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Unretired two-time Pro Bowl LB Shaquil Barrett signs to resume career with Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Abortion has become slightly more common despite bans or deep restrictions in most Republican-controlled states, and the legal and political fights over its future are not over yet. It's now been two and a half years since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and opened the door for states to implement bans. The policies and their impact have been in flux ever since the ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. Here's a look at data on where things stand: Overturning Roe and enforcing abortion bans has changed how woman obtain abortions in the U.S. But one thing it hasn't done is put a dent in the number of abortions being obtained. There have been slightly more monthly abortions across the country recently than there were in the months leading up to the June 2022 ruling, even as the number in states with bans dropped to near zero. “Abortion bans don’t actually prevent abortions from happening,” said Ushma Upadhyay, a public health social scientist at the University of California San Francisco. But, she said, they do change care. For women in some states, there are major obstacles to getting abortions — and advocates say that low-income, minority and immigrant women are least likely to be able to get them when they want. For those living in states with bans, the ways to access abortion are through travel or abortion pills. As the bans swept in, abortion pills became a bigger part of the equation. They were involved in about half the abortions before Dobbs. More recently, it’s been closer to two-thirds of them, according to research by the Guttmacher Institute. The uptick of that kind of abortion, usually involving a combination of two drugs, was underway before the ruling. But now, it's become more common for pill prescriptions to be made by telehealth. By the summer of 2024, about 1 in 10 abortions was via pills prescribed via telehealth to patients in states where abortion is banned. As a result, the pills are now at the center of battles over abortion access. This month, Texas sued a New York doctor for prescribing pills to a Texas woman via telemedicine. There's also an effort by Idaho, Kansas and Missouri to roll back their federal approvals and treat them as “controlled dangerous substances,” and a push for the federal government to start enforcing a 19th-century federal law to ban mailing them. Clinics have closed or halted abortions in states with bans. But a network of efforts to get women seeking abortions to places where they're legal has strengthened and travel for abortion is now common. The Guttmacher Institute found that more than twice as many Texas residents obtained abortion in 2023 in New Mexico as New Mexico residents did. And as many Texans received them in Kansas as Kansans. Abortion funds, which benefitted from “rage giving” in 2022, have helped pay the costs for many abortion-seekers. But some funds have had to cap how much they can give . Since the downfall of Roe, the actions of lawmakers and courts have kept shifting where abortion is legal and under what conditions. Here's where it stands now: Florida, the nation’s second most-populous state, began enforcing a ban on abortions after the first six weeks of pregnancy on May 1. That immediately changed the state from one that was a refuge for other Southerners seeking abortion to an exporter of people looking for them. There were about 30% fewer abortions there in May compared with the average for the first three months of the year. And in June, there were 35% fewer. While the ban is not unique, the impact is especially large. The average driving time from Florida to a facility in North Carolina where abortion is available for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy is more than nine hours, according to data maintained by Caitlin Myers, a Middlebury College economics professor. The bans have meant clinics closed or stopped offering abortions in some states. But some states where abortion remains legal until viability – generally considered to be sometime past 21 weeks of pregnancy , though there’s no fixed time for it – have seen clinics open and expand . Illinois, Kansas and New Mexico are among the states with new clinics. There were 799 publicly identifiable abortion providers in the U.S. in May 2022, the month before the Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade. And by this November, it was 792, according to a tally by Myers, who is collecting data on abortion providers. But Myers says some hospitals that always provided some abortions have begun advertising it. So they’re now in the count of clinics – even though they might provide few of them. How hospitals handle pregnancy complications , especially those that threaten the lives of the women, has emerged as a major issue since Roe was overturned. President Joe Biden's administration says hospitals must offer abortions when they're needed to prevent organ loss, hemorrhage or deadly infections, even in states with bans. Texas is challenging the administration’s policy and the U.S. Supreme Court this year declined to take it up after the Biden administration sued Idaho. More than 100 pregnant women seeking help in emergency rooms and were turned away or left unstable since 2022, The Associated Press found in an analysis of federal hospital investigative records. Among the complaints were a woman who miscarried in the lobby restroom of Texas emergency room after staff refused to see her and a woman who gave birth in a car after a North Carolina hospital couldn't offer an ultrasound. The baby later died. “It is increasingly less safe to be pregnant and seeking emergency care in an emergency department,” Dara Kass, an emergency medicine doctor and former U.S. Health and Human Services official told the AP earlier this year. Since Roe was overturned, there have been 18 reproductive rights-related statewide ballot questions. Abortion rights advocates have prevailed on 14 of them and lost on four. In the 2024 election , they amended the constitutions in five states to add the right to abortion. Such measures failed in three states: In Florida, where it required 60% support; in Nebraska, which had competing abortion ballot measures; and in South Dakota, where most national abortion rights groups did support the measure. AP VoteCast data found that more than three-fifths of voters in 2024 supported abortion being legal in all or most cases – a slight uptick from 2020. The support came even as voters supported Republicans to control the White House and both houses of Congress. Associated Press writers Linley Sanders, Amanda Seitz and Laura Ungar contributed to this article.Luke Humphries defeats Luke Littler to retain Players Championship Finals title

Romania PM fends off far-right challenge in presidential first roundGogglebox favourites supported by fans after revealing heartbreaking loss

Stojakovic, Wilkinson lead short-handed Cal past Sacramento State, 83-77 in Cal ClassicThis article is part of SELF’s third annual Rest Week , an editorial package dedicated to doing less. Taking care of yourself, physically and emotionally, is impossible without genuine downtime. With that in mind, we’ll be publishing articles up until the new year to help you make a habit of taking breaks, chilling out, and slowing down. (And we’re taking our own advice: The SELF staff will be OOO during this time!) We hope to inspire you to take it easy and get some rest, whatever that looks like for you. For a holiday constructed around a big buildup, it’s ironic how often New Year’s Eve ends up being a total letdown. But beneath its sparkly packaging, the downsides are in abundant supply: Pressure to dress to the nines in subzero temps (and find someone to smooch on a time crunch), long lines, expensive covers, dangerous roads, next day hangxiety ...and, despite all that, the looming pressure to end your year on the highest note possible. But even if the “traditional” version of the holiday sounds like your personal hell, no one wants to start the new year off with FOMO. The good news is that there are plenty of lovely alternative options for people whose inner party animal is in hibernation, but who still want December 31 to feel a little more special than a regular Tuesday night. The secret is to be intentional about your plans, so that the holiday feels luxurious and cozy versus shabby and lonely. Below, take your pick of 21 gentler New Year’s Eve ideas that perfectly bridge the gap between party rocking and bedrotting . 1. Treat yourself to a nice hotel room—better yet, without leaving town. Order room service, take a bubble bath, wear a fluffy robe, and put a new spin on a “glamorous.” night. 2. Go to the movies. Make it a double feature. You’ll probably have your pick of seats, and there’s no better escape from reality if you’d like to forget what day it is altogether. 3. Host a pajama party. If you’re anything like me, a luxe new PJ set is always at the top of your Christmas list. Now’s your chance to show it off— and stay comfy while getting your social fix. 4. Get your mood board on. Craft girlies, this is your time to shine—and tear through that dusty stack of magazines you’ve been saving for...something. Invite your besties over, enjoy some snacks and sips , and make a perfectly Pinterest-worthy vision board for the year ahead. 5. Take all the pictures. If social media always makes you feel like crap on January 1—especially if you don’t have something fabulous to post—there’s no shame in orchestrating a photo opp (and returning to your PJs on as soon as you get the shot). 6. Make a list of your wins from the past year. The pressure to set ambitious goals for yourself starts on January 1, but New Year’s Eve is the perfect time to celebrate the big (and small) things you’ve already accomplished. Whether you got a promotion, finally found a great therapist, or just stuck to a new self-care habit, take some time to give yourself your flowers. 7. Recreate your best meal of the year. Whether that means going back to the restaurant, ordering in, or whipping it up at home, gift yourself the best bite possible. 8. Binge all the festive movies you didn’t get to. There’s never enough time to watch them all. Take advantage of the last night of the holiday season and have a proper marathon. 9. Treat yourself to a luxurious spa night. Book a massage, stock up on fancy face masks, and draw yourself a cartoonishly luxe bubble bath. Then say, “I can’t even imagine being out right now” out loud, and laugh uproariously. 10. Plot out your PTO for the coming year. Plan a fun trip or just designate a few self-care Fridays. You’ll start the new year with a bunch of things to look forward to, and it might save you from entering another December with unused vacation time. 11. Commit to a new hobby. Spend the day gathering supplies—hit the craft store for crochet needles, or pull the trigger on that gel manicure set—and the night binging tutorials. By next year, you’ll be a seasoned vet. 12. Plan a glamorous daytime activity. Get all dressed up and head to a museum, see a Nutcracker matinee, or make a fancy lunch reservation with friends—you’ll be able to say you did something celebratory, and get yourself off the hook for the night. 13. Scrapbook your sentimental junk. If you have a drawer or shoebox full of mementos from the last year (or well, well before), find a creative way to store or display them. It’ll be a sweet walk down memory lane, and a creative challenge to keep you busy all night. 14. Plan for your inner child. What would your 8-year-old self want to do most on New Year’s Eve? Whether she’d build a pillow fort to watch the ball drop, stockpile her favorite candy, invite her besties for a sleepover (stuffed animals mandatory!), or play video games for hours—trust your roots on this one, while making it happen on an adult salary. 15. Make a playlist that sums up your year. Your Spotify Wrapped may have told you the stats, but only you can capture the feeling of 2024. Curate your personal soundtrack for the last 12 months, and blast it all night for a nostalgic fix. 16. Plan a takeout dinner party. If you love everything about a party except leaving the house, this one’s for you. Order dinner in so that you can focus on the fun stuff—cute invitations, a gorgeous tablescape, a great outfit, festive decor...whatever tickles your fancy. 17. Have a game night. It’s a total cliché, but the right people can make board games , cards, or even puzzles more hilarious and entertaining than any packed bar scene. 18. Give your bedroom a mini makeover. To be clear, I would never tell you to spend a holiday cleaning your room. But refreshing your bedding, sprucing up your decor, or hanging up some new art might help you wake up feeling especially great on the first day of the year. 19. Indulge your superstitious side. Put on all your lucky clothes, manifest your heart out , and run through all the habits that you’re convinced bring you good juju. If you’re in the mood for company, it’s also a great theme for a gathering. 20. Turn your pantry cleanout into a cooking challenge. If you find comfort in productivity, you’ll feel great about ending the year decluttering. Instead of letting the weird baking mixes or seasonings go to waste, team up with your partner or roommates and make an Iron Chef style meal of the rejects. 21. Go to bed early. If you need permission, here it is. The new year will be there in the morning (and for 364 days after that), even if you don’t stay up to greet it. Related: If Being Single Around the Holidays Makes You Feel Super Lonely, You’re So Not Alone Might I Suggest Faking a Holiday Nap? If You’re Having a Hard Time During the Holidays, Consider a Horror Movie Get more of SELF's great service journalism delivered right to your inbox .

MaineHealth Franklin Hospital receives award for having ‘pediatric ready’ emergency department

AP Trending SummaryBrief at 4:13 p.m. ESTThree people in hospital due to collision

Gogglebox favourites supported by fans after revealing heartbreaking lossUtah Hockey Club just passed the quarter mark of the NHL season. And the up-and-down start to the franchise’s inaugural campaign has left fans with plenty of questions. Well, you asked and we answered. What are the plans on getting Kolyachonok back into the rotation? When asked about this, head coach André Tourigny pointed to the fact that another defenseman would have to “lose their job” for Vladislav Kolyachonok to enter the lineup. In other words, a player in Utah’s D-corps’ performance would have to noticeably drop for Kolyachonok to be a viable replacement. Tourigny has seemed pleased with how the backend and its pairings have settled since the injuries of Sean Durzi and John Marino , as well as the addition of Olli Määttä . That said, Utah continues to face injury challenges on its blue line. Robert Bortuzzo — while he played Friday against the Edmonton Oilers — was previously listed as day to day after leaving Tuesday’s game in Montreal with a lower-body injury. Maveric Lamoureux —who has been on the second pair with Ian Cole — is now out four to six weeks with an upper-body injury. That could really open things up for Kolyachonok. In my view, if Utah wants Kolyachonok to be part of its defensive future, he needs consistent playing time to figure it out; he’s only played 13 games this year. That’s been hard with Lamoureux coming up from the AHL and filling the gap as well as he had. But, in short, it feels like both a numbers game and a belief that other defensemen bring more to the game than Kolyachonok. For us relatively new hockey fans, how do young teams/rebuilds usually go in the NHL? Is this team-building plan common? What are common things to watch for as good indicators on young players? The unfortunate thing about NHL rebuilds for fans is it takes a while; I would say five to seven years. Especially for a Utah franchise (previously the Arizona Coyotes) that stripped the team down to its bearings when g eneral manager Bill Armstrong was hired in September 2020, patience is key in waiting for the new pieces and planning to start producing. Rebuilds are common in the NHL, especially with the salary cap and the reality of big-name players exiting the peaks of their careers. Rebuilds see teams’ previous top players get traded in exchange for draft picks or younger prospects – it’s a commitment, to say the least. (Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club General Manager Bill Armstrong answers questions during media day at the Delta Center, on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. In terms of things to watch for as good indicators on young players, I think you are seeing a lot of that in Utah this season. While the whole team may not be having success on a nightly basis, the confidence and consistent production from players like Dylan Guenther , Jack McBain and Logan Cooley are important. Those guys will be core pieces of Utah when it becomes a contender, so the earlier they get going, the better. I’ll also add that a separate positive indicator is the caliber of player Armstrong was able to bring in over the summer. Having two-time Stanley Cup champion Mikhail Sergachev lead your backend with his experience and skill has been an intangible asset for Utah this season and has shifted the winning culture within the locker room. That’s another step in the rebuild. Do you feel like this team has what it takes to push for a playoff spot this season? With how the team is playing at the quarter-mark of the season, no I do not see Utah earning a playoff positioning this season. While the team is only four points out of the second wild card spot in the Western Conference, the lack of consistency and killer instinct thus far does not bode well for postseason success. Utah has yet to win consecutive games since the first week of the season and its more veteran forwards — who led the team in scoring last season — have not been able to come up clutch for the group when needed. Utah is still learning how to close out games, protect and extend leads and capitalize on special teams when needed. They’ve had specific players hit hot streaks, but Utah needs the whole team going to really turn a corner this year, which it hasn’t had yet. And that’s OK, it is expected in the fourth year of a rebuild. If, however, Utah can string some wins together at the right time and get the reinforcements of Durzi and Marino coming back from injury, it could miraculously back itself into a wildcard spot. I’m just not confident about it. But hey, I hope I’m wrong. What changes would you make to the team if you were head coach for a day? If this question were asked a week ago, I would say put McBain, Cooley and Guenther back together on the second line. But Tourigny did that — it has worked in Utah’s favor. Other than that, I would like to see Liam O’Brien get in the forward rotation a bit more often. Michael Carcone seems to have secured the fourth-line wing position as the team wants him to get his offense going, but I think Utah needs the passion, spark and physicality that O’Brien brings on some nights (not all). Utah has the fifth-least hits in the NHL this season with 366. San Jose Sharks right wing Givani Smith (54) fights against Utah Hockey Club center Liam O'Brien, left, during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, Oct 28, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Melissa Majchrzak) Perhaps harsh, but I’d also take Nick Schmaltz off the first power play unit. He has 17 assists which is a positive and helps move the puck around well on that unit, but he’s not scoring and, in hand, he does not look confident. I understand the team wanting to put him in positions to score, but his looks as of late on the man advantage have not been dangerous. I’d swap him with Matias Maccelli, or put Barrett Hayton back at the net-front and swing Cooley over to the wing. Who do you think has performed best on the team so far this season? McBain has been Utah’s unsung hero. He is on pace to have a career year in terms of points and has 11 (eight goals, three assists) through 23 games this season. Tourigny said it last week, McBain has been one of Utah’s most consistent forwards no matter what role he is playing. The 24-year-old spent a few weeks on the fourth line with Carcone and Kevin Stenlund before moving back to the second line with Cooley and Guenther, but did not change his intensity nor intention. It is not just the offense that has impressed. McBain still takes pride in his defensive game, is strong on the penalty kill and leads the team with 63 hits. Overall, though, Sergachev has been the most valuable player for this Utah team in my eyes. He plays in all situations — while averaging 25:43 of ice time a night — and brings a certain steadiness and swagger to the lineup. The defenseman has 15 points (six goals, nine assists) and is not afraid to get in scrums, stick up for his teammates and gut out extra shifts when Utah is down a player. His skill is obvious, but the amount Sergachev simply cares and the accountability he brings to the team has added to his performance. Utah Hockey Club's Jack McBain (22) returns to the bench after scoring during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) What is the average number of UHC fans you have seen at road games? Are they noticeable in the arena at all? What is your favorite thing about Utah so far and the most surprising (good or bad)? I’ve seen a few Utah Hockey Club fans at road games — especially in Las Vegas — but not enough to hear during a game. They’re definitely at warmups and I imagine that will continue to build as the fan base does in the coming years. My favorite thing about Utah, without a doubt, has been covering the team, getting to chronicle the inaugural season and connecting with all of you. Aside from hockey, I’ve loved living around the mountains, going on hikes, trying new restaurants, meeting new people and getting a new life experience that isn’t the East Coast. The most surprising thing might be how you have to drive to get everywhere. I guess I knew that coming in, but as a New Yorker who got their driver license a week before the move, it has been the biggest adjustment. But I’m learning! The GSAA/win discrepancy between the goalies? Simplified, I think Karel Vejmelka has played better than expected and Connor Ingram has played worse than expected this season. Vejmelka — who got his fifth consecutive start on Friday — has been tabbed as Utah’s No. 1 goaltender as of now with Ingram sidelined with an upper-body injury. Tourigny said Thursday that it would be at least another week for Ingram. Perhaps that had been affecting Ingram’s game. Vejmelka, though, has handled the responsibility well with a 2.25 goals against average, .922 SV% and 6.2 goals saved above average. In terms of the discrepancy in wins, I would say it has more to do with Utah’s offensive production in front of each goaltender rather than the goaltender’s actual performance. Utah has been shut out five times this season and Vejmelka has been in net for four of those games. In the 1-0 loss to the Boston Bruins on Nov. 22, Vejmelka made 30 saves and the team still did not win. In the 12 games Vejmelka has played in — both started and came in as relief — Utah has scored a cumulative 23 goals. It is less of a goaltending discrepancy and more of an issue with team offense. (Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) blocks a shot on goal during the second period of the game at Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. How do the digital ads on the dasherboards work on the away broadcast? There will be all local ads, then usually once per period, they display an ad local to the away market. The digitally enhanced dasherboards (DED) can replace camera-visible ads at away arenas with local sponsorships. Since the stream is on SEG+, even if the team is playing on the road, its advertisers are still able to show up on the boards with the DED technology. Sponsors can purchase space in five “zones” — behind both nets, the offensive, defensive and neutral zones. Teams have 120 ad increments each game spanning around 30 seconds. Local ads to the away markets will show up when Utah’s sponsors aren’t up using the DED technology because those are actually painted on the in-arena dasherboards. What will the jersey look like next year? Team president Chris Armstrong said the plan is to stick to the general look of the Utah jersey this year but to incorporate whatever the new logo ends up being. The team will still sell the inaugural jerseys with “UTAH” across the chest, but once there is an official team name, there will be a partial redesign. Armstrong also said they are taking feedback from both players and fans about specifics of the jerseys that are either liked or disliked and will consider that with the next phase of production. As a new hockey watcher, does Utah HC have the stereotypical “enforcer” and who would it be? Liam O’Brien would be the first to come to mind in terms of an enforcer role, but he has only played three games this season so has not been able to fulfill regularly. O’Brien is known for getting in fights, throwing big hits and being there to keep the opposition in check. Without O’Brien, I think McBain, Robert Bortuzzo and Ian Cole have a real grit and edge to their games, but I would not call them enforcers. What has been going on with Maccelli? He seems to be playing significantly less minutes than last season. Matias Maccelli is not producing at the rate most thought he would to start the season. After averaging 16:14 of ice time and logging 57 points (17 goals, 40 assists) through 82 games last year, Maccelli is now averaging 14:02 of ice time and has nine points (three goals, six assists) through 22 games. (Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club left wing Matias Maccelli (63) looks to pass the puck during the first period of the game at Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. Part of that drop-off comes from the fact that his line as a whole has not been putting up a lot of points apart from Nick Bjugstad who has found some jump recently. Lawson Crouse — who Maccelli historically has strong chemistry with — has five points (four goals, one assist) in 23 games after having the second-most goals on the team last year with 23. Both of the wing players are struggling a bit and have been unable to help each other out. Maccelli’s turnover which led to the Edmonton Oilers' game-winning goal on Friday at Delta Center cannot bode well for confidence, either. What is going on with Schmaltz? It seems like the scoring drought is starting to affect him mentally. Lots of whiffs on pucks in front of the net. Schmaltz said himself that a lot of it is, in fact, mental. We talked to him after the 1-0 loss to the Boston Bruins on Nov. 22 and he said he — and his teammates — “just need to see one go in.” Going a quarter of the season without a goal for Schmaltz who is usually a top-scorer on the team has evidently taken hits to his confidence; I think that’s where the whiffs and low-quality shots are coming from. Schmaltz has still contributed with a team-leading 17 assists, but as a first-line winger, he simply needs to score. I think once Schmaltz gets his first of the season and can get that initial weight off his shoulders his game will loosen up and he’ll find more scoring regularity. But until then, it continues to be a problem for both him and Utah. How is Sergachev in the locker room and in practice? Is he truly stepping into his role of mentoring our young guys? Sergachev is, without a doubt, one of the biggest leaders on the Utah team. The standard he holds himself to and the way he works for it trickles down throughout the lineup even if he is not the loudest guy in the locker room. Sergachev is not one to make a speech or yell, but he leads by example, holds himself and his teammates accountable and is always hungry for more. I think this quote from Tourigny a few weeks ago sums it up perfectly. (Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club defenseman Mikhail Sergachev (98) during an NHL hockey game at the Delta Center against the Calgary Flames in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024. “Sergy is not a loud guy. He’s not a guy that will impose himself. He’s a student of the game, he’s really passionate and he’s a straight shooter...He doesn’t hide himself and he doesn’t hide what can make us good...His voice carries a lot of weight,” Tourigny said. “He’s not a guy that’s just a passenger, he’s all in.” How is Tij Iginla progressing? Tij Iginla is having himself a season with the Kelowna Rockets in the Western Hockey League. The 18-year-old forward — who was drafted sixth overall by Utah in the 2024 NHL Draft — has 27 points (13 goals, 14 assists) through 19 games thus far while serving as an assistant captain for the team. There are high expectations for Iginla in Utah, especially in terms of the kind of goal-scorer he could mature into, and it seems he has taken that to heart as he increases his production. Iginla is on pace for a 92-point season which is eight points higher than last year. Iginla has also played some games as a center instead of left-wing, a move Utah management will likely be happy about. After losing Conor Geekie in the Sergachev trade, Utah will rely on young prospects like Iginla and 24th overall pick Cole Beaudoin to fill those gaps in the future at the pivot position. Which Utah Hockey Club player do you like the most? No favorites! Best food on each road trip so far? Salt and Smoke in St. Louis might be some of the best barbecue I’ve ever had. I got the pulled pork sandwich with mac and cheese and it did not disappoint. The restaurant has all of its homemade sauces on the table for you to choose from and experiment with, too. No notes. It was great. Tacos El Gordo in Las Vegas was also a standout. I got a quesadilla and a steak taco, both were delicious. Came with all the traditional toppings in freshly-made corn tortillas and guacamole. Lastly, I had to hit a Boston classic with Tatte when I was there — one of my favorite iced lattes and pastries. With Doan doing so well now in the AHL, do you think the call-up happens before the end of the year? I think J osh Doan will see another NHL game before the season ends, but it is hard to say when because there simply is not room in the roster right now. Utah has, luckily, not sustained any injuries to its forward group this season which has resulted in little room for personnel adjustments. The team also has 13 forwards — one more than needed on a nightly basis — which has made O’Brien a healthy scratch for all but three games this year. Doan has posted seven points (four goals, three assists) through 11 games with the Tucson Roadrunners and is doing a lot of things management wanted to see from him when he initially got sent down — play bigger, more important minutes, be in all situations and get his scoring confidence back. Despite those positives, the logistics of a call-up is what makes it complicated. (Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club right wing Josh Doan (91) shoots during the game between the Utah Hockey Club and the Ottawa Senators at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. To send any of the current Utah forwards down to the AHL they would need to pass waivers where it is likely another team could pick up the player. There also aren’t many forwards who play nightly that should or would be taken out of the lineup. Even though players like Crouse and Maccelli aren’t producing at the needed rate, they aren’t going to lose their spots to Doan. I, personally, would encourage the mix-up eventually and think that Doan could bring a spark. But staying in the AHL is not hurting his development and he will only be a better Utah Hockey Club player for it. What improvements to the in-arena experience would you like to see? Who is the surprise player this year in terms of output? What is the best pizza so far in SLC? I think the in-arena experience will keep getting better throughout the season and the next few years as the team cements its identity and a Utah brand of hockey. Especially when an official name is picked, I think signature cheers and traditions will be easier to form and feel more natural. And, when more jerseys can be sold, the crowd will feel and look more unified which always adds to the experience. In terms of immediate improvements, I think the song selections could move away from the more techno/club vibe and more sing-along, old-time favorite choices. Overall, though, the atmosphere at Delta Center has been impressive in the inaugural season — better than a handful of road games I’ve been to. As for the surprise player in terms of output, I’d refer to my answer a few questions up about McBain. I will also throw Michael Kesselring into that group who has 11 points (three goals, eight assists) through 23 games. His ability to rise to the occasion has been big for Utah. Lastly, hate to admit it, but I have not had pizza since moving to Salt Lake City. I’m open to suggestions! (Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah fans cheer a goal by the Utah Hockey Club against the Washington Capitals during an NHL hockey game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. Do you have a sense for a timeline on a name announcement for next year? The team filed intent-to-use applications in April for all the team names under consideration. The trademark office currently has a 7.5-month timeline to review applications, which would mean Utah could expect to be approved around March. That being said, there has been no new information about when the team would announce which name it is using. My guess is that it waits until the season is over. Has a veteran adopted Maveric Lamoureux yet or is he still living in the hotel? Lamoureux is no longer living in a hotel and is instead living in an apartment. No veteran adopted him, although Välimäki previously offered Lamoureux to live in his basement for $5,000 as a joke. It seems Lamoureux turned that down. Editor’s note • All stats in this story were current as of Nov.30.

By JILL COLVIN and STEPHEN GROVES WASHINGTON (AP) — After several weeks working mostly behind closed doors, Vice President-elect JD Vance returned to Capitol Hill this week in a new, more visible role: Helping Donald Trump try to get his most contentious Cabinet picks to confirmation in the Senate, where Vance has served for the last two years. Vance arrived at the Capitol on Wednesday with former Rep. Matt Gaetz and spent the morning sitting in on meetings between Trump’s choice for attorney general and key Republicans, including members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The effort was for naught: Gaetz announced a day later that he was withdrawing his name amid scrutiny over sex trafficking allegations and the reality that he was unlikely to be confirmed. Thursday morning Vance was back, this time accompanying Pete Hegseth, the “Fox & Friends Weekend” host whom Trump has tapped to be the next secretary of defense. Hegseth also has faced allegations of sexual assault that he denies. Vance is expected to accompany other nominees for meetings in coming weeks as he tries to leverage the two years he has spent in the Senate to help push through Trump’s picks. Vice President-elect JD Vance, still a Republican senator from Ohio, walks from a private meeting with President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., center, and Vice President-elect JD Vance, left, walk out of a meeting with Republican Senate Judiciary Committee members, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, departs the chamber at the Capitol in Washington, March 15, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, center speaks during a Senate Banking Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, right, speaks with Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, before testifying at a hearing, March 9, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, arrives for a classified briefing on China, at the Capitol in Washington, Feb. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, arrives for a vote on Capitol Hill, Sept. 12, 2023 in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance R-Ohio speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Feb. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File) Vice President-elect JD Vance, still a Republican senator from Ohio, walks from a private meeting with President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Vance is taking on an atypical role as Senate guide for Trump nominees The role of introducing nominees around Capitol Hill is an unusual one for a vice president-elect. Usually the job goes to a former senator who has close relationships on the Hill, or a more junior aide. But this time the role fits Vance, said Marc Short, who served as Trump’s first director of legislative affairs as well as chief of staff to Trump’s first vice president, Mike Pence, who spent more than a decade in Congress and led the former president’s transition ahead of his first term. ”JD probably has a lot of current allies in the Senate and so it makes sense to have him utilized in that capacity,” Short said. Unlike the first Trump transition, which played out before cameras at Trump Tower in New York and at the president-elect’s golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, this one has largely happened behind closed doors in Palm Beach, Florida. There, a small group of officials and aides meet daily at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort to run through possible contenders and interview job candidates. The group includes Elon Musk, the billionaire who has spent so much time at the club that Trump has joked he can’t get rid of him. Vance has been a constant presence, even as he’s kept a lower profile. The Ohio senator has spent much of the last two weeks in Palm Beach, according to people familiar with his plans, playing an active role in the transition, on which he serves as honorary chair. Mar-a-Lago scene is a far cry from Vance’s hardscrabble upbringing Vance has been staying at a cottage on the property of the gilded club, where rooms are adorned with cherubs, oriental rugs and intricate golden inlays. It’s a world away from the famously hardscrabble upbringing that Vance documented in the memoir that made him famous, “Hillbilly Elegy.” His young children have also joined him at Mar-a-Lago, at times. Vance was photographed in shorts and a polo shirt playing with his kids on the seawall of the property with a large palm frond, a U.S. Secret Service robotic security dog in the distance. Related Articles On the rare days when he is not in Palm Beach, Vance has been joining the sessions remotely via Zoom. Though he has taken a break from TV interviews after months of constant appearances, Vance has been active in the meetings, which began immediately after the election and include interviews and as well as presentations on candidates’ pluses and minuses. Among those interviewed: Contenders to replace FBI Director Christopher Wray , as Vance wrote in a since-deleted social media post. Defending himself from criticism that he’d missed a Senate vote in which one of President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees was confirmed, Vance wrote that he was meeting at the time “with President Trump to interview multiple positions for our government, including for FBI Director.” “I tend to think it’s more important to get an FBI director who will dismantle the deep state than it is for Republicans to lose a vote 49-46 rather than 49-45,” Vance added on X. “But that’s just me.” Vance is making his voice heard as Trump stocks his Cabinet While Vance did not come in to the transition with a list of people he wanted to see in specific roles, he and his friend, Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., who is also a member of the transition team, were eager to see former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. find roles in the administration. Trump ended up selecting Gabbard as the next director of national intelligence , a powerful position that sits atop the nation’s spy agencies and acts as the president’s top intelligence adviser. And he chose Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services , a massive agency that oversees everything from drug and food safety to Medicare and Medicaid. Vance was also a big booster of Tom Homan, the former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, who will serve as Trump’s “border czar.” In another sign of Vance’s influence, James Braid, a top aide to the senator, is expected to serve as Trump’s legislative affairs director. Allies say it’s too early to discuss what portfolio Vance might take on in the White House. While he gravitates to issues like trade, immigration and tech policy, Vance sees his role as doing whatever Trump needs. Vance was spotted days after the election giving his son’s Boy Scout troop a tour of the Capitol and was there the day of leadership elections. He returned in earnest this week, first with Gaetz — arguably Trump’s most divisive pick — and then Hegseth, who has was been accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 2017, according to an investigative report made public this week. Hegseth told police at the time that the encounter had been consensual and denied any wrongdoing. Vance hosted Hegseth in his Senate office as GOP senators, including those who sit on the Senate Armed Services Committee, filtered in to meet with the nominee for defense secretary. While a president’s nominees usually visit individual senators’ offices, meeting them on their own turf, the freshman senator — who is accompanied everywhere by a large Secret Service detail that makes moving around more unwieldy — instead brought Gaetz to a room in the Capitol on Wednesday and Hegseth to his office on Thursday. Senators came to them. Vance made it to votes Wednesday and Thursday, but missed others on Thursday afternoon. Vance will draw on his Senate background going forward Vance is expected to continue to leverage his relationships in the Senate after Trump takes office. But many Republicans there have longer relationships with Trump himself. Sen. Kevin Cramer, a North Dakota Republican, said that Trump was often the first person to call him back when he was trying to reach high-level White House officials during Trump’s first term. “He has the most active Rolodex of just about anybody I’ve ever known,” Cramer said, adding that Vance would make a good addition. “They’ll divide names up by who has the most persuasion here,” Cramer said, but added, “Whoever his liaison is will not work as hard at it as he will.” Cramer was complimentary of the Ohio senator, saying he was “pleasant” and ” interesting” to be around. ′′He doesn’t have the long relationships,” he said. “But we all like people that have done what we’ve done. I mean, that’s sort of a natural kinship, just probably not as personally tied.” Under the Constitution, Vance will also have a role presiding over the Senate and breaking tie votes. But he’s not likely to be needed for that as often as was Kamala Harris, who broke a record number of ties for Democrats as vice president, since Republicans will have a bigger cushion in the chamber next year. Colvin reported from New York. Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) — For years, Pat Verhaeghe didn’t think highly of Donald Trump as a leader. Then Verhaeghe began seeing more of Trump’s campaign speeches online and his appearances at sporting events. There was even the former president’s pairing with Bryson DeChambeau as part of the pro golfer’s YouTube channel series to shoot an under-50 round of golf while engaging in chitchat with his partner. “I regret saying this, but a while ago I thought he was an idiot and that he wouldn’t be a good president,” said the 18-year-old first-time voter. “I think he’s a great guy now.” Verhaeghe isn't alone among his friends in suburban Detroit or young men across America. Although much of the electorate shifted right to varying degrees in 2024, young men were one of the groups that swung sharply toward Trump. More than half of men under 30 supported Trump, according to AP VoteCast , a survey of more than 120,000 voters, while Democrat Joe Biden had won a similar share of this group four years earlier. White men under 30 were solidly in Trump’s camp this year — about 6 in 10 voted for Trump — while young Latino men were split between the two candidates. Most Black men under 30 supported Democrat Kamala Harris, but about one-third were behind Trump. Young Latino men’s views of the Democratic Party were much more negative than in 2020, while young Black men’s views of the party didn’t really move. About 6 in 10 Latino men under 30 had a somewhat or very favorable view of the Democrats in 2020, which fell to about 4 in 10 this year. On the other hand, about two-thirds of young Black men had a favorable view of the Democrats this year, which was almost identical to how they saw the party four years ago. “Young Hispanic men, and really young men in general, they want to feel valued," said Rafael Struve, deputy communications director for Bienvenido, a conservative group that focused on reaching young Hispanic voters for Republicans this year. “They're looking for someone who fights for them, who sees their potential and not just their struggles.” Struve cited the attempted assassination of Trump during a July rally in Pennsylvania as one of the catalyzing moments for Trump’s image among many young men. Trump, Struve said, was also able to reach young men more effectively by focusing on nontraditional platforms like podcasts and digital media outlets. “Getting to hear from Trump directly, I think, really made all the difference," Struve said of the former president's appearances on digital media platforms and media catering to Latino communities, like town halls and business roundtables Trump attended in Las Vegas and Miami. Not only did Trump spend three hours on Joe Rogan's chart-topping podcast, but he took up DeChambeau's “Break 50” challenge for the golfer's more than 1.6 million YouTube subscribers. Trump already had an edge among young white men four years ago, although he widened the gap this year. About half of white men under 30 supported Trump in 2020, and slightly less than half supported Biden. Trump's gains among young Latino and Black men were bigger. His support among both groups increased by about 20 percentage points, according to AP VoteCast — and their feelings toward Trump got warmer, too. It wasn’t just Trump. The share of young men who identified as Republicans in 2024 rose as well, mostly aligning with support for Trump across all three groups. “What is most alarming to me is that the election is clear that America has shifted right by a lot,” said William He, founder of Dream For America, a liberal group that works to turn out young voters and supported Harris’ presidential bid. With his bombastic demeanor and a policy agenda centered on a more macho understanding of culture , Trump framed much of his campaign as a pitch to men who felt scorned by the country’s economy, culture and political system. Young women also slightly swung toward the former president, though not to the degree of their male counterparts. It's unclear how many men simply did not vote this year. But there's no doubt the last four years brought changes in youth culture and how political campaigns set out to reach younger voters. Democrat Kamala Harris' campaign rolled out policy agendas tailored to Black and Latino men, and the campaign enlisted a range of leaders in Black and Hispanic communities to make the case for the vice president. Her campaign began with a flurry of enthusiasm from many young voters, epitomized in memes and the campaign's embrace of pop culture trends like the pop star Charli XCX's “brat” aesthetic . Democrats hoped to channel that energy into their youth voter mobilization efforts. “I think most young voters just didn’t hear the message,” said Santiago Mayer, executive director of Voters of Tomorrow, a liberal group that engages younger voters. Mayer said the Harris campaign’s pitch to the country was “largely convoluted” and centered on economic messaging that he said wasn’t easily conveyed to younger voters who were not already coming to political media. “And I think that the policies themselves were also very narrow and targeted when what we really needed was a simple, bold economic vision,” said Mayer. Trump also embraced pop culture by appearing at UFC fights, football games and appearing alongside comedians, music stars and social media influencers. His strategists believed that the former president’s ability to grab attention and make his remarks go viral did more for the campaign than paid advertisements or traditional media appearances. Trump's campaign also heavily cultivated networks of online conservative platforms and personalities supportive of him while also engaging a broader universe of podcasts, streaming sites, digital media channels and meme pages open to hearing him. “The right has been wildly successful in infiltrating youth political culture online and on campus in the last couple of years, thus radicalizing young people towards extremism,” said He, who cited conservative activist groups like Turning Point USA as having an outsize impact in online discourse. “And Democrats have been running campaigns in a very old fashioned way. The battleground these days is cultural and increasingly on the internet.” Republicans may lose their broad support if they don't deliver on improving Americans' lives, Struve cautioned. Young men, especially, may drift from the party in a post-Trump era if the party loses the president-elect's authenticity and bravado. Bienvenido, for one group, will double down in the coming years to solidify and accelerate the voting pattern shifts seen this year, Struve said. “We don’t want this to be a one and done thing,” he said. ___ Associated Press writer Joey Cappelletti in Lansing, Michigan, and AP polling editor Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux contributed to this report.Australia in a baby bust? It’s not that simple – and a panic won’t help

Best Bets for NCAA Basketball Picks Against the Spread for Sunday, November 24TALLAHASSEE — Matt Gaetz’ knack for courting controversy has finally caught up with him. The right-wing firebrand, political prankster, steadfast Trump defender and party animal stepped down as the president-elect’s choice for Attorney General once it was made clear to him he didn’t have the needed support in the U.S. Senate. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

Crypto boss eats banana art he bought for $6.2 million

The world's most climate-imperilled nations stormed out of consultations in protest at the deadlocked UN COP29 conference Saturday, as simmering tensions over a hard-fought finance deal erupted into the open. Diplomats from small island nations threatened by rising seas and impoverished African states angrily filed out of a meeting with summit hosts Azerbaijan over a final deal being thrashed out in a Baku sports stadium. "We've just walked out. We came here to this COP for a fair deal. We feel that we haven't been heard," said Cedric Schuster, the Samoan chairman of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS). An unpublished version of the final text circulating in Baku, and seen by AFP, proposes that rich nations raise to $300 billion a year by 2035 their commitment to poorer countries to fight climate change. COP29 hosts Azerbaijan intended to put a final draft before 198 nations for adoption or rejection on Saturday evening, a full day after the marathon summit officially ended. But, in a statement, AOSIS said it had "removed" itself from the climate finance discussions, demanding an "inclusive" process. "If this cannot be the case, it becomes very difficult for us to continue our involvement here at COP29," it said. Sierra Leone's climate minister Jiwoh Abdulai, whose country is among the world's poorest, said the draft was "effectively a suicide pact for the rest of the world". An earlier offer from rich nations of $250 billion was slammed as offensively low by developing countries, who have demanded much higher sums to build resilience against climate change and cut emissions. UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said the revised offer of $300 billion was "a significant scaling up" of the existing pledge by developed nations, which also count the United States, European Union and Japan among their ranks. At sunset, a final text still proved elusive, as harried diplomats ran to-and-fro in the stadium near the Caspian Sea searching for common ground. "Hopefully this is the storm before the calm," said US climate envoy John Podesta in the corridors as somebody shouted "shame" in his direction. Earlier, the EU's climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra said negotiators were not out of the woods yet. "We're doing everything we can on each of the axes to build bridges and to make this into a success. But it is iffy whether we will succeed," he said. Ali Mohamed, the Kenyan chair of the African Group of Negotiators, told AFP: "No deal is better than a bad deal." South African environment minister Dion George, however, said: "I think being ambitious at this point is not going to be very useful." "What we are not up for is going backwards or standing still," he said. "We might as well just have stayed at home then." The revised offer from rich countries came with conditions in other parts of the broader climate deal under discussion in Azerbaijan. The EU in particular wants an annual review on global efforts to phase out fossil fuels, which are the main drivers of global warming. This has run into opposition from Saudi Arabia, which has sought to water down a landmark pledge to transition away from oil, gas and coal made at COP28 last year. "We will not allow the most vulnerable, especially the small island states, to be ripped off by the new, few rich fossil fuel emitters," said German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. Wealthy nations counter that it is politically unrealistic to expect more in direct government funding. The US earlier this month elected former president Donald Trump, a sceptic of both climate change and foreign assistance, and a number of other Western countries have seen right-wing backlashes against the green agenda. A coalition of more than 300 activist groups accused historic polluters most responsible for climate change of skirting their obligation, and urged developing nations to stand firm. The draft deal posits a larger overall target of $1.3 trillion per year to cope with rising temperatures and disasters, but most would come from private sources. Even $300 billion would be a step up from the $100 billion now provided by wealthy nations under a commitment set to expire. A group of developing countries had demanded at least $500 billion, with some saying that increases were less than met the eye due to inflation. Experts commissioned by the United Nations to assess the needs of developing countries said $250 billion was "too low" and by 2035 rich nations should be providing at least $390 billion. The US and EU have wanted newly wealthy emerging economies like China -- the world's largest emitter -- to chip in. China, which remains classified as a developing nation under the UN framework, provides climate assistance but wants to keep doing so on its own voluntary terms. bur-np-sct/lth/givOklahoma Democrats mourn Fred Harris, former US senator and presidential candidateOur community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Gogglebox 's Stephen Webb and his estranged Daniel Lustig-Webb are mourning the loss of their cherished dog. The pair, who were married in 2018 and surprised fans with news of their split earlier this year , have been co-parenting their adorable brood of dogs amidst their separation. Despite going their separate ways, they've been lauded for their commitment to their furry friends. However, a touching Instagram post on Sunday, 24 November, the former couple announced the sad passing of one of their beloved pets. They posted an image of their dog donning a vibrant orange collar against a blustery backdrop. Alongside the photo, they penned a heartfelt tribute: "Today we said goodbye to the kindest little girl, our princess RIP @lustig75." Their followers flooded the comments with messages of condolence, with one fan commenting: "Sending you the biggest love the paw print they leave on our hearts stay forever." Another shared: "I'm sorry for your loss," reports the Mirror . Meanwhile another added: "Run free sweetheart." The tragic news comes seven months after the pair shocked fans by revealing their plan to divorce following six years of marriage. In a candid interview, Daniel told The Sun on Sunday in April their plans to divorce. "It's with much sadness Daniel and I have decided to divorce. There is, and always will be, a lot of love there but we've unfortunately grown apart and made the decision to part ways," he said. He continued by stating, "We've made the decision with a very heavy heart to confirm our marriage has come to an end. I'm sure we will forever be friends." Despite their split, Daniel and Stephen earned admiration for still teaming up to take care of their pets. Just weeks following their unexpected separation, Stephen shared snaps of Daniel with their treasured dogs on Instagram, captioning them: "Co parenting and shopping with the poodles [heart emoji] @lustig75." Their supportive followers flooded the comments with positive messages, praising the mature handling of their breakup. Fans were quick to express their adoration for the duo's friendship, with heartfelt comments like "You guys [heart emoji] - you could teach many divorced couples a thing or two." Another said: "Love that you are both still good friends. Some people need to take a leaf out of your book xx Have the best day." Others added their personal experiences, saying, "I love this, me and my ex-husband are best friends, we speak every day! Good luck to both of you," while another stated, "Inspirational breakup behaviour. So many could learn from you guys." Stephen and Daniel were a staple on Gogglebox from 2018 to 2023, before making the shocking decision to leave the show. Prior to this, Stephen had been a regular face on the programme alongside his ex-boyfriend Christopher Steed, with their stint running from 2013 to 2017.

The Australian government’s legislation allows platforms to decide how to impose the ban, but says they must have “some form of age assurance” system for those who create and hold accounts. SYDNEY - When the second of his three children turned 11 recently and received a smartphone as a birthday present, Sydney resident Jason Wong encouraged her to use it safely, knowing first-hand about the dangers she could now face. Seven years ago, Mr Wong noticed that his oldest daughter, who was then also 11, looked a little “off” and so he asked whether anything was wrong. It turned out that weeks earlier she had experienced cyber bullying in a chat group. Already a subscriber? Log in Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month $9.90 $9.90/month No contract ST app access on 1 mobile device Subscribe now All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you. Read 3 articles and stand to win rewards Spin the wheel nowMatty Cash has described Boubacar Kamara as a "difference maker" and admits Aston Villa miss him when he's out of the team. Kamara suffered an ACL injury in February and missed the final three months of last season and the start of this campaign. Without him, Villa shipped two or more goals in eight of the 14 league matches the midfielder missed last term. After returning from his serious knee injury in October, Kamara then picked up a hamstring problem in Villa's 2-0 defeat at Liverpool before the November international break, but returned to action on Wednesday night with an excellent performance against Juventus in the Champions League. READ | Aston Villa to take transfer decision on forward who can't stop scoring READ | Douglas Luiz's 'confirmed' Juventus stance will be music to Monchi's ears "He has so much ability - natural ability - and he’s worked really hard to get back during the time when he’s been injured," Cash admitted. "Then he had a little hamstring. He’s not really trained. How well he played against Juventus when he’s not really trained, I think he’s brilliant. "It’s the simplicity of his game, he keeps the ball and his interceptions are unbelievable. He manages to get his body in the way and then finds a pass. Yeah, he’s a key player for us when he’s fit." Asked how much he has been missed, Cash said: "A lot. He’s a key player for us. When he was fit, he was a difference maker. He’s a very underrated player. "I think people talk about a lot of our players - but he’s not one of them that is spoken about. I’ve said that before. He’s a big asset and he’s underrated. So it’s good to have him back and playing like he is." Villa go in search of their first league win in six weeks when they take on Chelsea on Sunday afternoon at Stamford Bridge, where they have won in the last two seasons under Emery. "They’re doing well at the minute," Cash said of the Blues. "A new manager in the summer, looks like they are finding their feet well. It’ll be tough but we need to go there and kickstart our league form again." What do you make of Cash's comments? Tell us here This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more Keep warm on the sidelines Beat the cold weather with these winter warmers There's plenty of deals to keep you warm from head to toe on match day. We've found heated clothing like gloves , gilets and hats , plus foot warmers and a simple thermal beanie that'll help you beat the winter weather. from £9.99 Various Shop here