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Portuguese PM António Costa in crisis after cops raid residence

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:12:35 GMT

Portuguese police raided Prime Minister António Costa’s official residence and detained his chief of staff, Vítor Escária, as part of a corruption investigation, Portugal’s attorney general said Tuesday.The probe is linked to lithium exploration schemes in the north of the country and a green hydrogen mega-project in Sines. Police searches of the prime minister’s residence and the Ministries of Environment and Infrastructure are ongoing. In addition to Escária, Costa’s personal adviser Diogo Lacerda — one of the prime minister’s closest confidants — and Nuno Mascarenhas, the socialist mayor of Sines, have also been detained, according to local media reports.Costa’s Socialist government has enthusiastically backed numerous schemes to extract lithium in different areas of Portugal as part of the EU’s wider drive to secure critical raw materials, but those projects have been mired in controversy because of the low quality of the elements s...

Column: USC quarterback Caleb Williams can cry if he wants to

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:12:35 GMT

In Saturday’s Top 25 college football matchup between Washington and USC, quarterback Caleb Williams — a past Heisman Trophy winner and projected 2024 NFL draft first-round pick — passed for 312 yards and three touchdowns for the Trojans (7-3, 5-2 Pac-12) in the 52-42 loss.He was strip-sacked late in the second quarter and three plays later, the Huskies went up 35-28 before the half. It was the fifth time in the last six games the Trojans defense gave up at least 40 points.After the game, Williams, 21, was shown sitting on a railing in the stands and embracing his mother with his face covered by a poster. He was visibly overcome by emotion, likely from the frustration of seeing his conference championship hopes dissipate despite his own best efforts. As he cried in his mother’s arms, the national broadcast cameras stayed there for a minute as ABC announcers Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit, in tones suitable for the situation, provided context to what William...

True or false: DE Montez Sweat’s debut with the Chicago Bears was encouraging

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:12:35 GMT

The Chicago Bears lost their seventh game of the season Sunday in New Orleans, coming unraveled late and committing three of their five turnovers in the fourth quarter of a 24-17 loss to the Saints.Rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent had three interceptions and a lost fumble in the game and no Bears player was able to deliver the game-on-the-line playmaking impact the team has lacked for the past two seasons.The Bears will now make a quick turnaround before their Week 10 Thursday night home game against the Carolina Panthers.As the dust settles from Week 9, Tribune writers Dan Wiederer and Colleen Kane sift through four notable topics in “true or false” format.Kane: True or false? Montez Sweat’s debut as a Bear was encouraging Sunday in New Orleans.Wiederer: True. The “encouraging” label fits. Officially, Sweat played 41 of the team’s 63 defensive snaps and flashed some of his most valuable gifts. He was credited with a pass defensed in the third quar...

NFL power rankings, Week 10: Ravens are the best team in football

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:12:35 GMT

Each week of the NFL season, The Baltimore Sun will rank all 32 NFL teams. The rankings will take into account not just weekly performance, injuries and roster depth, but how well each team measures up as Super Bowl contenders.Here are the rankings heading into Week 10:1. Ravens (7-2, No. 3 last week)Last week: Win vs. Seahawks, 37-3Up next: vs. BrownsThere isn’t a more complete team than Baltimore. Led by a dominant defense and an MVP-caliber quarterback, the Ravens have completely dismantled two NFC title contenders at home over the past three weeks. Coordinator Mike Macdonald’s defense is playing at a historically high level, getting a combined 16 sacks from Justin Madubuike, Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy and a league-leading six interceptions from safety Geno Stone to pair with the league’s best linebacker tandem in Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen and dangerous Swiss Army knife Kyle Hamilton. On offense, the Ravens have the most versatile attack in the leagu...

Patriots-Commanders film review: The Patriots are tracking to become the NFL’s worst team

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:12:35 GMT

Imagine Bill Belichick breaking down the Patriots as an opponent right now.How does that sound?Flowery, to be sure. Historically, there’s been a strong correlation between how long Belichick glowingly rambles about the Pats’ next opponent in his weekly press conferences and how crummy that opponent is. Before the Patriots’ rematch with Miami a couple weeks ago, he captured the Dolphins using just four words: “A pretty explosive team.”Last week, however, Washington received a minutes-long breakdown that touched on the coaching staff, their goal-line defense and even the returners.So what about the Patriots? They might earn a damn dissertation.As it stands, the Pats are trending toward becoming the worst team in the league. Offensively, only the Jets and Giants are worse by Expected Points Added (EPA). Defensively, the Pats rank 25th.The Patriots may never reach the league’s basement, thanks to the injury-plagued Giants and tanking Cardinals. But th...

6 takeaways from the Chicago Bulls’ 130-113 win over the Utah Jazz, including Andre Drummond’s 10K rebound milestone

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:12:35 GMT

The Chicago Bulls snapped a short losing skid with a decisive 130-113 win over the Utah Jazz on Monday night.It was a season-high in scoring for the Bulls as eight players scored in double digits. Zach LaVine logged 24 points and DeMar DeRozan added 21 points while Coby White dished out eight assists.Here are six takeaways from the game:1. Bulls capitalize on Jazz mistakesOne single scoring margin set the tone for the entire game — points off turnovers.The Bulls dominated this category, taking advantage of a plentiful supply of Utah mistakes. The Jazz turned the ball over 22 times resulting in 30 points. The Bulls turned the ball over eight times, but the Jazz only scored one point off those mistakes.Scoring off opponent mistakes had already been a strong suit for the Bulls, who averaged 19 points (11th in the NBA) off turnovers entering Monday’s game. But this was their most clinical display of making an opponent pay for their errors.2. Heating up behind the arcThe Bull...

Lightning strike causes house fire in Milton, leaving large hole in roof

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:12:35 GMT

A family in Milton is facing a major repair job after a rare November lightning strike is believed to have set their home ablaze, leaving a sizeable hole in the roof.Emergency crews were called to the fire at a townhome on Speyer Circle, in the area of Derry Road and Bronte Street, around 3:30 a.m. Monday afternoon after a thunderstorm rolled through the area.The small fire that began on the roof spread through the attic of the home. Fire crews reported a large hole in the roof they believe was caused by the lightning strike.Crews were able to extinguish the fire. Three were occupants inside the home at the time of the fire but no injuries were reported.A lightning strike believed to be cause of fire at a townhouse on Speyer Circle in Milton. Neighbours say their homes shook. The bang was heard blocks away. No one hurt but it’s left a large hole in the roof. It’s the only unit in complex with metal tv antenna mounted on the roof pic.twitter.com/r9YvyWqXxB— carl hanstke (@carlC...

Cargojet reports Q3 profit and total revenue down from year ago

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:12:35 GMT

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — Cargojet Inc. reported its third-quarter profit and total revenue fall compared with a year ago.The air cargo services company says it earned $10.5 million or 61 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended Sept. 30, down from $83.4 million or $4.33 per diluted share a year earlier.Revenue totalled $214.0 million, down from $232.7 million in the same quarter last year.On an adjusted basis, Cargojet says it earned 30 cents per share in its latest quarter, down from an adjusted profit of $2.18 per diluted share a year earlier.Cargojet chief executive Ajay Virmani says the volumes for discretionary items are softening, but essential household goods are holding up well. Virmani says the company is prudently trimming capital expenditures and working on identifying every cost saving opportunity. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:CJT)The Canadian Press

Closing arguments expected in Peter Nygard’s sexual assault trial

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:12:35 GMT

The jury in Peter Nygard’s sexual assault trial is expected to hear closing arguments from Crown and defence lawyers Tuesday.The 82-year-old former fashion mogul has pleaded not guilty to five counts of sexual assault and one count of forcible confinement in alleged incidents ranging from the 1980s to mid-2000s.Multiple complainants in the trial have alleged they were taken to Nygard’s Toronto headquarters under pretences ranging from tours to job interviews, with encounters ending in a top-floor bedroom suite where they allege they were sexually assaulted.Nygard denied those allegations as he testified in his own defence and said he has never done the things the five complainants have accused him of. Related: Peter Nygard tells his sex assault trial he wanted to ‘fully’ co-operate with police Crown suggests inconsistencies in Peter Nygard’s statements during cross examination Peter Nygard says he doesn’t r...

Pet Valu reports Q3 profit down from year ago, revenue up

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:12:35 GMT

MARKHAM, Ont. — Pet Valu Holdings Ltd. reported net income of $18.0 million in its latest quarter, down from $27.0 million a year ago, even as its revenue rose.The pet food and supplies retailer says the profit amounted to 25 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended Sept. 30, down from 38 cents per diluted share a year earlier.Revenue for the company’s third quarter totalled $262.3 million, up from $244.7 million in the same quarter last year.The company says the increase came as same-store sales gained 4.2 per cent, helped by a 4.0 per cent increase in same-store average spend per transaction and a 0.2 per cent gain in same-store transactions.On an adjusted basis, Pet Valu says it earned 39 cents per diluted share in its most recent quarter, down from an adjusted profit of 43 cents per diluted share a year earlier.In its outlook for its full year, Pet Valu says it expects revenue of between $1.055 billion and $1.065 billion. Adjusted net income per diluted share for the ...