DENVER — Amid renewed interest in the killing of JonBenet Ramsey triggered in part by a new Netflix documentary, police in Boulder, Colorado, refuted assertions this week that there is viable evidence and leads about the 1996 killing of the 6-year-old girl that they are not pursuing. JonBenet Ramsey, who competed in beauty pageants, was found dead in the basement of her family’s home in the college town of Boulder the day after Christmas in 1996. Her body was found several hours after her mother called 911 to say her daughter was missing and a ransom note was left behind. The gravesite of JonBenet Ramsey is covered with flowers Jan. 8, 1997, at St. James Episcopal Cemetery in Marietta, Ga. JonBenet was bludgeoned and strangled. Her death was ruled a homicide, but nobody was ever prosecuted. The details of the crime and video footage of JonBenet competing in pageants propelled the case into one of the highest-profile mysteries in the United States. The police comments came as part of their annual update on the investigation, a month before the 28th anniversary of JonBenet’s killing. Police said they released it a little earlier due to the increased attention on the case, apparently referring to the three-part Netflix series “Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey.” In a video statement, Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn said the department welcomes news coverage and documentaries about the killing of JonBenet, who would have been 34 this year, as a way to generate possible new leads. He said the department is committed to solving the case but needs to be careful about what it shares about the investigation to protect a possible future prosecution. “What I can tell you though, is we have thoroughly investigated multiple people as suspects throughout the years and we continue to be open-minded about what occurred as we investigate the tips that come in to detectives,” he said. The Netflix documentary focuses on the mistakes made by police and the “media circus” surrounding the case. A police officer sits in her cruiser Jan. 3, 1997, outside the home in which 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey was found murdered Dec. 26, 1996, in Boulder, Colo. Police were widely criticized for mishandling the early investigation into her death amid speculation that her family was responsible. However, a prosecutor cleared her parents, John and Patsy Ramsey, and brother Burke in 2008 based on new DNA evidence from JonBenet’s clothing that pointed to the involvement of an “unexplained third party” in her slaying. The announcement by former district attorney Mary Lacy came two years after Patsy Ramsey died of cancer. Lacy called the Ramseys “victims of this crime.” John Ramsey continued to speak out for the case to be solved. In 2022, he supported an online petition asking Colorado’s governor to intervene in the investigation by putting an outside agency in charge of DNA testing in the case. In the Netflix documentary, he said he advocated for several items that were not prepared for DNA testing to be tested and for other items to be retested. He said the results should be put through a genealogy database. In recent years, investigators identified suspects in unsolved cases by comparing DNA profiles from crime scenes and to DNA testing results shared online by people researching their family trees. In 2021, police said in their annual update that DNA hadn’t been ruled out to help solve the case, and in 2022 noted that some evidence could be “consumed” if DNA testing is done on it. Last year, police said they convened a panel of outside experts to review the investigation to give recommendations and determine if updated technologies or forensic testing might produce new leads. In the latest update, Redfearn said that review ended but police continue to work through and evaluate a “lengthy list of recommendations” from the panel. Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!slot game app 。

California businesses — and households that pay payroll taxes on domestic employees — are waking up to the reality that they are being forced to pay for the state’s default on $20 billion in federal loans to cover a COVID-era shortfall. The issue came to light this week with a social media post by restaurateur Andrew Gruel about unexpected costs: The Hoover Institution, based at Stanford University, had warned about the problem more than a year ago: Little did California businesses know that they were cosigners on the state’s nearly $20 billion loan from the federal government that was used to cover California’s unemployment fund shortfall during the COVID pandemic. This ugly truth became apparent when the state recently decided to stop making payments on this loan. When a state defaults on its federal unemployment insurance loan, federal law requires that the state’s businesses repay the loan. What makes this default even more egregious is that the stone-age-era IT system of the state’s Employment and Development Department (EDD) opened the floodgates to bad actors, permitting more than $30 billion in fraudulent unemployment claims during the pandemic. Those receiving fraudulent payments include incarcerated felons, a person impersonating a one-year-old, and a person impersonating Senator Dianne Feinstein. A single residential address received checks for around 60 separate individuals filing from that address. ... The state’s decision to default is inexcusable. California recorded a nearly $100 billion state budget surplus last year, thanks to the state’s top earners, that could have been used to repay the debt. The state received $27 billion in federal COVID aid it could have used to repay the debt. The state’s record $300 billion–plus 2022–23 budget could have retired the debt. Even after defaulting, the state could have resumed its payments this year and offset the tax burden on businesses, as it planned to do in its 2023–24 budget. But as the state’s finances continue to decline, the state has walked back making payments or offsetting higher business federal unemployment insurance taxes. Households that employ legal immigrants and pay payroll taxes have been penalized with similar, sudden tax hikes. Californians could soon be on the hook for more. Reason.com recently reported : “California’s total long-term debt, between the state and local governments, has quietly surged to over half a trillion dollars, making it the most indebted state in the nation.” Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of The Agenda: What Trump Should Do in His First 100 Days , available for pre-order on Amazon. He is also the author of The Trumpian Virtues: The Lessons and Legacy of Donald Trump’s Presidency , now available on Audible. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak .Unwrap the latest AI features with Amazon Fire Tablets

PITTSBURGH — Preseason’s over. Now the real work begins for the Pittsburgh Steelers. While the past three months have been promising and productive for the first-place Steelers (10-3), it has come largely at the expense of teams who will likely watch the playoffs on TV. Six of Pittsburgh’s victories have come against teams who currently have losing records. The other four wins — Denver, the Chargers, Washington and Baltimore — are solid resume-builders with a small caveat: none of them lead their respective divisions. To be clear, Pittsburgh’s play is part of the reason those four clubs find themselves looking up to others in the standings. That will change on Sunday when the Steelers travel across the state to face NFC juggernaut Philadelphia, the start of an 11-day sprint in which Pittsburgh also faces a rematch with the Ravens and spends Christmas Day at Acrisure Stadium against Patrick Mahomes and the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs. “It’s just going to show us how good we can be,” safety DeShon Elliott said. It’s a testament to the weekly tunnel vision Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin creates that wide receiver Calvin Austin III needed to be reminded about the daunting stretch that awaits after Sunday’s relatively drama-free 27-14 win over Cleveland. “Who do we play again?” Austin said. When reminded it was three teams that fully expect to be in New Orleans on the second Sunday in February, Austin laughed. “That’s a tough little stretch, but at the end of the day it’s a five-star matchup as Coach T says because we’re in it,” he said. “We know that when we’re out there, it’s going to always be a big-time performance.” One Austin and his teammates believe they’re ready for after a workmanlike victory over the Browns in which the Steelers were only too intent to let Cleveland self-destruct behind a flurry of penalties, missed field goals and turnovers. More will likely be required in the coming weeks, which is fine by the Steelers. They have put themselves in a position to do things the franchise hasn’t done in a while. And for all the good things they’ve done since early September, they’re only too aware their season will be defined by what comes next. Sure, they’d love a little more time between games to rest up. The scheduling gods didn’t give them that option. So be it. “I feel like the league kind of hates us already, man,” Elliott said. “It’s all right. We’re going to go out here, play those games, work our butts off, go out and be 3-0.” What’s working Letting everybody eat. Russell Wilson seems to be almost pathological in his determination to get every eligible skill position player involved. A week ago against the Bengals, he connected with 10 different players. In the rematch with the Browns, it was eight, including Mike Williams and Scotty Miller, veterans who have largely been afterthoughts of late. Tomlin greeted Miller after an acrobatic 20-yard third down grab on the sideline in the third quarter with “this isn’t a lightning strike,” a popular Tomlin-ism that means simply Miller did all the work necessary to succeed, so it shouldn’t be a surprise when it comes. Asked if he felt compelled to mention this to Tomlin the next time Miller is a candidate to be inactive on game days — as he has often been in recent weeks — Miller smiled. “If you could tell him that, that’d be great,” he said with a laugh. What needs help George Pickens’ maturity. While Pickens believes opponents haven’t found a way to get under his skin, the evidence suggests otherwise. How else to explain why nearly three years into his career, Pickens still frequently finds an envelope in his locker from the league telling him he’s been fined for everything from unsportsmanlike conduct to unnecessary roughness? Pickens’ teammates respect his talent and understand his importance — look at how disjointed the offense looked on Sunday for proof — but will he “cut out the stupid stuff” before the playoffs arrive? That will be entirely up to Pickens. Nothing seems to have gotten through so far. Maybe watching the team win without him while nursing a hamstring injury — as Pickens did on Sunday — will do the trick. Stock up The Steelers may have found their heir apparent to the seemingly ageless Cam Heyward in second-year defensive tackle Keeanu Benton. While Benton will likely never come close to matching Heyward’s impact as a pass rusher, he can do just about everything else and his first career interception on Sunday — a leaping pick of an ill-advised screen pass by Jameis Winston — showcased his spiking football IQ. Stock down Everyone who put money down during the offseason on the Steelers missing the playoffs. It looked like a good investment over the summer with two new quarterbacks, a new offensive coordinator, no second big-play wide receiver to complement Pickens and playing in what was viewed as the best division in the league. Not so much anymore. Pittsburgh has a 99% chance of reaching the postseason for the fourth time in five years. Key number Plus-28 — the Steelers’ turnover margin since the start of the 2023 season, tops in the NFL. Next steps Try to do something they haven’t done in nearly 60 years: beat the Eagles on the road. Pittsburgh’s most recent victory in Philadelphia was on Oct. 24, 1965. Stay Informed: Subscribe to Our Newsletter TodayRussian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov arrived in North Korea on Friday for talks with North Korean military and political leaders as the countries deepen their cooperation over Russia’s war in Ukraine. In announcing the visit, Russia’s Defense Ministry didn’t say whom Belousov would meet or the purpose of the talks. North Korean state media didn’t immediately confirm the visit. Belousov, a former economist, replaced Sergei Shoigu as defense minister in May after Russian President Vladimir Putin started a fifth term in power. Photos released by the Defense Ministry showed Belousov walking alongside North Korean Defense Minister No Kwang Chol on a red carpet at a Pyongyang airport. North Korean military officials were seen clapping under a banner that read, “Complete support and solidarity with the fighting Russian army and people.” Belousov noted after his arrival that military cooperation between the countries is expanding. He applauded a strategic partnership agreement signed by Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un following their June meeting in Pyongyang, which he said is aimed at reducing tensions by maintaining a “balance of power” in the region and lowering the risk of war, including with nuclear weapons. The June meeting demonstrated the “highest level of mutual trust” between the leaders, Belousov said, and “also the mutual desire of our countries to further expand mutually beneficial cooperation in a complex international environment.” North Korean Defense Minister No also praised the expanding cooperation between the countries’ militaries and reiterated North Korea’s support for Russia’s war in Ukraine, describing it as a “just struggle to protect the country’s sovereign rights and security interests.” The visit comes days after South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol met with a Ukrainian delegation led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov in the South Korean capital, Seoul, and called for the two countries to formulate countermeasures in response to North Korea’s dispatch of thousands of troops to Russia to help its fight against Ukraine. Kim in recent months has prioritized relations with Russia as he tries to break out of isolation and strengthen his international footing, embracing the idea of a “new Cold War.” The United States and its allies have said North Korea has sent more than 10,000 soldiers to Russia in recent weeks and that some of those troops were engaging in combat. North Korea has also been accused of supplying artillery systems, missiles and other military equipment to Russia that may help Putin further extend an almost three-year war. There are also concerns in Seoul that North Korea, in exchange for its troops and arms supplies, could receive Russian technology transfers that could improve its nuclear weapons and missile programs. “The Russian defense minister doesn’t visit North Korea just to celebrate bilateral ties,” said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul. “This visit indicates Putin and Kim’s military cooperation in violation of international law is about to increase further.” Yoon’s national security adviser, Shin Wonsik, said in a TV interview last week that Seoul believes that Russia has provided air defense missile systems to North Korea in exchange for sending its troops. Shin said Russia also appears to have given economic assistance to North Korea and various military technologies, including those needed for the North’s efforts to build a reliable space-based surveillance system, which Kim has stressed is crucial for enhancing the threat of nuclear-capable missiles targeting South Korea. Shin didn’t say whether Russia has already transferred sensitive nuclear weapons and ballistic missile technologies to North Korea. Yoon’s office hasn’t said whether the two governments discussed the possibility of South Korea supplying weapons to Ukraine in his talks with Umerov. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, South Korea has joined U.S.-led sanctions against Moscow and provided humanitarian and financial support to Kyiv. But it has avoided directly supplying arms, citing a longstanding policy of not giving lethal weapons to countries actively engaged in conflicts. Yoon has said his government will take phased countermeasures, linking the level of its response to the degree of Russian-North Korean cooperation. It wasn’t immediately clear whether Belousov will meet with Kim, the North Korean leader. Last year, Kim hosted a Russian delegation led by then-Defense Minister Shoigu and gave him a personal tour of a North Korean arms exhibition, in what outside critics likened to a sales pitch. That event came weeks before Kim traveled to Russia for talks with Putin which sped up military cooperation between the countries. During another meeting in Pyongyang in June this year, Kim and Putin signed a pact stipulating mutual military assistance if either country is attacked, in what was considered the two countries’ biggest defense deal since the end of the Cold War. The Russian report about Belousov’s visit came as South Korea scrambled fighter jets to repel six Russian and five Chinese warplanes that temporarily entered the country’s air defense identification zone around its eastern and southern seas, according to the South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff. It said the Russian and Chinese planes did not breach South Korea’s territorial airspace. South Korea’s Defense Ministry said it held telephone calls with Chinese and Russian defense attaches based in Seoul to protest the flights and urge the countries to prevent recurrences.TikTok influencer posted herself going shopping at Target. Police say she was actually shoplifting

San Francisco Mayor-elect Daniel Lurie taps OpenAI's Sam Altman and other business leaders for help with transitionUnai Emery has praised Jhon Duran's change in behaviour at Aston Villa and claims the striker is now improving all aspects of his game. Duran bagged his 10th goal of the season on Tuesday night, scoring a beauty as he beat Peter Gulacsi from distance after coming off the bench for the start of the second half against RB Leipzig . It was his third strike in the Champions League after six appearances, while he netted his fourth winning goal of the Premier League season last weekend in the win over Southampton. "He's getting better in everything," Emery said. "I’m very happy with him. I’m always trying to get the best out of him and to focus as well as possible. On the field, we can see him improve. He’s competing with Watkins - sometimes they are together - my idea is to build the team around the players we have. READ | Every word Unai Emery said on Watkins injury, January transfer window and Nottingham Forest READ | Chelsea star reveals Aston Villa transfer talks and Unai Emery decision "Duran, we needed him in the second half in Leipzig, he played fantastically well. We have two fantastic players in Duran and Watkins when both are available. They are intelligent, smart. We want to be tactically strong too - but when we are attacking, I want more of them. "Duran is young, he came here 23 months ago, the process is ongoing. Sometimes it’s been quicker, other times, more slowly. Last summer, he was injured and didn’t play in pre-season. I’m trying to work with him as a player and a human. I want to speak a lot with him and to understand him. Every game, he get the chance to show his capacity and potential." Emery added: "My expectation of him is so high. He now needs time to build and gain in his capacities at the high level he wants. In terms of his potential, I don't know exactly where he can finish. But we are working with him to exploit his capacity in the process. "Being more mature, more responsible and disciplined in the organisation we are trying to set every match on the field. In his process, he is getting better completely. The potential, I don't know where he is going to finish or to achieve it and when, but he needs time. "He's just had his birthday and turned 21. He is young. Of course, he is impatient and wants everything so quick. We are speaking a lot with him - us, the players are trying to support and help him. His commitment and behaviour every day with us is much better." What do you make of Emery's comments? Tell us in the comments section...

Social media megastars KSI and iShowSpeed are set to be the faces of a brand-new six-a-side soccer tournament that is to take place in 2025, which will also see a whole host of football legends take part. The 'Baller League' was a project that initially began in Germany and was spearheaded by former national team stars Mats Hummels and Lukas Podolski, but its success has meant that it will now make its debut in the UK and across the pond. YouTuber-turned-boxer KSI will act as the president of the UK variant of the league, while his streamer counterpart will be the head of the American version that is set to kick off next March and will also include the likes of Ronaldinho and John Terry . From golden cards to mystery La Liga players, Pique has created one of the most intriguing football concepts we've ever seen... Baller League Rules and Names Confirmed In the trailer that has been released on the Baller League's official social media channels, several major names from the world of football appear, all of whom are set to be managers of some of the teams competing in the league. According to reports and the social media clip, the aforementioned Terry and Ronaldinho will each take charge of a team and will face off against other big managerial names. Arsenal Invincibles Jens Lehmann, Robert Pires, and Freddie Ljungberg will collectively manage one team, while some of the best UK pundits in Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, and Micah Richards will team up to lead another group of challengers. Simon Minter (better known as Miniminter), Tobi Brown (TBJZL), and Morgan Burtwistle (Angry Ginge) will also be among the other notable figures involved in the tournament, which is said to be hosted by Soccer Aid alumnus Chunkz. Twelve teams compete in a weekly league held in an indoor arena. Matches consist of 15-minute halves, and the league spans 11 matchdays. Once all teams have faced each other once, the top four advance to a final four tournament in May to crown the champions. Games are played in a six-a-side format on a 29 x 50-meter pitch but feature unique twists. Special rules are introduced for the final three minutes of each half. These include: A three-vs-three format. Goals scored from the back two-thirds of the pitch (behind the offside line) counting as double. 1v1 challenges starting from behind the halfway line, with no hands allowed for goalkeepers or players. Baller League CEO, Felix Stark, spoke about the concept and revealed how he hopes that the introduction in the UK and America markets will redefine how the sport is consumed: "Baller League is a brand new way to consume football. We’re redefining how the game is played by bringing an exhilarating and authentic approach to football, and one that will appeal to current fans along with future generations. Baller League is all about forward-thinking, aggressive, hyper-exciting football. We’re about creating a version of the game that’s impossible to ignore - thrilling, bold and packed with excitement."Israel launches new airstrikes on Lebanon as leaders draw closer to ceasefire with Hezbollah

Manchester City remarkably let a comfortable 3-0 lead against Feyenoord slip and fell to an embarrassing 3-3 Champions League draw. It is the latest horror show for Pep Guardiola 's side, who will now go more than a month without a victory across all competitions. Ederson and Josko Gvardiol were particularly culpable for the late collapse, which saw Feyenoord score three times in the final 12 minutes. Pep Guardiola fumed when the duo suffered a mix-up to allow what appeared to be a late consolation for the Dutch side - but the worse was yet to come. Santiago Gimenez and David Hancko scored goals to compound another woeful night for City and Guardiola. It seemed set to be an easy win with the Premier League champions 3-0 ahead on 77 minutes, with Erling Haaland scoring twice either side of a deflected Ilkay Gundogan strike. Here is how Express Sport rated City's players. Ederson - 4 Ederson had little to do until Gvardiol’s backpass left him stranded. The Brazilian was then unconvincing as he attempted to cut out the cross from which Gimenez scored Feyenoord’s second, and was in no man's land as he stormed out of his goal before the equaliser. Rico Lewis - 6 Inverting into midfield, Lewis was key to City retaining possession for large periods of the game and pinning Feyenoord back towards their own goal. However, he was part of his side's late collapse and was beaten in the air for the equaliser. Manuel Akanji - 5 City’s collapse late on was extremely avoidable. Akanji played his part with some lapses in concentration. Nathan Ake - 6 Ake dealt with Feyenoord’s meagre threat well until his 68th-minute withdrawal. Guardiola, in hindsight, might have kept him on the pitch. Josko Gvardiol - 4 Gvardiol’s woeful backpass allowed Anis Hadj Moussa to round Ederson and convert from a tight angle. It was a seriously sloppy moment that left Guardiola furious. The defender then failed to cut out a cross which led to Feyenoord's second goal. Ilkay Gundogan - 6 Gundogan’s deflected left-footed volley midway through the second half gave City plenty of comfort. This was the German’s best performance since his return from Barcelona. Matheus Nunes - 7 This was one of Nunes’ best games for City. Positioned centrally, his movement and ability to break between the lines was key. One of his bursts forward culminating in him finding the side netting with a ferocious strike. Bernardo Silva - 6 Silva helped City press high and he won the ball in advantageous positions several times. On one of those occasions, he was unfortunate not to create a goal for Haaland in the first half. man-utd Phil Foden - 7 Most of the positive work City did came through Foden. As the closest midfielder to Haaland, the England international posed a huge threat and came close to scoring a couple of times. Jack Grealish - 6 Had spurts of involvement and nearly struck a dramatic winner when his effort looped up and onto the post. Erling Haaland - 7 On an initially frustrating night for Haaland, he eventually struck a brace with a goal in either half. Ederson and Gvardiol compounded to make this another bad evening for the hosts, though. Substitutes Jahmai Simpson-Pusey - 5 Guardiola might have seen this as an opportunity to provide one of City's brightest defensive stars 20 minutes of action with his side 3-0 ahead. The teenager must accept some of the blame for the poor defending in the final 15 minutes. James McAtee - 5 City lost control after Guardiola's trio of substitutions in the 68th minute and the Spaniard must take accept some of the responsibility. McAtee had little impact. Kevin De Bruyne - 5 De Bruyne nearly created a couple of chances but was unable to prevent what happened late on.None

Earlier this year, the Arizona Daily Star launched a new high school “Student-Athlete of the Week” series, highlighting student-athletes from across Southern Arizona who are doing amazing things. Southern Arizona is filled with exceptional student-athletes who have high GPAs, play multiple sports and are destined for bright futures as college athletes, doctors, engineers and more. With the fall sports season coming to an end, we’re rounding up our fall Student-Athletes of the Week in one place for you to learn more about them and their accomplishments. Ryann Brooks, Marana High School Marana’s Ryann Brooks helps her teammates in their pre-game drills as she sits out the Tiger’s season opener against Desert Ridge on Sept. 14 Ryann Brooks is a 17-year-old senior at Marana High School. She is a multi-sport athlete who began playing flag football when she was just 10 years old. Brooks also participates in her school’s youth city council and works as an athletic training intern. “She’s an amazing athlete. I can only imagine how she is in track because of her speed,” said Shaun Lara, Marana’s flag football head coach. “Now, obviously, her having the knee injury right now, she’s still moving, she’s still breaking people’s ankles and we did statistics for our tryouts and she was still faster than half our team and that’s coming off a knee injury. So, she’s a great athlete and she knows a lot of these girls because they play together in a club, but the more time she gets to work with these girls because she is new here, she is becoming more of a Marana Tiger every day.” Sports: Flag football and track and field GPA: 3.6 Future plans: Attend the University of Arizona’s medical school and become a trauma surgeon Ryann fun fact: Her favorite football team is the Baltimore Ravens. Her dad and family grew up in Baltimore, so she grew up watching them Full story: tucne.ws/ryann Emiliano Caldera, Catalina High School Emiliano Caldera is a junior at Catalina High School and competes in cross country and track and field. Emiliano Caldera is a 16-year-old junior at Catalina High School. Caldera is captain of the cross-country team, president of Catalina's FBLA club and treasurer of the Future Health Professionals club. At the time of publication in early October, Caldera was ranked sixth in the region and 23rd in the school’s division, Class 3A. “Emmy (Emiliano) is kind of a once-in-a-lifetime type of athlete as a coach,” said Chelsea Duran, Catalina High School’s cross country and track and field coach. “He started as a freshman and it was really like, ‘Hey, I’m getting in shape for soccer.’ He told me he was a sprinter but I saw that talent right away. So, it’s been cool to watch his progression from ‘I think I’m a sprinter’ to being one of the top distance runners in the state. But it’s more than that. It’s the dedication, the discipline. If I tell him, ‘I want you to go run 4 miles in the morning,’ he will run 4 miles in the morning no matter what, on top of all the extracurriculars and everything that he does.” Sports: Cross country and track and field GPA: 3.8 Future plans: Attend Northern Arizona University and become a physical therapist Emiliano fun fact: His running playlist includes Afrobeats, Mexican and Dominican music Full story: tucne.ws/emiliano Sergio Vega, Sunnyside High School “It was always a dream,” said Sergio Vega of being ranked so highly. “So, now it’s cool that I’m actually doing it and I’m seeing all my hard work pay off.” Sergio Vega is an 18-year-old senior at Sunnyside High School. He is a part of a multi-generational wrestling family that has cemented their legacy in local high school wrestling. Vega typically spends around two to three hours everyday training for wrestling. He is ranked No. 1 in the 138-pound weight class in the U.S. and has only recorded one loss while wrestling for Sunnyside. In addition to balancing school and wrestling, Vega participates in Sunnyside’s Student-Athlete Leadership Team. “It’s been an incredible transformation, going from a kid that was not lighting the world on fire in wrestling to wrestling to No. 1 in the country. It’s been truly, probably the funnest time in my coaching career,” said Anthony Leon, Sunnyside’s wrestling coach. Sport: Wrestling GPA: 3.86 Future plans: Wrestle for Oklahoma State University Sergio fun fact: His favorite south-side food spot is El Güero Canelo Full story: tucne.ws/sergio Editor’s note: At the time of publication, Vega was committed to Cornell University. On Nov. 19, Vega signed with OSU. Johanna Simpson, Nogales High School Johanna Simpson is a senior multi-sport athlete at Nogales High School and participates in girls flag football, basketball and track and field. Johanna Simpson is a 17-year-old senior at Nogales High School. She is a multi-sport athlete who joined Nogales HS’ inaugural flag football team. At the beginning of their season, Simpson recorded 279 rushing yards. The current national average is 103. She’s also received numerous academic honors, is a member of the National Technical Honor Society and is president of the Apache Leadership Advisory Committee at Nogales HS. “Johanna is easily one of our better athletes,” said Leo Federico, a teacher and track and field coach at Nogales HS. “And I think she represents our school in the best way possible. She fulfills everything about this place that I love and I think she embodies a lot of not just the pride of this place, but the hard work and the community that she represents.” Sports: Flag football, basketball and track and field GPA: 3.6 Future plans: Attend the University of Arizona and study psychology or sports medicine Johanna fun fact: Her favorite movie is “10 Things I Hate About You” Full story: tucne.ws/johanna Rilynn Brown, Canyon del Oro High School Rilynn Brown is already having a big impact on the CDO volleyball team as a freshman this season. Rilynn Brown is a 15-year-old freshman at Canyon del Oro High School who is just starting her high school academic and athletic journey. During a match against Cienega High School this season, she had 12 kills and a hitting percentage over .600. Brown is one of the only freshmen on the varsity volleyball team. “She came to our middle school camp and we were watching her play and then just immediately the coaches that were there, we fell in love with her,” said CDO volleyball coach Jose Robles. “She is such a hard worker. She’s dedicated. She always has a smile on her face. She even has one right now on her face at the moment. She is also humble. I can tell you right now (about) her answers, she’s being very humble about how good she is and whatnot.” Sport: Volleyball Grades: Straight A’s (no GPA yet since she's a freshman) Future plans: Join CDO’s National Honor Society and other extracurriculars Rilynn fun fact: Her favorite song is “Vienna” by Billy Joel Full story: tucne.ws/rilynn Chase Cesarek, Catalina Foothills High School Catalina Foothills High School golfer Chase Cesarek gets warmed up on the driving range before the Falcons' match at Fred Enke Golf Course on Oct. 24. Chase Cesarek is a 16-year-old junior at Catalina Foothills High School. He learned how to golf from his dad and has been golfing since around 5 years old. Cesarek is a part of the No. 1 golf team in the state and he was ranked No. 5 individually. During this season, he shot under par for most of his matches. “I have five freshmen (on the team) and he’s really good at making sure that they don’t get too stressed out and that they remember that golf is supposed to be fun,” said Julie Walters, Catalina Foothills’ boys golf head coach. “He’s a good leader in that way and, sure, we all get upset sometimes, but he models letting that go and not letting it affect your next decision on the course.” Sport: Golf GPA: 3.4 Future plans: Play golf at the collegiate level Chase fun fact: His favorite golfer is Max Homa Full story: tucne.ws/chase Soso Okpara, Mica Mountain High School Senior volleyball player Soso Okpara is wrapping up her final season at Mica Mountain High School. Soso Okpara is a 17-year-old senior at Mica Mountain High School. Okpara is a star student and athlete at the school who plans to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy after graduation in May. During this volleyball season, Okpara was ranked No. 2 in the state for her .454 hitting percentage. She is also the president of Mica Mountain’s AP (Advanced Placement) Club and a member of the school’s Diversity Alliance Club. “She’s more on the quiet side, I think, than some of the girls, but her actions and the way she carries herself on and off the court, she does a really good job of the leading girls,” said Amy Johnson, Mica Mountain’s volleyball coach. “She’s our best attacker on the team. So, they look up to her and she’s done a really good job of leading them this year.” Sport: Volleyball GPA: 5.16 Future plans: Attend the U.S. Air Force Academy and become an OBGYN or surgical doctor specializing in women’s and children’s health care Soso fun fact: Her current hype song is “First Person Shooter” by Drake Full story: tucne.ws/soso Vita Carr, Tucson High School Vita Carr, a sophomore, is a swimmer from Tucson High School. Vita Carr is a 16-year-old sophomore at Tucson High School who has been on a swim team since she was 6 years old. She is a third-generation swimmer. During this year’s swim season, Carr was ranked No. 12 in the state and No. 8 in her division, DI, for the 100-yard fly. During the school year, Carr takes AP courses and honors classes. During the summer months, she helps coach her club team’s 8 and under group. “She’s outstanding across the board,” said Janet Reyes, Tucson High’s swim coach. “She’s a sophomore and last year as a freshman, she qualified. And Division I is extremely hard to qualify for. And now she’s a sophomore and she’s a top (competitor) for one of her events and she has a great attitude when it comes to herself and her team. She’s super motivational to them.” Sport: Swim GPA: 4.3 Future plans: Swim competitively at a DI university where she will major in psychology and double minor in nutrition and sports medicine Vita fun fact: Her must-have coffee drink is a vanilla latte from Screwbean Brewing Full story: tucne.ws/vita Jovani Rodriguez, Willcox High School Jovani Rodriguez, a 17-year-old soccer player from Willcox High School, scored 18 goals this season, while the national average is four. Jovani Rodriguez is a 17-year-old senior at Willcox High School who had an exceptional soccer season. Rodriguez scored 18 goals this season, compared to the national average of four. During the state quarterfinal match, Rodriguez was the sole scorer of the match with two goals. He also participates in agricultural pursuit meetings at school. “He’s a great leader on the field, great leader outside of the field, just all around,” said Katrina Garza, Willcox’s boys soccer coach. “A lot of the younger athletes on our team look up to him. It’s been amazing. He’s a really good student-athlete in general. He just doesn’t play soccer, he does basketball, he does baseball, he’s an all-around athlete and super coachable.” Sports: Soccer, basketball and baseball GPA: 3.0 Future plans: Play soccer at the collegiate level and become an electrical engineer for a mining company Jovani fun fact: His soccer dream team includes Luis Suárez, Messi, Neymar and Ronaldinho Full story: tucne.ws/jovani Contact Elvia Verdugo, the Star's community sports editor, at everdugo@tucson.com . A journalism and history graduate from the University of Arizona, she hopes to share stories that show what makes Tucson and its community special. Respond: Write a letter to the editor | Write a guest opinion Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Community Sports EditorJERUSALEM — A new round of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen on Thursday targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital and multiple ports, while the World Health Organization's director-general said the bombardment occurred nearby as he prepared to board a flight in Sanaa, with a crew member injured. "The air traffic control tower, the departure lounge — just a few meters from where we were — and the runway were damaged," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on social media. He added that he and U.N. colleagues were safe. "We will need to wait for the damage to the airport to be repaired before we can leave," he said, without mentioning the source of the bombardment. U.N. spokesperson Stephanie Tremblay later said the injured person was with the U.N. Humanitarian Air Service. Israel's army later told The Associated Press it wasn't aware that the WHO chief or delegation were at the location in Yemen. Smoke rises Thursday from the area around the International Airport after an airstrike in Sanaa, Yemen. The Israeli strikes followed several days of Houthi launches setting off sirens in Israel. The Israeli military said in a statement it attacked infrastructure used by the Iran-backed Houthis at the international airport in Sanaa and ports in Hodeida, Al-Salif and Ras Qantib, along with power stations, claiming they were used to smuggle in Iranian weapons and for the entry of senior Iranian officials. Israel's military added it had "capabilities to strike very far from Israel's territory — precisely, powerfully, and repetitively." The strikes, carried out more than 1,000 miles from Jerusalem, came a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said "the Houthis, too, will learn what Hamas and Hezbollah and Assad's regime and others learned" as his military has battled those more powerful proxies of Iran. The Houthi-controlled satellite channel al-Masirah reported multiple deaths and showed broken windows, collapsed ceilings and a bloodstained floor and vehicle. Iran's foreign ministry condemned the strikes. The U.S. military also targeted the Houthis in recent days. The U.N. says the targeted ports are important entryways for humanitarian aid for Yemen, the poorest Arab nation that plunged into a civil war in 2014. Over the weekend, 16 people were wounded when a Houthi missile hit a playground in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, while other missiles and drones were shot down. Last week, Israeli jets struck Sanaa and Hodeida, killing nine people, calling it a response to previous Houthi attacks. The Houthis also have been targeting shipping on the Red Sea corridor, calling it solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. The U.N. Security Council has an emergency meeting Monday in response to an Israeli request that it condemn the Houthi attacks and Iran for supplying them weapons. Relatives and friends mourn over the bodies of five Palestinian journalists Thursday who were killed by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City at the Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah. Meanwhile, an Israeli strike killed five Palestinian journalists outside a hospital in Gaza overnight, the territory's Health Ministry said. The strike hit a car outside Al-Awda Hospital in the built-up Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. The journalists worked for local news outlet Al-Quds Today, a television channel affiliated with the Islamic Jihad militant group. Islamic Jihad is a smaller and more extreme ally of Hamas and took part in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack in southern Israel that ignited the war. Israel's military identified four of the men as combat propagandists and said that intelligence, including a list of Islamic Jihad operatives found by soldiers in Gaza, confirmed that all five were affiliated with the group. Associated Press footage showed the incinerated shell of a van, with press markings visible on the back doors. The Committee to Protect Journalists says more than 130 Palestinian reporters have been killed since the start of the war. Israel hasn't allowed foreign reporters to enter Gaza except on military embeds. Israel banned the pan-Arab Al Jazeera network and accuses six of its Gaza reporters of being militants. The Qatar-based broadcaster denies the allegations and accuses Israel of trying to silence its war coverage, which has focused heavily on civilian casualties from Israeli military operations. Mourners cry Thursday while they take the last look at the body of a relative, one of eight Palestinians killed, during their funeral in the West Bank city of Tulkarem. Separately, Israel's military said a 35-year-old reserve soldier was killed during fighting in central Gaza. A total of 389 soldiers have been killed in Gaza since the start of the ground operation. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed across the border, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting about 250. About 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Israel's air and ground offensive has killed more than 45,000 Palestinians, according to the Health Ministry. It says more than half the fatalities are women and children, but doesn't say how many of the dead were fighters. The offensive caused widespread destruction and hunger and drove around 90% of the population of 2.3 million from their homes. Hundreds of thousands are packed into squalid camps along the coast, with little protection from the cold, wet winter. Also Thursday, people mourned eight Palestinians killed by Israeli military operations in and around Tulkarem in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. The Israeli military said it opened fire after militants attacked soldiers, and it was aware of uninvolved civilians who were harmed in the raid. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

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