lucky calico online casino login philippines

s777bet login The St. Petersburg City Council's goal is having the home of the Tampa Bay Rays ready for the 2026 season. But extensive repairs cannot be finished before the 2026 season, city documents show.

The Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball team has gotten off to a fast start this season in more ways than one. The No. 16 Bearcats have raced to a 5-0 record while outscoring their opponents by more than 31 points per game, with just one team (Northern Kentucky) coming within 16 points. Cincinnati is averaging a robust 87 points per game with one of the more efficient offenses in college basketball. Cincinnati will look to continue that hot streak when it plays host to Alabama State in nonconference action Wednesday evening. Cincinnati has punished opposing defenses in a variety of ways this season. Despite being the No. 14 offense in the nation in Ken Pomeroy's efficiency ratings, the Bearcats aren't among the nation's leaders in pace. Still, they take advantage of those opportunities when they are there. "Us playing fast is something we want to do," Cincinnati forward Dillon Mitchell said. "When I was being recruited here, that was something Coach (Wes) Miller wanted to do. "There could be games where we're not making shots or something is off, but one thing is we're gonna push the ball, play hard and play fast. That's something he preaches. We'll be in shape and get rebounds." Mitchell is fresh off a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds in Cincinnati's 81-58 road win at Georgia Tech Saturday. He is one of four Bearcats to average double figures in scoring this season. That balance was on display once again against the Yellow Jackets, with Connor Hickman and Jizzle James also scoring 14 points each and Simas Lukosius contributing 12 points. In that game, Cincinnati sank 51.6 percent of its shots while regularly getting out into transition with 16 fastbreak points, while winning the rebounding battle 36-29. "Any time you get a road win over a quality, Power 4 team, you're gonna feel good about it," Miller said. "I was pleased with our effort." Lukosius is scoring 16.6 points per game, while James is at 14.0 points, followed by Mitchell at 12.4, while he also grabs a team-best 8.6 rebounds. Alabama State (3-3) has a tough task ahead, especially when considering its 97-78 loss at Akron Sunday, which ended a three-game winning streak. The Hornets allowed the Zips to shoot 46.4 percent from the field and were 53-32 in the rebounding battle. Alabama State gave up a season high in points, after playing the likes of LSU and UNLV earlier this season. Akron standout Nate Johnson lit up Alabama State for 25 points, as the game got away from the Hornets in the second half to keep them winless in true road games. Alabama leading scorers CJ Hines and TJ Madlock still got theirs against Akron, scoring 19 and 17 points, respectively. They were joined in double figures by reserve Tyler Mack (18 points), but recent history says they'll need more help to keep up with the Bearcats. Hines leads the Hornets with 15.7 points per game, while Madlock contributes 14.5 points. In previous Akron Basketball Classic wins last week against Omaha and Lamar, Alabama State featured at least four double-digit scorers in each game. --Field Level Media( MENAFN - GlobeNewsWire - Nasdaq) NEW YORK, Dec. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- My Blend is a groundbreaking blockchain project committed to integrating traditional ecosystems into a distributed digital space. Its methodology revolves around smart contracts, which execute transactions automatically based on predefined rules, reducing manual oversight and human error. By aligning established market practices with modern blockchain principles, Blend strives to create a system that is both verifiable and accessible to a wider audience. How Blend is Building an Evolving Ecosystem Beginning with gaming and expanding into AI and other industries, Blend aims to bridge the gap between conventional frameworks-where closed processes often lead to limited trust-and an environment where every participant can confirm outcomes, probabilities, and the flow of funds. Blend focuses on sustainable development that can adapt over time, emphasizing open participation at every step, letting the project adapt to new industry trends and community demands. A key motivator behind this evolving design is the desire to unite real-world operations with open, on-chain technology. In other words, instead of relying solely on traditional institutions or centralized platforms, Blend wants to eliminate obscure processes by moving critical components-such as game outcomes, probability calculations, and payout mechanisms-onto a public ledger. Initial Focus: Fair and Verifiable Gaming One of Blend's earliest and most prominent goals is to transform the gaming industry into a space where participants can see exactly how each round or match is determined. This shift marks a significant departure from traditional online casinos and gaming portals, which often rely on hidden algorithms or confidential odds. By contrast, games on Blend operate with open logic, meaning that everyone can review the parameters before deciding whether to join a table or place a wager. Planned Types of Games The Gaming Liquidity (GL) Model A standout aspect of Blend's approach to gaming involves the way it manages the“pot”-or the collective pool of funds used for rewards. Instead of a central house acting as the primary stakeholder, the system allows anyone to become a liquidity provider. This offers two main advantages: Chainlink Integration and On-Chain Verification For computations that must remain unbiased-particularly probability calculations and random number generation-Blend uses Chainlink. This is a well-known solution in the blockchain community for: Expansion into AI and Image Generation While gaming is a focal point, Blend also plans to explore AI-driven applications as a complementary pursuit. This emerging sector includes: Although these AI initiatives operate independently, the team envisions a synergy between blockchain gaming and intelligent systems, forming a well-rounded network of advanced technologies under one umbrella. Incentives and Profitability for Investors Initial Staking with Exclusive Benefits To incentivize early backers, Blend introduces a 10-day lock mechanism with a 15% return. Investors who lock their tokens during this initial period receive guaranteed yields, a move designed to reward those who show confidence in the project's roadmap. During this launch phase, participants also have access to a 12-level referral program , encouraging them to help the community expand. Commissions are distributed not just to direct referrers but also to multiple layers above them. Transition to Variable Staking Once the gaming platform, AI elements, and other key products reach operational maturity, the project plans to shift from a fixed-rate staking model to one driven by real profitability. This means that any returns offered to stakers would reflect the actual revenue generated by Blend's suite of services. Rather than relying on flat percentages, staking rewards would adjust in response to daily or weekly performance, aligning stakeholder interests with the health of the entire ecosystem. Governance and Community Decision-Making (DAO) A Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) underpins Blend's vision of shared responsibility. Under this model: Ecosystem Evolution As Blend moves beyond its foundational offerings, it will look for additional ways to bridge different industries with blockchain technology. Potential avenues include financial services (like decentralized lending or borrowing), extended entertainment collaborations, and even collaborations with established corporations seeking to optimize supply chain processes through smart contracts. The overarching ambition is to deliver a broad ecosystem where each new application-be it gaming, AI, or another area-connects back to a unified set of principles. Users can then explore diverse functionalities, all secured by the same base of trust and on-chain validation. Final Thoughts Blend represents a forward-thinking effort to unify traditional industries with the benefits of blockchain. Through decentralized governance mechanisms and the ongoing integration of advanced tools, the project's roadmap underscores the belief that active communities drive long-term success. Over time, Blend aspires to become a robust platform where new ideas can be tested, refined, and broadly implemented-with each contributor playing a meaningful role in shaping the journey. Participate in the Blend Community Join a revolution where innovation is powered by openness and collaboration. Blend opens the door to a world of possibilities for enthusiasts of blockchain, gaming, and decentralized innovation. Visit myblend.io to explore the platform and join the movement transforming industries through technology and transparency. For updates, connect with Blend on social media: X: Telegram: Contact person: Michael Allen Company name: My Blend Website: Email: ... Disclaimer: This content is provided by My Blend. The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider. The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities. Please conduct your own research and invest at your own risk. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at MENAFN28122024004107003653ID1109037505 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.

With so much fascinating research going on in quantum science and technology, it’s hard to pick just a handful of highlights. Fun, but hard. Research on entanglement-based imaging and quantum error correction both appear in Physics World’s list of 2024’s top 10 breakthroughs , but beyond that, here are a few other achievements worth remembering as we head into 2025 – the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology . In July, physicists at Germany’s Forschungszentrum Jülich and Korea’s IBS Center for Quantum Nanoscience (QNS) reported that they had fabricated a quantum sensor that can detect the electric and magnetic fields of individual atoms . The sensor consists of a molecule containing an unpaired electron (a molecular spin) that the physicists attached to the tip of a scanning-tunnelling microscope. They then used it to measure the magnetic and electric dipole fields emanating from a single iron atom and a silver dimer on a gold substrate. Not to be outdone, an international team led by researchers at the University of Melbourne, Australia, announced in August that they had created a quantum sensor that detects magnetic fields in any direction . The new omnidirectional sensor is based on a recently-discovered carbon-based defect in a two-dimensional material, hexagonal boron nitride (hBN). This same material also contains a boron vacancy defect that enables the sensor to detect temperature changes, too. One of the challenges with transmitting quantum information is that pretty much any medium you send it through – including high-spec fibre optic cables and even the Earth’s atmosphere – is at least somewhat good at absorbing photons and preventing them from reaching their intended destination. In July, a team at the University of Chicago, the California Institute of Technology and Stanford University proposed a novel solution . A continent-scale network of vacuum-sealed tubes, they suggested, could transmit quantum information at rates as high as 10 13 qubits per second. This would exceed currently-available quantum channels based on satellites or optical fibres by at least four orders of magnitude. Whether anyone will actually build such a network is, of course, yet to be determined – but you have to admire the ambition behind it. Speaking of ambition, this year saw a remarkable flurry of ideas for using quantum devices and quantum principles to study gravity. One innovative proposal involves looking for the gravitational equivalent of the photoelectric effect in a system of resonant bars that have been cooled and tuned to vibrate when they absorb a graviton from an incoming gravitational wave. The idea is that absorbing a graviton would change the quantum state of the column, and this change of state would, in principle, be detectable. Another quantum gravity proposal takes its inspiration from an even older experiment : the Cavendish torsion balance. The quantum version of this 18 th -century classic would involve studying the correlations between two torsion pendula placed close together as they rotate back and forth like massive harmonic oscillators. If correlations appear that can’t be accounted for within a classical theory of gravity, this could imply that gravity is not, in fact, classical. Perhaps the most exciting development in this space, though, is a new experimental technique for measuring the pull of gravity on a micron-scale particle . Objects of this size are just above the limit where quantum effects start to become apparent, and the Leiden and Southampton University researchers who performed the experiment have ideas for how to push their system further towards this exciting regime. Definitely one to keep an eye on. It wouldn’t be quantum if it wasn’t at least little bit weird, so here’s a few head-scratchers for you to puzzle over. Exploring this year’s best physics research in our Top 10 Breakthroughs of 2024 This year, researchers in China substantially reduced the number of qubits required to verify an online shopping transaction . Physicists in Austria asked whether a classical computer can tell when a quantum computer is telling the truth . And in a development that’s sure to warm the hearts of quantum experimentalists the world over, physicists at the SLAC National Laboratory in the US suggested that if your qubits are going haywire and you don’t know why, maybe, just maybe, it’s because they’re being constantly bombarded with dark matter . Using noisy qubits to detect dark matter? Now that really would be a breakthrough. Note: The verification e-mail to complete your account registration should arrive immediately. However, in some cases it takes longer. Don't forget to check your spam folder. If you haven't received the e-mail in 24 hours, please contact customerservices@ioppublishing.org .Pete Wicks reveals he 'prefers dogs to people' and admits he couldn't stop crying while filming 'emotional' documentary about rescue houndsMONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Brandon Gilliam made field goals of 42, 29 and 30 yards and Alabama State beat Prairie View A&M 9-6 on Saturday to secure a third straight winning season under coach Eddie Robinson. The last time Alabama State had three straight winnings seasons was under coach Reggie Barlow, who had five consecutive from 2010-15. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

Patterdale MRT were called out on Saturday, December 21, to the campers who were stuck in poor weather conditions in the Harstop Valley area. A mountain rescue team spokesperson said: "The Team were contacted by Cumbria Police to a report of two Males who were in a tent wet and cold after they had failed to find the Priest Hole on Dove Crag in the Hartsop Valley. "The duty leader contacted the couple and established their exact location by Phone Find technology and called the Team out to go and locate the males. "The weather that day had been very windy and wet and was to continue for the next 24 hours and turn to snow so it was deemed necessary to locate the couple and escort them down off the hill to safety. "Eight team members made their way on foot in poor conditions ascending to the side of Dove Crag where they found the two males and assisted them back down to the valley bottom and the Team Land Rovers. "The couple had travelled a good distance by car earlier that day to the area with the intention of walking up and staying overnight in the Priest Hole. "Unfortunately due to the time of day when they set off and darkness falling they did not manage to locate it successfully and decided to pitch their tent in the worsening weather, as the night wore on they decided to phone for help. "Nine team members were involved in the incident which lasted four hours in total."SpaceX to provide Ukraine with wider access to militarised version of Starlink at Pentagon's request – Bloomberg

https://arab.news/cpy9x DHAKA: Squeezing rubber-covered robotic prosthetic hands, Bangladesh protesters wounded during the deadly revolution to topple autocratic leader Sheikh Hasina test out replacement arms for their lost limbs. “I’ll be able to do some everyday tasks with this artificial hand,” said student Hafeez Mohammad Hossain, 19, whose right hand was ripped off in gunfire on August 5. It was the same day protesters stormed Hasina’s palace as she fled to India by helicopter. In the middle of the chaos, Hossain said a police officer levelled a shotgun at him and fired. He described searing pain as gun pellets lacerated his back and leg. Surgeons picked out the gunshot, but were unable to save his hand. “I can’t write anymore,” Hossain said. “I’m struggling to learn how to write with my left hand.” On Thursday he was fitted with a prosthetic limb, alongside four other students who also lost their hands during the months-long protests in which at least 700 people were killed during a police crackdown. Robolife Technologies, a Bangladeshi organization manufacturing artificial hands, said the prosthetic limbs use sensors connected to the nerves to move. The company says it allows users to grasp objects, to type and use a phone. “If you ask me whether they work like organic hands, I’d say no,” said Antu Karim, who is working on the government-backed project to fit the limbs. “But these hands allow the boys to hold a glass if thirsty, or a spoon to eat,” he added. “At least, they won’t be looked down upon for not having hands.” Hasina’s 15-year tenure saw widespread human rights abuses, including the mass detention and extrajudicial killings of her political opponents. Limbless protesters held a rally earlier this month demanding the interim government who took over after Hasina’s fall support those injured in the protests. Many say they have not received the aid they need. The four other former protesters who had arms fitted on Thursday included Mohammad Mamun Mia, 32, a father of two, whose hand was hacked off by a gang he said was loyal to Hasina’s Awami League party. The new arm is far from perfect, but it has made a huge difference. “I’ll be able to do some regular tasks with this hand,” he said, saying that while he cannot work driving a tractor in the fields again, he hopes now to open a small business. Arif Hossain Sagar, 19, had his hand amputated after it failed to heal from an injury he sustained during the protests, and doctors worried about gangrene. “I can’t do any regular activities now,” Sagar said. “I rely on others for eating or bathing.” The new hand will return a degree of normality to his life, he said. Nayeem Hasan, wounded when attackers pounced on him as he went to donate blood to help those injured after a fire, broke into tears. The new arm would help him fulfil his simple dream. “I have a one-year-old daughter who wants me to hold her,” Hasan said.Israel Sees Big Win for Hamas in ICC Issuing Netanyahu Arrest Warrant

Trump taps Rollins as agriculture chief, completing proposed slate of Cabinet secretaries

Long waiting lists for NHS weight loss services ‘driving unsafe buying of jabs’FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — If things had worked out differently, wide receiver Ladd McConkey might have been standing on the New England Patriots’ sideline Saturday at Gillette Stadium, watching Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert shred his defensive teammates during a 40-7 victory . Instead, McConkey set Chargers rookie records for receptions and receiving yards in a season Saturday. He caught eight passes for 94 yards and two touchdowns, bringing his season totals to 77 receptions and 1,054 receiving yards, breaking Keenan Allen’s marks of 71 catches and 1,046 yards in 2013. McConkey is one touchdown shy of Allen’s rookie record of eight. When the Chargers jettisoned Allen and Mike Williams in a pair of cost-saving moves during the offseason, new General Manager Joe Hortiz had the notion of selecting a standout wide receiver near the top of his to-do list going into the draft. Hortiz picked right tackle Joe Alt with his first-round pick . Hortiz then made what seemed at the time like a minor move. He swapped his second-round pick for the Patriots’ second-round selection, moving up from 37th to 34th to take McConkey , a standout from the University of Georgia. Hortiz added the 137th overall pick as a sweetener to complete the trade. So, it was that McConkey torched the team that ended up trading him. “No extra motivation or anything like that,” McConkey said, laughing when asked about facing the Patriots for the first time since the draft back in April. “I was excited to get drafted. I didn’t care that I got traded. I’m right where I’m supposed to be. It’s a cool moment. I’m glad they drafted me.” McConkey recalled he met with the Chargers only briefly during the Senior Bowl. He didn’t have any inkling that they would have any special interest in drafting him. Little did he know how easily he would mesh with his teammates, and especially Herbert, who has called him a “quarterback’s best friend.” “I always believed in myself, but I didn’t know,” McConkey said of his mindset going into his rookie season. “I didn’t know. Obviously, I wanted to get as many yards as I could and contribute as much as I could. In a sense, I really didn’t think about this, but it is pretty cool. I feel like it just developed.” Derwin James Jr. sacked Patriots quarterback Drake Maye twice and recovered Maye’s fumble, one of several stellar defensive players Saturday. Khalil Mack and Tuli Tuipulotu also sacked Maye once apiece. The Chargers limited Maye to 12 for 22 passing for 117 yards and one touchdown. ... Cameron Dicker kicked field goals of 27, 38, 41 and 35 yards for the Chargers. He accounted for the only points in their 6-0 victory last season over the Patriots, a game played in a steady downpour that limited the Chargers’ offenses to only two successful possessions. ... Wide receiver Joshua Palmer suffered a heel injury and didn’t return to the game. He was walking with the aid of crutches after the game. Defensive back Elijah Molden departed the game on a cart after suffering a shin injury on a non-contact play. Molden wore a walking boot after the game.Democrat Flipping Party to Republican After Election Sparks Liberal Fury

Canada coach Dave Cameron shuffles the deck at hyped-up World Juniors

Sam Darnold-led Vikings down Packers for ninth straight win

DETROIT (AP) — If Donald Trump makes good on his threat to slap 25% tariffs on everything imported from Mexico and Canada, the price increases that could follow will collide with his campaign promise to give American families a break from inflation. Economists say companies would have little choice but to pass along the added costs, dramatically raising prices for food, clothing, automobiles, booze and other goods. The president-elect floated the tariff idea, including additional 10% taxes on goods from China, as a way to force the countries to halt the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs into the U.S. But his posts Monday on Truth Social threatening the tariffs on his first day in office could just be a negotiating ploy to get the countries to change behavior. High food prices were a major issue in voters picking Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris, but tariffs almost certainly would push those costs up even further. For instance, the Produce Distributors Association, a Washington trade group, said Tuesday that tariffs will raise prices for fresh fruit and vegetables and hurt U.S. farmers when other countries retaliate. “Tariffs distort the marketplace and will raise prices along the supply chain, resulting in the consumer paying more at the checkout line,” said Alan Siger, association president. Mexico and Canada are two of the biggest exporters of fresh fruit and vegetables to the U.S. In 2022, Mexico supplied 51% of fresh fruit and 69% of fresh vegetables imported by value into the U.S., while Canada supplied 2% of fresh fruit and 20% of fresh vegetables. Before the election, about 7 in 10 voters said they were very concerned about the cost of food, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 120,000 voters. “We’ll get them down,” Trump told shoppers during a September visit to a Pennsylvania grocery store. The U.S. is the largest importer of goods in the world, with Mexico, China and Canada its top three suppliers, according to the most recent U.S. Census data. People looking to buy a new vehicle likely would see big price increases as well, at a time when costs have gone up so much they are out of reach for many. The average price of a new vehicle now runs around $48,000. About 15% of the 15.6 million new vehicles sold in the U.S. last year came from Mexico, while 8% crossed the border from Canada, according to Global Data. Much of the tariffs would get passed along to consumers, unless automakers can somehow quickly find productivity improvements to offset them, said C.J. Finn, U.S. automotive sector leader for PwC, a consulting firm. That means even more consumers “would potentially get priced out,” Finn said. Hardest hit would be Volkswagen, Stellantis, General Motors and Ford, Bernstein analyst Daniel Roeska wrote Tuesday in a note to investors. “A 25% tariff on Mexico and Canada would severely cripple the U.S. auto industry,” he said. The tariffs would hurt U.S. industrial production so much that “we expect this is unlikely to happen in practice,” Roeska said. The tariff threat hit auto stocks on Tuesday, particularly shares of GM, which imports about 30% of the vehicles it sells in the U.S. from Canada and Mexico, and Stellantis, which imports about 40% from the two countries. For both companies, about 55% of their lucrative pickup trucks come from Mexico and Canada. GM shares were down more than 8% and Stellantis was off over 5%. It's not clear how long the tariffs would last if implemented, but they could force auto executives to move production to the U.S., which could create more jobs in the long run. But Morningstar analyst David Whiston said in the short term automakers probably won't make any moves because they can't quickly change where they build vehicles. Millions of dollars worth of auto parts flow across the borders with Mexico and Canada, and that could raise prices for already costly automobile repairs, Finn said. The Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. said tariffs on tequila or Canadian whisky won’t boost American jobs because they are distinctive products that can only be made in their country of origin. In 2023, the U.S. imported $4.6 billion worth of tequila and $108 million worth of mezcal from Mexico and $537 million worth of spirits from Canada, the council said. “At the end of the day, tariffs on spirits products from our neighbors to the north and south are going to hurt U.S. consumers and lead to job losses across the U.S. hospitality industry,” the council said. Electronics retailer Best Buy said on its third-quarter earnings conference call that it runs on thin profit margins, so while vendors and the company will shoulder some increases, Best Buy will have to pass tariffs to customers. “These are goods that people need, and higher prices are not helpful,” CEO Corie Barry said. Walmart also warned this week that tariffs could force it to raise prices, as did Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who talked with Trump after his call for tariffs, said they had a good conversation about how the countries can work together. "This is something that we can do, laying out the facts and moving forward in constructive ways. This is a relationship that we know takes a certain amount of working on and that’s what we’ll do,” Trudeau said. Trump's threats come as arrests for illegally crossing the border from Mexico have been falling . The most recent U.S. numbers for October show arrests remain near four-year lows. But arrests for illegally crossing the border from Canada have been rising over the past two years. Much of America’s fentanyl is smuggled from Mexico, and seizures have increased. Trump has sound legal justification to impose the tariffs, even though they conflict with a 2020 trade deal brokered in large part by Trump with Canada and Mexico, said William Reinsch, senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and former trade official in the Clinton administration. The treaty, known as the USMCA, is up for review in 2026. In China’s case, he could simply declare Beijing hasn't met its obligations under an agreement he negotiated in his first term. For Canada and Mexico, he could say the influx of migrants and drugs represent a national security threat, and turn to a section of trade law he used in his first term to slap tariffs on steel and aluminum. The law he would most likely use for Canada and Mexico sets out a legal process that often takes as long as nine months, during which time Trump would likely seek a deal. If talks failed and the duties were imposed, all three countries would likely retaliate by putting tariffs on U.S. exports, said Reinsch, who believes Trump's tariffs threat is a negotiating ploy. U.S. companies would lobby the Trump administration intensively against tariffs, and would seek to have products exempted. Some of the biggest exporters from Mexico are U.S. firms that make parts there. “Our economies really are integrated,” Reinsch said. Longer term, Mary Lovely, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, said the threat of tariffs could make the U.S. an “unstable partner” in international trade. “It is an incentive to move activity outside the United States to avoid all this uncertainty,” she said. Trump transition team officials did not immediately respond to questions about what he would need to see to prevent the tariffs from being implemented and how they would impact prices in the U.S. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum suggested Tuesday that Mexico could retaliate with tariffs of its own. Sheinbaum said she was willing to talk about the issues, but said drugs were a U.S. problem. ___ Rugaber reported from Washington. AP reporters Dee-Ann Durbin in Detroit, Stan Choe and Anne D'Innocenzio in New York, and Rob Gillies in Toronto contributed to this report.The fierce urgency of now

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Notre Dame forward Danny Nelson scored twice, Western Michigan’s Hampton Slukynsky made 25 saves and the defending champion United States beat Latvia 5-1 on Saturday in the world junior hockey championship. The United States improved to 2-0 in Group A play, while Latvia dropped to 1-1 a day after stunning Canada with a 3-2 victory in a shootout. Boston College’s Ryan Leonard, Denver’s Zeev Buium and Minnesota Duluth’s Max Plante also scored for the Americans. They will be back in action Sunday at Canadian Tire Centre against Finland, then close group play Tuesday night against Canada. Davids Livsics scored for Latvia. Linards Feldbergs stopped 36 shots after making 55 saves against Canada and stopping all eight attempts in the shootout. In the only other game of the day, Czechia beat Kazakhstan 14-2 at TD Place. Czechia and Sweden are both 2-0 in Group B. Matej Mastalirsky, Vojtech Hradec and Jakub Stancl had hat tricks, with Hradec and Stancl also each assisting on two goals. ___ AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports Read more on the World Junior Hockey Championship at thestar.comThe one easy thing you could do to save $317 a year on your billsNotre Dame's Danny Nelson scores twice, defending champ US beats Latvia 5-1 in world junior hockey