milyon88 games The City of Boston, Boston Public Schools, and the owners of the NWSL expansion team set to play there in 2026 have executed a lease agreement that will allow the team to utilize White Stadium as its home venue, the three entities announced on Monday. The announcement, made by Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Boston Unity Soccer Partners (BUSP) and Boston Public Schools (BPS), will allow the team to play 20 games per year at the venue, which will undergo what the is described as "the largest investment into BPS Athletics and White Stadium since it opened in 1949." The agreement also includes upgrades to the surrounding 530-acre Franklin Park area, while also expanding public access. Under the terms of the lease, NWSL games cannot take place more than two weekends in a four-week period, and no more than four weekend games per season can start before 5 p.m. The City of Boston and Boston Public Schools will retain ownership of the stadium and will have priority in stadium scheduling. Construction, more than half of which is being funded by BUPS, is expected to begin in January. There remains some opposition to the project, with local residents filing a lawsuit claiming that the project was rushed without adequate community input and violates the state constitution by transferring public land for a private use. "We are more confident than ever that Franklin Park will be protected from their scheme to turn this historic parkland into a colossal sports and entertainment complex." Renee Stacy Welsh, a member of the Franklin Park Defenders, which opposes the project, told the Associated Press. According to the Boston Globe, the City's portion of the renovation amounts to $91 million, pushing the overall cost to around $200m. "White Stadium is a generational opportunity to anchor citywide youth sports, revitalize community programming, and bolster our beloved, historic Franklin Park-all while creating a home for the City of Champions' newest professional team," Mayor Wu said. "I'm so grateful for all the community members, coaches, students, and park lovers who helped shape this project to reflect the community's dreams for the next generation." The lease is for 10 years, with BUPS paying $200,000 in annualized rent during the first season, prorated for the number of months the field will be operational. The second year will see BUPS pay $400,000 annualized rent, in monthly payments, and escalating by 3% each year afterwards. The City and BPS will share in some of the revenues generated by the stadium, including 10% of in-stadium advertising revenues (except field naming rights revenue), 10% of field naming rights revenue, 3% of concessions revenue. "This is an exciting moment for BPS and our student athletes who are so deserving of a world class facility to call home," superintendent of Boston Public Schools Mary Skipper said. "This major investment by the City and Boston Unity Soccer Partners will have direct and lasting benefits for BPS students who will have access to state-of-the-art facilities where they can study, train and compete." BUPS will also direct money towards various community funds, including $500,000 in the first year towards the Annual Community Fund, with 3% increases in subsequent years. "We are incredibly proud that our team's home will be in the heart of the city through this generational public-private-community partnership to revitalize White Stadium," controlling owner of Boston Unity Soccer Partners Jennifer Epstein said. "This transformative milestone enables our club to deliver a lasting, year-round impact for Boston Public School student-athletes while uplifting the surrounding neighborhoods and businesses and providing a world-class facility for our home games. "A renewed White Stadium will honor its historic roots while providing an extraordinary fan experience and we are excited to take the pitch at this iconic venue for our inaugural season in 2026." BUSP will fund the construction of the West Grandstand, public restrooms, NWSL team spaces, scoreboard, stadium lighting, technology system, and the Grove area. The City will carry out construction of the East Grandstand, BPS student athletics spaces, the grass field, and the track. Boston Unity Soccer Partners will be responsible for ongoing operations and maintenance for the team's spaces and all the shared areas of the facility, including the field and track. Prior to demolition of White Stadium, BUSP will fund a $25 million Construction Escrow Account that is restricted exclusively to fund direct construction costs on the site and requires City approval of expenditures. The escrow account cannot be reduced below $10m until total project financing is secured.In the latest episode of "What were they thinking?", a man in Uttar Pradesh ’s Fatehpur took social media obsession to a whole new level. Sheikh Bilal, the star of this cautionary tale, decided that writing "2024" on a highway with petrol and setting it ablaze would make for an epic Instagram reel . The stunt, performed on National Highway-2, was as dangerous as it sounds. Bilal, clearly inspired by action movies, poured petrol onto the road, lit it up, and stood proudly as the fiery “2024” burned behind him. The only thing missing was a slow-motion walk and dramatic background music. Unfortunately for him, it didn’t end there. His stunt caught the eye of both online trolls and the Fatehpur Police . While some were pretty stunned, the cops acted fast. Bilal got arrested and hauled to court, showing that chasing clout can seriously backfire. Believe it or not, Bilal isn’t the only one setting new lows in the name of reels. Earlier in Meerut, another social media daredevil named Intezaar Ali thought it would be cool to shovel mud onto the roof of his Mahindra Thar SUV and drive at full speed. The result? A literal mud bath for the road and chaos for everyone around. The police, unimpressed, seized his vehicle faster than you can say “mudslide.” And let’s not forget the influencer drama in Panipat, Haryana, where a content creator decided to film a reel in a crowded market wearing, well... less than usual. This didn’t sit well with the locals, and things escalated when someone slapped her mid-shoot. She eventually apologised, but the incident stirred up a fresh debate on the lengths people go for online fame. Here’s the thing: we get it. Social media is all about standing out, grabbing attention, and getting those likes. But setting roads on fire? Driving recklessly? Causing public chaos? That’s not just irresponsible; it’s downright dangerous. It’s easy to get caught up in the hype of going viral, but as these stories show, there’s always a price to pay. Whether it’s a slap, a seized SUV, or a court date, the consequences are real. What’s the lesson here? The internet loves drama, but it loves calling out bad behaviour even more. So, the next time you’re thinking about pulling a stunt for views, ask yourself: “Is it worth the fines, jail time, or public backlash?” It’s probably not. Let’s leave the highway fires and mud showers to the action movies and keep our reels fun, creative, and—most importantly—safe. And hey, there’s no shame in going viral for wholesome content. Like teaching your dog a cool trick or baking a cake that doesn’t explode. Thumb photo credit: X/@DSatyavrata Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai: Armaan Attacks Lawyer, Apologizes To Abhira

CleanSpark Reports Record-Breaking FY 2024 Results: Outpacing Halving and Difficulty

How major US stock indexes fared Monday, 12/23/2024

Tests keep coming for Auburn and Duke, who collide at Cameron Indoor Stadium in a typical prove-it game in a rare environment on Wednesday night. No. 2 Auburn and No. 9 Duke square off less than one month into the season as two of the most battle-tested teams in basketball. They're matched as one of the marquee games in the crossover showcase known as the ACC-SEC Challenge. Auburn (7-0) jumped two spots in the latest Top 25 poll propelled by its Maui Invitational championship. In one of Feast Week's toughest brackets, the Tigers rallied from 18 points down to beat then-No. 4 Iowa State, handled then-No. 12 North Carolina 85-72 and rolled past Memphis 90-76 in the title game. With a week off to shed any remnants of jet lag returning from the islands, Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl is pointing to another potential resume-building win. "The confidence that we're going to get from (Maui) is that we know we can play with anybody," Pearl said. "I promise you this, we'll stay humble and hungry. We will not begin to think too much of ourselves." Helping lead Auburn in Maui was fifth-year power forward Johni Broome. The tournament's MVP, Broome averaged 21.7 points, 15 rebounds, 4.3 assists and three blocks in the three-game sweep. Spearheading a veteran Tigers roster, Broome couldn't care less about individual honors. "I wanted to come to a place where the foundation was already built, and that's why I came to Auburn," Broome said. "Winning player of the year doesn't matter to me. I care about winning games, and making sure I can help my team in any way." Broome's 20.7 points and 12.9 rebounds per game lead the Tigers, while Chad Baker-Mazara adds 12.6 ppg and Denver Jones chips in 11.1. Auburn's next roadblock is earning its first-ever win against Duke. The Tigers are 0-3 all-time against the Blue Devils, including a six-point loss in the 2018 Maui Invitational. Duke (5-2) has already been through three games against ranked opponents. The Blue Devils had a 77-72 loss against then-No. 19 Kentucky, a 14-point win at then-No. 17 Arizona and a 75-72 defeat against No. 1 Kansas last week in Las Vegas. "Best team we've played so far," Pearl said of Duke. Bouncing back on Friday, the Blue Devils took down Seattle 70-48, holding the Redhawks to just 10 made field goals on 47 attempts (21.3 percent). Despite the suffocating defensive effort, Duke head coach Jon Scheyer knows his team has a long way to go. "I wasn't really happy with much tonight, to be honest," Scheyer said on Friday. "I thought we rushed some shots, had too many turnovers. We need to finish stronger, drive stronger, make extra passes, there were a whole bunch of things. ... We just need to get back to practice. In fairness to our guys, we've been traveling a lot and we just need practice time." Pacing the Blue Devils in scoring is five-star freshman Cooper Flagg. He's averaging 15.9 points per game to go along with 8.3 rebounds. Fellow freshman Kon Knueppel adds 13.4 points per contest. Far less seasoned raw freshman, big man Khaman Maluach has given Duke's interior defense an edge it was lacking last season. A projected lottery pick who can be overshadowed by the Flagg publicity train, Maluach (7-2, 248) is averaging 8.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and has two three-block games. In last year's inaugural ACC-SEC Challenge, Duke lost at Arkansas 80-75 and Auburn topped Virginia Tech 74-57. --Field Level MediaTechnology entrepreneur Elon Musk has caused uproar after backing Germany’s far-right party in a major newspaper ahead of key parliamentary elections in the Western European country, leading to the resignation of the paper’s opinion editor in protest. Germany is to vote in an early election on February 23 after Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party governing coalition collapsed last month in a dispute over how to revitalise the country’s stagnant economy. Mr Musk’s guest opinion piece for Welt am Sonntag – a sister publication of Politico owned by the Axel Springer Group – published in German over the weekend, was the second time this month that he has supported the Alternative for Germany, or AfD. “The Alternative for Germany (AfD) is the last spark of hope for this country,” he wrote in his translated commentary. He went on to say that the far-right party “can lead the country into a future where economic prosperity, cultural integrity and technological innovation are not just wishes, but reality”. The Tesla Motors chief executive also wrote that his investment in Germany gives him the right to comment on the country’s condition. The AfD is polling strongly, but its candidate for the top job, Alice Weidel, has no realistic chance of becoming chancellor because other parties refuse to work with the far-right party. Billionaire Mr Musk, an ally of US President-elect Donald Trump, challenged in his opinion piece the party’s public image. “The portrayal of the AfD as right-wing extremist is clearly false, considering that Alice Weidel, the party’s leader, has a same-sex partner from Sri Lanka! Does that sound like Hitler to you? Please!” Mr Musk’s commentary has led to a debate in German media over the boundaries of free speech, with the paper’s own opinion editor announcing her resignation, pointedly on Mr Musk’s social media platform, X. Eva Marie Kogel wrote: “I always enjoyed leading the opinion section of WELT and WAMS. Today an article by Elon Musk appeared in Welt am Sonntag. I handed in my resignation yesterday after it went to print.” A critical article by the future editor-in-chief of the Welt group, Jan Philipp Burgard, accompanied Mr Musk’s opinion piece. “Musk’s diagnosis is correct, but his therapeutic approach, that only the AfD can save Germany, is fatally wrong,” he wrote. Responding to a request for comment from the German Press Agency, dpa, the current editor-in-chief of the Welt group, Ulf Poschardt, and Mr Burgard – who is due to take over on January 1 – said in a joint statement that the discussion over Mr Musk’s piece was “very insightful. Democracy and journalism thrive on freedom of expression.” “This will continue to determine the compass of the ‘world’ in the future. We will develop ‘Die Welt’ even more decisively as a forum for such debates,” they wrote to dpa.MOUNT CARMEL — Shazier Bethea scored nine of his game-high 20 points during the third quarter as the Miners handed the Red Tornadoes their first loss of the season in the non-league contest. Down 42-40 to start the fourth quarter, Minersville (6-2) outscored Mount Carmel 14-7 in the final frame. Dante Carr also finished in double figures with 10 points for the Miners. Sophomores Jaylen Delaney and Jude Lazicki each had 14 points for the Red Tornadoes (8-1). Minersville 54, Mount Carmel 49 Minersville (6-2) 54 Logan Hutsko 4 1-1 9; Chase Zimerofsky 1 0-0 2; Shazier Bethea 8 1-3 20; Bradley Kostishak 4 0-0 8; Dante Carr 4 2-2 10; Jordan Bowers 2 0-0 5. Totals 23 4-5 54. 3-point goals: Bethea 3, Bowers. Did not score: None. Mount Carmel (8-1) 49 Chase Balichik 2 0-0 6; Matthew Balichik 4 0-0 9; Jude Lazicki 5 2-4 14; Jaylen Delaney 6 2-5 14; Luke Blessing 1 0-0 2; Noah Shimko 2 0-0 4. Totals 20 4-9 49. 3-point goals: C. Balichik 2, Lazicki 2, M. Balichik. Did not score: Tait Adams. Score by quarters Minersville;12;7;21;14 — 54 Mt.Carmel;17;8;17;7 — 49