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When the snow is falling and hot chocolate is piping, few activities are more refreshing and relaxing than plopping down on the couch and turning on the television. Some will watch live Christmas events from Rockefeller Center, while others will tune into a bowl game. But if you’re of a certain age, you clearly remember the excitement when Nickelodeon began to roll out its litany of timeless Christmas specials. From Kenan & Kel in the 1990s to Danny Phantom in the late 2000s, Nickelodeon has entered the pantheon of networks that have consistently rolled out classic holiday specials. While Nickelodeon’s legacy is cemented, the ranking of its best holiday season episodes is and will always be hotly contested. Not to start a debate at the holiday dinner table, but here are the 10 best classic Nickelodeon holiday specials. Show: Keenan & Kel Air Date: December 14, 1996 Kel ( Kel Mitchell ) loves orange soda and Kenan ( Kenan Thompson ) loves Christmas. He spends the entire year saving money to buy a new bike and takes an extra job as Santa at the mall to help get the last few dollars he needs. However, his plans are derailed when he comes across a brother and sister who dream of a great Christmas filled with presents that their mother can’t afford. In a selfless mood, Kenan uses the money he makes as Santa to surprise the kids and their mom with presents. Kenan’s upset that he didn’t get the bike he wanted, but he knows he did the right thing and Santa rewards him with a bike of his own. As with many Nickelodeon holiday specials, Kenan’s act of giving underscores the importance of family, friends, community, and giving throughout the holiday season. Show: Invader Zim Air Date: December 10, 2002 Name two more idiotically entertaining rivals than Zim ( Richard Steven Horvitz ) and Dib (Andy Berman). I’ll wait. While I wait, also figure out why Dib’s dad, Professor Membrane ( Rodger Bumpass ), named him Dib. Anyway, Zim and Dib’s rivalry takes center stage when Zim learns about the lure of Santa, kidnaps a man dressed up in a Santa suit and drains his brain. Normal holiday festivities, right? Once Zim drains the man’s brain and learns more about the lure of Santa, he devises a plan to build a Santa suit and convince all of humankind that he’s worthy of following and giving their undying devotion too. For the most part, it works and Zim is close to bringing all of human kind to the Tallest in order to extend his rule. However, Dib intervenes and garners the support of his sister, Gaz (Melissa Fahn), and his father, Professor Membrane, and stops Zim before he’s able to fully takeover. Overall, it’s a pretty weird storyline for a kid’s show during the holiday season, but Invader Zim is at its best when it’s weird. Show: Rocko’s Modern Life Air Date: December 1, 1994 Rocko ( Carlos Alazraqui ) is a better person than most because his grace throughout this Christmas special is unmatched. For nearly the entire episode, Rocko works to put together beautiful holiday decorations and host a lovely holiday party. Instead, his friends treat him poorly, other characters bully him, and no one except a magic elf shows up to his party. The elf works his magic and creates a memorable snowfall around Rocko’s house and Rocko’s house only. When the blizzard leaves a perfect amount of snow and holiday cheer around his house, Rocko’s friends show up at his front door to apologize and make the most of the holiday party. Rocko, being the kind soul he is, lets them in and thanks them for coming. Show: iCarly Air Date: December 13, 2008 Timmy Turner ( Tara Strong ) isn’t the only character in the Nickelodeon multiverse to have their dreams come true during the holiday season. When Carly’s brother, Spencer ( Jerry Trainor ), builds an electromagnet Christmas tree that sets fire to holiday gifts, Carly ( Miranda Cosgrove ) wishes that her brother was a bit more normal. However, things aren’t as great as Carly hoped they’d be. Spencer becomes a “normal” lawyer dating Ms. Benson (Mary Scheer) while Freddie ( Nathan Kress ) no longer has a crush on Carly, and Sam ( Jennette McCurdy ) is in a juvenile detention center. Most shockingly, Carly, Spencer, and Freddie were never friends in this alternate universe and never launched a webcast. The weirdness of the episode pays off in the end because Carly realizes what we’ve always known: her life is pretty great as is. Show: As Told by Ginger Air Date: December 10, 2001 As Told by Ginger is one of the most underrated series in the Nickelodeon catalog for various reasons, including its humor and ability to reach both young and older audiences. Case in point, the show’s “Even Steven” holiday special is immaculate. In the tertiary plot, Ginger (Melissa Disney) discovers that her grandfather is Jewish and immediately pivots from celebrating Christmas to celebrating Hanukkah. Her shift from Christmas to Hanukkah happens so quickly that it causes a rift between her and Dodie (Aspen Miller) because Ginger refuses to go to Dodie’s Christmas party and hosts her own instead. Splitting the room down the middle, half of Ginger’s party is devoted to celebrating Hanukkah, and the other half is adorned with Christmas decorations. Meanwhile, Hoodsie ( Tress MacNeille) is writing letters to Santa, asking him to give him rhythm for Christmas. Yes, you read that correctly. He genuinely asked Santa for rhythm, the ability to dance on beat. When Ginger’s brother, Carl (Jeannie Elias), finds Hoodsie begging Santa for rhythm, he not only makes fun of him, but also declares that Santa isn’t real. As a result, Carl spends the remainder of the episode attempting to prove that Santa is real. Through this effort, he learns that Carl is not a fan of the holiday season because he routinely asked Santa to bring his father home for Christmas as a kid, and his dad rarely stopped by on the holidays. With this information, Hoodsie runs up to a man dressed as Santa on the street and asks him to bring Hoodsie’s Dad home for Christmas. Little does Hoodsie know, the man dressed up as Santa is Carl’s dad. In the end, Carl’s dad visits him for Christmas, and while they’re talking in the driveway, a fire starts inside as Ginger is hosting her holiday party. Carl’s dad runs in, puts out the fire, and saves the day, making Ginger realize that the most important part of the holidays is being surrounded by family and friends. And no, Carl does not get rhythm. Show: The Fairly OddParents Air Date: December 12, 2001 Clichés may be annoying, but they’ve stood the test of time for a reason. However, when an elder said, “Be careful what you wish for,” Timmy Turner clearly wasn’t listening. Instead, he had to learn the hard way when he told Wanda (Susanne Blakeslee) and Cosmo ( Daran Norris ) that he’d like it to be Christmas every day. In his head, there’d never be school, and he’d get presents every time he woke up. Conversely, Wanda and Cosmo are magically depleted, his parents can’t work, and the other holidays become envious of Santa Claus. As a result, Timmy must make a trip up to the North Pole all alone. Tough luck for a kid who can literally wish for whatever he wants every other day of the year already. Show: Drake & Josh Air Date: December 5, 2008 Give a little girl named Mary Alice the best Christmas ever, or go back to jail. That’s essentially the plot of “Merry Christmas, Drake and Josh.” Drake ( Drake Bell ) desperately wants to host a party on the rooftop of Josh’s workplace, Premier Theater. To the surprise of just about everyone, Josh’s boss agrees to let Drake host the party as long as he volunteers to dress up as Santa for kids in the mall. Drake agrees, but things go haywire when a woman tries to kiss him, and he runs away. While hiding, he runs into a little girl named Mary Alice ( Bailee Madison ) and promises to give her the best Christmas ever. Drake finishes his shift as Santa and gets to host the party after all, but it’s cut short when a few uninvited guests show up, and Josh ( Josh Peck ) calls the police. However, there’s a mixup when the police arrive and Josh gets arrested. Being the good stepbrother he is, Drake tries to break Josh out of jail. Unfortunately, Drake gets arrested, too. When Drake and Josh get to speak to a judge, they explain that they need to get out to fulfill Drake’s promises to Mary Alice. The judge releases them, but warns that they will be brought back if they do not give Mary Alice the best Christmas ever. No pressure, right? Show: Rugrats Air Date: December 6, 1992 It may not seem like it, but there is not much of a difference between The Boondocks ‘ Huey Freeman ( Regina King ) and the children of Rugrats . Huey chases Santa around the mall with a BB gun, screaming, “You gon’ pay what you owe.” Meanwhile, Tommy ( Elizabeth Daily ), Chuckie (Christine Cavanaugh), and the crew are setting dangerous traps for Santa , so they can question him about his character. “The Santa Experience” kicks off at the mall where Angelica (Cheryl Chase) bum rushes the line to see Santa and tells Mr. Claus how much she needs a dream dollhouse for Cynthia. While Mr. Claus pushed her away, mall staff gave her a box of free toys to apologize for Santa rightfully pushing her away. Even with the free presents, Angelica is ungrateful and doesn’t want them. Meanwhile, Tommy and Chuckie are debating whether or not Santa is a good person. You know, typical baby stuff, right? Tommy is convinced Santa is a great guy, while Chuckie is, of course, scared of Saint Nick and thinks he’s a bad guy. In the kitchen, the parents are having a relatable conversation about their challenges and struggles, trying to ensure each of their children has a good holiday season. Later, the kids and parents head north to celebrate Christmas in a cabin. There, Chuckie and Tommy set up a booby trap to catch Santa. Much to their disappointment, the trap only manages to catch Stu ( Jack Riley ). Ultimately, everything turns out for the best as Santa just rings the front doorbell and delivers the presents face-to-face. Angelica gets her doll house, Chuckie determines Santa is a good person after all, and the Rugrats get the perfect Christmas. Show: SpongeBob SquarePants Air Date: December 6, 2000 If you ask most fans of SpongeBob SquarePants about Squidward (Rodger Bumpass), most would say he’s closer to being the Grinch than Santa Claus. However, “Christmas Who?” proves otherwise. Spongebob ( Tom Kenny ) visits Sandy ( Carolyn Lawrence ) and finds the proud Texan setting up Christmas decorations around her house. Instead of helping her, Spongebob freaks out because he thinks the lights and decorations have started a fire. It would be nearly impossible to start a fire that far underwater, but I digress. Anyway, Sandy stops him and explains to Spongebob who Santa Claus is and what happens on Christmas. Excited and enchanted, Spongebob shares the story of Christmas and Santa Claus with nearly everyone in Bikini Bottom. As a result, everyone but Squidward sends letters to Santa and spends all night caroling. When Santa doesn’t show up, everyone calls Spongebob a fraud and mocks him, including Squidward. However, Spongebob turns Squidward’s heart from coal to gold when he gives him a handcrafted clarinet for Christmas so that he won’t go without a gift. In return, Squidward dresses up as Santa and surprises Spongebob, who is delighted, and wishes him a merry Christmas. Squidward didn’t account for all of the other citizens of Bikini Bottom spotting him and asking for gifts. Instead of ruining the charade, Squidward ends up giving away nearly everything in his home away as a gift. Thankfully, Squidward is rewarded when the real Santa Claus sends a letter thanking Squidward for helping keep the spirit of Christmas alive. Show: Hey Arnold! Air Date: December 11, 1996 “Arnold’s Christmas” is not only the best Nickelodeon late-year holiday special, but it’s arguably one of the best episodes of the entire series. The series revolves around Arnold (Toran Caudell) attempting to pull off a Christmas miracle for his neighbor, Mr. Hyunh (Baoan Coleman). Through this endeavor, much of Mr. Hyunh’s backstory is revealed, including the heartbreaking story of how he and his daughter, Mai (Hiep Thi Le), have been separated for more than 20 years. While Arnold and his best friend, Gerald (Jamil Walker Smith), fall short in their quest to find Mai and reconnect her with Mr. Hyunh, Helga (Francesca Marie Smith) unexpectedly saves the day and gets Mai in touch with her father. Helga never gets the credit for creating this touching reunion, but she will always be remembered for being the driving force behind one of the most touching moments in Nickelodeon history. More Headlines:A deal which could see the Elgin Marbles returned to Greece is “still some distance” away, George Osborne has signalled. The former Tory chancellor, now chairman of the British Museum, suggested Sir Keir Starmer had contributed to a warmer spirit of the negotiations over the famous ancient artworks. Greece has long called for the return of the Marbles, also known as the Parthenon sculptures, and maintains they were illegally removed from Athens’ acropolis during a period of foreign occupation. The British Museum – where they are currently on display – is forbidden by law from giving away any of its artefacts, and the Government has no plans to change the law to permit a permanent move. But under Mr Osborne’s leadership, the museum is negotiating the possibility of a long-term loan of the sculptures, in exchange for rolling exhibitions of famous artworks. No 10 has indicated the Prime Minister is unlikely to stand in the way of such a deal. Speaking on Political Currency, the podcast he hosts alongside former Labour politician Ed Balls, Mr Osborne said the museum was “looking to see if we can come to some arrangement where at some point some of the sculptures are in Athens, where, of course, they were originally sited”. He added: “And in return, Greece lends us some of its treasures, and we made a lot of progress on that, but we’re still some distance from any kind of agreement.” The Greek government has suggested negotiations with the museum have taken a warmer tone since Labour came to power in the summer. Mr Osborne appeared to concur with this view and praised Sir Keir’s hands-off approach, adding: “It is not the same as Rishi Sunak, who refused to see the Greek prime minister, if you remember, he sort of stood him up. “So it seems to me a more sensible and diplomatic way to proceed.” Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Greek premier, discussed the Elgin Marbles with Sir Keir when they met on Tuesday morning at Downing Street, he said after returning to Athens. Mr Mitsotakis has signalled his government is awaiting developments on the negotiations. A diplomatic spat between the Greek leader and Mr Sunak emerged last year when the then-prime minister refused to meet his counterpart. Mr Mitsotakis had compared splitting the Elgin Marbles from those still in Athens to cutting the Mona Lisa in half. The marble statues came from friezes on the 2,500-year-old Parthenon temple and have been displayed at the British Museum for more than 200 years. They were removed by Lord Elgin in the early 19th century when he was British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. Some of the remaining temple statues are on display in the purpose-built Acropolis Museum in Athens, and Greece has called for the collections to be reunited.

In conclusion, the changes to the Room Mountain bus stations are a positive development for the area, bringing with them improvements that will benefit passengers for years to come. As we witness these new changes, let us embrace them and take advantage of the enhanced public transportation options available to us. Whether it's for work, school, or leisure, the Room Mountain bus stations are now better equipped to meet the diverse travel needs of the community.Tottenham Hotspur, on the other hand, views Lukman as a potential long-term investment. The club's emphasis on developing young players fits well with Lukman's ambitions to further hone his skills and make a mark in the Premier League. With his explosive pace and dribbling ability, Lukman could offer Spurs a dynamic attacking threat that can change the course of a game in an instant.

Germany's Merkel recalls Putin's 'power games' and contrasting US presidents in her memoirsStage set for Al Shaqab International Showjumping League opening roundSo mark your calendars, horror fans, because death is coming back for another round in "Final Destination 6," and this time, it's bound to be a wild and terrifying ride like never before. Get ready to scream, hold your breath, and watch in horror as the fates of the characters unfold in ways you never saw coming. Stay tuned for more updates and prepare yourself for the ultimate thrill ride of the year!

I like my big-screen Santas like my Christmas cookies: old-fashioned. Simple. Sugar-dusted, with very few decorations. My guy says “Ho, ho, ho” and cares deeply about everyone, regardless of race, religion or creed. This is probably my most conservative cultural opinion: Make Santa jolly again. Nice kids get dolls and baseball gloves. Naughty kids get coal in their stockings. That’s fair. But in director Jake Kasdan’s recent holiday spectacle “Red One,” Oscar winner J.K. Simmons’ Santa Claus reminded me of Jeff Bezos — a jacked, tech-obsessed captain of industry overseeing a vast product delivery empire. In this bloated action-comedy, which opened last weekend and kicks off the start of what I like to call bad Christmas movie season, Santa is kidnapped by evil forces, and it’s up to his head of security, played by a straight-faced Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and a rakish Chris Evans as a bad boy turned accidental hero to save him. The movie is a loud, muddled CGI mess barely held together by Johnson and Evans’ odd-couple chemistry. Simmons does allow for some tenderness: His Santa can see the best in people, and there are a few moments in this overcooked Amazon/MGM goose that are almost touching. But, mostly, the movie is nothing but chaotic fight scenes between the Rock and muscle-bound snowmen with carrot noses. The movie made me miss, as I have more frequently in recent years, the Santa I grew up with. But he’s nowhere to be seen right now, at least at the multiplex. In a few weeks, a new comedy called “Dear Santa” drops, starring Jack Black as Satan, the Prince of Darkness, who receives a Christmas letter from a boy with a critical typo. The first Santa I saw this year was in the indie horror hit “Terrifier 3,” which features a murderous clown dressed in a blood-splattered Santa suit and beard. I know things change, but does Christmas have to? Really? Recently, the trend seems to be to spice up Santa — as if he’s too dull, too bland. Not manly enough. David Harbour starred as a grouchy Santa forced to fight mercenaries one Christmas Eve, “Die Hard”-style, in 2022’s “A Violent Night.” Netflix’s two “The Christmas Chronicles” movies feature the charming action-movie legend Kurt Russell as a dashing, youthful Santa. In the midst of all of this, I fear we are missing out on the most important lesson Santa has to teach us. And there’s no time we need to hear it more than the present. Above all else, Santa is a symbol of positive masculinity, a paternal do-gooder concerned with the happiness of others. He’s selfless and self-deprecating, corny and utterly lacking in irony. Santa Claus exemplifies endangered masculine virtues that are too easily dismissed — for different reasons — by both ends of the political spectrum. Sure, to some progressives, Santa is a glass of warm patriarchy, another straight white man in charge of a powerful institution (Big Toy). Santa is kind, but the culture wars aren’t won with kindness. In my experience, conservative men see gentleness as a weakness. But even the most macho were once knee-high and sat on Santa’s lap. Even those bros know, deep down, that Santa is the one true alpha male. A cuddly, joyful, forgiving alpha male. Santa Claus is an important cultural figure in America not just because millions of children dream about him yearly. He’s a lens through which we can examine and affirm our attitudes toward right and wrong — what is “naughty” or “nice.” I know life is complicated — there’s a lot of gray area — but I want to be “nice,” and Santa inspires us to be just that. I think that is an admirable virtue. That’s partly why the push for cinematic Santas to be buff, badass or reinvented feels so very wrong. Where are those Santas, to paraphrase 19th-century poet Clement Clarke Moore, with twinkling eyes and dimples, cheeks like roses, and a nose like a cherry — those hardworking, pear-shaped cherubs with a bushy white beard that can bend space and time? One iconic Santa movie that stands out to me above the rest is 1947’s “Miracle on 34th Street” starring English actor Edmund Gwenn, who won a best supporting actor Oscar for his role as a department store Santa who may be the real thing. He’s the platonic ideal of Santa: mischievous and openhearted. But after that, the pickings are slim. I did have a soft spot for Tim Allen’s irreverent “The Santa Clause,” which casts the sitcom star as a schlubby dad who accidentally kills Santa and then has to become the new Santa. I also like Ed Asner as a down-to-earth Santa in Will Ferrell’s 2003 comedy “Elf.” In 2007’s “Fred Claus,” Paul Giamatti is a tightly wound Santa who has to endure his troublemaking brother, played by Vince Vaughn. It’s a bro comedy that I admit to enjoying, even if it’s another example of a Santa movie that doesn’t, deep down, respect Santa. The ultimate subversion of St. Nick came in 2003 with “Bad Santa,” a vulgar comedy about an alcoholic mall Santa played by Billy Bob Thornton. It is beyond crass, even by today’s standards. I have to confess, I kind of love its rude, transgressive spirit — but I did not know it would open a sort of Pandora’s box. “Who is Santa?” has become an existential pop culture question, and Hollywood can’t settle on a straight answer. Ripped tech titan? Action hero? Tired old man? I know other cultures have a Christmas folk hero — Father Christmas in England and Père Noël in France, for example — but the Santa Claus of pop culture is uniquely American. Nineteenth-century cartoonist Thomas Nast designed the modern Santa for Harper’s Weekly. He was a festive wizard wearing a holly wreath like a crown and smoking a long pipe. The character evolved from there, incorporating aspects of Nordic Yuletide myths and Christian saints. In the 1930s, Coca-Cola executives co-opted Santa for a marketing campaign meant to sell soft drinks during the winter, a campaign that still endures. He may live in the North Pole, but Santa has become a sort of unofficial Founding Father in America’s imagination. Sure, St. Nick is a nondenominational religious figure who listens to our greedy prayers. As a kid, I’d sit on his lap at the mall and rattle off a long list of action figures and video games I had to have. Santa is a consumerist, after all. At his core, it is a fundamental Christian message wrapped in a pagan character designed to appeal to a multicultural society: Santa’s one commandment is to be nice, which is a slightly more succinct variation of the golden rule. This sentiment is absent in our political and cultural discourse right now. We are, at this moment, not nice. We are a naughty people who delight in making each other miserable, especially on social media. It’s too bad he doesn’t really exist, or we’d all get a lump of coal in our stockings this year.

The controversy surrounding the Wolves-Brentford match has once again highlighted the challenges and complexities of modern football officiating. While VAR was intended to reduce errors and improve the overall quality of decision-making, incidents like these underscore the need for a thorough review of its implementation and impact on the game.

Despite his turnovers, Wu Qian's overall impact on the game was undeniable. His scoring ability, rebounding prowess, and playmaking skills were on full display as he led Zhejiang to a resounding victory over Guangzhou. Wu Qian's performance was a testament to his skills and talent on the basketball court.

Patrick Stewart's first act as Rangers chief executive could be to sack Philippe Clement By STEPHEN MCGOWAN Published: 22:00, 25 November 2024 | Updated: 22:00, 25 November 2024 e-mail View comments Following his departure from Manchester United in April, Patrick Stewart took some time to travel and recharge his batteries. After 18 seasons of overseeing legal affairs at Old Trafford, the Aberdonian travelled to Germany to support Scotland at Euro 2024. In the parlance of professional football, he spent some time with the family. Day one at Rangers could make all of that feel like a distant mirage if he is faced with the most difficult decision any football chief executive has to make. Sharing a name with a famous actor has its downside and Stewart has spent most of his adult life batting away the Star Trek humour which followed news of his return to football as the replacement for James Bisgrove. He can expect more of that if his new employers come up short against Ange Postecoglou ’s Tottenham on December 12 then lose the Premier Sports Cup final to Celtic at Hampden three days later. By the time he’d reached the top of the marble staircase, briefcase in hand, Stewart would be under pressure to go boldly where so many of the occupants of the Ibrox hotseat have gone before by dismissing a manager before lunchtime. Patrick Stewart will take over as Rangers CEO the day after their League Cup final against Celtic Clement's position as Rangers manager would become impossible if they lose at Hampden While a start date of December 16 might disassociate the new man from guilt by association with two precarious fixtures, it won’t insulate him from the toxic fall-out if results go badly. He’d be straight in at the deep end, facing calls to axe Philippe Clement with immediate effect. A 1-1 draw with Dundee United on Saturday only added to the clamour for the Belgian’s removal. Eleven points behind Celtic in the Premiership, with no evidence of a pattern of play, a tactical vision or forward momentum, supporters have seen enough now. On Sunday night, Whatsapp rumours swept Glasgow suggesting Clement and Rangers had parted company by mutual consent. They were inaccurate — they usually are — but the blaze ignited quickly because the situation is now flammable. Most now regard Clement’s exit as a question of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’. The progress of his first season in charge is now a distant memory. Despite moments of individual quality from the likes of Vaclav Cerny and Nedim Bajrami, all that talk of improvement and progress fools no one these days. The team is now going backwards and, while the imminent arrival of a new chief executive and permanent chairman will bring more stability to the boardroom, the men in grey suits can’t put the ball in the net or stop the opposition doing the same. Malcolm Offord looks set to be named as Rangers' non-executive chairman in the weeks ahead Clement has yet to win a game against Celtic in five attempts. And defeat in the first showpiece final of the season at Hampden would render his position impossible. More so if the defeat is as convincing as the 3-0 humbling at Parkhead in September. It’s not impossible that Rangers will win at Hampden. While a long-awaited victory over Celtic would bring respite and relief, the title already looks too far gone. And, to deliver the financial equilibrium Rangers need off the pitch, Stewart really needs a manager capable of winning games and trophies on it. Champions League football is critical. He won’t be expected to do it all on his own. Malcolm Offord — Lord Offord of Garvel to give him his Sunday name — is expected to be named as the Rangers non-executive chairman in the coming weeks, replacing interim incumbent John Gilligan. Read More Rangers confirm appointment of former Man United man as chief executive officer six months after his predecessor's departure A political heavyweight with the clout to corral boardroom factions, Offord will work closely with the new CEO and, if the two men decide that Clement has to go, it’s their job to find a replacement. For that reason alone, it made sense to delay a decision on the manager until they were in the building. Like Michael Nicholson at Celtic, Stewart stems from a legal background and sees no value in being a front-of-house figure, courting journalists. Ask colleagues who cover Manchester United what they know about his background and the response is a shrug of the shoulders. Growing up in the Granite City, supporting his local team, Stewart was part of UEFA’s Champions League marketing agency for five years. He then moved to Old Trafford as the club’s first General Counsel in March 2006, the attraction of working with Sir Alex Ferguson too strong to resist. A graduate of Glasgow University, he built up the legal function from scratch. One of the first in-house lawyers at an English top-flight club, he was responsible for signing off on everything from player contracts to kit deals and liaised with the Premier League. A member of various football industry groups at the Football Association, the English Premier League and the European Club Association, Stewart also held a position at the Court of Arbitration for Sport and eventually became a Manchester United director before he was handed the job of interim CEO, overseeing the transition of power from the Glazers to Jim Ratcliffe before his departure in April. Click here to visit the Scotland home page for the latest news and sport Advertisement A political big hitter with a bulging contacts book will be good for a club which has spent recent years engaging in battles they couldn’t win. Rangers need figureheads capable of winning friends and influencing other clubs and both Offord and Stewart know their way around the corridors of power. While luring a man with an impressive CV drawn from Manchester United should be seen as a coup, there is an obvious drawback. Rangers are not Manchester United and, in recent times, Manchester United haven’t looked much like Manchester United either. Like Rangers, they’ve lost their way, on the field and off it. If nothing else, the appointment of a chief executive brings stability to Ibrox and, after a turbulent six months, they need that at least. Discussing Stewart’s appointment on the Jim White show on TalkSport yesterday, Mail Sport columnist Simon Jordan probably summed it up best. ‘It certainly alleviates the observations that they’re rudderless,’ said Jordan. ‘Whether he’s a good oarsman, we’ll see.’ Share or comment on this article: Patrick Stewart's first act as Rangers chief executive could be to sack Philippe Clement e-mail Add comment

Reaching New Audiences: Best Practices for Marketing in Multiple Industries

Visit Qatar to offer dynamic, multi-activity experience at Sealine BeachAlex Jones’ bankruptcy judge orders new hearing on The Onion’s Infowars bidIt's been one month since the U.S. presidential election. And while Republicans and President-elect Donald Trump have been busy setting up a new White House administration, Democrats have spent the past four weeks trying to diagnose why they lost and how to move forward as a party. One person who thinks he has an answer to that is Ben Wikler, chairman of the Wisconsin Democratic Party. He's now running to become the new chairman of the national Democratic National Comittee because he says it's time to reassess what matters most to voters. RELATED STORY | DNC chair slams Bernie Sanders' criticism of Democratic Party "There's clearly a lot that we need to learn about what just happened, but one thing that jumps out is that a lot of voters who were taking it on the chin with high prices — frustrated by those prices — weren't hearing from either campaign and were voting for change," Wikler told Scripps News. "Well those voters, I think that we have a chance to reach out to them and say 'look, Democrats actually want to fight for an economy that works for working people and Trump wants to give multi-trillion tax cuts to billionaires at your expense. And that is a message we know can win because it's won downballot, it won in 2018, and it won in 2006 when George W. Bush tried to privatize social security." Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is currently hearing a potentially landmark case on gender affirming care for minors — which has been a big point for Democrats to campaign on. But a Scripps News/YouGov poll released early this year showed that more Americans support than oppose laws aimed at restricting transgender care for minors. RELATED STORY | Scripps News poll: Americans largely support restricting trans rights Wikler told Scripps News that if he were to be named chair of the DNC, it's a no-brainer that he'd support American's right to make their own private medical decisions without worrying about government intervention. "Republicans want to talk about trans issues and go on the attack against trans people because that is their way of trying to divide the public," he said. "People do disagree about this. Republicans want to focus on that disagreement and use attacks on trans people in order to distract folks from the big legislation that they are planning right now — which is a multi-trillion dollar tax cut for billionaires." "Democrats are always going to fight for people to have their basic personal freedom," Wikler continued. "And at the same time, we're going to fight against those who want to dismantle the federal government and the programs like social security and medicare and medicaid that people rely on for their their basic needs and health care." You can watch Scripps News' full interview with Ben Wikler in the video player above.

Currently, the pricing of REITs in the public market is largely influenced by factors such as market sentiment, interest rates, and the overall economic environment. While these variables are important in determining the value of real estate assets, they do not provide a comprehensive view of the underlying fundamentals of the REITs themselves. As a result, there is a need for a pricing mechanism that considers factors specific to the REITs, such as occupancy rates, rental income, property location, and management quality.Elon Musk’s preschool is the next step in his anti-woke education dreams

For a while, it seemed as though Mbappe had found a comfortable and secure place in the French setup, a "safe haven" where he could showcase his talent and thrive on the international stage. His performances during the 2018 World Cup in Russia, where he played a crucial role in France's triumph, only served to cement his status as a key player in the team. Mbappe's combination of speed, skill, and composure under pressure made him a nightmare for opposition defenses and a hero for French fans.

BERLIN (AP) — Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel recalls Vladimir Putin's “power games” over the years, remembers contrasting meetings with Barack Obama and Donald Trump and says she asked herself whether she could have done more to prevent Brexit, in her memoirs published Tuesday. Merkel, 70, appears to have no significant doubts about the major decisions of her 16 years as German leader, whose major challenges included the global financial crisis, Europe’s debt crisis, the 2015-16 influx of refugees and the COVID-19 pandemic. True to form, her book — titled “Freedom” — offers a matter-of-fact account of her early life in communist East Germany and her later career in politics, laced with moments of dry wit. Merkel served alongside four U.S. presidents , four French presidents and five British prime ministers. But it is perhaps her dealings with Russian President Putin that have drawn the most scrutiny since she left office in late 2021. Merkel recalls being kept waiting by Putin at the Group of Eight summit she hosted in 2007 — “if there's one thing I can't stand, it's unpunctuality.” And she recounts a visit to the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi that year in which Putin's labrador appeared during a photo opportunity, although Putin knew she was afraid of dogs. Putin appeared to enjoy the situation, she writes, and she didn't bring it up — keeping as she often did to the motto “never explain, never complain.” The previous year, she recounts Putin pointing to wooden houses in Siberia and telling her poor people lived there who “could be easily seduced,” and that similar groups had been encouraged by money from the U.S. government to take part in Ukraine's “Orange Revolution” of 2004 against attempted election fraud. Putin, she says, added: “I will never allow something like that in Russia.” Merkel says she was irritated by Putin's “self-righteousness” in a 2007 speech in Munich in which he turned away from earlier attempts to develop closer ties with the U.S. She said that appearance showed Putin as she knew him, “as someone who was always on guard against being treated badly and ready to give out at any time, including power games with a dog and making other people wait for him.” “One could find this all childish and reprehensible, one could shake one's head over it — but that didn't make Russia disappear from the map,” she writes. As she has before, Merkel defends a much-criticized 2015 peace deal for eastern Ukraine that she helped broker and her government's decisions to buy large quantities of natural gas from Russia. And she argues it was right to keep up diplomatic and trade ties with Moscow until she left power, Merkel concluded after first meeting then-Sen. Obama in 2008 that they could work well together. More than eight years later, during his last visit as president in Nov. 2016, she was one of the people with whom she discussed whether to seek a fourth term. Obama, she says, asked questions but held back with an opinion, and that in itself was helpful. He “said that Europe could still use me very well, but I should ultimately follow my feelings,” she writes. There was no such warmth with Trump, who had criticized Merkel and Germany in his 2016 campaign. Merkel says she had to seek an “adequate relationship ... without reacting to all the provocations.” In March 2017, there was an awkward moment when Merkel first visited the Trump White House. Photographers shouted “handshake!” and Merkel quietly asked Trump: “Do you want to have a handshake?” There was no response from Trump, who looked ahead with his hands clasped. Merkel faults her own reaction. “He wanted to create a topic of discussion with his behavior, while I had acted as if I were dealing with an interlocutor behaving normally,” she writes. She adds that Putin apparently “fascinated” Trump and, in the following years, she had the impression that “politicians with autocratic and dictatorial traits” beguiled him. Merkel says she tried to help then-Prime Minister David Cameron in the European Union as he faced pressure from British Euroskeptics, but there were limits to what she could do. And, pointing to Cameron's efforts over the years to assuage opponents of the EU, she says the road to Brexit is a textbook example of what can arise from a miscalculation. After Britons voted to leave the EU in 2016, an outcome she calls a “humiliation” for its other members, she says the question of whether she should have made more concessions to the U.K. “tortured me.” “I came to the conclusion that, in view of the political developments inside the country at the time, there would have been no acceptable possibility for me to prevent Britain's way out of the European Union from outside,” Merkel says. Merkel was the first German chancellor to leave power at a time of her choosing. She announced in 2018 that she wouldn't seek a fifth term, and says she “let go at the right point.” She points to three 2019 incidents in which her body shook during public engagements as proof. Merkel says she had herself checked thoroughly and there were no neurological or other findings. An osteopath told her that her body was letting off the tension it had accumulated over years, she adds. “Freedom” runs to more than 700 pages in its original German edition, published by Kiepenheuer & Witsch. The English edition is being released simultaneously by St. Martin's Press.Man Loses 20,000 in 80,000 Self-Discipline Challenge, Legal Dispute Sparks AttentionOne of the key highlights of the YU7 is its smart capabilities, integrated with Xiaomi's AI technology. The SUV will be equipped with an intelligent voice assistant, seamless connectivity with other Xiaomi devices, and advanced driver assistance systems to ensure a safe and convenient driving experience. With the YU7, Xiaomi envisions a future where the car seamlessly integrates into the digital ecosystem of its users.

In a tragic turn of events, the first patient who was reported to have recovered at the renowned Medicine Valley has now taken a turn for the worse, with reports indicating that they are now in critical condition. This news comes amidst a rising death toll, with the number of fatalities climbing to a staggering 30 individuals.