he was assassinated and remained dedicated to social causes and the family’s legacy for decades thereafter, died on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, her family said. She was 96. Former One Direction singer Liam Payne, 31, whose chart-topping British boy band generated a global following of swooning fans, was found dead Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, local officials said. He was 31. Mitzi Gaynor, among the last survivors of the so-called golden age of the Hollywood musical, died of natural causes in Los Angeles on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. She was 93. Fernando Valenzuela, the Mexican-born phenom for the Los Angeles Dodgers who inspired “Fernandomania” while winning the NL Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year in 1981, died Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. He was 63. Jack Jones, a Grammy-winning crooner known for “The Love Boat” television show theme song, died, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. He was 86. Phil Lesh, a founding member of the Grateful Dead, died Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at age 84. Teri Garr, the quirky comedy actor who rose from background dancer in Elvis Presley movies to co-star of such favorites as "Young Frankenstein" and "Tootsie," died Tuesday, Oct 29, 2024. She was 79. Quincy Jones, the multitalented music titan whose vast legacy ranged from producing Michael Jackson’s historic “Thriller” album to writing prize-winning film and television scores and collaborating with Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and hundreds of other recording artists, died Sunday, Nov 3, 2024. He was 91 Bobby Allison, founder of racing’s “Alabama Gang” and a NASCAR Hall of Famer, died Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. He was 86. Song Jae-lim, a South Korean actor known for his roles in K-dramas “Moon Embracing the Sun” and “Queen Woo,” was found dead at his home in capital Seoul, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. He was 39. British actor Timothy West, who played the classic Shakespeare roles of King Lear and Macbeth and who in recent years along with his wife, Prunella Scales, enchanted millions of people with their boating exploits on Britain's waterways, died Tuesday, Nov 12, 2024. He was 90. Bela Karolyi, the charismatic if polarizing gymnastics coach who turned young women into champions and the United States into an international power in the sport, died Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. He was 82. Arthur Frommer, whose "Europe on 5 Dollars a Day" guidebooks revolutionized leisure travel by convincing average Americans to take budget vacations abroad, died Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. He was 95. Former Chicago Bulls forward Bob Love, a three-time All-Star who spent 11 years in the NBA, died Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. He was 81. Chuck Woolery, the affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19, died Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. He was 83. Barbara Taylor Bradford, a British journalist who became a publishing sensation in her 40s with the saga "A Woman of Substance" and wrote more than a dozen other novels that sold tens of millions of copies, died Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. She was 91. Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!

SOUTHAMPTON, England (AP) — West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski is “alert” and conscious after being taken off the field on a stretcher during the team's 1-0 win at Southampton in the Premier League on Thursday, manager Julen Lopetegui said. The game was delayed for around eight minutes as Fabianski received treatment on the field at St Mary's Stadium. The 39-year-old Polish goalkeeper was hurt in a collision from a corner and was replaced by Alphonse Areola in the 36th minute. Southampton 'keeper Aaron Ramsdale had run the length of the field to check on Fabianski amid worrying scenes. Fabianski was then greeted by applause as he was taken off with an oxygen mask on, but did not need to go to the hospital. “He had one big knock around the head, around the neck and he was not very sure about his actions. Fortunately the news is he is talking, he is alert, he is conscious,” Lopetegui said. “I talk with him. The doctors say that he feels better and well. I am positive with him. He showed he more or less recovered his sense. I am not afraid. We feared but now he is better and it is a positive feeling because we were very worried.” West Ham, which also saw defender Max Kilman go off in the first half, scored through Jarrod Bowen in the 59th. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerHARRISBURG — Students, parents, and teachers are anxiously watching and waiting to see how the state’s billion-dollar education funding increase and new adequacy formula will impact struggling school districts, even as district property taxes continue to rise. In the meantime, success measures reflect the depth of learning loss since the beginning of the pandemic, and administrators search for talent amidst a severe labor shortage. Throughout these fundamental challenges, Pennsylvania schools, both K-12 and post-secondary, have repeatedly found themselves at the center of the political clashes pulling at the nation in 2024. Politicized pressure The battle over transgender issues reached Pennsylvania with a federal court ruling that parents have the right to receive advanced notice and remove their children from lessons including gender ideology. The incident in the court case related to statements and reading outside the school’s curriculum. Anti-war protests supporting the people of Palestine and demanding institutional divestments from Israel roiled college campuses and brought national attention to the state in the spring. Encampments at Pitt and the University of Pennsylvania saw clashes with the police and involvement from the state’s highest office. The conflict shed light on concerns around antisemitism, which were also felt at the district level. Conservative professors felt compelled to hide their views, while students reported intolerance toward disparate political views. Penn State was accused of free speech violations pertaining to the election. Temple unveiled a new social justice minor and faced scrutiny for diversity programs. In K-12 schools, issues of racial bias continued to show a demonstrable impact on student performance, while solutions remain elusive. Pittsburgh schools sought help from consultants with diversity and in addressing racism in math. The state updated its relevant framework for teacher competencies. Higher ed incentives One compelling option to address both performance gaps in testing and the teacher shortage is a ‘grow-your-own’ approach to new teachers, which encourages students from local communities to pursue teaching careers. The state’s 2022 approval of a teaching track within its career and technical education programming has opened the door for students to begin coursework in high school. Legislators floated plans to entice higher education students to set up long-term stakes in the state. Republicans promoted a plan that would offer aid to out-of-state students who agree to live and work in Pennsylvania after graduation. The governor proposed tuition caps at state-run schools, where tuition froze for another year. The state introduced a million-dollar tuition reimbursement for people pursuing careers in emergency services, and the House considered tuition reimbursement for medical professionals willing to relocate to one of the state’s fraught rural healthcare institutions. To get more students in the door, lawmakers looked at the FAFSA process and how to restore trust in higher education. Health and safety The Senate considered a bill that would require silent panic alarms in schools to help law enforcement more quickly respond to school shootings. The legislature weighed options for improving students’ mental health, including allowing for mental health days as excusable absences, displaying suicide prevention numbers, and clarifying the scope of school guidance counselors’ work. In-school cell phone bans that have seen traction throughout the states and in other countries were weighed in the legislature, citing the devices’ impact on student performance, mental health, and social skills. Big district woes The state’s major metropolitan school districts continued to struggle this year. The Pittsburgh Public School District is considering the closure of several of its facilities. Philadelphia spent big on transit passes and parent transportation in light of driver shortages, as well as green buses and recruiting efforts. School choice With so much going on weighing down the Pennsylvania school system, many maintain that school choice is still the best option available. Contention continues between those who believe public money shouldn’t end up in private hands and those who believe the alternative offers a necessary lifeline to students who deserve a good education.

The old adage that “speed kills” is ringing true among the world’s fastest roller coasters that have been closing at an alarming rate — but fortunately for thrill seekers a new coaster king will soon arise in 2025. Kingda Ka at New Jersey’s Six Flags Great Adventure — the reigning champ for speed (128 mph) and height (456 feet) — became the latest of the world’s fastest coasters to fall. ALSO SEE: Six Flags to spend $1 billion on 11 coasters over next 2 years Six Flags announced last week that Kingda Ka would be removed and replaced by a new record-breaking launch coaster in 2026. “Kingda Ka has delivered more than 12 million rides since 2005,” Six Flags said in a statement. “What was cutting edge roller coaster technology 20 years ago has been surpassed by more modern advancements.” Four other coasters on Roller Coaster Database’s world’s fastest list are currently “standing but not operating.” That leaves Red Force (112 mph) at Spain’s Ferrari Land as the reigning world’s fastest coaster. Fury 325 (95 mph) at North Carolina’s Carowinds currently holds the title as America’s fastest coaster . The Superman reverse freefall launch coaster will reclaim the U.S. title it hasn’t held in more than two decades when the Magic Mountain ride eventually returns to operation. The Superman: Escape from Krypton coaster closed for repairs in September, according to Magic Mountain officials. A reopening date has not yet been announced. ALSO SEE: Six Flags Magic Mountain plans 21st roller coaster for 2026 The record-setting coaster opened at Magic Mountain in 1997 as Superman: The Escape — tying Tower of Terror at Australia’s Dreamworld as the world’s fastest coaster. The nearly identical Intamin shuttle coasters shared the throne until the 112 mph Dodonpa coaster opened in 2001 at Japan’s Fuji-Q Highland. Cedar Point’s Top Thrill Dragster grabbed the title of world’s fastest coaster in 2003 with a top speed of 120 mph. Kingda Ka became the king of the world when the top hat-style Intamin Accelerator coaster debuted in 2005. Formula Rossa snatched the world’s fastest crown in 2010, but the coaster has been closed since January to repair the launch system — a process that can take a year or more, according to Screamscape . Ring Racer remains an expensive but worthless white elephant — operating for only a few days when it opened in 2013, but still “standing but not operating” to this day. ALSO SEE: Coaster war brewing between Six Flags Magic Mountain and relatively unknown European rival Ferrari World’s Formula Rossa, Cedar Point’s Top Thrill 2 and Magic Mountain’s Superman are all eventually expected to reopen. Cedar Point closed Top Thrill Dragster for the entire 2022 and 2023 seasons after a metal piece flew off the ride and seriously injured a woman waiting in the attraction queue in August 2021. The rechristened Top Thrill 2 replaced the Intamin hydraulic launch system with a Zamperla electro-magnetic propulsion launch system in May — but the ride only operated for about a week before the park closed the coaster again due to mechanical issues. The world’s fastest coaster list will be reshuffled again in 2025 when Falcon’s Flight debuts at Six Flags Qiddiya City in Saudi Arabia. Falcon’s Flight will become the world’s fastest coaster at a blistering 155 mph — 6 mph faster than Formula Rossa’s top speed of 149 mph.-- Shares Facebook Twitter Reddit Email Before Elon Musk effectively bought an American presidency , he mounted a hostile takeover of the attention economy. His initial bulk acquisitions were achieved by spreading misinformation, anger and fear to millions on his social media platform in exchange for their loyalty. He simultaneously conned those he could reach using the Internet into believing his brain functions on a higher level than most people, persuading media entities with massive platforms to promote his illusion of genius. If it worked for a former NBC game show host, why not a guy who was invited to host “Saturday Night Live”? “Squid Game” is a giant metaphor portraying the way late-stage capitalism siphons the labor, life force and health of the masses into the coffers of the rich. All this preceded the individual investments made in the days leading up to Nov. 5, when Musk dangled $1 million giveaways to MAGA voters in swing states who signed a petition he claims was dedicated to protecting freedom of speech and the right to bear arms. That yielded dividends in the form of awestruck, worshipful fan posts on X and fawning coverage by right-wing news outlets. If you’re wondering how this is relevant to "Squid Game," you either haven’t watched Season 1 or, equally as likely, missed the point director Hwang Dong-hyuk was trying to make. Considering the violent deadly spectacle of the playground games with lethal consequences for losers and the twisted playhouse sets joined by a layered puzzle of staircases, that’s not hard to do. The dominance of pink jumpsuits with black fencing helmets that following Halloween, along with green tracksuits and bedazzled animal heads, was a clue that many of us took away the wrong message. (Further proving this was the excitement that met the news of Netflix’s reality competition spinoff " Squid Game: The Challenge .") Related The word of the year is "authentic": "Squid Game: The Challenge" tests its definition in 2023 Some might even view Seong Gi-hun's (Emmy winner Lee Jung-jae) transformation from a bowing and scraping, deeply indebted failure into a hardened champion, Player 456, as a Darwinian success story. Those are very popular these days. Extreme partisanship encourages that mode of thinking. “Squid Game” is a giant metaphor portraying the way late-stage capitalism siphons the labor, life force and health of the masses into the coffers of the rich — and worse, how we’re willing to play the games the wealthy rig in their favor, even if it disadvantages other people like us. To Gi-hun, so much winning is nothing to be celebrated. Some might spin his victory as evidence he’s better than people he outlived, including his childhood friend Sang-woo (Park Hae-soo). Gi-hun views it as the warped outcome of a system designed to relegate increasing numbers of people to a permanent state of indebtedness and poverty. That moral is glaringly apparent in the second season, coming to us at a time when autocracies propped up by the obscenely rich are rising to power in multiple countries. The name of the world’s richest man isn’t uttered in this show, but the opening episode’s title, “Bread and Lottery ,” is a synchronous acknowledgment that our present climate makes its fictional horrors possible. “Squid Game” was a massive global success for Netflix, and there’s no reason to doubt “ Squid Game 2 ” won’t command similar levels of worldwide attention. (Netflix is placing its bets on that, announcing this week a raft of branded partnerships with fast food chains and gaming platforms that’ll surround us with circles, triangles and squares long after the last Christmas lights are unplugged.) Squid Game (Netflix) This time Hwang needn’t linger too much on the games themselves, instead cutting more deeply into the psychology driving desperate people to wager their lives on a chance for easy money. This describes the players and the faceless underlings coldly murdering strangers and begging for their lives. They have their stories too. Some of those foot soldiers were once on the other side of the barrel, and for reasons that at least one explains, decided it’s more lucrative to serve these masters than cash out their 456 billion won (around $314.3 million) and jet off to a new life. The oligarchs behind the curtain expect Gi-hun to do exactly that. Instead, he returns to Seoul and embarks on a mission to stop the game – if not by exposing it, then by force. Where the first season thrilled by setting personal drama within a meat grinder, “Squid Game 2” follows the structure of an action movie. Not just any action movie either — the sinister leader of the cabal Gi-hun sets himself against likens his vengeance question to the central choice in “ The Matrix .” They could have taken the blue pill and lived in peace but instead they still chose the red pill, he says of Neo and rest, to play the heroes. “Do you think you’re a hero who can change the world?” he asks tauntingly. Gi-hun has dropped off the grid and is gathering the strength to take on the game's makers, primarily the mysterious black-masked Front Man (Lee Byung-hun ) speaking for all the overlords. If he can’t take them down from the outside, he vows to chew apart their kingdom from within. We need your help to stay independent Subscribe today to support Salon's progressive journalism But the first season finale also reveals the Front Man is the lost brother sought by a secondary hero, police officer Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon). This twist held a deeper meaning for some viewers than others. People familiar with Korean culture and history may have viewed the cliffside confrontation between Jun-ho and Lee’s In-ho as symbolic of the reality lived by families split by the border between North and South Korea, as author Marie Myung-Ok Lee explains in her 2021 story. Squid Game (Netflix) For others, the scene is a culmination of a subplot built around a character that boils down to a fly in the lair’s vents letting us tag along as he infiltrates control rooms, hallways and spaces that reveal the hive of worker drones running the place, including the ones siphoning organs off the fallen to sell on the black market. Whatever contributed to the shallowness with which Wi’s character and others were written before is somewhat ameliorated in the second season. Less burdened with nurturing the tension of the functional premise of the game, Hwang puts aside writing a cluster of dramatic types to surround Lee and Wi to build memorable portraits. One that garnered plenty of coverage is the choice to cast Park Sung-hoon, a cis male actor, to pla a trans woman named Hyun-ju who joins the game for the chance to fund her “gender-affirming surgery,” as Netflix’s notes describe the role. Hwang writes Hyun-ju as much more than this reductive explanation, and Park’s performance is thoughtful and affecting. Even so, aside from the potentially harmful messaging communicated by this casting at a time when trans people and drag performers are under assault, Hwang also tumbles into the trope of making the most marginalized person in the story super-duper extraordinary. More endearing are the connections she and others make as a matter of survival, but also because they aren’t entirely heartless. Kang Ae-sim and Yang Dong-geun portray an elderly woman and her failson who enter the tourney to erase his mountainous debt. The pairing could have been written as another cliché but Kang’s Jang Geum-ja is the kind of survivor that, in the real world, would have helped thwart a president’s attempted coup. Squid Game (Netflix) Wi gets to exercise a bit more command in his role similar to Gi-hun’s graduation to brooding savior – not that we’re complaining, Lee makes it look good on him. It’s an essential note in a chapter that both preaches mass resistance and cautions us that the obstacles to successfully upending an unjust system that preys on the poor and middle class are . . . us. As in, fellow members of the 99% who buy into the fantasy that the hyper-wealthy people are somehow more deserving of a good life than the rest of us. “Squid Game 2” becomes a life-sized dollhouse collection of the modern era’s destructive vanities. This season's miserably indebted is a gallery of overconfident consumers, ranging from a hip-hop artist with an overinflated sense of his fame (played with sinister verve by Korean rap star Choi Seung-hyun, aka BigBang's T.O.P.) to a cryptocurrency huckster, from a businessman who borrows against his overconfidence to a young man eager to play soldier. This season allows us to get to know more of them beyond a few quirks or twirls of the figurative mustache, although there’s a share of that. But more are developed amply enough to give their performers something to sink their teeth into. Even Gong Yoo makes the most of his limited screen time as The Recruiter by shocking us with his aptitude to play demonic. Through their stories, “Squid Game 2” becomes a life-sized dollhouse collection of the modern era’s destructive vanities. Contestants primp and pose for what they think will be selfies, never suspecting that to those running the game, they’re just a face and a number. Their greed leads them to accept the Masked Officer’s cajoling by referring to the death matches as “keep[ing] the door open” for them “to pursue new opportunities," as if he's an HR manager as opposed to a guy with a gun. One figure wins over followers by placing the fear of god into them, a reliable instrument in the autocrat’s toolbox. And despite all the ways Gi-hun tries to warn and rally them, as well as the evidence gained by experience, a sizable number of contestants refuse to believe anything terrible can happen to them. As before, the contestants can vote on whether to keep playing or leave. The twist this season is that they have the chance to vote after each round of play, creating more tension as factions rise and alliances switch. But even after other people have been blown apart in front of them, there remain those who counter the reasonable suggestion to go home to a bowl of beef noodles with the insistence that they’d rather risk their lives for a shot at affording a herd of cattle. Hwang writes other critiques into these seven episodes, some of which try to have it both ways. There comes a point at which Gi-hun needs Jun-ho, who shares his aim to take down the game, but one of the main characters often points out how the cops aren’t to be trusted. (It’s no accident that In-ho, the Front Man, once worked in law enforcement.) Military experience is an asset in this doomed class of players, and the same is true of the killers wearing those pink jumpsuits. It's also integral to the season’s climax, although Hwang writes his way to and through it in a way that dropped us – instead of Jun-ho – off a cliff. Maybe that’s only confusing if you don’t know that “Squid Game” is already set for a third season. When those episodes arrive is as much of an unknown as the shape we’ll be in by then. Bleak as that thought is, it might also be reassuring if you love this show. As one character puts it, “The game will not end unless the world changes.” It doesn't look like that's happening any time soon. "Squid Game 2" streams Thursday, Dec. 26 on Netflix. Read more about this topic "Girls, gays and theys": A key "Squid Game: The Challenge" move set up its artful conclusion The women in "Squid Game" deserve better The allure of Netflix's grim Squid Game By Melanie McFarland Melanie McFarland is Salon's award-winning senior culture critic. Follow her on Bluesky: @McTelevision MORE FROM Melanie McFarland Related Topics ------------------------------------------ K Drama Netflix Review South Korea Squid Game Tv Related Articles Advertisement:On paper, Luigi Mangione had it all: wealth, intellect, athleticism, good looks. But the child of a prominent Maryland family may have spurned it all in a spasm of violence, in a killing that has mesmerized Americans. The 26-year-old was arrested Monday and charged with the murder of Brian Thompson, a health insurance chief executive and father of two who was gunned down in Manhattan last week by someone who, evidence suggests, has endured his own debilitating health crises and grew angry with the privatized US medical system. The cold-blooded killing has laid bare the deep frustration many Americans feel toward the country's labyrinthine health care system: while many have condemned the shooting, others have praised Mangione as a hero. It has also prompted considerable interest in how a young engineer with an Ivy League education could have gone off the rails to commit murder. News of his capture at a Pennsylvania McDonald's triggered an explosion of online activity, with Mangione quickly amassing new followers on social media as citizen sleuths and US media tried to understand who he is. As Americans have looked for clues about a political ideology or potential motive, a photo on his X account (formerly Twitter) includes an X-ray of an apparently injured spine. Mangione lived in Hawaii in 2022 and, according to his former roommate R.J. Martin, suffered from back pain, and was hoping to strengthen his back. After a surfing lesson, Mangione was "in bed for about a week" because of the pain, Martin told CNN. Earlier this year, Martin said, Mangione confirmed he'd had back surgery and sent him photos of the X-rays. Police said the suspect carried a hand-written manifesto of grievances in which he slammed America's "most expensive health care system in the world." "He was writing a lot about his disdain for corporate America and in particular the health care industry," New York police chief detective Joseph Kenny told ABC. According to CNN, a document recovered when Mangione was arrested included the phrase "these parasites had it coming." Meanwhile, memes and jokes proliferated, many riffing on his first name and comparing him to the "Mario Bros." video game character Luigi. Many expressed at least partial sympathy, having had their own harrowing experiences with the US health care system. "Godspeed. Please know that we all hear you," wrote one user on Facebook. Mangione hails from the Baltimore area. His wealthy Italian-American family owns local businesses, including the Hayfields Country Club, according to local outlet the Baltimore Banner, and cousin Nino Mangione is a Maryland state delegate. A standout student, Luigi graduated at the top of his high school class in 2016. A former student who knew Mangione at the elite Gilman School told AFP the suspect struck him as "a normal guy, nice kid." "There was nothing about him that was off, at least from my perception," the person said. Mangione attended the prestigious University of Pennsylvania, where he completed both a bachelor's and master's degree in computer science by 2020, according to a university spokesperson. While at Penn, Mangione co-led a group of 60 undergraduates who collaborated on video game projects, as noted in a now-deleted university webpage. On Instagram Mangione shared snapshots of his travels, and shirtless images of himself flaunting a six-pack. X users have scoured Mangione's posts for potential motives. His header photo includes an X-ray of a spine with bolts attached. Finding a political ideology that fits neatly onto the right-left divide has proved elusive, though he had written a review of Ted Kaczynski's manifesto on online site Goodreads, calling it "prescient." Kaczynski, known as the Unabomber, carried out multiple bombings in the United States from 1978 to 1995, in a campaign he said was aimed at halting the advance of modern society and technology. Mangione has also linked approvingly to posts criticizing secularism as a harmful consequence of Christianity's decline, and retweeted posts on the impact mobile phones and social media have on mental health. ia/abo-mlm/nro

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