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gstar28 casino login CYNICS said 2024’s television could only get worse after it started with ITV’s landmark drama Mr Bates Vs The Post Office. But you know the funny thing? They were absolutely right. Two weeks after the brilliant Toby Jones series finished, Love Island All Stars was filling the same slot and a pattern had been established for this rollercoaster TV year. For every Clarkson’s Farm, there was a Dating Naked. For every ­Freddie Flintoff’s Field Of Dreams, an Olivia Attwood’s Bad Boyfriends. And for every Sharron Davies, who spoke out about the obscenity of ­biological men beating up women at the Olympics, there were half a dozen Clare Baldings at the BBC who stared at their feet and said nothing. In between times, Gladiators made a triumphant return, Phillip Schofield gave self-pity a bad name on Cast Away, Chris McCausland saved Strictly, the art of the sitcom died with the end of Curb Your Enthusiasm and the BBC’s obsession with drag acts reached its bloody conclusion with Smoggie Queens. READ MORE TV NEWS With awards for the following: BEST QUIZ SHOW ANSWER 2024 : The Chase , Bradley Walsh: “Which leader was exiled to islands in the Mediterranean and South Atlantic?” Sophie: “Tony Blair.” If only, if only, if only. BEST SHOW : Any of the following could’ve won, or deserve a namecheck: Mr Bates Vs The Post Office , Industry, Clarkson’s Farm, Helmand: Tour Of Duty, Freddie Flintoff’s Field Of Dreams, Slow Horses, The Wrong Man: 17 Years Behind Bars, Enemy In The Woods, Wolf Hall, BBC1’s faithful and brilliant Gladiators reboot, ­Ludwig, Michael McIntyre’s Big Show, Hell Jumper, Shogun and Gavin & Stacey. Most read in News TV But it’s the size of the gap left by Larry David’s sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm, after its 12th and final series, that sets it apart from everything else. With a couple of honourable exceptions on the streaming channels, such as Ricky Gervais and Dave Chappelle , there is no mainstream comedian now who dares to say the unsayable and I will miss this show for ever. WORST SHOW : Dishonourable ­mentions for Olivia Attwood’s Bad Boyfriends, Buying London, Piglets, Rylan’s Hot Mess Summer, Gino And Fred: Emission Impossible, BBC1’s criminally irresponsible documentary The Chris Kaba Shooting, The Pet Psychic, Josh Must Win, Have I Got News For You, The Last Leg, Parents’ Evening, The Fortune Hotel, Red Eye, Love Island All Stars , Football Focus, The Way, with Michael Sheen , C4’s zombie disaster Generation Z and BBC1 thriller Nightsleeper. None were as bad, though, as BBC3’s Smoggie Queens, a sitcom so witless, repellent and woke I’m certain the drag-fixated Beeb will give it at least another three series. BEST LIVE TV MOMENT : I greatly enjoyed Israel briefly leapfrogging everyone and ­getting 12 from Britain at the Eurovision Song Contest , when the public vote was opened, and also Stephen Mulhern inviting Ricky Hatton to “hit me,” at Dancing On Ice. Which he did, very very hard. But ­neither was quite as funny as the meltdown Emily Maitlis , Susanna Reid , Ed Balls and the rest of Britain’s breakfast TV luvvies suffered in the early hours of November 6, when Donald Trump won the US election. With the killer line belonging to GMB work experience lad Noel Phillips, at Kamala Harris’s “victory party”. “The mood, despite there being nobody here, is one of hope.” WORST LIVE TV MOMENT : Saturday Kitchen Live’s Pride special “in honour of the LGBTQI+ community” was a cult meeting so terrified of offending the alphabet people it cancelled the usual “heaven or hell” recipe feature in case anyone got the impression there was any negative side to the event. But it was still less sinister and woke than the $130million Olympic Games’ opening ceremony with its headless women, Last Supper fat lass, environmental bleats and musical segment in honour of the EU. MOST GRIEVOUSLY MISLEADING TITLE : C5’s Sue Perkins: Lost In Alaska. BEST DRAMA : The mesmerising Wolf Hall, Slow Horses, Industry, Shogun and Until I Kill You may all have been technically better, but none of them had the same emotional impact as Mr Bates Vs The Post Office, which led to questions in Parliament , new legislation and King Charles forcing former Post Office boss Paula Vennells to return her CBE for “bringing the honours system into disrepute”. Yet still the newly knighted Sir Alan Bates hasn’t received any ­compensation. Extraordinary. WORST DRAMA: It would take a ­special kind of disaster to beat BBC1’s Nightsleeper, which seemed to be heavily based on Thomas The Tank Engine’s Rusty And The Boulder episode. But Michael Sheen’s utterly deranged drama The Way, about a left-wing Welsh workers’ uprising, was that special kind of ­disaster. It featured a Masonic sex orgy, a talking teddy bear and was very much like the Two Ronnies’ old Worm That Turned sketch with Diana Dors, but took itself incredibly seriously. Most chillingly, it was “produced with the support of the Welsh Government”. Get out now, my Welsh friends. Get out while you still can. BEST OLYMPIC NAME : Li Shiting in the Chinese kayak, which the IOC urgently needs to stamp out. COCK-EYED OPTIMIST OF THE YEAR : Alleged political satirist Adam Hills, the day after the General Election , proudly declaring: “Keir Starmer has given us all a promise of hope.” And how’s that working out for you, Adam? WORST TALENT SHOW : Made In Korea: The K-Pop Experience. Vocal coach Jin Young-Jan teamed up with choreographers Seung Hyun Yu and Do Yun Wun to polish a British ­boyband before a performance for Hee Jun Yoon. Only one problem. Kun Fuh-Kin Sing. WORST LOVE SCENE : Gary Neville with Keir Starmer before the England v Spain Euro final. Get a room, guys. HEALTH AND SAFETY WARNING OF THE YEAR : Amazon Prime’s screenings of Holocaust film Zone Of Interest, which arrived with a warning it contains: “Alcohol use and smoking .” ’Cos that’s the eternal worry isn’t it. A death camp commandant exceeds his 14 units while committing genocide. ABOUT-TURN OF 2024 : One week in March, The Last Leg host Adam Hills was joking about the Princess of Wales’ death and fanning the flames of the Photoshopping controversy by saying: “I’ve never seen our office as excited as it was by this story.” The next, Kate had announced she had cancer and Adam Hills was claiming: “We watched the news together, as a production team, and it’s fair to say a lot of people were really emotional. Our thoughts go out to the Princess and her family.” Too late, Adam. OLYMPIC FILTH GOLD MEDAL : Weightlifting, Jono Farr: “Duangaksorn Chaidee made us sweat in the snatch, she made us sweat in the clean, it took a while to get into position, but that jerk was very ­powerful.” THE AIR MILES ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD 2024 : Serial Panorama p**s- taker Richard Bilton, who flew from Iceland to the Alps to Sydney to the Barrier Reef to Southern Carolina to California and back again to Britain, via Arizona, to answer the question Can Scientists Save The World? Only to tell us: “Cutting carbon use is vital.” You first, Richard. OLYMPIC HEROES AWARD : While others, like Clare Balding , avoided the destruction of female sport issue and the grotesque spectacle of men taking part in women’s boxing , other BBC employees didn’t cower. With special mentions for Nicola Adams , Matthew Pinsent and the supremely brave Sharron Davies, who accused the IOC of “Legalising beating up females.” She deserves a damehood for services to women’s sport. WORST REALITY/TALENT SHOW CONTESTANT : Just ahead of Dean McCullough from I’m a Celebrity , Joey Essex and the entire cast of Love Island and Dating Naked? All- singing, all-dancing celebrity flasher John Barrowman , who had one shot at redemption on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins , but quit just 32 minutes after the contestants arrived at their New Zealand base. GASLIGHTER OF THE YEAR : Dating Naked, the Paramount+ channel: “Strict hygiene and dignity protocols were in place during filming.” Column returns January 10. Dumbest quiz show answers CELEBRITY Mastermind, Clive Myrie: “Which English naval captain lost his right arm in 1797 during an attack on the town of Santa Cruz on the island of Tenerife?” John Whaite: “Captain Hook.” Mastermind, Clive Myrie: “In the 1980s, Jocky Wilson, right, John Lowe and Keith Deller all won the world championship of what indoor sport?” Emma: “Cycling.” The Weakest Link , Romesh Ranganathan: “In geology, the White Cliffs of Dover are principally formed out of what substance, chalk or cheese?” Helen Flanagan: “Cheese.” The Finish Line, Roman Kemp: “Which late football manager was known as Cloughie?” Emily: “Sir Alex Ferguson .” And Romesh: “In sport, the US tennis player who won all four grand slams in the 1990s and an Olympic gold medal is Andre who?” Vicky Hawkesworth: “The Giant.” Best actor A BLANKET finish between Gary Oldman (Slow Horses), Jessica Gunning (Baby Reindeer), Toby Jones (Mr Bates Vs The Post Office), Lesley Manville (Sherwood), Marisa Abela (Industry), Anna Maxwell Martin (Until I Kill You) and my favourite, mesmerising Mark Rylance, who wasted not a single gesture in Wolf Hall: The Mirror And The Light. Worst actor THE Day Of The Jackal’s Lashana “Bianca” Lynch was narrowly beaten by Phillip Schofield for his performance in C5’s Cast Away and delivery of the line: “I’ve been chucked under the bus and I could drive the same bus over so many people. “But I’m not that sort of person, I never have been.” Ones that god away THEY may well be works of TV genius but, without apology, I just didn’t get the appeal of The Traitors (it’s a game of blink murder), Bridgerton or Rivals, which was the Disney+ channel’s ironically s**t adaptation of the Jilly Cooper novel, without the “ironically” bit. Longest career suicide Joey Essex , who spent 55 days on Love Island thoroughly convincing us that, far from being just an amiable fool, he is in fact a short-tempered, pot-stirring opportunist with a nasty passive-aggressive manner and an incredibly high opinion of himself. Strictly Come Dancing’s Chris McCausland, obviously Best subtitle for the deaf With thanks to chef Tony Singh who got Carol Vorderman to cook lamb pie, and the subtitler who attached these words just below her: “It’s mutton. OK.” Fine with me. READ MORE SUN STORIES Channel 5 News, July 12, asparagus-flinging psychic Jemima Packington: “I see a K for Kane, an E for England. It’s coming home. Best job application NO candidates from Scotland , Northern Ireland or Wales on this year’s series of The Apprentice , but the ever “diverse and inclusive” BBC did pick a vile bigot called Doctor Asif Munaf, who denounced Zionism, on social media, as “a Godless Satanic cult.” Asif, you’re so fired. Worst collaboration BBC2’s Boybands Forever concluding with the cheerful news “911 have had a massive hit with Vietnamese superstar Duc Phuc,” while the rest of us were mourning the fact he didn’t team up with Gary Barlow , Howard Donald and Mark Owen and give the world Phuc That. The Big Show, its Midnight Game Show segment, Michael McIntyre to Bradley Walsh: “Please welcome, Fanny Chmelar.” Lookalikes of the year

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Jayden Daniels and Michael Penix Jr. trained and went through the NFL draft process together on the way to becoming two of the five quarterbacks taken in the top 10. After going off the board earlier with the second pick by the Washington Commanders, Daniels has been their starter all season and one of football's breakout stars . Penix, taken eighth in a move coach Raheem Morris joked “shocked the world," waited behind Kirk Cousins until usurping the veteran and making his first pro start last week. On Sunday night, they'll face off in the league's first prime-time showdown of rookie QBs selected in the first round, and the spotlight is bright with significant playoff implications at stake. “I'm happy for him — he waited his time,” Daniels said of Penix. “He's a phenomenal player in my eyes, and I'm excited to be able to match up against him.” Daniels and the Commanders (10-5) are in the playoffs with a win. They might already be in before kickoff if Tampa Bay loses at home to Carolina, though the Buccaneers are 8-point favorites on BetMGM Sportsbook. Washington is favored by 4 against the Falcons (8-7), who are vying with the Bucs for the NFC South title and a home playoff game and also in contention with the Commanders and others for the conference's wild-card spots. “The reality is that you fight, you fight, you fight and you put yourself in a position to go out there and win your division,” Penix said. "You put yourself in a chance to get yourself to qualify for extra play. We’re right in the mix of doing that, and we’ve got to go do it and finish.” Daniels, who threw five touchdown passes to beat Philadelphia last week and end the Eagles’ winning streak at 10 games, is the prohibitive favorite to win AP Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Penix completed 18 of 27 passes for 202 yards in a rout of the New York Giants that included two touchdowns by Atlanta's defense and two on the ground from running back Bijan Robinson. “I was really pleased with his composure, his poise, his ability to click through progressions,” Morris said. "Realistically, it was a pretty clean game at the quarterback position. I’m very pleased with what he did and how he did it and the support that he had around him.” Washington's Dan Quinn is facing the Falcons as a head coach for the first time since they fired him in 2020. He was replaced then on an interim basis by Morris, who was an assistant on his staff in Atlanta the entire time Quinn was in charge, including the run to the Super Bowl in the 2016 season. “It’s always fun to play against your friends, your confidants, your mentors — whatever you want to look at it as — that we’ve been able to grow up with throughout this whole process,” said Morris, who was an assistant in Washington from 2012-14 under Mike Shanahan and interviewed for the Commanders job last winter. “Dan coaching me in college," Morris added, "and then having a chance to work together and then having a chance to really follow the same path to the National Football League and then to now being in a fortunate position to be head coaches in this awesome league and having a chance to compete against each other at a very high level with high stakes on the line in prime time and all of those things — I just enjoy those moments of being able to go against guys that you care about.” Morris said conversations from their close working relationship, which dates to their time together at Hofstra, are on a break right now. “Obviously you swap texts on normal weeks,” Morris said. “I won’t talk to him this week. I’ll ban him. I’ll block him on the phone.” Penix's results would have been even more impressive if not for some drops by receivers. Ray-Ray McCloud and Drake London had miscues on Atlanta’s opening drive. Tight end Kyle Pitts bobbled a pass later that led to Penix's interception. Serving as scout-team QB while Cousins was the starter , Penix had little practice time with the first-string offense before last week. As a left-hander, Penix gives receivers a different look, but perhaps the biggest adjustment was the added zip on his passes when compared with Cousins. “We kind of talked about that,” Morris said. “We figured that would happen. ... We talked about the reps with these guys, not having as many. So, things like that are going to happen. But I do like the fact that we’re able to keep playing and pushing and watch the guys get better and better as we went. The Commanders are expected to get two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jonathan Allen back after surgery in October to repair a torn pectoral muscle initially looked to be season-ending . “We know the caliber of Jon and what he can bring,” Quinn said. “He’s strong. He’s tough. So when that does happen, that’ll be something that will definitely bring energy to our defense.” Allen had 15 tackles and two sacks in five-plus games before getting injured at Baltimore on Oct. 13. After ranking last in the league with 10 sacks through the first 11 games, Atlanta’s long-struggling pass rush has enjoyed a dramatic surge. The Falcons have at least three in four consecutive games, the longest active streak in the league, with 16 total over this stretch. Arnold Ebiketie recorded his fifth sack and recovered a fumble against the Giants, and Kaden Elliss had a strip sack. Elliss also has five sacks and has dropped opposing QBs in four consecutive games: the longest streak by a Falcons defender since Patrick Kerney's five in a row in 2001. AP Sports Writer Charles Odum contributed. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

MACAU, Dec. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Studio City International Holdings Limited (NYSE: MSC) (“Studio City” or the “Company”), a world-class integrated resort located in Cotai, Macau, today announces that the Company’s subsidiary, Studio City Company Limited (“Studio City Company”), has entered into a senior credit facilities agreement, dated November 29, 2024, with a syndicate of banks (the “2024 Credit Facilities Agreement”). Under the terms of the 2024 Credit Facilities Agreement, lenders have made available to Studio City Company HK$1.945 billion (equivalent to approximately US$250.0 million) in revolving credit facilities for a term of five years (the “Senior Revolving Facility”). The Credit Facility Agreement also provides an option to increase the commitments under the Senior Revolving Facility in an amount not exceeding US$100 million for Studio City Company to incur further indebtedness under the Senior Revolving Facility, subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions. The Senior Revolving Facility is secured and is supported by a guarantee from the Company, Studio City Investments Limited and each subsidiary of Studio City Company. The Company intends to use the proceeds from the Senior Revolving Facility to refinance outstanding indebtedness and for general corporate and working capital purposes. Studio City Company has also entered into an amendment and restatement agreement, dated November 29, 2024, with, among others, Bank of China Limited, Macau Branch, in relation to the senior secured term loan and revolving facilities agreement dated March 15, 2021 (as amended and restated from time to time, and currently representing HK$234.0 million of committed facilities) (the “Existing Credit Facilities”) to, among other things, align certain terms of the Existing Credit Facilities with the terms of the 2024 Credit Facilities Agreement. Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Studio City International Holdings Limited (the “Company”) may also make forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and a number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. These factors include, but are not limited to, (i) the pace of recovery from the impact of COVID-19 on our business, our industry and the global economy, (ii) risks associated with the amended Macau gaming law and its implementation by the Macau government, (iii) changes in the gaming market and visitations in Macau, (iv) capital and credit market volatility, (v) local and global economic conditions, (vi) our anticipated growth strategies, (vii) gaming authority and other governmental approvals and regulations, and (viii) our future business development, results of operations and financial condition. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as “may”, “will”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “target”, “aim”, “estimate”, “intend”, “plan”, “believe”, “potential”, “continue”, “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties or factors is included in the Company’s filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law. About Studio City International Holdings Limited The Company, with its American depositary shares listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: MSC), is a world-class integrated resort located in Cotai, Macau. For more information about the Company, please visit www.studiocity-macau.com . The Company is majority owned by Melco Resorts & Entertainment Limited, a company with its American depositary shares listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (Nasdaq: MLCO). For the investment community, please contact: Jeanny Kim Senior Vice President, Group Treasurer Tel: +852 2598 3698 Email: jeannykim@melco-resorts.com For media enquiries, please contact: Chimmy Leung Executive Director, Corporate Communications Tel: +852 3151 3765 Email: chimmyleung@melco-resorts.comHeaded South for Winter? 5 Tips for Snowbirds About to Take FlightWith 2025 fast approaching, the 'Bangkok Post' takes a look at five of the top political stories that intrigued the nation over the past 12 months. 1. Srettha's govt gone in blink of an eye Srettha Thavisin's fortunes have taken a drastic turn, from a real estate mogul to the country's 30th prime minister. However, his premiership lasted barely a year before an unanticipated fall from grace. Mr Srettha was selected by the ruling Pheu Thai Party from its three candidates to be nominated for a parliamentary vote as prime minister. His nomination followed the Move Forward Party's (MFP) futile bid to get the Senate's endorsement of its own candidate, Pita Limjaroenrat, in the leadership contest. Mr Srettha assumed the premiership on Aug 22, 2023. Commanding no political faction in Pheu Thai and lacking experience in politics, he rose to the top job amid criticism he was playing the role of a puppet PM. During his stint, he was noted for his frequent official trips overseas and for having been at loggerheads with Bank of Thailand (BoT) governor Sethaput Suthiwartnarueput over interest rates. Mr Srettha repeatedly asked the BoT to cut rates to stimulate the economy, while Mr Sethaput insisted on the central bank's independence in its decision-making. Mr Srettha also earned criticism for being unable to roll out Pheu Thai's flagship digital wallet scheme as promised during the election. Meanwhile, a petition was filed against Mr Srettha for naming ex-convict Pichit Chuenban as a cabinet minister. On Aug 14, the Constitutional Court judged Mr Srettha guilty of a gross violation of ethics over the Pichit appointment. The ruling cost Mr Srettha his job. In the evening, coalition party leaders met at the Chan Songla residence of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Charan Sanitwong Road in Bangkok, reportedly at Thaksin's invitation. The attendees settled on nominating former attorney-general Chaikasem Nitisiri as prime minister. He and Paetongtarn Shinawatra were Pheu Thai's two remaining prime ministerial candidates. However, some Pheu Thai members convened an urgent meeting the next day and pressed the party to put forth Ms Paetongtarn, Thaksin's youngest daughter and leader of the party, as the prime ministerial candidate for a vote in parliament instead. The party obliged. The party members argued Mr Chaikasem suffered from ill health. Ms Paetongtarn, on the other hand, belonged to a new generation of politicians, is able to visit constituents far and wide and has the respect of party members, according to the party. Parliament on Aug 16 elected Ms Paetongtarn to be prime minister. 2. Senate poll boosts sway of the ‘blues’ party The most complicated Senate election in Thai history may be long over, but it may well have upped the ante for the “blue party” in driving a hard political bargain. The country experimented with the three-tier election in June to find 200 senators to succeed the 150-member Senate hand-picked by the now-defunct coup-maker National Council for Peace and Order. The polls held over three days in June involved electing senators from candidates representing 20 professional groups at district, provincial and national levels. The candidates were whittled down through intra-group voting, before those shortlisted cast inter-group votes that produced the 200 winners. The polls attracted a tactical mobilisation of votes by various networks and others believed to be closely affiliated with parties. Political watchers noted unusual spikes in the number of candidates registered in certain provinces. It transpired many unsuccessful candidates walked away with zero inter-group votes that eventually decided the winners. This had many analysts theorising the zero-vote candidates had been “recruited” to join the race with the aim of voting for fellow candidates who were backed by parties. An overwhelming 160-170 of the 200 senators were thought to possess a “blue” affiliation. Blue is the colour of Bhumjaithai, the second-largest coalition party. Several of the so-called blue senators had emerged triumphant in provinces dominated by Bhumjaithai, such as Buri Ram, Ang Thong, Satun, Amnat Charoen, Uthai Thani, Si Sa Ket and Ayutthaya. An impression has been created of a vast majority of senators coming to work with a string puller. They have been accused of forming a formidable force behind the blue party, given the Senate’s power to pass or block legislation. Meanwhile, Bhumjaithai has gone against the grain of other parties which support legislative changes to make a referendum on any charter rewrite easier to pass. The party’s stand aligns with the Senate which is adamant about keeping the more difficult path of the double-majority rule — where more than 50% of voters must participate in the referendum, and the majority of those who cast their votes must approve it — intact. 3. PAO polls raise party popularity stakes Elections were held for Provincial Administrative Organisation (PAO) presidents in 29 provinces despite plans to hold all PAO chairman polls on the same day in February next year. The Election Commission (EC) had called elections for PAO chairs and councillors whose term ended on Dec 19 for Feb 1. However, several local contests were held earlier due to resignations; most, if not all, incumbents quit to seek re-election while they still enjoyed strong support. Waiting until their terms expired in December and contesting the February polls could have allowed rivals to build their strength and jeopardise incumbents’ chances of retaining their posts. Among the closely watched contests was the Pathum Thani race, which was full of twists and turns. Pheu Thai candidate Charn Phuangpetch, a former long-time president of Pathum Thani’s PAO, initially won against his rival, Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit Toopkrajang, who ran under the Khon Rak Pathum (Love Pathum) group banner, by a small margin. However, Charn was suspended from office due to a pending case of corruption and malfeasance in connection with his role in Pathum Thani PAO’s procurement of flood relief supplies in 2011. An alleged election law violation, however, resulted in his being disqualified by the EC. Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit won the re-run and his victory was endorsed by the EC on Oct 16. On Oct 24, the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases sentenced Charn and six other people to 7.5 years in jail in the corruption case. This PAO contest also seized public attention due to former premier Thaksin Shinawatra’s assistance in the campaign. Thaksin went to the province and urged the red shirts, core supporters of the Pheu Thai Party, to rally behind Charn. The local contest also caused an internal rift in which veteran politician Wan Ubumrung resigned from the party after he was criticised for fraternising with Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit, a close friend of the Ubumrung family, in the first poll. The fatal shooting of Chaimet “Sor Jor Tong” Sitsanitphong, a provincial council member in Prachin Buri, on Dec 11 was a brutal reminder of the high stakes involved in PAO elections, as the violence is suspected to be linked to political power struggles. With major parties fielding candidates, the Feb 1 local polls were also seen as important barometers of party popularity on the national stage. 4. Move Forward Party is down but not out The Move Forward Party (MFP) was the third political party in Thailand to be disbanded after winning a general election. It swept to victory in the 2023 poll with the highest number of House seats, at 151, and 14 million votes in the party-list system. That was only the second time the party had contested a general election. The first was in 2019 when the Future Forward Party, the MFP’s precursor, came in third behind Pheu Thai and the Palang Pracharath Party. When the MFP was dissolved by an Aug 7, 2024 court ruling, several of its key figures were also banned from politics for 10 years, including former party leader Pita Limjaroenrat and then leader Chaithawat Tulathon. The main reason given by the court was the party’s intention to amend Section 112 of the Criminal Code, better known as the lese majeste law. This policy was seen as exploiting the monarchy as a tool to attract voters to win the 2023 election and risked dragging the monarchy into political disputes between those supporting the lese majeste law and those opposing it. The court also cited MFP’s campaign against the lese majeste law as grounds to believe the party intended to gradually undermine the importance of the monarchy. This misconduct carried the party the disbandment penalty. Reincarnated again as the People’s Party, it still has a good chance of winning the next general election, according to some political observers. 5. Thaksin shows he is no shrinking violet Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has dominated the media spotlight since his return to Thailand in August 2023. For six months he stayed out of the public eye at Police General Hospital (PGH) in Bangkok, where he was treated for mysterious illnesses instead of serving time in jail. His extended stay spoke volumes about political influence and fuelled speculation about the role he might assume after completing his one-year sentence. Following his release on parole in February, Thaksin waded back into politics. It soon became clear that his political clout is even more powerful now than it was during his time as prime minister. The father of prime minister and Pheu Thai leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra appeared at forums to outline his visions for Thailand and helped the ruling party’s candidates compete in local elections. One key moment came when he summoned leaders of the coalition partners to his Bangkok home in August to discuss replacing Srettha Thavisin, who was removed from the prime minister’s post by the Constitutional Court. Then, at a Pheu Thai Party seminar in Hua Hin recently, Thaksin criticised coalition partners who missed a Dec 11 cabinet meeting to deliberate two decrees. His criticism reinforced the belief that he is the one pulling the strings in the Pheu Thai-led government. However, Thaksin’s controversial stay at the PGH and the gathering of coalition parties at his house are now under investigation. The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) announced it would investigate officials accused of allowing Thaksin to stay at the hospital instead of prison. The NACC’s inquiry will target 12 officials from the PGH and the Department of Corrections (DoC). Meanwhile, the Election Commission (EC) said it is probing the former prime minister’s alleged manipulation of the Pheu Thai Party and interference in the coalition government, even after the court ruled recently to reject a petition related to Thaksin’s alleged involvement in politics. The EC said the court based its judgement on whether Thaksin and Pheu Thai had violated Section 49 of the constitution, which covers misconduct and claims of whether they were attempting to overthrow the constitutional monarchy. The EC, on the other hand, is looking into petitions regarding the Pheu Thai Party’s alleged violation of the organic law on parties, which prohibits a party from consenting to being manipulated by an outsider, in this case alleged to be Thaksin.

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MECHANICSBURG – Six and one-half minutes and seventy-eight yards separated the Troy football team from the Class 2A state championship on a windy and cold afternoon at Cumberland Valley High School’s Chapman Field. The Trojans just saw their slim lead evaporate midway through the fourth quarter and trailed Central Clarion by six points. Only a touchdown and extra point would get the job done. Q4, 1:15 — TROJANS BACK UP!!!! Mason Smith runs in for the 16-yard equalizer. Troy 25, Central Clarion 24 pic.twitter.com/StbzCoEpS1 FINAL — Troy 25, Central Clarion 24 The 50-yard field goal attempt is no good, Trojans survive after SIX lead changes in a battle of unbeatens to be crowned state champions! Unbelievable game. pic.twitter.com/S1rSBwzHIP Troy becomes just the fourth school from District 4 to win a football state title after being crowned PIAA 2A champion 🏆 pic.twitter.com/w9ikjup1jl More High School Sports Penn State flips Pa. No. 1 ranked prospect Andrew Olesh from Michigan Watch: Highlights of Troy’s PIAA 2A title win over Central Clarion 3-star 2026 wide receiver commits to Penn State, furthering a top-5 class in the nation Penn State lands No. 1 Pa. prospect in last-minute 2025 recruiting win over Michigan

NoneThe Times view on Kemi Badenoch: Tory FortunesWASHINGTON — Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and FBI Director Christoper Wray declined to testify publicly at a Senate committee hearing Thursday on threats to the nation, drawing a rare bipartisan rebuke from members who had to cancel it at the last minute. It was the second scuttled congressional hearing in as many days for Mayorkas and Wray, whose agencies said they offered to answer questions in detail in a classified briefing. The House Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday postponed their threats hearing — after it had been scheduled to start — and instead planned a classified version next month. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairman Gary Peters, D-Mich., pulled no punches in condemning the high-ranking officials — even though one is a Cabinet appointee in a Democratic administration — for a “shocking departure” from the tradition of public testimony at the annual hearing. “Their choice to not provide public testimony about their departments’ efforts to address wide-ranging national security threats robs the American people of critical information and the opportunity for public accountability of what the federal government is doing to keep Americans safe,” Peters said. “Americans deserve transparent, public answers about the threats we face.” Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, the top Republican on the panel, called it “unacceptable” that they didn’t testify publicly. “The American people deserve to hold these officials accountable for their actions under the Biden administration,” Paul said. It was the first time in more than 15 years that the secretary of Homeland Security and the FBI director have refused to appear before the Homeland Security committee for the threats hearing, Peters said. The likely issues members wanted to hear about include Russia continuing its efforts with election interference, which now includes evidence of bomb threats to polling places in Georgia during the 2024 election, as well as reports of certain Federal Emergency Management Agency officials who were on the ground during relief efforts for Hurricane Helene and refused to go to the homes of those with Trump campaign signs. Also, questions swirl over whether President-elect Donald Trump will upon taking office seek to fire the FBI director, who will be in the middle of his five-year term at the start of new administration, and the Department of Homeland Security’s efforts on immigration and security at the U.S-Mexico border. “Secretary Mayorkas and Director Wray’s refusal to speak publicly about their department’s work will only increase the concerns that many Americans have about our nation’s security at a challenging time, flout the committee’s efforts to conduct responsible oversight, and will deal a serious blow to trust in our government,” Peters said. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said in an email that “DHS and the FBI have offered to the Committee a classified briefing to discuss the threats to the Homeland in detail, providing the Committee with the information it needs to conduct its work in the months ahead.” “DHS and the FBI already have shared with the Committee and other Committees, and with the American public, extensive unclassified information about the current threat environment, including the recently published Homeland Threat Assessment,” the spokesperson said. “DHS takes seriously its obligation to respond to Congressional requests for testimony; in fact, Secretary Mayorkas has testified 30 times during his tenure.” The FBI in an email statement said the agency remains “committed to sharing information. FBI leaders have testified extensively in public settings about the current threat environment and believe the Committee would benefit most from further substantive discussions and additional information that can only be provided in a classified setting,” the FBI statement said. But those explanations weren’t enough to stop criticism from members of the Senate panel on both sides of the aisle. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., posted on social media late Wednesday that he heard Wray and Mayorkas were trying to cancel the hearing “and testify only behind closed doors.” After the duo canceled, Hawley posted that he looked forward “to Director Wray’s resignation.” “This is Mayorkas & Wray giving the middle finger to the American people,” Hawley wrote. “They are REQUIRED BY LAW to testify. And now they’re saying it’s good enough to post something on a website? Both are unfit for office. The Senate should subpoena them immediately and hold them in contempt.” The cancellation in the House resulted in much more muted response from lawmakers. Neither Rep. Mark Green of Tennessee, chair of the Homeland Security Committee, nor Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, the committee’s top Democrat, issued public statements. On Thursday, a House majority committee spokesperson said negotiations had been ongoing with Wray and Mayorkas. “Since early last week, our Committee had been working with the departments on setting up a classified Worldwide Threats hearing — something both the Committee majority members and DHS/FBI expressed they wanted,” the spokesperson said. “Logistically, that proved unfeasible in the timeframe we were working with, so we were planning to hold a public hearing. However, a few days ago, after further negotiation, we came to an agreement to postpone until December and to hold the hearing in a classified setting then.” ©2024 CQ-Roll Call, Inc., All Rights Reserved. Visit cqrollcall.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Fresh off one of its best showings of the season, the Baltimore defense now has another problem to worry about. Roquan Smith missed practice again Friday because of a hamstring injury. Although the Ravens didn't officially rule him or anyone else out — they don't play until Monday night — the All-Pro linebacker's status seems dicey. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

At least one Israeli airstrike shook the Lebanese capital of Beirut late Tuesday, moments after U.S. President Joe Biden said Israel and Hezbollah had agreed to ceasefire deal . At least 24 people have been killed in strikes across Lebanon, according to local authorities, as Israel signaled it aims to keep pummeling Hezbollah before the ceasefire is set to take hold at 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday. Hezbollah also fired rockets into Israel on Tuesday, triggering air raid sirens across the country’s north. An Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire would mark the first major step toward ending the regionwide unrest triggered by Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. But it does not address the devastating war in Gaza. Hezbollah began attacking Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, a day after Hamas’ attack on southern Israel, in support of the Palestinian militant group. More than a year of fighting in Lebanon escalated into all-out war in September with massive Israeli airstrikes across the country and an Israeli ground invasion of the south. In Gaza, more than 44,000 people have been killed and more than 104,000 wounded in the nearly 14-month war between Israel and Hamas, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Here's the Latest: JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security Cabinet has approved a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah, clearing the way for the truce to take effect. Netanyahu’s office said the plan was approved by a 10-1 margin. The late-night vote came shortly before President Joe Biden was expected to announced details of the deal in Washington. Earlier, Netanyahu defended the ceasefire, saying Israel has inflicted heavy damage on Hezbollah and could now focus its efforts on Hamas militants in Gaza and his top security concern, Iran. Netanyahu vowed to strike Hezbollah hard if it violates the expected deal. WASHINGTON — Rep. Mike Waltz, President-elect Donald Trump’s designate to be national security adviser, credited Trump’s victory with helping bring the parties together toward a ceasefire in Lebanon. “Everyone is coming to the table because of President Trump,” he said in a post on X on Tuesday. “His resounding victory sent a clear message to the rest of the world that chaos won’t be tolerated. I’m glad to see concrete steps towards deescalation in the Middle East.” He added: “But let’s be clear: The Iran Regime is the root cause of the chaos & terror that has been unleashed across the region. We will not tolerate the status quo of their support for terrorism.” BEIRUT — Israeli jets targeted a building in a bustling commercial area of Beirut for the first time since the start of the 13-month war between Hezbollah and Israel. The strike on Hamra is around 400 meters (yards) from the country’s central bank. A separate strike hit the Mar Elias neighborhood in the country’s capital Tuesday. There was no immediate word on casualties from either strike, part of the biggest wave of attacks on the capital since the war started. Residents in central Beirut were seen fleeing after the Israeli army issued evacuation warnings for four targets in the city. Meanwhile, the Israeli army carried out airstrikes on at least 30 targets in Beirut’s southern suburbs Tuesday, including two strikes in the Jnah neighborhood near the Kuwaiti Embassy. Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that 13 people were injured in the strikes on the southern suburbs. BEIRUT — Hezbollah has said it accepts the ceasefire proposal with Israel, but a senior official with the group said Tuesday that it had not seen the agreement in its final form. “After reviewing the agreement signed by the enemy government, we will see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials,” Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chair of Hezbollah’s political council, told the Al Jazeera news network. “We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state.” of Lebanon, he said. “Any violation of sovereignty is refused.” Among the issues that may remain is an Israeli demand to reserve the right to act should Hezbollah violate its obligations under the emerging deal. The deal seeks to push Hezbollah and Israeli troops out of southern Lebanon. JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that he would recommend his Cabinet adopt a United States-brokered ceasefire agreement with Lebanon’s Hezbollah, as Israeli warplanes struck across Lebanon, killing at least 23 people. The Israeli military also issued a flurry of evacuation warnings — a sign it was aiming to inflict punishment on Hezbollah down to the final moments before any ceasefire takes hold. For the first time in the conflict, Israeli ground troops reached parts of Lebanon’s Litani River, a focal point of the emerging deal. In a televised statement, Netanyahu said he would present the ceasefire to Cabinet ministers later on Tuesday, setting the stage for an end to nearly 14 months of fighting. Netanyahu said the vote was expected later Tuesday. It was not immediately clear when the ceasefire would go into effect, and the exact terms of the deal were not released. The deal does not affect Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, which shows no signs of ending. BEIRUT — Lebanon’s state media said Israeli strikes on Tuesday killed at least 10 people in Baalbek province the country’s east. At least three people were killed in the southern city of Tyre when Israel bombed a Palestinian refugee camp, said Mohammed Bikai, a representative of the Fatah group in the area. He said several more people were missing and at least three children were among the wounded. He said the sites struck inside the camp were “completely civilian places” and included a kitchen that was being used to cook food for displaced people. JERUSALEM — Dozens of Israeli protesters took to a major highway in Tel Aviv on Tuesday evening to call for the return of the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, as the country awaited news of a potential ceasefire in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah. Protesters chanted “We are all hostages,” and “Deal now!” waving signs with faces of some of the roughly 100 hostages believed to be still held in Gaza, at least a third of whom are thought to be dead. Most of the other hostages Hamas captured in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack were released during a ceasefire last year. The prospect of a ceasefire deal in Lebanon has raised desperation among the relatives of captives still held in Gaza, who once hoped that the release of hostages from Gaza would be included. Instead of a comprehensive deal, the ceasefire on the table is instead narrowly confined to Lebanon. Dozens of Israelis were also demonstrating against the expected cease-fire, gathering outside Israel’s military headquarters in central Tel Aviv. One of the protesters, Yair Ansbacher, says the deal is merely a return to the failed 2006 U.N. resolution that was meant to uproot Hezbollah from the area. “Of course that didn’t happen,” he says. “This agreement is not worth the paper it is written on.” FIUGGI, Italy — Foreign ministers from the world’s industrialized countries said Tuesday they strongly supported an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah and insisted that Israel comply with international law in its ongoing military operations in the region. At the end of their two-day summit, the ministers didn’t refer directly to the International Criminal Court and its recent arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister over crimes against humanity . Italy had put the ICC warrants on the official meeting agenda, even though the G7 was split on the issue. The U.S., Israel’s closest ally, isn’t a signatory to the court and has called the warrants “outrageous.” However, the EU’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell said all the other G7 countries were signatories and therefore obliged to respect the warrants. In the end, the final statement adopted by the ministers said Israel, in exercising its right to defend itself, “must fully comply with its obligations under international law in all circumstances, including international humanitarian law.” And it said all G7 members — Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States – “reiterate our commitment to international humanitarian law and will comply with our respective obligations.” It stressed that “there can be no equivalence between the terrorist group Hamas and the State of Israel.” The ICC warrants say there's reason to believe Netanyahu used “starvation as a method of warfare” by restricting humanitarian aid and intentionally targeted civilians in Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza — charges Israeli officials deny. BEIRUT — An Israeli strike on Tuesday levelled a residential building in the central Beirut district of Basta — the second time in recent days warplanes have hit the crowded area near the city’s downtown. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded in Beirut, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. It was not immediately clear if anyone in particular was targeted, though Israel says its airstrikes target Hezbollah officials and assets. The Israeli military spokesman issued a flurry of evacuation warnings for many areas, including areas in Beirut that have not been targeted throughout the war, like the capital’s commercial Hamra district, where many people displaced by the war have been staying. The warnings, coupled with fear that Israel was ratcheting up attacks in Lebanon during the final hours before a ceasefire is reached, sparked panic and sent residents fleeing in their cars to safer areas. In areas close to Hamra, families including women and children were seen running away toward the Mediterranean Sea’s beaches carrying their belongings. Traffic was completely gridlocked as people tried to get away, honking their car horns as Israeli drones buzzed loudly overhead. The Israeli military also issued warnings for 20 more buildings in Beirut’s suburbs to evacuate before they too were struck — a sign it was aiming to inflict punishment on Hezbollah in the final moments before any ceasefire takes hold. TEL AVIV, Israel — The independent civilian commission of inquiry into the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel has found Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly responsible for the failures leading up to the attack, alongside former defense ministers, the army chief and the heads of the security services. The civil commission presented its findings today after a four-month probe in which it heard some 120 witnesses. It was set up by relatives of victims of the Hamas attack, in response to the absence of any state probe. The commission determined that the Israeli government, its army and security services “failed in their primary mission of protecting the citizens of Israel.” It said Netanyahu was responsible for ignoring “repeated warnings” ahead of Oct. 7, 2023 for what it described as his appeasing approach over the years toward Hamas, and for “undermining all decision-making centers, including the cabinet and the National Security Council, in a way that prevented any serious discussion” on security issues. The commission further determined that the military and defense leaders bear blame for ignoring warnings from within the army, and for reducing the army’s presence along the Gaza border while relying excessively on technological means. On the day of the Hamas attack, the report says, the army’s response was both slow and lacking. The civil commission called for the immediate establishment of a state commission of inquiry into the Oct. 7 attack. Netanyahu has opposed launching a state commission of inquiry, arguing that such an investigation should begin only once the war is over. JERUSALEM -- The Israeli military says its ground troops have reached parts of Lebanon’s Litani River — a focal point of the emerging ceasefire. In a statement Tuesday, the army said it had reached the Wadi Slouqi area in southern Lebanon and clashed with Hezbollah forces. Under a proposed ceasefire, Hezbollah would be required to move its forces north of the Litani, which in some places is some 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of the Israeli border. The military says the clashes with Hezbollah took place on the eastern end of the Litani, just a few kilometers (miles) from the border. It is one of the deepest places Israeli forces have reached in a nearly two-month ground operation. The military says soldiers destroyed rocket launchers and missiles and engaged in “close-quarters combat” with Hezbollah forces. The announcement came hours before Israel’s security Cabinet is expected to approve a ceasefire that would end nearly 14 months of fighting. BEIRUT — Israeli jets Tuesday struck at least six buildings in Beirut’s southern suburbs Tuesday, including one that slammed near the country’s only airport. Large plumes of smoke could be seen around the airport near the Mediterranean coast, which has continued to function despite its location beside the densely populated suburbs where many of Hezbollah’s operations are based. The strikes come hours before Israel’s cabinet was scheduled to meet to discuss a proposal to end the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. The proposal calls for an initial two-month ceasefire during which Israeli forces would withdraw from Lebanon and Hezbollah would end its armed presence along the southern border south of the Litani River. There were no immediate reports of casualties from Tuesday’s airstrikes. FIUGGI, Italy — EU top diplomat Josep Borrell, whose term ends Dec. 1, said he proposed to the G7 and Arab ministers who joined in talks on Monday that the U.N. Security Council take up a resolution specifically demanding humanitarian assistance reach Palestinians in Gaza, saying deliveries have been completely impeded. “The two-state solution will come later. Everything will come later. But we are talking about weeks or days,” for desperate Palestinians, he said. “Hunger has been used as an arm against people who are completely abandoned.” It was a reference to the main accusation levelled by the International Criminal Court in its arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister. Borrell said the signatories to the court, including six of the seven G7 members, are obliged under international law to respect and implement the court’s decisions. Host Italy put the ICC warrants on the G7 agenda at the last minute, but there was no consensus on the wording of how the G7 would respond given the U.S., Israel’s closest ally, has called the warrants “outrageous.” Italy, too, has said it respects the court but expressed concern that the warrants were politically motivated and ill-advised given Netanyahu is necessary for any deal to end the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. “Like it or not, the International Criminal Court is a court as powerful as any national court,” Borrell said. “And if the Europeans don’t support International Criminal Court then there would not be any hope for justice,” he said. Borrell, whose term ends Dec. 1, said he proposed to the G7 and Arab ministers who joined in talks on Monday that the U.N. Security Council take up a resolution specifically demanding humanitarian assistance reach Palestinians in Gaza, saying deliveries have been completely impeded. “The two-state solution will come later. Everything will come later. But we are talking about weeks or days,” for desperate Palestinians, he said. “Hunger has been used as an arm against people who are completely abandoned.” It was a reference to the main accusation levelled by the International Criminal Court in its arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister. Borrell said the signatories to the court, including six of the seven G7 members, are obliged under international law to respect and implement the court’s decisions. Host Italy put the ICC warrants on the G7 agenda at the last minute, but there was no consensus on the wording of how the G7 would respond given the U.S., Israel’s closest ally, has called the warrants “outrageous.” Italy, too, has said it respects the court but expressed concern that the warrants were politically motivated and ill-advised given Netanyahu is necessary for any deal to end the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. “Like it or not, the International Criminal Court is a court as powerful as any national court,” Borrell said. “And if the Europeans don’t support International Criminal Court then there would not be any hope for justice,” he said. (edited)NoneBy JOE APU Chairman of the Mercury Maritime Concession Company Limited (MMCC), Rear Admiral Andrew Okoja (Rtd), has urged the newly appointed Chairman of the Ondo State Rowing, Canoeing, and Sailing Association, Tunde Giwa-Daramola, to prioritize the growth of water sports in the state. Admiral Okoja made the call on Thursday during a courtesy visit by Giwa-Daramola to the MMCC corporate headquarters. He emphasized the importance of developing water sports as part of broader marine sector initiatives. While discussing the proposed $30 billion Escravos Seaport Industrial Complex in the Gbamaratou Kingdom, Admiral Okoja, a former president of the Nigeria Rowing, Canoeing, and Sailing Federation, highlighted the inclusion of recreational facilities to promote water sports. “Eighty-five percent of Nigeria’s trade depends on the marine sector, and integrating sports into this ecosystem will engage youth in host communities, provide employment, and enhance recreation,” Okoja stated. Expressing confidence in Giwa-Daramola’s capabilities, he added, “With your experience as a two-time Commodore of the Navy Sailing Club, I am certain you will drive water sports development in Ondo State. The MMCC is ready to support your efforts to ensure athletes from riverine communities are actively involved in these sports.” Admiral Okoja also congratulated Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on his electoral victory, noting it reflected the people’s approval of his development agenda. In response, Giwa-Daramola outlined his vision for advancing water sports in the state. He stressed the need to popularize the sports, particularly among riverine communities that have historically produced medal-winning athletes but lack proper facilities. “My appointment by Governor Aiyedatiwa is a call to action. I intend to collaborate with stakeholders to make water sports prominent in Ondo State,” he said. He also sought MMCC’s partnership to establish an International Aquatic Centre in Igbokoda, which would train athletes in Nigeria and across West Africa. Present at the meeting were MMCC General Manager Mr. Patrick Wodah Odey and PR/Marketing Officer Miss Magdalene Amedu, as well as Giwa-Daramola’s technical team. The Ondo State government recently restructured its sports associations, appointing Giwa-Daramola as chairman of the Rowing, Canoeing, and Sailing Association, as part of efforts to revitalize sports in the state.