super ace big win

super ace big win LONDON (AP) — Brighton had most of the chances but could not find the net in a 0-0 draw with Brentford that extended the south coast club’s winless run in the Premier League to six games on Friday. It was a frustrating night for the home side and especially Julio Enciso. The Paraguay striker had a host of opportunities to score but couldn’t make them count. Along with Southampton, Brentford has the worst away record in the league with seven losses and two draws and it was easy to see why in this toothless performance. Brentford had an early goal from Yoane Wissa ruled out for offside and, although it came a bit more into the game in the second half, it failed to pressure Icelandic goalkeeper Hakon Valdimarsson, who made his Premier League debut eight minutes before halftime when Mark Flekken went off with a thigh injury. One bright spot for the home side was the return of winger Solly March. He came on as a late substitute to make his first appearance for Brighton since injuring a knee against Manchester City 14 months ago. The result leaves Brighton in 10th place with 26 points, one spot and two points ahead of the Bees. Arsenal was hosting Ipswich in Friday's other game in the Premier League, AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerBRP executive warns against overreaction to Trump tariff plan

ODESSA, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 10, 2024-- The Permian Basin Water In Energy Conference (PBWIEC) returns for its eighth year March 4-6, 2025, at the Bush Convention Center in Midland. Hosted by the University of Texas Permian Basin’s Shepperd Leadership Institute , this premier event brings together industry leaders, government officials, researchers, and stakeholders to tackle water challenges critical to energy production in the Permian Basin and beyond. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241210245620/en/ Pictured left to right: Ashley Kegley-Whitehead (Infinity Water Solutions), Rep. Meredith Dixon (New Mexico House of Representatives), Secretary James C. Kenney (New Mexico Environment Department), Jennifer Bradfute (Bradfute Law). (Photo: Business Wire) The Permian Basin is the largest oil-producing region in the United States, but energy production requires substantial water resources. As water scarcity becomes a growing concern, the PBWIEC serves as a critical forum for discussing sustainable water management, technological advancements, and regulatory frameworks. Attendees will hear from experts across sectors who will share insights on water recycling, desalination, conservation strategies, and policy developments aimed at balancing the needs of the energy industry and the environment. Registration is now open for the conference. Sponsorship opportunities are also available, offering unique ways for organizations to showcase their leadership and support for innovation in water management and energy production. Information about individual registration and sponsorship opportunities can be found at www.waterinenergy.com . The University of Texas Permian Basin (UTPB) plays a key role in the PBWIEC, with students, faculty, and researchers actively contributing to the dialogue. UTPB’s involvement reinforces its commitment to advancing academic-industry partnerships and supporting research initiatives that impact the region. Through the conference, students gain invaluable experience and networking opportunities, helping shape the next generation of energy and environmental leaders. "The PBWIEC exemplifies our commitment to addressing real-world challenges by connecting academia and industry," said Monica Tschauner, Executive Director of the Shepperd Leadership Institute. "By hosting this conference, the Shepperd Leadership Institute at UTPB not only contributes to groundbreaking discussions but also helps shape the next generation of problem-solvers for the Permian Basin and beyond." Exhibitor applications are now being accepted, providing businesses the chance to connect directly with key decision-makers and highlight their solutions at the forefront of water and energy innovation. In addition, nominations are open for the prestigious Jim Woodcock Trailblazer Award, the Woman in Energy: Making Waves Award, and the Pioneering Advancements Award, recognizing outstanding contributions to the energy sector. Submit your applications and nominations today at www.waterinenergy.com . As the Permian Basin continues to be a critical energy hub, the importance of addressing water management cannot be overstated. The PBWIEC provides a platform for solution-oriented discussions that will have a lasting impact on both energy production and environmental conservation in the region. For more information on the 2025 PBWIEC and registration details, please visit www.waterinenergy.com and access the [Press Kit] here. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241210245620/en/ CONTACT: Savannah Woodward Director of Special Events Shepperd Leadership Institute (903) 417-7700 woodward_s@utpb.edu KEYWORD: TEXAS UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: OTHER ENERGY ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES OIL/GAS OTHER NATURAL RESOURCES SUSTAINABILITY RECYCLING ALTERNATIVE ENERGY ENERGY NATURAL RESOURCES ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE OTHER SCIENCE SOURCE: Shepperd Leadership Institute Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/10/2024 03:07 PM/DISC: 12/10/2024 03:07 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241210245620/en

I f there’s one thing about me that those I know can agree on, it’s that I love my sleep . I haven’t always been very good at sleeping, and for many years I wrestled with insomnia and a chronic lack of deep sleep. Over the past six years, sleep has become an obsession for me and employed a raft of strategies, tools and technologies to improve my relationship with it. Earlier this year, I stumbled on a whole subgenre of TikTok content dedicated to the practices I’d been carefully researching and honing, so I was pretty thrilled. Sleepmaxxing is the latest viral wellness trend, but unbeknownst to me, I’d been doing it for almost a decade. However, there were a few things about the trend that concerned me so I decided to take a closer look at my own habits and consult some experts about the practice of sleep optimisation. According to Dr Harry Jarrett, head of science and research at Heights , a health and wellness brand, sleepmaxxing “is the practice of sleep optimisation, focusing on the quality and quantity of one’s sleep, to improve overall mental and physical wellbeing. “The trend includes the use of various gadgets, techniques and supplements in an attempt to induce a deeper and longer sleep. In general, many people are combining a number of these techniques to optimise their chances of getting a good night’s sleep, in the hope of achieving specific physical and mental benefits.” A few years back, my chronic tiredness was interfering with my life. My memory was terrible, I found myself zoning out at work and experiencing heightened anxiety over the smallest things. I also felt like I was getting sick all the time and couldn’t work out why. Through research, I identified my lack of sleep was the problem. My sleeping hours were limited, I was spending most of my time in light sleep and I was waking up all of the time, which meant my body couldn’t recover and I felt as though I had a permanent hangover. The results of my personal sleepmaxxing journey have been overwhelmingly positive. I no longer suffer from insomnia, I fall asleep quickly and I sleep through the night. But I frequently worry about the quality of my sleep and how much I’m getting. I panic if I’m not able to adhere to my pre-sleep rituals and I’ll check in on the biometric stats from my Oura ring and Whoop band as soon as I wake up. My partner and I will often spend time comparing our sleep scores – romantic, I know. Like many people who sleepmaxx, I use wearables and smart devices to track how much deep, light and REM sleep I get each night, and I take supplements , sleep drinks and night powders to ensure my body is chock full of the nutrients that will aid better rest. But that’s not all. Over the years I’ve invested in new bed linen and pyjamas made from natural fabrics for skin and hair health – silk pillowcases and new duvets don’t come cheap, I might add. I’ve also bought myself wrap-around eye masks, ear plugs, sunrise alarm clocks and SAD lamps and subscribed to apps that play soothing bedtime stories, binaural sounds and Solfeggio frequencies. My bedroom is equipped with a smart mattress topper that regulates my temperature and an air purifier that removes toxins and I slather my body in magnesium moisturiser before hopping into bed. After reading James Nestor’s book Breath , I started mouth-taping and eventually learned how to breathe exclusively through my nose while I slept. And recently, I’ve started using hi-tech devices, including a PEMF mat – sending a pulsed electromagnetic field through the body is not only reported to help with healing by reducing inflammation, but it can also send signals to the brain that improve circadian rhythm and prevent you from waking in the night. I’ve also been wearing an ECG band, which helps me track my brainwaves while I snooze so that when I wake up, I can adjust my habits to improve my sleep latency. Then, of course, there are the more woo-woo practices – mindfulness and meditation, yoga nidra, pillow mists and dream journals. In short, I have done it all. Read more: The best sleep aids of 2024, tried and tested by a wellness editor But as I’ve watched a slew of sleepmaxxing videos on TikTok, I’ve begun to wonder whether I and all these other people are doing too much. Sleep is natural after all and though daily stresses, anxiety, hormones and a host of other factors can interfere with sleep, if you’re tired enough, you’ll eventually get there. “Sleep is a passive process that can take care of itself,” explains sleep physiologist Stephanie Romiszewski . “You’re better off enjoying your day, being social, and looking after the things you do have control of – this will lead to better sleep, not worse. Those who try to control their days to make sleep perfect, like cancelling important social time with friends or skipping the gym and passively resting with less outdoor time, will sleep worse.” I like to think I follow Romiszewski’s advice. I won’t eschew a night out with friends in favour of a few more hours in bed, but I am likely to worry about my sleep score in the morning. Some experts have suggested that sleep tracking can lead to an unhealthy obsession with getting a perfect night’s rest – this is medically referred to as orthosomnia and it’s something our wearables might be driving us to, particularly after watching too many sleepmaxxing videos online. The average age for TikTok users is 24 years old and the majority of sleepmaxxing videos I have watched are made by people in their early twenties. They too were using all the products and techniques I had used to fix my sleep issues, but of course, I couldn’t possibly know to what extent these tools were actually helping the people on my screen. Social media never tells us the whole story. Dr Jarrett explains that “as with any wellness trend on social media, the majority of information provided to audiences is not scientifically tested and predominantly comes from individuals with no expertise in the healthcare sector. This can lead people to invest time and money in practices that may not work and lead to frustration when the sleep benefits are not achieved. “Another concerning trend is the use of ingredients that really should only be prescribed and used under the care of a licensed doctor. For example, many influencers suggest the use of melatonin , which is available without prescription in many countries, but not in the UK.” I wondered whether I might have benefitted from seeing this kind of content years ago when I was in the depths of my sleep struggles, or whether it might have made my anxiety more acute. There seemed to be a competitive edge to many of the videos, a battle over who was doing the most, who had the most sleep aids and who was the most high maintenance sleeper. One of the risks of comparing your sleep routine to someone else’s is increased anxiety, which, ironically, can keep you awake. There’s also the financial cost of sleep aids and gadgets to consider. These products, while helpful, are not necessarily essential. My partner and I often joke that my rituals are far too complex, but they have worked for me and I feel healthier as a result. A recent health check-up showed that my biological age is five years younger than my actual age and I genuinely don’t think that would have been possible if I’d not fixed my sleep issues with all the tools and tricks at my disposal. A lack of sleep can age you, while optimal rest is restorative. Still, I do often wonder if I’m too evangelical about tracking my sleep and using all my various sleep aids and whether people in their twenties should be obsessing as hard over perfecting the art of rest. Improvement is one thing, but perfection is nigh impossible, especially when it comes to something like sleep. The TikTok videos I watched seemed to be projecting an element of snobbery that is so often found in connection to wellness. The idea that if you’re not doing the utmost to better every aspect of fairly mundane bodily functions, you’re failing. Read more: Best sunrise alarm clocks that will wake you up naturally “Sleep is very individualistic, not everyone has the same sleep needs and what works for one person may not work for another,” explains Dr Jarrett. “For example, research suggests that women experience the urge to sleep earlier than men and sleep 11 minutes more a night than their male counterparts.” Studies show that we’re all likely to require different amounts of quality sleep at different stages of our lives. People going through puberty and menopause , for example, require more hours of sleep due to their sleep being lower quality as a result of hormonal fluctuations. Shifting hormones can cause night sweats, muscle pains, anxiety dreams and a host of other symptoms that can disturb sleep and break up the natural cycle of rest. “Sleep naturally goes through variations with the seasons, weeks, and months,” explains Romiszewski. “It’s impossible to control it all, but we can stick to the most influential behaviours and then let go of our need for it to be exactly the same each night – that’s impossible.” There will always be external influences, like your job, friendships and lifestyle, which can all contribute to how well you’re able to regulate your sleep, so it’s important to remember that no two days will ever be the same. Your sleep score will fluctuate and your needs are probably different to the influencer you’re watching in the latest sleepmaxxing video online. “If one thing worked for an influencer but didn’t work for you, try not to get frustrated and anxious,” says Dr Jarrett. “The most helpful element of the sleepmaxxing trend is that it encourages people to think about their sleep hygiene and ways to improve their sleep routines, which is crucial for overall physical and mental health. My main piece of advice would be to relax and try new techniques without any pressure on the results. Overthinking this will only lead to a poorer night’s sleep.” Doing my research and using hi-tech tools and wellness products has helped me to sleep better and without knowing it, I’ve become one of the most dedicated sleepmaxxers out there. However, the rise of orthosomnia and the performative status of “perfect sleep” driven by TikTok trends has made me think twice about the emotions I experience when my Oura tells me to “pay attention” to my rest score. I plan to stick with my sleep habits, after all, I’ve spent years finding the perfect balance, but I’ve vowed not to allow perfectionism to creep in and spoil something that none of us should really waste time overthinking. Read more: Why everyone is suddenly taking magnesium?Amber Heard speaks out on Blake Lively sexual harassment complaint against Justin Baldoni

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The Fair Political Practices Commission prescribed a $13,500 penalty, which Poway Unified agreed to pay.‘They’ve done everything right’: Matt Rhule takes stock of Nebraska football’s week in NYC

Article content Morgan Rielly might not have lost much sleep when he was left off Canada’s roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off. Recommended Videos While the Maple Leafs defenceman said he will use his exclusion as motivation, there are other things on his mind. “I look at my own game, and assess there,” Rielly said on Friday morning. “You believe in yourself.” And what does Rielly see in evaluating his overall performance as he was one of six Leafs to play in all 25 games before Toronto played host to the Washington Capitals on Friday night? “I feel really good now,” Rielly said. “I think that the start (of the season) I felt really good, and then I became a little bit inconsistent. “I feel like I’m primed right now to have a great month going into Christmas.” For Rielly, and the Leafs as whole, the concentration through the first few months of the 2024-25 regular season has been getting accustomed to what coach Craig Berube wants out of his players. In the defence-first system, those with an offensive bent might find the adjustment to have more challenges. “With a new coach, I was maybe really focused not on the wrong stuff, but trying to get this stuff down pat, trying to be really good defensively,” Rielly said. “I don’t think I’ve been as dangerous offensively because of that, but I’ve been feeling really good the past couple games.” Rielly’s ice time has decreased, but he still is playing more than 21 minutes a game. His career average is 22 minutes 10 seconds. Berube took a longer view in his assessment of the 30-year-old Rielly, the longest-serving current Leafs player. “He has done a good job for us, in my opinion,” Berube said. “He’s used to really getting up into the play, and he still does. I think he’s picking his spots really well with that and defending well.” Crucial to keep in mind as Rielly and the Leafs round into Berube’s form is that they’ve been winning while learning on the job. No one would say the Leafs have been playing perfect hockey, but if it’s about the build to being at their best once the playoffs start in April, the Leafs are going about it the right way. “You can’t lose track of that and that’s big,” Rielly said. “I looked this morning at the standings, and we’re in a great spot. There have been been nights where it hasn’t been as pretty, or there have been periods of time where we haven’t generated offence like we have in the past, but you can’t argue with the results. “In general, I don’t think we’ve tried to reinvent the wheel. But it helps when the big guys buy into it. Everything else seems to follow.” Rielly has proudly worn Canada’s colours in the past. From afar, he’ll cheer on Leafs teammate Mitch Marner and the rest of the group once the 4 Nations Face-Off in Montreal and Boston gets underway on Feb. 12. “In regard to the Team Canada stuff, I wish I was a bit more consistent (in his play earlier),” Rielly said. “But I’m not really making excuses. “It’s always a great honour to play for your country, and you’re always trying to perform well enough to get that opportunity again.” tkoshan@postmedia.com X: @koshtorontosun

Pam Bondi charmed her way from Tampa’s courthouse to the White House - Tampa Bay TimesSouth Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Saturday apologised for his attempt to impose martial law this week but did not resign, defying intense pressure to step down even from some in his ruling party and only hours ahead of a planned impeachment vote. Yoon said he would not seek to avoid legal and political responsibility for his decision to declare martial law for the first time in South Korea since 1980. He said the decision was born of desperation. The speech was the embattled leader's first public appearance since he rescinded the martial law order early on Wednesday, just six hours after it was declared and after parliament defied military and police cordons to vote against the decree. "I am very sorry and would like to sincerely apologise to the people who were shocked," Yoon said in a televised address to the nation, during which he bowed. "I leave it up to my party to take steps to stabilise the political situation in the future, including the issue of my term in office," he said. Han Dong-hoon, leader of Yoon's People Power Party (PPP), said after the address that the president was no longer in a position to carry out public duty and his resignation was now unavoidable. On Friday Han said Yoon was a danger to the country and needed to be removed from power, increasing the pressure on Yoon to quit even though PPP members later reaffirmed a formal opposition to his impeachment. Han was scheduled to meet Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Saturday, local Yonhap News reported. Under the constitution if Yoon resigns or is impeached then the prime minister, who was appointed by Yoon, becomes South Korea's interim president. Lawmakers will vote on the main opposition Democratic Party's motion to impeach Yoon later on Saturday. Yoon shocked the nation late on Tuesday when he gave the military sweeping emergency powers in order to root out what he called "anti-state forces" and overcome obstructionist political opponents. Some PPP members urged Yoon to resign before the vote, saying they did not want a repeat of the 2016 impeachment of then-President Park Geun-hye, who left office following months of candlelit protests over an influence-peddling scandal. Her downfall triggered the implosion of the party and a victory by liberals in presidential and general elections. In scenes reminiscent of those protests, thousands of demonstrators holding candles assembled outside parliament on Friday night demanding Yoon's impeachment. More demonstrations are expected on Saturday ahead of the vote. Prosecutors, the police and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials have all launched probes into Yoon and senior officials involved in the martial law decree, seeking to pursue charges of insurrection and abuse of power, among others. The officials face potential charges of insurrection, abuse of authority and obstructing other people from exercising their rights. If convicted, the crime of leading an insurrection is punishable by death or life imprisonment, with or without prison labour. (This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Titans QB Mason Rudolph gets another chance at starting, this time against the JagsIn a world of great need there are more ways to donate money than ever. How should you give?Conservative Party of B.C. Leader John Rustad faces a test after 13 members of his caucus have asked him to essentially discipline Conservative MLA Elenore Sturko for comments that she made about a former Vancouver Police Board member. The signed letter published by radio host Jas Johal on X Thursday (Dec. 5) calls on Rustad to "invite" Sturko to "offer" Comfort Sakoma-Fadugba a written apology after Sturko had criticized her, following Sakoma-Fadugba's controversial remarks about the nature of Canadian society. Sakoma-Fadugba left her position Nov. 22 after several social media posts linked to her became public. Screenshots of the Instagram stories linked to Sakoma-Fadugba show Reddit posts lamenting the loss of Christian values in the face of immigration and criticized "woke culture" as well gender transitions. The alleged statements cost Sakoma-Fadugba her job on the police board and drew criticism from various corners of the political spectrum, including Sturko, a former RCMP officer and member of the LGBTQ2S+ community. “When we have statements being made that erode the public’s trust, or their comfort with their police service, it makes it that much harder on the front-line officers," Sturko told the CBC in November. But this statement did not sit well with her 13 colleagues, calling on Rustad to ask Sturko for the apology "and to encourage the Vancouver Police Board to advance conciliatory discussions with (Sakoma-Fadugba)." But that is not their only demand. "If Ms. Sturko declines your invitation, we ask that you offer this apology and encouragement on behalf of the Conservative caucus," they write. This double-demand appears to put Rustad in a double-bind. He either follows the demands from his part of his caucus ostensibly aimed at one of their own or he undermines the position of Sturko by issuing an apology on her behalf. "The way he responds will tell us something about where his own loyalties lie," UBC political scientist Stewart Prest said. "We do know that he is quite supportive of articulations of these kinds of more critical views of modernity ... so it may be that he has a certain amount of sympathy with the letter writers and his response will tell us whether that's the case. At the same time, a leader has another responsibility to the larger caucus as well. It may be that there are other members of the caucus who feel (Sturko) was quite correct in offering that assessment, and then has nothing to apologize for." Found within the letter is also a larger expression of sympathy for Sakoma-Fadugba's statements and a request to Rustad to give those views room by reminding him of what the signatories consider Rustad's own views to be. "The posts express views many Conservatives (including Conservative MLAs and staff) hold in support for parental rights, religious faith, and the pursuit of shared Canadian values," it reads. "Under your leadership, the Conservative Party of BC has consistently denounced 'cancel culture' and stood for the Charter rights British Columbians enjoy to free expression and freedom of religion," it reads. "The very first question you raised in the (legislature) as leader was in defence of parental rights." “Will the minister admit this SOGI 123 has been divisive and an assault on parents’ rights and a distraction to student education?” Rustad asked on Oct. 3, 2023. That question drew a rebuke from Premier David Eby, who called the question "outrageous" in accusing Rustad of leveraging children for culture-war purposes. “Shame on him," Eby said. "Choose another question." Prest called the letter a "deliberately provocative approach" that speaks to the ideological divisions within the party now for everyone to see. "It's putting right out in the open something we knew was going to be part of this, this challenging political coalition bringing together more populist-style conservatives with more, if you like, centrist or politically moderate types such (Sturko)." None of the 13 signatories once sat with Sturko when she was part of BC United and all were elected on Oct. 13 as first time Conservative candidates. Of note, is also the geographical representation of the MLAs. Eleven signatories represent ridings outside of Metro Vancouver and Greater Victoria including areas in the Fraser Valley and the Okanagan. Three signatories – Dallas Brodie (Vancouver-Quilchena), Brent Chapman (Surrey-South) and Anna Kindy (North Island) – have also found their names in the news over comments that they had made before or during the election campaign, with Chapman being perhaps the most widely reported one following his comments about Palestinian children made in 2015. "I would suggest that we are seeing to emerge, perhaps the makings of which you could almost call a Freedom Caucus in the (Conservative Party of B.C.), the sense that there's a group within a group that looks at the world quite differently than other members of that caucus," Prest said. This is not the first time that Sturko has been the object of criticism from within the Conservative Party of B.C. While still with B.C. United, Conservative candidate Paul Ratchford had called her a "woke, lesbian, social justice warrior." At the same time, Sturko had also been critical of the Conservatives, while still with B.C. United. In early October 2023, Sturko called on Rustad to apologize after appearing to draw a comparison with harms caused by residential schools and parental concerns about SOGI 123. Rustad denied making such a comparison. Sturko also called on Rustad to apologize after he had referred to being LGBTQ2S+ as a "lifestyle" in a media interview. When asked to comment on the letter from her colleagues, Sturko said deferred to Rustad. "This letter was addressed to John. I'm going to allow him the opportunity to speak to it at this time." Black Press Media has reached out to the Conservative Party of B.C., including Rustad's spokesperson and Rustad himself for comment.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers officially waived DE Earnest Brown and LB Antonio Grier , per the NFL Transactions wire. Grier, 24, originally signed on with the Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent out of Arkansas back in May. He was among Tampa Bay’s final roster cuts coming out of the preseason before being promoted in October. Tampa Bay cut him loose last month but quickly re-signed him. In 2024, Grier has appeared in seven games for the Buccaneers and recorded one tackle. This article first appeared on NFLTradeRumors.co and was syndicated with permission.

The Sooners , best known this century for a passing prowess that has produced four Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks, took it back to the 20th century against then-No. 7 Alabama. Oklahoma ran 50 times for 257 yards while only throwing 12 times in a 24-3 win over the Crimson Tide that took coach Brent Venables off the hot seat. The Sooners more resembled Barry Switzer’s squads that dominated the old Big 8 with the wishbone offense in the 1970s and ’80s than the more recent Air Raid teams. Venables said the change was a matter of necessity for a unit that has been besieged by injuries at receiver and offensive line. “I think this staff has done a really good job with trying to figure that out, get better every week, put together a great gameplan but also figure out, ‘OK, what does this group of guys, what does this team — what do we need to do?'” Venables said. To make it work, Oklahoma needed to trust that such a change would work in the modern Southeastern Conference. They had to implement it with an interim play-caller in Joe Jon Finley, who stepped in after the Sooners fired Seth Littrell last month. Oklahoma (6-5, 2-5 SEC) pulled it off, and LSU coach Brian Kelly has taken notice ahead of their game on Saturday. “This is now much more about controlling the football, running the football, playing with physicality," Kelly said. "They've got perimeter skill, but I think it's centered around much more of a run-centric, quarterback run and take care of the football." The Sooners started to see success on the ground against Maine. They ran 52 times for 381 yards in a 59-14 win that got the wheels turning. Jovantae Barnes ran for career highs of 203 yards and three touchdowns that day. Venables said the timing of the opportunity to play that non-conference game against Maine in early November and figure some things out was perfect. “Everybody has some degree of vulnerability and maybe some self-doubt,” he said. “And just developing some confidence and putting something on tape other than practice, like, ‘Man, look, see what you’re capable of?’ And executing against, again, a well-coached team — certainly, we played off of that in all the right ways like you would expect us to. And so there’s a real place for that.” After a bye week, the Sooners tried the same approach against Missouri. It wasn't as successful — they ran 36 times for 122 yards — but they hung tough before losing 30-23 . The Sooners went all in against Alabama. Jackson Arnold — the same guy who threw 45 times in the Alamo Bowl last year, ran 25 times for 131 yards and threw just 11 passes. The Sooners found something in running back Xavier Robinson. With Barnes out with an injury, Robinson carried 18 times for career highs of 107 yards and two touchdowns. Suddenly, a team that had been forcing the pass and getting sacked at an alarming rate was moving the line of scrimmage and controlling the tempo. Oklahoma had the ball for more than 34 minutes against the Crimson Tide, lending support to a talented defense that had been spending way too much time on the field. The new approach could be helpful on Saturday — LSU (7-4, 4-3) ranks 14th out of 16 conference teams against the run. Venables said the Sooners still need to throw the ball well to win, but he's glad to know his squad can run with force when necessary. “I think that’s the art of having a system that’s adjustable, flexible, adaptable, week in and week out, but also has an identity — toughness, physicality," he said. "You’ve got to be able to run the ball at every level of football, but you do have to throw it. You can’t just do one thing. But we need to be efficient.” Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

In Pakistan, women’s rights, harassment and other related issues take centre stage mostly in March, when controversy around the Aurat March splashes across the media. The fact is, almost all working women face harassment at work, during commutes, and elsewhere. This must become a constant discussion to bring about real change. The Home-Based Women Workers Federation (HBWWF) has revealed alarming figures that 85 per cent of women workers in Pakistan experience workplace harassment. The number touches 90 per cent for domestic help. The reality is that our societal norms have entrenched this menace. Values can be changed through awareness and laws. The Workplace Harassment Act of 2010 is a good legislative piece, but without enforcement, it is toothless. Harassment cases, reported to relevant forums, often face judicial delays and social apathy. Harassment is not confined to workplaces. Women face constant harassment in the digital sphere; almost all women face online harassment but only 40 per cent of them report them. Domestic violence against women remains rampant. Physical and sexual abuse remains widespread. These challenges are compounded for women from religious minorities. They are denied inheritance rights despite legal protections. The statistics paint a bleak picture. Women make up 49.4 per cent of the working-age population. Sadly, they account for only 23.5 percent of the labour force, as per the Pakistan Labour Force Survey. Pakistan ranked 143 out of 146 on the Global Gender Gap Index of 2023. Women in Pakistan do not only battle misogynistic attitudes but also fight for democracy, children’s rights, equality, social and judicial justice and better social conditions. Present-day stories of activists like Sammi Baloch and Sorath Lohar show that women have always stood at the forefront of resistance. The demands of Baloch women for the return of their loved ones reflect the heartbreaking struggles of marginalised groups. Lip service, grim data figures and heart-breaking stories may not bring about a visible change. We need to go beyond lip service. What can change the scenario are economic opportunities for women, equal pay and a harassment-free workplace. These are not privileges but rights. Inclusive measures are essential for true political representation. Moreover, the plight of incarcerated women cannot be ignored. Poor prison conditions, lack of legal support, and healthcare access must be urgently addressed. The time for action is long overdue. *Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size At the beginning of the year, we looked to our correspondents for tips of what to expect around the world in 2024. Among them was hope for change for millions of people who were to vote in elections in 50 countries. At least in the United States, that change turned out to be more of the same. Among the surprises, however, there was the end of a dynasty in Syria and the beginning of another in Indonesia. Here are some of the biggest stories of the past 12 months: Europe If 1992 was the late Queen Elizabeth II’s annus horribilis , then it’s hard to know how she’d have ranked this year for Britain ’s royal family. In January, her son and successor, Charles III, put out a rather benign statement that he would attend hospital the following week for a “corrective procedure” on his enlarged prostate . King Charles, Princess Catherine and Princess Charlotte at the Trooping of the Colours in June. Credit: Getty Images The statement was made shortly after it was revealed his daughter-in-law, Catherine, Princess of Wales, was expected to be in hospital for 10 to 14 days after undergoing abdominal surgery. Advertisement Things would snowball from there. Weeks later, the King would announce he had been diagnosed with cancer. Catherine’s recovery was kept under wraps until the rumour mill went into overdrive . A family photo was released, and it was a disaster. Even more questions were asked. Suddenly came an announcement: she, too, had cancer . Neither have been given the all-clear but have returned to light duties. Charles joined with Queen Camilla for a royal visit to Australia. But his relationships with son Harry and brother Andrew have continued to plague him. Australian-born Queen Mary and King Frederik of Denmark. Credit: Steen Evald Our own Princess Mary, was crowned Queen of Denmark in January after her mother-in-law, Margrethe, stepped down to make way for her son, Frederik. Two decades on from Mary’s fairytale wedding, she waved to the crowds in Copenhagen as the sovereign’s wife. Rumours have swirled about her marriage, too , and the Danish royals showed it ain’t just the Brits who have their problems. But 2024 was the year of the election. In Britain, Labor was swept to power after 14 years of Conservative rule, with Keir Starmer moving into 10 Downing Street in a landslide victory. Within weeks, however, his popularity would start to tumble in a string of scandals and misjudgments. Loading In the European Union elections, success by right-wing populist movements delivered a major shock across the continent. Germany ’s far-right AfD (Alternative for Germany) was jubilant after beating Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s centre-left SPD to second place in the European Parliament elections with 16 per cent. Advertisement His problems at home reached a peak in December when he lost a confidence vote. In France , the EU results triggered an electoral earthquake. President Emmanuel Macron called a bombshell snap parliamentary election after his party was resoundingly defeated by Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally. That result left the country without a clear winner but one clear loser: Macron. He continues to struggle to grasp any real power. But it was another story in France that shocked the nation and the world. Seventy-two-year-old grandmother Gisele Pelicot bravely retold the horrors done to her by her husband of 50 years and his 50 accomplices , to stop rape from being swept under the carpet. Gisele Pelicot exits the Avignon courthouse, in southern France, after all the men accused along with her husband of raping her were found guilty. Credit: AP In Georgia, mass protests were sparked by the government’s decision to suspend negotiations on joining the EU and push back on Russian influence. In the end, a pro-Russia former Manchester City footballer, Mikheil Kavelashvili, became president . An election in Romania was also plagued by interference , with the result annulled and voters to go back to the polls next year. In May, Slovakia ’s Prime Minister Robert Fico survived a “politically motivated” assassination attempt, during which he was shot five times. He recovered and is one of many populists slowly diluting Europe’s unity towards Ukraine and against Russia . Advertisement Another blow for that cause was Austria ’s far-right Freedom Party, as they celebrated an unprecedented election victory. Its leader, Herbert Kickl , aligned himself closely with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his self-styled “illiberal democracy”. Kickl had also spoken of becoming Volkskanzler (people’s chancellor), which for some Austrians carries echoes of the term used to describe Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany. Loading War continues in Ukraine after almost three years. Where and when it ends, no one knows. Children are struggling with the turmoil . President Volodymyr Zelensky has laid out a plan for peace. It’s likely many will die before that happens. Russia’ s Vladimir Putin is scrambling to conquer as much territory as possible before those peace talks begin. Last month, Russia captured an area the size of London while suffering its highest casualty rates of the war. – Rob Harris, Europe correspondent North Asia This year, China continued its re-engagement strategy with Australia, and finally agreed to remove the remaining trade restrictions on the live lobster trade and two beef exporters, ending the $20 billion of economic sanctions slapped on Australian industries during the Morrison government. Advertisement China lifted its import ban on Australian lobsters. Credit: Joe Armao Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers was the first Australian treasurer to visit China in seven years when he went to Beijing in September. His trip tapped into ongoing concerns about China’s struggling economy and the flow-on impact on Australia. Loading But the rapprochement has not dimmed security concerns posed by China’s increasingly aggressive tactics in the Indo-Pacific, which included confrontations with Australian naval forces and repeated clashes with Filipino vessels in the South China Sea this year that heightened fears of sparking a full-blown conflict. In the face of a drumbeat of negativity from economic analysts and investors, Chinese President Xi Jinping appeared to reverse course in the second half of the year and began pursuing stimulus measures aimed at pumping money and confidence into his beleaguered housing sector. Taiwan inaugurated new president William Lai in May, drawing the ire of Beijing, which regards him as a “dangerous separatist” and responded by launching a round of war drills encircling the island. A second round of drills in October piled pressure onto Taiwan’s stretched defence systems. Japan ’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stepped down in September as his government slid to record low approval ratings. His replacement Shigeru Ishiba’s gamble in calling a snap election proved costly, leaving the governing Liberal Democratic Party scrambling to form a minority government. Advertisement In November, Hong Kong jailed Australian Gordon Ng and 44 other pro-democracy protesters on subversion charges under its Beijing-led national security crackdown, in a case that drew international condemnation for its perceived silencing of political dissent. It also reignited the debate about the role of Australian judges serving in Hong Kong’s top court . And in December, South Korea virtually imploded under President Yoon Suk Yeol who misread his electorate and fellow politicians, and declared martial law as a political manoeuvre, only to have to retract it when he was overruled by parliament . Having been impeached , he now awaits a court decision to confirm the parliamentary move. Members of the national federation of farmers, known as “Junnong”, and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, with effigies of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (right) and his wife, Kim Keon-hee. Credit: AP The year closed with the future of the Sino-American relationship, and hence global stability, facing a new era of uncertainty under the incoming second presidency of Donald Trump. Trump’s appointment of China hawks Marco Rubio and Mike Waltz to key administration positions, and his pledged to impose 60 per cent tariffs on Chinese imports , has set the stage for more turbulence between the two nations. – Lisa Visentin, North Asia correspondent South-East Asia After two failed attempts against Joko Widodo, Prabowo Subianto finally realised his decades-long dream of becoming president of Indonesia . Widodo was constitutionally barred from running for a third term, so when his sniffing around for ways to run again went nowhere, the president and Prabowo teamed up for some win-win. Indonesia’s Prabowo Subianto (right) and his running mate, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, (Joko Widodo’s son) at a post-election party. TikTok helped the strongman dance his way to the presidential palace. Credit: AP Prabowo, the former son-in-law of late autocrat Suharto, enlisted Widodo’s son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, to be his vice presidential running mate. Widodo then turned his back on his own party and threw his considerable political and popular weight behind his former enemy. Never mind his dodgy human rights track record as a military strongman, Prabowo won the February elections in a canter. After backroom deals with self-interested politicians and parties in the months leading up to October’s inauguration, the 73-year-old now sits atop a massive coalition, troubling democracy watchers. Singapore changed prime ministers for the first time in 20 years. Credit: iStock Singapore , too, underwent a rare change of boss . Lee Hsien Loong stepped down in May after 20 years as prime minister, handing the reins to his deputy, Lawrence Wong. Wong inherited a middle power punching way above its weight division, a stable and wealthy nation in a region of regular upheaval. He is an erudite statesman and seems eminently capable, but he has shown little interest in loosening the government’s tight grip on free expression. Thailand’s leadership transition, meanwhile, was a bin fire. Srettha Thavisin was tossed out by order of the dubious court system , which many Thais and observers consider a big-time cog in the self-serving military and royalist establishment. Pita Limjaroenrat’s Move Forward Party won the most votes in the 2023 election but was blocked from forming government by an unelected senate. Amid the chaos, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the daughter of controversial and once-exiled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, became prime minister. Philippines Vice President Sara Duterte’s hatred for her boss , President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, crossed into the unhinged. In October, she warned “Bong Bong” she would dig up his old man’s bones and throw them into the sea. Last month, she told the press of her done deal with an assassin to have the president killed if she was killed first. She really said this. Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte’s death threat was taken seriously, though she later tried to walk back the remarks. Credit: AP The feud is unfolding amid investigations into Duterte’s alleged misuse of funds and her dad’s bloody “war on drugs”. It is not a great time for toxic politics in the Philippines, which is clashing almost weekly with China in the West Philippine Sea. In Vietnam , which has its own claims to the South China Sea, To Lam inherited the job of Communist Party secretary-general after 80-year-old statesman Nguyen Phu Trong died in July . In his 12 years at the top (not to mention nearly three decades in the Politburo), Trong significantly reduced poverty rates, strengthened ties with the United States and implemented a fierce anti-corruption drive dubbed the “blazing furnace”. As is often the case in South-East Asia, and Communist regimes more broadly, he also preferred his dissenters in jail. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet inspects an honour guard during a visit to Malaysia. The prime minister’s family retains control of many senior roles in the Cambodian government. Credit: AP Meanwhile, those who hoped Cambodian leader Hun Manet’s considerable Western education might yield democratic changes were sorely disappointed in his first full year as prime minister . He was gifted the job by his ruthless and ageing father Hun Sen, who still pulls strings, only now as president of the Senate. If anything, the intimidation of opposition and arrests of protesters have only increased. The most high-profile arrest was journalist Mech Dara, whose reporting touched on the businesses of Ly Yong Phat, a senator, tycoon and Hun Sen adviser, who was sanctioned by the US in September . Dara was bailed several weeks after his October arrest after a coerced public apology, a typical ploy of the Huns’ regime that they think demonstrates their beneficence. Myanmar , a nation with so much economic potential, continued to suffer repeated wrecking by military men. Min Aung Hlaing, who ousted the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, still holds onto power through force despite serious losses to myriad armed opposition groups. ASEAN, a wet lettuce leaf among regional blocs, has been unable to bring the general to heel. Underscoring the complexity of this multi-front civil war, one of the worst atrocities came at the hands of a group fighting the junta, when the Arakan Army slaughtered hundreds of innocent Rohingya Muslims near the border of Bangladesh in August. In recent weeks, however, two major armed rebel groups – Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and ally the Ta’ang National Liberation Army – signalled they were ready for peace talks. Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones died after a suspected mass drink poisoning. The most tragic case closer to Australia in South East Asia was the methanol poisoning of backpackers in Laos in November, Australian 19-year-olds Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles among them. Several hostel staff have been detained , and investigations continue. – Zach Hope, South-East Asia correspondent South Asia The biggest election ever staged delivered a shock result in India . Ahead of the national poll, concluded on June 1, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was expected to romp home. But once the 642 million ballots were counted his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost a swag of seats , he needed to rely on other parties to control parliament. Modi has dominated Indian politics for the past decade, but now faces a more uncertain era of coalition government. Elsewhere on the subcontinent, 2024 was marked by political turmoil. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP won power in 2014. This year, he was expected to romp it in, but his party lost many seats, complicating his rule. Credit: AP In Bangladesh , Sheikh Hasina, prime minister for 20 of the past 28 years, was driven out by a vast display of people power on the streets of the capital city, Dhaka. After she made a dramatic escape to neighbouring India on August 5, her government was replaced by military-backed caretaker regime led by Muhammad Yunus , an 84-year-old Nobel Laureate, economist and social entrepreneur. Yunus has the difficult task of building consensus for much-needed reforms and staging a fair election. There was political change in Sri Lanka as well when the little-known former Marxist, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, emerged the surprise winner in a presidential election held in September. The country continues to grapple with the aftermath of a debilitating financial crisis in 2022. In Pakistan, the incarceration of cricket great and former prime minister Imran Khan continues to roil politics and society. His party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), did surprisingly well in February elections and his supporters have since staged huge and sometime violent protests demanding his release. – Matt Wade, former India correspondent Middle East The power dynamics in the Middle East were dramatically reshaped this year, with Israel on the ascendancy and its bitter rival, Iran , substantially weakened. Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash in May, and things only got worse from there for the hard-line rulers in Tehran. Israel and Iran traded missile fire at several points throughout the year, setting off fears of an all-out regional war. Thanks to Israel’s Iron Dome system and support from Western nations, the Iranian strikes caused minimal damage, while Iran’s missile-production capability was crippled. After the monumental intelligence failure of last year’s October 7 attacks, the Jewish state regrouped and achieved some significant strategic victories. The Israeli military assassinated the mastermind of the October 7 attacks, Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar , in Gaza and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut. After a year of tit-for-tat fighting on its border with Lebanon, Israel escalated the fight against Hezbollah. This began with the shock September pager and walkie-talkie attacks against the Iranian proxy group and culminated in a ground invasion and air strikes on Lebanon. It ended on favourable terms for Israel, with Lebanese civilians paying a heavy price for a conflict many did not want to be involved in. Israeli bombardment and ground invasions have left vast areas of Gaza in ruins. Credit: Getty Images Meanwhile, the devastating war in Gaza continues and there is still no clear vision for what will come when it is over. Almost 45,000 Palestinians have been killed since the beginning of the war and over 100 Israeli hostages still remain in Gaza. In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants against Netanyahu and former Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes in Gaza, reflecting widespread international horror at the war. At home, though, Netanyahu’s popularity has been creeping up. In the most surprising development of all, Syria ’s President Bashar al-Assad’s brutal regime was swept from power in a matter of days in December. A defaced portrait of Bashar al-Assad inside the presidential palace. Credit: Nicole Tung/The New York Times Syrian rebels from the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham took advantage of Assad’s key allies – Russia and Iran – being distracted by fighting elsewhere and stormed into Damascus with remarkable ease. This has injected new uncertainty into the region, with Iran again the loser after losing a crucial ally in Assad. By contrast, Turkey ’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is emboldened and empowered after backing the rebel forces. – Matthew Knott, Foreign Affairs correspondent North America This year was meant to culminate in an election rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. But after imploding on a debate stage in June, the United States ’ oldest president was forced to withdraw his bid for a second term, setting in motion one of the most extraordinary political comebacks in history. Donald Trump celebrates his victory flanked by daughter-in-law Lara Trump (left) and his wife, Melania. Credit: AP While Biden’s decision to pass the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris upended the trajectory of the 2024 campaign and sparked fresh enthusiasm among voters, it was not enough to dent the anger millions of Americans felt over soaring cost-of-living pressures or immigration. In a victory so resounding even some Republicans were shocked, Trump not only won all seven battleground states, he also narrowly secured the popular vote and helped Republicans take control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. It was a remarkable turnaround for a former president who began the year facing 91 charges and four criminal trials: one in Washington for trying to subvert the 2020 election; one in Georgia for election interference in that state; another in Florida for mishandling classified documents; and one in New York for falsifying business records to cover up a sex scandal with a porn star . In the end, only the New York “hush money” trial would eventuate, resulting in Trump becoming the first convicted felon to run for the White House. A US Supreme Court decision to grant presidents substantial immunity for acts conducted in office helped him thwart all the other trials. Trump’s ascendancy was also fuelled by an attempted assassination at a rally in Pennsylvania – an event that shocked the world, reignited the debate over political violence, and created one of the most iconic images in political history. Assassination attempt: A defiant Trump raises a fist to the crowd after his right ear was nicked by a sniper’s bullet in July. Credit: AP Two months later came another assassination plot – this time by a lone gunman hiding in the bushes of his golfing resort in West Palm Beach, Florida. In other North America news, environmental scientist Claudia Sheinbaum was elected Mexico ’s first female president; the war in Gaza sparked student uprisings at elite universities across the US; and Taylor Swift continued her global dominance, concluding her 149-show Eras Tour in Canada after becoming the most-awarded artist in VMA history. – Farrah Tomazin, North America correspondent South America Interest in South America rose briefly in Australian minds last month owing to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to Lima, Peru , for the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation annual summit, overshadowed by incoming US president Donald Trump’s economic agenda. Albanese then went to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for this year’s G20. Neither gathering produced groundbreaking deals , except to serve as further demonstration of China’s continued geopolitical wins and deepening ties in the region where it has invested billions of dollars in infrastructure. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (front, second from right), holds hands with China’s Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen Take the new $5.6 billion port President Xi Jinping – who arrived pushing for an “orderly multipolar world” – inaugurated in Chancay, north of Lima. The intended continental logistics hub creates a direct route between Asia and South America across the Pacific Ocean. Apart from allowing Beijing to look beyond Australia and Asia for imports such as iron ore, wine and soybeans, the port could also, says the US, be used as a foothold by Chinese military ships in the Americas . China’s influence in the region could also extend to ground stations for Chinese satellites. In Brazil, former president Jair Bolsonaro was indicted along with 36 others in a failed coup to reverse the last election and overthrow the government of President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva in a US Capitol-inspired takeover of Congress in 2022. He denies the charges, which add to his long list of legal woes. Lula, 79, had emergency brain surgery to relieve bleeding but was back to work in a few days. In Argentina, the election of right-wing Trump-like disruptor and cloned-dog owner President Javier Milei provided some relief to the US, after Milei declared a preference for traditional Western alliances to the alternative BRICS – the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa group that has evolved to admit myriad other countries, and hopes to launch an alternative trade currency to the US dollar. Argentinian President Javier Milei at home with his cloned mastiff puppies. Credit: Marcelo Dubini/Caras via The New York Times In Venezuela, new elections returned President Nicolas Maduro to power, but no one believed the results, which the opposition said were stolen and the UN human rights watchdog is investigating. The crisis-torn country was also in the headlines owing to campaign-mode Trump blaming “Venezuelan gangs” for rampant crime in the US. In December, prominent human rights lawyer Claudio Grossman quit the International Criminal Court in The Hague over what he said was its failure to prosecute members of Maduro’s government for crimes against humanity. In early December, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay , Paraguay and Bolivia , under the bloc Mercosur , signed a blockbuster free trade deal with the European Union. If ratified, it will create one of the world’s largest free trade zones, covering a market of 780 million people. But in France, the Netherlands and other countries with big dairy and beef industries, critics say it will create unfair competition. – Lia Timson, Deputy World Editor Oceania In New Zealand , the year started with a large “unity meeting” convened by Maori King Tuheitia to discuss action against changes proposed by the new coalition government of Prime Minister Chris Luxon, including the watering down of policies previously designed to elevate Maori language and recognition. Tuheitia said the Treaty of Waitangi was not open for reinterpretation. Tuheitia died in August , with King Charles leading the tributes, saying “a mighty tree has fallen”. His daughter, 27-year-old Nga Wai Hono i te Po Paki , was chosen by a council of 12 male elders to succeed him, over her two older brothers, although the crown is not automatically inherited. Tensions over the government’s “race-based” changes, and the introduction of a bill to reinterpret the treaty, spilt over when thousands participated in a seven-day march that ended in parliament , where Maori MPs interrupted proceedings with a haka that made headlines around the world. France declared a state of emergency in its Pacific territory, New Caledonia , in May after an electoral reform approved in Paris triggered protests and the death of three indigenous Kanak and a police official . It sent hundreds of police to help stem the riots, including soldiers to secure the port and airports, which were closed, trapping tourists on the otherwise idyllic islands . Macron then followed with a visit but was criticised as being out of touch . His government later blamed Azerbaijan and Russia for causing the chaos and stoking separatism . Continuing its efforts to keep Papua New Guinea closer to Australia than to China, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese headed to PNG and along with Prime Minister James Marape, did a two-day Kokoda hike, complete with birthday cake for his counterpart . It was all part of Anzac commemorations and soft diplomacy, which continues with the inclusion of a PNG rugby team in the NRL , helped along by $600 million from Australian taxpayers over 10 years . And a devastating earthquake struck Vanuatu in later December, causing many deaths, hundreds of injuries and crippling the nation’s electricity, water and communications systems. – Lia Timson, Deputy World Editor Prime ministers Anthony Albanese and James Marape take a selfie after the Anzac Day dawn service at the Isurava memorial site on the Kokoda Track in PNG. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer Africa In South Africa , Nelson Mandela’s party ANC lost its parliamentary majority 30 years after the vote that ended apartheid and brought it to power. President Cyril Ramaphosa managed to retain his job after a coalition deal with the country’s second-biggest party, the Democratic Alliance. In Kenya, the discovery of footprints near a lake added to evidence that two human species lived side-by-side 1.5 million years ago, in a closing reminder that humans are capable of getting along. with agencies Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for the weekly What in the World newsletter here .

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Donald Trump's incoming "border czar", Tom Homan, has claimed that the US government "can't find" more than 300,000 migrant children - and that many have been lured into forced labour and sex trafficking. President-Elect Donald Trump and his political allies, including Vice-President-Elect JD Vance, have repeatedly made similar claims. Experts have accused them of distorting statistics to claim that the children are "lost" and victims of crime, although they agreed that aspects of the system need to be changed. The incoming administration has made immigration enforcement a priority, promising to clamp down on the US-Mexico border and conduct mass deportations of undocumented immigrants. Let's take a look at the claims of missing migrant children. In an interview with Fox News on 26 November - just before a visit to the US-Mexico border in Texas - Homan accused the Biden administration of "bragging" about how quickly children are released from custody, as well as "not properly vetting" adult sponsors in the US. "Shame on them," he said of the Biden administration. "They have over 300,000 children that they have released [to] unvetted sponsors that they can't find." "Many are going to be in forced labour. Many forced sex trade," Homan added. "We need to save these children." In his October debate against Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, JD Vance also said that the Department of Homeland Security "effectively lost" a total of 320,000 migrant children. Concerns over the plight of migrant children were also starkly highlighted earlier this week when authorities in Texas shared an image of a two-year-old girl from El Salvador found at the border clutching a piece of paper with a phone number. “Putting optics over safety has led to countless children in danger or unaccounted for," Tennessee Republican representative Mark Green told the New York Post. "This refusal to protect vulnerable alien children from abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking will be one of the defining failures of the Biden-Harris administration.” Unaccompanied minors detained at the US-Mexico border go through a complicated process that begins with detention and processing by Customs and Border Patrol, or CBP. If the child is from a foreign country that is not Mexico or Canada, they are placed into removal proceedings and transferred to the US Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS. HHS, through its Office of Refugee Resettlement office, cares for the children in a network of state-licensed providers. The office also seeks to reunify children with family members in the US or with individual or organisational sponsors - who in turn are obligated to ensure they arrive at immigration court dates. According to immigration experts and attorneys, the claims largely stem from an August report from the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general's office, which found that 32,000 unaccompanied minors failed to show up for court dates at immigration courts. The report noted that 291,000 migrant children had failed to be given court notices at all. Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, policy director at the American Immigration Council, a non-partisan organisation that conducts research and advocates for an overhaul of the US immigration system, told the BBC that the figures are indicative of a bureaucratic "paperwork issue" rather than "anything nefarious". "When you hear the phrase 'missing', you think that there is a child that someone is trying to find and can't," he said. "That's not the case here. The government has not made any effort to find these children." Many of the children, experts say, may well be at the addresses that are on file with the government, but were simply unable to make their court dates. "That doesn't mean something bad happened to them," Mr Reichlin-Melnick said. "It means you missed a court hearing." Mr Reichlin-Melnick added that there are "valid concerns" about exploitation. "We cannot, however, suggest that all 320,000 of those children are being labour trafficked," he said. Eric Ruark, an immigration researcher with NumbersUSA - which calls for tighter border controls - said that the children are difficult to track "because of some combination of apathy, incompetence and bureaucratic inefficiency". "Many, hopefully even most, are safe with caring sponsors," he added. "But the Biden administration can't actually say one way or the other, and apparently doesn't care enough to find out." Homan and other Trump administration officials have so far not provided many details about how they plan to address the issues that plague the detention of undocumented minors. Several immigration attorneys contacted by the BBC suggested that the administration is likely to make becoming a "sponsor" for undocumented children much more difficult, even if the sponsor is a member of their family. In practice, this would mean that more undocumented children are kept in detention. "They could do what the Obama administration did, and detain them," said Alexander Cuic, an immigration attorney and professor at Case Western Reserve University. The controversial "Remain in Mexico" programme could also be applied to children, forcing them to wait across the border for the outcome of immigration proceedings. "I'm not sure even they know what they're going to do with the kids," Mr Cuic said of the Trump administration. "But there's a border problem they're trying to figure out first, and that's the first concern before whether they're going to be harsh to both children and adults." The BBC has contacted the Trump transition team for comment.