Stimulation or stagnation?BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Tens of thousands of Spaniards marched in downtown Barcelona on Saturday to protest the skyrocketing cost of renting an apartment in the popular tourist destination. Protesters cut off traffic on main avenues in the city center, holding up homemade signs in Spanish reading “Fewer apartments for investing and more homes for living" and “The people without homes uphold their rights.” The lack of affordable housing has become one of the leading concerns for the southern European Union country, mirroring the housing crunch across many parts of the world, including the United States . Organizers said that over 100,000 had turned out, while Barcelona’s police said they estimated some 22,000 marched. Either way, the throngs of people clogging the streets recalled the massive separatist rallies at the height of the previous decade’s Catalan independence movement. Now, social concerns led by housing have displaced political crusades. That is because the average rent for Spain has doubled in last 10 years. The price per square meter has risen from 7.2 euros ($7.5) in 2014 to 13 euros this year, according to the popular online real estate website Idealista. The growth is even more acute in cities like Barcelona and Madrid. Incomes meanwhile have failed to keep up, especially for younger people in a country with chronically high unemployment. Protestor Samuel Saintot said he is “frustrated and scared” after being told by the owners of the apartment he has rented for the past 15 years in Barcelona’s city center that he must vacate the premises. He suspects that the owners want him out so they can renovate it and boost the price. “Even looking in a 20- or 30-kilometer radius outside town, I can’t even find anything within the price range I can afford,” he told The Associated Press. “And I consider myself a very fortunate person, because I earn a decent salary. And even in my case, I may be forced to leave town.” A report by the Bank of Spain indicates that nearly 40% of Spaniards who rent dedicate an average of 40% of their income to paying rents and utilities, compared to the European Union average of 27% of renters who do so. “We are talking about a housing emergency. It means people having many difficulties both in accessing and staying in their homes,” said Ignasi Martí, professor for Esade business school and head of its Dignified Housing Observatory. The rise in rents is causing significant pain in Spain, where traditionally people seek to own their homes. Rental prices have also been driven up by short-term renters including tourists. Many migrants to Spain are also disproportionately hit by the high rents because they often do not have enough savings. Spain is near the bottom end of OECD countries with under 2% of all housing available being public housing for rent. The OECD average is 7%. Spain is far behind France, with 14%, Britain with 16%, and the Netherlands with 34%. Carme Arcarazo, spokesperson for Barcelona’s Tenants Union which helped organize the protest, said that renters should consider a “rent strike” and cease paying their monthly rents in a mass protest movement. “I think we the tenants have understood that this depends on us. That we can’t keep asking and making demands to the authorities and waiting for an answer. We must take the reins of the situation,” Arcarazo told the AP. “So, if they (the owners) won’t lower the rent, then we will force them to do it." The Barcelona protest came a month after tens of thousands rallied against high rents in Madrid. The rising discontent over housing is putting pressure on Spain’s governing Socialist party, which leads a coalition on the national level and is in charge of Catalonia’s regional government and Barcelona’s city hall. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez presided over what the government termed a “housing summit” including government officials and real estate developers last month. But the Barcelona’s Tenants Union boycotted the event, saying it was like calling a summit for curing cancer and inviting tobacco companies to participate. The leading government measure has been a rent cap mechanism that the central government has offered to regional authorities based on a price index established by the housing ministry. Rent controls can be applied to areas deemed to be “highly stressed” by high rental prices. Catalonia was the first region to apply those caps, which are in place in downtown Barcelona. Many locals blame the million of tourists who visit Barcelona, and the rest of Spain, each year for the high prices. Barcelona’s town hall has pledged to completely eliminate the city’s 10,000 so called “tourist apartments,” or dwellings with permits for short-term rents, by 2028.
Chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen returns to a tournament after a dispute over jeans is resolved NEW YORK (AP) — Top ranked chess player Magnus Carlsen is headed back to the World Blitz Championship on Monday. That's after its governing body agreed to loosen a dress code that got him fined and denied a late-round game in another tournament for refusing to change out of jeans. The International Chess Federation president said in a statement Sunday that he’d let World Blitz Championship tournament officials consider allowing “appropriate jeans” with a jacket, as well as other "minor deviations” from the dress code. Carlsen quit the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships on Friday. He said Sunday he would play — and wear jeans — in the World Blitz Championship. 'Sonic 3' and 'Mufasa' battle for No. 1 at the holiday box office Two family films are dominating the holiday box office, with “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” winning the three-day weekend over “Mufasa” by a blue hair. According to studio estimates Sunday, the Sonic movie earned $38 million, while “Mufasa” brought in $37.1 million from theaters in the U.S. and Canada. The R-rated horror “Nosferatu” placed third with an unexpectedly strong $21.2 million. Thanksgiving release holdovers “Wicked” and “Moana 2” rounded out the top five. Christmas Day had several big film openings, including the Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown,” the Nicole Kidman erotic drama “Babygirl” and the boxing drama “The Fire Inside.” Charles Shyer, ‘Father of the Bride’ and ‘Baby Boom’ filmmaker, dies at 83 An Oscar-nominated writer and filmmaker known for classic comedies like “Private Benjamin,” “Baby Boom” and “Father of the Bride," Charles Shyer has died. He was 83. On Sunday his daughter Hallie Meyers-Shyer told The Associated Press that he died Friday in Los Angeles. No cause was disclosed. Born in Los Angeles in 1941 to a filmmaker father, Shyer's big breakthrough came with co-writing “Private Benjamin” for which he and Nancy Meyers received an Oscar nomination. He and Nancy Meyers were frequent collaborators through their nearly 20-year marriage, including on the remake of “The Parent Trap," starring Lindsay Lohan. LeBron James at 40: A milestone birthday arrives Monday for the NBA's all-time scoring leader When LeBron James broke another NBA record earlier this month, the one for most regular-season minutes played in a career, his Los Angeles Lakers teammates handled the moment in typical locker room fashion. They made fun of him. Dubbed The Kid from Akron, with a limitless future, James is now the 40-year-old from Los Angeles with wisps of gray in his beard, his milestone birthday coming Monday, one that will make him the first player in NBA history to play in his teens, 20s, 30s and 40s. He has stood and excelled in the spotlight his entire career. Belgium will ban sales of disposable e-cigarettes in a first for the EU BRUSSELS (AP) — Belgium will ban the sale of disposable electronic cigarettes as of Jan. 1 on health and environmental grounds in a groundbreaking move for European Union nations. Health minister Frank Vandenbroucke tells The Associated Press that the inexpensive e-cigarettes have turned into a health threat since they are an easy way for teenagers to be drawn into smoking and get hooked on nicotine. Australia outlawed the sale of “vapes” outside pharmacies earlier this year in some of the world’s toughest restrictions on electronic cigarettes. Now Belgium is leading the EU drive. Belgium's minister wants tougher tobacco measures in the 27-nation bloc. Charles Dolan, HBO and Cablevision founder, dies at 98 Charles F. Dolan, who founded some of the most prominent U.S. media companies including Home Box Office Inc. and Cablevision Systems Corp., has died at age 98. Newsday reports that a statement issued Saturday by his family says Dolan died of natural causes. Dolan’s legacy in cable broadcasting includes founding HBO in 1972, Cablevision in 1973 and the American Movie Classics television station in 1984. He also launched News 12 in New York City, the first U.S. 24-hour cable channel for local news. Dolan also held controlling stakes in companies that owned Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, the New York Knicks and the New York Rangers. Snoop's game: Snoop Dogg thrills the crowd in the bowl that bears his name TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Miami of Ohio beat Colorado State in the Arizona Bowl, but Snoop Dogg was the main attraction. The Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl presented by Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop was much a spectacle as a football game. Snoop Dogg seemed to be everywhere all at once, from a pregame tailgate to the postgame trophy presentation. Snoop Dog donned a headset on Colorado State's sideline, spent some time in the broadcast and even led both marching bands as conductor during their halftime performance. Snoop Dogg saved the best for last, rolling out in a light green, lowrider Chevy Impala with gold rims and accents, the shiny Arizona Bowl trophy in his hand as fans screamed his name. Mavs star Luka Doncic is latest pro athlete whose home was burglarized, business manager says DALLAS (AP) — Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks is the latest professional athlete whose home has been burglarized. The star guard’s business manager tells multiple media outlets there was a break-in at Doncic’s home Friday night. Lara Beth Seager says nobody was home, and Doncic filed a police report. The Dallas Morning News reports that jewelry valued at about $30,000 was stolen. Doncic is the sixth known pro athlete in the U.S. whose home was burglarized since October. Star NFL quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes of Kansas City and Joe Burrow of Cincinnati are among them. The NFL and NBA have issued security alerts to players over the break-ins. Victor Wembanyama plays 1-on-1 chess with fans in New York Victor Wembanyama went to a park in New York City and played 1-on-1 with fans on Saturday. He even lost a couple of games. Not in basketball, though. Wemby was playing chess. Before the San Antonio Spurs left New York for a flight to Minnesota, Wembanyama put out the call on social media: “Who wants to meet me at the SW corner of Washington Square park to play chess? Im there,” Wembanyama wrote. It was 9:36 a.m. And people began showing up almost immediately. Norwegian chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen quits a tournament in a dispute over jeans NEW YORK (AP) — The International Chess Federation says top ranked player Magnus Carlsen has left the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships after refusing to change out of the jeans he wore to the competition. The federation said Friday that its regulations include a dress code that bars participants from wearing jeans at the event. The Norwegian chess grandmaster says he accepted a $200 fine but refused to change his pants out of principle before leaving the competition in New York. The federation said the dress code is designed to ensure professionalism and fairness for all participants.
I n June, Raman Bhatia walked into the fifth-floor office at Starling Bank’s headquarters in east London with a clean slate. It was set to be an antidote to a turbulent two years steering his former employer, Ovo, through an energy crisis and fines for overcharging customers . At the digital-only challenger bank, where he was taking over from the founder, Anne Boden, things looked more rosy, with a possible stock market listing on the horizon. He began his term by rubbing shoulders with new Labour ministers in No 10’s rose garden , and charming staff during a tour of Starling offices in Cardiff, London and Southampton. But autumn brought the honeymoon to an abrupt end. In October, Starling was hit with a £29m fine for “shockingly lax” financial crime controls , which the City regulator said had left the financial system “wide open to criminals and those subject to sanctions”. It threatened to take a hefty chunk out of Starling’s 2024 profits, and raised questions over the bank’s vehement defence of its customer screening process two years earlier when a former fraud minister challenged the bank’s handling of Covid loan applications. It meant that when Bhatia addressed a London banking conference at the start of December, one of the first questions he was asked was not about Starling’s bright future but its recent failings. Starling once seemed poised for unwavering success. It was part of a trio of online-only neo-banks, alongside Revolut and Monzo, which emerged in the mid-2010s to disrupt traditional banking. Boden, a former Royal Bank of Scotland executive, presented Starling as a grown-up among the upstarts, with 30 years of banking experience and £48m of seed funding from the reclusive Austrian billionaire Harald McPike. Not everyone agreed with her leadership style – as illustrated by a staff rebellion that led to a former colleague launching a rival, Monzo. But in 2016, two years after its launch, Starling clinched a coveted UK banking licence, allowing it to hold its own customers’ deposits and issue lucrative loans. It would take Monzo another year, and Revolut until 2024 , to do the same. And although the pandemic loomed, the government-backed schemes that followed would fuel Starling’s growth: it was among a number of smaller lenders that eagerly queued to distribute bounce-back loans (BBLs). Meant to support businesses during lockdown, banks offered companies loans of up to £50,000 at 2.5% interest, but carried little risk, with taxpayers picking up 100% of losses if borrowers defaulted. Large banks restricted BBLs to their own customers. But challengers such as Starling opened applications to new clients and experienced exponential growth as a result. The bank had only issued £23m of its own loans before the pandemic in November 2019, but had distributed £1.6bn in BBLs by the time the scheme closed in March 2021. Meanwhile, its business customer base swelled from 87,000 to 330,000: equivalent to onboarding 15,000 a month. High street banks, by comparison, were onboarding 1,500 to 8,000 on average. Starling – which had 1,245 staff at the time – credited the feat to its cutting-edge tech. , a feat that the bank – which had 1,245 staff at the time– chalked up to its cutting-edge tech. Within months, it was toasting its first annual profit. Not everyone was celebrating. In May 2022, Lord Agnew, a former Treasury minister with an anti-fraud brief, accused Starling of acting against taxpayers’ interests and using BBLs as a “cost-free marketing exercise to build their loan book and so their company valuation”. He added that the bank was “one of the worst when it came to validating the turnover of businesses or submitting suspicious activity reports”. Boden was incensed. She accused Agnew of making “defamatory statements” and threatened to take legal action against the Tory peer, and said the bank had reported his comments to regulators. She also insisted Starling was one of the “most active and effective banks fighting fraud”. In the background, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) had been raising serious concerns about Starling’s financial crime controls. In late 2020, during a sample review of challenger banks, the watchdog said it had “identified several issues” with Starling’s anti-money-laundering and financial sanctions controls, as well as its governance and oversight. But this would not have been news to some, at least, of Starling’s management. In 2018, an internal audit report had identified “several significant gaps” in Starling’s financial crime procedures. However, those shortcoming were not adequately conveyed to either Starling’s board or the regulator, FCA documents said. The regulator flagged “wide-ranging concerns” in a letter to Starling bosses in March 2021, just as the BBL programme was winding down, but further tests found problems in Starling’s client screening. By September, Starling had agreed to a VREQ – or voluntary requirement – that banned it from processing applications for any high-risk customers while it improved controls. Sign up to Observed Analysis and opinion on the week's news and culture brought to you by the best Observer writers after newsletter promotion Months passed. In July 2022, Starling realised that a key check was not working properly. It meant that nearly 300 customers who had previously been booted out of the bank for “financial crime reasons” had been able to reopen accounts. By November, Starling’s financial crime rating was raised to “red”. And two months later, in January 2023, it found that an automated screening system had only been checking against a partial list of individuals under sanctions since 2017. Starling ultimately breached the VREQ, opening 54,000 accounts for 49,183 high-risk customers between September 2021 and November 2023, earning £900,000 in interest and fees along the way. An external consultancy later chalked up the failings to an inexperienced management team that lacked sufficient anti-money laundering and regulatory expertise. Engineering teams, given responsibility for upgrading the systems and controls, were not told of the existence of the regulator’s order. It was only in April this year that Starling managed to go a full month without breaking the rules. The VREQ remains in place today. The regulator did not refer to the BBL scheme in its report. But Agnew revived his concerns in October. The digital bank has so far claimed £94m of taxpayer money through the BBL scheme on loans that were later flagged for fraud, a figure only surpassed by the four largest high street banks. “The government should consider the FCA’s findings and examine whether there needs to be a clawback on any of the taxpayer funds paid to Starling to cover fraud losses,” Agnew told the Times . The new revelations have undoubtedly hurt Starling’s reputation and kicked the prospect of a stock market listing – and payouts to investors such as Goldman Sachs and McPike – down the road. “It makes it harder to ‘sell the story’ to investors,” said John Cronin, an independent banking analyst and founder of SeaPoint Insights. “I would be surprised to see a successful IPO within the next two to three years,” he added. Boden stepped down as chief executive in 2023 citing a “conflict of interest” between being a boss and a large shareholder, leaving Bhatia to weather the storm. Starling said: “We fully accept and have apologised for the FCA’s findings. Their fine related solely to breaches of the VREQ and to sanctions controls. The loans issued during the Covid crisis were to a small proportion of our new customers. In line with other banks, we were supporting the government’s efforts to keep the economy alive and small business owners active. “We’re moving forward with plans for new products and services and are excited about the prospects for 2025.” Boden and the Treasury declined to comment.Los Angeles Chargers (7-4) at Atlanta (6-5) Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS BetMGM NFL Odds: Chargers by 1 1/2 Series record: Falcons lead 8-4. Against the spread: Chargers 7-3-1, Falcons 5-6. Last meeting: Chargers beat Falcons 20-17 on Nov. 6, 2022, in Atlanta. Last week: Ravens beat Chargers, 30-23; Falcons had bye week following 38-6 loss at Denver on Nov. 17. Chargers offense: overall (21), rush (13), pass (20), scoring (18). Chargers defense: overall (13), rush (10), pass (10), scoring (13). Falcons offense: overall (8), rush (14), pass (5), scoring (16). Falcons defense: overall (25), rush (19), pass (26), scoring (26). Turnover differential: Chargers plus-8, Falcons minus-3. Chargers player to watch RB Gus Edwards will move up as the lead back for Los Angeles after J.K Dobbins (knee) was placed on injured reserve on Saturday. Edwards was activated from IR earlier this month following an ankle injury and had nine carries for 11 yards with a touchdown in Monday night's 30-23 loss to Baltimore. Falcons player to watch WR Drake London has 61 catches, leaving him four away from becoming the first player in team history to have at least 65 receptions in each of his first three seasons. London has 710 receiving yards, leaving him 140 away from becoming the first player in team history with at least 850 in each of his first three seasons. Key matchup Falcons RB Bijan Robinson vs. Chargers' run defense. Robinson was shut down by Denver, gaining only 35 yards on 12 carries, and the Atlanta offense couldn't recover. The Chargers rank 10th in the league against the run, so it will be a challenge for the Falcons to find a way to establish a ground game with Robinson and Tyler Allgeier. A solid running attack would create an opportunity for offensive coordinator Zac Robinson to establish the play-action passes for quarterback Kirk Cousins. Key injuries Besides Dobbins, the Chargers also placed S Alohi Gilman (hamstring) on injured reserve. CB Cam Hart (ankle) and LB Denzel Perryman (groin) also have been ruled out. ... The Falcons needed the bye to give a long list of injured players an opportunity to heal. WR WR KhaDarel Hodge (neck) did not practice on Wednesday. WR Darnell Mooney (Achilles), CB Kevin King (concussion), DL Zach Harrison (knee, Achilles) and WR Casey Washington (concussion) were hurt in the 38-6 loss at Denver on Nov. 17 and were limited on Wednesday. CB Mike Hughes (neck), nickel back Dee Alford (hamstring), ILB Troy Andersen (knee), TE Charlie Woerner (concussion) and ILB JD Bertrand (concussion) also were limited on Wednesday after not playing against Denver. C Drew Dalman (ankle) could return. Series notes The Chargers have won the past three games in the series following six consecutive wins by the Falcons from 1991-2012. Los Angeles took a 33-30 overtime win in Atlanta in 2016 before the Chargers added 20-17 wins at home in 2020 and in Atlanta in 2022. The Falcons won the first meeting between the teams, 41-0 in San Diego in 1973. Stats and stuff Each team has built its record on success against the soft NFC South. Atlanta is 4-1 against division rivals. Los Angeles is 2-0 against the NFC South this season. The Chargers have a four-game winning streak against the division. ... Atlanta is 0-2 against AFC West teams, following a 22-17 loss to Kansas City and the lopsided loss at Denver. The Falcons will complete their tour of the AFC West with a game at the Las Vegas Raiders on Dec. 16. ... The Falcons are the league's only first-place team with a negative points differential. Atlanta has been outscored 274-244. Fantasy tip The loss of Dobbins, who has rushed for eight touchdowns, could put more pressure on QB Justin Hebert and the passing game. Herbert's favorite option has been WR Ladd McConkey, who has four TD receptions among his 49 catches for 698 yards. McConkey, the former University of Georgia standout who was drafted in the second round, could enjoy a productive return to the state against a Falcons defense that ranks only 26th against the pass. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl The Associated Press
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After Trump's Project 2025 denials, he is tapping its authors and influencers for key rolesTEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Sunday night that the Syrian Army made quick retreats in the face of offensives by militants from the Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS). Araghchi visited Doha on Sunday for talks with his Russian and Turkish counterparts on the Syrian conflict. Concurrently, Qatar was hosting the Doha Forum that was attended by foreign ministers from other countries, including Saudi Arabia. “The main question of the countries who were present in Qatar was ‘why did the Syrian Army retreat so quickly.’ Their resistance was short,” Araghchi told a special TV program. He added, “The pace of developments had surprised all.” The chief diplomat said, “In my view the Syrian Army lost to the psychological war rather than an real war on the battlefield.” Araghchi also said in the meetings he had with President Beshar Assad in Damascus on December 1, the Syrian leader was surprised with the poor performance of the Army and complained about it. President Assad left the country on Sunday morning after the HTS militant entered the capital Damascus. On Sunday evening, the Kremlin announced Russia had given amnesty to Assad and he and his family were in Moscow.
UCF will attempt to shake off a dreadful offensive performance when it collides with LSU on Sunday afternoon in the third-place game of the Greenbrier Tip-Off in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. The Knights (4-1) couldn't get anything going against No. 19 Wisconsin on Friday, going 21-for-62 from the field (33.9 percent) and just 2-for-17 from 3-point range (11.8 percent) en route to an 86-70 loss. Jordan Ivy-Curry finished with 13 points while Keyshawn Hall and Dior Johnson added 11 apiece for UCF, which never led and fell behind by as many as 23. Knights coach Johnny Dawkins is hoping that his team's struggles don't carry over into the meeting with the Tigers (4-1). "We have to do better offensively," Dawkins said. "We have to space the floor better. We have to balance our offense between our perimeter and our bigs. Those are things that we didn't do consistently (on Friday)." LSU also needs to clean things up after committing 15 turnovers in a 74-63 setback against Pitt on Friday. Tigers forward Jalen Reed doesn't believe giving the ball away will be a lingering issue. "I feel like a lot of our turnovers were more on us than them," Reed said. "I feel like a lot of the turnovers were careless, but we're a better team than that and I feel like we'll take care of the ball better moving forward." Reed and Vyctorius Miller each posted 14 points in the loss to the Panthers, with Reed also hauling in seven rebounds. Cam Carter chipped in 11 points. Carter is putting up a team-leading 16.4 points per game. Jordan Sears (12.0 points per game), Reed (11.0) and Miller (10.2) also have scoring averages in double figures. Ivy-Curry (16.8 points per game), Hall (16.2) and Darius Johnson (13.0) have been leading the way for UCF. Sunday marks the first-ever meeting between the Knights and Tigers. --Field Level MediaAfter Trump's Project 2025 denials, he is tapping its authors and influencers for key roles‘I love fighting for this club’: Guardiola on his drive to stay at Manchester City
NoneTerre Haute pitching great Tommy John has been a candidate for induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown 20 times, and much to his hometown's chagrin, hasn’t yet gotten the call. On Sunday night, John was passed over again for induction into the Hall at Cooperstown, New York. The lefthanded pitching great didn’t receive the minimum of 75% of the votes cast by the Classic Baseball Era Committee, a 16-member panel that included six Hall of Fame players, big-league executives and veteran media and historians. Seven other players were on the ballot. The committee chose instead former Phillies and White Sox slugger Dick Allen, and powerful former Pittsburgh Pirate and Cincinnati Red Dave Parker. Their selections were announced live on the "MLB Tonight" program on the MLB Network on Sunday evening. Parker was named on 14 of the 16 committee members' ballots, while Allen was on 13 voters' ballots. John received seven votes, third most but five shy of the necessary 12. John, now 81, lives with his wife in Florida. "I thought I had a great chance," he said Sunday night by phone from Florida. John didn't offer a comment on the choices of Allen and Parker, but pointed out that Allen had missed induction by one vote in the last veterans balloting. Also on the ballot were Ken Boyer, Steve Garvey and Luis Tiant, as well as former Negro Leagues star John Donaldson and manager Vic Harris. Boyer, Donaldson, Garvey, Harris and Tiant each received less than five votes on Sunday. John had connections with several fellow candidates. He played in the majors with Boyer, Garvey and Tiant, faced Allen and Parker on the mound. John also played against Allen in the minor leagues, and both entered the majors in 1963. John and Tiant — best known for his years as a Red Sox pitcher — were both officially rookies in the Cleveland rotation in 1964. In head-to-head matchups, Allen was 2-for-4 at bat against John for a .500 batting average, with one homer and one strikeout. Parker went 7-for-28 against John, a .250 average, with two homers. John struck out Parker a hefty nine times. The 16-member Classic Era Committee gathered at the MLB winter meetings Sunday in Dallas. The eight-person ballot was comprised of candidates whose primary contribution to the game came prior to 1980. Modern-era greats could join Allen and Parker in the Class of 2025, which will be inducted in ceremonies at Cooperstown on July 27. Parker, now 73, and the late Allen, who died in 2020, will be joined by any former players or managers elected in the Baseball Writers’ Association of America voting, to be announced on Jan. 21. John was unsure if he'll be considered again in future Hall of Fame votes by veterans committees. "I have no idea what they're going to do," he said Sunday night. Later Sunday, Craig Muder — National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum director of communications — told the Tribune-Star, "Tommy John remains eligible in the future. Next election would be fall of 2027 for Class of 2028." John was on the primary Hall of Fame ballot in voting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America 15 times and never made the cut. He was back on the ballot by veteran panels to reconsider overlooked players, but also missed those cuts 2011, 2014, 2018 and 2020. Two recent developments seemed to strengthen John’s chances. First, one of John’s contemporaries — fellow former lefty pitcher Jim Kaat — was inducted last year with a similar career resume. Kaat finished a 25-year career from 1959 to ‘83 with a 283-237 record, a 3.45 earned-run average and three All-Star appearances. Kaat endorsed John for Hall induction. And, an upcoming, new documentary will soon shine a global spotlight on John’s life story. Winter State Entertainment has been crafting “Tommy John: The Bionic Man” since 2023 and prime elements of the upcoming 90-minute movie were filmed in Terre Haute. But only Allen and Parker received the necessary votes on Sunday. Allen played 15 seasons for the Phillies, Cardinals, Dodgers, White Sox and Athletics, totaling 351 home runs and 1,119 RBI. He won the 1964 National League Rookie of the Year Award with the Phillies and was named the 1972 American League Most Valuable Player with the White Sox. Parker was named to seven All-Star Games in his 19 seasons, winning back-to-back NL batting titles in 1977-78 while earning league MVP honors in the latter year. He starred with the Pirates' World Series championship team in 1979 and played for the Athletics World Series title team 10 years later. Parker won the 1979 All-Star Game MVP Award, displaying his legendary throwing arm from right field. John was born May 22, 1943 and raised in Terre Haute, and played boyhood and Gerstmeyer High School games, including his last one in 1961, at Spencer F. Ball Park on Eighth Avenue. Fittingly, his hometown named one of the park’s diamonds for John in 2014. John signed with the Cleveland Indians right out of high school, and went on to pitch 26 seasons in the big leagues from 1963 to 1989. A first-of-its-kind elbow surgery in 1974 preserved his career, but caused John to miss a full season and a half. John recovered magnificently and played another 14 seasons, finishing his career with 288 wins and 231 losses and a 3.34 earned-run average. John won 20 or more games three times, all after his surgery. In fact, John got 164 of his career wins after Jobe replaced the ulnar collateral ligament in his left arm with a tendon from John’s right arm. It had never been performed before, and his rehabilitation was also groundbreaking and unprecedented. John retold the story in his book “TJ: My 26 Years in Baseball.” After high school, he signed in 1961 with the Indians and was sent to play for the Dubuque Packers in the Class D Midwest League. Within two seasons, the Indians called him up to the Cleveland club. He pitched for the Indians, White Sox, Dodgers, Yankees, Angels and Athletics. He started 700 games in his long career, the eighth-most in history. His 4,710.1 innings pitched ranks 20th all-time. He made four All-Star games, including three after his epic elbow surgery, conducted by Dr. Frank Jobe.