Tag Archives: international

Fleet’s offensive surge halts Frost’s road winning streak

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BOSTON — Shay Maloney ignited an offensive explosion for the Boston Fleet, scoring the first of a season-high four goals as the hosts dominated the Minnesota Frost 4-1 on Sunday afternoon. The game took place in front of a crowd of 5,338 fans at Agganis Arena.

Maloney and team captain Megan Keller scored just 1 minute and 14 seconds apart late in the first period, giving first-place Boston (4-0, 12 points) an early 2-0 lead.

Minnesota (2-2, six points) responded early in the second period when Klára Hymlárová cut the deficit in half, assisted by Claire Butorac and Peyton Anderson. It was Hymlárová’s first goal of the season. However, that momentum was short-lived.

Rookie Abby Newhook quickly restored Boston’s two-goal advantage with her third goal of the season, a power-play marker just 49 seconds after Hymlárová’s score, pushing the Fleet ahead 3-1. Theresa Schafzahl sealed the victory for Boston with another power-play goal early in the third period.

“I felt like their pressure all over the ice, the first pressure F1 and the secondary pressure, was really good,” said Frost defender Lee Stecklein. “Obviously, they did that last year too; it just felt really consistent today.”

The Fleet’s goaltender Aerin Frankel turned aside a season-high 26 shots to earn her league-leading fourth victory. On the other side, Minnesota’s Maddie Rooney also set a personal best with 31 saves.

Boston head coach Kris Sparre praised the intensity and organization of both teams: “I thought that was probably the highest pace game that we’ve played so far. We knew going into this game that it was going to take everybody. That’s a very organized group over there in Minnesota, and you can see why they’ve had a lot of success in this league so far.

“Credit to our group. I thought we hung in there and felt like we played a pretty tidy game. Our group is pretty reset from last year. We’re focusing on what we have now, and we feel like we’re a completely new team.”

The loss snapped Minnesota’s season-opening two-game road winning streak, as the Frost played their third consecutive road contest early in the season.

“We started off hot, and I think we just want to be better on our power play and scoring on those chances,” said Frost assistant coach Brianna Decker. “And on the back side of that, the PK (penalty kill) gets cleaned up as well because obviously we have them in the next game.”

Minnesota will next face Boston at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul on December 19, following a near two-week international break in the PWHL schedule.
https://www.wadenapj.com/sports/pro/fleets-offensive-surge-halts-frosts-road-winning-streak

Central Coast Mariners vs Melbourne City Prediction and Betting Tips | November 28th 2025

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Central Coast Mariners will host Melbourne City at the Central Coast Stadium on Friday in the sixth round of the 2025-26 Australia A-League Men season. The home side have had a mixed start to their season under new boss Warren Moon but remain hopeful of improving on last season’s performance which saw them finish 10th. They suffered a a 3-2 defeat to Western Sydney Wanderers last time out, spending the entirety of the contest playing catch-up after conceding in the very first minute. Thanks for the submission! Melbourne City, meanwhile, headed into the international break in fine form but returned to action on a sour note as they suffered a 4-1 defeat to 10-man Adelaide United in the A-League last weekend. The visitors, who sit fourth in the league table, are just one point above their weekend opponents and will be looking to widen that gap with a win on Friday. Central Coast Mariners vs Melbourne City Head-to-Head and Key Numbers There have been 31 meetings between Central Coast and City. The hosts have won seven of those games while the visitors have won 16 times, with their other eight contests ending in draws. The visitors picked up a 1-0 win in the last meeting between the two teams, ending a seven-game winless run in the fixture. The hosts are without a clean sheet in their last 27 games in this fixture, a run stretching back to March 2015. City have the second-best defensive record in the Australian top-flight this season with a goal concession tally of five. Central Coast Mariners vs Melbourne City Prediction The Mariners have won just one of their last four games and two of their last 10 across all competitions. However, they have recorded a win and a draw in their two home league games this season and will be hopeful of a positive result on Friday. City, on the other hand, have won three of their last four games and have lost just one of their last eight. They have had their struggles on the road this season but remain the stronger side ahead of the weekend clash and should come out on top here. Prediction: Central Coast Mariners 1-2 Melbourne City Central Coast Mariners vs Melbourne City Betting Tips Tip 1 Result: Melbourne Tip 2 Goals Over/under 2. 5 Over 2. 5 goals (Six of the last seven matches between the two teams have produced more than 2. 5 goals) Tip 3 Both teams to score: YES.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/central-coast-mariners-vs-melbourne-city-prediction-betting-tips-november-28th-2025

Funding Radar: Canada to launch C$100M global call on disruptive tech

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From January 2026, the Canadian government will lead a C$100 million (€61. 4 million) international research initiative to harness disruptive technologies able to address global challenges. Proposals must address at least one of the 17 United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, the call text says. To meet the interdisciplinary requirements, project proposals must integrate expertise from at least two of the following domains: natural sciences and engineering; social sciences and humanities; and health and life sciences. Consortia must also include at least three co-principal investigators, each eligible to receive funding from a different participating.
https://sciencebusiness.net/news/r-d-funding/international-news/funding-radar-canada-launch-c100m-global-call-disruptive-tech

EU plans €51M Choose Europe call for research careers in 2027

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The European Commission plans to launch a €51. 25 million call in 2027 as part of the Choose Europe initiative, which is intended to make the continent a more attractive place to pursue a career in research. The Commission launched a €22. 5 million pilot call in October, which will close on December 3, but a draft 2026-27 work programme for the Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions (MSCA), Horizon Europe’s researcher training scheme, has revealed plans to extend the support. The Choose Europe initiative, announced with great pomp earlier this year, aims to tackle brain drain and the precarity of research careers by co-funding the recruitment of postdoctoral researchers for up to five years. EU funding will cover the positions for two to three years, while the host institutions must provide funding for an additional two years. Each programme that receives funding must recruit a minimum of three researchers. While the research community welcomed the initial pilot, there have been concerns that national cuts to research budgets in several EU countries could make it difficult for research organisations to cough up their share of the money. The draft call offers universities more flexibility by allowing the EU funding to cover either the first or second phase of the programme, although the basic issue remains. Attracting foreign talent A key priority is to attract international talent to Europe, particularly as researchers from around the world find fewer opportunities than before in the US. Recruited researchers can be of any nationality and must not have resided or carried out their main work or studies in the country of the recruiting institution for more than 12 months in the previous three years. The draft work programme gives researchers the possibility of implementing their MSCA-backed project on a part-time basis, for personal, family or professional reasons, which could benefit international scientists who still have family ties in their home country. Maria Leptin, president of the European Research Council, recently suggested that Europe should offer scientists a “haven,” in a “non-selfish manner,” allowing them to spend only half their time in Europe if needed. Related articles US researchers: Choose Europe, but part-time ERC to introduce seven-year €7 million ‘super grants’ in 2026 Choose Europe talent pilot receives lukewarm welcome A related goal is to improve working conditions and long-term prospects for researchers in Europe. Institutions applying for support will be evaluated partly on the competitiveness of the salaries and career development opportunities offered as part of their programme, as well as the quality of long-term career prospects beyond the duration of the fellowship. Supported programmes can be in any research discipline, despite indications from Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, at a Choose Europe launch event in May, that support beyond the pilot phase would privilege “frontier fields like artificial intelligence.” The MSCA calls are part of a broader €500 million package to make Europe “a magnet for researchers,” including seven-year “super grants” worth up to €7 million under the European Research Council.
https://sciencebusiness.net/news/international-news/eu-plans-eu51m-choose-europe-call-research-careers-2027

Anupam Kher on Robert De Niro, ‘Saaransh’ and Survival in Candid International Film Festival of India Masterclass

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Indian actor Anupam Kher brought a mix of humor, grit and unvarnished honesty to his International Film Festival of India (IFFI) masterclass, “Giving Up Is Not a Choice,” holding a packed Kala Mandir audience with stories spanning his small-town beginnings, his breakout turn in “Saaransh,” more than 540 screen credits and a career-defining encounter with Robert De Niro. The session was motivational address, entertainment and a window into his unique life as a performer. Kher was just 28 when he played a 65-year-old man in Mahesh Bhatt’s “Saaransh” in 1984. He later crossed over to Hollywood with films such as “Silver Linings Playbook” (2012) and the series “New Amsterdam,” and has performed in “almost all Indian languages.” A long-time admirer of Robert De Niro, Kher wrote papers on “Mean Streets” and “Taxi Driver” during his student years. Decades later, as he explored an international career, the actor was cast in David O. Russell’s “Silver Linings Playbook” a project that already had De Niro attached. The opportunity to work with his idol seemed within reach, but to his surprise, De Niro initially resisted the presence of Kher’s character in a crucial scene, based on the former’s own reading of the script. Kher recounted how he eventually spoke up, offering his perspective on the scene, at the risk of losing both the role and the chance to act alongside De Niro. Later that night, while offering him a drink in his van, De Niro commended Kher for his performance. “Because I was truthful and not worried about being unpopular with the unit,” Kher said, “today I can claim that Mr. Robert De Niro is one of my best friends.” During the session, 70-year-old Kher shared multiple moments from his life, when giving up simply wasn’t an option. He urged the audience to believe in themselves and become the central character of their own biopic. “What happens in your life goes on to become the story of your life. Why should life be easy? Why should life be simple? Why should life not have problems? Because it’s your problems that will make your biopic a superstar biopic,” he said, reflecting on his journey from a small town to acting beside legends around the world. “Failure is an event,” he added, “not a person, and the film of your life deserves a blockbuster ending.”.
https://variety.com/2025/film/festivals/anupam-kher-robert-de-niro-saaransh-iffi-masterclass-1236591316/

Death toll climbs in Southeast Asia as heavy rains cause floods and landslides

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By HAU DINH HANOI, Vietnam (AP) The death toll in widespread flooding and landslides caused by heavy rains in Southeast Asia mounted on Monday with another person reported killed in Vietnam, and five others in Thailand with tens of thousands of people displaced. The total number of confirmed dead in Vietnam is now 91, with 11 others missing as the heavy rain that began a week ago has caused severe flooding and triggered landslides from Quang Tri to Lam Dong provinces, a stretch of 500 miles along the country’s central region, including the highlands. In Dak Lak, the worst hit province, 63 people were killed, mostly due to drowning. Other fatalities were from Khanh Hoa, Lam Dong, Gia Lai, Danang, Hue and Quang Tri provinces. With roads washed out in many areas, helicopters have been deployed to drop food and aid supplies and to assist in evacuating people. After a break in the rain on the weekend, Pham Thu Huyen was one of many hundreds of residents and visitors who helped clean up debris washed ashore in Nha Trang, a popular tourist destination in Khanh Hoa province, known for its white sand beaches. “We’ve never experienced that much rain and such bad flooding,” the 45-year-old said. Waters have also taken their toll on this year’s crops, submerging coffee farms in Dak Lak, Vietnam’s major coffee growing region. Overall, damage so far is estimated to be around $500 million in this round of floods. Some of the waters have now receded but Vietnam’s weather agency warned that with rains continuing in some places the risks remain, and said a new tropical depression was forming that could bring worse weather again later in the week. Vietnam is among the world’s most flood-prone countries, with nearly half its population living in high-risk areas. Scientists warn that a warming climate is intensifying storms and rainfall across Southeast Asia, making floods and landslides increasingly destructive and frequent. The current destruction has hit a region already battered earlier this month by floods from record rainfall and the powerful typhoon Kalmaegi. The country was also hit by typhoons in September and October, and the International Organization for Migration announced Monday that South Korea would contribute $1 million to help Vietnam assist displaced people, communities and migrants affected by those. The United Nations agency said that according to preliminary data, Vietnam estimates economic damage of some $1. 2 billion from that period, with more than a half million homes damaged and hundreds of thousands of people evacuated and dozens killed. In Thailand, torrential rain in the south of the country caused severe flash flooding over the weekend, affecting nearly 2 million people, officials said. Five were killed and four were injured across six southern provinces, according to regional health officials. Ten southern provinces have been hit with heavy rainfall over the last week, and officials warned Monday that water levels are expected to rise further with the rain expected to continue through Tuesday. The city of Hat Yai, a major economic hub in Songkhla province, was hit with more than 13 inches of rain on Friday, the highest 24-hour figure in 300 years, officials said. From Wednesday through Friday, the city saw nearly 25 inches of rain, complicating evacuation efforts as hundreds of residents and tourists were trapped inside homes and hotels by rising water that forced emergency crews to use lifeboats to transport people along flooded streets. Thailand was already hit with widespread flooding in the north earlier in the year, followed by months of flooding in the central region, which killed more than two dozen people. That flooding also caused widespread damage to farmers fields and crops, and many thousands of homes. Malaysia is also grappling with flooding across several states that is expected to worsen as heavy, persistent rainfall continues. The Social Welfare Department reported Monday that more than 12, 500 people across nine states have been evacuated. The worst-hit area is the northeastern state of Kelantan, which accounts for the majority of those displaced. Authorities have opened 86 temporary shelters and have warned that further rainfall is expected. Floods are common in parts of Malaysia during the annual monsoon season, which begins in November and can last until March. Jintamas Saksornchai and David Rising in Bangkok, and Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, contributed to this story.
https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2025/11/24/southeast-asia-flooding/

Nigeria: Armed bandits kidnap 52 children from Catholic boarding school

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OAN Staff Blake Wolf 1: 15 PM Friday, November 21, 2025 Armed bandits attacked St. Mary’s Catholic boarding school on Friday in the Papiri community of Agwara, Niger State, Nigeria, at around 2 a. m. local time, abducting at least 52 schoolchildren, along with an unspecified number of staff. However, while the majority of reports mention “52” schoolchildren being taken, other sources suggest that even more may have been taken. This occurred despite a prior government warning to boarding schools in the area to close due to heightened threats which the school ignored according to surfacing reports. Meanwhile, the international community has expressed growing outrage over the escalating violence in Nigeria, where Islamic militants have targeted both Protestant and Catholic communities. However, the identities of the most recent attackers are currently unknown, and no organization has publicly taken credit for the raid. “Police tactical units, military components and other security agencies have moved to the scene, combing the forests with a view to rescue the abducted students,” local police wrote in a statement. The school educates students aged 12-17 years old. During the attack, a school security staffer was also “badly shot,” according to the Associated Press, citing a statement released by the Catholic Diocese of Kontagora. Following the attack, the Niger state government released a statement revealing that the “unfortunate incident comes despite prior intelligence” warning of threats, and the governor’s order to temporarily close all boarding schools in the region. “Regrettably, St. Mary’s School proceeded to reopen and resume academic activities without notifying or seeking clearance from the State Government, thereby exposing pupils and the staff to avoidable risk,” stated Abubakar Usam, the secretary to the Niger state government. The kidnappings follow a string of violence and kidnappings in Nigeria, including the abduction of 25 schoolgirls in the nearby Kebbi state on Monday. Analysts say that bandits often target schools and travelers for ransom, which is especially common in northern Nigeria. On Tuesday, rapper and singer Nicki Minaj delivered a four-minute speech at a U. S.-organized event at the United Nations headquarters in New York City, focusing on the escalating violence against Christians in Nigeria. The panel, titled “Combating Religious Violence and the Killing of Christians in Nigeria,” was hosted by U. S. Ambassador Mike Waltz and featured faith leaders and victims. “In Nigeria, Christians are being targeted, driven from their homes and killed. Churches have been burned. Families have been torn apart and entire communities live in fear constantly, simply because of how they pray,” Manaj stated. “Sadly, this problem is not only a growing problem in Nigeria, but also in so many other countries across the world, and it demands urgent action,” she continued. “And I want to be clear, protecting Christians in Nigeria is not about taking sides or dividing people. It is about uniting humanity.” Additionally, at the start of November, President Donald Trump threatened to send the military into Nigeria to “completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists” slaughtering Christians. “If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U. S. A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” Trump wrote at the time. “I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians! WARNING: THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT BETTER MOVE FAST!” Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. What do YOU think? Click here to jump to the comments! Sponsored Content Below Share this post!.
https://www.oann.com/newsroom/nigeria-armed-bandits-kidnap-52-children-from-catholic-boarding-school/

Did the U.S. Accidentally Invade Mexico? Military Cites ‘Confusion’ After Landing on Mexican Beach and Declaring It U.S. Property

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The United States Department of Defense appeared to mistakenly declare a Mexican beach part of U. S. property. Signs appeared this week in both English and Spanish on the Mexico side of the border between the two countries, warning trespassers that the spot was “Department of Defense property” and declaring it a “restricted area” as directed by “the commander,” according to The Daily Beast. The incident, which took place on Monday, Nov. 17, was quickly framed as an “invasion” on social media. When Mexican Navy members arrived at the scene about 12 miles south of the U. S.-Mexico border, they removed the signs after determining that they had been wrongly placed there. Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Mexican Ministry of the Navy released a joint statement confirming the removal of the signs, My San Antonio reported. “Acting on information received, naval personnel located and removed six warning signs placed at Playa Bagdad, Tamaulipas, as a preventative measure,” their statement read, according to an English translation. While they confirmed the signs had been taken down, they were not able to confirm who placed the signs on the beach. In a statement shared with PEOPLE, an official at Joint Base San Antonio a nearby U. S. military facility said that “contractors” placed the signs. “Changes in water depth and topography altered the perception of the international boundary’s location,” the statement said, noting that “Government of Mexico personnel removed 6 of the signs based on that perception of the international boundary’s location.” The JBSA official added that the contractors would “coordinate with appropriate agencies to avoid confusion in the future.” The signs appear to be connected to the military’s plans to establish a National Defense Area (NDA) along Hidalgo and Cameron counties on the border of Mexico. The area is part of efforts under President Donald Trump to “seal” the southern border. After visiting a newly established NDA in April, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told troops, “This is Department of Defense property. Any illegal [attempt] to enter that zone is entering a military base a federally protected area. You will be detained. You will be interdicted by U. S. troops and border patrol working together.” According to My San Antonio, officials said the NDA would be administered by the U. S. Air Force by Joint Base San Antonio. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The Pentagon referred PEOPLE to the Air Force when reached for comment.
https://people.com/military-mistakenly-declares-mexico-beach-us-property-11854600

Paul Merson predicts Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspur and other Premier League GW12 fixtures

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The Premier League returns after an eventful international break which saw the likes of Curacao and Scotland qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Now it is all about top-flight football in England and we have some exciting stuff to look forward to this weekend. After Arsenal’s draw against Sunderland, it can’t be said that it is a foregone conclusion that Mikel Arteta and company will win the league title. But they are still favourites and I’ll tell you why. Manchester City are not far behind Arsenal, but they are so heavily reliant on Erling Haaland. Arsenal will have quite a few first team regulars missing through injury this weekend, and despite that, I expect them to field a very strong team against Nottingham Forest. No other team in the league can do the same, and that is the difference! Thanks for the submission! Arsenal have a big week coming up. After the derby at home to Tottenham, they face Bayern Munich in a match that will prove their credentials about winning the Champions League, before taking on another big London rival in Chelsea next weekend. This run will determine how far they can go this season. On that note, let us dive straight into my predictions for gameweek 12 in the Premier League. Burnley vs Chelsea When you come into a game like this after the international break, it’s so different than usual. We saw Liverpool lose to Nottingham Forest in a similar game after one of the international breaks last season. So it’s never an easy game to call. Burnley need to start winning games at home. But I just think Chelsea will be stronger all over the pitch and I expect the visitors to win. I would go with Liam Delap as the striker for this game and I’d stick to that even after Cole Palmer returns from injury. Palmer is someone who needs runners with him, that is why Nicolas Jackson was such a good option for Chelsea. If Joao Pedro plays as striker, he will drop deep and that will not free up enough space for Palmer to operate. Delap, on the other hand, is a willing runner and a proper number nine who will suit Palmer in my opinion. Only time will tell if Palmer can make it to England’s World Cup squad for next year though. He will have to come back from injury and hit the ground running straightaway. Palmer needs a run of form like the one he had when he first burst onto the scene at Chelsea. Prediction: Burnley 0-2 Chelsea Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest This is the exact fixture I was talking about earlier. Last September, Liverpool lost to Forest at Anfield after the international break. I know Forest are still second-bottom in the table, but they have kicked on a bit under Sean Dyche. They have only lost to Bournemouth in the last five games, which includes wins over Porto, Leeds and a draw against Manchester United. Forest have certainly enjoyed an uptick in terms of results. However, I just can’t see Liverpool not scoring in this game. Forest are not keeping a clean sheet at Anfield for sure! Florian Wirtz looked good for Germany in the international break. I know the opposition wasn’t the strongest, but he’s the top boy in Germany. Wirtz has the faith of the manager and goes out and expresses himself to the best of his abilities when he puts on that shirt. At Liverpool, he is always behind the eight ball. Last week against Manchester City, Wirtz looked like he had never played football before! Don’t get me wrong, I like him as a player. But if you pay over £100 million for a player and he does nothing in such a big game, that is a worrying sign for your team. Wirtz wasn’t the only one who did nothing in that game, but Liverpool paid the big bucks for him to take them to the next level. It’s obviously not his fault that they paid that amount of money, but the price-tag will always add to the expectations. I would actually start Wirtz in this game. If you play him against City at the Etihad, you have to start him against Forest at Anfield. He needs a run of games to get used to the intensity of the league. If someone else comes in for him and they score, then people will start questioning him again, which does no good for his confidence. Prediction: Liverpool 2-0 Nottingham Forest Bournemouth vs West Ham United West Ham have done well in recent weeks. Consecutive wins over Newcastle and Burnley have given them a huge lift in the battle to avoid relegation. I just think this game away from home to Bournemouth is very tough though. I said earlier that I don’t see West Ham going down and I stand by it. But winning this game will be a bit of a stretch for them. Bournemouth are a team that must work really hard every single week to keep punching above their weight. They come into this game on the back of a couple of big losses. The defeat against City at the Etihad is understandable, but losing 4-0 against Aston Villa, that scoreline was a bit surprising. It just shows how tough and unpredictable the Premier League can be. I’m expecting Bournemouth to bounce back in style this weekend. Prediction: Bournemouth 3-0 West Ham United Wolves vs Crystal Palace Wolves’ new manager is finally here. Rob Edwards has a tough job on his hands to get them out of the relegation zone. This is not the easiest game when you take charge of a club like Wolves, but it is also not the toughest when you think about it! An ex-player coming back as manager to save them? The crowd will certainly be up for it. This is a cup final for Wolves. They have just two points in 11 matches and another loss here would be insult to injury. Even though the new manager coming in gives Wolves a slight chance, I can’t look beyond a Crystal Palace win in this game. Wolves fans will be praying for a miracle! Prediction: Wolves 1-2 Crystal Palace Brighton & Hove Albion vs Brentford I’m not too convinced about Brentford when they play away from home. They are one of the toughest teams to face on their home turf, but it’s a completely different story when they hit the road. Honestly, there really isn’t much between these sides, they are evenly-matched if you ask me. West Ham winning two games on the bounce has made the relegation battle tight at the bottom. Whoever loses this game will know they are only a couple of defeats away from being dragged into that battle to avoid the drop! If Brentford were playing at home, I would have backed them. I’m going with Brighton instead, purely because of home advantage. Prediction: Brighton & Hove Albion 2-0 Brentford Fulham vs Sunderland Sunderland have been amazing, what an unbelievable start on their return to the Premier League. This is a game where Fulham need a result because they are playing at home and have not been great to watch in recent weeks. The defeat to Everton before the international break now means they sit just one point above the relegation zone. I admit that Fulham are not as bad as the table suggests, but every time I talk to their fans, most of them are worried about the possibility of going down and that isn’t a good sign. If they don’t win this game, they will be among the teams fearing the drop. Even though Fulham were poor against Everton, I’m backing them here. A lot of Sunderland fans will think I’m mad, but it’s what I really think. Prediction: Fulham 2-1 Sunderland Newcastle United vs Manchester City If Manchester City win this game, I will be thinking that should they keep all their main players fit, they can challenge Arsenal. Newcastle have not been at their best on home turf so far this season, but it is still one of the toughest fixtures in the league. If Eddie Howe’s team can play like they did against Liverpool, they have a chance at winning this game! Erling Haaland has been scoring goals for fun. But will that help him win the Ballon d’Or? The answer is no. No matter how many goals you score, it always comes down to your performance in the Champions League and City must win that trophy to give Haaland a strong chance to win the award. Nick Woltemade has also impressed me so far. I always wonder when players come to the Premier League, ‘if they were so good, why didn’t Bayern Munich want them?’. That is not the case with Woltemade, he’s showing why Bayern really wanted him to be their number nine. Woltemade reminds me of Peter Crouch. He is not just a target man, he can play with the ball and likes it being fed into his feet. Woltemade will cause problems to other teams every single week. If Newcastle’s midfield three can fire like last season, it will be perfect for him. Newcastle away is a tricky fixture right after the international break and that’s why I think City will drop points in this one. Prediction: Newcastle United 1-1 Manchester City Leeds United vs Aston Villa I worry for Leeds a bit. I look at their team and I don’t know who is going to give them that X-factor. Aston Villa have turned a massive corner in recent weeks and are one of the most in-form teams in the league. I’d be shocked if they lose this game. Ollie Watkins hasn’t really turned up so far this season. He does a lot of unselfish work for the team though. I don’t think that work will go unnoticed in the eyes of the manager. Hopefully, the goals can also follow soon. Leeds need to go out and sign someone who can bring the X-factor to their team in January, if they want to stay in the Premier League. An easy win for Villa here. Prediction: Leeds United 1-3 Aston Villa Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspur This is the game! When I used to play for Arsenal, I used to ring my dad up and tell him when we’re playing Tottenham as soon as the fixtures were out. I know Liverpool and Manchester City are bigger opponents for Arsenal in the title race, but for the fans, this is the biggest game! Tottenham are top of the league table if you only consider form away from home. When Spurs are not the favourites and they sit back, absorb pressure and hit you on the break, they are a tricky team to face. If Arsenal were playing away from home, I would have given Tottenham no chance! Mikel Arteta also has to deal with injuries to some key players, so I don’t think this game is a straighforward win for Arsenal. Will Viktor Gyokeres be fit? Can Leandro Trossard make an impact like he did in the last game? There are so many questions to be answered. Arsenal vs Tottenham has always been one of the most entertaining matches in the Premier League. But I don’t think that will be the case here. I’m expecting a tight, cagey affair with Arsenal coming out on top in the end. Prediction: Arsenal 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur Manchester United vs Everton Manchester United are slowly starting to find some rhythm. I say that carefully because we wouldn’t have said this about them last season or the one before that. United have been quite bad in terms of stitching together a run of results, but there is a bit of hope now. Benjamin Sesko being ruled out does not help Everton because they would rather play against him. If Sesko played, Everton know what they are up against and how to mark him. When it’s Matheus Cunha playing that false-nine role, it’s entirely different. One second you’re looking at Cunha and the next thing you know it’s Bryan Mbeumo also working in tandem with him. With Sesko, United can only play one way and that would have been easier to deal with. Casemiro looks confident now and it is making a huge difference to Manchester United. I don’t want to take credit away from home, he’s won five Champions League trophies with Real Madrid, but he’s benefitting from the arrival of Cunha and Mbeumo. Teams are now aware of the threat that United have while going forward, so they are not keen on opening the game up. It has taken some pressure off Casemiro with teams constantly being bothered about the threat of those two players on the break. When the people around you start playing well, the mix becomes a good cocktail! I said Manchester United won’t beat Forest even though they were flying at the time. That draw was disappointing but I expect them to make amends with a win this weekend. Prediction: Manchester United 2-0 Everton.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/news-paul-merson-predicts-arsenal-vs-tottenham-hotspur-premier-league-gw12-fixtures

Stuut raises $29.5 million Series A led by Andreessen Horowitz to automate accounts receivable

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I absolutely have, but if you haven’t-it’s a rollicking reality TV jaunt through some of the messiest jobs out there. There are rattlesnake catchers, sure, but there are also a deluge of examples of industrial jobs like pipefitting, car crushing, and concrete chipping. “Those are our customers,” Alaruri says proudly. Alaruri’s startup, Stuut, is in a messy business of its own-accounts receivable, the money due to a company for goods or services that have been delivered, but not yet been paid for. And there’s a reason Stuut focuses on those companies. In tech, companies tend to have “a big wad of cash in your bank account from VCs,” Alaruri said. But for many of Stuut’s customers, collecting payment is existential: “These companies actually need the revenue to pay bonuses. They actually need the revenue to pay holiday bonuses, and need to hire more people to scale their growth.” Alaruri cofounded Stuut (a name drawn from a South African rugby term meaning “prop” or “to hold up”) with Ben Winter and Miraj Mohsin in 2024. Stuut uses AI to automate accounts receivable, including invoice follow-up, tasks around payment reconciliation, and keeping human employees alerted. So far, Stuut’s customers have included Honeywell, PerkinElmer, Verifone, Wayfair, Active International, and Greenlight Guru. And to be abundantly clear: Alaruri is perfectly happy to work with tech companies, should they be interested. Now, Stuut has raised a $29. 5 million Series A, led by Andreessen Horowitz, Fortune has exclusively learned. Activant Capital, Khosla Ventures, 1984 Ventures, Carya Venture Partners, Page One Ventures, Vesey Ventures, and Valley Ventures participated in the round. Stuut and its customers are trying to solve an effectively universal problem: Companies can lose as much as 5% of EBITDA by tracking down payments manually. Stuut’s customer acquisition so far has come primarily from cold calls and network effects. And, compared to other businesses, it’s been a pretty easy pitch: I can automatically collect your money that you’re owed. And the ramp-up has been fast. “We technically started the business at the beginning of last year,” said Alaruri. “But I’d say Day One was really around November, December of last year. We started seeing impact. We had a company called CharterUp go live in two days, collect $3. 4 million, and see a 20% increase in collection.” These are also companies interested in their piece of the AI action-but need a product that fulfills its promises. “You have to be able to prove you can do what you say you’re going to do [with AI],” said Alaruri. “You look at the older wave of software and you have people promising automation-and they take 12, 18, 24 months to deploy. So it matters if you say ‘hey, we can save you 40% in six months, and we’ll get up and running next week,’ and you then can execute.” See you tomorrow, Allie Garfinkle X:@agarfinks Email: alexandra. garfinkle@fortuneletter here. Joey Abrams curated the deals section of today’s newsletter. Subscribe here. Venture Deals Profluent Bio, an Emeryville, Calif.-based AI-powered protein design company, raised $106 million in funding. AltimeterCapital and VezosExpeditions led the round and were joined by SparkCapital, InsightPartners, and AirStreetCapital. Amperesand, a Singapore-based developer of next-generation power infrastructure for AI data centers and critical power applications, raised $80 million in Series A funding. WaldenCatalystVentures and Temasek led the round. Arbiter, a New York City-based platform designed to connect health care patients, providers, and payers in one place, raised $52 million in funding. TriEdgeInvestment and MFO Ventures led the round and were joined by WindRose Health Investors and others. ModernLife, a New York City-based AI-powered life insurance brokerage, raised $20 million in Series A funding. ThriveCapital led the round and was joined by NewYorkLifeVentures, NorthwesternMutualFutureVentures, and Allegis. Automat, a San Francisco-based workflow automation platform for enterprises, raised $15. 5 million in Series A funding. Felicis led the round and was joined by Initialized, KhoslaVentures, and Y Combinator. onepotAI, a San Francisco-based developer of an AI chemistry platform designed to accelerate the synthesis of small molecules for drug discovery, raised $13 million in seed funding. KhoslaVentures, FiftyYears, and Speedinvest led the round and were joined by others. Poly, a San Francisco-based AI-powered cloud file browser company, raised $8 million in seed funding. Felicis led the round and was joined by Bloomberg Beta, NextView, FigmaVentures, AIGrant, Wind Ventures, and MVP Ventures. alphaXiv, a San Francisco-based platform that curates AI research, benchmarks, and models, raised $7 million in seed funding. MenloVentures and Haystack led the round and were joined by Shakti VC, ConvictionEmbed, UpfrontVentures, and angel investors. Pibit AI, a San Francisco-based developer of AI for underwriting, raised $7 million in Series A funding. StellarisVenturePartners led the round and was joined by Y Combinator and AraliVentures. MantaCares, a San Francisco-based platform designed to help cancer patients and caregivers track symptoms, medications, and appointments, raised $5. 4 million in seed funding. PearVC and SozoVentures led the round and were joined by angel investors. SynthioLabs, a San Francisco-based conversational AI platform designed for customer engagement in life sciences, raised $5 million in seed funding. ElevationCapital led the round and was joined by 1984Ventures, PeakXVPartners, Y Combinator, and angel investors. Ember, a San Francisco-based AI-powered revenue cycle management platform for health care, raised $4. 3 million in seed funding. NexusVenturePartners and YCombinator led the round. Kaaj, a San Francisco-based AI platform designed to automate small business loan underwriting, raised $3. 8 million in seed funding. KindredVentures led the round and was joined by Better Tomorrow Ventures and others. Orion, a Denver, Colo.-based AI-powered risk intelligence platform, raised $3. 5 million in seed funding. DynamoVentures led the round and was joined by Techstars, BVVC, and ServiceProviderCapital. BigRentals, a Los Angeles, Calif.-based equipment rental platform, raised $2. 8 million in seed funding. SNAKVenturePartners led the round and was joined by IronspringVentures, ForumVentures, and others. Deduction, a New York City-based developer of an AI-powered tax accountant, raised $2. 8 million in pre-seed funding. One Way Ventures and CreatorVentures led the round and were joined by Alpine VC, Intuition, CharleyMoore, and angel investors. Private Equity GTCR agreed to acquire FiduciaryTrustCompany, a Boston, Mass.-based private wealth manager and trust company. Financial terms were not disclosed. LawnPRO Partners, backed by HCIEquityPartners, acquired TotalLawnCare, an Indianapolis, Ind.-based lawn care company. Financial terms were not disclosed. Wafra acquired a minority stake in Ardian, a Paris, France-based private equity firm. Financial terms were not disclosed. Funds + Funds of Funds.
https://fortune.com/2025/11/20/stuut-raises-29-5-million-series-a-led-by-andreessen-horowitz-to-automate-accounts-receivable/