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0365 account At least 36 MPs who voted in favour of assisted dying have indicated that they could change their minds at a later stage, new analysis suggests. An analysis of statements made by MPs about Friday’s vote shows that a significant number of parliamentarians suggested that their ongoing support would be conditional on how the bill stands up to scrutiny. The bill , which allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales with a life expectancy of six months or less to seek assistance to end their lives, passed in the Commons by 55 votes. 330 MPs voted in favour of the legislation, with 275 against. 18 Labour MPs and three Conservative MPs did not vote on Friday, meaning their votes are also to play for in the next stage. Under the proposed plans, a terminally ill adult would have to get approval from two doctors and a High Court judge before they would be helped to end their life. With the bill now entering committee stage, MPs will get a chance to scrutinise the plans and propose any amendments. Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, who proposed the bill, has said that there is “absolutely still a lot of work to do” on the bill and that “slight changes” are part of the process. Some MPs warned in Friday’s debate that their support was conditional on additional safeguards being put in place or parts of the bill being changed. Sir David Davis, who backed the bill, said he was concerned that a clause within it seemed to say that doctors could suggest an assisted death as a treatment option for their patients. Armed forces minister Luke Pollard voted for the bill but wrote to Ms Leadbeater calling for further safeguards to be added. Labour MP for Wrexham Andrew Ranger said that letting the bill pass through to the report and committee stages would allow for amendments and “areas of possible concern to be addressed”. He said that when the bill comes back to the Commons for its third reading, likely in Spring next year, he would then “arrive at a final decision”. Lib Dem MP for Chelmsford Marie Goldman said that her vote in favour on Friday was “by no means a guarantee of my vote for the bill at third reading”. Fellow Lib Dem Andrew George MP said he was in principle broadly in favour of assisted dying, but that he had not reached a final decision. In a letter to constituents, he wrote that he would carry out a study “especially in respect of the robustness of the law and the clinical judgements required to underpin its operation”. He added that, while he was not convinced that the law would put pressure on vulnerable people, he would “keep an open mind”. On Saturday, the Association for Palliative Medicine said that there is a risk the funding needed to pay for doctors and the courts to oversee assisted dying could divert money away from care for the dying. Labour MP Diane Abbott told the BBC that she was “very worried that vulnerable people will get swept up in the assisted dying route, when actually what they really need is access to hospice care and proper end-of-life care.”Hunter, Jeanty give Heisman ceremony a different vibeNone

Stock market today: Wall Street ends mixed after a bumpy weekBy FATIMA HUSSEIN WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday threatened 100% tariffs against a bloc of nine nations if they act to undermine the U.S. dollar. His threat was directed at countries in the so-called BRIC alliance, which consists of Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates. Turkey, Azerbaijan and Malaysia have applied to become members and several other countries have expressed interest in joining. While the U.S. dollar is by far the most-used currency in global business and has survived past challenges to its preeminence, members of the alliance and other developing nations say they are fed up with America’s . The dollar represents roughly 58% of the world’s foreign exchange reserves, and major commodities like oil are still primarily bought and sold using dollars. The dollar’s dominance is threatened, however, with BRICS’ growing share of GDP and the alliance’s intent to trade in non-dollar currencies — a process known as de-dollarization. Trump, in a Truth Social post, said: “We require a commitment from these Countries that they will neither create a new BRICS Currency, nor back any other Currency to replace the mighty U.S. Dollar or, they will face 100% Tariffs, and should expect to say goodbye to selling into the wonderful U.S. Economy.” At a summit of BRIC nations in October, and described it as a “big mistake.” “It’s not us who refuse to use the dollar,” Putin said at the time. “But if they don’t let us work, what can we do? We are forced to search for alternatives.” Russia has specifically pushed for the creation of a new payment system that would offer an alternative to the global bank messaging network, SWIFT, and allow Moscow to dodge Western sanctions and trade with partners. Trump said there is “no chance” BRIC will replace the U.S. dollar in global trade and any country that tries to make that happen “should wave goodbye to America.” Research shows that the U.S. dollar’s role as the primary global reserve currency is not threatened in the near future. An that assesses the dollar’s place as the primary global reserve currency states the dollar is “secure in the near and medium term” and continues to dominate other currencies. Trump’s latest tariff threat comes after he threatened to slap 25% tariffs on everything imported from Mexico and Canada, and an additional 10% tax on goods from China, as a way to force the countries to do more to halt the flow of illegal immigration and drugs into the U.S. He has since held a call with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who said Thursday she is confident that can be averted. returned home Saturday after meeting Trump, without assurances the president-elect will back away from threatened tariffs on Canada.

Thousands of Syrians celebrate in central Damascus during first Friday prayers since Assad's fallThe arrest of a Ugandan opposition figure in Kenya was carried out with Nairobi’s knowledge, a Ugandan government spokesperson told AFP Friday. His comments came two days after a senior Kenyan official said Nairobi had launched an investigation into the affair. Uganda has faced international condemnation following the abduction from Nairobi of veteran opposition figure Kizza Besigye, who appeared in a Kampala court on Wednesday. Kenya had insisted that it had nothing to do with the arrest of Besigye, 68, a medical doctor and longtime critic of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni. “Uganda and Kenya authorities were in the know on the arrest and transfer of Dr Besigye to Uganda,” government spokesperson Chris Baryomunsi told AFP. “Kenya is a sovereign country and with a full functioning governance system and it is not possible for an arrest to happen in the country, especially Nairobi, and the suspect is transferred across borders without the knowledge of institutions of Kenya,” he said. He said “without [the] involvement of Kenya, it would not have been possible to have Besigye cross into Uganda”. Baryomunsi added that there was “a lot” of intelligence shared between countries that is never made public “for the good of brotherly and sisterly countries”. – ‘Regrettable’ – His comments follow remarks Wednesday by Kenya’s foreign ministry permanent secretary Korir Sing’Oei, who labelled the incident involving Besigye “regrettable” and said an investigation had been launched. He told local TV: “This is not an act of the Kenyan government. It’s not the act of our security officials”. Besigye appeared in a military court on Wednesday, with the prosecution alleging he had been in possession of two pistols and had “solicited logistical support in Uganda, Greece and other countries with the aim of compromising the country’s national security”. Besigye, a retired army colonel, denied the charges. He insisted he was now a civilian and should not be tried in a military tribunal. He was remanded to Luzira prison until December 2. Late Friday, opposition leader Bobi Wine said he had visited Besigye in jail, and that he was in “good spirits”. He condemned the actions of the Ugandan government in a post on X, and urged Kenya to “take corrective measures to prevent a repeat of such incidents in the future”. The Ugandan government has sought to justify the extraction. On Wednesday, Baryomunsi said: “You can be arrested from anywhere because countries have treaties or instruments that they signed between them that allow for extradition.” A spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was “extremely concerned” about Besigye’s situation. International rights groups have condemned the incident, with Amnesty International warning it was part of a “growing and worrying trend of transnational repression” in Kenya. Last month, Nairobi admitted to allowing four Turkish refugees to be repatriated, despite evidence they were abducted in the city and forcibly returned without due process. Uganda has cracked down on the opposition in recent months. In July, 36 members of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) — the party Besigye founded two decades ago — were deported from Kenya and tried in Uganda on terrorism charges. With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives.

Sickened by the politics of the NFL, Belichick aims for a college restart

AleAnna, Inc. Announces Completion of Business Combination between Swiftmerge Acquisition Corp. and AleAnna Energy, LLCUSC RB Woody Marks exits in first half vs. Notre DameBIHAR: As Modi’s Indian government remains adamant about not sending the cricket team to Pakistan for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025, a prominent Indian politician, Tejashwi Yadav has raised his voice against the decision. According to Indian media reports, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) party leader and former professional cricketer Tejashwi Yadav asked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to send the team to Pakistan. Tejashwi Yadav’s comments come as uncertainty looms over the tournament because India has refused to send its team to Pakistan which is set to host the Champions Trophy 2025 in the February-March. Speaking to the media, the former deputy chief minister of Bihar said that mixing politics with sports is damaging, taking a “Biryani” jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Pakistan in 2015. Read more: Nawaz Sharif should speak to Modi for India’s Champions Trophy participation: Akmal “Involving politics in sports is not a good thing. Doesn’t everyone participate in the Olympics? Why shouldn’t India go to Pakistan? If the PM can go there to have Biryani, why can’t the Indian cricket team travel for a tournament?” news agency ANI quoted Tejashwi Yadav as saying Earlier today, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Mohsin Naqvi, had called for a new formula based on parity for the upcoming Champions Trophy, rejecting the hybrid model. Mohsin Naqvi is in Dubai for the board meeting of the International Cricket Council (ICC), amid India’s refusal to send its team to Pakistan which is set to host the Champions Trophy 2025 in the February-March window next year. Speaking to the media at Dubai Stadium, Naqvi emphasised that any new formula must ensure equality and fairness. He also hinted that Pakistan could boycott tournaments in India if the Indian team refuses to play in Pakistan. “It is not possible that we go to India but they don’t come to Pakistan”, maintained Naqvi.

CARL JAMMES MARTIN overcame a slow start to prove once more he is one of the country’s boxing hopes, dismantling Mexican Ruben Tostado Garcia in a non-title super bantamweight fight on Sunday via fifth round technical knockout victory at the Evolution Club in Tijuana, Mexico. Martin connected on a stunning right left hook with 1:28 left in the fifth round and the 30-year-old Mexican could not recover, forcing the referee to halt the fight. “Carl Jammes Martin started a little slow and his timing was a little off but when he got the guy with good shots, he finished his opponent really quick,” International matchmaker and Manny Pacquiao’s MP Promotions head Sean Gibbons told BusinessMirror on Sunday. Martin extended his unbeaten record to 25 fights, with 20 knockouts. Garcia dominated Martin in the first two rounds, the Filipino pug unable to react to the Mexican’s combinations. But Garcia felt Martin’s power in the third round after being staggered by counter punches. Martin got Garcia in the forehead in the fourth round before finishing the job in the fifth. “It’s going to be a huge 2025 for Martin. We are looking for a world title shot in Las Vegas after this win. At the end of the year, we are hoping he’s No. 1 in the WBO [World Boxing Organization],” Gibbons added. “He’s on track right now, and we are hoping he keeps that way.” Martin’s win was also his second in Mexico after he knocked out Anthony Jimenez Salas last September in Sinaloa. Garcia dropped to 27-15-1 win-loss-draw record with 10 knockouts.Harare City Council loses US$70m per year

World News | Former Union Minister Smriti Irani Inaugurates Indian People's Forum Women Council in Dubai

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Trump says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise US prices and won't rule out revenge prosecutions WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump says he can’t guarantee his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won’t raise prices for American consumers. And he's suggesting once more that some political rivals and federal officials who pursued legal cases against him should be imprisoned. The president-elect made the comments in a wide-ranging interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday. He also touched on monetary policy, immigration, abortion and health care, and U.S. involvement in Ukraine, Israel and elsewhere. Trump often mixed declarative statements with caveats, at one point cautioning “things do change.” Europe's economy needs help. Political chaos in France and Germany means it may be slower in coming BRUSSELS (AP) — Europe's economy has enough difficulties, from tepid growth to trade tensions with the U.S. Dealing with those woes is only getting harder due to the political chaos in the two biggest European countries, France and Germany. Neither has a government backed by a functioning majority, and France could take a while yet to sort things out. But some problems aren't going to wait, such as what to do about U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's America First stance on trade and how to fund stronger defense against Putin's Russia. ‘Moana 2’ cruises to another record weekend and $600 million globally “Moana 2” remains at the top of the box office in its second weekend in theaters as it pulled in another record haul. According to studio estimates Sunday, the animated Disney film added $52 million, bringing its domestic total to $300 million. That surpasses the take for the original “Moana” and brings the sequel's global tally to a staggering $600 million. It also puts the film in this year's top five at the box office. “Wicked” came in second place for the weekend with $34.9 million and “Gladiator II” was third with $12.5 million. The 10th anniversary re-release of Christopher Nolan's “Interstellar” also earned an impressive $4.4 million even though it played in only 165 theaters. Federal appeals court upholds law requiring sale or ban of TikTok in the US A federal appeals court panel on Friday unanimously upheld a law that could lead to a ban on TikTok as soon as next month, handing a resounding defeat to the popular social media platform as it fights for its survival in the U.S. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the law - which requires TikTok to break ties with its China-based parent company ByteDance or be banned by mid-January — is constitutional, rebuffing TikTok’s challenge that the statute ran afoul of the First Amendment and unfairly targeted the platform. TikTok and ByteDance — another plaintiff in the lawsuit — are expected to appeal to the Supreme Court. Executive of Tyler Perry Studios dies when plane he was piloting crashes in Florida ATLANTA (AP) — The president of Atlanta-based Tyler Perry Studios has died when the small plane he was piloting crashed on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The studio confirmed on Saturday that Steve Mensch, its 62-year-old president and general manager, had died Friday. The crash happened in Homosassa, about 60 miles north of Tampa. Photos from the scene show the plane having come to rest upside down on a road. Mensch helped advocate for Georgia’s film tax credit of more than $1 billion a year. Perry hired Mensch to run his namesake studio in 2016. Mensch died as Perry released his war drama, “The Six Triple Eight." The film was shot at the Atlanta studio. US added a strong 227,000 jobs in November in bounce-back from October slowdown WASHINGTON (AP) — America’s job market rebounded in November, adding 227,000 workers in a solid recovery from the previous month, when the effects of strikes and hurricanes had sharply diminished employers’ payrolls. Last month’s hiring growth was up considerably from a meager gain of 36,000 jobs in October. The government also revised up its estimate of job growth in September and October by a combined 56,000. Friday’s report also showed that the unemployment rate ticked up from 4.1% in October to a still-low 4.2%. The November data provided the latest evidence that the U.S. job market remains durable even though it has lost significant momentum from the 2021-2023 hiring boom, when the economy was rebounding from the pandemic recession. Stock market today: Wall Street hits more records following a just-right jobs report NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose to records after data suggested the job market remains solid enough to keep the economy going, but not so strong that it raises immediate worries about inflation. The S&P 500 climbed 0.2%, just enough top the all-time high set on Wednesday, as it closed a third straight winning week in what looks to be one of its best years since the 2000 dot-com bust. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 0.3%, while the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.8% to set its own record. Treasury yields eased after the jobs report showed stronger hiring than expected but also an uptick in the unemployment rate. Killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO spotlights complex challenge companies face in protecting top brass NEW YORK (AP) — In an era when online anger and social tensions are increasingly directed at the businesses consumers count on, Meta last year spent $24.4 million to surround CEO Mark Zuckerberg with security. But the fatal shooting this week of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson while walking alone on a New York City sidewalk has put a spotlight on the widely varied approaches companies take to protect their leaders against threats. And experts say the task of evaluating threats against executives and taking action to protect them is getting more difficult. One of the primary worries are loners whose rantings online are fed by others who are like-minded. It’s up to corporate security analysts to decide what represents a real threat. Days after gunman killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO, police push to ID him and FBI offers reward NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly four days after the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, police still do not know the gunman’s name or whereabouts or have a motive for the killing. But they have made some progress in their investigation into Wednesday's killing of the leader of the largest U.S. health insurer, including that the gunman likely left New York City on a bus soon after fleeing the scene. The also found that the gunman left something behind: a backpack that was discovered in Central Park. Police are working with the FBI, which on Friday night announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. USDA orders nationwide testing of milk for bird flu to halt the virus The U.S. government has ordered testing of the nation’s milk supply for bird flu to better monitor the spread of the virus in dairy cows. The Agriculture Department on Friday said raw or unpasteurized milk from dairy farms and processors nationwide must be tested on request starting Dec. 16. Testing will begin in six states — California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon and Pennsylvania. The move is aimed at eliminating the virus, which has infected more than 700 dairy herds in 15 states.Vena Recognized as a Challenger in the 2024 Gartner® Magic QuadrantTM for Financial Planning SoftwareWALL, S.D. — Jim Boensch points out a number of switches and lights on a nearby electronic console. He gives a detailed rundown of what each does as well as gives a demonstration of an ear-piercing alarm. Everything seems to be operating just as it should. He nods and then turns to the others in the room and prepares to proceed. ADVERTISEMENT “OK,” he says with a stark calmness. “Let’s jump into World War III.” Thankfully, there is no danger of nuclear annihilation on the horizon. Boensch, a retired Air Force major, is in the underground Delta-1 Launch Control Facility at the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site just a short drive down Interstate 90 from Wall in western South Dakota. The equipment he is demonstrating is all era-accurate and authentic, though decommissioned, and was one of 15 such facilities in the state that once stood guard every second of every day in the event the president of the United States issued an order for a nuclear strike against a foreign enemy. With the late 1991 dissolution of the Soviet Union, the chief nuclear rival of the United States, the need for the Delta-1 site and its South Dakota sister facilities became less crucial, and with the exception of the one near Wall, all were decommissioned and destroyed. “This is the last pair of this type in the world. There are no more,” Boensch told the Mitchell Republic during a tour of the grounds earlier this year, referring to the underground launch station and a deactivated missile silo just a few miles away. “They blew up the launch tubes and sold the land back. 149 of 150 missiles are gone.” Once part of the 44th Strategic Missile Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base, the site now serves as a museum, open to tours to the public and dedicated to the history of the Cold War and the role South Dakota and the Great Plains states played in the conflict. It is a chance to see the last remnants of the state’s nuclear Minuteman Missile fields. In 1985, if South Dakota had been ranked apart from the United States based on the number of nuclear warheads located within its borders, the 150 warheads on the Minuteman Missiles would have ranked the state sixth in the world. That would place it right behind China with 243. It had more nuclear warheads than India, Pakistan, Israel, North Korea and South Africa combined. ADVERTISEMENT When the United States dropped a pair of atomic bombs on Japan in 1944, it hastened the close of World War II. With Nazi Germany already defeated in Europe, the world breathed a sigh of relief as its armies, navies and air forces were recalled home and the conflict began to recede into the history books. Though the United States and Soviet Union were allies and on the same victorious side during World War II, a division in military aims and ideology soon began to widen between the superpowers. By 1949, the Soviet Union developed its own nuclear technology, and a decades-long arms race kicked off, with both countries building large nuclear arsenals that threatened to destroy the other side. Intercontinental ballistic nuclear missiles were part of those arsenals. Able to be launched at a moment’s notice and fly thousands of miles to deliver an atomic warhead payload on the enemy, the Minuteman Missiles were among the first developed by the United States as part of its “nuclear triad,” a series of nuclear warhead delivery methods that, along with the missiles, included missiles launched from submarines and bombs delivered by heavy bombers. When the United States was looking for a place to establish those nuclear missile launch sites, they turned to a region in the Great Plains that included South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming and Montana. “Most of them were in the middle part of the United States, up north. These missiles would go over the North Pole, and it shortened the distance to your targets without having to build bigger missiles that would be required if you put them down in Texas or Florida,” Boensch said. The United States struck deals with local landowners, and by 1963 the first silos in South Dakota were active. Over their service life those silos housed the Minuteman I and II series of missiles, the second iteration of which could carry a 1.2 megaton warhead capable of delivering the equivalent devastation of 1.2 million tons of TNT with a range of 7,500 miles. That allowed it to strike virtually any target on Earth. Each one carried 66 times the power of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, a bomb that killed 144,000 people. There were 150 such missiles within South Dakota’s borders. Always at the ready, the missiles were never used and were removed from active status in 1991 before being completely removed later in the early 1990s. Congress established the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site in 1999, the legislation for which was passed after a bill to establish the site was introduced in 1998 by Senators Tom Daschle and Tim Johnson. ADVERTISEMENT Though now more than a quarter century removed from service, the Delta-01 launch facility, and its nearby companion historic site, the Delta-9 Missile Silo, appears much as it did when it was active. During its service, access to the facility was strictly controlled, but the existence of the missiles and even their locations were not top secret. Local residents were aware of the nature of their neighbors, and even the Soviet Union were keen as to where they were located. That was by design, said Boensch, who works as an education technician at the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site. “We were a deterrent force. To have a good deterrent, you have to have a really great weapon, so from the other side they know you’ve got it and they know you can use it,” Boensch said. “It was no secret. All you had to do was follow the power line out to the middle of nowhere and you had a missile.” The launch facility appears as a relatively small, unremarkable low-slung building surrounded by a chain link fence and gate. A basketball hoop stands just inside the fencing. Entering the building takes one into a receiving area, where missile crews, which were swapped out after every 24 hour shift, would be vetted and checked in. Through one door in that area, toward the back of the building, is a living area that housed facility personnel, including security. Preserved much as it was during its most recent active period, it features a lounge area with a television, a small dining area, kitchen and sleeping quarters for those on-site. Space is limited, the accommodations simple but comfortable. For the most part, it does not resemble a military facility. ADVERTISEMENT It is through a second door in the receiving area that the perception changes. There, an elevator with highly controlled access leads to the underground bunker that housed the actual launch controls for the missiles at their command. A brief elevator ride descends approximately 30 feet to reveal a dark, concrete bunker area. A few meters ahead, a 16,000 pound blast door that sealed the missileers from the outside world is propped open. In a display of tongue-in-cheek humor, a mock Domino’s Pizza box has been painted on the front with the slogan “Worldwide delivery in 30 minutes or less or your next one is free.” Squeezing past the blast door brings visitors into a brightly-lit room full of vintage equipment that was crucial to launch operations. Low frequency and satellite communication systems line the walls, and a pair of chairs bolted to slide rails gave personnel a station from which to tend to it all while remaining strapped in securely. Simple sleeping bunks with a curtain grace the opposite wall. Staff in the bunker drilled regularly for a number of different scenarios, including launches. But even with constant training, there was a lot of downtime below ground. Boensch said many missileers would spend their time reading textbooks, preparing for exams. “We read. About half of us got our master’s degree. It was a great place to study. And I had two little girls back at the base. I wanted to play with them when I got off duty (and not study),” Boensch said. Studying aside, they were also prepared in the event of a nuclear emergency. There is no one button to launch the missiles. Once a confirmed launch order was received, each missileer turned a key from their stations, which were about 12 feet apart. Each key had to be turned within two seconds of each other, which prevented any one person from initiating a launch without the other. ADVERTISEMENT On one wall is a small red metal lock box with two combination padlocks. Like the two-person key launch system, the padlocks are another safeguard against any single person going rogue and attempting an unauthorized launch on their own. Both people had to be in agreement to open the box. “Why in the world would you need a safe up here inside this bank vault? With two locks on it, you did not know the combination of your partner’s locks. You were the only person in the world that knew your opening combination. Trust was a very hard thing to come by when you’re dealing with nuclear weapons. You’ve got to be absolutely sure,” Boensch said. The box contained materials for authenticating communications to make sure any such launch order received was authorized by the president of the United States or their successor. The content of those authenticators is still classified to this day. The actual launch keys were also inside the box. Things begin to move quickly once the lock box is opened. “We lay our keys down on this cabinet. We pick the right one. We do this independently of the other person,” Boensch said. “We go through whatever procedures we do to authenticate the message. Once we agree it is a valid and authentic message, we’re going to war. Nuclear war. And we don’t have a lot of time to do this.” The hours of practice and drills kick in. The pair are now almost on autopilot, having ceaselessly trained for this exact moment. Each missileer inserts their launch key into the receptacle at their station. They strap their seatbelts on. At the end of the countdown sequence, both turn their keys. At that point, missile silos like the Delta-9 site preserved a few miles down the road, move into action. The door at the top of the silo is flung off, revealing the weapon underneath. ADVERTISEMENT “An explosive squib fires, dragging that whole thing into a recess in that 12-foot diameter launch tube, getting it out of the way of the missile. About the same time, two Howitzer shell-like gas generators drive a piston tied to a pulley down, rolling that massive 180,000-pound door sideways to the south, rolling on 18-inch steel wheels,” Boensch said. “It clears that tube in less than three seconds.” Moments after the launch order is received, a Minuteman Missile is airborne and bound for its target. World War III has begun. Boensch and his fellow Air Force colleagues never had to take those fateful steps to actually launch a nuclear missile. Cool heads and world-saving diplomacy eventually won the day, and with the collapse of the Soviet Union, a nuclear deterrent on the Cold War scale was no longer needed. The missile fields in South Dakota were decommissioned and destroyed, with the exception of the facilities at which Boensch and his colleagues give tours to the public. Modern land-based missile facilities are still a part of the United States’ defense forces, with locations still maintained in North Dakota, Montana and Wyoming. The Cold War may be over, but the need for a nuclear deterrent remains, Boensch said. Geopolitical winds can shift, and leadership changes at the national level can alter defense priorities. Regardless of election results, the safety of America remains paramount, Boensch said. In addition to the current modern land-based missile silos and submarine-based nuclear weapons, the Air Force is expected to purchase 100 new B-21 Raider bombers, the first of which will be hosted at Ellsworth Air Force Base. The new bomber, which will complement the current fleet of B1 and B2 bombers, represents a generational leap as a dual nuclear and conventionally capable, stealth, penetrating, long-range strike platform, according to a release from the Air Force. “I think regardless of what political party is in charge, I think everybody realizes it’s a necessity,” Boensch said. Once a domain strictly off-limits to the general public, the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site now welcomes them with open arms to share the story of the sentinels on the prairie that assured America’s enemies any attack would be met by an equal, if not greater, force in return. Nearly 100,000 people visited the site in 2020. Some of those are fellow veterans that Boensch gets to interact with, sharing his stories and listening to theirs. It also offers him a chance to reflect on his own service and the service of his fellow missileers, most of which were no older than their mid-20s when they were stationed here. The technology and procedures are indeed fascinating, but in the end, the life or death actions came at the hand of missileers with a pair of small brass keys. There was no glory in the role, just a call to serve their country and to be at the forefront of protecting it should it come under attack. “I had to do some heavy thinking on what I really valued in life, what I really considered important. And I think service is the real reason why we’re here. I really do,” Boensch said. “But it’s just so rewarding to shake the hands of these people. And the folks who never served, too.” The Minuteman Missile National Historic Site is open to tours to the public. More information on the facilities and tours can be found at www.nps.gov/mimi/index.htm or by calling 605-433-5552.

GRAND FORKS — Bemidji State is playing at No. 14 UND to conclude their two-game home-and-home series. The Beavers won the series opener 2-1 in Bemidji's Sanford Center. The series finale is at Ralph Engelstad Arena. Follow the game Time: 6:07 p.m. Place: Ralph Engelstad Arena. TV: Midco Sports (GF Ch. 27/622 HD). Radio: The Fox (96.1 FM). Stream: NCHChockey.com. ADVERTISEMENT In-game updates UND's lines Forwards 29 Jackson Kunz—9 Sacha Boisvert—7 Mac Swanson 26 Dylan James—8 Jake Schmaltz—18 Jayden Perron 22 Owen McLaughlin—15 Carter Wilkie—21 Ben Strinden 19 Cody Croal—20 Cade Littler—5 Dane Montgomery Defense 13 Caleb MacDonald—4 Jake Livanavage 16 Andrew Strathmann—25 Abram Wiebe 3 Jayden Jubenvill—6 E.J. Emery 10 Tanner Komzak Goaltenders 30 Hobie Hedquist 35 T.J. Semptimphelter Not in lineup: F Cameron Berg (inj), F Louis Jamernik V (inj), D Bennett Zmolek (inj), G Kaleb Johnson (inj), F Dalton Andrew, G Aleksi Huson Bemidji State's lines Forwards 20 Kirklan Irey—16 Jere Vaisanen—11 Eric Martin 28 Kasper Magnussen—19 Jackson Jutting—8 Adam Flamming 9 Carter Randklev—26 Reilly Funk—25 Tory Lund 18 Rhys Chiddenton—15 Jaksen Panzer—17 Noah Quinn 14 Alexi Sylvestre Defensemen 21 Vince Corcoran—6 Mitch Wolfe 2 Tony Follmer—7 Isa Parekh 12 A.J. Macaulay—23 Luke Roelofs ADVERTISEMENT Goaltenders 30 Mattias Sholl 35 Raythan Robbins 33 Trent Wiemken Not in lineup: D Will Magnuson (inj), F Austin Jouppi, F Donte Lawson, F Jake McLean, D Patrik Satosaari, D Ryan Henderson Officials Referees — Brady Johnson and Bobby Lukkason Linesmen — Tyler Landman and Nathan Voll Supervisor — Thor Nelson Pregame notes UND continues its goaltender rotation with sophomore Hobie Hedquist coming in for the series finale. He had a shutout last Saturday. Hedquist enters the night on a scoreless streak of 70:14 going back to the series finale at Cornell. . . UND is surprisingly getting Cody Croal back in the lineup for the series finale. He replaces Dalton Andrew. . . UND remains without Cameron Berg, Louis Jamernik V, Bennett Zmolek and Kaleb Johnson. . . Bemidji State made four changes, adding three forwards and one defenseman to the lineup. . . Grand Forks native Jaksen Panzer is in the lineup for Bemidji State. . . The Beavers are looking for their first-ever sweep of UND.

Getting whipped by a downtrodden Oklahoma squad came back to haunt Alabama. So did a historic loss to Vanderbilt. That's because the Crimson Tide (9-3) were passed over for the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff when the selections were announced on Sunday. Alabama appeared in good shape to make the playoffs until visiting the Sooners and losing 24-3 on Nov. 23. Oklahoma finished the regular season with a 6-6 mark. SMU (11-2) earned the final at-large spot despite losing to Clemson 34-31 in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game on Saturday night. "I think it's the right decision," Mustangs coach Rhett Lashlee told CBS Sports said. "... We didn't ever have a bad loss." Selection committee chairman Warde Manuel said it was a tough choice to take the Mustangs over the Crimson Tide. "We looked at the number of wins Alabama had against ranked opponents," Manuel, the Michigan athletic director, told ESPN. "We looked at SMU's schedule and they were undefeated in conference. Their losses were to ranked teams. "We also looked at Alabama's losses to unranked teams. It was quite a debate. We value strength of schedule and that's why Alabama as a three-loss team is ranked ahead of teams that have two losses." SMU's loss to then-No. 17 Clemson came on a last-second field goal in Saturday night's Atlantic Coast Conference title game. The Mustangs also lost 18-15 at BYU on Sept. 6. SMU beat then-No. 22 Louisville on the road and then-No. 18 Pitt in Dallas. "Losing on a last-second field goal ... we felt SMU still had the nod over Alabama," Manuel said of the Mustangs' loss to Clemson. "... It's just looking at the entire body of work over both teams." Alabama's other two losses included the shocking 40-35 stumble at Vanderbilt on Oct. 5 that marked the Commodores' first-ever win over a No. 1-ranked team. The Crimson Tide also lost 24-17 to then-No. 11 Tennessee on Oct. 19. The Crimson Tide posted three ranked victories, beating then-No. 2 Georgia, then-No. 21 Missouri and then-No. 15 LSU. Alabama will face Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa on Dec. 31. It is a rematch from last season when the Wolverines defeated the Crimson Tide 27-20 in the College Football Playoff semifinal game at the Rose Bowl. The second team out was No. 13 Miami (10-2), which saw its chances plummet by losing two of its last three regular-season games. The Hurricanes, who started 9-0, lost 28-23 to host Georgia Tech on Nov. 9 and completed the regular season with a 42-38 road loss against Syracuse. Miami didn't play a Top 25 team this season. Instead of navigating the playoff field, Miami will face No. 18 Iowa State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl in Orlando on Dec. 28. "Everyone that doesn't get in feels disappointment," Miami coach Mario Cristobal said of being passed over. "We will have the onus of just doing better. Go forward and have the opportunity to get better. ... "We have a ton to play for and we'll thankful for the opportunity." SMU plays No. 6 Penn State in its first-round playoff game on Nov. 21. "We're excited about the challenge and the opportunity to prove that the committee made the right decision," Lashlee said. --Field Level MediaORLANDO, Fla. — UCF coach Gus Malzahn is resigning after four seasons with the school. ESPN’s Pete Thamel was the first to report the move, which will see Malzahn to leave to take the offensive coordinator job at Florida State. Malzahn previously worked with FSU coach Mike Norvell during their time at Tulsa under then-coach Todd Graham from 2007-08. The Knights ended a disappointing 4-8 season in which they lost eight of their last nine games, the longest losing streak since 2015. Malzahn, 59, was in the fourth year of a contract through 2028. His buyout, it is reported, would have been $13.75 million. He finished 27-25 at UCF but lost 16 of his last 22 games and was a dismal 4-14 in two seasons in the Big 12. After back-to-back nine-win seasons in 2021-22, the Knights went 6-7 in 2023 and 4-8 in 2024. People are also reading... This season started with high expectations as Malzahn made sweeping changes to the program. He retooled the strength and conditioning department and hired Ted Roof and Tim Harris Jr. as defensive and offensive coordinators, respectively. He also added nearly 50 new players to the roster, leaning heavily on the transfer market. UCF started by winning its first three games against New Hampshire, Sam Houston and a thrilling comeback at TCU, but offensive struggles saw the Knights tumble through a TBD-game losing streak to finish the season. Terry Mohajir hired Malzahn on Feb. 15, 2021, six days after he was hired to replace Danny White. The move came eight weeks after Malzahn had been fired at Auburn after eight seasons of coaching the Tigers. The two briefly worked together at Arkansas State in 2012 before Malzahn left for the Auburn job. “When he [Mohajir] offered the job, I was like, ‘I’m in.’ There wasn’t thinking about or talking about ...,” Malzahn said during his introductory press conference. “This will be one of the best programs in college football in a short time. This is a job that I plan on being here and building it.” UCF opened the 2021 season with non-conference wins over Boise State and Bethune-Cookman before traveling to Louisville on Sept. 17, where quarterback Dillon Gabriel suffered a fractured collarbone in the final minute of a 42-35 loss. Backup Mikey Keene would finish out the season as Gabriel announced his intention to transfer. The Knights would finish the season on the plus side by accepting a bid to join the Big 12 Conference in September and then by defeating Florida 29-17 in the Gasparilla Bowl. Malzahn struck transfer portal gold in the offseason when he signed former Ole Miss quarterback John Rhys Plumlee. Plumlee, a two-sport star with the Rebels, helped guide UCF to the American Athletic Conference Championship in its final season. However, Plumlee’s injury forced the Knights to go with Keene and freshman Thomas Castellanos. The team finished with losses to Tulane in the conference championship and Duke in the Military Bowl. Plumlee would return in 2023 as UCF transitioned to the Big 12 but would go down with a knee injury in the final minute of the Knights’ 18-16 win at Boise State on Sept. 9. He would miss the next four games as backup Timmy McClain took over the team. Even on his return, Plumlee couldn’t help UCF, on a five-game losing streak to open conference play. The Knights got their first Big 12 win at Cincinnati on Nov. 4 and upset No. 15 Oklahoma State the following week, but the team still needed a win over Houston in the regular-season finale to secure a bowl bid for the eighth straight season. From the moment Malzahn stepped on campus, he prioritized recruiting, particularly in Central Florida. “We’re going to recruit like our hair’s on fire,” Malzahn said at the time. “We’re going to go after the best players in America and we’re not backing down to anybody.” From 2007 to 2020, UCF signed 10 four-star high school and junior college prospects. Eight four-star prospects were in the three recruiting classes signed under Malzahn. The 2024 recruiting class earned a composite ranking of 39 from 247Sports, the highest-ranked class in school history. The 2025 recruiting class is ranked No. 41 and has commitments from three four-star prospects. Malzahn has always leaned on the transfer market, signing 60 players over the past three seasons. Some have paid huge dividends, such as Javon Baker, Lee Hunter, Kobe Hudson, Tylan Grable, Bula Schmidt, Amari Kight, Marcellus Marshall, Trent Whittemore, Gage King, Ethan Barr, Deshawn Pace and Plumlee. Others haven’t been as successful, such as quarterback KJ Jefferson, who started the first five games of this season before being benched for poor performance. Jefferson’s struggles forced the Knights to play musical chairs at quarterback, with true freshman EJ Colson, redshirt sophomore Jacurri Brown and redshirt freshman Dylan Rizk all seeing action at one point or another this season. This season’s struggles led to several players utilizing the NCAA’s redshirt rule after four games, including starting slot receiver Xavier Townsend and kicker Colton Boomer, who have also entered the transfer portal. Defensive end Kaven Call posted a letter to Malzahn on Twitter in which he accused the UCF coaching staff of recently kicking him off the team when he requested to be redshirted. 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NEW YORK — Same iconic statue, very different race. With two-way star Travis Hunter of Colorado and Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty leading the field, these certainly aren't your typical Heisman Trophy contenders. Sure, veteran quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel from top-ranked Oregon and Cam Ward of No. 15 Miami are finalists for college football's most prestigious award as well, but the 90th annual ceremony coming up Saturday night at Lincoln Center in New York City offers a fresh flavor this year. To start with, none of the four are from the powerhouse Southeastern Conference, which has produced four of the past five Heisman winners — two each from Alabama and LSU. Jeanty, who played his home games for a Group of Five team on that peculiar blue turf in Idaho more than 2,100 miles from Manhattan, is the first running back even invited to the Heisman party since 2017. After leading the country with 2,497 yards rushing and 29 touchdowns, he joined quarterback Kellen Moore (2010) as the only Boise State players to be named a finalist. People are also reading... "The running back position has been overlooked for a while now," said Jeanty, who plans to enter the 2025 NFL draft. "There's been a lot of great running backs before me that should have been here in New York, so to kind of carry on the legacy of the running back position I think is great. ... I feel as if I'm representing the whole position." With the votes already in, all four finalists spent Friday conducting interviews and sightseeing in the Big Apple. They were given custom, commemorative watches to mark their achievement. "I'm not a watch guy, but I like it," said Hunter, flashing a smile. The players also took photos beneath the massive billboards in Times Square and later posed with the famous Heisman Trophy, handed out since 1935 to the nation's most outstanding performer. Hunter, the heavy favorite, made sure not to touch it yet. A dominant player on both offense and defense who rarely comes off the field, the wide receiver/cornerback is a throwback to generations gone by and the first full-time, true two-way star in decades. On offense, he had 92 catches for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns this season to help the 20th-ranked Buffaloes (9-3) earn their first bowl bid in four years. On defense, he made four interceptions, broke up 11 passes and forced a critical fumble that secured an overtime victory against Baylor. Hunter played 688 defensive snaps and 672 more on offense — the only Power Four conference player with 30-plus snaps on both sides of the ball, according to Colorado research. Call him college football's answer to baseball unicorn Shohei Ohtani. "I think I laid the ground for more people to come in and go two ways," Hunter said. "It starts with your mindset. If you believe you can do it, then you'll be able to do it. And also, I do a lot of treatment. I keep up with my body. I get a lot of recovery." Hunter is Colorado's first Heisman finalist in 30 years. The junior from Suwanee, Georgia, followed flashy coach Deion Sanders from Jackson State, an HBCU that plays in the lower level FCS, to the Rocky Mountains and has already racked up a staggering combination of accolades this week, including The Associated Press player of the year. Hunter also won the Walter Camp Award as national player of the year, along with the Chuck Bednarik Award as the top defensive player and the Biletnikoff Award for best wide receiver. "It just goes to show that I did what I had to do," Hunter said. Next, he'd like to polish off his impressive hardware collection by becoming the second Heisman Trophy recipient in Buffaloes history, after late running back Rashaan Salaam in 1994. "I worked so hard for this moment, so securing the Heisman definitely would set my legacy in college football," Hunter said. "Being here now is like a dream come true." Jeanty carried No. 8 Boise State (12-1) to a Mountain West Conference championship that landed the Broncos the third seed in this year's College Football Playoff. They have a first-round bye before facing the SMU-Penn State winner in the Fiesta Bowl quarterfinal on New Year's Eve. The 5-foot-9, 215-pound junior from Jacksonville, Florida, won the Maxwell Award as college football's top player and the Doak Walker Award for best running back. Jeanty has five touchdown runs of at least 70 yards and has rushed for the fourth-most yards in a season in FBS history — topping the total of 115 teams this year. He needs 132 yards to break the FBS record set by Heisman Trophy winner Barry Sanders at Oklahoma State in 1988. In a pass-happy era, however, Jeanty is trying to become the first running back to win the Heisman Trophy since Derrick Henry for Alabama nine years ago. In fact, quarterbacks have snagged the prize all but four times this century. Gabriel, an Oklahoma transfer, led Oregon (13-0) to a Big Ten title in its first season in the league and the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff. The steady senior from Hawaii passed for 3,558 yards and 28 touchdowns with six interceptions. His 73.2% completion rate ranks second in the nation, and he's attempting to join quarterback Marcus Mariota (2014) as Ducks players to win the Heisman Trophy. "I think all the memories start to roll back in your mind," Gabriel said. Ward threw for 4,123 yards and led the nation with a school-record 36 touchdown passes for the high-scoring Hurricanes (10-2) after transferring from Washington State. The senior from West Columbia, Texas, won the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback of the Year award and is looking to join QBs Vinny Testaverde (1986) and Gino Torretta (1992) as Miami players to go home with the Heisman. "I just think there's a recklessness that you have to play with at the quarterback position," Ward said. Be the first to know