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Jannik Sinner leads Italy back to the Davis Cup semifinals and a rematch against AustraliaIt must be incredibly weird to satirize a world that borders, daily on the brink of the ridiculous. That’s the takeaway we got from an interview recently given to Variety by The Boys showrunner Eric Kripke, who noted that any similarities between his series, in which violent celebrities are routinely rewarded for following their most antisocial impulses, and our own day-to-day existence, is not his fault. “It’s not like we were designing it to reflect reality,” said Kripke, who was sitting down with Variety last week alongside series star Antony Starr. “But we happen to be making a show about violent authoritarians who present as celebrities. Then suddenly, the world changed to reflect the show, not just in the States – all over the world. Suddenly we found ourselves making one of the most current shows on television.” For what it’s worth, Kripke says he and his writers eventually decided to embrace the satire the universe kept serving them up on a plate, explaining why the show veered more clearly into political storylines in its most recent season. “We realized that we felt an obligation really, and an opportunity, to say, ‘Well, let’s make a really current show, make it reflect reality and let it be a satirical take on reality as much as possible.'” A lot of that, of course, gets filtered through Starr’s character Homelander, who can back up his desperate need for attention, validation, and adulation with an often gut-wrenching ability to dish out violence. Which is not going to make things any more pleasant when the show’s fifth and final season rolls around, per Kripke. “The more Homelander gets what he wants, the less happy he is,” the series creator notes. “And that really frustrates him. You can expect a real ratcheting up of stakes and emotion, and The Boys really have their work cut out for them.” [ via Collider ]Grizzlies’ Vince Williams Jr. to miss at least four weeks with ankle sprain

Why Washington Commanders should stay away from Odell Beckham | Sporting News

Record Revenues as Global Logistics Network Expands WATERLOO, Ontario and ATLANTA, Dec. 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Descartes Systems Group Inc. (TSX:DSG) (Nasdaq:DSGX) announced its financial results for its fiscal 2025 third quarter ( Q3FY25 ). All financial results referenced are in United States ( US ) currency and, unless otherwise indicated, are determined in accordance with US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ( GAAP ). "Our business has grown organically while we've added complementary solutions to our Global Logistics Network by way of acquisition,” said Edward J. Ryan, Descartes' CEO. "We listen to our customers about where best to invest to help them meet the many logistics and supply chain challenges they're facing, which contributed to us completing two acquisitions this past quarter. The global trade landscape remains highly uncertain and complex for our customers, especially with potential upcoming changes to tariffs and sanctions and the resulting impact on trade. As always, our goal is to help our customers manage this complexity so that they can continue to focus on their core businesses.” Q3FY25 Financial Results As described in more detail below, key financial highlights for Descartes' Q3FY25 included: The following table summarizes Descartes' results in the categories specified below over the past 5 fiscal quarters (unaudited; dollar amounts, other than per share amounts, in millions): FY25 FY25 FY25 FY24 FY24 As described in more detail below, key financial highlights for Descartes' nine-month period ended October 31, 2024 ( 9MFY25 ) included: At October 31, 2024, Descartes had $181.3 million in cash. Cash decreased by $71.4 million in Q3FY25 and $139.7 million in 9MFY25. The table set forth below provides a summary of cash flows for Q3FY25 and 9MFY25 in millions of dollars: On September 17, 2024, Descartes acquired all of the shares of Assure Assist, Inc., doing business as MyCarrierPortal ("MCP”), a leading provider of carrier onboarding and risk monitoring solutions for the trucking industry. The purchase price for the acquisition was approximately $22.5 million, net of cash acquired, which was funded from cash on hand, plus potential performance-based consideration of up to $6.0 million based on MCP achieving revenue-based targets over the first two years post-acquisition. Acquisition of Sellercloud On October 11, 2024, Descartes acquired all of the shares of Sellercloud LLC and certain assets of Sellercloud Europe Ltd. (collectively referred to as "Sellercloud”), a leading provider of omnichannel ecommerce solutions. The purchase price for the acquisition was approximately $110.2 million, net of cash acquired, which was funded from cash on hand, plus potential performance-based consideration of up to $20.0 million based on Sellercloud achieving revenue-based targets over the first two years post-acquisition. Conference Call Members of Descartes' executive management team will host a conference call to discuss the company's financial results at 5:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, December 3, 2024. Designated numbers are +1 289 514 5100 and +1 800 717 1738 for Toll-Free in North America, using conference ID 07584. The company will simultaneously conduct an audio webcast on the Descartes website at www.descartes.com/descartes/investor-relations. Phone conference dial-in or webcast login is required approximately 10 minutes beforehand. Replays of the conference call will be available until December 10, 2024, by dialing +1 289 819 1325 or Toll-Free for North America using +1 888 660 6264 with Playback Passcode: 07584#. An archived replay of the webcast will be available at www.descartes.com/descartes/investor-relations. About Descartes Descartes (Nasdaq:DSGX) (TSX:DSG) is the global leader in providing on-demand, software-as-a-service solutions focused on improving the productivity, security and sustainability of logistics-intensive businesses. Customers use our modular, software-as-a-service solutions to route, track and help improve the safety, performance and compliance of delivery resources; plan, allocate and execute shipments; rate, audit and pay transportation invoices; access global trade data; file customs and security documents for imports and exports; and complete numerous other logistics processes by participating in the world's largest, collaborative multimodal logistics community. Our headquarters are in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada and we have offices and partners around the world. Learn more at www.descartes.com , and connect with us on LinkedIn and X (Twitter ) . Descartes Investor Contact Laurie McCauley (519) 746-2969 [email protected] Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws ("forward-looking statements") that relates to Descartes' expectations concerning future revenues and earnings, and our projections for any future reductions in expenses or growth in margins and generation of cash; our assessment of the potential impact of geopolitical events, such as the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine (the "Russia-Ukraine Conflict”), and between Israel and Hamas ("Israel-Hamas Conflict”), or other potentially catastrophic events, on our business, results of operations and financial condition; continued growth and acquisitions including our assessment of any increased opportunity for our products and services as a result of trends in the logistics and supply chain industries; rate of profitable growth and Adjusted EBITDA margin operating range; demand for Descartes' solutions; growth of Descartes' Global Logistics Network ("GLN”); customer buying patterns; customer expectations of Descartes; development of the GLN and the benefits thereof to customers; and other matters. These forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions including the following: global shipment volumes continuing at levels generally consistent with those experienced historically; the Russia-Ukraine Conflict and Israel-Hamas Conflict not having a material negative impact on shipment volumes or on the demand for the products and services of Descartes by its customers and the ability of those customers to continue to pay for those products and services; countries continuing to implement and enforce existing and additional customs and security regulations relating to the provision of electronic information for imports and exports; countries continuing to implement and enforce existing and additional trade restrictions and sanctioned party lists with respect to doing business with certain countries, organizations, entities and individuals; Descartes' continued operation of a secure and reliable business network; the stability of general economic and market conditions, currency exchange rates, and interest rates; equity and debt markets continuing to provide Descartes with access to capital; Descartes' continued ability to identify and source attractive and executable business combination opportunities; Descartes' ability to develop solutions that keep pace with the continuing changes in technology, and our continued compliance with third party intellectual property rights. These assumptions may prove to be inaccurate. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Descartes, or developments in Descartes' business or industry, to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, Descartes' ability to successfully identify and execute on acquisitions and to integrate acquired businesses and assets, and to predict expenses associated with and revenues from acquisitions; the impact of network failures, information security breaches or other cyber-security threats; disruptions in the movement of freight and a decline in shipment volumes including as a result of contagious illness outbreaks; a deterioration of general economic conditions or instability in the financial markets accompanied by a decrease in spending by our customers; the ability to attract and retain key personnel and the ability to manage the departure of key personnel and the transition of our executive management team; changes in trade or transportation regulations that currently require customers to use services such as those offered by Descartes; changes in customer behaviour and expectations; Descartes' ability to successfully design and develop enhancements to our products and solutions; departures of key customers; the impact of foreign currency exchange rates; Descartes' ability to retain or obtain sufficient capital in addition to its debt facility to execute on its business strategy, including its acquisition strategy; disruptions in the movement of freight; the potential for future goodwill or intangible asset impairment as a result of other-than-temporary decreases in Descartes' market capitalization; and other factors and assumptions discussed in the section entitled, "Certain Factors That May Affect Future Results" in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Ontario Securities Commission and other securities commissions across Canada, including Descartes' most recently filed Management's Discussion and Analysis. If any such risks actually occur, they could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. In that case, the trading price of our common shares could decline, perhaps materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. We do not undertake or accept any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law. Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures - Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues We prepare and release quarterly unaudited and annual audited financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP. We also disclose and discuss certain non-GAAP financial information, used to evaluate our performance, in this and other earnings releases and investor conference calls as a complement to results provided in accordance with GAAP. We believe that current shareholders and potential investors in our company use non-GAAP financial measures, such as Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues, in making investment decisions about our company and measuring our operational results. The term "Adjusted EBITDA” refers to a financial measure that we define as earnings before certain charges that management considers to be non-operating expenses and which consist of interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, stock-based compensation (for which we include related fees and taxes) and other charges (for which we include restructuring charges, acquisition-related expenses, and contingent consideration incurred due to better-than-expected performance from acquisitions). Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues divides Adjusted EBITDA for a period by the revenues for the corresponding period and expresses the quotient as a percentage. Management considers these non-operating expenses to be outside the scope of Descartes' ongoing operations and the related expenses are not used by management to measure operations. Accordingly, these expenses are excluded from Adjusted EBITDA, which we reference to both measure our operations and as a basis of comparison of our operations from period-to-period. Management believes that investors and financial analysts measure our business on the same basis, and we are providing the Adjusted EBITDA financial metric to assist in this evaluation and to provide a higher level of transparency into how we measure our own business. However, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues are non-GAAP financial measures and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies. Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues should not be construed as a substitute for net income determined in accordance with GAAP or other non-GAAP measures that may be used by other companies, such as EBITDA. The use of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues does have limitations. In particular, we have completed seven acquisitions since the beginning of fiscal 2024 and may complete additional acquisitions in the future that will result in acquisition-related expenses and restructuring charges. As these acquisition-related expenses and restructuring charges may continue as we pursue our consolidation strategy, some investors may consider these charges and expenses as a recurring part of operations rather than expenses that are not part of operations. The table below reconciles Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues to net income reported in our unaudited Consolidated Statements of Operations for Q3FY25, Q2FY25, Q1FY25, Q4FY24, and Q3FY24, which we believe is the most directly comparable GAAP measure. Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (US dollars in thousands; US GAAP; Unaudited)Herbert tosses 3 TD passes and Chargers secure a playoff spot with a 40-7 rout of Patriots FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Justin Herbert threw three touchdown passes and the Los Angeles Chargers clinched their second playoff appearance in three seasons with a 40-7 victory over the New England Patriots. The win also secured the fourth postseason appearance in Jim Harbaugh’s five seasons as an NFL coach, adding to the three he made during his stint with tAshe San Francisco 49ers. Herbert finished 26 of 38 for 281 yards to become the third player in NFL history with at least 3,000 passing yards and 20 touchdown passes in each of his first five seasons. The Patriots have lost six straight games, their second such losing streak of the season. They are now 2-14 the last two seasons at home. Dallas' Naji Marshall gets 4-game suspension, Phoenix's Jusuf Nurkic is banned 3 games for fight The NBA has suspended Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall for four games and Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic for three games for their roles in an on-court fight during Friday night’s game. Dallas forward P.J. Washington was suspended for one game. All of the suspensions are without pay. Nurkic was called for an offensive foul while being guarded by Daniel Gafford with 9:02 left in the third quarter before the altercation quickly escalated. Nurkic confronted Marshall before taking an open-handed swing at his head and then Marshall responded with a punch. Washington quickly shoved Nurkic to the ground before the teams were separated. The NBA said Marshall “attempted to further engage Nurkic in a hostile manner in the corridor outside the locker rooms.” Shohei Ohtani to become a father for the 1st time in 2025 LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani is adding a newcomer to his family lineup. The Los Angeles Dodgers superstar has posted on his Instagram account that he and wife Mamiko Tanaka are expecting a baby in 2025. The photo shows the couple's beloved dog, Decoy, as well as a pink ruffled onesie along with baby shoes and a sonogram that is covered by a baby emoji. Ohtani announced in February that he had married Tanaka, a former professional basketball player from his native Japan. The news from the intensely private player stunned Ohtani's teammates and his fans. Eli Manning and Antonio Gates are among the finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning, former Defensive Players of the Year Luke Kuechly and Terrell Suggs, and prolific tight end Antonio Gates are among the finalists for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class. The Hall on Saturday announced the names of the 15 modern-era finalists who advanced from a group of 25 to the final stage of voting. The selection committee will vote next month to pick the class of between three and five modern-era players that will be announced the week of the Super Bowl. Georgia QB Carson Beck announces plan to enter NFL draft after season-ending elbow injury Georgia quarterback Carson Beck has announced his plans to enter the NFL draft, five days after having season-ending elbow surgery. The fifth-year senior made his NFL plans official on social media. Beck suffered a right elbow injury in the first half of the Bulldogs’ 22-19 overtime win over Texas in the Southeastern Conference championship game on Dec. 7. Beck had surgery on Monday to repair his ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow. He is expected to begin throwing next spring. Backup Gunner Stockton will make his first start in the Sugar Bowl against Notre Dame on Wednesday. Colts QB Anthony Richardson ruled out for Sunday's game against the Giants EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Indianapolis quarterback Anthony Richardson has been ruled out for the Colts’ big game at the New York Giants on Sunday. Richardson missed practice on Thursday and Friday because of back and foot injuries. He was listed as questionable before he was downgraded to out. Indianapolis has a slim chance of making the playoffs. The Colts need to win out and get some help. Richardson’s absence likely means Joe Flacco will start against New York. Victor Wembanyama plays 1-on-1 chess with fans in New York Victor Wembanyama went to a park in New York City and played 1-on-1 with fans on Saturday. He even lost a couple of games. Not in basketball, though. Wemby was playing chess. Before the San Antonio Spurs left New York for a flight to Minnesota, Wembanyama put out the call on social media: “Who wants to meet me at the SW corner of Washington Square park to play chess? Im there,” Wembanyama wrote. It was 9:36 a.m. And people began showing up almost immediately. Mavs star Luka Doncic is latest pro athlete whose home was burglarized, business manager says DALLAS (AP) — Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks is the latest professional athlete whose home has been burglarized. The star guard’s business manager tells multiple media outlets there was a break-in at Doncic’s home Friday night. Lara Beth Seager says nobody was home, and Doncic filed a police report. The Dallas Morning News reports that jewelry valued at about $30,000 was stolen. Doncic is the sixth known pro athlete in the U.S. whose home was burglarized since October. Star NFL quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes of Kansas City and Joe Burrow of Cincinnati are among them. The NFL and NBA have issued security alerts to players over the break-ins. Panthers place 1,000-yard rusher Chuba Hubbard on IR for final 2 games with strained calf CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Panthers have shut down leading rusher Chuba Hubbard for the final two games of the season because of a strained calf. He was placed on injured reserve Saturday. Hubbard was limited in practice Friday with a knee injury and was listed as questionable to play Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After practice, Hubbard complained of pain and had an MRI, which revealed a grade two calf strain, according to the team. Hubbard ran for 1,195 yards and 10 touchdowns this season. He becomes the third Panthers running back to be placed on injured reserve this season, joining Miles Sanders and rookie Jonathan Brooks. Corbin Burnes and Arizona Diamondbacks agree to $210 million, 6-year deal, AP source says PHOENIX (AP) — Corbin Burnes and the Arizona Diamondbacks have agreed to a $210 million, six-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was pending a successful physical. The 30-year-old Burnes was perhaps the top free agent pitcher on the market after going 15-9 with a 2.92 ERA for Baltimore last season. The Orioles acquired the right-hander in a February trade after he spent his first six major league seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers.

By Jade Macmillan for the ABC When Robert F Kennedy Jr was running as an independent candidate at this year's US election, he attracted a series of bizarre headlines. "RFK Jr says doctors found a dead worm in his brain," screamed The New York Times . "RFK Jr admits to dumping a dead bear in Central Park," said NPR . "Feds open probe into RFK Jr for allegedly decapitating a dead whale," reported Fox News . The 70-year-old had been seen as a potential spoiler in a rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. But by the time Kamala Harris replaced the president on the Democratic ticket, his campaign had faltered and was running out of money . Opinion polls suggested he could still draw votes away from Trump, however, in what was then expected to be a very close contest. And despite having previously described RFK Jr as the "most radical left candidate in the race", the now president-elect sought - and received - his endorsement. That support has now been rewarded with the promise of a major new job; Trump has nominated RFK Jr to be his secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). It is a sprawling federal agency tasked with overseeing everything from vaccines to Medicare to food safety. So what exactly does RFK Jr mean when he promises to "Make America Healthy Again"? And why are some public health experts so alarmed? A 'dangerous' record on vaccines RFK Jr is part of one of America's most famous political dynasties. He is named after his father, former US attorney-general Robert F Kennedy, and is the nephew of former president John F Kennedy. He made his own mark as an environmental lawyer, focusing on issues such as water pollution. But it is his vaccine activism that is generating the most attention now that he is in line for a role in Trump's second-term administration . RFK Jr has promoted disproven claims, including that childhood vaccines cause autism. He has also been accused of fuelling vaccine scepticism in Samoa ahead of a deadly measles outbreak that killed 83 people there in 2019. Vaccination rates had fallen after two babies died the previous year from incorrectly mixed and administered mumps, measles and rubella (MMR) shots. RFK Jr visited the Pacific nation several months before the outbreak, writing later that the trip was organised by a local vaccination critic. He has since denied bearing any responsibility for the measles outbreak in Samoa, telling a documentary that he "never told anybody not to vaccinate". "I didn't, you know, go there for any reason to do with that," he said. But Helen Petousis-Harris, a New Zealand-based vaccinologist who worked to try to rebuild confidence in Samoa's vaccination programme , said RFK Jr weakened an "already fragile trust". "A person who has the status of RFK Jr just I guess further amplifies what those local anti-vaccine advocates had been saying," she said. "And there's a big price to pay, isn't there? I mean, these were children's lives." RFK Jr has rejected the assertion that he is an "anti-vaxxer" and he insisted shortly after Trump's election victory that if vaccines were "working for somebody, I'm not going to take them away". "I'm going to make sure scientific safety studies and efficacy are out there, and people can make individual assessments about whether that product is going to be good for them," he told NBC News. Lawrence Gostin, a professor of global health law at Georgetown University, points out control over vaccines in the US resides with the states, not the federal government. But he argues RFK Jr could try to change which vaccines can be accessed free of charge under health insurance. And he believes he will do "everything in his power to foment distrust in them". "I've never seen a darker day for public health than I have since the election," he said. "I just call this simply a poke in the eye of science." RFK Jr's position on vaccines is partly behind a split in his famous family. His cousin and outgoing US ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy recently described his views as "dangerous". "I grew up with him so I've known all this for a long time and others are just getting to know him," she told the National Press Club in Canberra. An overhaul of America's eating habits Along with what he says will be a crackdown on big pharma, RFK Jr is promising to overhaul America's food system. He has called for new limits on food additives and dyes, highlighting differences between the artificial colours used in American-made breakfast cereals and those used in the same products produced in Canada. "It's literally poisoning our kids," he told Fox News in September. He has also pledged to remove ultra-processed foods from school lunches as part of an effort to end what he describes as the "chronic disease epidemic". "President Trump has told me that he wants to see measurable, concrete results within two years in terms of a measurable diminishment in chronic disease among America's kids," he told NBC earlier this month. Some of RFK Jr's stances on nutrition have found support across a broad political spectrum in the US. Author Michael Pollan, who has spent decades advocating for healthier eating, told Politico he agreed with many of RFK Jr's criticisms of the US food system . "The way we're eating is the biggest threat to public health," he said. But he added that he did not support RFK Jr's nomination. "I think he's completely unfit and that's because of his stance on vaccines," he said. Richard Besser, a former acting director of the Centres for Disease Control (CDC) under Barack Obama, believes there is merit in some of the goals RFK Jr is pursuing. But he also does not support his appointment as DHHS secretary. "One of the challenges very frequently with people who are big spreaders of misinformation is that some of what they spread is good," Dr Besser said. "If we had a secretary who said, 'Let's take on childhood nutrition,' that's great. "But you want to make sure that they're coming in and saying, 'Let's bring in the best and the brightest around this topic,' ... not pulling in ideas that may not be based on science, may be based on fear or misleading information." The 'MAHA' movement RFK Jr has called for fluoride to be removed from public drinking water, warned against seed oils, and criticised what he has called the "aggressive suppression" by federal regulators of unpasteurised milk and psychedelics. He has attracted a social media following under the hashtag "Make America Healthy Again", or "MAHA", a spin on Trump's famous slogan. "How it feels knowing RFK Jr is about to go head to head with the food and pharmacy industries," one TikTok user posted alongside the #crunchymom hashtag. RFK Jr has also recently been linked to controversial Australian personality Pete Evans. An advocacy group founded by RFK Jr is publishing a children's cookbook with the former celebrity chef who has previously been accused of spreading medical misinformation. Professor Gostin said there had long been some level of scepticism towards American public health institutions, but that distrust increased dramatically during the Covid-19 pandemic. "I think perhaps science and public health lacked the necessary humility during the pandemic, and that's part of the problem," he said. "But the solution isn't to tear down science and evidence, because we have no alternative." 'Pretty wild ideas' RFK Jr's appointment will need to be confirmed by the Senate, and while Republicans are set to take control of the chamber, that does not guarantee approval. Trump's pick for attorney-general, Matt Gaetz, recently withdrew his name from consideration after senators demanded to see the detail of sexual misconduct allegations against him. "The end of the Matt Gaetz nomination could play out in the form of the Senate willing now to confirm whoever is put in front of them," said Sara Rosenbaum, professor emirata at George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health. "Although, interestingly, the Senate was sort of able to ward [Gaetz's appointment] off before it came to an actual 'no'. "So whether this, in fact, means that they are still rigourous and moving through the candidates in a meaningful way, considering the candidates in a meaningful way, remains to be seen." If he is confirmed, the president-elect has joked he will let RFK Jr "go wild for a little while". "Then I'm going to have to maybe rein him back," Trump said in the lead-up to the election. "Because he's got some pretty wild ideas but most of them are really good, I think." - ABCNone

Chad Chronister, President-elect Donald Trump's selection to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration, said Tuesday that he would withdraw from consideration for the post. Chronister, who serves as sheriff in Hillsborough County, Florida, said he would turn down Trump's planned nomination to be the next DEA administrator just three days after he announced it. He is the second of Trump's picks to join his administration to take his name out of the running, after former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., dropped his bid to become attorney general last month. "To have been nominated by President-Elect @realDonaldTrump to serve as Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration is the honor of a lifetime," Chronister wrote on X Tuesday evening. "Over the past several days, as the gravity of this very important responsibility set in, I’ve concluded that I must respectfully withdraw from consideration." Chronister cited ongoing work that's needed in serving the people of Hillsborough County "and a lot of initiatives I am committed to fulfilling." A spokesperson for Trump's transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump had tapped Chronister to be DEA administrator, a role within the Department of Justice that requires Senate confirmation, over the weekend. In a post on Truth Social on Saturday, Trump said Chronister "will work with our great Attorney General, Pam Bondi, to secure the Border, stop the flow of Fentanyl, and other Illegal Drugs, across the Southern Border, and SAVE LIVES." Chronister responded favorably to the intended nomination in a post on X on Saturday, writing, “I am deeply humbled by this opportunity to serve our nation.” Chronister was first appointed as sheriff by then-Gov. Rick Scott, who now serves in the U.S. Senate, in 2017. Chronister has worked in the Hillsborough County sheriff’s office for 28 years, according to the sheriff's website . While Scott called Chronister an "incredible pick," some Republicans bristled at his selection for the top DEA role and welcomed his withdrawal. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., referred to the 2020 arrest of Rodney Howard-Browne , a Florida pastor, who was accused of defying local pandemic orders barring mass gatherings and booked for unlawful assembly and violation of public health emergency rules. "This sheriff ordered the arrest of a pastor for holding services during the COVID panic. He was tapped by Trump to head the DEA," Massie said on X . "Glad to see him withdraw from consideration. Next time politicians lose their ever-lovin minds, he can redeem himself by following the Constitution." When reached for comment, a spokesperson for the sheriff's office referred NBC News to Chronister's statement on X , but did not respond to questions about whether the criticism had played a role in Chronister's decision. Chronister told reporters in March 2020 that he sought an arrest warrant for the pastor because his “reckless disregard for human life put hundreds of people from his congregation at risk” and also threatened “thousands of residents who may interact with them this week.” Chronister is not the first of Trump's picks to withdraw his name from consideration for a post in his second term. In November, Gaetz, R-Fla. withdrew his name from consideration to serve as attorney general amid sexual misconduct allegations, which he denied.Scoop: A huge wave of House members is eyeing runs for other offices in 2026

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Social media users are misrepresenting a report released Thursday by the Justice Department inspector general's office, falsely claiming that it's proof the FBI orchestrated the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. The watchdog report examined a number of areas, including whether major intelligence failures preceded the riot and whether the FBI in some way provoked the violence. Claims spreading online focus on the report's finding that 26 FBI informants were in Washington for election-related protests on Jan. 6, including three who had been tasked with traveling to the city to report on others who were potentially planning to attend the events. Although 17 of those informants either entered the Capitol or a restricted area around the building during the riot, none of the 26 total informants were authorized to do so by the bureau, according to the report. Nor were they authorized to otherwise break the law or encourage others to do so. Here's a closer look at the facts. CLAIM: A December 2024 report released by the Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General is proof that the Jan. 6 Capitol riot was a setup by the FBI. THE FACTS: That's false. The report found that no undercover FBI employees were at the riot on Jan. 6 and that none of the bureau's informants were authorized to participate. Informants, also known as confidential human sources, work with the FBI to provide information, but are not on the bureau’s payroll. Undercover agents are employed by the FBI. According to the report, 26 informants were in Washington on Jan. 6 in connection with the day's events. FBI field offices only informed the Washington Field Office or FBI headquarters of five informants that were to be in the field on Jan. 6. Of the total 26 informants, four entered the Capitol during the riot and an additional 13 entered a restricted area around the Capitol. But none were authorized to do so by the FBI, nor were they given permission to break other laws or encourage others to do the same. The remaining nine informants did not engage in any illegal activities. None of the 17 informants who entered the Capitol or surrounding restricted area have been prosecuted, the report says. A footnote states that after reviewing a draft of the report, the U.S. attorney's office in Washington said that it “generally has not charged those individuals whose only crime on January 6, 2021 was to enter restricted grounds surrounding the Capitol, which has resulted in the Office declining to charge hundreds of individuals; and we have treated the CHSs consistent with this approach.” The assistant special agent in charge of the Washington Field Office's counterterrorism division told the inspector general's office that he “denied a request from an FBI office to have an undercover employee engage in investigative activity on January 6.” He, along with then-Washington Field Office Assistant Director in Charge Steven D'Antuono, said that FBI policy prohibits undercover employees at First Amendment-protected events without investigative authority. Many social media users drew false conclusions from the report's findings. “JANUARY 6th WAS A SETUP!" reads one X post that had received more than 11,400 likes and shares as of Friday. “New inspector general report shows that 26 FBI/DOJ confidential sources were in the crowd on January 6th, and some of them went into the Capitol and restricted areas. Is it a coincidence that Wray put in his resignation notice yesterday? TREASON!” The mention of Wray's resignation refers to FBI Director Christopher Wray's announcement Wednesday that he plans to resign at the end of President Joe Biden's term in January. Other users highlighted the fact that there were 26 FBI informants in Washington on Jan. 6, but omitted key information about the findings of the report. These claims echo a fringe conspiracy theory advanced by some Republicans in Congress that the FBI played a role in instigating the events of Jan. 6, 2021, when rioters determined to overturn Republican Donald Trump's 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden stormed the Capitol in a violent clash with police. The report knocks that theory down. Wray called such theories “ludicrous” at a congressional hearing last year. The inspector general's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the false claims about its report. In addition to its findings about the the FBI's involvement on Jan. 6, the report said that the FBI, in an action its now-deputy director described as a “basic step that was missed,” failed to canvass informants across all 56 of its field offices for any relevant intelligence ahead of time. That was a step, the report concluded, “that could have helped the FBI and its law enforcement partners with their preparations in advance of January 6.” However, it did credit the bureau for preparing for the possibility of violence and for trying to identify known “domestic terrorism subjects” who planned to come to Washington that day. The FBI said in a letter responding to the report that it accepts the inspection general’s recommendation “regarding potential process improvements for future events.” — Find AP Fact Checks here: https://apnews.com/APFactCheck .Amol Palekar dedicates his memoir to ‘those who believe in the power of resistance’. Looking at the man through the viewfinder that this book provides, one sees a quiet, determined fighter who will not let the system, injustice, or conventional practices deter him. The book brings to life a different person from the screen image he had mostly adopted in films like and . In real life, as he shows us through the memoir, he believes in ignoring whatever tries to pull him down or fit him into a straitjacket. Yet, in his own way, despite being the stormy petrel who never gave much thought before staging a political satire in open spaces or filing a suit against a formidable producer like B.R. Chopra, or yet again, filing PILs against censorship, Palekar dons the man next door image in real life, shying away from publicity and all the trappings that go with stardom. Among the many aspects of his career, the book is an acknowledgement of the many people who have influenced Palekar’s life. He paints a strong word picture of his first mentor, Satyadev Dubey, the enfant terrible of Marathi and Hindi theatre. Palekar’s narration of his last meeting with Dubey is poignant in its understated depth of feeling. It was Dubey who pulled Palekar onto the acting stage, telling him in his typical manner that he was recruiting him, not because he saw any great talent in Palekar but because he seemed to have plenty of time on his hands. Despite Dubey’s words, Palekar went on to not just act in many noteworthy plays but direct a few path-breaking ones of his own. Perhaps it was Dubey’s penchant for improvising on the playwright’s original that inspired Palekar to edit almost every play he directed in marked ways. Badal Sircar, Mohan Rakesh, and poet and playwright Sadanand Rege are others whom Palekar acknowledges to be shapers of his journey as an actor and director. The remarkable thing about this book is that at every point, in every chapter, Palekar talks about a learning that he shares with the reader. On his own admission, it is a conscious inclusion, and it takes the book to a level above being a narrative about his life and work. The book includes chapters on his foray into Hindi cinema and the subsequent stardom it brought to him. It also mentions the cameos of co-actors, plus the endearing ones on Basu Chatterjee and Hrishikesh Mukherjee, with whom Palekar scored his biggest hits. Stories from the making of , , , and will quench the thirst of his filmgoer fans. So will the detailing of why he chose anti-roles like that of Keshav Dalvi in Shyam Benegal’s . But as significant is the story of Palekar’s own foray into the direction of Hindi films. Movies like , , and are among the path-breaking successes of parellel cinema, with strong, offbeat themes and great music supporting the actors. A piquant story on why he cast the thunderous Nana Patekar in , despite the actor having brought the house down with his violent role in , is worth reading as a mirror to what dedicated actors and directors can do. Equally engaging is a confession of the embarrassment Palekar suffered when he had to dance in a film with Shabana as his co-star and Waheeda Rehman looking on. Approaching acting as someone who must sacrifice himself to look the part, Palekar sported short hair, a thick moustache, and glasses for and played a murderer in , based on the gruesome Manvat child sacrifice case. Palekar does not shy away from talking about his personal life. The mention of first wife, Chitra, is tinged with pathos, and there is enough and more evidence of his admiration for and dependence on his lawyer and writer-director wife, Sandhya. The book offers QR codes that open up into films, scenes, and songs from some of his work, and is punctuated by evocative watercolours of the author. It is definitely a book for your book shelf and worthy of being in every library.

Justin Trudeau Dances And Snaps Selfies At Taylor Swift Concert Amid Montreal Ri...The Yasawa district team has set their goals for the two-day Fiji Primary Schools Tuckers Ice Cream Games, which starts today at Suva’s HFC Bank Stadium. The Games will accommodate 2000 athletes from 21 districts across the country. Speaking to SUNsports yesterday, Yasawa district team jump coach Isireli Koroituku said they are here not only to participate but win medals so they could take it back home. “We have 105 athletes in the team this year from eight schools in the district,” he said. “So far, preparations have been going well and we’re looking forward to competition.” Koroituku said the team that participated last year had focused on exposing the athletes, but not this year. “We are here to win medals,” he said. Koroituku said the struggles the team had to go through to make it to the competition were not that easy. “We had to remain positive. Accommodation was a factor but we managed to secure one in the last few days.” He said the team fundraised by selling rootcrops, kava barrel and curry nights. Koroituku also expressed his heartfelt gratitude to members of the Yasawa community, people from the ‘Tikinas’ and shareholders who came in to support the team. “Our journey here couldn’t be made possible if it was not for the support of everyone. “We are grateful for the opportunity to represent our district and we are motivated to winning medals.” He said most of their athletes are first time Suva travelers and it has been an eye-opener. In addition, the six districts from the Western Division are coming with their 718 athletes, the North is bringing 635 while the Central and Eastern divisions have confirmed 597 athletes for the competition. Feedback: josua.buredua@fijisun.com.fj

Ja Morant getting close to return