The Las Vegas Raiders had the element of surprise on their side on Sunday. During the second quarter of their divisional game against the Denver Broncos , the Raiders decided to bust out an extremely gutsy fake punt. Facing a 4th-and-4 from their own 36-yard line, Raiders punter AJ Cole faked the kick and then threw it downfield to receiver Tre Tucker. The gimmick worked as the Broncos were caught completely off-guard, enabling Tucker to get all the way down to the Denver 30-yard line. Take a look at the video of the play. RAIDERS FAKE PUNT pic.twitter.com/sJ2KQOyLfw — SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) November 24, 2024 The Raiders were able to get a field goal out of the continued drive and took a 13-9 lead into the half as a result. That was a really bold call there by Las Vegas, especially from inside their own territory and while going up against an elite defense in the Broncos. While they are just 2-8 this year, the Raiders still have plenty in their bag ( apparently including fakes straight out of Dan Campbell’s playbook ). This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.None
In a case that could affect thousands of property owners and beaches visited by millions of people along California’s 1,100-mile coastline, a state appeals court has indicated it will uphold rules limiting the construction of sea walls along the coast. The case, centered on the California Coastal Commission’s decision to deny a sea wall for 10 vulnerable townhouses near Half Moon Bay, is playing out at the First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco. It has been closely watched by environmental groups, builders and oceanfront cities across the state as sea levels continue to rise due to climate change, putting billions of dollars of property at risk. “It’s a big deal,” said Charles Lester, director of the Ocean and Coastal Policy Center at UC Santa Barbara. “This will potentially resolve a question that’s been under debate for years now.” In late October, the appeals court issued a tentative opinion agreeing with the Coastal Commission that buildings constructed after Jan. 1, 1977, are not entitled to obtain permits to build sea walls. The state’s landmark Coastal Act took effect on that date. It says the commission “shall” issue permits for sea walls and other types of armoring to protect “existing structures” against erosion from battering waves. But state lawmakers never clearly defined the term. Property owners have argued “existing structures” means any building present at the time the permit application is filed. But the Coastal Commission’s attorneys have argued in recent years that “existing structures” only means those built before 1977. They cite a growing body of scientific evidence that shows that construction of concrete walls along the coast stops bluffs from eroding, depriving public beaches of sand. Such armoring also stops beaches from naturally migrating inland, resulting in them becoming submerged over time. “Sea level rise is a new game in town,” said Lester, the former executive director of the Coastal Commission from 2011 to 2016. “The shoreline is moving landward. We’re looking at projections of losing a significant amount of California’s beaches due to sea level rise. And most of that is in places that have a lot of sea walls.” The court scheduled a Dec. 11 hearing and then will issue a final opinion. In its tentative opinion, the judges cited earlier versions of the Coastal Act as it was being debated in the state Legislature, and showed how broad language allowing sea walls was tightened to read “existing structures.” “If the Legislature intended to guarantee any structure shoreline protection — regardless of when it was constructed — it could have retained the broad language,” the appeals court wrote. Private property rights groups are unhappy. “There may not be a simple solution. But reinterpreting the Coastal Act to sacrifice the rights of coastal landowners isn’t the way to solve these problems,” said Jeremy Talcott, an attorney with the Pacific Legal Foundation , a Sacramento property rights group. “Simply allowing thousands of homes to fall into the sea is a very drastic decision.” The case will decide the fate of a quiet neighborhood on the San Mateo County coast. In 2016, a severe storm caused 20 feet of bluffs to collapse into the ocean in front of Casa Mira, a complex of 10 townhouses on Mirada Road that’s 2 miles north of Half Moon Bay. Worried their homes were in imminent danger, the owners obtained an emergency permit from the Coastal Commission to place boulders, called riprap, along the crumbling shoreline to block the waves from causing more damage. But when they applied to build a permanent 257-foot concrete sea wall, the commission said no. “Sea walls eat away at the beach,” said the commission’s chairwoman, Dayna Bochco, during the 2019 meeting. “So someday as this keeps moving in and in, you are going to lose that beach if you have that sea wall. I think it’s anti-access.” The commissioners voted to allow only 50 feet of sea wall to be constructed in front of an adjacent four-unit apartment building that was built in 1972. They said the Casa Mira, whose townhouses were built in 1984, couldn’t have a sea wall. The Casa Mira Homeowners Association owners sued and won in San Mateo County Superior Court last year. The Coastal Commission appealed. In its tentative opinion, the appeals court overturned much of the lower court ruling, siding with the Coastal Commission and its Jan. 1, 1977, cutoff date. The appeals court said the Casa Mira homeowners still can get the sea wall they want, however. But only because it would protect a portion of the California Coastal Trail that runs between their homes and the public beach below, making it a “coastal dependent” use to improve public access that is allowed protection under the Coastal Act. Joshua Emerson Smith, a Coastal Commission spokesman, said the agency will withhold comment until the appeals court issues its final ruling. Thomas Roth, a San Mateo attorney who represents the Casa Mira Homeowners Association, did not respond to requests for comment. With so much at stake, experts say the issue could end up at the state Supreme Court next year. For that to happen, one of the parties would have to appeal, and the court would have to agree to take the case. Numerous groups filed briefs in the case, including the Surfrider Foundation , the Bay Area Council and the California Building Industry Association . “This is not just a California problem,” Lester said. “There are houses falling into the ocean in North Carolina, in Hawaii and other places. We’re not going to stop the ocean from rising. The question is what do we choose to protect over the long run? What’s in the public interest? Some of these developments have arguably reached the ends of their natural lives if you want to protect the beaches.”
McNeese State pulls away in 1st half, beats Illinois State in Paradise Jam openerFor Javier Ariel, a Rowan University faculty member, the journey to becoming a U.S. citizen has been more than five years in the making. With his wife and family seated in the packed jury room at the Cumberland County Courthouse in Bridgeton on Thursday, Ariel took the Naturalization Oath of Allegiance — one of the final steps on his journey to becoming an American citizen. Stories by Nyah Marshall Therapist who defrauded schools can no longer treat N.J. students, state says Water main break behind N.J. high school delays classes, closes roads Weed activist sues N.J. mayor, claims he was harassed over ‘City Government Sucks’ signALLEGANY – Mark Schmidt designated specific responsibilities to the St. Bonaventure men’s basketball team as it prepared to face Bryant: Get the ball to Noel Brown. St. Bonaventure Bonnies center Noel Brown (24) works against Bryant University Bulldogs forward Kvonn Cramer (1) during the second half at the Reilly Center on Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. It gave the Bonnies a huge advantage – literally and figuratively. The Bulldogs had no answer for Brown, a 6-foot-11 center who rose to the occasion in an 85-70 win against Bryant on Sunday at the Reilly Center. As good, he has helped the Bonnies to a 6-0 start for the first time since 1973, a byproduct of coaching, a well-distributed offense and the Bonnies’ livelihood, its defense. “It takes, one, good coaching,” said Brown, who had a game-best 22 points and seven rebounds against Bryant and is averaging 12.6 points and 5.2 rebounds. “It takes a lot of dedication and practice, every day, and it takes a team effort. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but over the spread of a few games, the points have been spread out, over player to player to player, and it begins on defense. Honestly, I think it just begins with an identity that starts with hard work.” Bona guard Melvin Council Jr. explained what Brown has done to lift himself from being a role player in his first season at Bona, as a transfer from George Washington, to being the center in charge in his second year with the Bonnies. The St. Bonaventure men’s basketball team began the weekend 5-0 for the first time since 2021, and is now 6-0 for the first time since 1973 after an 85-70 win against Bryant on Saturday at the Reilly Center in Allegany. “A lot of people don’t know this, and I don’t want to give the secret out for Noel, but he comes back late at night to work on paint touches and stuff like that, so it looks easy,” said Council, who scored 18 points. “We always tell him, ‘We’re going to run through you for the offense. We’ve got to get you a touch before we do anything.’ That’s what we try to do, every game.” Brown scored in double digits for the fourth time in five games and bested his previous career high of 18 points on Feb. 14 at Fordham. He and his teammates even got into a little trash talking with former Bona guard Barry Evans, now with the Bulldogs (3-3). Evans hit a jumper with 8:12 left in the first half ... and got called for a technical foul after having words with the Bona bench. “We expected that to happen,” Council said, chuckling. “He said, ‘You know how I get!” Bona’s 6-0 start hasn’t come without some stress – including Sunday. Bryant wiped out two significant leads for the Bonnies. The Bulldogs used a 15-1 run in the final five minutes of the first half to cut the Bonnies' lead to 46-40 at halftime. In the second half, they came within at least eight points twice in the final seven minutes, but the Bonnies slowed down the pace, capitalized in transition and opened a 75-66 lead to 82-66 inside the final two minutes. Brown took the lead in the locker room at halftime and gave his team instructions: Lock in on defense and the offense will unfold. No excuses in the second half. Come out with an edge. Lajae Jones hit a 3-pointer 20 seconds into the second half, which kicked off an 18-4 run and opened Bona’s lead to 64-44. Now, the Bonnies take their undefeated record on the road, but to a technically neutral court, when they face Utah State at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in the ESPN Events NIT Season Tip-Off tournament in Kissimmee, Fla. The field also includes North Texas and Northern Iowa. “We’re trying to celebrate this one,” Schmidt said, wryly, when asked about preparing for the multi-team event at Disney’s Wide World of Sports. “You have a chance to play good teams on a neutral court, and those neutral courts, that’s like playing in the Atlantic 10 tournament,” Schmidt said. “It gets our guys more comfortable playing away from home, against a really good team. You don’t want to play those teams at their place.” But the Bonnies aren’t putting too much stock in their undefeated start. “We can’t be satisfied being 6-0,” Schmidt said. “We’ve got to improve. We can’t listen to the noise and everybody talking about how we’re 6-0, and this and that. It’s the next game. We’ve got to prepare for the next game.” Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! College/high school sports enterprise reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Jung Woo Sung is making headlines again as his agency finally confirmed that he is the father of model Moon Gabi's son. He and Moon Gabi are currently in a major conflict over their future together following the reveal of their child. Jung Woo Sung's agency dropped the news confirming that he is the father of Moon Gabi's son and it has taken over the internet. Jung Woo Sung confirms being father of Moon Gabi's son While the actor intends to "fulfill his responsibilities," the agency declined to provide further details including the child's birth date, the two's relationship status or any plans for marriage. Jung Woon Sung's agency Artist Company issued a statement that read, "The child that Moon Gabi revealed on her social media account is the biological child of actor Jung Woo Sung. We are currently discussing the best ways to raise the child and he will do his best for the child as the father." Further, they added, "We have nothing else to confirm. It is a matter of the actor’s private life." More about Jung Woo Sung-Moon Gabi's relationship According to Tenasia, Jung Woo Sung and Moon Gabi recently met up to discuss their future together regarding childcare and the possibility of marriage. While Moon Gabi wanted to get married and start their life as a family together, Jung Woo Sung was strongly against the idea of marriage. Moon had previously revealed on social media that she had given birth to a son but did not disclose the father's identity, prompting speculation she might raise the child outside of marriage. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Korean, Entertainment News and around the world.Telecommunications giant Telstra will acquire Boost Mobile for almost $140 million – giving former prime minister Paul Keating a huge payday. Mr Keating co-founded the prepaid mobile phone business with Peter Adderton in 2000 and will now pocket at least $40 million from the sale, according to the Australian Financial Review . It is understood Mr Keating, who was Australia’s 24th prime minister between 1991 and 1996, has almost a 30 per cent stake in the company. He told AFR he was “reasonable” at his own ventures. “I’ve got a chunk of a successful business which I co-founded and funded myself,” Mr Keating said. Boost Mobile already uses the Telstra network as it doesn’t have its own. The acquisition is intended to help Telstra sell to customers who are looking for cheaper options amid the high cost of living. Brad Whitcomb, the Telstra group executive in charge of consumer, said Boost branded products are “a fantastic option for those seeking more affordable mobile connectivity,” as per The Australian . While Boost Mobile chairman and co-founder Mr Adderton said the acquisition was a “natural evolution of the brand”. The newspaper reported that most Boost Mobile employees were expected to be integrated into Telstra as a stand-alone team, and there would be no change for customers with Boost-branded prepaid plans. Boost Mobile chief executive Jason Haynes told AFR he would leave the brand after it is integrated into Telstra over the next few months. Boost Mobile offers prepaid sims with 12 month, 28 day and 7 day plans, meaning customers are clear on what they are spending.
Article content Rico Carty, who won the 1970 NL batting title when he hit a major league-best .366 for the Atlanta Braves, has died. He was 85. Major League Baseball, the players’ association and the Braves paid tribute to Carty on social media on Sunday. No further details on Carty’s death were provided. “Carty was one of the first groundbreaking Latino stars in the major leagues, and he established himself as a hero to millions in his native Dominican Republic, his hometown of San Pedro de Macoris, and the city of Atlanta, where he was a beloved fan favourite,” the players’ association said in its statement. The Braves said Carty left an indelible mark on the organization. “While his on-field accomplishments will never be forgotten, his unforgettable smile and generous nature will be sorely missed,” the team said in its statement. Carty made his big league debut with the Braves in September 1963. He batted .330 with 22 homers and 88 RBIs in his first full season in 1964, finishing second to Dick Allen in voting for NL Rookie of the Year. The Braves moved from Milwaukee to Atlanta after the 1965 season, and Carty got the franchise’s first hit in its new home on April 12, 1966, against Pittsburgh. Carty had his best year in 1970, batting .366 with 25 homers and a career-best 101 RBIs. He started the All-Star Game after he was elected as a write-in candidate, joining Willie Mays and Hank Aaron in the NL outfield. Carty batted .299 with 204 homers and 890 RBIs over 15 years in the majors, also playing for Cleveland, Toronto, Oakland, Texas and the Chicago Cubs. He retired after the 1979 season.Ciena's Strong 2025 Outlook Wins Analyst Confidence: AI Bandwidth And Optical Market Expansion In Focus
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Overall, the four issues put to the vote on November 24 were of somewhat limited interest to the Swiss population abroad. At most, the two reforms to tenancy law concerned people who still own property in Switzerland and rent it out, or tenants who want to sublet while abroad. The really surprising thing about the Swiss Abroad was their high backing for the proposed motorway expansion, according to an October survey: at that time, 60% of the diaspora were in favour – 10 percentage points more than the Swiss population overall. By the time of the second survey a few weeks later, intentions had declined overall, but the pattern was the same: support for the motorway projects among the Swiss Abroad was still higher (50%) than among Swiss-resident citizens (47%). The analysis of how the diaspora actually voted in the final ballot is still to come; but the fact that it seemed – for once – to be less environmentally-conscious than the population at home is in itself remarkable. A few possible explanations: during occasional visits back to Switzerland, the Swiss Abroad might be more aware of any changes, and they might then compare what they see with the situation in their country of residence. Perhaps some Swiss Abroad find Swiss motorways to be more congested than those they use on a daily basis elsewhere. In general, there is a larger political trend towards a loss of interest in ecological issues, with people giving more priority to safety and prosperity. Are the Swiss Abroad set to follow this trend even faster than the population at home? If true, it would mark a paradigm shift. But for the moment, when it comes to the Swiss Abroad voting habits, we can’t see anything more than two oscillations on a seismograph; it would take a lot more to trace a definite line. Faced by a proposal coming from the authorities, opponents of the motorway expansion plans were not in an easy position. The “yes” camp also had more resources at its disposal for the campaign: over CHF4 million ($4.47 million), the highest budget for a ballot item declared in 2024, according to provisional figures External link from the Swiss Federal Audit Office and an analysis by the University of Bern. Opponents had CHF2.7 million. Some 93% of newspaper advertisements concerning the motorway vote were in favour of it. The opposition were also faced with a Swiss electorate traditionally reluctant to restrict car traffic and which has – until now – almost always supported the development of road infrastructure; the exception was the Alpine Initiative , 30 years ago. And yet on Sunday a majority of voters said “stop”. In this context, it’s interesting to note that expertise prevailed, which is not so often the case. Opponents of the plan, backed by transport specialists (350 of whom spoke out External link against the project), succeeded in getting across the counter-intuitive – but scientific – argument that increasing motorway capacity would eventually lead to just as much or even more traffic jams. The government, for its part, failed to provide factual accuracy on a number of points. In particular, it was accused of withholding information on the real environmental and health impact of transport, of not being transparent about the consequences of the project for fuel prices External link , and of peddling misleading arguments about road safety. This may have instilled doubt in an electorate that was initially sympathetic to his cause. The proposed plan for standardised financing of outpatient and inpatient healthcare services began the campaign with two major handicaps: its complexity and its lack of transparency. Not only was the idea by government and parliament difficult for voters to understand, but the impact it was unclear. Worse still, supporters and opponents had a diametrically opposed view of what it would mean: the former promised a reduction in health insurance premiums, while the latter denounced a sell-out project that would even cause premiums to rise. All the ingredients were therefore in place for the project to suffer the same fate as the reform of occupational pensions, shot down by voters in September. However, there was another decisive factor: a growing number of Swiss households, which bear a quarter of healthcare costs, are struggling with constantly rising premiums. Despite the uncertainties, the promise of lower insurance bills was enough to win over a majority. Any parliamentary bill has to be drawn up on the basis of a minimum amount of consensus if it is to have any chance of surviving the threat of being challenged to referendum. This implicit rule of Swiss semi-direct democracy was not respected by parliament – during the previous legislature – in September 2023, when it decided on two changes to tenancy law: to ease rules around landlords terminating leases early in order to use the property for their own purposes, and to tighten conditions around subletting. At the time, even the right-wing majority government opposed this reform, deeming the current rules to be sufficient. Forced by law to campaign in favour of the two issues, Economics Minister Guy Parmelin did the minimum. Similarly unconvinced, Swiss voters on Sunday said no. In a country where 60% of the population are renters, the attempt to force through new rules was seen as another sign of how disconnected parliament is from the reality of most people’s lives. The housing shortage, particularly acute in major Swiss cities, puts tenants at a disadvantage compared with property owners. Although the reforms proposed by the conservative camp may have seemed pragmatic, the powerful tenants’ lobby Asloca, with the help of left-wing parties, managed to narrowly swing the vote in their favour. Switzerland is renowned for the high level of trust enjoyed by its authorities. However, it is currently experiencing a crisis of confidence: for the first time, more people distrust the government (47%) than trust it (42%), according to the gfs.bern polling institute. The “no” vote on motorway expansion is yet another setback for the government and parliament, after having already lost in two major public votes this year. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the public were largely supportive of governmental policy. However, confidence started to erode as the health measures ended. The climate of mistrust has since had an influence on voters’ opinion, which was clear during referendum campaign: over time, the tendency to vote “no” increased for all four issues, an unusual pattern for projects proposed by the government. There are several reasons for this. A turning point was when voters accepted the introduction of a 13th annual pension payment in March – against the government’s advice. Since then, there has been much talk about the authorities not understanding the concerns of the population. The rejection in September of a reform of the occupational pension system, after the news of miscalculations in financial forecasts for the Old Age and Survivors’ Insurance system, both dealt a further blow to public confidence in the institutions. Left-wing parties and unions are riding a wave of ballot box success. The Social Democrats have come out on top in nine of the 12 popular votes so far in the current legislature. The left marked a first victory at the beginning of the year with the 13th pension payment, followed by the rejection of the occupational pension reform. Pierre-Yves Maillard, a Social Democrat parliamentarian who also heads the Swiss Trade Union Federation, has played a central role. This time however, political heavyweight Maillard, the Social Democrats, and the trade unions suffered defeat on the uniform financing of healthcare services. However, the results of the other three projects confirm the trend: while the left doesn’t always get its way in parliament and government, it is increasingly successful with people’s initiatives and referendums. Given that they often challenge parliamentary bills at the ballot box, the left-wing parties are supplanting the right-wing Swiss People’s Party as something of a national opposition party. This is no accident. There is a clear desire on the left to focus on mobilising support at the ballot box. It is worth noting that while the Swiss electorate swung rightwards in the 2023 federal elections, it has tended to favour the left in votes held during the current legislature – good news for the left, but a trend that also risks creating deadlocks in parliament. The traditional consensus-driven approach in Swiss politics does not exactly correspond to this opposition party mechanism. The growing polarisation in politics can also be seen in Switzerland. Parties furthest away from the centre of the political spectrum are becoming more forceful and more noticeable in how they express their views. The close results this Sunday confirm the trend. In the case of the motorway expansion and the proposed changes to tenancy law, the mobilisation of the left had an effect and brought people to the polls. Acceptance of the healthcare financing project meanwhile shows that parliament still knows how to find the famous Swiss compromise. However, during the campaign, the left-right divide also became much more pronounced. Edited by Mark Livingston; translated by DeepL/dos
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