ESSENTIAL LINKS Preseason Top 20 Can’t-miss games Player of the Year watch list FEATURED COVERAGE Saturday, Dec. 21 Brick City Showcase George (PA) (1-1) vs. University (0-2) at Weequahic, 10am East New York Family Academy (NY) vs. Morris Catholic (2-0) at Weequahic, 1pm Dr. Gerald E. Glisson Classic Hackensack (1-0) at Paterson Eastside (1-0), 12:30pm Blue Devil Holiday Tournament at Shore Regional Monmouth (1-1) vs. Manalapan (1-1), 10am Long Branch (1-0) vs. Shore (1-0), 11:45am Freehold Borough (1-0) vs. Sayreville (0-1) at Shore, 1:30pm Jackson Liberty (0-1) vs. Neptune (1-1), 3:15pm Ocean Township (0-2) vs. Raritan (1-1), 5pm Ocean City PBA Tipoff Wildwood Catholic (2-0) vs. Atlantic Tech (2-0), 1:45pm Egg Harbor (2-0) vs. Cinnaminson (2-0), 3:30pm Score at the Shore at Southern Mainland (1-1) at Southern (1-1), 10am Woodbury (1-2) vs. Trinity Hall (1-1), 11:45am Westampton Tech (1-0) vs. Pingry (2-0), 1:30pm Shore Games Ramapo (1-0) vs. Cherokee (0-1) at The Fort, 10am Germantown Academy (PA) vs. Ranney (0-3) at The Fort, 11:40am Gill St. Bernard's (2-1) vs. Virginia Academy (VA) (0-1) at St. John Vianney, 12:20pm Life Center vs. St. Laurent (Canada) at Sportika, 12:40pm Ewing (1-1) vs. Chatham (3-0) at The Fort, 1:20pm Lenape (2-0) vs. Montclair Immaculate (2-0) at St. John Vianney, 2pm Archbishop Molloy (NY) vs. Rutgers Prep (3-0) at St. John Vianney, 3:40pm Brooklyn Tech (NY) vs. Bishop Eustace (2-0) at Red Bank Catholic, 3:50pm Union City (1-1) vs. Holmdel (1-0) at The Fort, 4:40pm Franklin (1-1) vs. St. Mary's (Lancaster) (NY) at St. John Vianney, 5:20pm Archbishop Carroll (PA) vs. Thrive Charter (2-0) at Red Bank Catholic, 5:20pm Saddle River Day (1-0) vs. Rumson-Fair Haven (1-1) at Sportika, 5:40pm Penn Charter (PA) (1-0) vs. Pope John (1-0) at The Fort, 6:20pm Neumann Goretti (PA) vs. Manasquan (2-0) at St. John Vianney, 8:40pm Toys For Tots Showcase Belvidere (1-1) at Hackettstown (1-1), 2pm Regular Season Florence (1-0) at Princeton Day (1-1), 10am Paterson Kennedy at Wayne Hills (0-1), 11am DePaul (1-0) at Demarest (1-0), 11am Wayne Valley (0-1) at Clifton (0-1), 11:30am Passaic Valley (0-1) at Fort Lee (0-1), 12pm Dwight-Morrow (1-0) at Tenafly (1-0), 12pm Bergenfield (1-0) at Cliffside Park (0-1), 12pm Mahwah (0-1) at Lakeland (1-0), 12pm Passaic Tech (1-0) at Ridgewood, 1pm Indian Hills (0-1) at Dumont (0-1), 1pm Westwood (0-1) at West Milford (1-0), 1pm Ramsey (0-1) at Paramus Catholic (1-0), 1pm Pascack Valley (1-0) at River Dell (1-0), 1pm Fair Lawn (0-1) at Holy Angels (1-1), 1pm Ridgefield Park (1-0) at Pascack Hills (0-1), 4:15pm Paramus (1-0) at Old Tappan (1-0), 4:15pm Cumberland (1-2) at Bridgeton (1-0), 11:30am Haddonfield (1-1) at Our Lady of Mercy (0-2), 1pm Atlantic Tech (2-0) at Wildwood Catholic (2-0), 1:45pm Camden Tech (0-3) vs. Gloucester (2-0) at Gloucester City HS, 11:30am Haddon Township (2-0) at West Deptford (1-1), 11:30am Haddonfield (1-1) at Our Lady of Mercy (0-2), 1pm Robbinsville (1-1) at Matawan (1-1), 9am Florence (1-0) at Princeton Day (1-1), 10am Nottingham (0-3) at New Egypt (1-0), 10am Hamilton West (0-2) at Trenton (1-1), 11:30am Colts Neck (1-0) at West Windsor-Plainsboro North (1-1), 11:30am South Hunterdon (2-0) at Steinert (2-1), 11:30am Allentown (2-0) at Marlboro (0-1), 11:30am Middletown North (0-2) at Hightstown (2-1), 11:30am Immaculata (1-1) at Hopewell Valley (1-2), 1pm Colonia (0-1) at Monroe (0-1), 11am Edison (2-1) at South Plainfield (1-0), 11:30am Spotswood (1-1) at J.P. Stevens (0-1), 11:30am South Brunswick at East Brunswick (0-1), 11:30am Woodbridge (0-1) at Middlesex (0-1), 11:30am Old Bridge (0-1) at Piscataway (1-0), 11:30am Perth Amboy (0-1) at North Brunswick (1-0), 11:30am South River at Manville, 12pm New Brunswick (0-2) at South Amboy (1-1), 12pm St. Thomas Aquinas (2-1) at North Plainfield (1-1), 1pm Freehold Borough (1-0) vs. Sayreville (0-1) at Shore, 1:30pm North Bergen (2-0) at Hoboken (0-1), 10am St. Dominic (0-2) at Bayonne (2-0), 12pm Memorial (0-1) at Lincoln (0-2), 12pm Newark Global Studies (1-0) at McNair (3-0), 1pm Roxbury (1-0) at Hopatcong (0-2), 9:30am Morristown (1-1) at Sparta (1-1), 10am Morris Knolls (2-0) at Caldwell (2-0), 10:30am Morris Hills (1-1) at Jefferson (2-0), 11:30am Mount Olive (0-2) at Whippany Park (0-2), 11:30am Vernon (1-1) at Newton (2-0), 11:30am Mountain Lakes (2-0) at St. Elizabeth (1-1), 11:30am Madison (1-0) at Hillsborough (3-0), 11:30am Parsippany (1-1) at Pequannock (0-2), 12pm Mendham (2-1) at Morris Tech (1-2), 12pm American Christian (0-1) at High Point (1-1), 12:30pm West Morris (1-1) at Randolph (1-1), 1pm Montville (0-2) at West Essex (1-1), 1pm Hanover Park (2-0) at Parsippany Hills (0-1), 2:30pm Bernards (2-0) at Morristown-Beard (0-2), 4pm Saddle Brook (0-2) at Paterson Charter (1-1), 10am Ridgefield (0-2) at Palisades Park (0-2), 10am Midland Park (2-0) at Waldwick (2-0), 10am Cresskill (2-0) at Emerson Boro (2-0), 10am Hasbrouck Heights (0-2) at Becton (0-2), 10am Glen Rock (2-0) at Butler (2-0), 10am Leonia (0-2) at Bogota (0-2), 10am North Arlington (2-0) at Harrison (1-0), 10am Wood-Ridge (0-2) at Wallington (0-2), 10:30am Weehawken (2-0) at Secaucus (2-0), 11am Rutherford (2-0) at Lyndhurst (2-0), 11am Glassboro (0-1) at Cherry Hill West (2-0), 10am Camden Catholic (2-0) at Cherry Hill East (1-1), 11am Hunterdon Central (0-2) at Shawnee (1-0), 11:30am Nutley (1-1) at Mount St. Dominic (0-1), 10am East Orange (0-1) at Livingston (2-0), 10:30am Morris Knolls (2-0) at Caldwell (2-0), 10:30am Cedar Grove (0-2) at Millburn (1-1), 10:30am Montclair (2-1) at Newark Tech (1-1), 11am Weequahic (1-2) at Bard (2-0), 11:30am North Star Academy (0-2) at Newark Lab (0-2), 11:30am Belleville (1-1) at Technology (0-2), 1pm Glen Ridge (2-1) at Payne Tech (2-0), 1pm Bloomfield (2-0) at Montclair Kimberley (1-0), 1pm Irvington (1-2) at Golda Och (1-1), 1pm Montville (0-2) at West Essex (1-1), 1pm Robbinsville (1-1) at Matawan (1-1), 9am Nottingham (0-3) at New Egypt (1-0), 10am Brick Memorial (0-2) at Toms River North (1-0), 10am Donovan Catholic (0-1) at Freehold Township (0-1), 10am Colts Neck (1-0) at West Windsor-Plainsboro North (1-1), 11:30am Allentown (2-0) at Marlboro (0-1), 11:30am Middletown North (0-2) at Hightstown (2-1), 11:30am Toms River South (1-0) at Point Pleasant Boro, 11:45am Keyport (0-1) at Koinonia (0-2), 12:30pm Freehold Borough (1-0) vs. Sayreville (0-1) at Shore, 1:30pm Delaware Valley (2-0) at Ridge (0-2), 11:30am Hunterdon Central (0-2) at Shawnee (1-0), 11:30am South Hunterdon (2-0) at Steinert (2-1), 11:30am Bridgewater-Raritan (1-1) at Gov. Livingston (1-0), 11:30am Madison (1-0) at Hillsborough (3-0), 11:30am South River vs. Manville at Manville High School, 12pm Phillipsburg (0-2) at North Hunterdon (0-2), 12pm Linden (1-2) at Mount St. Mary (1-1), 1pm Somerville (1-1) at Central Jersey College Charter (0-1), 1pm Immaculata (1-1) at Hopewell Valley (1-2), 1pm Bernards (2-0) at Morristown-Beard (0-2), 4pm Glassboro (0-1) at Cherry Hill West (2-0), 10am Cumberland (1-2) at Bridgeton (1-0), 11:30am Salem Tech at Gloucester Catholic, 1:30pm Rahway (1-0) at Brearley (0-1), 10am Oak Knoll (2-0) at Dayton, 10am Roselle at Union Catholic (0-1), 10:30am Roselle Catholic (1-0) at Elizabeth (0-1), 11am Hillside (0-1) at Union (0-1), 11:30am Bridgewater-Raritan (1-1) at Gov. Livingston (1-0), 11:30am Westfield (1-0) at Plainfield (2-2), 12pm Linden (1-2) at Mount St. Mary (1-1), 1pm Scotch Plains-Fanwood (0-1) at New Providence (1-0), 1pm Summit (0-1) at Johnson (0-1), 2:30pm Camden Tech (0-3) vs. Gloucester (2-0) at Gloucester City HS, 11:30am American Christian (0-1) at High Point (1-1), 12:30pm Keyport (0-1) at Koinonia (0-2), 12:30pm Gateway Academy at Koinonia (0-2), 12:30pm Newark Global Studies (1-0) at McNair (3-0), 1pm Somerville (1-1) at Central Jersey College Charter (0-1), 1pm Sunday, Dec. 22 Boardwalk Classic at Wildwood Convention Center Kingsway (1-0) vs. Cape May Tech (2-0), 12:30pm Timber Creek vs. Williamstown (1-1), 2:15pm Lower Moreland (PA) at Wildwood (1-0), 3:45pm Brick City Showcase at Weequahic George (PA) (1-1) vs. Plainfield (2-2), 10am St. Frances (MD) vs. Morris Catholic (2-0), 10:30am In-Season Tournament West Orange (2-0) at Old Tappan (1-0), 1:30pm Ocean City PBA Tipoff Red Bank Regional (2-0) vs. Atlantic City (0-2), 12pm Hammonton (1-1) vs. Absegami (1-1), 1:45pm Holy Spirit (1-1) at Ocean City (2-0), 5:15pm Shore Games Hudson Catholic (1-1) vs. Life Center at St. John Vianney, 9am Immaculate Heart (1-0) vs. Scranton Prep (Pa.) (1-0) at St. John Vianney, 12:20pm South Shore (NY) at Red Bank Catholic (1-0), 12:30pm Union City (1-1) vs. Teaneck (1-0) at St. John Vianney, 2pm Cheltenham (PA) vs. Paterson Eastside (1-0) at The Fort, 2pm St. Rose (1-0) at St. John Vianney (3-0), 3:40pm Grand Street Campus (NY) vs. Franklin (1-1) at The Fort, 3:40pm Bayonne (2-0) vs. Nazareth (NY) at Red Bank Catholic, 3:50pm Regular Season Mahwah (0-1) vs. Paterson Kennedy at Paramus Catholic, 5:30pm Ramapo (1-0) at Mount St. Mary (1-1), 5:30pm Park Ridge (2-0) at Paramus Catholic (1-0), 7:30pm Park Ridge (2-0) at Paramus Catholic (1-0), 7:30pm Red Bank Regional (2-0) vs. Atlantic City (0-2) at Ocean City, 12pm Ramapo (1-0) vs. Mount St. Mary (1-1) at Paramus Catholic, 3:30pmNew Jersey fines firms $40K for sports betting violationsMost Valuable Promotions released a statement Monday regarding the growing controversy that Jake Paul's unanimous decision victory over Mike Tyson was fixed, calling the allegations "illogical and inane." The YouTuber-turned-prizefighter Paul, 27, dominated the iconic former heavyweight champion in their Nov. 15 clash at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The event was a massive success with an $18.1 million gate, the largest for any U.S. fight outside of Las Vegas, and was streamed on Netflix with over 108 million live global viewers. However, the 58-year-old Tyson delivered a lackluster performance with skeptics questioning the fight's integrity. Amid the swirling controversy, MVP -- led by Paul and Nakisa Bidarian -- has responded to those questioning whether the fight was fixed for Paul to win. "Both fighters in good faith performed to the best of their abilities with the goal of winning the fight," the statement read. "There were absolutely no restrictions -- contractual or otherwise -- around either fighter. Each boxer was able to use his full arsenal to win the fight. Any agreement to the contrary would violate TDLR (Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations) boxing rules." Social media was flooded with posts suggesting the fight was scripted, with a fake script even being circulated. While the script was debunked, doubt about the legitimacy of the fight persists. Paul's admission that he took his foot off the gas in the middle rounds, rather than pursue a knockout, only fueled suspicions of a rigged fight. "It is further illogical and inane that MVP, in the debut of a hopeful long-term partnership with the world's biggest streamer -- an organization that made its first-ever foray into live professional sports with Paul vs. Tyson -- would even so much as consider such a perverse violation of the rules of competition," the statement continued. Bidarian has remained adamant in many interviews following the fight that there was no foul play in his business partner's victory. "This is not the first time Jake Paul has faced unfounded skepticism or outright disbelief as a professional athlete, and frankly, the claim that his bout must have been rigged is just the latest backhanded compliment to come his way," said Bidarian. "From day one in this sport, people have doubted his abilities -- unable to reconcile how someone with his background has accomplished so much in such a short time. Jake has not only proven himself repeatedly, but he continues to set historic records that speak for themselves. "This event, which broke attendance and viewership milestones for a professional sporting event, is yet another example of his ability to deliver on the biggest stage. As long as Jake continues to exceed expectations, there will always be those who try to discredit his achievements. We embrace the doubt -- it only fuels Jake to work harder and achieve greater success."

Protect wildlife from fishing hooks, other hazards

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‘A vision’ cry fans as former RTE star Grainne Gallanagh shows off jaw-dropping figure in plunging festive dress

The former Labour PM said the death of his newborn daughter in 2002 did “not convince me of the case for assisted dying; it convinced me of the value and imperative of good end-of-life care”. In a rare intervention ahead of the Commons debate on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill on Friday, November 29, Mr Brown shared a glimpse of the time he and his wife Sarah spent with their baby, Jennifer, who died when she was only 11 days old. Writing in the Guardian newspaper, Mr Brown said: “We could only sit with her, hold her tiny hand and be there for her as life ebbed away. She died in our arms. “But those days we spent with her remain among the most precious days of my and Sarah’s lives.” While he acknowledged that at the heart of the assisted dying debate is a “desire to prevent suffering”, the former Labour MP called for a commission on end-of-life care to be set up, instead of the law change which MPs will consider. This commission, he said, should work to create a “fully-funded, 10-year strategy for improved and comprehensive palliative care”. “When only a small fraction of the population are expected to choose assisted dying, would it not be better to focus all our energies on improving all-round hospice care to reach everyone in need of end of life support?” he said. Mr Brown added: “Medical advances that can transform end-of-life care and the horror of people dying alone, as with Covid, have taught us a great deal. “This generation have it in our power to ensure no-one should have to face death alone, uncared for, or subject to avoidable pain.” Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP sponsoring the assisted dying Bill through the Commons, said she was “deeply touched” by Mr Brown’s decision to share his story. The Spen Valley MP said she agreed completely with his calls for better end-of-life care. But Ms Leadbeater added: “He and I agree on very many things but we don’t agree on this. “Only legislation by Parliament can put right what Sir Keir Starmer calls the ‘injustice that we have trapped within our current arrangement’. “The need to address the inability of the current law to provide people with safeguards against coercion and the choice of a better death, and to protect their loved ones from possible prosecution, cannot wait. “So for me it isn’t a case of one or the other. My Bill already includes the need for the Government to report back to Parliament on the availability and quality of palliative care, and I strongly support further detailed examination of its provision. We need to do both.” Though Ms Leadbeater made reference to the Prime Minister as she set out her difference from Mr Brown’s position, Sir Keir has opted not to say whether he will support the Bill. MPs will be given a free vote on the legislation, meaning their political parties will not require them to vote for or against it, and it will be a matter for their personal consideration. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is the latest senior minister to disclose her position on assisted dying, signalling to broadcasters on Friday that she may support the Bill. “I continue to support the principle of needing change but also to ensure that we’ve got the proper safeguards and systems in place,” she told ITV’s Good Morning Britain. Asked if that meant a “yes” when the Bill comes to the Commons, she replied: “I think I last voted on this about 20 years ago and so I have supported the principle in the past and continue to believe that change is needed but we do need to have that debate on the detail and I’ll continue to follow that debate next Friday.”Commerce Department to reduce Intel's funding on semiconductors

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Pragmatic ethical PresidentBy HILLEL ITALIE NEW YORK (AP) — Even through a year of nonstop news about elections, climate change, protests and the price of eggs, there was still time to read books. U.S. sales held steady according to Circana, which tracks around 85% of the print market, with many choosing the relief of romance, fantasy and romantasy. Some picked up Taylor Swift’s tie-in book to her blockbuster tour, while others sought out literary fiction, celebrity memoirs, political exposes and a close and painful look at a generation hooked on smartphones. Here are 10 notable books published in 2024, in no particular order. “House of Flame and Shadow,” by Sarah J. Maas Asking about the year’s hottest reads would basically yield a list of the biggest hits in romantasy, the blend of fantasy and romance that has proved so irresistible fans were snapping up expensive “special editions” with decorative covers and sprayed edges. Of the 25 top sellers of 2024, as compiled by Circana, six were by romantasy favorite Sarah J. Maas, including “House of Flame and Shadow,” the third of her “Crescent City” series. Millions read her latest installment about Bryce Quinlan and Hunter Athalar and traced the ever-growing ties of “Maasverse,” the overlapping worlds of “Crescent City” and her other series, “Throne of Glass” and “A Court of Thorns and Roses.” “The Anxious Generation,” by Jonathan Haidt If romantasy is for escape, other books demand we confront. In the bestselling “The Anxious Generation,” social psychologist Jonathan Haidt looks into studies finding that the mental health of young people began to deteriorate in the 2010s, after decades of progress. According to Haidt, the main culprit is right before us: digital screens that have drawn kids away from “play-based” to “phone-based” childhoods. Although some critics challenged his findings, “The Anxious Generation” became a talking point and a catchphrase. Admirers ranged from Oprah Winfrey to Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee, who in a letter to state legislators advocated such “commonsense recommendations” from the book as banning phones in schools and keeping kids off social media until age 16. “War,” by Bob Woodward Bob Woodward books have been an election tradition for decades. “War,” the latest of his highly sourced Washington insider accounts, made news with its allegations that Donald Trump had been in frequent contact with Russian leader Vladimir Putin even while out of office and, while president, had sent Putin sophisticated COVID-19 test machines. Among Woodward’s other scoops: Putin seriously considered using nuclear weapons against Ukraine, and President Joe Biden blamed former President Barack Obama, under whom he served as vice president, for some of the problems with Russia. “Barack never took Putin seriously,” Woodward quoted Biden as saying. “Melania,” by Melania Trump Former (and future) first lady Melania Trump, who gives few interviews and rarely discusses her private life, unexpectedly announced she was publishing a memoir: “Melania.” The publisher was unlikely for a former first lady — not one of the major New York houses, but Skyhorse, where authors include such controversial public figures as Woody Allen and Trump cabinet nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. And its success was at least a minor surprise. Melania Trump did little publicity for the book, and offered few revelations beyond posting a video expressing support for abortion rights — a break from one of the cornerstones of GOP policy. But “Melania” still sold hundreds of thousands of copies, many in the days following her husband’s election. “The Eras Tour Book,” by Taylor Swift Taylor Swift was more than a music story in 2024. Like “Melania,” the news about Taylor Swift’s self-published tie-in to her global tour isn’t so much the book itself, but that it exists. And how well it sold. As she did with the “Eras” concert film, Swift bypassed the established industry and worked directly with a distributor: Target offered “The Eras Tour Book” exclusively. According to Circana, the “Eras” book sold more than 800,000 copies just in its opening week, an astonishing number for a publication unavailable through Amazon.com and other traditional retailers. No new book in 2024 had a better debut. “Intermezzo,” by Sally Rooney Midnight book parties are supposed to be for “Harry Potter” and other fantasy series, but this fall, more than 100 stores stayed open late to welcome one of the year’s literary events: Sally Rooney’s “Intermezzo.” The Irish author’s fourth novel centers on two brothers, their grief over the death of their father, their very different career paths and their very unsettled love lives. “Intermezzo” was also a book about chess: “You have to read a lot of opening theory — that’s the beginning of a game, the first moves,” one of the brothers explains. “And you’re learning all this for what? Just to get an okay position in the middle game and try to play some decent chess. Which most of the time I can’t do anyway.” “From Here to the Great Unknown,” by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough Lisa Marie Presley had been working on a memoir at the time of her death , in 2023, and daughter Riley Keough had agreed to help her complete it. “From Here to the Great Unknown” is Lisa Marie’s account of her father, Elvis Presley, and the sagas of of her adult life, notably her marriage to Michael Jackson and the death of son Benjamin Keough. To the end, she was haunted by the loss of Elvis, just 42 when he collapsed and died at his Graceland home while young Lisa Marie was asleep. “She would listen to his music alone, if she was drunk, and cry,” Keough, during an interview with Winfrey, said of her mother. “Cher: The Memoir, Part One,” by Cher Meanwhile, Cher released the first of two planned memoirs titled “Cher” — no further introduction required. Covering her life from birth to the end of the 1970s, she focuses on her ill-fated marriage to Sonny Bono, remembering him as a gifted entertainer and businessman who helped her believe in herself while turning out to be unfaithful, erratic, controlling and so greedy that he kept all the couple’s earnings for himself. Unsure of whether to leave or stay, she consulted a very famous divorcee, Lucille Ball, who reportedly encouraged her: “F— him, you’re the one with the talent.” “James,” by Percival Everett A trend in recent years is to take famous novels from the past, and remove words or passages that might offend modern readers; an edition of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” cuts the racist language from Mark Twain’s original text. In the most celebrated literary work of 2024, Percival Everett found a different way to take on Twain’s classic — write it from the perspective of the enslaved Jim. “James,” winner of the National Book Award, is a recasting in many ways. Everett suggests to us that the real Jim was nothing like the deferential figure known to millions of readers, but a savvy and learned man who concealed his intelligence from the whites around him, and even from Twain himself. “Knife,” by Salman Rushdie Salman Rushdie’s first National Book Award nomination was for a memoir he wished he had no reason to write. In “Knife,” he recounts in full detail the horrifying attempt on his life in 2022, when an attendee rushed the stage during a literary event in western New York and stabbed him repeatedly, leaving with him a blinded eye and lasting nerve damage, but with a spirit surprisingly intact. “If you had told me that this was going to happen and how would I deal with it, I would not have been very optimistic about my chances,” he told The Associated Press last spring. “I’m still myself, you know, and I don’t feel other than myself. But there’s a little iron in the soul, I think.”New Year's Eve Ball Drop 2024 Live Streaming From New York's Times Square: Know Date, Timing and Where To Watch Live Telecast of Times Square Ball Drop Celebrations

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey gambling regulators have handed out $40,000 in fines to two sportsbooks and a tech company for violations that included taking bets on unauthorized events, and on games that had already ended. In information made public Monday, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement fined DraftKings $20,000. It also levied $10,000 fines on Rush Street Interactive NJ and the sports betting technology company Kambi. According to documents released by the state, Rush Street accepted 16 bets worth $1,523 in Nov. 2021 on a college basketball game between the University of North Carolina-Asheville and Tennessee Tech University after the game had already concluded with a UNC victory. Kambi told the enforcement division that a trader had failed to manually remove that game from its betting markets, saying it had stopped receiving messages from its own sports data provider due to a network connectivity error. Kambi said it has updated its guidelines and retrained its traders to prevent a recurrence. Kambi, which is based in Malta, did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment Monday. Rush Street declined comment, and DraftKings had no immediate comment Monday. DraftKings stopped using Kambi in 2021. In March 2022 Rush Street took seven bets totaling just under $2,900 on three Magic City Jai Alai games after the results were already known. Kambi told the division it experienced a connectivity issue that allowed the bets to be accepted after the games were over. An explanation of what Kambi did to address the situation was blacked out in documents released by the division. A month earlier Rush Street took 13 wagers worth $8,150 with pre-match odds on a Professional Golf Association match after the event had already begun. In this case, Kambi told the division a newly hired trader failed to enter the correct closing time time for bets on the event. The trader and a supervisor underwent retraining. DraftKings was fined for taking bets on unapproved events including Russian basketball for nine months in 2020 and 2021. It eventually voided over $61,000 in bets and returned the money to customers after being directed to do so by the state. In this case, Kambi told the division it misidentified this particular Russian basketball league as one that was approved for wagering in New Jersey. DraftKings told the state it did not catch the error, either. In 2020, DraftKings accepted 484 wagers on unapproved table tennis matches. Kambi incorrectly enabled the events for wagering without conditions required by the state, the division said. In Feb. 2022, the division said DraftKings took pre-season NFL bets involving specific players but did not give the state specific information on what information was to be included in the bets, drawing 182 wagers worth nearly $7,000 that were later voided and refunded to customers. Follow Wayne Parry on X at www.twitter.com/WayneParryAC

No. 25 Illinois rebounds in big way, blasts UMES 87-40

Letters submitted by BDN readers are verified by BDN Opinion Page staff. Send your letters to letters@bangordailynews.com I voted for the Harris-Walz ticket with forlorn hope networking, bipartisan efforts would finally be exerted upon the several severe problems facing our nation since World War II. Instead, we have a man seemingly intent upon rooting out his political enemies. We have a party in power that underwrites his actions, which now controls both the Senate and House. It appears that dissension and divisive political hatreds will now govern, aided and abetted by feeding our people hatreds of the different and the fear of the same. This president seems intent on taking and holding power. After the 2016 election, we had this person in the presidency. He promised a wall to shut off the illegal influx of millions from Mexico — this wall to be paid for by the government of Mexico. Do you see a wall? I do not. Perhaps my vision is impaired. During his tenure, the nation lost 2.7 million jobs , unemployment increased to 6.4 percent , federal debt went up approximately 50 percent, the murder rate was up , we lost 178,000 manufacturing jobs, people without medical insurance increased by 3 million and economic growth went down 2.1 percent in 2020 from the previous year. I think none of this interested the majority that reelected Donald Trump because he deflected rational considerations by an appeal to the hatreds and fears that now govern this majority that apparently would rather have a few more pence in their pockets than face unsolved national problems that cause inflation, deficits and massive amounts of sick and poorer folk. Since we are seemingly governed by the many who appear to eschew learning, I believe we are doomed to repeat our prior history until we achieve third-world status while the privileged few wallow in luxury. I believe this man will preside over the death of the middle class because they have some smattering of education, learning and independence of mind. But, alas, the middle class has been diminishing for the past 25 years. He is merely hurrying it along. Frederick Mendel Sherman