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In a Dec. 22 Truth Social post , Trump announced Ken Howery as his choice for United States Ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark and added that the U.S. should pursue control of Greenland. Greenland is an island located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans and is a territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. “For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity,” Trump’s post says. While Trump hasn’t elaborated on his motivation to purchase Greenland, the territory has access to valuable natural resources and houses a large U.S. military base . Its location also provides access to the Arctic Ocean from the Atlantic. Trump first floated the idea of purchasing Greenland in 2019, during his first administration. Denmark’s prime minister called purchase discussions “absurd,” prompting Trump to cancel a planned trip to the country. Arkansas Republican Sen. Tom Cotton penned an op-ed in 2019 saying that acquiring the territory would provide a safeguard against foreign threats like what the U.S. faced during World War II and the Cold War. After Trump expressed renewed interest in Greenland on Dec. 22, Google search data shows there’s been a spike in searches about Trump’s statement and Greenland, including whether the territory is for sale. THE QUESTION Is Greenland for sale? THE SOURCES Greenland Prime Minister Múte Egede Danish national government website Self-Government Act in 2009 Statement from Denmark Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to ABC News Rasmus Jarlov , a member of Danish parliament U.S. Space Force THE ANSWER No, Greenland is not for sale. WHAT WE FOUND Greenland is not for sale, Múte Egede, the territory’s prime minister, said on Facebook . “Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale. We must not lose our years-long fight for freedom,” Egede wrote in Danish, translated into English via Google Translate. “However, we must continue to be open to cooperation and trade with the whole world, especially with our neighbours. Since all cooperation and trade cannot go through Denmark. All cooperation with us must be based on our values. Because at all times we must not squabble about our country,” Egede wrote. Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, according to the Danish national government website . It has its own government, managing most domestic affairs, while Denmark oversees foreign policy, defense and monetary matters. In 2009, Greenland's residents voted for increased autonomy , which gave the island its own parliament and independent leadership, but it is still in part controlled by Denmark. According to Greenland’s Self-Government Act in 2009 , Greenland has the option to declare full independence if it chooses to in the future. First, in order to do that, the decision regarding Greenland’s independence must be brought before the people. Greenland has a population of roughly 56,000. If Greenland’s population decides to move forward, negotiations begin between Danish and Greenland governing bodies. An agreement has to be made between the two, and if reached, Greenland’s parliament has to approve and then draft a resolution for independence. The agreement for independence ends with Denmark’s parliament approving the independence. Greenland would then become an independent nation. In response to Trump’s Dec. 22 Truth Social post, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told ABC News the “Danish Government is looking forward to welcoming the new American ambassador. And the Government is looking forward to working with the new administration.” “In a complex security political situation as the one we currently experience, transatlantic cooperation is crucial. As far as statements about Greenland, the Prime Minister's Office has no comments other than reference to what was stated by the Premier of Greenland about Greenland not being for sale, but open for cooperation.” VERIFY reached out to the Danish prime minister’s office for comment, but did not hear back at the time of publication. Danish parliament member Rasmus Jarlov rejected Trump’s interest in purchasing Greenland in a post on X. “Greenland is Danish. It has been since 1380 and it will continue to be. This is undisputed, signed in rock in treaties and not open for negotiation. At all. Dictators threaten to take control over other countries' territory. Free democratic countries do not,” Jarlov said. The U.S’s interest in Greenland did not begin with Trump. In 1946, the U.S. considered proposals to pay Denmark $100 million in gold bars for Greenland or trade oil-rich land in Alaska for some of Greenland’s territory, according to the Associated Press . Even though the sale did not go through, the United States ended up with the military bases it wanted anyway. The U.S. Air Force currently maintains two bases in Greenland, Thule and Sondestrom. Construction of the Thule base in 1952 was made possible by a defense treaty signed by the U.S. and Denmark in 1951 . Originally designed as a refueling base for long-range bombing missions, it has been a ballistic missile early warning site and satellite telemetry station since 1961. Sondestrom’s mission is in support of the base at Thule. The Associated Press contributed to this report.WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump's supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in his political movement into public display, previewing the fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare the tensions between the newest flank of Trump's movement — wealthy members of the tech world including billionaire Elon Musk and fellow entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and their call for more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump's Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. The debate touched off this week when Laura Loomer , a right-wing provocateur with a history of racist and conspiratorial comments, criticized Trump’s selection of Sriram Krishnan as an adviser on artificial intelligence policy in his coming administration. Krishnan favors the ability to bring more skilled immigrants into the U.S. Loomer declared the stance to be “not America First policy” and said the tech executives who have aligned themselves with Trump were doing so to enrich themselves. Much of the debate played out on the social media network X, which Musk owns. Loomer's comments sparked a back-and-forth with venture capitalist and former PayPal executive David Sacks , whom Trump has tapped to be the “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar." Musk and Ramaswamy, whom Trump has tasked with finding ways to cut the federal government , weighed in, defending the tech industry's need to bring in foreign workers. It bloomed into a larger debate with more figures from the hard-right weighing in about the need to hire U.S. workers, whether values in American culture can produce the best engineers, free speech on the internet, the newfound influence tech figures have in Trump's world and what his political movement stands for. Trump has not yet weighed in on the rift, and his presidential transition team did not respond to a message seeking comment. Musk, the world's richest man who has grown remarkably close to the president-elect , was a central figure in the debate, not only for his stature in Trump's movement but his stance on the tech industry's hiring of foreign workers. Technology companies say H-1B visas for skilled workers, used by software engineers and others in the tech industry, are critical for hard-to-fill positions. But critics have said they undercut U.S. citizens who could take those jobs. Some on the right have called for the program to be eliminated, not expanded. Born in South Africa, Musk was once on an a H-1B visa himself and defended the industry's need to bring in foreign workers. “There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent," he said in a post. “It is the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley.” Trump's own positions over the years have reflected the divide in his movement. His tough immigration policies, including his pledge for a mass deportation, were central to his winning presidential campaign. He has focused on immigrants who come into the U.S. illegally but he has also sought curbs on legal immigration , including family-based visas. As a presidential candidate in 2016, Trump called the H-1B visa program “very bad” and “unfair” for U.S. workers. After he became president, Trump in 2017 issued a “Buy American and Hire American” executive order , which directed Cabinet members to suggest changes to ensure H-1B visas were awarded to the highest-paid or most-skilled applicants to protect American workers. Trump's businesses, however, have hired foreign workers, including waiters and cooks at his Mar-a-Lago club , and his social media company behind his Truth Social app has used the the H-1B program for highly skilled workers. During his 2024 campaign for president, as he made immigration his signature issue, Trump said immigrants in the country illegally are “poisoning the blood of our country" and promised to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. But in a sharp departure from his usual alarmist message around immigration generally, Trump told a podcast this year that he wants to give automatic green cards to foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges. “I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country," he told the “All-In" podcast with people from the venture capital and technology world. Those comments came on the cusp of Trump's budding alliance with tech industry figures, but he did not make the idea a regular part of his campaign message or detail any plans to pursue such changes. Michelle L. Price, The Associated PressOct. 1, 1924: Born James Earl Carter Jr. in Plains, Ga., eldest of Lillian and James Earl Carter’s four children. 1928: The family moves to a farm in Archery, a largely Black community a few miles from Plains. The shotgun-style house had no running water or electricity when they moved in. June 1941: Jimmy, 16, graduates from Plains High School and briefly attends Georgia Southwestern College and then Georgia Tech, preparing to fulfill his dream of entering the U.S. Naval Academy. June 5, 1946: Graduates from Naval Academy and enters service until 1953. July 7, 1946: Marries Rosalynn Smith. 1953: Returns home to take over the family farming businesses. 1955: First political election victory: chairman of Sumter County Board of Education. 1962: Wins a seat in the state Senate and holds it through 1966. Nov. 3, 1970: Wins Georgia gubernatorial election. Dec. 12, 1974: Announces presidential bid, prompting the response, “Jimmy Who?” Nov. 2, 1976: Defeats Gerald Ford for presidency. Jan. 20, 1977: Sets the tone of his administration by walking from the Capitol to the White House after swearing-in. June 16, 1978: Signs Panama Canal treaties to transfer control of the canal to Panama. Aug. 15, 1978: Signs legislation designating the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. Sept. 17, 1978: Brings Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat together to sign the Camp David Accords. Nov. 4, 1979: Iranians take 66 Americans hostage at U.S. Embassy in Tehran. January 1980: Following the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan in late December 1979, Carter decides U.S. athletes will not attend the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. April 17, 1980: Carter announces that an economic recession has begun. April 25, 1980: Helicopter mission to rescue Iranian hostages fails. Nov. 4, 1980: Loses presidential election to Ronald Reagan. Jan. 20, 1981: Minutes after Reagan becomes president, hostages are released from Iranian soil. September 1984: The Carters donate a week of their time to build Habitat for Humanity houses. It turns into the annual Jimmy Carter Work Project. October 1984: Groundbreaking for the Carter Center in Atlanta. It opens two years later. 1987: Carter Center’s Global 2000 project joins the fight against Guinea worm disease, a parasitic affliction attacking millions of people a year in developing countries. May 7, 1989: Carter through the Carter Center monitors fairness of Panama’s elections, a role he would repeat in Nicaragua (February 1990), Haiti (December 1990), Guyana (1992, 2001), Paraguay (1993), Venezuela (1998), Peru (2001) and more than 100 other countries. Oct. 25, 1991: Announces the Atlanta Project to tackle inner-city problems. June 1994: Plays key role in nuclear disarmament talks in North Korea. Sept. 17, 1994: Heads delegation to Haiti that arranges terms to avoid U.S. invasion and return President Jean-Bertrand Aristide to power. Oct. 1, 1996: National Park Service opens Carter museum in the former Plains High School on his 72nd birthday. April 3, 1998: At the seventh and final African Conference on Guinea Worm Eradication, Carter is knighted by Mali for his successful efforts to drastically reduce the number of cases worldwide. August 1999: The Carter Center turns the Atlanta Project program over to Georgia State University’s Neighborhood Partnership Resource Collaborative. Aug. 9, 1999: Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom along with Rosalynn. Oct. 19, 2000: Announces that he and Rosalynn no longer will be members of the Southern Baptist Convention, which he believes has grown too “rigid.” May 12-17, 2002: Visits Cuba with Rosalynn and Carter Center members. Makes a speech on Cuban television in which he calls for democratic reforms in Cuba and an end to the U.S. trade embargo. Oct. 11, 2002: Wins the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize. He later donates $370,000 of his $1 million award to the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Human Development at Georgia Southwestern State University. May 2003: Works behind the scenes on the Georgia state flag change to stave off a statewide referendum on the Rebel battle emblem. Jan. 25, 2004: Travels to Venezuela to meet with President Hugo Chavez, opposition leaders and others in the politically divided nation of 24 million. June 5, 2004: Christens the USS Jimmy Carter, the Navy’s latest nuclear vessel, a $3.3 billion submarine. July 26, 2004: Delivers a stinging condemnation of the Bush administration addressing the Democratic National Convention, saying the “nation’s soul” is at stake in the November election. August 2004: Leads the team monitoring the vote to recall Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Sept. 7, 2004: Blasts fellow Georgian and former Gov. Zell Miller in a 2-page letter for his “rabid and mean-spirited speech” to the Republican National Convention in New York. Sept. 27, 2004: Harshly accuses Florida officials of not doing enough to fix their election system following the 2000 presidential election. October 2004: Along with 2,000 volunteers, travels to Puebla, Mexico, as part of the Jimmy Carter Work Project to build 75 houses in one week through Habitat for Humanity. January 2005: Along with the National Democratic Institute, observes election of the new president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas. June 6, 2005: Declares that the United States should close its prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and that the Bush administration was wrong to say parts of the Geneva Conventions do not apply to at least 520 “enemy combatants” from about 40 countries held there. Oct. 10, 2005: Heads a team of election observers from his center and the National Democratic Institute, another U.S. group, to monitor Liberia’s first presidential election since a 14-year civil war ended. November 2005: His book “Our Endangered Values: America’s Moral Crisis” becomes the quickest-selling of his 20 books to date. In it, he takes aim at fundamentalism, environmental decay, the Iraq war and the Bush administration’s record on human rights. March 22, 2006: Along with co-leader of a bipartisan Commission on Federal Election Reform and former Secretary of State James A. Baker III, announces that states should require voters to show photo IDs and to let them see paper ballots at electronic polling places. May 24, 2006: Praises the Bush administration’s immigration policies but remains sharply critical of its human rights record in the war on terror. June 1, 2006: Toasts Jane Fonda at her celebrity roast at the Georgia Aquarium. November 2006: His book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid” draws criticism upon its release. Critics contend he unfairly compared Israeli treatment of Arabs in the West Bank and Gaza to legalized racial oppression that once existed in South Africa. January 2007: 14 Carter Center advisers resign because of the book. August 2007: Jonathan Demme’s documentary “Jimmy Carter Man From Plains” premieres, chronicling Carter’s book tour and the controversy. 2007: Carter joins The Elders, a group of former world political leaders such as Nelson Mandela, who work on promoting peace and human rights. April 18, 2008: Defies U.S. and Israeli warnings to meet with the exiled leader of Hamas and his deputy, two men the U.S. government had labeled terrorists. U.S. officials were critical. Carter said he failed to convince the top Hamas boss to stop rocket attacks on Israel, adding, “I did the best I could.” Oct. 10, 2008: During a stop in Brussels, Carter blames the “atrocious” economic policies of President Bush for the beginning of the Great Recession. Jan. 7, 2009: Joins President-elect Barack Obama, President George W. Bush and former Presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush at the White House for a historic meeting. Some said the body language during photo ops suggested chilly relations between Carter and the others. June 2009: Carter and a team of observers monitor parliamentary elections in Lebanon, the 76th election monitored by the Carter Center. June 13, 2009: The Palestinian government honors Carter during his visit to the region, and he pledges his “assistance, as long as I live, to win your freedom, your independence, your sovereignty and a good life.” Sept. 14, 2009: Jody Powell dies, a year after Hamilton Jordan succumbed to cancer. The two Georgians were Carter’s closest political advisers. “Jody Powell knows me better than anyone except my wife,” Carter once said. Oct. 1, 2009: Carter Center reopens after an extensive, $10 million renovation. August 2010: Travels to North Korea to secure release of Aijalon Gomes, an American who was accused of crossing the border the previous winter. September 2010: His latest book, “White House Diary,” is based on edited journal entries from his time in the White House. While promoting the book, Carter stirs controversy by saying his post-presidential career was “probably superior” to that of other ex-presidents. He later said he only meant he has had more opportunities to do good works. Jan. 14, 2013: Carter visits Colombia at the request of the country’s president to brief on the peace talks with rebels and other issues. 2013: The Carters’ grandson, Atlanta attorney Jason Carter, decides to leave his state Senate seat to run unsuccessfully for governor in 2014. Jimmy Carter helps campaign. July 31, 2013: Carter visits Colombia, the first Western country to be certified as free from river blindness, for which the Carter Center provided support. August 2014: Carter was joined by another “Elder,” Mary Robinson, during the 2014 Israel-Gaza conflict, with the pair pressing for the inclusion of Hamas as an actor in peace talks with Israel, recognition of the group as a legitimate political entity and the lifting of the siege of Gaza. May 15, 2015: Carter visits Guyana for election monitoring. Aug. 12, 2015: Carter undergoes surgery to remove a mass from his liver and discovers he had cancer. It had spread to his brain. December 2015: Carter announces he is cancer free. July 13, 2017: Carter is admitted to a hospital in Winnipeg, Manitoba, after becoming dehydrated while working outdoors for Habitat for Humanity. He is released the following day. June 2019: Carter calls President Donald Trump “a disaster,” during one of his public addresses in Atlanta, and in Virginia he questioned the legitimacy of Trump’s election because of Russian interference. August 2020: The Carter Center launches a program to strengthen and build confidence in the U.S. election system prior to the presidential election. February 2023: Jimmy Carter enters home hospice care in Plains. Nov. 19, 2023: Rosalynn Carter, his wife of 77 years, dies in Plains. She was 96 years old. Oct. 1, 2024: Jimmy Carter turns 100. Dec. 29, 2024: Carter dies at age 100.

Health care in New Mexico ranks near the bottom in the country for nearly all of the key health care metrics used to judge states and populations, such as mortality rates, affordability of and access to health care, avoidable deaths, infant mortality, women's mortality and life expectancy. New Mexico's overall health care ranking is 43rd out of the states, an ongoing issue that needs improvement. It is necessary to expand New Mexico's statewide health care programs, prepare more medical professionals, increase funding, upgrade equipment and improve telehealth and facilities. These changes would encourage and provide an incentive for doctors, nurses and specialists to stay in New Mexico and improve the state's medical system. Additionally, these expansions would provide more financial support and attract health care providers to New Mexico and hopefully allow the state to retain the providers trained in New Mexico. While many communities have limited access to health care, others have none, which creates an issue that requires continuous efforts to improve. Many people in New Mexico do not have equal or timely access to health care facilities and need to travel long distances to access care, causing them to spend excessive amounts of time traveling, even crossing state lines, to seek care. Shaping the future of health care is essential for New Mexicans to be able to receive the health care services they need. To do so, it is crucial to better coordinate and strengthen the state's health care network and patient outreach. Setting the goals of shortening the time it takes to schedule appointments with primary care physicians and making it easier to find a primary care physician and obtain timely referrals to specialists in larger health care systems should also be considered. Nearly all counties in New Mexico are facing health care professional shortages. Nursing shortages in New Mexico, for example, can be considered significant when compared with national trends. Shortages can result in New Mexicans not being able to receive proper care. In Las Vegas, N.M., efforts have been made to improve the nursing shortage that the Alta Vista Regional Hospital is experiencing. These efforts include providing a place for the local nursing students from New Mexico Highlands University and Luna Community College to receive training while the hospital staffers seek potential future nurses. Generally, New Mexico can expand more residency programs in all parts of the state to prepare future providers as well as add and enhance the quality-of-life opportunities for families of health care professionals to keep them in New Mexico communities, regardless of size. Complex community needs in New Mexico come with additional challenges because of the need to expand clinical education and clinical research. In addition, culturally competent care is required for the diverse population that exists within New Mexico. Taking care of the aging and youth populations is an important aspect to consider when shaping the future of health care. Mental and physical health is also important for all patients, as there has been a growing need for mental and behavioral health care within communities. Communication is a key aspect in shaping the future of health care in New Mexico. Medical and legal teams must work together with the public for improviements in health care to occur. This is going to take consistent and continuous efforts from all sides of the political spectrum, given that improving and shaping the future of health care is not an easy fix. As technology is set to continue advancing, it is important that the state continues to use validated, evidence-based technology within the health care system. Technological advances regarding health care, such as telehealth, can grant more New Mexicans access to the health care services that they need. All areas of the state have unique offerings to attract and retain health care professionals. When we work together, solve health issues affecting us and build a strong system of care, New Mexico's families and its economy benefit. Sen. Pete Campos, a Democrat from Las Vegas, N.M., has served in the state Senate since 1991. Dr. Christian Bowers, a neurosurgeon and clinical researcher, formerly was program director and vice chairman of clinical affairs at the University of New Mexico.Moment of silence for former President Jimmy Carter held before the Falcons-Commanders game

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"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" Thanks for your interest in Kalkine Media's content! To continue reading, please log in to your account or create your free account with us.Five Questions with JCS District Teachers of the Year

By MICHAEL MAROT AP Sports Writer INDIANAPOLIS — Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel came to Indianapolis in July with a purpose. He wanted a sense of what Lucas Oil Stadium was like before making what he hoped would be a return trip in December. On Saturday night, he’ll be back on the same turf. Plenty has changed for Gabriel and the Ducks since they came to town all those months ago for their inaugural Big Ten media day appearance. No. 1 Oregon sits atop the playoff seedings, remains the last unbeaten team in major college football and Gabriel has a new title – Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. It’s been a dream season in every way for the soon-to-be 24-year-old Gabriel, right down to leading the Ducks into the conference championship game he’s been expecting. “If we didn’t think we’d be there, I wouldn’t have attended,” Gabriel said. “But I just felt really good about it. I was glad we were able to go see it (Lucas Oil), feel it, smell it. It was a good experience. Now that we’re going back with the whole squad, everyone’s excited.” Winning a conference title in his final season – and Oregon’s first season in its new league – would be the cherry on top for Gabriel now that both teams are virtual locks to make the first 12-team College Football Playoff. The winner likely earns a first-round bye, while the loser probably hosts a first-round game. There is big money at stake: The Big Ten stands to get $4 million for each school that makes the CFP and the payouts escalate beginning with the semifinals to $6 million per school; a conference whose school makes a run from the first round to the title game gets $20 million. The CFP also provides millions to cover expenses. While Oregon (12-0, 9-0 Big Ten, No. 1 CFP) was a preseason favorite to be back in town this weekend, No. 3 Penn State wasn’t supposed to make it after losing to then-No. 4 Ohio State. But the Nittany Lions (11-1, 8-1, No. 3 CFP) rebounded by winning their last four and got help last weekend when Michigan upset the Buckeyes. It’s the first time Penn State has reached a Big Ten championship title game since beating Wisconsin in 2016 – and they don’t intend to go home empty-handed this time, either. “Being from Pennsylvania, seeing that game from 2016, like I always imagined being in these shoes, being in that moment, trying to win a Big Ten championship,” running back Nick Singleton said. “Being in that moment right now feels good, but we’ve got to go out there and win it.” Gabirel concurred. “When you walk in that building everyone is excited to do stuff and ready to go,” he said. “So it’s about execution, playing clean and being who we are.” Under pressure? Though Penn State quarterback Drew Allar and Gabriel are ranked seventh and eighth in FBS passing efficiency this season, both could be under serious pressure Saturday. Defensive ends Matayo Uiagalelei of Oregon and Abdul Carter of Penn State are two of the nation’s premier pass rushers. Uiagalelei is tied for ninth nationally with 101⁄2 sacks while Carter is tied for 12th with 10. The Ducks also have another fearsome pass rusher in defensive end Jordan Burch (81⁄2). It will be a major challenge for both offensive lines, especially if Oregon right guard Marcus Harper II is out (knee). ON THE FLY Penn State certainly isn’t complaining about playing for a trophy, but it scrambled the schedule. It began with Coach James Franklin calling an audible during last Saturday’s postgame speech, announcing that Sunday’s scheduled off-day had been scrapped so they could start cramming for Oregon. That was just the start. “It was going to be a week for rest and recovery, some strategic practices,” he said Sunday. “But we always have to be prepared for these different scenarios. So right after the game I told them, ‘We’re going to practice Sunday.’ Now it’s back to a normal week.” FRIENDLY FOES Franklin will be chasing his 100th win in his 11 seasons with the program. And he could be doing it with some familiar faces around him. Oregon special teams coordinator and nickel back coach Joe Lorig first worked with Franklin at Idaho State and then Franklin hired Lorig in 2019. After three seasons, though, Lorig headed to the West Coast where he opted to work for another old friend, Oregon coach Dan Lanning. Franklin doesn’t believe Lorig’s inside information will make much difference in this game. “The coordinators have all changed,” Franklin said. “So I think we both probably have a similar amount of information on each other.” The game also will be a homecoming of sorts for Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Allen and injured Oregon offensive lineman Matthew Bedford. Allen is an Indiana native who spent the previous seven seasons as the Indiana head coach. Bedford also was a five-year starter for Allen’s Hoosiers. And the Duzansky family is doubling up Saturday: Penn State long snapper Tyler Duzansky and Oregon long snapper Nick Duzansky are brothers. No. 1 OREGON (12-0) vs. No. 3 PENN STATE (11-1) What: Big Ten championship game When: Saturday, 5 p.m. Where: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis TV/radio: CBS (Ch. 2), 570 AM Line: Oregon by 31⁄2 points Series record: Penn State leads 3-1 KEY MATCHUP Oregon run defense vs. Penn State ground game: Nittany Lions running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen have been a dynamic combination this year, rushing for a total of 1,431 yards and 12 scores. The emergence of tight end Tyler Warren and backup quarterback Beau Pribula has added other elements to Penn State’s rushing attack. Oregon has been stout against the run all season, allowing just 112.2 yards per game (22nd in FBS) but if the Ducks struggle to contain Singleton and Allen, the Nittany Lions could keep the ball away from their offense – a potentially decisive twist. PLAYERS TO WATCH Oregon: Quarterback Dillon Gabriel. In a game featuring two of the nation’s most efficient quarterbacks, all eyes will be on Gabriel. The Big Ten’s Offensive Player of the Year has been the catalyst for Oregon’s high-octane offense. The 23-year-old and FBS career leader in total TDs (183) is playing in his first conference championship game. He hopes to follow in the footsteps of fellow Hawaiian star Marcus Mariota by leading the Ducks to a national championship game. Penn State: Defensive end Abdul Carter. The athletic junior has been a menace to opponents all year, and the Nittany Lions need him to equally effective. Carter leads the Nittany Lions with 10 sacks, is tied for third in passes defensed (three) and is fourth in tackles (54), but stats don’t tell the whole story. His presence frees up others to make plays, which could be a key factor in slowing the Ducks. FACTS & FIGURES This will be the first meeting in this series since Penn State completed its perfect season by winning the 1995 Rose Bowl, 38-20. ... It also will be the first Big Ten title game that does not feature division champs. ... Oregon has been ranked No. 1 for seven straight weeks and was a unanimous choice this week. It also is the last remaining unbeaten FBS team this season. It’s the Ducks’ first 12-0 season since 2010. ... The Nittany Lions made only one other Big Ten championship game appearance, beating Wisconsin, 38-31, in 2016. ... Gabriel will be making his 62nd career start, an FBS record. He leads the league in yards passing (3,275) while wide receiver Tez Johnson’s nine touchdown catches rank third in the conference. ... Warren broke the Big Ten’s single-season record for receptions by a tight end with 81. ... Oregon defensive ends Matayo Uiagalelei and Jordan Burch have combined for 19 sacks. ... Franklin’s next win will be his 100th in the 11 seasons since taking the Nittany Lions job.

DALLAS (AP) — The championship vision that led Nathan Eovaldi to sign with Texas as a free agent two years ago is the same one that brought him back to the Rangers. A World Series title in his first season was followed by a losing record this year. “I believe in the guys in the group that we have. We were able to do it in ‘23. I don’t feel a lot has changed,” Eovaldi said Friday, a day after finalizing a $75 million, three-year contract . “We had a down year last year, but I've said it before, you learn a lot from losing seasons.” Eovaldi had declined a $20 million player option to become a free agent again and reaching an agreement during the winter meetings in Dallas. Texas also acquired slugging corner infielder Jake Burger in a swap with Miami. Burger had fallen asleep before getting a call late Tuesday night that he had been traded to Texas, where his family was already planning to move after the October birth of a daughter with Down syndrome. “The other city that is really good other than Nashville in terms of children's hospital and resources for her Downs is in Dallas," Burger said. “Not just from the baseball spectrum, from the life aspect as well ... I feel like it was meant to be, and we couldn’t be more more excited about that.” In the Nashville area, Burger lives close to Rangers manager Bruce Bochy, whom he plans to visit with soon. His former Marlins manager, Skip Schumaker , was hired last month by the Rangers as as a senior adviser for baseball operations, and Luis Urueta, Miami’s bench coach the past two seasons, recently joined Bochy’s on-field coaching staff for 2025. Burger and Rangers pitcher Dane Dunning were once roommates in the Chicago White Sox organization. Burger hit .250 with 29 home runs and 76 RBIs in 137 games for the Marlins last season, when he started 59 games at third base and 50 starts at first. He was with the White Sox in Texas when he got traded to Miami on Aug. 1, 2023, and four days later hit his first homer with the Marlins at Globe Life Field. When the Rangers made the title run in 2023, Eovaldi was 5-0 with a 2.95 ERA in six postseason starts. He was the winning pitcher in their World Series-clinching Game 5 at Arizona. He was also part of Boston’s 2018 title. Eovaldi was 12-8 this year with a 3.80 ERA in 29 starts, the last seven scoreless innings in the regular-season finale. He is 24-13 with a 3.72 ERA in 54 starts for Texas the past two seasons. The new deal for the Texas native, who who turns 35 in February, includes a $12 million signing bonus, half payable on Nov. 15, 2026, and the rest on Jan. 15, 2028, and salaries of $18 million next season, $25 million in 2026 and $20 million in 2027. He gets a full no-trade provision. After being welcomed back by Chris Young, the Rangers president of baseball operations, the pitcher said he never felt like he really left. The Rangers stayed in contact throughout the process after he declined his option Nov. 4. “Kind of listening to the market and everything, I’m extremely happy to be back. I’m glad we were we were able to make it all work out,” Eovaldi said. “We had a lot of teams reach out right away and we were in contact with most them across the league. Ultimately we were able to make it back here.” AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Miami Dolphins get good news on Friday ahead of clash with New England PatriotsWorld Series vision that got Nathan Eovaldi to the Rangers is the same one that got him to re-signBEIJING , Dec. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Baijiayun Group Ltd ("Baijiayun" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: RTC), a one-stop AI video solution provider, today announced that it has entered into a Standby Equity Purchase Agreement (the "SEPA"), with YA II PN, Ltd. ("YA"), a fund managed by Yorkville Advisors Global, LP. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the the SEPA, YA is committed to purchase up to $50 million (the "Commitment Amount") of the Company's Class A Ordinary Shares (the "Shares") at any time during the two-year period following the execution date of the SEPA, by delivering written notice to YA (an "Advance Notice"). Pursuant to the SEPA, YA will advance to the Company, subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions as set forth therein, the principal amount of up to $15 million (the "Pre-Paid Advance"), which will be evidenced by convertible promissory notes (the "Promissory Notes", together with the "SEPA", the "Offering") in four tranches. The first Pre-Advance, in the principal amount of $3,000,000 , was advanced December 6, 2024 in connection with the execution of the SEPA, and is subject to a 10% discount to the principal amount of such Promissory Note. If there is no balance outstanding under the Promissory Notes, the Company will have sole discretion to sell the Shares to YA from time to time by issuing Advance Notices to YA following the effectiveness of a registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission registering the Shares issuable pursuant to the SEPA and the satisfaction of other customary conditions. The Company intends to use the proceeds from the offering of the Shares pursuant to the SEPA for working capital and other general corporate purposes. The Company and the Investor have entered into a registration rights agreement on the date hereof (the "Registration Rights Agreement"), pursuant to which the Company shall register the resale of the Shares issuable pursuant to the SEPA. The foregoing does not purport to be a complete description of the rights and obligations of the parties to the SEPA, the Promissory Notes, the Registration Rights Agreement, or of the transactions contemplated thereby and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such documents, the copies of which have been filed as exhibits to the Company's Current Report on Form 6-K on December 6, 2024 . D. Boral Capital LLC acted as the exclusive placement agent for the Offering. About Baijiayun Group Ltd Baijiayun is a one-stop AI video solution provider with core expertise in SaaS/PaaS solutions. Baijiayun is committed to delivering reliable, high-quality video experiences across devices and localities and has grown rapidly since its inception in 2017. Premised on its industry-leading video-centric technologies, Baijiayun offers a wealth of video-centric technology solutions, including Video SaaS/PaaS, Video Cloud and Software, and Video AI and System Solutions. Baijiayun caters to the evolving communications and collaboration needs of enterprises of all sizes and industries. For more information, please visit ir.baijiayun.com . Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements." These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the parties' perspectives and expectations, are forward-looking statements. The words "will," "expect," "believe," "estimate," "intend," and "plan" and similar expressions indicate forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and shareholders and other potential investors must recognize that actual results may differ materially from the expectations as a result of a variety of factors. Such forward-looking statements are based upon management's current expectations and include known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are hard to predict or control, that may cause the actual results, performance, or plans to differ materially from any future results, performance or plans expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information provided herein represents the Company's estimates as of the date of this press release, and subsequent events and developments may cause the Company's estimates to change. The Company specifically disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking information in the future. Therefore, this forward-looking information should not be relied upon as representing the Company's estimates of its future financial performance as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. A further list and description of risks and uncertainties can be found in the documents the Company has filed or furnished or may file or furnish with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which you are encouraged to read. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated or anticipated by such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements relate only to the date they were made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made except as required by law or applicable regulation. For investor and media enquiries, please contact: Company Contact: Ms. Fangfei Liu Chief Financial Officer, Baijiayun Group Ltd Phone: +86 25 8222 1596 Email: ir@baijiayun.com View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/baijiayun-announces-up-to-15-million-convertible-promissory-notes-and-50-million-standby-equity-purchase-agreement-302325234.html SOURCE Baijiayun Group Ltd