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At just 17 years old, Yevan David captivated a packed press conference in Colombo with the poise of a seasoned professional. For Sri Lankan sports fans accustomed to cheering for international stars in the Premier League, NBA and Formula 1, Yevan is a breath of fresh air – a homegrown talent poised to make history as Sri Lanka’s first Formula 1 driver. Displaying a maturity beyond his years, Yevan navigated a barrage of questions with ease, balancing his youthful enthusiasm with the professionalism expected of a rising star. “It’s an honour to represent Sri Lanka on the global stage,” he said, his voice filled with pride. “Carrying the Sri Lankan flag and showcasing our heritage in the world of motorsport is something I’ll always cherish.” Yevan’s journey began at six years old, inspired by the exploits of Lewis Hamilton, the joint record-holder for seven Formula 1 World Championships. “When I started racing, it was just a dream,” Yevan reflected. “Watching drivers like Hamilton gave me the belief that maybe, one day I could follow in their footsteps.” He took his first laps in a go-kart at Bandaragama in Sri Lanka before training in Singapore, where his skills quickly set him apart. “I remember the thrill of driving for the first time and from there, it just grew,” Yevan shared. With over a decade in karting, Yevan transitioned to Formula 4 this year, marking a pivotal moment in his career. Competing in Spanish F4, F4 UAE and Euro Formula Open, he took on legendary circuits like Monza, Zandvoort and Spa-Francorchamps. “The leap from karts to cars was massive,” he admitted. “But with every race, I found my rhythm and to end the season with wins was surreal.” Standing atop the podium at Monza, the home of Ferrari, was a defining moment. “Winning at Monza was unforgettable,” Yevan said. “Hearing the national anthem and holding the Sri Lankan flag was a moment of immense pride. It wasn’t just my victory; it was for everyone supporting me back home.” Another breakthrough came at Zandvoort in Eurocup 3. “It was my debut on the track and everything felt new,” Yevan recounted. “Despite the challenges, I scored a rookie podium. That weekend was a turning point for me – it gave me the confidence to believe I could compete at the highest levels.” Yevan’s pride in his heritage is evident in the lion emblem on his helmet, paired with Ferrari’s signature red – a nod to the team he and many Sri Lankans, admire. “The colours and the lion represent where I come from,” Yevan explained. “It’s a reminder of my journey and the support of an entire nation.” Beyond racing, Yevan remains grounded, balancing his demanding career with academics as he prepares for his A-Level exams. A fan of Sri Lankan music sensation Yohani, he is every bit a teenager at heart. “I love coming back to Sri Lanka,” he said. “Visiting my family and reconnecting with my roots always gives me renewed energy.” While Yevan draws inspiration from motorsport legends, his childhood was also deeply influenced by superheroes, particularly Batman. As a child, he wore a Batman cape everywhere – whether at the racetrack, during karting events, or even in school. “I loved Batman because he was all about using his intellect and skill rather than superpowers,” Yevan shared with a laugh. “In a way, that’s how I see myself in racing – working hard, learning and relying on my skills to get better.” The cape has since been replaced by his racing suit, but his Batman story has become a beloved anecdote among his family, friends and growing fan base. Yevan’s remarkable rise has not gone unnoticed on social media. With over 50,000 followers across Instagram, TikTok and other platforms, he’s emerging as a motorsport influencer. His Instagram, where he shares behind-the-scenes glimpses of his life on and off the track, is particularly popular. “Social media is a great way to connect with fans, especially those in Sri Lanka,” Yevan said. “It’s incredible to see the support coming from people back home and all over the world. Their messages motivate me to keep pushing harder.” In addition to racing content, Yevan often shares motivational posts and interacts with fans through Q&A sessions. “I want to inspire the next generation of athletes, no matter their sport,” he said. Next year, Yevan will step up to Formula 3, the gateway to Formula 1. “Racing in F3 means more opportunities to compete on F1 tracks and weekends,” Yevan said. “It’s another step toward fulfilling my dream of racing in Formula 1. The journey is long, but I’m ready for it.” Supported by Sportline Management and a dedicated team of coaches and engineers, Yevan credits his success to a collective effort. “What might look like my dream is the result of countless hours from so many people – my family, my team and everyone supporting me,” he said. Yevan aims to inspire aspiring athletes in Sri Lanka. “I hope my journey inspires others to dream big,” he said. “If we can get more representation from our region, it will be amazing for the sport globally.” Looking ahead, Yevan is optimistic about Sri Lanka’s motorsport future. “Having someone like Uncle Dilantha (Malagamuwa) pave the way has been inspiring. His advice and encouragement mean a lot to me,” Yevan revealed. Racing runs in Yevan’s family – his father Yohan and grandfather Nirmal Ranasinghe were both involved in motorsport. “Their passion laid the foundation for mine,” Yevan said. “My father has been my mentor since day one, guiding me through the challenges and celebrations alike.” Despite the high-pressure world of racing, Yevan remains unfazed. “Racing is not just about speed; it’s about precision, mental strength and resilience,” he explained. “Every race teaches me something new and that’s what keeps me going.” As Yevan prepares to compete in F3 next season, he carries the weight of a nation’s dreams on his shoulders. Yet, he remains humble and focused, determined to make his mark in the fiercely competitive world of Formula 1. “To represent Sri Lanka on the global stage is an honour,” Yevan said. “I’m proud of my roots and I hope to make everyone back home proud as I chase my dream of becoming a Formula 1 driver.” Yevan is not just a racing prodigy; he’s a symbol of Sri Lanka’s potential on the world stage – a young jet-setter ready to conquer the circuits of Formula 1 with skill, determination and the unwavering support of a proud nation.Article content Southern resident killer whales always look sharp in their smooth black-and-white body suits, but now they have a new accessory. Dead salmon hats. Researchers in Washington have noticed at least one orca balancing salmon on its head in Puget Sound this fall, taking the dead fish for a ride and possibly snacking on the salmon at its leisure. Sporting salmon-corpse lids isn’t exactly new behaviour for the southern residents. The phenomenon was first noticed in 1987, when for that one year, a female from K-pod started wearing a salmon on her head. Within a few weeks, the other endangered pods, J and L, decided to try the fish-hats on as well. Last month, J27 Blackberry, a 32-year-old male, was photographed exhibiting the same behaviour at Point No Point, Washington, off Whidbey Island in Puget Sound. Just why the orcas are doing it is a bit of a mystery. “Honestly, we have no idea why this started again, why it happens or why it seems to be started again,” Dr. Deborah Giles, a Friday Harbour-based researcher who heads the science teams at the Wild ORCA, told the Times Colonist on Friday. She said the fish-hat fad is likely linked to food availability in a certain place. Giles said there have been healthy salmon runs in Admiralty Inlet in Puget Sound, where all three pods have been spending a lot of time recently feeding on fish. And that’s generally been the area where some orcas have been spotted wearing salmon. Andrew Foote, an evolution ecologist at the University of Oslo in Norway, told New Scientist last week it’s possible that some of the original orcas who took part in the fish-hat fad are still around and remember it from before. The Times Colonist reached out to marine-mammal scientists at the Fisheries Department to see if the behaviour has been noticed in Canadian waters amid salmon runs on the Fraser River and other salmon spawning staging areas around Vancouver Island. The DFO did not immediately return the query. J-pod was spotted in Active Pass this week. New Scientist reported this week that large runs of chum salmon in South Puget Sound may be producing more food than the orcas can immediately eat, so they’re packing them on their heads. Giles told New Scientist that mammal-eating orcas have been seen carrying pieces of food under their pectoral fins, tucked in next to their bodies. Because salmon are smaller, the southern residents, which are fish eaters, may be using their heads instead. It isn’t clear how many other whales are exhibiting the behaviour, or if other pods are following suit, said Giles. It may be that the photographed orca was just playing with the salmon. Erin Gless of the Pacific Whale Watch Association, which represents about 30 whale-watching companies on both sides of the border, said there have been no reports of the behaviour from members because under agreements, whale watchers don’t view the southern residents. “It has been making its way around social media,” said Gless. “I think it’s more of a fun distraction [type] of story as opposed to a pressing whale one.” Giles agrees, saying the bigger issue is that endangered fish-eating orcas are facing dire threats in the Pacific Northwest with fish shortages, noise pollution from increasing shipping traffic that interferes with their ability to find food, and toxins and pollution in the water. The J-, K- and L-pods are down to just 73 orcas, according to the latest census completed in July by the Center for Whale Research, based in Friday Harbor, Washington. Two adult males were lost and a male calf that was born and counted in the census period subsequently died. A statement from the Center for Whale Research last month said research “clearly shows that survival rates are closely tied to Chinook salmon abundance,” adding recovery isn’t possible without an increase in that prey. Giles noted the salmon-hat phenomenon may show some pods are getting enough to eat now, “but they’re not getting enough to eat the entire year — both in the United States and Canada — and that’s a real cause for concern.” According to researchers, baleen whales such as grays and humpbacks often sport seaweed hats, something known as “kelping,” where they swim through seaweed, sometimes leaving it on their heads. Starting in 2025, boaters in the U.S. will be required to stay at least 1,000 yards from southern resident killer whales in Washington state waters. A Senate bill expands the existing setback from 300 to 400 yards. Canada’s regulations stipulate boaters must stay 400 metres from all killer whales in southern coastal waters from Ucluelet to Campbell River, and 200 metres in other areas. dkloster@times colonist.com
Spears and UTSA knock off Merrimack 76-74What a long, strange trip it's been since space stocks stormed onto the stock market in 2021. Back in the dog days of the pandemic -- when most of America was quarantining, and many of us were day trading in meme stocks with government-issued COVID checks -- a series of unprofitable space companies decided to go public via the sketchy route of reverse-merging into already listed special purpose acquisition companies ( SPACs) . It didn't take long for most of these stocks to lose most of their value, as prices plunged 70%, 80%, and even 90% through early 2023 . But in 2024, investors (cautiously) returned to the market, and happier times may be here at last. Three space stocks in particular look interesting to me right now. Well off their lows following their initial public offering, BlackSky Technology ( BKSY 1.62% ) , Spire Global ( SPIR 5.67% ) , and Redwire ( RDW 9.37% ) still sit in an ideal range of two to four times trailing sales. Historical valuations tell me that this is the "right" price for a not-yet-profitable space stock . (And since I worked out that valuation, Lockheed Martin has confirmed it by acquiring Terran Orbital for 3.3 times sales .) There's no guarantee these three stocks will turn profitable. But I think at their present valuations, each is sufficiently cheap to be worth at least a small investment, with the goal of holding until they're either acquired (as Terran Orbital was) or they become profitable on their own -- and maybe for a long time afterward. Here's what you need to know about them. BlackSky Technology BlackSky, at $338 million in market capitalization, is arguably the cheapest of these three stocks. With 16 satellites in orbit, BlackSky operates as an Earth observation (i.e. spy satellite) company. It provides its government and commercial customers with what it calls "real-time space-based intelligence" by photographing objects of interest on Earth as often as 15 times per day. According to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence , the company sells primarily to U.S. government agencies such as the Department of Defense and National Reconnaissance Office. But BlackSky also sells internationally (to the Indonesian Ministry of Defense, for example) as well as to corporate partners such as Palantir . Financially, it remains a small fish in a big space pond, with annual revenue of only $107 million. It's also losing money -- $42 million over the past year. The company is also burning nearly $55 million in cash annually. Still, with $63 million in the bank, the company has more than a year to go before it starts to run out of money. With sales growing rapidly (they're expected to double through 2027), analysts polled by S&P think the company will turn free-cash-flow positive by 2026. Meaning BlackSky might have enough cash already to keep it going until it's generating cash on its own. Spire Global A second spy satellite company I have my eye on is Spire, and its story is even more interesting. Historically focused on providing satellite-based intelligence to monitor global shipping, it agreed in November to sell this, its biggest business, to the privately held commodity data and analytics platform Kpler for $241 million. On the one hand, this makes Spire a work in progress, as investors must wait and see what it will make of its remaining portfolio of products servicing the aviation, weather, and space industries, and its constellation of 100-plus satellites in orbit. On the other hand, the huge cash windfall from the Kpler sale will enable Spire to pay off all its debt and leave perhaps $170 million in cash on its balance sheet -- meaning half the company's market cap is backed up by cold, hard cash. With an annual burn rate of only $44 million or so, this gives Spire four years' lease on life, as it works to turn its remaining operations into a consistently profitable business. Redwire Redwire focuses on "space infrastructure" -- building things in and for use in space -- rather than launching satellites to provide imaging services from space. Valued around $800 million, Redwire is roughly as big as BlackSky and Spire combined, and it's arguably closer to generating free cash flow than either of the others. Its cash burn rate was only a few million dollars in 2023. It's likely to burn more than that this year, but analysts have this company pegged for positive free cash flow in 2025. With $43 million in the bank, Redwire almost certainly has enough to survive until it's generating cash on its own. Until one (or two, or all three) of these space companies turns officially profitable, assigning the right value to their shares will be an exercise in guesswork. BlackSky stock only costs 3.1 times annual sales; Spire has a 3.4 multiple, and Redwire is cheapest of all with a price-to-sales ratio of only 2.7. While I like Redwire's chances best, and I'm most skeptical of BlackSky, at these low valuations, my hunch is that all three of these companies are capable of surviving and thriving over the long term.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Bradley Ezewiro scored 19 points off of the bench to help lead UAB past Alcorn State 91-74 on Sunday night. Ezewiro shot 5 of 5 from the field and 9 for 9 from the line for the Blazers (7-6). Christian Coleman scored 15 points while shooting 6 of 8 from the field and 3 for 4 from the line. Alejandro had 15 points and went 5 of 10 from the field (3 for 6 from 3-point range). The Braves (0-13) were led in scoring by Keionte Cornelius, who finished with 22 points. Jalyke Gaines-Wyatt added 14 points for Alcorn State. Marcus Tankersley finished with 10 points. UAB took the lead with 11:35 remaining in the first half and never looked back. Coleman led their team in scoring with 11 points in the first half to help put them up 50-31 at the break. Ezewiro scored 15 points in the second half to help lead the way as UAB went on to secure a victory, despite being outscored by Alcorn State in the second half by a two-point margin. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .AP Sports SummaryBrief at 5:21 p.m. EST
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• Fair Value Estimate: $210.00 (£167.20) • Morningstar Rating: 1 star • Economic Moat: Narrow • Morningstar Uncertainty Rating: Very High Tesla TSLA stock has made a sharp U-turn in 2024, rallying to record highs, with the company seen as benefiting from chief executive Elon Musk's new prominence in Washington. The stock began 2024 mired in a multi-year slump, as investors grew increasingly concerned about the company's ability to maintain a fast pace of growth. As recently as late May, Tesla was changing hands at around $182 per share, down some 55% from a November 2021 peak of $409.97. Sentiment became more positive thanks to a strong third quarter, notes Morningstar strategist Seth Goldstein. Following Election Day, the stock rocketed higher. On Nov. 5, Tesla closed at $251.44. Since then, it's risen more than 73%, hitting a new all-time high of $436.23 per share. "The election of Donald Trump has been viewed extremely positively for Tesla, as CEO Elon Musk will be an adviser to Trump. Musk could help shape policies, such as autonomous driving regulations, that could remove regulatory hurdles for Tesla's Robotaxi business," Goldstein says. Tesla's Strong Q3 Earnings Tesla's most recent results offered an improved picture from earlier in the year, when profit margins fell to multi-year lows and investors increasingly questioned its growth trajectory. Goldstein notes that in the third quarter, Tesla posted solid growth in deliveries and, critically, an expansion in profit margins within the automotive segment. "Management also guided to 20%-30% deliveries growth in 2025, which implies Tesla's deliveries will continue to see strong growth in the coming years," he says. Additionally, Tesla announced it plans to begin testing its full self-driving mode unsupervised in Texas and California in 2025. "This is a key step toward making Robotaxis a reality, which is driving enthusiasm for the stock," Goldstein says. Tesla's Growth Outlook Despite the optimism... Meicheng Lu
Ohio secures 84-68 win against Robert MorrisWashington Huskies entering crucial stretch that will shape future
General's promotion blocked in first sign of Trump retaliation for Afghanistan pullout
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Jacob Holt had 23 points in Sacramento State's 98-47 victory over Stanislaus State on Sunday. Holt also contributed five rebounds for the Hornets (3-9). Bailey Nunn scored 18 points while shooting 6 for 7, including 5 for 6 from beyond the arc. Chudi Dioramma had 14 points and finished 6 of 8 from the floor. The Hornets broke a five-game slide. Jason Cibull led the way for the Warriors with 17 points. Stanislaus State also got 10 points from Cam Walker. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
A Republican senator has blocked the promotion of a general who oversaw troops in Kabul during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, a Senate aide told NBC News . The move by Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin follows threats from President-elect Donald Trump to fire senior officers and officials who oversaw the chaotic pullout from Afghanistan in 2021. It also comes as Trump’s transition team weighs possible court-martial proceedings against current and former officers involved in the withdrawal, as NBC News previously reported. Philadelphia news 24/7: Watch NBC10 free wherever you are Army Lt. Gen. Christopher Donahue was nominated for promotion to become a four-star general and to oversee U.S. Army forces in Europe. His nomination was among more than 900 proposed nominations sent to the Senate but Donahue’s was put on hold by Sen. Mullin, according to the Senate aide. Mullin’s office declined to comment. Donahue was the last American service member to board the final U.S. military plane out of Afghanistan in 2021. A night-vision photograph of Donahue boarding a cargo plane went viral, capturing the symbolism of the end of America’s 20-year-long war. After the U.S.-backed government in Afghanistan fell to Taliban militants, Donahue — then commander of the 82nd Airborne Division — was ordered to Kabul to oversee the withdrawal of U.S. forces, American embassy staff and Afghans who fought alongside American troops. Stories that affect your life across the U.S. and around the world. Retired Gen. Tony Thomas, former head of Special Operations Command, said in a social media post that the decision was a “disgrace” and that Donahue was being treated as a “political pawn.” Heather Nauert, who worked for the State Department in Trump’s first presidential term, said in a social media post that she is a Trump supporter and likes Sen. Mullin but disagreed with the hold put on Donahue’s promotion. “Unless there are facts I don’t know, holding up military promotions bc of our disgraceful Afghanistan withdrawal is wrong,” she wrote. Donahue is currently commander of the XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Liberty in North Carolina. His promotion could now be at risk as the current Senate will soon go into recess and the new Republican-controlled Congress will start its work in 2025. This article first appeared on NBCNews.com . Read more from NBC News here:
