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Father and daughter deer hunting successKenyan President pledges end to state-sponsored kidnappings

So you're gathering with relatives whose politics are different. Here are some tips for the holidays

Lionel Messi wins MLS MVP award, the latest trophy on a long list of honors for the Inter Miami star FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi is the MVP of Major League Soccer for 2024. The award comes after a season where he missed 15 of Inter Miami’s 34 regular-season matches with injuries or commitments to Argentina’s national team. He still factored into a league-high 36 goals by scoring 20 and assisting on 16 others. His 2.1 goal contributions per 90 minutes played is the best by any player in any season in MLS history. MLS revealed the voting results Friday. Messi edged out Columbus Crew forward Cucho Hernández for the award, which is determined by a poll of players, club technical staff and select media members. NFL ends investigation into sexual assault allegations against Browns QB Deshaun Watson CLEVELAND (AP) — The NFL has closed an investigation into sexual assault allegations against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson. The league has been reviewing the case for months, trying to determine whether Watson should be punished. League spokesman Brian McCarthy said in an email that "there was insufficient evidence to support a finding of a violation of the personal conduct policy.” Watson, who served an 11-game suspension in 2022, was accused of assault by a woman in September. She was seeking more than $1 million in damage before the sides reached a confidential settlement. Watson has played in just 19 games over three seasons for the Browns. NBA returning to China for pair of Suns-Nets preseason games in 2025 The NBA is returning to China next season. The league has struck a deal to play preseason games there more than five years after the league was effectively banned for Commissioner Adam Silver not punishing Daryl Morey for tweeting support of anti-government protesters in Hong Kong. Brooklyn and Phoenix will play games in China’s gambling hub of Macao on Oct. 10, 2025, and again two days later. There are more games planned for China in 2026, a source told The Associated Press. American ski racer Lindsey Vonn is picking up speed in her comeback bid at 40 years old COPPER MOUNTAIN, Colo. (AP) — American ski racer Lindsey Vonn darted through the shadows on the speed course at Copper Mountain on a frigid morning. She was on the hill Friday as she tries to make a comeback to skiing nearly six years after her last race. Vonn plans to enter a series of lower-tier FIS downhill and super-G races this weekend at Copper Mountain, Colorado. It could be the first step toward seeing her on the World Cup circuit again. NFL's next coaching cycle will feature an impressive list of candidates: Analysis The next NFL coaching cycle will feature an impressive list of candidates ranging from proven champions to up-and-coming coordinators. Six-time Super Bowl winner Bill Belichick heads the list of recognizable names that includes 2021 AP Coach of the Year Mike Vrabel. Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Buccaneers OC Liam Cohen, Bills OC Joe Brady and Eagles OC Kellen Moore are among a lengthy list of young offensive-minded coaches who will garner plenty of interest. Hall of Famer Randy Moss is stepping away from ESPN for an extended time to deal with health issue Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss is stepping away from his ESPN analyst role for an extended time to focus on a personal health challenge, the network said in a statement. Moss revealed last week that he’s dealing with a health issue and asked fans to pray for him and his family. The 47-year-old ESPN football analyst made his announcement on Instagram from the set of the network’s “Sunday NFL Countdown” show. He directed his message to men and urged them to get checkups and bloodwork done, without specifying any particular illness. No Bevo? SEC tells Texas there's no room for its 1,700-pound longhorn at title game vs. Georgia ATLANTA (AP) — The Southeastern Conference championship game will not feature another mascot showdown. The league says there's not enough space on the sideline at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta for No. 2 Texas to bring along its 1,700-pound longhorn Bevo XV for the game against No. 5 Georgia. The teams have two of college football’s most famous mascots. There should be enough sideline space for Georgia’s pure white English bulldog, Uga XI. Before the 2019 Sugar Bowl at the Superdome in New Orleans, Bevo XV toppled his barrier and began to charge at Uga X. Texas handlers were able to pull Bevo back before any harm. The Big Ten and SEC are set to gobble up CFP bids. That could squeeze the ACC and other leagues The Big Ten and Southeastern conferences are set to gobble up the majority of the bids to the newly expanded 12-team College Football Playoff. That could squeeze the Atlantic Coast Conference and other leagues trying to maintain their footing. ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips told The Associated Press he wants clarity on the process that put two-loss Miami behind three-loss Alabama in the latest rankings. Mountain West Conference Commissioner Gloria Nevarez said she wouldn't support future changes for guaranteed numbers of bids to power conferences. The Mountain West is set to have its champion in the playoff as a Group of Five winner. F1 champion Max Verstappen to become first-time father with girlfriend Kelly Piquet ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen is set to become a father for the first time with his girlfriend Kelly Piquet. There’s racing heritage on both sides of the family. Verstappen secured his fourth F1 title last month and Kelly’s father Nelson Piquet was a three-time champion in the 1980s. Verstappen says on Instagram that "we couldn’t be happier with our little miracle.” Verstappen is aiming to win his 10th F1 race of the year at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday. Practice gets underway later. Anaheim Ducks acquire Rangers captain Jacob Trouba in trade for Vaakanainen, draft pick ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Anaheim Ducks have acquired New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba in a trade for defenseman Urho Vaakanainen and a future fourth-round pick. The trade ends Trouba’s tenure with the Rangers, who acquired the 30-year-old defenseman in a trade with Winnipeg in 2019. He became New York’s captain before the 2022-23 season. Trouba will immediately become a key contributor on the blue line for the Ducks, who are in last place in the Pacific Division. He will also play alongside Anaheim forwards Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano, his teammates with the Rangers during the club’s run to the Eastern Conference finals in 2022.

The Savings Game: The basics of estate planningThe counting of votes will be undertaken at 8 am on Saturday in where the election is witnessing a major battle. The Parli Assembly constituency (number 233), located in Beed district of Maharashtra, is set for a high-profile contest in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections. This General category seat falls under the Beed Lok Sabha constituency and has witnessed fierce political rivalry in recent years. Incumbent Dhananjay Panditrao Munde of the NCP is seeking re-election after his stunning victory in 2019, where he defeated BJP’s Pankaja Gopinath Munde by a massive 30,701 votes, securing 54.45 percent of the vote share. In 2024, Munde will face strong competition from Rajasaheb Deshmukh, the NCP (SP) candidate. Dhondiram Laxman Ujgare of the BSP is also contesting the seat, further intensifying the competition. A total of 11 candidates are contesting from the constituency. In the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections, Dhananjay Munde (NCP) secured 1,22,114 votes, winning with a 54.45 percent vote share. He defeated BJP's Pankaja Munde, who secured 91,413 votes. In contrast, the 2014 elections saw Pankaja Munde of the BJP winning with 49.56 percent of the vote share, defeating Dhananjay Munde by a margin of 25,895 votes. Key issues in the Parli constituency include rural development, agriculture, employment, and access to basic services like healthcare and education. With a significant rural population, addressing water scarcity and improving irrigation facilities are top priorities for candidates. The region’s infrastructure and connectivity also remain significant concerns for voters. As per 2019 Election Commission data, Parli had a total electorate of 3,06,710 voters, with 1,61,329 male and 1,45,381 female voters. The voter turnout in 2019 was 73.12 percent, reflecting a relatively high level of engagement. The constituency has 257 polling booths, ensuring widespread voter participation across the region. The Parli constituency vote on November 20, with results set to be declared on November 23, alongside other constituencies in Maharashtra. Parli emerged as a key battleground, recording a voter turnout of 75.27 percent.

NEW YORK – The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has given Elon Musk until Monday to respond to an offer to resolve a probe into the billionaire's $44-billion takeover of Twitter in 2022, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters. More: Elon Musk's skyrocketing net worth: He's the first person with over $400 billion The development, which signals the investigation may be nearing a conclusion, is the latest salvo in a year-long public feud between the top U.S. markets regulator and the world's richest man. Musk on Thursday posted on X a copy of a letter sent by his lawyer to SEC Chair Gary Gensler saying the agency had given Musk 48 hours to agree to pay a penalty to settle the probe or face civil charges, and demanding to know whether Gensler was personally behind the development. The SEC has been investigating whether Musk broke securities laws in 2022 when he bought stock in Twitter, which Musk subsequently renamed X, as well as statements and filings he made in relation to the deal, previous disclosures show. Holiday deals: Shop this season’s top products and sales curated by our editors. More: Elon Musk takes center stage as Trump's influencer and enforcer on Capitol Hill and beyond According to the source, the agency has been probing Musk's SEC filing disclosing his Twitter share purchases, which was at least 10 days late, and whether he intended to benefit from thatdelay, which some academics have estimated saved Musk over $140 million. As part of the probe, the agency had asked a federal court to compel Musk to testify after the billionaire failed to show up to agreed depositions. On Tuesday, the SEC sent Musk a settlement offer seeking a response in 48 hours, but extended the deadline to Monday after a request for more time, the source said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss confidential enforcement matters. A spokesperson with the SEC's public affairs office declined to comment. Musk's lawyer did not respond immediately to calls for comment. SEC aiming for settlements The SEC commonly tries to resolve probes through settlements rather than suing a defendant, but the initial 48-hour deadline was unusually tight, legal experts told Reuters. If Musk failsto respond, the SEC will likely proceed through a "Wells" notification process, a formal step in which the SEC outlines potential charges and allows Musk to respond, the source said. The Thursday letter Musk shared on X, which was signed by his attorney Alex Spiro, said the SEC has also reopened an investigation into Musk's brain-chip startup Neuralink. Neuralink did not respond to requests for comment. The nature of that inquiry is not clear, but U.S. lawmakers and animal-rights advocates have pressed the SEC to scrutinize comments Musk has made about the safety of Neuralink's implants. The SEC first sued Musk in 2018 during President-elect Donald Trump's first term, accusing him of breaking the law when he posted on social media that he had "funding secured" to take hiselectric carmaker Tesla private when the SEC found he had not. Despite ultimately settling and agreeing to an unusual arrangement requiring some of his posts to be vetted by an attorney, Musk subsequently disputed the SEC's findings in thatcase and has over the years accused the agency of harassment -claims Spiro reiterated in his Thursday letter. "We demand to know who directed these actions - whether it was you or the White House," Spiro wrote to Gensler. A major backer of Trump, Musk in the new administration will co-lead the new Department of Government Efficiency tasked with cutting government costs, potentially giving him some power over the SEC's workings.A prominent digital rights activist, who is transgender, confronted Rep. Nancy Mace at a public event Thursday, days after the congresswoman from South Carolina introduced a resolution to ban transgender women from using women’s bathrooms in the U.S. Capitol. Evan Greer, the director of Fight for the Future, stood up during the kickoff panel at “The Summit of the Future of the Internet” at Georgetown University, in Washington, D.C., and displayed an LGBTQ pride flag. Mace was speaking alongside Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna and radio host Charlamagne tha God on the topic “Bipartisan Tech Solutions to Unite a Nation.” “We have had dozens of trans people die this year because of the hate and lies that you are spreading,” Greer said, to applause from the audience, as she was escorted out of the room. “Are we building an internet with free speech for everyone or just the privileged few?” Mace responded by misgendering Greer and making a comment about her genitals, which the crowd booed at. A representative for Mace and Project Liberty, the organization that hosted the summit and invited Greer, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Greer’s organization is known for its viral protest efforts against internet censorship and surveillance and in support of net neutrality. Videos of Greer at the event have been viewed more than 1 million times on X, where conservative influencers and Mace have continued to misgender and insult Greer. In an interview with NBC News, Greer said that Project Liberty has yet to reach out to her or make any statements about the panel, her protest or Mace’s remarks. While Greer said she had hoped that other people, including cisgender people (who identify with their gender assigned at birth), would have joined her in opposing Mace’s presence in the panel, she said, “In the end, I was there in the room and I just could not sit silently.” “My goal is to call to the progressive tech policy community and ask ourselves, what is our strategy going into these next four years?” Greer said. “Are we going to try and curry favor with people whose goals are diametrically opposed to human rights, or are we going to draw some lines in the sand and build a meaningful strategy for collective resistance to the role that technology will play in carrying out human rights violations?” Greer said, “I’m not trying to convince her of anything, but really my goal was to spark a conversation within the tech policy space, to ask ourselves, ‘What are we actually fighting for?’” After taking office in 2021, Mace initially said she was pro-LGBTQ rights. But in recent days, she has made headlines and racked up engagement on social media by leading an anti-transgender campaign against the only trans member of Congress, Sarah McBride, one that has received the support of House Speaker Mike Johnson. McBride, whom Mace has repeatedly misgendered, said in a statement that she would follow the new bathroom rules as outlined by Johnson, even if she disagrees with them. In her congressional office, McBride will have a private bathroom, while all other public bathrooms in the Capitol will be banned for transgender people.

We have much to be thankful for this year. One of those things is the defeat of Proposition 5, which would have made it easier to raise property taxes. Affecting homes, apartment buildings and commercial real estate, Prop. 5 would have burdened Californians with a higher cost of housing and a higher cost of living. We can all be grateful that voters resoundingly said no to that. It is also a good reminder of why we Californians should be thankful for Proposition 13, the 1978 initiative that put sensible limits on increases in property taxes, and put those limits into the state constitution. Prior to Proposition 13, property taxes were out of control. The tax rate throughout California averaged 2.67% of assessed value, and assessed value was regularly updated to match current market value. As inflation and market factors pushed property values higher and higher, homeowners received property tax bills based on their “paper profits,” with no limits on annual increases. Some properties were reassessed 50 to 100 percent higher in just one year, so their owners’ tax bills skyrocketed, often beyond the homeowners’ ability to pay. In one year in Los Angeles County alone, 400,000 people had not paid their property tax because they didn’t have the money, running the risk of being forced out of their homes. Retired people on fixed incomes were among the hardest hit. Many had paid off their mortgages yet faced losing their homes because they couldn’t afford the annual property tax bill. Then, just as millions of Californians were at risk of being driven out of their homes, Howard Jarvis gathered more than 1.5 million signatures to qualify a statewide initiative that would finally end excessive taxation and protect the security of property ownership — Proposition 13. An overwhelming majority of Californian voters voted for Proposition 13 despite a campaign of scare tactics. It turned out that nothing scared Californians more than opening their property tax bill. Proposition 13 made property taxes predictable and manageable. First, Prop. 13 cut the property tax rate from a statewide average of 2.67% down to 1%. To this day, even new homeowners are saving money compared to what they would have been paying. Check out the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association’s calculator at GuessingGame.org for a look at how much you’d be paying in annual property taxes if Prop. 13 had never passed. Second, it limits the annual increase in assessed value to the rate of inflation, capped at 2%. Under Prop. 13, even if a property doubles in market value in a single year, its “taxable value,” against which the assessor applies the 1% tax rate, can only be increased a maximum of 2% per year. Related Articles Opinion Columnists | Gavin Newsom should stop showboating and just do his job as governor of California Opinion Columnists | Will Trump double down on or fix Biden’s antitrust insanity? Opinion Columnists | Rafael Perez: Americans really need to relax and stop taking national politics so seriously Opinion Columnists | Elon Musk gets it: America’s legal immigration process need to change Opinion Columnists | Susan Shelley: The mundane reality of UFOs Third, Prop. 13 requires reassessment of property when it changes hands. This provides local governments with a stable and predictable source of tax revenue, which has grown virtually every year since 1978 in percentages that exceed inflation and population growth. Proposition 13 also protected taxpayers by requiring a two-thirds vote of the state legislature to raise taxes and by giving Californians the right to vote on local tax increases, with a two-thirds vote required to pass certain tax hikes. The two-thirds vote is particularly critical when it comes to property taxes. Because people can lose their homes if they can’t pay the property tax bill, the vote threshold must be higher than a simple majority of voters, many of whom are voting on a tax they won’t personally have to pay, at least not directly. It’s this two-thirds protection that Proposition 5 attempted to destroy. It’s hard enough to pay the bills in this state without politicians trying to raise taxes in every election. We’re thankful that Proposition 13 is protecting Californians, every day. Jon Coupal is president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.BJP-Sena tug-of-war for CM’s post ensues as prayers go up for Shinde’s returnMaharashtra Election 2024 Live Updates: Can Narwekar hold off Devasi in the Colaba race?

Jelly Roll is showing off the results of his health journey. The country music superstar has been vocal about his recent commitment to losing weight and maintaining a healthier lifestyle. And he recently showed how the hard work is paying off. The 40-year-old took the stage at the 2024 Billboard Music Awards Dec.12, where he performed his single, “Liar.” For the performance, Jelly Roll (whose real name is Jason Bradley DeFord ) wore a yellow jacket, backwards cap and dark pants. Jelly Roll had more to celebrate as he took home his first ever Billboard Music Award for Top Hard Rock Song for his single “All My Life” with Falling in Reverse . In February 2023, the “Lonely Road” singer shared that after years of up and down weight issues, he was going to take his health serious. "I’m working out daily... praying and meditating .... Eating better - losing weight," he wrote on X , formerly Twitter, at the time. "Making sure I bring the best version of me on my new album and this tour... this is what growth and gratitude look like in real time." In the year since, Jelly Roll—who has also been open about his sobriety journey—has documented workouts and shared the sweet encouragement he’s gotten from his wife Bunny Xo . The singer—who is the father of Baliee , 16, and Noah , 8—put his over 100 pound weight loss on display for the first time at the 2024 Academy of Country Music Awards in May. In November, Jelly Roll proudly walked the carpet and showed off his smaller physique at the 2024 CMA Awards . Looking back on his journey at the end of 2024, the “Need a Favor” crooner is happy with his progress. “I just want to feel good. want to feel normal,” he told Entertainment Tonight in November. “I’ve been morbidly obese my entire life. I wanna feel normal, that’s just something I want to do. I’m pretty committed to it.” And he detailed why he has no shame in being so public with his weight loss journey. “I’m also glad I’m being so honest about it because I want the world to see it,” Jelly Roll noted. “I’m not hiding it I didn’t go try to do it in the dark, I’m just doing it right here in front of everybody. I want to continue to show what God can do if you allow him to work.” Keep reading for more stars who have been candid about their weight loss journey... Kelly Clarkson Yep, the talk show host is standing a little taller these days. Informed by doctors she was pre-diabetic , "I dropped weight because I've been listening to my doctor—a couple years I didn't," the singer explained to People . "And 90 percent of the time I'm really good at it because a protein diet is good for me anyway." She is a Texas girlie after all, "so I like meat—sorry, vegetarians in the world!" The mom to River and Remington is also enjoying exploring her new life in NYC . “Walking in the city is quite the workout,” she added. “And I’m really into infrared saunas right now. And I just got a cold plunge because everybody wore me down.” Not in her tool kit: The weight loss drug du jour. "My doctor chased me for like two years and I was like, 'No, I'm afraid of it. I already have thyroid problems,'" she explained on a May 2024 episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show . "Everybody thinks it Ozempic. It's not." Rather, it's another unnamed medicine, she continued, "Something that aids in helping break down the sugar—obviously my body doesn't do it right." Oprah Winfrey You get some health advice! And you get some health advice! Because now that the media legend is feeling better than ever , she's dishing out her best tips. "It's not one thing," she stressed to Entertainment Tonight of her treadmill workouts, hikes, water consumption and nutritious eats, "it's everything ." While Winfrey hasn't named the weight loss medication she's using, she told People in December, "The fact that there's a medically approved prescription for managing weight and staying healthier, in my lifetime, feels like relief, like redemption, like a gift, and not something to hide behind and once again be ridiculed for," she explained of adding that particular tool to her arsenal. "I’m absolutely done with the shaming from other people and particularly myself." Tarek El Moussa Living proof that you can, in fact, flip your life, the HGTV personality detailed his two-year fitness journey in a July 2023 Instagram post . "Sometimes you think you’re doing the right thing but what you actually need is redirection in order to see growth," he wrote. While his previous regimen included the occasional hot yoga class with wife Heather Rae El Moussa , the reality star noted that he wasn't following a particular routine, tracking his protein intake or receiving any sort of guidance. Enter: nutritionist Sean Torbati . Now, "I’m eating the right food & Hot yoga 1-2 times a week which is so good for my mental & physical state," the dad of three explained. "It all comes down to motivation and perseverance." For him, "Once I realized how BADLY I wanted to feel good and be healthy—for myself, my wife, my kids, and my longevity—was the second I put my head down and got to work!!" Whoopi Goldberg The View cohost revealed she used Mounjaro —a type 2 diabetes medication —to slim down after gaining weight in 2021. "I weighed almost 300 pounds when I made Till ," she said on the March 19 episode of the daytime talk show. "I had taken all those steroids, I was on all this stuff, and one of the things that's helped me drop the weight is Mounjaro. That's what I use." Whitney Way Thore The reality star knows she's fabulous with or without your compliments thank you very much . Responding to speculation that she had undergone a dramatic body transformation, the My Big Fat Fabulous Life star responded in a February Instagram post , "I hate addressing this, but no, I have not had medical intervention to lose weight." And while she noted she had dropped 100 pounds from her previously 385-pound frame, including 50 after mom Barbara "Babs" Thore 's December 2022 death , "I weigh 285 pounds and I have been this weight for almost a year now." Bottom line, she continued, "Thank you for the compliments, but I really don't like obsessing over my body and I don't like it when others do it either." Valerie Bertinelli Well aware that she's hot in Cleveland, L.A. or wherever else she happens to be, the actress gave her refreshing take on body image with a February Instagram post . "This is a 150lb body on a 5'4 frame," the Food Network host wrote, sharing a 2014 bikini photo. "I don't weigh myself anymore because this is considered overweight by who's [sic] standards, I don't know. It's stupid and I believed them for far too long." Fully removed from the pressures of dieting, "I now, finally, know that I am a kind, considerate, funny, thoughtful woman," she continued. "So please remember, who you are and what your character is, should never be overshadowed by what size you are or how much you weigh. You are enough. Just the way you are." As for anyone that might not agree, she summed up, "F--k ‘em." Post Malone Man, the musician feels just like a rockstar since dropping 55 pounds . "I've had a lot of people ask me about my weight loss and i'd suppose, performance on stage," he acknowledged in an April 2023 Instagram post . "i'm having a lot of fun performing, and have never felt healthier." His inspiration, he continued, was the daughter he welcomed in 2022 : "i guess dad life kicked in and i decided to kick soda, and start eating better so i can be around for a long time for this little angel. next up is smokes and brews, but i like to consider myself a patient man." Kelly Osbourne Why, yes, she did feel the pressure to snap back after welcoming son Sidney in November 2022. "It became my mission," she told E! News of dropping 85 pounds in that initial postpartum period. "I was obsessed with it because I didn't even want to get brought into the conversation, I just wanted to be left alone." Not that she's recommending her strict AF approach. "It was a lot of work," she said. "It was miserable. I was hungry all the time, but I'm really happy with the results." John Goodman The Roseanne alum has hit a lot of highs and lows throughout his health journey. "In the old days, I would take three months out, lose 60 or 70 pounds, and then reward myself with a six-pack or whatever and just go back to my old habits," he explained in 2017. "This time I wanted to do it slowly. Move, exercise. I'm getting to the age where I can't afford to sit still anymore." His sensible approach—lots of walking and a Mediterranean diet heavy on fish, vegetables and nuts—has helped him maintain a 200-pound weight loss . "It's a life of rehab," he admitted to Men's Health . "But it's a labor of love." Drew Carey After being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and losing both his dad and brother to heart attacks, The Price Is Right host decided to take a spin at healthier eating. “No carbs,” he told Entertainment Tonight of his winning formula that also included a lot of daily cardio. “I have cheated a couple times, but basically no carbs, not even a cracker. No bread at all. No pizza, nothing. No corn, no beans, no starches of any kind. Egg whites in the morning or like, Greek yogurt, cut some fruit.” And to wash it all down, “I don’t drink anything but water,” he said. “No coffee, no tea, no soda.” Tammy Slaton A huge loss has led to some pretty big gains for the 1000-lb Sisters star . Since shedding a remarkable 440 pounds, she's celebrated a series of milestones, documented on her TLC show: Flying for the first time , being able to buckle her seatbelt on a plane and ride in the front seat of a car , inside a hot air balloon and on rides at Disney World. "Some people take small things for granted," Slaton explained in a February TikTok . "Like being able to buckle a seatbelt and not have to use an extender. It's big for me. Because I hadn't been able to do that stuff in years." Now, continued the reality star, "I'm more or less like giving myself a pat on the back for achieving something and doing it. Getting the weight off and living. That's what I'm doing. I can finally say I'm living life." Brittany Cartwright Raise your glasses high to this healthy take from the Vanderpump Rules alum. While the Jenny Craig brand ambassador is hoping to see some results now that she's recommitted to the meal plan, "I'm also just trying to maintain and be the best version of myself for my son," she explained to E! News in February. Because while she "would definitely love to lose some weight," it's more important to model healthy habits for her and Jax Taylor 's son Cruz . "I just think it's important to show him a healthy routine," said the future star of The Valley . "Working out is so important to me and for my mental health. I just think that being involved in a good healthy journey is super important for me." Megan Thee Stallion All that work on her body-ody-ody-ody-ody has paid off for the musician who has dedicated herself to going hard on strength training. "I'm really proud of my journey," the star told People in 2023. "Fitness has become a part of my lifestyle. I've been disciplined and committed to working out on a regular basis and investing in my health." And with all the work she's been putting in, she continued, “I might have to drop a Hottie Bootcamp sometime soon." A little sample: A heart-pounding mix of deadlifts, jump-roping, forward lunges and mountain climbers. "This s--t burn like a motherf--ker," she said in one video . "But I know you see them thighs popping." Shay Mitchell When the world shut down in March 2020, mere months after the Pretty Little Liars alum gave birth to her first daughter Atlas , "I felt the least motivated I ever have," she shared with E! News . "Everything had kind of come to a halt and so truly I just thought, well, eff it." Workout plans were tossed out the window along with her long-held "everything in moderation" way of eating. Having slid from the first few months of postpartum into the free-for-all that was 2020 "eating 100 percent s---ty food" had taken a toll and she missed feeling good about her body. Approached with the idea of signing on for Openfit's 4 Weeks of Focus with trainer Kelsey Heenan , she was pumped but skeptical. After four straight weeks kicking off her mornings with lemon-infused warm water and a 30-minute sweat session ("It included HIIT, it included cardio, it included strength training," she said of the varied full-body routines) and recommitting to healthy meal choices ("If I want pizza, I'll have pizza and dump some spinach on it") she was a convert. "I was like, 'Hoooooly...' you know," she admitted. "I've been active my entire life. I have never lifted a 40-pound weight, lifted a 50-pound." Lexi Reed Though the fitness influencer does a fair amount of sweating, it's never about the small stuff. The social media star—also known as Fat Girl Fed Up online—revealed in a December Instagram that she didn't quite hit her goal of getting under 200 pounds. But she still felt like celebrating . "I have to keep reminding myself progress is progress, no matter how small," she noted. "I just know I worked really hard this week. But it's OK, because I didn't gain all that weight overnight, I'm not gonna lose it overnight either. So keep going, no matter what." Because she knows all of her health goals are within reach. "I will get to wonderland," she said. "Whether it's next week or next year, we're gonna get there, eventually. Keep going, believe in yourself, progress not perfection." Jonathan Van Ness Wanting to get stronger so they could tumble into a more intense gymnastics routine, the Queer Eye star truly stuck the landing when it came to their health journey. "I got a nutritionist back in April. I've lost 35 lbs," they shared in an August 2022 TikTok, showing off their body transformation. "Here's the thing, I wanted to change my body size because of my gymnastics and my career." However, they cautioned, don't assume you're going to nail that metaphorical aerial on your first try. "It took three weeks before I saw any change," the Love That Story author admitted. "So, if you're wanting to make a change, literally three weeks of working out and eating differently before I saw any change." Dylan Sprouse Before turning 30 in 2022, the Disney Channel alum made the choice to dive into a new training regimen. "Used to wear a shirt in the pool as a kid so I decided in my late twenties I wanted to change my body and become a meat head," the actor, wed to model Barbara Palvin , captioned an Instagram post that April . "This is my meat head post." Between hitting the weights and the kettlebells, it was "a long slog," he continued, "but I'm proud of the progress I've made and I ain't done yet." Rebel Wilson Sometimes you're hitting every high note, sometimes you're admitting life isn't always pitch perfect. Such was the case when the actress revealed in a candid January 2024 Instagram post that she'd regained 30 pounds after hitting her 75-kilogram goal weight in 2020. With filming committments making it harder to keep up with her grueling boxing and hiking workouts, "I’ve lost focus on my healthy lifestyle," said Wilson, who's spoken about the work she'd put in to ditch her emotional eating habits and trade a carb-heavy diet for more protein. The extra stress leading to extra pounds, "It makes me feel bad about myself," Wilson admitted, "it shouldn’t...but it does." Chris Pratt Saying buh-bye to his favorite beers? Fine. Committing to “three to four hours a day of just consistent, ass-kicking hard work," as he described his P90X, kickboxing and running sessions to Men's Journal ? Sure. But for Pratt, the toughest part of his 60-pound transformation from Parks and Recreation 's Andy Dwyer to Guardians of the Galaxy superhero was all the water—drinking an ounce a day for every pound he weighed. “I was peeing all day long, every day," he explained. "That part was a nightmare,” Paul Rudd Though he was already "kind of a Baldwin" as Cher Horowitz would note, the Clueless alum understood why fans were shocked to hear he would be crawling into Ant-Man's suit as the the Marvel's latest hero. “When people heard that I was cast in this movie, I think most people’s reactions were ‘Huh? Paul Rudd as a superhero? Really?'” Rudd admitted to Variety in 2015. So he knew what he had to do. The ageless star "took the Chris Pratt approach to training for an action movie," he shared. "Eliminate anything fun for a year and then you can play a hero.” Jessie James Decker The Just Eat author has turned to her tried-and-true South Beach diet to feel more herself after the births of her older children. "I saw results instantly," she told E! News of the protein-heavy plan. "I got on the program and I worked out and it was just like, okay." But first she soaks up every second of the postpartum period. "I always tell mothers, like, that should be the last thing on your mind," stressed Decker, mom to Vivianne , Eric Jr. , Forrest and February 2024 arrival Denver . "After you have a baby, please do not think about trying to lose weight. Just feed your baby. Love on your baby. You have a newborn. Your body is trying to heal. You will know when your body is ready. Don't listen to your brain telling you, 'Lose weight, lose weight.' You'll know when you physically feel like, 'Okay, I feel like I'm ready to kind of have that energy and can run around.'" Nolan Gould Sure, the six-pack has been a nice benefit of the Modern Family alum's 90-minute training sessions and healthier diet ("What I get is actually really healthy food for you: Lean protein, eating as many vegetables as you want and staying away from things like soda," he described to People ). But completing an ambitious bucket list is really what drives him. "A lot of my life goals outside of acting have to do with the outdoors—I know I want to climb big rock walls in Yosemite, and so, I want to get fit for that," he explained. "One of my big life goals is to do the Pacific Crest Trail, which is up the coast of America, Mexico to Canada and back." Ashley Greene Following the September 2022 birth of daughter Kingsley , the Twilight alum sunk her teeth into a hard truth: "I don't think my body will ever be quite 'the same,'" she shared in a January 2023 Instagram post , "and I'm learning to be ok with that." And should she find herself struggling, she's picked up a strategy every bit as important as the workout routine she recommitted herself to postpartum. "I go and pick up my child," she told E! News of her "sweet angel" daughter. Staring into Kingsley's eyes "allows you to be grateful versus kind of nitpicking yourself," she explained of her strategy. "And so that is one of my hacks that I do because no matter what you put out there, it's hard not to be self-critical."

Pitcher Yusei Kikuchi and Los Angeles Angels agree to a $63 million, 3-year contract, AP source says A person familiar with the negotiations tells The Associated Press left-hander Yusei Kikuchi and the Los Angeles Angels have agreed to a $63 million, three-year contract. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal, first reported by the New York Post, was subject to a successful physical. An All-Star with Seattle in 2021, Kikuchi was 9-10 with a 4.05 ERA this year for Toronto and Houston, which acquired him on July 30. Kikuchi was 5-1 with a 2.70 ERA in 10 starts with the Astros. He is 41-47 with a 4.57 ERA in six seasons. Formula 1 expands grid to add General Motors' Cadillac brand and new American team for 2026 season LAS VEGAS (AP) — Formula 1 will expand the grid in 2026 to make room for an American team that is partnered with General Motors. The approval ends years of wrangling that launched a federal investigation into why Colorado-based Liberty Media, would not approve the team initially started by Michael Andretti, who has since stepped aside. The 11th team will be called Cadillac F1 and be run by new Andretti Global majority owners Dan Towriss and Mark Walter. The team will use Ferrari engines its first two years until GM has a Cadillac engine built for competition in time for the 2028 season. US goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher is retiring from international soccer U.S. women’s national team goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher is retiring from international soccer. Naeher is on the team’s roster for a pair of upcoming matches in Europe but those will be her last after a full 11 years playing for the United States. Naeher was on the U.S. team that won the Women’s World Cup in 2019 and the gold medal at this year's Olympics in France. She’s the only U.S. goalkeeper to earn a shutout in both a World Cup and an Olympic final. Judge rejects request to sideline a San Jose State volleyball player on grounds she’s transgender A judge has rejected a request to block a San Jose State women’s volleyball team member from playing in a conference tournament on grounds that she’s transgender. Monday’s ruling by U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Kato Crews in Denver will allow the player to continue competing in the Mountain West Conference women’s championship in Las Vegas this week. His order also upholds the seedings and pairings in the tournament. The ruling comes after a lawsuit was filed by nine current players against the Mountain West Conference challenging the league’s policies for allowing transgender players to participate. The players argued that letting her compete was a safety risk and unfair. Conference title games a chance at a banner, bragging rights and, for some, a season-wrecking loss Indiana should be able to breathe easy. The Hoosiers have very little chance of making it to the Big Ten championship game. In the Southeastern Conference, Georgia has a spot in the league title game but with that comes a lot of worry. Conference title games give teams a chance to hang a banner, but for national title contenders it is an additional chance for a season-wrecking loss — even with an expanded 12-team College Football Playoff field. UCLA moves up to No. 1 in AP Top 25 women's basketball poll for first time in history UCLA has earned the school's first No. 1 ranking in in The Associated Press Top 25 women's basketball poll. The Bruins knocked off the previous top team, South Carolina, which had held the No. 1 spot for the previous 23 polls. UCLA moved up four spots. UConn remained No. 2. Notre Dame pulled off its own upset, beating then-No. 3 USC and moving up to third. South Carolina dropped to fourth, Texas is fifth and USC fell to sixth. Iowa is in the poll for the first time in the post-Caitlin Clark era, coming in at No. 22. Kansas stays at No. 1 ahead of showdown vs. No. 11 Duke; Ole Miss, Mississippi St back in AP Top 25 Kansas remained solidly entrenched at No. 1 in the AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll ahead of its showdown with Duke in Las Vegas. The Jayhawks received 51 of 62 first-place votes from the national panel of media, putting them well ahead of two-time reigning national champion UConn, which was second with six first-place votes. Gonzaga was third with two first-place votes, Auburn was next with three, and Iowa State rounded out a top five that was unchanged from the previous week. Xavier, Ole Miss and Mississippi State entered the poll at the expense of Illinois, St. John's and Rutgers. Wake up the ghosts! Texas, Texas A&M rivalry that dates to 1894 is reborn AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Any Texas or Texas A&M player who grew up in the state has heard the lore of the rivalry between the two schools, a grudge match that dates to 1894. But for more than a decade it has been only ghostly memories of great games and great plays made by heroes of the distant past. That changes this week when one of college football’s great rivalries is reborn after a 12-year hiatus. Third-ranked Texas plays at No. 20 Texas A&M with a berth in the conference championship game on the line. Week 12 was filled with sloppy play, especially on special teams: Analysis Week 12 was filled with sloppy play around the NFL, leading to some upsets and surprising outcomes. Jayden Daniels nearly led Washington to an improbable comeback down 10 in the final two minutes against Dallas only to fall short because Austin Seibert’s extra point sailed wide left. After a field goal and successful onside kick, Daniels connected with Terry McLaurin on an 86-yard catch-and-run touchdown to bring the Commanders within one point with 21 seconds remaining. But Seibert’s point-after attempt failed and the Cowboys returned the ensuing onside kick for a touchdown to seal a 34-26 victory. Cavaliers' unexpected 17-1 start to season also produces unexpected star: reserve guard Ty Jerome CLEVELAND (AP) — The M-V-P chants weren't only directed at Cleveland All-Star Donvan Mitchell on Sunday night. As the Cavaliers were improving to 17-1 overall and 10-0 at home, reserve guard Ty Jerome heard them while shooting a free throw. The Cavs' unexpected start has produced an unexpected rising star in Jerome, who played in just two games last season because of a severe ankle injury. Jerome has scored 29 and 26 points, respectively, in his last two games. But he's been a marvel since the season began for first-year coach Kenny Atkinson, who is finding it hard to take him off the floor.In a city with no shortage of grisly, tragic or depraved crimes, 2024 stood out as a particularly violent year in New York history. Several disturbing murders shocked even the most jaded New Yorkers for their sheer savagery and brutality, whether it was the assassination of a health care CEO on a Midtown street, the heart-wrenching starvation death of a 4-year-old Harlem boy allegedly at the hands of his own parents, or the gruesome death of a homeless woman set on fire on a Brooklyn subway train as the accused killer calmly watched her burn to death from a platform bench. In a killing that grabbed worldwide attention, 26-year-old Luigi Mangione was accused of shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson , 50, on a Midtown sidewalk on Dec. 4. After a five-day interstate manhunt , Mangione was found in an Altoona, Pa., McDonald’s with a 3D printed ghost gun, the fake ID he used to check into a Manhattan hostel and a handwritten manifesto that read, in part, “Frankly, these parasites had it coming.” Mangione, valedictorian of his Baltimore private high school and an Ivy league computer science major, was extradited to New York City on Dec. 19. Initially charged with first-degree murder and terrorism charges by New York State, Mangione was instead arraigned in Federal Court on charges of murder, stalking and firearm offenses. The federal charges could result in the death penalty. Despite being accused of the cold-blooded murder of a father of two, Mangione’s apparent anger toward the health insurance industry prompted an outpouring of support and sympathy for him. He is due back in court in Manhattan in January. Nadia Vitels, a 52-year-old woman found dead inside a duffel bag in the closet of a Kips Bay apartment on March 14 by her son was later discovered to have been attacked and killed by a pair of squatters four days earlier, who then stole her credit card and car and went on the run, according to prosecutors. Nadia Vitels was killed by blunt force trauma to the head , said the city’s Medical Examiner. The duo — Halley Tejada, 19, of Manhattan, and Kensly Alston, 18, of the Bronx — were grabbed by U.S. Marshals in York, Pa., after cops said they had crashed Vitels’ car and gotten engaged on the road with a ring they bought with Vitels’ card, cops said. They were hit with multiple charges, including murder, concealment of a human corpse and grand larceny. Family, friends and neighbors were devastated to find out that the body found wrapped in a sleeping bag, placed on a dolly and left by the trash on E. 27 th St. near Third Ave. on July 5 was 31-year-old Buffalo State College grad Yazmeen Williams, who had lived for a time in the nearby Straus Houses. Residents of the Straus Houses began to immediately suspect 55-year-old Chad Irish, who lived two blocks away — especially after video of a man in a wheelchair dumping Williams’ body was widely seen on social media. Williams had also been his roommate. After being confronted by several neighbors and pulling a gun in response , Irish was swarmed by an angry crowd just as police came to arrest him on July 8. Cops and medics had to fight their way through the irate mob while carrying Irish on a gurney. Irish was charged with murder , concealment of a human corpse, tampering with physical evidence and criminal possession of a weapon. On Nov. 26 Aliya Fakhri, the sister of Bollywood movie star Nargis Fakhri , was arrested for murder and arson, accused of setting the fire that killed her ex Edward Jacobs, 35, and his new pal Anastasia “Star” Ettienne, 33. The blaze was set in a cluttered two-story garage Jacobs was squatting in behind a private home in Jamaica,Queens on Nov. 2. Jacobs was asleep when Fakhri allegedly came in screaming “You’re going to die today!” before starting the fire, according to a witness. Ettienne died while trying to wake Jacobs to get him out of the burning garage. “It was an abusive relationship,” a man who escaped said of the relationship between Jacobs and the accused arsonist. “She told everybody [in the past] she was going to burn his house down, that she was going to kill him. We just laughed at her.” The murder of Jacklyn Timinski— struck in the head with a kettlebell by former celebrity photographer Benjamin Lozovsky, according to cops— sent her boyfriend Juan Boria on a downward spiral of grief that included a string of arrests, desperate attempts to get him help and finally ending with him being fatally stabbed weeks later in a tussle with a homeless man over a box to sleep in. Lozovsky, 41, was found naked and bloody on Timinski’s Bronx lawn Sept. 8, after police say he smashed her head in with a kettlebell. According to law enforcement sources, the pair had gone to the victim’s home to do drugs. Boria, 51, continued living among blood spatter in the Throggs Neck house where Timinski was attacked and was not taking medication for his bipolar disorder, according to his heartbroken son, Joshua Boria. After an encounter with Robert Brent, a 52-year-old homeless man who was mourning his own loss, Boria was fatally stabbed in the abdomen in the bustling commercial area of the Bronx called the Hub on Oct. 26. Lozovsky is due back in court Jan. 15. It was horrific enough that the boy was being starved to death by his own parents . But what took 4-year-old Jahmeik Modlin’s death over the top was that he died in a Harlem apartment that was reportedly stocked with food. Prosecutors said the home where the malnourished boy lived his last days was a feces-covered hellhole where the cupboards were locked with zip ties and the refrigerator was turned to the wall so Jahmeik and his sisters couldn’t open it. His sisters, ages 5, 6 and 7, managed to survive under the same conditions, although none of them were able to ingest solid food when they were rescued in October. The boy’s mom, Nytavia Ragsdale, 26, was jailed and charged with criminally negligent homicide and endangering the welfare of a child after Jahmeik was found unconscious, malnourished and suffering from hypothermia outside their apartment on Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. near W. 145th St. Days later, the boy’s father, Laron Modlin, 25, was arrested on similar charges. Relatives said the family had been on the radar of the city’s child welfare agency, whose handling of the case is being reviewed by the city’s Department of Investigation. Grisly doesn’t begin to describe this head-scratching caper, which somehow managed to link Yonkers and the South Bronx to a pair of severed hands found in a bleach-filled crockpot. It started with burning body parts dumped under a Yonkers bridge in August that cops traced back to a Bronx apartment. There, investigators found a black bag in a freezer that contained a human leg in an apartment in a building on Rogers Place near Dawson St. Caught on camera were a man and a woman who rented a room in the apartment. Muhammad Aadil, 40, and Ronei Harris, 18, were indicted for murder and related charges in the death of 46-year-old Lutalo Henderson, the Bronx DA said. Aadil and Harris allegedly killed Henderson after a dispute in the home that Aadil shared with Henderson, the Bronx DA said. The two then wrapped the torso in trash bags and took it in a shopping cart to Yonkers on the Metro North Train. They set the shopping cart on fire under the Oak Street Bridge, the DA said. Police, using surveillance videos, traced the murder back to the Bronx. “This was brutal disregard for a human being.” Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark said when she announced the indictments. New York City was rocked by a murder-suicide in July that unfolded on an Upper East Side street just a block away from the mayor’s heavily-guarded residence. Police said single mom, Marisa Galloway, 45, was shot to death by her former mother-in-law in a bitter custody battle that reached its deadly climax just a half-block away from Gracie Mansion. Shooting suspect and grandmother Kathleen Leigh’s son is the father of Galloway’s 4-year-old daughter. Authorities said Leigh, 65, escalated the contentious custody fight by shooting Galloway outside a white Honda Civic on E. 88th Street around 9 a.m. on July 26 before shooting herself. Galloway’s other daughter, a 1-year-old girl, was in the car. She was unhurt. In a suicide note, Leigh described herself as a terminally-ill cancer patient and accused Galloway of child abuse, an accusation debunked by city child’s services investigators. Galloway was a special education teacher, described by neighbors and friends as a loving, doting mother. A Brooklyn artist was murdered in October at an upscale Hamptons wellness spa by an ex-boyfriend who later killed himself in a shocking murder-suicide filled with emotion and intrigue. Sabina Rojas, 33, was part of the 2021 Technology Immersion Program at Harvestworks, a New York-based nonprofit that helps artists creating work with technology. She received a scholarship from the organization that spring. More recently, Rosas had won her first residency, which was due to begin in Portugal in November. She launched a GoFundMe over the summer asking for contributions as a birthday gift. Her boyfriend Thomas Gannon, who went on to kill her, contributed $1,000, making him the top donor. “You have an amazing gift and soon all the world will see,” he posted on the fundraising page. “I love you.” Rosas, 33, was staying at the posh Shou Sugi Ban House in Water Mill with Gannon, 56, who was later seen leaving the spa alone, according to cops. He was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his home in Honesdale, Pa., according to Suffolk County police. Rosas was married, but was estranged from her husband, authorities said. He set her on fire, then he watched her burn. That’s what cop said a Guatemalan immigrant did to a homeless woman on a Brooklyn subway train last Sunday, just days before Christmas. Cops said Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, 33, approached the sleeping woman without saying a word and set fire to her clothes , engulfing her in flames “in a matter of seconds.” Surveillance video appears to show him sitting on a bench watching the woman burn as police officers quickly responded around 7:30 a.m. on an F train pulling into the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station in Brooklyn. Zapeta-Calil has been charged with first- and second-degree murder and first-degree arson, according to police. “The depravity of this horrific crime is beyond comprehension, and my office is committed to bringing the perpetrator to justice. This gruesome and senseless act of violence against a vulnerable woman will be met with the most serious consequences,” Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said in a statement. Police released body camera images of the suspect to the public, and three high school-age New Yorkers recognized him and called the police, officials said.

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NEW YORK (AP) — There's no place like home for the holidays. And that may not necessarily be a good thing. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * NEW YORK (AP) — There's no place like home for the holidays. And that may not necessarily be a good thing. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? NEW YORK (AP) — There’s no place like home for the holidays. And that may not necessarily be a good thing. In the wake of the very contentious and divisive 2024 presidential election, the upcoming celebration of Thanksgiving and the ramp-up of the winter holiday season could be a boon for some — a respite from the events of the larger world in the gathering of family and loved ones. Hours and even days spent with people who have played the largest roles in our lives. Another chapter in a lifetime of memories. That’s one scenario. For others, that same period — particularly because of the polarizing presidential campaign — is something to dread. There is the likelihood of disagreements, harsh words, hurt feelings and raised voices looming large. Those who make a study of people and their relationships to each other in an increasingly complex 21st-century say there are choices that those with potentially fraught personal situations can make — things to do and things to avoid — that could help them and their families get through this time with a minimum of open conflict and a chance at getting to the point of the holidays in the first place. DO assess honestly where you are with it all For those who feel strongly about the election’s outcome, and know that the people they would be spending the holiday feel just as strongly in the other direction, take the time to honestly assess if you’re ready to spend time together in THIS moment, barely a few weeks after Election Day — and a time when feelings are still running high. The answer might be that you’re not, and it might be better to take a temporary break, says Justin Jones-Fosu, author of “I Respectfully Disagree: How to Have Difficult Conversations in a Divided World.” “You have to assess your own readiness,” he says, “Each person is going be very different in this.” He emphasizes that it’s not about taking a permanent step back. “Right now is that moment that we’re talking about because it’s still so fresh. Christmas may be different.” DON’T miss the bigger picture of what the holiday is all about Keep focused on why why you decided to go in the first place, Jones-Fosu says. Maybe it’s because there’s a relative there you don’t get to see often, or a loved one is getting up in age, or your kids want to see their cousins. Keeping that reason in mind could help you get through the time. DO set boundaries If you decide getting together is the way to go, but you know politics is still a dicey subject, set a goal of making the holiday a politics-free zone and stick with it, says Karl Pillemer, a professor at Cornell University whose work includes research on family estrangement. “Will a political conversation change anyone’s mind?” he says. “If there is no possibility of changing anyone’s mind, then create a demilitarized zone and don’t talk about it.” DON’T take the bait Let’s be honest. Sometimes, despite best efforts and intentions to keep the holiday gathering politics- and drama-free, there’s someone who’s got something to say and is going to say it. In that case, avoid getting drawn into it, says Tracy Hutchinson, a professor in the graduate clinical mental health counseling program at the College of William & Mary in Virginia. “Not to take the hook is one of the most important things, and it is challenging,” she says. After all, you don’t have to go to every argument you’re invited to. DO think about what will happen after the holiday Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. If you risk getting caught up in the moment, consider engaging in what Pillemer calls “forward mapping.” This involves thinking medium and long term rather than just about right now — strategy rather than tactics. Maybe imagine yourself six months from now looking back on the dinner and thinking about the memories you’d want to have. “Think about how you would like to remember this holiday,” he says. “Do you want to remember it with your brother and sister-in-law storming out and going home because you’ve had a two-hour argument?” DON’T feel you have to be there uninterrupted Things getting intense? Defuse the situation. Walk away. And it doesn’t have to be in a huff. Sometimes a calm and collected time out is just what you — and the family — might need. Says Hutchinson: “If they do start to do something like that, you could say, `I’ve got to make this phone call. I’ve got to go to the bathroom. I’m going to take a walk around the block.'” Advertisement Advertisement

Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter plans to turn pro and prefers to continue a dual role, playing wide receiver and cornerback in the NFL. Hunter could be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and is the favorite for the Heisman Trophy. Speculation about his future quieted as he gained notoriety by the week this season. Field Level Media projects Hunter as a top-three pick in the draft, and he confirmed Thursday this will be his last season at the college level. "That's definitely for sure," Hunter said on a conference call with reporters. Hunter is consistently playing between 100 and 125 snaps per game for Colorado. He has three interceptions on defense with 74 receptions, 911 yards and nine touchdowns playing wideout for quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Also a projected early first-round pick, Sanders committed to play in the East-West Shrine Game in Dallas. The son of Colorado head coach and Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders, Shedeur Sanders said Thursday he would cast a Heisman vote for Hunter. "If it's between me and him, I would want him to get it," Sanders said. "He does a lot of amazing things and things that haven't been done before. I'm not a selfish guy. I know what he's capable of, so I would rather him win." Hunter said he would invite his QB to New York if he's not named a Heisman finalist before they go about the business of finishing the season, possibly in the 12-team College Football Playoff. Shedeur Sanders said he's the best quarterback in the draft, and doesn't believe that's anything new. "I feel like I was the best quarterback in the last draft, too," said Shedeur Sanders. "Ever since I was draft eligible, I knew I'm the best quarterback. It's not up for me to prove myself to talking about why." Former teammates at Jackson State where Deion Sanders also coached, Hunter said he felt his draft stock began to rise only after critics moved past "the hate" for his coach. A flashy, charismatic cornerback in the NFL after starring at Florida State, Deion Sanders was the fifth overall pick in the 1989 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons. Hall of Famers Troy Aikman (first, Cowboys), Barry Sanders (third, Lions) and Derrick Thomas (fourth, Chiefs) were chosen ahead of "Prime Time" along with offensive tackle Tony Mandarich (second, Packers). Hunter has picked the brain of Deion Sanders about a dual role in pro sports. Sanders was used selectively as a wide receiver and returned punts but was primarily a cornerback in addition to playing Major League Baseball. There's no base-stealing in Hunter's future, but he does believe he can push the envelope as a full-time two-way NFL player. "It's never been done," Hunter said. "I understand that it will be a high risk, (teams) don't want their top pick to go down too early, and I know they're going to want me to be in a couple packages. But I believe I can do it. Nobody has stopped me from doing it thus far. I like when people tell me I can't do it." --Field Level Media

Shares of Canada Carbon Inc. ( CVE:CCB – Get Free Report ) traded down 33.3% on Saturday . The stock traded as low as C$0.01 and last traded at C$0.01. 859,726 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 283% from the average session volume of 224,190 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.02. Canada Carbon Stock Down 33.3 % The firm has a market capitalization of C$2.05 million, a PE ratio of -1.00 and a beta of 0.69. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is C$0.02 and its two-hundred day moving average price is C$0.02. About Canada Carbon ( Get Free Report ) Canada Carbon Inc engages in the acquisition, exploration, and evaluation of natural resource properties in Canada. The company primarily explores for graphite deposits. It holds interests in the Miller property that covers an area of approximately 100 square kilometers located to the west of Montreal in the Grenville Township; and the Asbury Graphite property, which includes 22 claims covering an area of approximately 1,205.9 hectares located in the Laurentides region of southern Quebec. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Canada Carbon Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Canada Carbon and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .