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True or false: DJ Moore — cigar celebration and all — has been everything as advertised for the Chicago Bears

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:51:27 GMT

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2024. And in the eyes of the Chicago Bears, welcome to a year that seems to hold incredible potential.The Bears put an exclamation point on their home finale Sunday afternoon, hammering the Atlanta Falcons 37-17 for their fifth consecutive win at Soldier Field. The encouraged vibes were everywhere inside the victorious locker room with players feeling more confident than ever that the team is in the middle of a significant breakthrough.Later in the evening, the Bears were officially eliminated from the NFC playoff picture. But they have one more game to play in Week 18 with a chance to punctuate at their late-season surge in emphatic fashion.Here in the final week of the season, Tribune writers Dan Wiederer and Colleen Kane talk through four Bears-related topics in a “True or false” format to set the stage for all that’s ahead.True or false: A Week 18 trip to Lambeau Field to face the rival Green Bay Packers is the ideal final test for th...

Patriots-Bills film review: Bill Belichick’s latest loss a microcosm of lost season

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:51:27 GMT

The Patriots lost at Buffalo because they fielded lesser talent, committed more damaging mistakes and failed to seize on late-game chances.Sound familiar? It should.Sunday was a striking microcosm of their season; an effort nuked by quarterback turnovers in the first half and special teams errors in the second, that proved unsalvageable despite strong defense throughout. Though, this was no defensive masterpiece. Josh Allen and the Bills offense played like they had popped their New Year’s Eve champagne a night early.Despite facing a mild pass rush (26.4% pressure rate) and favorable weather conditions, Allen threw a higher percentage of uncatchable passes than he has in any other game this season. His receivers dropped four balls. The Patriots did limit the Bills to two explosive plays and stood tall inside the red zone, but Buffalo cracked their league-best run defense for a 55% rushing success rate.In the end, that’s how Allen and Co. knocked the Pats out, running the...

Hydro One chief financial and regulatory officer Chris Lopez stepping down on June 30

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:51:27 GMT

TORONTO — Hydro One Ltd. says chief financial and regulatory officer Chris Lopez is stepping down on June 30 to pursue other opportunities.The company says it will now begin an internal and external search for his replacement.Hydro One says Lopez will remain in his position while the search for his replacement is underway.Lopez joined Hydro One in 2016 as senior vice-president of finance.Before joining the Ontario utility,  Lopez was vice-president, corporate planning and mergers and acquisitions at TransAlta Corp.Hydro One is Ontario’s largest electricity transmission and distribution provider. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 2, 2024.Companies in this story: (TSX:H)The Canadian Press

Millennial Money: I saved $800 in 5 months by eating more plants

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:51:27 GMT

I tried going vegetarian once when I was in high school. My best friend was a vegetarian, and I was curious. I lasted only about four days. My downfall: a buffalo chicken sandwich. Since that ill-fated attempt, I’ve never tried to curb my meat consumption. It’s just too dang tasty.But in 2022, a family member was diagnosed with a life-threatening disease. In addition to taking new medications, they adopted a strict whole-food, plant-based diet in the hopes that it would improve their health. If diet could potentially help a serious disease, I figured maybe it could help my far less serious health issues. Why not try it?And it worked.What’s more, in addition to making me feel better, switching from a meat-heavy diet (eating meat nearly twice a day) to a plant-heavy diet (eating meat one to three times a week) saved me more than $800 over the course of five months.AN ECONOMIC DIETAt first I wasn’t thrilled about eating salad over steak, but I loved how much money I was saving. And it ...

Finland and Sweden set this winter’s cold records as temperature plummets below minus 40

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:51:27 GMT

HELSINKI (AP) — Finland and Sweden recorded the coldest temperatures of the winter Tuesday as thermometers plummeted to minus 40 degrees Celsius (minus 40 Fahrenheit) as a result of a cold spell prevailing in the Nordic region.In Nikkaluokta, a small village inhabited by the indigenous Sami people in northern Sweden, thermometer showed minus 41.6 degrees (minus 42.8 Fahrenheit) early Tuesday, Swedish public broadcaster SVT reported.“It’s the coldest temperature we have had so far this winter, and it will continue to be quite cold weather in the north,” said SVT meteorologist Nils Holmqvist.Train operators in Sweden said the cold snap has caused substantial problems for rail traffic in the north, among other issues. The Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute has reported temperatures of minus 30 degrees (minus 22 Fahrenheit) in several locations in northern Sweden.It also issued a warning for snow and wind for central and southern Sweden, saying snowfall on Wednesday in co...

Planes catch fire after a collision at Japan’s Haneda airport, killing 5. Hundreds evacuated safely

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:51:27 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — A passenger plane and a Japanese coast guard aircraft collided on the runway at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport on Tuesday and burst into flames. Transport Minister Tetsuo Saito confirmed that all 379 occupants of Japan Airlines flight JAL-516 got out safely before the plane was entirely engulfed in flames. The pilot of the coast guard plane also escaped, but five crewmembers died, Saito said.Local TV video showed a large eruption of fire and smoke from the side of the Japan Airlines plane as it taxied after landing. The area around the wing then caught fire. Footage an hour later showed the plane fully on fire. The JAL plane was an Airbus A-350 that had flown from Shin Chitose airport, near the city of Sapporo, to Haneda, the transport minister said. Coast Guard spokesperson Yoshinori Yanagishima said its plane was MA-722, a Bombardier Dash-8. The plane, which is based at Haneda, had been due to head to Niigata to deliver relief goods to residents affected by a deadly ear...

Plane burns on runway at Tokyo airport after collision, five reported dead

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:51:27 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — A passenger plane collided with a Japanese coast guard aircraft and burst into flames on the runway of Tokyo’s Haneda Airport on Tuesday, officials said.NHK TV reported that all occupants of Japan Airlines flight JAL-516, believed to total 379 people, got out safely before the plane was entirely engulfed in flames. The Japanese coast guard said the pilot of its plane had escaped. NHK reported that the five other crewmembers had been found dead.A Japan Airlines plane is on fire on the runway of Haneda airport on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024 in Tokyo, Japan. (Kyodo News via AP)Local TV video showed a large eruption of fire and smoke from the side of the Japan Airlines plane as it taxied on a runway. The area around the wing then caught fire. Footage an hour later showed the plane fully on fire.NHK TV said the plane was an Airbus A-350 that had flown from Shin Chitose airport, near the city of Sapporo, to Haneda.Coast Guard spokesperson Yoshinori Yanagishima confirmed the collis...

Tuesday Forecast: Temps in mid 30s with increasing clouds

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:51:27 GMT

CHICAGO — Temperatures in mid-30s Tuesday with increasing clouds. Winds: SW 10-15 G25. High: 35. Interactive Radar: Track showers and storms here Mostly cloudy tonight with a chance for freezing drizzle. Winds: W 5-10 G20. Low: 28.Wednesday Forecast: Mostly cloudy conditions Wednesday with a 20% chance of scattered snow. Winds: WNW 5-10 G15. High: 34.Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog

'Glorious': Hardened by previous playoff losses, Michigan stuffs Alabama in Rose Bowl classic to advance to CFP title game

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:51:27 GMT

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Jalen Milroe caught a low snap on fourth down in overtime at the Rose Bowl and ran straight ahead into wall of blue and maize.That wall of Michigan defenders had been hardened by the Wolverines' violent practice drills. Toughened by two previous College Football Playoff losses. Made impenetrable by months of turmoil that battered the program and its beloved head coach, Jim Harbaugh.Alabama's quarterback went nowhere.The Wolverines are going to Houston.Blake Corum rushed for a 17-yard touchdown on the second snap of overtime, and top-seeded Michigan advanced to its first CFP championship game with a 27-20 victory over fourth-seeded Alabama in the Rose Bowl on Monday night.Michigan running back Blake Corum scores the game-winning touchdown against Alabama in overtime of the Rose Bowl on Monday. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)Harbaugh’s Wolverines (14-0) will play for their school’s first national title since 1997 against Washington on Jan. 8 — but only after a fourth-q...

Three opportunities for much-needed rain

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:51:27 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- An upper-level low is moving east through southern New Mexico/far west Texas this morning. It is this system that will bring Central Texas its first rain of 2024 starting as early as 10 a.m. in the southern Hill Country. The afternoon forecast is for area-wide showers and a few thunderstorms.The precipitation will continue in the evening but will taper overnight. NEW: 2023 was Austin's hottest year on record It will be a chilly day with temperatures not getting out of the 40s in some of the Hill Country. Most highs this afternoon will warm to the upper 40s to low 50s. The normal high this afternoon is 62°.Wednesday and Thursday will be dry before the next rain arrives on Thursday night into Friday (70%). The rain will end in time for a dry and mild weekend with highs in the low 60s Saturday and the mid 60s Sunday.Then, a third chance of rain arrives Sunday night into Monday. Temperatures will slowly warm during the week with highs from the middle 50s Wednesday up...