online game to play with friends

online game to play with friends The Packers host the Saints on Monday Night Football, and our DraftKings promo code is worth up to $1,200 in betting bonuses -- including a Bet $5, Get $150 in bonus bets promo for MNF. Our DraftKings promo code for the NFL also scores a 20% deposit match up to $1,000 and a $50 bonus bet after you make a $5 deposit. An additional $150 in bonus bets is offered in different ways, depending on which state you're in*. You'll also get a weekly NBA prop bet token! We've got Saints vs. Packers odds and expert picks from TSN's Vinnie Iyer and Bill Bender to help with your bets at DraftKings, which ranks among the best NFL betting sites . Claim your bonuses: DraftKings promo code for up to $1,200 in bonus bets DraftKings promo code + Saints vs. Packers odds on MNF Here are live MNF odds from DraftKings Sportsbook . Click on a line you want to bet to visit DraftKings and claim your promo ! NFL betting analysis & expert picks for Saints vs. Packers TSN's Vinnie Iyer forecasts a blowout win for the Packers on MNF. Here's Vinnie: "The Packers have been terrific with Josh Jacobs and the running game, and Jordan Love is reaping the benefits at the right time. Look for the Packers' defense to have a field day at Lambeau against whoever's starting at QB for the Saints." Pick: Packers win 34-14 and cover the spread. TSN's Bill Bender notes the Packers can clinch a playoff spot with a win on MNF. Here's Bill: "Green Bay has covered in its past four games. New Orleans has allowed 135 rushing yards per game in its past three games, and that's not good news when facing Josh Jacobs, who has scored eight rushing TDs in his past four outings. "There is potential for a blowout here if Jordan Love does not turn the ball over at home. Love has seven interceptions in six home games, but he has not thrown an interception in his past four starts." Pick: Packers win 27-16 but fail to cover ATS. DraftKings promo code unlocks $1,200 in potential bonuses for MNF DraftKings Sportsbook gives new customers up to $1,200 in bonus bets to wager on the NFL. The best part of this deal is enjoying $150 in bonus bets after making a $5 bet.* You'll also get a weekly NBA prop bet token. Here's how to register: Click on our DraftKings promo code link to register Make a deposit of at least $5 and get a $50 bonus bet Make a $5 bet and get an additional $150 in bonus bets 20% deposit match up to $1,000 * In AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, MA, ME, NC, OH, PA, WY and WV, the $150 in bonus bets are awarded instantly upon a new customer's first bet of $5 or more, win or lose. In DC, IA, KS, KY, LA (select parishes), MD, MI, NJ, NY, TN, VA and VT, the $150 in bonus bets are awarded if the new customer's first real-money bet of $5 or more wins. The deposit bonus is not available in MA . Related : Best sportsbook promos & sports betting bonuses | Best sports betting sites for 2024 | DraftKings vs. FanDuel If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Learn more >Chicago Bears tackle Braxton Jones is out for the season after suffering an ankle injury on Sunday Reports made it official on Monday that the Chicago Bears left tackle will miss the remaining two games of the campaign with an ankle injury. The medical staff at Solider Field put Jones’ ankle in an air cast prior to carting him off the field in the second quarter of the Chicago Bears’ ninth straight loss. Jones had returned to the lineup on Sunday after missing the previous game in Minnesota last Monday due to a concussion. The Southern Utah product finishes his third season missing three total games and saw a lot of growth in what has been a tough season in the Windy City. After dealing with a couple of mid-game benchings a season ago, Jones became a staple on the Chicago Bears offensive line this year when he was healthy. One of the biggest knocks against the former fifth-round draft choice was penalties and that got cleaned up in a big way this season. Jones logged just seven total penalties entering yesterday and ranks inside the top 20 tackles in pass blocking this year. Jones is expected to be ready to rock and roll for the start of training camp, which is extremely positive news for Chicago Bears fans to hear. The one major thing to keep an eye on for Caleb Williams’ blind-side blocker is that he is coming up on a contract year. Due to this injury, the front office most likely won’t entertain talks of an extension for Jones this offseason. This should not create any drama or hold out from Jones because of the little leverage he has in the matter, but beginning the 2025-26 campaign without a new deal in place will be worth monitoring over time. The Chicago Bears will need to piece their line together for the last two games The way things look right now, Larry Borom will get the start in Jones’ place on Thursday night at Soldier Field against Seattle. When Jones missed the Minnesota game it was Kiran Amegadjie, the rookie from Yale who took his spot. Amegadjie struggled mightily against the physical pass rush of the Vikings and was a healthy scratch on Sunday against Detroit. Borom was drafted a year before Jones in 2021. The Missouri Tiger has battled injuries as a depth piece on the Chicago Bears offensive line over the last few years. Borom has an opportunity in these last two games to prove his worth to the front office and earn a chance to compete for a roster spot next year. Beyond this season, it is already known that the Chicago Bears will look to address the offensive line this offseason. Regardless of Jones’ status moving forward, Will Campbell of LSU is a top tackle prospect who has been mocked to Chicago in multiple drafts. The team might have even more pressure to draft a guy of Campbell’s ability, given that Jones is coming off this tough injury. An early thought behind drafting Campbell in Chicago was that a competition would break out. Whoever would lose the left tackle job between him and Jones would simply kick inside to left guard. The organization is strongest on the outside in its protection for Williams. Between Jones and Darnell Wright, there is a lot to like overall. However, if they can snag a prospect fo Campbell’s caliber early in April’s draft, it would be hard on them to pass on that opportunity. The number one goal for the last two games of this disappointing campaign is to keep Williams in one piece. While not having Jones healthy will make this difficult, it is important that his ankle begins to heal as quickly as possible for him to be ready for camp. This article first appeared on ChiCitySports and was syndicated with permission.Romania braces for parliamentary vote after far right's poll upset

President-elect Trump wants to again rename North America’s tallest peakWASHINGTON (AP) — Special counsel Jack Smith moved to abandon two criminal cases against Donald Trump on Monday, acknowledging that Trump’s return to the White House will preclude attempts to federally prosecute him for retaining classified documents or trying to overturn his 2020 election defeat. The decision was inevitable, since longstanding Justice Department policy says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. Yet it was still a momentous finale to an unprecedented chapter in political and law enforcement history, as federal officials attempted to hold accountable a former president while he was simultaneously running for another term. In court filings, Smith's team emphasized that the move to abandon their prosecutions was not a reflection of the merit of the cases but a recognition of the legal shield that surrounds any commander in chief. “That prohibition is categorical and does not turn on the gravity of the crimes charged, the strength of the Government’s proof, or the merits of the prosecution, which the Government stands fully behind,” the prosecutors wrote in one of their filings. Smith’s team said it was leaving intact charges against two co-defendants in the classified documents case — Trump valet Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira — because “no principle of temporary immunity applies to them.” Steven Cheung, Trump's incoming White House communications director, welcomed the decision to drop the prosecutions against the president-elect, describing it as a “major victory for the rule of law.” "The American People and President Trump want an immediate end to the political weaponization of our justice system and we look forward to uniting our country,” Cheung said in a statement. Trump has long described the investigations as politically motivated, and he has vowed to fire Smith as soon as he takes office in January. Now he will re-enter the White House free from criminal scrutiny by the government that he will lead. The election case brought last year was once seen as one of the most serious legal threats facing Trump as he tried to reclaim the White House. He was indicted for plotting to overturn his defeat to Joe Biden in 2020, an effort that climaxed with his supporters' violent attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. But the case quickly stalled amid legal fighting over Trump’s sweeping claims of immunity from prosecution for acts he took while in the White House. The U.S. Supreme Court in July ruled for the first time that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution, and sent the case back to U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan to determine which allegations in the indictment, if any, could proceed to trial. The case was just beginning to pick up steam again in the trial court in the weeks leading up to this year’s election. Smith’s team in October filed a lengthy brief laying out new evidence they planned to use against him at trial, accusing him of “resorting to crimes” in an increasingly desperate effort to overturn the will of voters after he lost to Biden. The separate case involving classified documents had been widely seen as legally clear cut, especially because the conduct in question occurred after Trump left the White House and lost the powers of the presidency. The indictment included dozens of felony counts accusing him of illegally hoarding classified records from his presidency at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, and obstructing federal efforts to get them back. He has pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing. The case quickly became snarled by delays, with U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon slow to issue rulings — which favored Trump’s strategy of pushing off deadlines in all his criminal cases — while also entertaining defense motions and arguments that experts said other judges would have dispensed with without hearings. In May, she indefinitely canceled the trial date amid a series of unresolved legal issues before dismissing the case outright two months later. Smith’s team appealed the decision, but now has given up that effort. ___ Associated Press writer Colleen Long contributed to this story. Alanna Durkin Richer, Eric Tucker And Chris Megerian, The Associated Press

PlayStation Portal launched in November 2023 as little more than a glorified second screen for PlayStation 5 . Now, a year on from release, it finally has some greater use as a gaming device in its own right, with Sony's announcement that dedicated game streaming is coming to the handheld. The question is, does this mark a tipping point for mainstream adoption of cloud gaming, or is it just a stepping stone to Sony fully reentering the handheld console market? The PlayStation Portal was always an odd piece of hardware—a DualSense controller chopped in half, with an 8-inch screen wedged in the middle. Unlike Sony's previous dedicated handhelds, the PlayStation Portable (or PSP) and PS Vita , Portal was merely a remote viewer, allowing players to stream games from their PS5 over a home network—useful to ease arguments over who got access to the TV or if you wanted to jump back into God of War without getting out of bed, but not really suited for anything else. The restrictions didn't end there—although the Portal could technically be used out of the house, it still required your PS5 being active at home, and there being a high-speed Wi-Fi connection wherever you were trying to play from. The Portal doesn't feature any cellular connectivity itself though, and it wasn't until June 2024 that it could connect to public networks (even then, only 2.4-Ghz ones; support for 5-Ghz came a month later)—so, before this, tethering to your phone and hoping your data package held up was your only option. Realistically, Portal was an at-home-only device in most use cases. Silver Linings Until now. Possibly as a result of the Portal being a surprise success for Sony, the gadget is being updated to support cloud gaming features, independent of a PS5. The update, rolling out across North America, Europe, and Japan, will allow subscribers to Sony's PlayStation Plus Premium service to access “over 120 PS5 games from the PS Plus Game Catalog,” including the likes of Ghost of Tsushima and Spider-Man: Miles Morales . As cloud streaming for Portal is in beta, there are a lot of missing features, though. Users won't be able to play “streaming games purchased on PS Store,”—only those included in the subscription-dependent Premium catalog—and it's restricted to PS5 titles. PS3 and PS4 games are explicitly excluded, which seems slightly odd. Game trials are also locked out, as are some system features, such as party voice chat, 3D audio support, or “in-game commerce.” That last one's probably a good thing to leave out for now—the last thing anyone wants is a dropped connection potentially messing up a DLC transaction involving real money. Sony says games can be streamed at up to 1080p full HD quality at 60 fps, with save data able to be transferred over the cloud, too. "Up to" is key though—you'll need a minimum 5 Mbps of up/download speeds to even establish a cloud gaming session, with 720p quality requiring a minimum 7 Mbps, and 1080p needing 13 Mbps. Realistically, based on similar game streaming services and the Portal's own performance even on an in-home network, expect to need even higher speeds for a viable experience. End of the Console Era? What's particularly interesting here is timing. Portal as it launched was essentially an evolution of the same Remote Play feature that Sony has been offering in various incarnations for decades—PSP used the earliest version of the tech to connect to PS3 back in 2006, followed by PS Vita pairing with PS3 and PS4. Nowadays, almost any device with a screen, an internet connection, and a paired controller can use Remote Play to stream a mirror of your PS5—Portal was just a dedicated bit of kit to do that on. The introduction of cloud gaming may make Portal that bit more feature-rich, but it may also point to a growing trend among console manufacturers to leave the console behind entirely. Take Sony's arch gaming rival Microsoft—its current marketing push is that almost anything “is an Xbox.” A large part of that hinges on accessing Xbox services “with the help of Cloud Gaming,” turning any device with a screen, an internet connection, and a paired controller (sound familiar?) into an Xbox. Nintendo, meanwhile, has allowed certain games to launch on the Switch as cloud-only titles, and although this is usually restricted to titles that are typically too demanding or too large for the Switch to run natively (such as Resident Evil Village or Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy ), it shows even the notoriously conservative Japanese company isn't averse to at least experimenting with games that only exist in the ether. If anything, Microsoft is leaning into the console-free approach even harder. To date, its cloud gaming offering resembled what Sony has just announced for Portal—a curated selection of titles available to Game Pass Ultimate subscribers. That's changing though, with the announcement that players will be able to stream select games that they own, even if they're not included in the current Game Pass line-up. It's a limited selection at present, and still requires a subscription to the highest tier of Game Pass to access the feature, but it means players could conceivably buy and play Xbox games without ever actually owning an Xbox console. Blue Sky Thinking We've been here before though—cloud gaming has been a pipe dream at least as far back as 2010, when OnLive took a stab at it. That never quite delivered, and even as internet connection speeds have increased, ostensibly making cloud gaming more viable, it's never really felt even close to taking off. Even now, in the case of Microsoft's "everything's an Xbox" approach, the reality is still far from ideal , with latency issues proving the need for dedicated hardware to run games on. Connection speeds and delivery technology aside, people like owning their games, too, even if it's just as a digital download locally installed on their machine rather than a physical disc or cartridge. It's a nut Google was never able to crack with Stadia , which asked players to purchase individual games at full price, on top of a subscription for 4K streaming quality. We all know what happened to Stadia . Although it eventually made good , refunding customers everything they spent on purchasing games or hardware such as controllers, it was a loud and embarrassing failure, not just for Google but for cloud gaming as a concept. But Stadia's collapse didn't kill the sector entirely—cloud gaming services such as Amazon Luna and Nvidia's GeForce Now still champion the idea, and Netflix continues to quietly push its gaming credentials, even if it's largely focused on mobile and indie games packaged with its core video streaming offering. Yet, if even Google, with as close to infinite money as it's possible to imagine, can't make cloud gaming take flight, it's tough to imagine how anyone can. Perhaps the new development for PlayStation Portal will be different. Google really never knew what it was doing with Stadia, Luna doesn't appear to have a clear direction beyond existing as part of the Amazon monolith, and Netflix shutters development studios before they can ever even announce a game . Conversely, after 30 years as a market leader, Sony more than has its priors when it comes to gaming; if it thinks cloud gaming's time has come, maybe players will finally show up. In the Back Pocket Then again, it may all be a stopgap measure. Bloomberg reports Sony is in early-days development on a new portable console that will play PS5 games, with the implication being that it would do so natively, rather than via cloud gaming. If true, there's a certain sense to the move. For one thing, there's the looming specter of Nintendo Switch 2 (or whatever it ends up being called). With the original Switch having racked up more than 143.4 million units sold (PS4's lifetime sales, for comparison, were " more than 117 million "), it's not a huge stretch to imagine Sony wanting a slice of that pie for its PlayStation business. Portability has been key to the Switch's success, and that's largely down to having games locally available—beyond those few aforementioned cloud gaming releases, most Switch games can be played anywhere, with or without an internet connection. The Portal, a black mirror unless it's online, can't hope to offer anything close to the same experience. Then there's the Steam Deck , which has been a game changer for portable gaming. Although manufacturer Valve has been quiet on exact numbers sold (saying only that it has sold "multiple millions" of units), the number of rival handheld gaming PCs such as the ASUS ROG Ally X or Lenovo Legion Go that have cropped up show there's a significant audience for high-end portable gaming. Even Microsoft has admitted its working on its own long-rumored handheld Xbox. While it's years away from release, and despite Microsoft's own big push for cloud gaming, the planned hardware likely won't be cloud-focused. Microsoft Gaming honcho Phil Spencer has said "I think being able to play games locally is really important." While the rumors of a new dedicated Sony handheld console are unconfirmed, it's hard to imagine it would be cloud-only when or if it did arrive. That makes the new direction for PlayStation Portal a whisper in favor of cloud gaming, rather than a full-throated endorsement of it. Note also how cautious this move is. Sony isn't going to risk “doing a Stadia” by going whole hog on cloud gaming—it remains merely an added extra, a bonus feature for those already most invested in the PlayStation ecosystem. For those players, it's likely a welcome move, giving them more to do with their second screen in a manner not too different to streaming from their PS5. Yet, just as the popularity of PlayStation Portal as a device blindsided Sony, so too could this baby step toward the cloud prove unexpectedly successful. Even with the litany of caveats in place—the limited selection of titles, the restricted functions, the always-online necessity—a $200/£200 Portal and a PS Plus Premium sub is still cheaper, short term, than an actual PS5 (let alone a PS5 Pro ), and could prove a gateway drug for many. If this expanded vision for PlayStation Portal finds its niche, the future of gaming could soon look very different.AP Business SummaryBrief at 3:11 p.m. EST

A study of hot spots for collisions between ships and whales around the world, including Canadian waters, offers a map for measures to prevent the deadly strikes that could drive some species to extinction, one of the British Columbia-based authors says. Chloe Robinson said reported strikes represent a fraction of their true extent, and a lack of protection measures leaves whales vulnerable as global shipping expands. The study found shipping takes place across 92 per cent of the ranges for humpback, blue, fin and sperm whales worldwide, but measures to reduce vessel strikes have been implemented in less than seven per cent of high-risk areas. "That could really spell, you know, potential extinction for some of these species," said Robinson, director of whales for Ocean Wise, a B.C.-based organization that provided data for the paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Science. "A recent study estimated anything up to 20,000 whales are killed a year through ship strikes, globally, and that's just an estimate, a best-case estimate." Robinson said she was surprised to see Swiftsure Bank, off the west coast of Vancouver Island, emerge as a risk hot spot for strikes of fin, blue and humpback whales. The area is a "migration highway" for humpbacks, she noted. The study also identified a hot spot for the same three species in the Gulf of St. Lawrence between Quebec, New Brunswick and Newfoundland. "This is something that Ocean Wise has been looking into because a lot of the management measures occur offshore and not sort of within the Gulf of St. Lawrence itself and even the St. Lawrence Seaway, (which) leads down to the Great Lakes," she said. "That was a huge hot spot, which was really interesting for me." Robinson said there have been smaller studies on the risk of ship strikes in different regions, but the study published Thursday is the first to map the distribution of the four whale species, using a variety of data sources, then compare it with the Automatic Identification System, a tool used for tracking vessels worldwide. "This was really the first of its kind to map these two on top of each other," she said. The researchers found the highest levels of risk in the Indian, western North Pacific and Mediterranean, while it also identified high-risk areas in the eastern North Pacific, North and South Atlantic Ocean along with the South China Sea. The Southern Ocean was the only region that did not contain any ship-strike hot spots due to low levels of shipping, despite high use by whales, the study found. Robinson said the findings support a strong case for maritime authorities to adopt measures such as whale alert systems, speed limits and no-go zones. "We know where there are areas where there are lots of whales and lots of ships, so this is where we need to target for management," she said in an interview. Robinson said Canada is home to many "eyes on the water" and researchers exploring innovative techniques for monitoring whales. But the country lacks mandatory mitigation measures, and it's not alone. "Next to none of the measures globally are mandatory. So, having voluntary measures (is) great, provided people comply," Robinson said. Ocean Wise launched an alert system in 2018 that notifies large vessels of the presence of whales in Pacific Northwest waters, and Robinson said about 80 per cent of mariners from Washington state up to Alaska have signed up. The WhaleReport alert system mainly functions in what she describes as "inshore" waters around busy ports in Seattle, Vancouver and Prince Rupert. The Port of Vancouver has also seen a high rate of compliance for its ECHO program, Robinson noted. The program encourages vessels to take voluntary steps, such as slowing down or staying farther away from whales, in order to reduce underwater noise and the potential for strikes in busy shipping areas. Robinson favours a multi-pronged approach to reducing ship strikes, but she said one single measure she believes could have a big impact would be equipping vessels with an infrared camera to detect whales within several kilometres. "Maybe some mariners ... respond better to knowing there 100 per cent is a whale 200 metres in front of your vessel, versus, 'slow down, there might be a whale here.'" Robinson said such cameras can cost between US$50,000 and $75,000. But the cost was a "drop in the bucket" of major companies' profits, she said. The cameras also present a public-relations opportunity for businesses to advertise themselves as operating in a more whale-friendly manner, Robinson said. "I know people who have had to go and have therapy after killing a humpback whilst at the helm," she added. "I think there's a lot to be said (for) the long-term benefits of this kind of technology." The study also found areas with lower traffic that could provide refuge for whales, especially with added protections. It shows the Arctic Ocean, for example, has very few high-risk areas for vessel strikes, and Robinson said some researchers view it as potential sanctuary. But without protections, Robinson said Arctic waters could become the next high-risk hot spot as sea ice melts with climate change, opening up shipping routes. "Knowing the plans to expand shipping routes into these areas to cut shipping time, make things faster, right through prime whale habitat, I think this is a really good opportunity to get ahead of the issue before it becomes an issue," she said. Whales play crucial roles in their ecosystems, including cycling nutrients that support other species, and they're a boon for tourism, Robinson said. They're also "magical" creatures that people feel connected to, she said, and they remain vulnerable after many species were hunted to the brink of extinction. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 22, 2024. Brenna Owen, The Canadian Press

Rebel forces push into Damascus suburbs, continue fighting in Homs: Will Syria's Assad be surrouded soon?

TEANECK, N.J. (AP) — Dylan Jones had 22 points in Fairleigh Dickinson's 98-54 victory over Lehman on Saturday. Jones shot 6 for 10 (6 for 9 from 3-point range) and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line for the Knights (4-7). Terrence Brown added 19 points while shooting 7 for 12 (2 for 5 from 3-point range) and 3 of 4 from the free-throw line and also had six rebounds, five assists, and six steals. Cameron Tweedy had 11 points and shot 4 of 5 from the field and 3 for 5 from the line. The Lightning were led in scoring by Kai Parris, who finished with 12 points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Woman allegedly drugged, raped in MangaluruThe long-awaited Made in Taadi Concert, hosted by renowned Ghanaian musician Kofi Kinaata, made a spectacular return after a two-year break, captivating a crowd of over 40,000 attendees at the Jubilee Grounds in Takoradi. The event, sponsored by Enterprise Life, marked its triumphant comeback on Friday, December 20, 2024. The festivities kicked off with a youth seminar held at the Western Serene Atlantic Hotel in Takoradi, under the theme ‘Bridging the Gap – From Dreams to Reality.’ The seminar attracted over 1,000 participants, including students and professionals, who gained valuable insights from notable speakers such as Philip Osei Bonsu of Ekosiisen , Wilson Arthur of Skyy Media Group, Kwame Adu Mante, CEO of Focus One Group, and legal practitioners Pamela Arvoh-Mensah and Fiifi Buckman, the MP-elect for Kwesimintsim Constituency. A team from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) also educated attendees on safe and regular migration practices. The main concert, which took place at the Takoradi Sports Club on Saturday, December 21, 2024, began with a meet-and-greet session at 3:00 PM, before launching into the performances at 7:00 PM. Over 20 emerging artists took the stage to warm up the energized crowd, setting the stage for performances from music heavyweights like Eno Barony, Samini, Beeztrap KOTM, Donzy, Lasmid, Abochi, Nemesis Loso, and Orkortor Perry. The evening also saw surprise appearances from Fameye and Kwaw Kese, who performed impromptu sets that thrilled the crowd. The concert continued into the early hours of Sunday, concluding at 7:21 AM after a marathon 12-hour musical celebration. Fans and industry observers hailed Kofi Kinaata for the event’s flawless execution, which skillfully combined entertainment with a focus on youth empowerment. The event was also praised for its impressive security arrangements, with over 200 personnel from the Ghana Police, Ghana Airforce, Prisons Service, private security teams, and ambulance services ensuring a smooth experience for attendees. Notably, the concert recorded no casualties or major incidents, drawing widespread acclaim on social media for its meticulous organization. The success of the Made in Taadi Concert has further cemented its reputation as one of Ghana’s most anticipated and impactful annual events.

Harry Kane becomes the fastest player to score 50 goals in the Bundesliga

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. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.The Kimberley Curling Club (KCC) hosted the 2025 Safetek Profire BC U18 Curling Championships from Dec. 19 to 23. "We were thrilled with how everything went," said KCC general manager Blair Jarvis. "We knew that most teams were travelling a long way to get here and unfortunately they had to deal with some adventures with the snow we had last Wednesday. "We wanted to make sure that we gave them an experience that they would remember, so we spent a lot of time on the ice, we wanted to give them a great social experience off the ice as well and we heard from a number of curlers that it was the most U18 event that they’ve attended and so we’re really proud of that fact." The event had 12 teams competing on the Boys' side and seven Girls teams. On the Boys side of the competition, Team Jaeger out of Kelowna beat out Team Hrynew in the finals and for the Girls, Team Arndt from Vernon beat out Team Rempel to win the gold. With these wins, Team Jaeger has earned a spot at the Canadian Under-18 Curling Championships, which will be held at the Nutana Curling Club in Saskatoon, Sask. from Feb. 16-22, 2025. Teams Arndt and Rempel will both be headed to the Nationals. Team Jaeger was made up of coaches Tyler Jaeger and Travis Wielgosz, Lead Brendan Hruschak, Second Noel Wielgosz, Third Spencer Rempel and Skip Owen Jaeger. "We really worked hard this year, this year we really wanted to win," said Skip Owen Jaeger. "We put in a lot of work and it just feels really, really good to win and for all that hard work to pay off. We’re really, really excited, it’s our first National event, first U18 provincial win so we’re really excited." Team Arndt is Coach David Arndt, Lead Alicia Evans, Second Ivy Jensen, Third Bethany Evans and Skip Ava Arndt. "We’re just super excited," said Skip Ava Arndt. "It took us a couple years to get here, but the hard work payed off and we can’t believe it, I don’t think it’s sunk in yet. It’s been a lot of hard work from us and the coaches and the parents. It’s been amazing." Jarvis coached Kimberley's Team Reynolds, who went on to win bronze. "We had set a target of making the playoffs and really happy with how the boys came together," Jarvis said. "They had a couple of games with a tough start and battled back and so the resilience they showed and how they stayed positive, there were a lot of great things we can take away from that. And the bronze medal, we were just thrilled to do that. "We saw Team Jaeger on the boys side and Team Arndt on the girls side as well — if we want to get to that level next year, we have some things to work on and it’s great to see the high level of curling in this province and so I think we’ve come away very motivated as well about what we need to do to get better if we want to be a little higher on the podium next year." Jarvis extended his gratitude to the over 50 volunteers who helped out before, during and after the event, including members of the Cranbrook Curling Club. "We’ll take some of the learnings from this event and apply them to the High School Provincials at the end of February, but we’re really happy with how everything went," he said. "And this is an event for the kids, we want to make sure that they’re going to have an experience that they’ll remember, the teams that had success will obviously remember the things that happened on the ice, but for most kids it will be the experiences they had off the ice. "We had karaoke here on the one night and a bunch of teams were intermingling together and having a great time and those are the experiences that I’m going to take away from this event." Patti Caldwell was head official for the event and Jarvis said she and Ian Milligan worked tirelessly throughout the week. "Patti’s attitude is this is all for the kids and making sure that they have fun and sure it’s a competition, but it’s meant to be fun and we’re going to enjoy this," Jarvis said. "This is a sport that we can enjoy for life and so you want to make sure you’re building positive memories in every aspect." Lindsay Shannon, administrative and event manager at Curl BC, was also on hand for the event, and presented all the awards. "We would just like to thank the Kimberley Curling Club and the City of Kimberley who put on an amazing event here and welcomed all of our athletes who have performed so well," Shannon said. "We're really looking forward to cheering our winners on at the Nationals." The Kimberley Curling Club's next big event is the High School Provincials from Feb. 26 to March 1.

Freiburg survives late onslaught to beat Wolfsburg in Bundesliga thriller(All times Eastern) Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts Monday, Dec. 16 COLLEGE SOCCER (MEN’S) 8 p.m. ESPN2 — NCAA Tournament: Vermont vs. Marshall, Championship NFL FOOTBALL 8 p.m. ABC — Chicago at Minnesota 8:30 p.m. ESPN — Atlanta at Las Vegas NHL HOCKEY 8:30 p.m. NHLN — Florida at Edmonton SOCCER (MEN’S) 3 p.m. USA — Premier League: West Ham United at AFC Bournemouth SOCCER (WOMEN’S) Noon FS2 — Final Draw For The UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV .

AP Business SummaryBrief at 3:50 p.m. EST