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  • FIFA’s World Cup draw is this week. Here’s what to know before, during, and after Friday’s event

    FIFA’s World Cup draw is this week. Here’s what to know before, during, and after Friday’s event

    The FIFA World Cup is rapidly approaching, but before the world’s premier international tournament hits U.S. soil this summer, FIFA will assign qualifying nations into groups for the tournament during its highly anticipated final draw.

    Here’s everything you need to know about Friday’s event.

    When and where is the tournament draw, and how can I watch?

    The World Cup draw, which will determine the groups for the round-robin stage of the tournament, will take place on Friday at noon. The event will be hosted by the Kennedy Center in Washington and broadcast live on Fox. Its coverage of the draw will begin at 11:30 a.m. and conclude at 3 p.m. FIFA’s event, which begins at noon, is expected to last about an hour and a half, with the draw itself accounting for about 45 minutes of that time.

    Medford native Brenden Aaronson (right) and the U.S. will find out their pairings as one of three host nations on Friday.

    What teams are in the draw?

    Forty-two national teams, including cohosts Canada, Mexico, and the U.S., have already qualified for the World Cup and will be included in the draw.

    Six spots remain available for the World Cup, which will feature 48 teams for the first time in its history. Four of the remaining six qualifying spots will be awarded to the top four teams in the European Federation’s 16-team playoff, which will conclude in March. The other two spots will be awarded to the top two finishers at the FIFA Playoff Tournament, also in March.

    Philadelphia is on a long list of potential cities for the 2031 women’s World Cup

    At Friday’s draw, the six qualifiers yet to be determined will be represented by placeholder slips, four for Europe and two for the intercontinental FIFA playoff.

    Here’s a full list of the qualified teams by confederation, plus a look at participants in the European playoff and the FIFA Playoff Tournament:

    Cohosts: Canada, Mexico, United States

    Asian Football Confederation (AFC): Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan

    Confederation of African Football (CAF): Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia

    Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf): Curaçao, Haiti, Panama

    South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL): Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay

    Oceania Football Confederation (OFC): New Zealand

    Lionel Messi will most likely play in his final FIFA World Cup with Argentina this summer.

    Union of European Football Associations (UEFA): Austria, Belgium, Croatia, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland

    UEFA 16-team playoff (four qualifiers): Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czechia, Denmark, Italy, Kosovo, Northern Ireland, North Macedonia, Poland, Ireland, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, and Wales

    FIFA World Cup 26 Playoff Tournament (two qualifiers): Bolivia (CONMEBOL), Democratic Republic of the Congo (CAF), Iraq (AFC), Jamaica (Concacaf), New Caledonia (OFC), and Suriname (Concacaf)

    FIFA lays out the rules for the World Cup draw

    How does the draw work?

    Qualified nations will be divided into four pots based on their FIFA World Rankings positions. Pot 1 will contain the nine best-qualified teams in the rankings, as well as the three cohosts. The host nations have already been assigned to groups — Mexico will be in Group A, Canada will be in Group B, and the U.S. will be in Group D. The remaining teams will be assigned to the other nine groups, one team per group.

    After all the teams in Pot 1 have been drawn, the draw will move to Pot 2, selecting one team for each of the 12 groups. The process will repeat with Pot 3 and Pot 4, resulting in 12 groups of four teams. During the tournament, the top two teams in each group will advance to the knockout rounds. The top eight third-place finishers in the 12 groups will also advance, completing the Round of 32.

    Though the draw determines tournament groups, FIFA is also looking ahead to the knockout rounds. FIFA will structure the knockout bracket so that the top four teams in its rankings — Spain, Argentina, France, and England — will not meet before the tournament semifinal, provided that they each finish first in their respective groups. It is the first time the World Cup will use a tennis-style bracket for knockouts.

    Here’s a complete look at the pots that will be used on Friday:

    Pot 1: Canada (B1), Mexico (A1), U.S. (D1), Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany

    Pot 2: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria, Australia

    Pot 3: Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa

    Pot 4: Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, European playoff winner 1, European playoff winner 2, European playoff winner 3, European playoff winner 4, Intercontinental playoff winner 1, Intercontinental playoff winner 2.

    Lincoln Financial Field is one of 11 venues in the United States that will host next summer’s World Cup.

    Which teams are coming to Philly?

    The draw should help determine which international sides will play in Philadelphia this summer. FIFA’s tournament schedule shows that Philly will host group stage games for Groups C, I, and L, and two for Group E, alongside a Round of 16 match. Fans will not be able to track which teams are coming to Philly during the draw, as the current tournament schedule does not give specific placeholders for the group stage matchups.

    Which Union Players Should Stay or Go? Swipe and decide

    The World Cup schedule will be updated on Saturday after the draw, with the paired teams assigned to venues along with kickoff times. The updated schedule will include which teams will play group stage matches in Philly from Groups C, E, I, and L, as well as the time for the Round of 16 match on July 4.

    Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney (right) is presented with a novelty World Cup ticket by FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Oct. 10.

    Can I still buy tickets after the draw?

    Yes. Fans interested in buying tickets for World Cup matches at Lincoln Financial Field can enter ticket lotteries for individual group-stage games via FIFA’s random selection draw.

    The lotteries will begin accepting entries on Dec. 11 at 11 a.m. and close at the same time on Jan. 13.

    After the random selection draw phase of ticket sales has finished, any remaining inventory will be released on a first-come, first-served basis closer to the beginning of the tournament. Single-match and multimatch hospitality packages are also available through FIFA.

    FIFA’s first-come, first-served phase will be the last opportunity for fans to buy tickets directly through FIFA. After that, tickets will be available only through resale on the secondary market.

  • In Chester County, inmates are getting workforce training and jobs to match post-release

    In Chester County, inmates are getting workforce training and jobs to match post-release

    Tyler Ramaley wakes up every morning grateful that he’s able to do “respectable work in a hardhat” as he clocks in for his shift at JGM, a steel fabrication plant in Coatesville.

    Nineteen months ago, that would have been impossible: He was struggling with an opioid addiction and waking up to a monotonous routine in a Chester County Prison cell.

    A new program offered at the jail, Exit, Enter, Employ, gave him an opportunity to move on from his past mistakes. He had help building his resume, getting certified in his chosen field, and, crucially, landing an interview for a job that was waiting for him after his release.

    “I was in there, and I just didn’t like who I was and I just knew I needed to change,” Ramaley, 37, said in an interview during a break from running a plasma cutter on a recent day. “It gave me a purpose to wake up every day, and it makes me not want to waste the opportunity I’ve been given.”

    Ramaley’s experience, county officials say, is just one of many success stories to come out of the E3 program since its inception in January 2023 through a partnership between the jail and the Chester County Intermediate Unit.

    More than 100 people have graduated from the course, with a recidivism rate of 2%, according to Jill Stoltzfus, the program’s career-readiness coordinator and a CCIU employee.

    “Everybody needs a second chance,” she said. “And I’m very candid with people when I interview them. Like, we’ve all made mistakes, I’m sure I’ve made mistakes that I could be in the same situation.”

    More than 100 inmates at the Chester County Prison have graduate from the E3 program since its inception in January 2023.

    Job-readiness programs are nothing new for county jails — they’re offered almost universally across the region. But Stoltzfus said E3 is different because it provides a direct path, with job openings already lined up for graduating inmates from multiple companies that partner with the county.

    And in the first few months in those jobs, coordinators from the program follow up with former inmates, checking in to see how they are faring.

    “I don’t like the judgment we often hear of ‘Why should we fund this?’ or the idea that some people deserve a chance over others,” Stoltzfus said. “I think it’s crucial that we at least put that opportunity out to them.”

    E3 is available only to inmates who have been sentenced to county jail, meaning their crimes were not serious enough to warrant state prison time. And county officials carefully screen those who apply to the program to make sure they are ready.

    Besides workforce skills like OSHA certification and courses in customer service, E3 offers financial-planning advice, as well as cognitive behavioral therapy and anger management.

    Current partner employers, besides JGM, include J.P. Mascaro & Sons, FASTSIGNS, and MacKissic. Stoltzfus is hoping to expand the offerings to include agricultural and culinary posts.

    Howard Holland, the warden of Chester County Prison, views the program as a way to help incarcerated people prepare to reenter society in a productive way.

    “We’re engaging them in a way other than just ‘Here’s your cot, stay behind the bars,’” he said. “You just have that same cycle over and over and over again because that’s the way our institutions are run.

    “At the end of the day, we’re humans, right?” he added. “They’re here, and it’s our responsibility to, while they’re here, try to do the best we can for them.”

    Tyler Ramaley said he never thought he would be able to go to work, after years of addiction. The E3 program helped him connect with a job he loves.

    Ramaley, who was named JGM’s employee of the month in June, said the opportunity was an important step toward reversing years of bad decisions.

    His drug abuse, he said, began in 2020, when he was injured on the job while running a hammer drill at a concrete mill. The drill skipped and jerked his arm hard, shredding multiple tendons. After several surgeries, he said, he was prescribed Tramadol in bottles of 150 pills at a time. He became reliant on the pills, using them to deal with the pain.

    And when his workers’ comp ran out, he said, his doctor cut him off cold turkey and he turned to other ways to support his opioid habit and purchase drugs, racking up convictions for theft and forgery and landing in county jail.

    His moment of clarity came this spring, he said, and he graduated from E3 in April, weeks before his jail sentence ended and he was released.

    “When I was in my active addiction, I never thought I would be able to go to work and not be on something,” he said, “and there’s times I’ll stand out there and just kind of think about how happy I am here, actually doing hard work and respectable work and doing it the right way.

    “And that’s a better feeling than anything I had when I was in my addiction.”

  • The Philadelphia scientists who studied garlic-flavored breast milk won a 2025 Ig Nobel Prize

    The Philadelphia scientists who studied garlic-flavored breast milk won a 2025 Ig Nobel Prize

    Philadelphia didn’t take home any Nobel Prizes this year, but work illuminating how babies respond to garlic-flavored breast milk at Monell Chemical Senses Center did get recognized by its satirical counterpart, the Ig Nobel Prize.

    Founded in 1991 by mathematician Marc Abrahams, the Ig Nobel Prize honors “achievements so surprising that they make people LAUGH, then THINK,” according to the Massachusetts-based organization’s website.

    Julie Mennella, a longtime scientist at the center in West Philadelphia, and Gary Beauchamp, Monell’s former director, won the prize earlier this fall for their 1991 study published in the academic journal Pediatrics that disproved popular folklore around breastfeeding.

    Their study examined whether eating garlic would flavor a mother’s breast milk and, if so, how a nursing baby would react to it.

    At the time, breastfeeding women were often told to eat bland foods, for fear their babies would reject strong flavors. However, the study’s results showed the opposite: Babies savored the garlic-flavored breast milk.

    “That simple, elegant study really showed how one of the first ways we learn about foods is through what our mothers eat,” Mennella said.

    These early life experiences shape food preferences and influence cultural food practices around the world, she emphasized. Babies whose mothers come from cultures in which garlic is a defining flavor would have experienced garlic long before their first meal.

    Mennella spoke with The Inquirer about the implications of her Ig Nobel Prize-winning work and her decades of research on flavor sciences and early nutritional programming.

    The following conversation has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

    What did you discover in your Ig Nobel Prize-winning study?

    We found in this study that not only did the milk get flavored with garlic, but contrary to a lot of the folklore, the babies actually liked it. They nursed longer when the milk was garlic-flavored than when it was bland and devoid of garlic.

    We went on to show that when women eat garlic, the flavor of amniotic fluid also gets altered.

    Through these first exposures, babies are learning about what mom is eating, what mom has access to, and what mom likes before their own first taste of solid food.

    What is the takeaway for breastfeeding mothers?

    Eat the healthy foods that you enjoy because your baby’s going to learn about the food. Food is much more than a source of calories. In many cases, it defines who we are as a people.

    What other flavors have you studied?

    A wide variety of flavors, from vanilla to even alcohol if a woman drinks it, get transmitted and flavors the milk. If women smoke, the tobacco flavor does, too. So it’s not only what you eat, but what you breathe.

    Why is it important for babies to learn about food this way?

    There’s a great story about the European rabbit (an animal that nurses), where they tagged the mother’s diet with juniper berry. What they were able to show is that in a group where the mothers ate juniper berry during either pregnancy or lactation, once those young rabbit pups left the nest, they were more likely to forage on juniper berry.

    So, she’s telling them, ‘These are the foods that are out there. I’m eating them. They’re safe.’ It’s really a very elegant, sustainable behavior, how moms transmit this information about the foods in the environment. She’s teaching her young and giving them an advantage early on.

    How long do these flavors last in the milk?

    Depending on the size of the chemical, some will get in fast. Garlic gets in a couple hours after the mom eats it, and then if she stops eating, it’s out of the milk like four or five hours later. The sensory experience of that baby is changing throughout the course of the day, day to day, depending on what she eats.

    What research have you been up to since?

    I’ve gone into so many different directions of looking at not only early flavor learning, but also nutritional programming. I also looked at the taste of medicine in children, looking at individual differences because taste is the primary reason for noncompliance. Children have a harder time because they can’t encapsulate the bad taste in a pill or tablet, so liquid medicines are particularly difficult.

    One study where we looked at variation in the taste of pediatric Motrin (among adult participants) was really interesting. Some people experience a tingle when they taste it. Others don’t. It makes you think that how one child tastes Motrin isn’t like how another does. If you don’t experience the tingle, or this burning sensation, all you taste is a sweet liquid, and those are the children that may be at risk of over-ingestion.

    What is your favorite project that you have worked on since the garlic study?

    I serendipitously found that another flavor that gets transmitted is alcohol, and that became a whole new area of research.

    We found that when women just have the equivalent of one or two glasses of wine or beer, not only did the alcohol get transmitted, but it flavored the milk. That became a lead article in the New England Journal of Medicine.

    At that time, there was talk about a folklore that women should drink when they’re breastfeeding, so they would make more milk. And contrary to that folklore, they actually made less milk.

    How did it feel to win an Ig Nobel?

    It was so nice to celebrate science. That’s really what that award does: It uses humor to teach about science.

  • It’s the season of giving. Experts share how to avoid charity scams and make your gift count.

    It’s the season of giving. Experts share how to avoid charity scams and make your gift count.

    Even after more than two decades of operating a financial advisory in the Philadelphia region, Joel Steele is inspired when clients tell him they want to donate money to charity.

    “But the problem is that it’s gotten much more difficult to know if your donations are going to the people you are directly trying to help,” said Steele, co-owner and financial adviser with Steele Financial Solutions in Cherry Hill. “Charity scammers are running rampant.”

    Solicitors are on the phone, at your door, in your email, and in your mailbox.

    “We’re constantly inundated with people looking to take our money and put it in their pockets for the wrong reasons,” Steele said. “This has led many people to back off — in part or in full from — donating to charities.”

    One way to reduce the chance of misappropriation is to contact the charity directly, Steele said. “Yes, it’s easier to put cash in a tin can or buy things from a stranger, but these are more likely to end up in that person’s pocket.”

    Also, he recommends, when you donate directly to charities, get a receipt and check with your income tax preparer or review deduction guidelines to understand potential tax benefits.

    Evaluating Giving Tuesday solicitations

    Everyone knows about Black Friday shopping, and recent years have seen the additions of Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday in the days after Thanksgiving.

    In 2012, Giving Tuesday joined the lineup, promoted by the 92nd Street Y in New York and the United Nations Foundation. It caught on quickly, as more organizations joined in on the opportunity to fundraise.

    Giving Tuesday encourages generosity, but it’s also a time for scammers to ramp up fraud tactics. Scammers may use fake charities or misuse real ones to take advantage of donors.

    If you get direct mail or a call, text, email, or social media message asking you to donate to a nonprofit, pause for a moment to dig deeper.

    Your heart immediately wants to say “yes,” said Katherina ‘Kat’ Rosqueta, founding executive director of the Center for High Impact Philanthropy at the University of Pennsylvania. But unless you have personally been helped by that nonprofit or know someone who was, it’s hard to know whether the nonprofit is actually making a difference.

    “That’s where your head comes in,” Rosqueta said. Consider running a quick Internet search for the charity’s name, along with “scam” or “complaints” to see if there have been any negative feedback or investigations, she said.

    Katherina Rosqueta is the founding executive director of the Center for High Impact Philanthropy at the University of Pennsylvania.

    Of course, most donors want to do more than just avoid fraud.

    “They want their donation to make a real difference,” Rosqueta said.

    Her center at Penn created a “High Impact Giving Toolkit,” updated each year and available for free. It highlights vetted nonprofits and provides links to organizations like Candid, Charity Navigator, and BBB Wise Giving Alliance, where potential donors can learn about organizations’ programs, team, and finances.

    “Once you feel confident about a nonprofit’s work, consider donating online through an official, secure nonprofit website that uses HTTPS encryption,” Rosqueta said.

    “Avoid links in unsolicited emails or social media posts. Credit cards and checks offer better fraud protection than debit cards or wire transfers,” Rosqueta said.

    How to make online donations safer

    The key to understanding fraud is that most scammers prey on your emotions.

    “Fear, urgency, and promise of a quick win are some elements that exist in so many scam scenarios,” said Christopher Blackmore of TD Bank in Mount Laurel, who works in customer education in financial crimes prevention.

    Blackmore said most “bad actors” will reach out and provide a number to call, link to click, or instructions for payment. “The goal is to make scenarios seem so real that you feel you must reply or something will happen.”

    Financial industries should never ask for login credentials, passwords, or one-time pass codes, Blackmore said. “Technology is making it very difficult to identify what is real vs. fake.”

    A text, email, or phone call is a very quick and easy way to contact a lot of people quickly and ask for a donation.

    “These tactics are known as phishing, vishing, and smishing,” Blackmore said. A newer tactic, known as “Quishing,” utilizes QR codes.

    When a donation ask includes a request for payments using gift cards, wires, and cryptocurrency, that should immediately raise caution, Blackmore said.

    Donors might want to consider a third-party platform like PayPal, which safeguards sensitive financial information.

    “Donors should stay mindful online and keep an eye out for the warning signs of common scams, including being wary of unexpected messages from strangers,” said Nick Aldridge, Global CEO of PayPal Giving Fund.

    “We always encourage supporting causes you care about through trusted channels like PayPal Giving Fund, the PayPal Cause Hub, and Venmo Charity Profiles,” Aldridge said.

  • Woman’s mom is sabotaging her healthy eating habits

    DEAR ABBY: I am a stepgrandmother of a disabled granddaughter, “Laura,” who has Down syndrome. She is 38. A few years ago, she weighed more than 300 pounds at only 5 feet tall. She ended up in the hospital with blood clots and almost died. The courts gave guardianship to her dad, my son-in-law. Laura’s mother has visitation with Laura only one day a week for four hours.

    When they are together, she feeds Laura so much junk food that when Laura comes home, she gets sick. Her dad has spoken to his ex-wife about this issue, but she continues to do it even though she knows the doctors have said Laura has an eating disorder. In the past few years, my daughter has worked hard to help Laura, and now Laura is down to 140 pounds. How can they get her mother on board to help Laura and stop giving her all this stuff that makes her so sick?

    — LOOKING ON IN OHIO

    DEAR LOOKING ON: Laura’s mother appears to have mental problems, which may be why her visitations are limited. Although feeding her daughter junk food may be the way she tries to show love, preventing her from losing the weight she needs to in order to be healthy is dangerous. Your son needs to explain what’s going on to Laura’s doctors and to the judge who decided how long and how often Laura’s mother is allowed to see her. A solution might be that those visits must be SUPERVISED. Please suggest this.

    ** ** **

    DEAR ABBY: I’ve hosted a live podcast for years. It’s my creative outlet, my therapy. Recently, my wife gave me an ultimatum. I am not allowed to host the podcast anymore, or she’ll divorce me. She says it’s for “us,” not her. Her reason is mostly because I preach atheism as well as discuss many other topics.

    She’s a Christian. I was a Christian when we met and married, but I am no longer. I want to respect her faith, but I feel this is too much for her to ask. My show is a piece of what I want to share and document with the world. It’s only a few hours’ commitment a week, and I don’t do much else as far as recreation or hobbies. I am employed and responsible, and I fulfill all my duties as a husband.

    I’m terrified of losing either the show or my marriage. Is this a fair thing for my wife to demand? I have chosen to stop hosting the show for now, and I’m unhappy. I’d like my wife’s blessing so I can continue. Is there anything you would recommend?

    — HOST IN EXILE

    DEAR HOST: I don’t know how far away in exile you are, but if you live within the borders of the United States, there is a certain amount of freedom of speech here. Living according to your wife’s dictate leaves you frustrated and unhappy. You have the right to express yourself, and you have an audience who appreciates it. If she chooses to divorce you over this, you may find it’s a relief. Call her bluff. If you do, you may discover you are happier following your own path rather than hers.

  • Horoscopes: Monday, Dec. 1, 2025

    ARIES (March 21-April 19). Things aren’t clear-cut today. Since the “right” answer isn’t obvious, stop worrying about being perfect and just do what helps. Wisdom isn’t moral math. It’s an emergent property of motion. It’s acting in someone’s best interest.

    TAURUS (April 20-May 20). To understand you quickly, people may slot you into a category. That’s their limitation, not yours. Since you defy categorization, you may as well ignore these attempts. Keep exploring the whole array of you.

    GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Efficiency isn’t always best. Today you see a shortcut but may opt not to take it. The scenic route gives you something speed can’t: company, conversation and small moments that make the whole trip worth it.

    CANCER (June 22-July 22). If the rest of the week felt just like today, would you be happy about that? Don’t wait for something big to change the mood. Tweak the energy now. A small shift today shapes the whole stretch ahead.

    LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Your big plans are getting bigger. Ironically, that means focusing on dozens of small, crucial details today. The care you take now is what will make the whole thing unforgettable later.

    VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Maybe these distractions should be the main event. They certainly will add color, texture and spice. They make good memories, and that gives you a chance to enjoy life repeatedly.

    LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). When you’re not sure of the rules or the situation seems a bit chaotic, you go out of your way to make sure you’ve done the right thing. But put a limit on those efforts. Let other people assume some of the responsibility for how things evolve.

    SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Using your talent is satisfying. It’s so good to do what you love. It may seem like you’re not using your gifts enough right now, but hopefully the little taste of satisfaction will be encouragement to take a bigger bite.

    SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You’re in pursuit of something exciting. The real fun isn’t in catching it; it’s in the chase. The buildup is delicious, the strategy engages your whole mind, and the flirtation is where the magic is. Savor!

    CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You shouldn’t have to impress anyone today, especially not the people who are already supposed to love and support you. If you’re always driven to do extra, perform or serve, consider there may be an imbalance in play. It’s worth pondering.

    AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You’ll learn a lot about someone from the usual questions, but the fun ones tell you even more. Ask something unexpected and see how they play. Their sense of humor will tell you what kind of soul you’re dealing with.

    PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). What’s always available will not be properly valued no matter how intrinsically valuable it is. You can use this idea to motivate others today. If they have taken your attention for granted, holding back a bit will help them appreciate you.

    TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Dec. 1). Welcome to your Year of the Golden Thread. You’ll trace connections between passions, people and projects and discover how everything meaningful in your life is already woven together. You’ll see your legacy develop in magical ways and know it’s directly related to how you show up daily. More highlights: a surprise promotion, a rekindled friendship and travel that opens a door to wealth. Taurus and Leo adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 4, 17, 22, 45 and 10.

  • WNBA and players union extend CBA deadline to Jan. 9

    WNBA and players union extend CBA deadline to Jan. 9

    NEW YORK (AP) — The WNBA and players union agreed to an extension of the current collective bargaining agreement to Jan. 9 just before their current deadline ran out Sunday night.

    Just like the previous extension, both sides have the option to terminate the extension with 48 hours advanced notice.

    The two sides had announced a 30-day extension to the original Oct. 31 deadline. That extension was set to expire Sunday night just before midnight. They met over the holiday weekend hoping to come an agreement.

    With nothing urgent on the immediate horizon except for the expansion draft for Portland and Toronto, it would be unlikely that either side would exercise terminate the extension.

    Last season’s expansion draft for Golden State was held in December.

    Free agency would be the next big thing for both sides to deal. That usually is done in late January. This is an unprecedented offseason with all but two of the league’s veterans free agents. Players signed one-year deals last season knowing there would be huge salary bumps when a new CBA is agreed upon.

    When the previous CBA deal expired in 2019, both sides agreed upon a 60-day extension and a new one was eventually ratified in January 2020.

  • Sixers takeaways: Joel Embiid’s motivated play, Tyrese Maxey’s missed free throws and more in loss to Hawks

    Sixers takeaways: Joel Embiid’s motivated play, Tyrese Maxey’s missed free throws and more in loss to Hawks

    Joel Embiid was motivated in his first game in 22 days.

    Just when you thought the 76ers needed more from Tyrese Maxey, the point guard showed why he’s been one of the NBA’s best players in the early season. But his missed free throws in overtime and his team’s lack of rebounding in double overtime were costly.

    Ten days of rest were good for VJ Edgecombe’s body.

    And Atlanta Hawks coach Quin Snyder is a big fan of Dominick Barlow.

    Those things stood out Sunday night in the Sixers’ 142-134 double-overtime loss to the Hawks at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    Embiid motivated

    Embiid usually looks rusty in his first game back from injury.

    That was far from the case after he missed the past nine games. This time, he looked good physically and was aggressive.

    The 7-foot-2, 280-pounder put his imprint on the game from the start, scoring the first basket 35 seconds into the contest. He later assisted on a Barlow layup that gave the Sixers a 7-4 advantage. Then Embiid added two points on a pair of foul shots to extend the Sixers’ early lead to five points.

    Embiid scored those points and had that assist along with a rebound while logging 6 minutes, 1 second in the first quarter. He finished with 18 points on 6-for-14 shooting along with four rebounds, two assists, one steal, and a block in a season-high 30 minutes.

    “So tonight, obviously, I thought the first half was pretty good,” he said. “Moved really well. And we missed almost a month, and you only had two court sessions, going up and down, it’s going to be tough.”

    Embiid added that Sunday’s game felt like facing the Boston Celtics in the season opener at TD Garden on Oct. 22. He was rusty that night.

    But the 2023 MVP gradually improved. He had 20 points, six rebounds, three assists, and two blocks in 20 minutes when the Sixers (now 10-9) faced the Celtics a second time on Oct. 31. And Embiid had his best game of the season while finishing with 29 points, six rebounds and four assists in a 130-120 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Nov. 8. That marked the last game he played in before Sunday.

    The Sixers’ season has 2024-25 vibes with Joel Embiid and Paul George missing substantial time

    “You build on it, and I’m not even mad about tonight,” Embiid said. “I’m just happy that I got a chance to play the game of basketball, build on it, and go from there. Next game, whether shots fall or not, I don’t really judge myself based on if shots fall or not. It’s all about how I move laterally, jumping, and all that stuff. Tonight was a good start towards that.

    “I felt good in the first half. Obviously, the second half was a little rough. I should build on what the first half looked like and go from there.”

    After intermission, Embiid had seven points on 2-for-8 shooting. He failed to score in the first overtime and didn’t play in the second.

    Embiid could have been more involved as a rebounder. He’s still rarely jumping on defense, and his lateral movement isn’t what it used to be. But effort-wise, this was one of his best first games back after an extended break.

    Sixers center Joel Embiid gets fouled by Atlanta’s Luke Kennard.

    He sat out the Sixers’ previous eight games because of right knee injury management or soreness. Before that, Embiid missed the Sixers’ 111-108 home loss to the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 9 because he doesn’t play on back-to-back nights to rest his left knee. The former league MVP has already missed 12 of the Sixers’ 18 games because of his knee ailments.

    More needed from Maxey until …

    Quentin Grimes showed why he’s a legitimate candidate to win the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award. He finished with 28 points on 8-for-15 shooting, including making 4 of 8 three-pointers, to go with 10 rebounds and four assists. Grimes also made all eight of his free throws.

    But for a while, his performance couldn’t make up for what was trending to be the worst night of the season for Maxey.

    The Hawks’ primary defenders did a solid job of defending the standout point guard.

    He still managed to finish with a game-high 44 points on 14-of-31 shooting, though. That included missing 11 of his 13 three-point attempts. Maxey did make 14 of 17 foul shots to go with seven rebounds and nine assists.

    But Maxey had just 20 points on 4-for-12 shooting — including making just 1 of 7 threes through three quarters.

    Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey reacts late in the second overtime against the Atlanta Hawks.

    Give Maxey credit. He kept battling and scored 12 points in the fourth quarter on 4-for-9 shooting. His three-point play pulled the Sixers within three points (108-105) with 3:11 left.

    Then Maxey drained a three-pointer with 8.8 seconds left to knot the score at 115, forcing overtime.

    Maxey went on to score four points in the extra session. However, he missed a pair of foul shots that would have given the Sixers a four-point cushion with 4.6 remaining.

    “I thought I was going to make them, and we’ll figure it out after that,” he said of what was going through his mind at the foul line. “But it’s like what I get for messing with VJ.”

    Maxey was referring to playfully ribbing Edgecombe for missing a pair of foul shots with the Sixers up 117-116 with 8.5 seconds left in the season-opening victory. Luckily for them, that night neither team scored another point.

    After the Hawks (13-8) forced another overtime on Sunday, Maxey scored all eight of his team’s points. However, with Embiid and reserve center Andre Drummond (who played just six minutes) out of the game, the Sixers’ small-ball lineup struggled on the boards.

    The Hawks won the rebounding game 7-2 in overtime, which enabled them to score seven second-chance points.

    But those missed foul shots are something Maxey won’t soon forget. At the same time, he had to be exhausted, logging 52:16.

    Maxey is averaging a league-leading 40.7 minutes while ranking third in scoring at 32.3 points. He’s been forced to carry the Sixers with Embiid and Paul George (16 points, seven rebounds, game-high five steals) both missing a lot of games with injuries.

    Embiid was asked if Maxey’s standout play has added any extra urgency.

    “I do feel bad,” Embiid said. “Obviously, the minutes that he has to play, the load that he has to handle. I’ve been there. I know how it feels. You’ve just got to trust in what you’re doing, and in God, and be OK with the fact that whatever happens, happens.”

    Well-rested rookie

    Edgecombe was back in the starting lineup after missing the past three games with a left calf strain. The rookie shooting guard finished with seven points on 3-for-6 shooting, along with two rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 21:25.

    But the biggest takeaway was that he played with his trademark bounce and explosion that had been missing in a few games leading up to his injury. Back then, the 20-year-old looked fatigued from what had been an overwhelming amount of games to start the season.

    Barlow’s admiration

    On July 30, 2024, Barlow signed a two-way contract with the Atlanta Hawks. While he was only with the Hawks for one season, it’s evident that the power forward left a lasting impression on Snyder.

    “He really knows how to play,” Sndyer said. “And he gave us, in a stretch where we really needed someone to come in and not only give us good minutes, but kind of connect as a team. And I think it’s unusual for a player in [a two-way] position to have that kind of impact on the group.

    “So I’m really happy to see him doing well. And I’m not surprised. … He’s got a great feel for the game, can pass, handle, just a smart player. Very committed to helping the team in any way he can.”

    Sixers forward Dominick Barlow dribbles as he is guarded by Atlanta’s Dyson Daniels.

    Barlow averaged 4.2 points and 2.4 rebounds in 35 games with four starts last season for the Hawks. He had his two-way contract converted to a standard deal on March 4.

    However, Barlow left the Hawks in the offseason after they fired former general manager Landry Fields. Betting on himself, he signed a two-way deal with the Sixers on July 9. And he’s been one of their most impactful players.

    The 6-9, 215-pounder made his seventh start of the season on Sunday. He finished with 10 points, six rebounds, three assists, three steals, and two blocks. The 22-year-old came into the game averaging career highs of 7.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.1 steals through nine games.

  • A woman dies after being shot by police in Hunting Park

    A woman dies after being shot by police in Hunting Park

    A woman who waved a gun at officers died after being shot by police early Sunday in Hunting Park, officials said.

    Patrol officers responded to reports of a person with a gun on the 900 block of West Erie Avenue shortly after 4 a.m. The officers said they encountered a 35-year-old woman holding a handgun to the right side of her head.

    Police say the distraught woman ignored repeated commands to drop her weapon and seemed unaffected by an officer’s Taser. The woman fled across Erie Avenue, pointing her gun in the direction of two 25th District officers who opened fire, striking her three times, police said.

    Police transported the wounded woman to Temple University Hospital.

    The woman was pronounced dead at 4:42 p.m., police announced Sunday evening. Police said they would release her name after her family was notified.

    At the scene, investigators said they discovered a .22-caliber handgun that had an obliterated serial number, with one round in the chamber and 19 more in the gun’s magazine.

    The woman had been charged with aggravated assault on police.

    Body-worn cameras captured the incident, police said. Per department policy, the officers who fired their weapons — both have been on the force for less than three years — have been placed on desk duty pending an investigation.

    The case is being investigated by the department’s Officer-Involved Shooting Investigation Unit, Internal Affairs Bureau, and the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office.

    Staff writer Andrew Kitchenman contributed to this article.

  • Real Christmas tree supply is ‘excellent’ this year after several years of shortages

    Real Christmas tree supply is ‘excellent’ this year after several years of shortages

    It’s shaping up to be a tree-mendous year for anyone planning to bring home a real Christmas tree, according to industry experts tracking supply and prices.

    “It’s probably the best supply of real trees in at least a decade,” said Marsha Gray, president of the Real Christmas Tree Board, a research and promotional group.

    A national survey of tree farmers — including many in Pennsylvania — found that prices are expected to hold steady or even dip, thanks to an unusually strong supply. The survey, conducted in August, polled wholesale growers responsible for roughly two-thirds of all Christmas trees sold in the United States. A hearty 84% said they don’t plan to raise prices, with some even expecting to trim them.

    It’s welcome news after several seasons when shortages and inflation drove up costs.

    Pennsylvania alone has more than 1,400 tree farms covering over 31,000 acres, according to state statistics.

    Still, most trees sold in the Northeast come from Canada, and those evergreens remain exempt from tariffs, which has also helped keep costs down this year.

    For artificial tree makers, meanwhile, the outlook is less merry and bright. Nearly all artificial trees are manufactured overseas, particularly in China, and have been hit with tariffs that are pushing prices upward. An artificial tree seller in California told NPR he anticipates a 10-15% price hike for consumers due to customs costs, even though manufacturing expenses have stayed steady.

    Growing Christmas trees is a long-haul endeavor — it takes about 10 years for a tree to reach full size. That means today’s growers have to guess what demand might look like in 2035 while tending the evergreens that will be ready in 2029 and 2030. Their work involves pruning and pest management — the parts they can control — as well as coping with unpredictable challenges like climate shifts and surprise deep freezes.

    Drought mostly affects younger saplings and typically spares mature trees, so even though 2025 has been dry in many regions, that hasn’t been a factor on the firs for sale, Gray said.

    Gray said growers saw this abundant year coming: “It’s a multiyear process, so we can see what’s coming up and this is the story of the season — excellent supply.”

    In recent years, headlines highlighted shortages. Gray notes there were always enough trees to go around, but during lower-supply years, shoppers might have found that the most convenient lot sold out early or that cut-your-own farms wrapped up the season weeks before Christmas.

    “It does go in waves. We have little peaks and valleys,” she said. “And we’re in a peak right now.”