como jogar fortune rabbit Thousands of Syrians gathered in Damascus’ main square and a historic mosque for the first Muslim Friday prayers since former President Bashar Assad was overthrown , a major symbolic moment for the country’s dramatic change of power. The rebels are now working to establish security and start a political transition after seizing the capital on Sunday. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made an unannounced visit to Iraq on Friday, pressing ahead with efforts to unify Middle East nations in support of a peaceful political transition in Syria. It’s part of Blinken’s 12th trip to the Mideast since the Israel-Hamas war erupted last year in Gaza but his first after Assad was ousted. The U.S. is also making a renewed push for an ceasefire in Gaza, where the war has plunged more than 2 million Palestinians into a severe humanitarian crisis. Israel’s war against Hamas has killed over 44,800 Palestinians in Gaza, more than half of them women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not say how many were combatants. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The October 2023 Hamas attack that sparked the war killed some 1,200 people in Israel, mostly civilians, and around 250 others were taken hostage. Some 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Here's the latest: ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Friday that eliminating a U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish militia is his country’s “strategic goal,” and called on members of the group to leave Syria or lay down arms. In an interview with Turkey’s NTV television, Fidan also suggested that Syria’s new rulers — the rebels who swept into Damascus and who are backed by Ankara — would not recognize the militia, known as the People’s Protection Units, or YPG. The group is allied with the United States in the fight against the Islamic State group but Turkey views it as a terrorist organization and a security threat. “The non-Syrian YPG members must leave the country as soon as possible. The entire command level of the YPG must also leave the country,” Fidan said. “After that, those who remain must put down their weapons and continue with their lives.” Fidan said that as the Syrian insurgents advanced toward Damascus and Syria's Bashar Assad was toppled, Turkey in talks that were underway in Qatar at the time asked Iran and Russia not to intervene militarily. “At some point they (Russians and Iranians) made phone calls. That evening, Assad left,” Fidan said. UNITED NATIONS —– The situation in Gaza is rapidly deteriorating with scores of reported fatalities from multiple Israeli airstrikes in recent days and insecurity hampering aid deliveries, the United Nations said Friday. U.N. humanitarian coordinator Muhannad Hadi urged respect for the principles of “distinction, proportionality and precautions” and called on the parties to ensure the protection of civilians and safe and unimpeded passage of humanitarian aid. Hadi cited the looting of a 70-truck convoy that was traveling at the Kerem Shalom crossing on Wednesday and the looting of four out of five trucks leaving the Kissufim crossing that same day. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs known as OCHA reported that Israel denied more than 90% of the 137 missions the U.N. and its partners wanted to send to besieged northern Gaza since Oct. 6. BEIRUT — Israeli warplanes launched airstrikes on Friday against sites in several cities in Syria, an opposition war monitor reported. Associated Press journalists heard loud explosions throughout the Syrian capital Damascus. There were no immediate reports of casualties. The strikes hit the summit of Mount Qasioun in Damascus, Khalkhala Airport in the countryside of Sweida and the Defense and Research Laboratories in Masyaf, located in the western countryside of Hama, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights Earlier on Friday, Israeli strikes targeted six military sites in the countryside of Damascus and Sweida, the observatory said. Israel has conducted hundreds of airstrikes since the toppling of the Syrian regime, saying it seeks to neutralize potential threats following the ouster of Bashar Assad. The strikes have targeted weapons production sites, anti-aircraft batteries and airfields. Israel has also moved troops to occupy a buffer zone in the Golan Heights on its border with Syria. DAMASCUS, Syria — Russian forces and military vehicles were seen withdrawing from southern Syria on Friday toward their primary base in in the coastal city of Latakia. The Russian troop movement comes amid questions about whether Moscow will still be able to project power in the Middle East after the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad. His rule was supported by Russia and he received asylum in Russia after being toppled Sunday. There are also questions about what a Russian pullback in Syria could mean for the war in Ukraine. Significant Russian military convoys were seen on the Damascus-Homs highway near Shinshar village heading north. The military vehicles, bearing Russian flags, included tanks and armored personnel carriers. The military equipment had been previously stationed in southern regions such as Daraa and Damascus. On Thursday, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Russian forces were leaving bases in Ain Issa and Tel Al-Samn in the Al-Raqqah countryside. Satellite images released by Maxar Technologies on Friday show what appear to be cargo planes at a Russian military airfield in Syria with their nose cones opened to receive heavy equipment, along with helicopters being dismantled and prepared for transport. Earlier this week, all Russian naval ships departed the Syrian port of Tartus, according to a U.S. official. ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey's embassy in the Syrian capital of Damascus will reopen on Saturday for the first time since 2012, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Friday. In an interview with Turkey’s NTV television Fidan said a newly appointed interim charge d’affaires had left for Damascus on Friday together with his delegation. “It will be operational as of tomorrow,” he said. The embassy in Damascus had suspended operations in 2012 due to the escalating security conditions during the Syrian civil war. All embassy staff and their families were recalled to Turkey. The Syrian insurgents who overthrew Syrian President Bashar Assad on Sunday did so with vital help from Turkey. WASHINGTON — The U.S. military has transported out of Syria an American who disappeared seven months ago into former President Bashar Assad’s notorious prison system and was among the thousands released this week by rebels, a U.S. official said Friday. Travis Timmerman was flown out of Syria on a U.S. military helicopter, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing operation. Timmerman, 29, told The Associated Press he had gone to Syria on a Christian pilgrimage and was not ill-treated while in Palestine Branch, a notorious detention facility operated by Syrian intelligence. He said he was freed by “the liberators who came into the prison and knocked the door down (of his cell) with a hammer.” Timmerman said he was released Monday morning alongside a young Syrian man and 70 female prisoners, some of whom had their children with them. He had been held separately from Syrian and other Arab prisoners and said he didn’t know of any other Americans held in the facility. — By Lolita C. Baldor THE HAGUE, Netherlands — A Dutch court on Friday rejected a bid from human rights groups to block weapons exports to Israel and trading with the occupied territories, after finding there were sufficient checks already in place to comply with international law. The ten organizations told The Hague District Court last month that they thought the Netherlands was in violation of the 1948 Genocide Convention, drawn up following World War II, by continuing to sell weapons to Israel more than a year into the conflict in Gaza. “The government uses my own tax money, that I pay, to kill my own family. I’ve lost 18 members of my own family,” Ahmed Abofoul, a legal adviser for the pro-Palestinian organization Al-Haq, one of the groups involved in the lawsuit, told the court during a hearing in November . The court ruling said that “it is not up to the interim relief judge to order the state to reconsider government policy. That is primarily a political responsibility.” Lawyers for the government argued it wasn’t up to a judge to decide foreign policy for the Netherlands. The activist groups pointed to several emergency orders from another court, the International Court of Justice, as confirming the obligation to stop weapons sales. In January, the top U.N. court said it was plausible Palestinians were being deprived of some rights protected under the Genocide Convention. The coalition said it will review the court’s ruling and is considering an appeal. CAIRO — Israeli attacks in and around a hospital in northern Gaza wounded three medical staff overnight into Friday and caused damage to the isolated medical facility, according to its director. Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya said Israeli quadcopter drones carrying explosives deliberately targeted the emergency and reception area of Kamal Adwan Hospital, where one doctor was wounded for a third time. Abu Safiya said “relentless” drone and artillery strikes throughout the night exploded “alarmingly close” to the hospital, heavily damaging nearby buildings and destroying most of the water tanks on the hospital’s roof and blowing out doors and windows. Kamal Adwan Hospital in the town of Beit Lahiya has been hit multiple times over the past two months since Israel launched a fierce military operation against Hamas in northern Gaza. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the strikes. “We demand international protection for the hospital and its staff,” Abu Safiya said in a statement released via the U.K.-based aid group Medical Aid for Palestinians, “as well as the entry of delegations with surgical expertise, medical supplies, and essential medications to ensure we can adequately serve the people we are treating.” Abu Safiya said there were 72 wounded patients at the hospital, one of the few medical facilities left in northern Gaza. He said he expected Israeli forces would allow a World Health Organization aid convoy to bring supplies to the hospital on Friday or Saturday, as well as a team of doctors from Indonesia. Israel has allowed almost no humanitarian or medical aid to enter the three besieged communities in northern Gaza — Beit Lahiya, Beit Hanoun and the urban Jabaliya refugee camp — and ordered tens of thousands to flee to nearby Gaza City. Israeli officials have said the three communities are mostly deserted, but the United Nations humanitarian office said Tuesday it believes around 65,000 to 75,000 people are still there, with little access to food, water, electricity or health care. Experts have warned that the north may be experiencing famine . BAGHDAD — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made an unannounced stop in Iraq on Friday on his latest visit to the Middle East aimed at stabilizing the situation in Syria to prevent further regional turmoil. Blinken met in Baghdad with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani as part of the hastily arranged trip, his 12th to the region since the Israel-Hamas war erupted last year but his first since the weekend ouster of Syrian strongman Bashar Assad. Blinken has already been to Jordan and Turkey on his current tour and will return to the Jordanian city of Aqaba for meetings on Saturday with Arab foreign ministers, Turkey’s foreign minister and the United Nations special envoy for Syria, the U.N. said. Blinken will try to unify support for an inclusive post-Assad transition that does not allow the Islamic State group to take advantage of the political vacuum in Syria and secures suspected chemical weapons stocks. In Baghdad, Blinken underscored “U.S. commitment to the U.S.-Iraq strategic partnership and to Iraq’s security, stability, and sovereignty,” the State Department said. “He will also discuss regional security opportunities and challenges, as well as enduring U.S. support for engagement with all communities in Syria to establish an inclusive transition,” it said in a statement. His trip comes as the Biden administration winds down with just over a month left before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Trump has been highly critical of Biden’s approach to the Middle East and skeptical of the U.S. military presence in both Iraq and Syria. The U.S. and Iraq agreed in September to wrap up U.S.-led military operations against the Islamic State group in Iraq next year, although Assad’s ouster and the potential for the group taking advantage of a political vacuum in Syria could complicate the timing of the withdrawal, according to American officials. DAMASCUS — The kingdom of Bahrain sent a message Friday to Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the insurgency that toppled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. It said Bahrain is “fully prepared to consult with you continuously and to provide support in regional and international organizations to achieve what is in the interest of the brotherly Syrian people.” It added, “We look forward to Syria regaining its authentic role in the Arab League.” Bahrain is the current head of the Arab summit. Syria was readmitted to the Arab League last year after 12 years of ostracization. It is still unclear how the international community will deal officially with the new interim government in Syria. JERUSALEM - Israel’s defense minister told troops to prepare to remain through the winter months on the peak of Mount Hermon, Syria’s highest point, located in a swath of southern Syria that Israeli troops moved into after the fall of Damascus to insurgents. The comments by Defense Minister Israel Katz signaled that the military will extend its occupation of the zone along the border, which Israel says it seized to create a buffer zone. In a statement Friday, Katz said that holding the peak was of major importance for Israel’s security and that it would be necessary to build facilities there to sustain troops through the winter. The summit of Mount Hermon, the highest peak on the eastern Mediterranean coast at 2,814 meters (9,232 feet), gives a commanding view over the plains of southern Syria. It also positions Israeli troops about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the center of Damascus. The mount is divided between the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, Lebanon and Syria. Only the United States recognizes Israel’s control of the Golan Heights. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israeli troops would remain in the zone until another force across the border in Syria could guarantee security. Israeli troops moved into the zone -– set as a demilitarized area inside Syrian territory under truce deals that ended the 1973 Mideast war -- after the regime of Bashar al-Assad fell last weekend. ANKARA, Turkey -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday there was “broad agreement” between Turkey and the United States on what they would like to see in Syria following the ouster of President Bashar Assad. “There’s broad agreement on what we would like to see going forward, starting with the interim government in Syria, one that is inclusive and non-sectarian and one that protects the rights of minorities and women” and does not “pose any kind of threat to any of Syria’s neighbors,” Blinken said in joint statements with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. The insurgent groups that toppled Assad in Syria have not made clear their policy or stance on Israel, whose military in recent days has bombed sites all over the country, saying it is trying to prevent weapons from falling into extremist hands. Blinken also said it was crucial to keep the Islamic State group under control. “We also discussed the imperative of continuing the efforts to keep ISIS down. Our countries worked very hard and gave a lot over many years to ensure the elimination of the territorial caliphate of ISIS to ensure that that threat doesn’t rear its head again,” Blinken said. The Turkish foreign minister said the two discussed ways of establishing prosperity in Syria and ending terrorism in the country. “Our priority is establishing stability in Syria as soon as possible, preventing terrorism from gaining ground, and ensuring that IS and the PKK aren’t dominant,” Fidan said, in a reference to the banned Kurdistan Workers Party. Blinken said: “We’re very focused on Syria, very focused on the opportunity that now is before us and before the Syrian people to move from out from under the shackles of Bashar al-Assad to a different and better future for the Syrian people, one that the Syrian people decide for themselves.” Blinken and Fidan said they had also discussed a ceasefire for Gaza. “We’ve seen in the last couple of weeks more encouraging signs that (a ceasefire) is possible,” Blinken said. Blinken, who is making his 12th trip to the Mideast since the Israel-Hamas war erupted last year but first since the weekend ouster of Assad, met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan late Thursday. The outgoing Biden administration is particularly concerned that a power vacuum in Syria could exacerbate already heightened tensions in the region, which is already wracked by multiple conflicts, and create conditions for the Islamic State group to regain territory and influence. Later Friday, Blinken is to return to Jordan for meetings on Saturday with Arab foreign ministers and senior officials from the European Union, the Arab League and the United Nations. ANKARA, Turkey -- Turkey has appointed a temporary charge d’affaires to reopen its embassy in Syria, Turkey’s state-run news agency reported. The Turkish Embassy in Damascus had suspended operations in 2012 due to the escalating security problems during the Syrian civil war and embassy staff and their families were recalled to Turkey. The Anadolu Agency said late Thursday that Turkey appointed Burhan Koroglu, its ambassador in Mauritania, to the post.

Frustrated Giants Fans Fly a Plane Over MetLife Stadium With a Clear Message for Owner John Mara, and Social Media Is Loving It

1 Stock to Buy, 1 Stock to Sell This Week: Oracle, AutoZoneGreater Sudbury marks HIV Awareness Week, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

Bad Axe: Wisconsin wary of rival Minnesota with bowl bid in perilPope Francis will visit the French Mediterranean island of Corsica in December, days after skipping the reopening of Paris's Notre Dame Cathedral which was ravaged by a fire in 2019, the Vatican said Saturday. Francis, 87, declined an invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron to attend the Notre Dame reopening ceremony in Paris on December 7. He will however head to Corsica's capital Ajaccio for a conference on the Catholic faith in the Mediterranean one week later on December 15, the Vatican said. Some French bishops were "annoyed" by the pope's decision to stay away from the Notre Dame gala, according to one bishop speaking on condition of anonymity. But the head of the Bishops' Conference of France (CEF) Archbishop Eric de Moulins-Beaufort said: "The star of the Notre Dame reopening ceremony is Notre Dame itself." The pope had not wanted his presence to be a distraction from the essential point of the occasion, he added. "It's not a snub aimed at France," said another bishop. Francis's one-day trip to Corsica will be the first papal visit to the island, where 90 percent of its 350,000 population is Catholic, according to the local Church, and religious traditions remain deeply rooted. He will give two speeches, preside over a mass and meet Macron during his nine hours on the island, the Vatican said. "It is a historic event, we will give ourselves the extraordinary means to put on an exceptional welcome for the Holy Father," said Bishop of Ajaccio Francois-Xavier Bustillo said in a video posted on social media. Francis, who will celebrate his 88th birthday on December 17, has been to France twice since becoming head of the worldwide Catholic Church in 2013. He visited Strasbourg in 2014, where he addressed the European Parliament, and last year went to Marseille for a meeting of Mediterranean area bishops, where he met Macron. He has yet to make a state visit to France, one of Europe's main majority-Catholic countries. He is also yet to make state visits to Spain, the United Kingdom or Germany. The Argentine pontiff prefers visiting smaller or less established Catholic communities, from Malta to Mongolia. The Corsica visit was championed by the popular media-friendly Bustillo, who was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in September 2023. "It will not be a state visit, but a pastoral visit. It will be a beautiful moment, a moment of hope and joy," he told AFP. In addition, the head of the Catholic Church is scheduled to be at the Vatican on December 7-8 for a service at which he will create 21 new cardinals. Rescheduling appointments over coming months would appear to be tricky, given the multitude of events due to take place in Rome in 2025, a Catholic jubilee year. Bustillo is one of the active cardinals Francis has appointed in the Mediterranean region, with the pope keen they "work together to meet the specific challenges of the area", a bishop told AFP on condition of anonymity. Those issues include migration, global warming and interreligious dialogue. Corsica will be the 47th overseas visit for Francis and his third this year, after a long tour of the Asia Pacific in early September and a trip to Belgium and Luxembourg the same month. cmk-bur/tw/jm

NEW YORK — Police don't know who he is, where he is, or why he did it. As the frustrating search for UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s killer got underway for a fifth day Sunday, investigators reckoned with a tantalizing contradiction: They have troves of evidence, but the shooter remains an enigma. One conclusion they are confident of, however: It was a targeted attack , not a random one. They know he ambushed Thompson at 6:44 a.m. Wednesday as the executive arrived at the Hilton for his company’s annual investor conference, using a 9 mm pistol that resembled the guns farmers use to put down animals without causing a loud noise. They know ammunition found near Thompson’s body bore the words “delay,” “deny” and “depose,” mimicking a phrase used by insurance industry critics . The fact that the shooter knew UnitedHealthcare group was holding a conference at the hotel and what route Thompson might take to get there suggested that he could possibly be a disgruntled employee or client, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said. Police divers were seen searching a pond in Central Park, where the killer fled after the shooting. Officers have been scouring the park for days for any possible clues and found his backpack there Friday. They didn’t immediately reveal what, if anything, it contained but said it would be tested and analyzed. On Sunday morning, police declined to comment on the contents of the backpack, or on the results of the search in the pond, saying no updates were planned. Investigators have urged patience, saying the process of logging evidence that stands up in court isn’t as quick as it looks like on TV . Hundreds of detectives are combing through video recordings and social media, vetting tips from the public and interviewing people who might have information, including Thompson’s family and coworkers and the shooter’s randomly assigned roommates at the Manhattan hostel where he stayed. Investigators caught a break when they came across security camera images of an unguarded moment at the hostel in which he briefly showed his face. Retracing the gunman’s steps using surveillance video, police say, it appears he left the city by bus soon after the shooting outside the New York Hilton Midtown. He was seen on video at an uptown bus station about 45 minutes later, Kenny said. With the high-profile search expanding across state lines, the FBI announced late Friday that it was offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction, adding to a reward of up to $10,000 that the NYPD has offered. Police say they believe the suspect acted alone. Police distributed the images to news outlets and on social media but so far haven’t been able to ID him using facial recognition — possibly because of the angle of the images or limitations on how the NYPD is allowed to use that technology, Kenny said. Late Saturday, police released two additional photos of the suspected shooter that appeared to be from a camera mounted inside a taxi. The first shows him outside the vehicle and the second shows him looking through the partition between the back seat and the front of the cab. In both, his face is partially obscured by a blue, medical-style mask.A burden has been lifted off Lora Wood’s shoulders. Lora Wood was one of 39 people who had non-violent convictions pardoned by President Joe Biden on Dec. 12, 2024. For 20 years, the 39-year-old Maxwell, Nebraska resident has been living under the pall of having been convicted of a felony. That limited her career opportunities. It also made her unable to own a firearm, which, as a livestock farmer, created difficulty at times. Wood was one of 39 people who had their non-violent convictions pardoned by U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday. Biden also commuted the sentences of close to 1,500 people. Wood’s pardon stems from 2004, when she pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Wood said when she was 19, she got involved with the wrong guy. Wood served one year in federal prison in Illinois and four years under supervised release as part of her plea agreement. Today, Wood said she's happy; living with her husband, Jeremy, and two children. She works as a graphic designer for Pro Printing and Graphics — a printing company owned by her mother-in-law in North Platte — and spends time on the farm. Having been clean for 20 years, Wood remains active in the community. She volunteers helping animals through Paws-itive Partners Humane Society in North Platte. With the humane society, she has organized pet food fundraisers, including Woofstock, an event where people can come with their dogs to a carnival-like atmosphere. She also works with therapy dogs. Wood began applying for a pardon five years ago. As part of her application process, the Federal Bureau of Investigation interviewed her, her family and her employers both present and past. When she got the call on Wednesday, she was moved to tears. “I was really excited,” she said. “This has been one of those things where you don’t have any information. It just came out of the blue.” In a press release, the White House noted Wood’s steady employment and volunteer service. The White House added Wood has been praised for her work ethic and devotion to her children. Although it does not expunge Wood’s conviction, she believes the pardon will give her better job opportunities and access to a firearm, which she said would come in handy if she needs to put down a sick pig at her and her husband’s farm. “Trying to put down a pig without a gun is a very difficult process,” Wood said. “We have to call neighbors to do it for us.” She also said the pardon would allow her to visit nursing homes to help comfort residents with a therapy dog. Wood said her drug conviction prevented her from doing that. Wood is thankful her pardon will now allow her to put a dark chapter of her past behind her. “It’s definitely lifted a burden off my shoulders,” she said. “I can move forward and basically never have to think about it again.” A few snowflakes rest on a hand rail at the Gerald R. Ford Birthsite and Gardens in Omaha on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. Watie White prepares to hang the portraits he drew for an exhibit inside the carriage house at the Joslyn Castle in Omaha on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. Watie White poses for a portrait holding some potraits he drew that will hang in an exhibit inside the carriage house at the Joslyn Castle in Omaha on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. Creighton's Pop Isaacs (2) goes up for a 3-pointer s head coach Greg McDermott motions in the background during the second half of a men's college basketball game against Kansas at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. Creighton players react as they are unveiled on the NCAA Volleyball Tournament bracket during a watch party at DJ's Dugout in Omaha on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. Creighton's Jackson McAndrew (23) and Fedor Žugić (7) take a selfie with fans after defeating Kansas, 76-63, at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

Is the world more dangerous than ever for travelers? A global risk expert weighs in

IU INDY 88, ALABAMA A&M 83

When Wolverhampton Wanderers signed Matheus Cunha from Atletico Madrid, it was perhaps not anticipated how crucial he would become in their fight to avoid Premier League relegation. Despite Wolves' struggles, the 27-year-old is flourishing on the pitch and has continued to prove critics wrong, game after game - his form has been impossible to ignore. He already has 10 goal involvements in 12 league games this season and added to his tally during Wolves' 4-1 win over Fulham on Saturday. He found the back of the net for a second successive game at Craven Cottage. Cunha scored two of those four goals and also provided an assist to Joao Gomes in the process. READ MORE: Man United star Bruno Fernandes fires Ruben Amorim clear instruction before first game READ MORE: Man United wonderkid Chido Obi-Martin makes feelings clear after scoring again While losing him in the January transfer window would be a major blow for the club, it might prove to be a rather difficult task come January. Manchester United themselves, are one of the clubs linked with Cunha and have been following him since his days at Atletico Madrid. At the time, he was mooted as a potential replacement for Portuguese icon Cristiano Ronaldo . Previously addressing the interest from United, he admitted it was a 'real honour' to be linked with the Reds. "You know it's a real honour to have your name linked to Manchester United," the Wolves star said. "One of the biggest clubs in the world. But I'm happy at Wolves. If I'm lucky, I play another good season, but the window is open, you never know. I always want to show that (the affection) is reciprocated. "Then we see that talk (Manchester United). But I’m very happy at Wolves. The focus now is on having better seasons and helping the club. God willing, I'll continue on this path." After Wolves beat United to Cunha's signature, he only needed a short period of time to really show his impact - becoming a mainstay for the Molineux team. Should a move come to fruition in the near future, the Brazilian could fit in as one of the two forwards alongside a striker at Old Trafford . At Sporting CP, Ruben Amorim used Pedro Goncalves and Francisco Trincao in those positions. Cunha however, wouldn't be used as a wing-back or in the central midfielder position as there are players who are more suitable for those roles at the club already. With that said, United would benefit from having a versatile player. In addition, the Brazilian's recent performances should have also been worthy of an international call-up, especially as Brazil continue to struggle in their World Cup qualifying games. Brazil are currently in dire need of more attack prowess - having won just five of their 12 World Cup qualifiers. Cunha's last appearance for the Selecao Canarinha came in October of last year. Many have called for his return with one Brazil fan writing on X: "It's unbelievable that Matheus Cunha and Joao Gomes haven't been called up. Cunha is having an excellent start to the season. Dorival [Junior] lives in the Disney World." Another added: "Matheus Cunha and Joao Gomes, either one has to be the number nine of the Selecao. They are playing very well this season." A third pleaded: "The Brazil national team is crying out for Matheus Cunha. Despite Wolves' poor start to the campaign, he has already registered seven goals and three assists." A fourth stated: "Matheus Cunha carries that Wolves team, he needs to be called up," before a fifth questioned: "It's funny isn't it? When he wasn't in his best form, he'd get called up but now, during his impressive form, he's not even considered." Get United transfer news and updates on WhatsApp! Our team of Manchester United experts are on top of all the goings-on at Old Trafford for this week and beyond, and you can get the latest team news, injury updates, reaction and analysis along with inside information to your phone by joining our new free WhatsApp community . You can also join the 50,000 (and growing!) band of United fans who are following our WhatsApp Channel. Sign up to our community here , and join our WhatsApp channel here . -- We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice .

Bashir al-Assad gets asylum in Russia, rebels sweep through Syria

Rams WR Demarcus Robinson not suspended, will play Sunday after arrest on DUI suspicion1 Stock to Buy, 1 Stock to Sell This Week: Oracle, AutoZone

Ecological Menace: Over 260,000 IDPs Spread Across 158 Camps In S/East -Deputy Speaker, Kalu

The 7-12-1 Chicago Blackhawks and the 8-10-2 Philadelphia Flyers squared off in a Saturday matinee in Philadelphia on Nov. 23. The Blackhawks were attempting to make it two wins in a row after coming off a gritty victory over the Florida Panthers last Thursday (Nov. 21). The Flyers were trying to redeem themselves after two losses to the Colorado Avalanche and the Carolina Hurricanes earlier in the week. It was also the first time 2023 first overall draft pick Connor Bedard and 2023 seventh overall draft pick Matvei Michkov squared off against each other at the NHL level. Michkov and the Flyers came out on top, with Michkov notching the overtime goal after a third period comeback, to win this one 3-2 in overtime. Let’s get to the highlights. Fast-Paced First Period Find Blackhawks Ahead The Flyers had the Blackhawks on their heels with a bit of a track meet to start the game. The home team was aggressive, stripping the puck and earning themselves numerous odd-man rushes and Grade-A chances. But Blackhawks’ netminder Petr Mrazek was up to the task with some incredible saves. The Hawks got the only power play of the frame, where it looked like Bedard had finally snapped his 11-game goal drought. But the puck hit the post, causing a 2-on-0 rush the other way. No worries, Mrazek was there to make the stop. Later in the period Lukas Reichel snapped a 10-game goal drought of his own, notching his second goal of the season. Pat Maroon provided the primary assist, which he also did last game on a goal from Craig Smith . The Blackhawks’ fourth line has been coming through for them lately. Reichel strikes first pic.twitter.com/9auVDk7x10 The Flyers ended the period with 10 shots to the Blackhawks’ seven shots. Flyers’ forward Scott Laughton was credited with four shots on goal, while the goal-scorer Reichel led the Blackhawks with three shots on goal. Blackhawks Carry the Momentum in the Second Frame The Flyers started the second on a power play, which actually resulted in shorthanded chances by Blackhawks’ Ilya Mikheyev and Alex Vlasic . A tripping penalty by defenseman Nolan Allan led to the second man advantage for the Flyers, but the Hawks’ penalty kill came through, giving them the momentum. The Flyers only managed one shot on goal through both power plays. Believe it or not, it was the Blackhawks’ fourth line that came through again in the second! This time it was Maroon who scored, assisted by Smith and Reichel. It was Maroon’s first goal as a Blackhawk. The Big Rig has his first goal of the season! @NHLBlackhawks | #Blackhawks | #NHLNShowcase pic.twitter.com/0KLpqSh7Y1 For the Flyers part, they sure couldn’t be blamed for a lack of trying; they led the Blackhawks 14-7 in shots on goal in the second frame, and 24-14 overall. They also had a 62% advantage in winning faceoffs. Third Period Comeback for the Flyers The Blackhawks entered the third period with a 2-0 lead, but the Flyers weren’t done yet. They kept up their pressure, and veteran Sean Couturier earned his fourth goal of the season with a tip-in goal at the 7:27 mark of the third, to cut the lead in half. Shortly thereafter, at the 10:05 minute mark, Noah Cates got the equalizer with a well-screened shot to tie the game at 2-2. It was Cates first goal of the season. The Blackhawks were playing a sloppy game in this period, and the Flyers took advantage. AND THIS GAME IS TIED! : @NHLNetwork pic.twitter.com/20dwPeT93p Mrazek did his best to keep the Blackhawks in this one, making a phenomenal save on a wraparound chance to keep the game tied. The Flyers kept up their pressure, but couldn’t score the winner, and the game went to overtime. Overtime Goes to the Flyers It didn’t take long for the Flyers to score the overtime winner and complete the comeback for two points. Vlasic was trying to break up a three-on-one rush and got called for holding, giving the Flyers a 4-on-3 OT power play. To add insult to injury, it was the rookie Michkov who tallied the game-winning goal. Travis Konecny provided the primary assist. It was his second helper of the day. IT'S MICHKOV MANIA IN PHILADELPHIA!!! @NHLFlyers | #LetsGoFlyers | #NHLNShowcase pic.twitter.com/SqfOlz5Cu1 Michkov ended the day with just one shot on goal, but it counted when it was needed. Bedard, on the other hand, went a second game in a row with zero shots on goal. He continues to struggle mightily to find his game. The Flyers earned their first win in three games, and the Blackhawks continued with their inconsistencies and lack of offense. More players should be providing goals than Reichel and Maroon from the fourth line. Final Thoughts on the Blackhawks vs. Flyers -Flyers’ rookie goaltender Aleksei Kolosov got the call for his fifth NHL start in this game, and it was his first NHL win. -Laughton ended the day leading the Flyers with eight! shots on goal. He was also credited with four hits. -Reichel had a two-point day with a goal and an assist, his second multi-point game of the season and only one that involved a goal. He also led the Blackhawks with shots on goal. -Blackhawks’ defenseman Connor Murphy earned the secondary assist on Reichel’s goal in the 1st period, giving him 100 points as a Hawk! 100 points as a Blackhawk for Murph pic.twitter.com/6J0kP86MSz – Louis Crevier entered the lineup for the first time this season, called up from the Rockford IceHogs due to Seth Jones being out with a foot injury. He had a decent outing, registering three hits and two blocked shots in 17:27 minutes of ice time, while lining up on the third D-pairing with T.J. Brodie . The Flyers are now 9-10-2, and will host the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday, Nov. 25. The Blackhawks fall to 7-13-1. They will have three days to lick their wounds before they host the Dallas Stars on Thanksgiving Eve, Wednesday, Nov. 27. This article first appeared on The Hockey Writers and was syndicated with permission.

Exclusive-Fund manager Bessent scores on Trump victory, hopes for bigger winSaudi Arabia banned film for 35 years. The Red Sea festival is just one sign of the industry's rise