philwij On the flip side, the player's track record and accomplishments cannot be overlooked. Throughout his career, he has consistently displayed a knack for scoring goals and creating opportunities for his teammates. His skill set and footballing intelligence are undeniable, and his presence on the field could provide Barcelona with a much-needed attacking threat.Kasthuri Shankar: In the line of fireAnother player who was mentioned in the potential transfer saga was Matteo Darmian, then playing for Manchester United. Guardiola allegedly expressed interest in signing Darmian as part of the deal, as he saw the versatile full-back as a valuable addition to his squad's defensive options.

By LOLITA C. BALDOR WASHINGTON (AP) — Reported sexual assaults at the U.S. military service academies dropped in 2024 for the second year in a row, according to new Pentagon data, marking a sharp turnaround from an alarming surge two years ago that triggered sweeping reviews and an overhaul in leadership . The decline in reports was mirrored by a similar decrease in the total number of students who said in an anonymous survey that they experienced some type of unwanted sexual contact during the school year that ended in the spring. Defense officials, however, warned on Thursday that the numbers are still high, and there is still a lot of work to be done. According to the survey, which is done every other year, about 13% of female students said they experienced unwanted sexual contact in the 2024 school year, compared with more than 21% in 2022. For men, the rate decreased from 4.4% to 3.6%. The reported assaults reflect familiar trends. Most of the alleged offenders are also academy students and are often known to the victim. They often happen after duty hours or on weekends and holidays. Drinking has long been a consistent factor. Beth Foster, executive director of the Pentagon’s force resiliency office, called the new numbers encouraging. But she added, “the prevalence of sexual assault and harassment is still far too high. What this data tells us is that this is a difficult problem for all, but it is not an impossible problem to solve.” A vast majority of students — 88% — responded to the survey. Defense officials said they are still concerned that, based on the survey, an estimated 783 students experienced unwanted sexual contact but just a small percentage reported it. The U.S. military and defense leaders have pushed improvements in programs, leadership training and staffing to encourage more victims to report so they can receive help and perpetrators can be punished. Defense officials released preliminary data much earlier than usual this year, and said the full report will go out in February. They said the early release was done to provide better information to school leaders who are implementing changes. However, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will leave in January when President-elect Donald Trump takes office, and new leadership will take over the Pentagon. Trump and his pick to lead the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth , have vowed to eliminate “woke” policies fostering diversity and equity, and it’s not clear how any of that may impact sexual assault prevention efforts. Hegseth himself has been accused of sexual assault , which he denies, although he acknowledges making a settlement payment to the woman. Foster and others said Austin’s pressure on academy leaders to confront the problem led to a number of changes in how the schools foster better leaders and focus more stridently on sexual assault prevention. Related Articles National News | How to protect your communications through encryption National News | Companies tighten security after a health care CEO’s killing leads to a surge of threats National News | Unidentified drones spotted flying at locations across NYC, including LaGuardia Airport National News | About 2.6 million Stanley cups recalled after malfunctions caused burns. Is your mug included? National News | Woman who falsely accused Duke lacrosse players of rape in 2006 publicly admits she lied The total number of reported sexual assaults at the academies is divided in an often complex and confusing way. Academy and defense officials focus on the number of assaults reported by cadets and midshipmen during their school year. But students sometimes file reports after they leave the academies, describing incidents that happened when they were in school. The total is 106 for the 2024 school year, a sharp drop from 137 last year and 170 in 2022. The totals also decreased at each individual academy. Students at the U.S. Naval Academy reported 47 assaults, a slight dip from 49 the previous year. The other two saw significant decreases: Students at the Air Force Academy in Colorado reported 34, compared with 45 last year, and those at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in New York reported 25, compared with 43. In addition, eight students reported assaults last year that happened to them before they became students. The military services and the academies have struggled for years to combat sexual assault and harassment, with myriad prevention, education and treatment programs. But despite reams of research, and expanded programs, the numbers have grown. A renewed emphasis on it in the past several years has led to improvements and staff increases, although service members still complain that the videos and other programs are often outdated and don’t resonate as well with young troops.

Kenny Pickett says he'll 'be OK' after rib injury knocks him out of dream start for EaglesYoon Suk-Yeol, who took office in May after a hotly contested election, now faces accusations of bribery, embezzlement, and abuse of power. The allegations are particularly damaging considering Yoon's campaign promise to clean up corruption and restore public trust in the government. The latest revelations have raised serious questions about the sincerity of his commitment to ethical governance.The character of Sun Yang, brilliantly portrayed by the talented newcomer, captures the essence of a generation torn between the allure of virtual realities and the harsh truths of the real world. As he immerses himself in the digital realm, seeking solace and purpose, Sun Yang confronts his fears, insecurities, and desires in a compelling journey of self-exploration.

Welcome to Streaming Rewind, a weekly breakdown of the new and noteworthy as we work to help readers wade through the absolute deluge of television series and movies in the streaming space. Who’s ready for the holidays? I’m not. How is Christmas just two weeks away? Anyway, there’s plenty to watch this week, ranging from fun and festive to a preview of the religious debate some can be prepared for when they head home for the holidays (though, hopefully you have a better time than the missionaries in Heretic). Here’s what to watch this weekend in between frantically trying to finish your Christmas shopping. Red One (Prime Video) Red One may have been met with mixed (bad) reviews during its theatrical run, but what if I told you it was fun, actually? It’s most certainly not remarkable filmmaking, and The Rock and Chris Evans somehow have no chemistry on screen but oodles of it on red carpets, but it’s a Christmas movie! It’s cute and silly and warm and exactly as formulaic as we’ve all come to expect our Christmas movies to be. It’s also surprisingly lore-heavy, featuring both Krampus and Gryla the Christmas witch, which I found quite lovely. Secret Level (Prime Video) Prime Video’s big video game anthology series dropped this week, with episodes spanning consoles and titles. The length of the episodes holds it back a bit — 15 minutes is rarely long enough to tell a meaningful story — but if you love one of the titles featured in the first batch of episodes (Dungeons & Dragons, Sifu, Warhammer and more) then a glorified cut-scene may be enough to tickle your fancy. Heretic (Digital) Heretic has been a divisive one, which is typically a good signifier that a film is actually interesting. The film follows two Mormon Missionaries as they work to convert people to their flock but, unfortunately, they knock on the wrong door on their journey. While this one didn’t work for me personally , Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East all deliver stellar performances. The film goes well beyond the idea of a religious debate — something that many folks were worried about pre-release — but, for my money, it’s actually a stronger film while Grant and Thatcher are going toe to toe over theology and belief systems. Great British Bake Off: Holiday Edition (Netflix) It feels safe to assume that we’re all looking for something nice to watch this time of year, and GBBO always scratches that itch. They’re back in quick succession after the wrap of the recent season with another holiday edition of the series. Mark, Maxy, Maggie, Jürgen, George, Sophie, Dan, Amelia, Linda and Carole all return for the festive fun. Where to Watch Every Friday the 13th Movie Because obviously, right? Note: this is accurate at the time of publish, as streamers hot-potato titles every 30 seconds. (I know this is a streaming and digital column, but I also recommend you just buy the box set for any of these long-running horror titles, because licensing gets screwy through the decades.) Friday the 13th (1980) — Paramount+ Friday the 13th Part II (1981) — Paramount+ Friday the 13th Part III (1982) — Paramount+ Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984) — Paramount+ Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985) — Paramount+ Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986) — Paramount+ Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988) — Paramount+ Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989) — Paramount+ Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993) — Rent or Buy on Digital Jason X (2002) — Rent or Buy on Digital Freddy vs. Jason (2003) — Max Friday the 13th (2009) — Max New on Streaming and Demand This Week Venom: The Last Dance — On Demand (December 10) Dream Productions — Disney+ (December 11) Maria — Netflix (December 11) Joker: Folie à Deux — (December 12) Max Dexter: Original Sin — (December 12) Paramount+ w/ ShowtimeJordan Peterson , the polarizing Canadian psychologist, has bid Canada adieu and will now call the United States home, citing personal and professional reasons for the move. The news was revealed on a podcast this week, where Peterson and his daughter, Mikhaila Peterson Fuller, discussed his decision to move to Florida. “Welcome to moving to America , formally,” she offhandedly said to her dad during The Mikhaila Peterson Podcast episode. “I guess that’s what happened, isn’t it? Is this the big announcement?” said Peterson. “There are decided advantages to being here,” he said. Peterson made reference to his ongoing feud with the College of Psychologists of Ontario , as well as a bill targeting hate speech, among his key reasons to leave his home country. “The issue with the College of Psychologists is very annoying, to say the least, and the new legislation that the Liberals are attempting to push through, Bill C-63 , we’d all be living in a totalitarian hellhole if it passes,” he told his daughter. “The tax situation is out of hand. The government in Canada at the federal level is incompetent beyond belief, and it’s become uncomfortable for me in my neighbourhood in Toronto,” he added. Peterson, an author and former University of Toronto professor, has not had an active clinical practice since 2017 but remains a member of the College of Psychologists of Ontario. In 2022, the professional body reviewed Peterson’s social media conduct after hearing concerns about whether his posts met its standards. It determined that online comments appeared degrading, demeaning and unprofessional — and that this posed a risk to the public. It ordered that he enter a remedial coaching program to reflect on his approach to public statements and warned he could be accused of professional misconduct if he did not comply. Peterson took issue with the direction and launched a legal campaign to try to get out of it. In August of this year, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice dismissed Peterson’s application for judicial review, and the Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal attempt. Peterson has long been a magnet for controversy in Canada — a public figure with a huge social media following that people appear to either fully embrace or abhor. He first courted controversy for refusing to use gender-neutral pronouns while teaching at the University of Toronto. He has gone on to international fame with sold-out lectures, best-selling books and a popular podcast. While he has frequently made headlines for his controversial views on feminism, gender and climate change, Peterson has insisted in the past that all the complaints at issue are political and don’t have anything to do with his past or present clients as a psychologist. — With files from The Canadian Press

Mr Bayrou, 73, a crucial partner in Macron’s centrist alliance, has been a well-known figure in French politics for decades. His political experience is seen as key in efforts to restore stability as no single party holds a majority at the National Assembly. Mr Macron’s office said in a statement that Mr Bayrou “has been charged with forming a new government”. During the handover ceremony, Mr Bayrou said that “no one knows the difficulty of the situation better” than he does. “I’ve taken reckless risks all along my political life to raise the issue of debt and deficits in the most important elections,” he said. France is under pressure from the European Union’s executive body and financial markets to reduce its colossal debt, estimated to reach 6% of its gross domestic product this year. “I know that the risks of difficulties are much greater than the chances of success,” Mr Bayrou said, adding that he hopes to lead the country towards a “needed reconciliation”. “I think this is the only possible path to success,” he said. The new prime minister is expected to hold talks with political leaders from various parties in the coming days in order to choose new ministers. Former prime minister Michel Barnier resigned last week following a no-confidence vote prompted by budget disputes in the National Assembly, leaving France without a functioning government. Mr Macron in an address to the nation vowed to remain in office until his term ends in 2027. Mr Macron’s centrist alliance does not have a majority in parliament and Mr Bayrou’s Cabinet will need to rely on moderate lawmakers from the left and the right to be able to stay in power. Some conservatives are expected to be part of the new government. Mr Macron’s strategy aims at preventing far-right leader Marine Le Pen from holding “make or break” power over the government. Ms Le Pen helped oust Mr Barnier by joining her National Rally party’s forces to the left to pass the no-confidence motion last week. Mr Bayrou’s appointment is also in line with Mr Macron’s efforts to build a non-aggression pact with the Socialists so that they commit not to vote against the government in any future confidence motion. Mr Bayrou leads the centrist Democratic Movement, known as MoDem, which he founded in 2007. In 2017, he supported Mr Macron’s first presidential bid and became a weighty partner in the French president’s centrist alliance. At the time, he was appointed justice minister, but he quickly resigned from the government amid an investigation into the MoDem’s alleged embezzlement of European Parliament funds. Mr Bayrou this year was cleared in the case by a Paris court, which found eight other party officials guilty and sentenced the party to pay a fine. Mr Bayrou became well known to the French public when he was education minister from 1993 to 1997 in a conservative government. He was three times a candidate for president: in 2002, 2007 and 2012.On the other hand, supporters of the young talent believe that his impact goes beyond just statistics. Tariq's movement off the ball, vision, and willingness to take on defenders have all been highlighted as key aspects of his game that contribute to the team's overall performance. While goals and assists are important, they argue that Tariq's presence on the field creates space and opportunities for his teammates to shine.

Baric, a seasoned expert in the football world, has worked with various teams across Europe and has witnessed firsthand the evolution of football culture on the continent. In a recent interview, he shared his views on the current state of Chinese football and the potential pitfalls of mimicking European norms.In addition to President Yoon, seven other prominent figures have also been targeted for potential arrest in connection with the corruption probe. Among them are high-ranking government officials, business leaders, and influential individuals with close ties to the political establishment. The inclusion of such figures on the arrest list underscores the far-reaching implications of the corruption scandal and the extent to which it has permeated various sectors of society.