Brandon Stroud scores 16 as South Florida knocks off Webber International 106-49STEPPING through the doors of the UK's strictest pub offers an instant trip back in time - before punters paid more attention to their texts than fellow drinkers. Kevin Moran, 84, landlord of The Nag’s Head on Kinnerton Street in London for about 42 years, operates a strict no phones policy. No children are allowed through the doors, and apparently hogging the fire is deemed a bar-worthy offence. Other strict rules include no coats draped on chairs, no swearing, and no turning up drunk. With just a sip left of my pint, Kevin told me I was hogging the fire, despite the fact he too was standing in front of its warming flame. He added that it was normal to receive a telling off for hogging the fire for too long as he grew up alongside his six brothers. READ MORE ON UK NEWS In the lead up to being invited to leave, I'd had a somewhat pleasant time in The Nag's Head. Aside from the £15 minimum card machine spend, that is, which meant a trip to the nearby ATM. The day before my visit, I phoned Kevin to ask if the rumours he was the UK's strictest landlord were true. He grumbled: “So what are you calling me for then?" and hung up the phone. Most read in The Sun The Nag's Head, down a quiet, picturesque road, was once a boozer for the stable hands and footmen who worked nearby. Built around the 1800s it received a resurgence in the 1950s. On either side of the pub's front room are two narrow wooden staircases. One leading to an upstairs bar, while another leads down into another seating area. I greeted Kevin and after some negotiations, which included being told to put my phone away, I asked about the collection of beers on tap. He pointed to each beer and bellowed "Lager. Lager. Ale. Guinness." and so on. I thanked him for his generous explanation and ordered his finest IPA. Then I was warned cash wasn't an option, with the card machine boasting a hefty minimum spend. Kevin explained he chooses the beers on tap and then passed me a beer guide which he features in. He was kind enough to let me sit at my table with it. In my cosy corner near the fire, Kevin pointed to a hook for me to hang my coat, politely, I would add. But this wasn't the same reception I saw another customer receive. Looking around, it’s clear to see the pub is Kevin’s pride and joy - with war memorabilia covering every inch of the walls. In reference to a TripAdvisor review, I asked Kevin why children aren’t allowed in. He produced a loud wailing sound and said “no one wants to hear that”. Kevin then took a small glass of stout to the fire and watched the room omnisciently. He isn’t just a pub landlord, whether you like it or not, he is part of the furniture. Although there was only a handful of customers, conversations felt open to the floor, with Kevin chipping in occasionally. Be it to remind you of a rule or to provide you with a coin to try one of his vintage coin-operated arcade games. You could spend hours in this pub, studying each picture, medal, and ornament which Kevin can provide a whole backstory for. But it's not for everyone. If you’re looking for a family friendly boozer, to speak privately with a friend, or even to sip a pint while scrolling on social media, it's not for you. This is Kevin's pub and Kevin's rules. As a former squaddie, he told The Sun: "I was a miner in Durham aged 14 and we used to to to pubs and working men's clubs where you weren't interrupted by people on phones." He adds that phones could be an "invasion of privacy" for his customers, especially if pictures are taken. There are exceptions, with tourists usually allowed to take photos if they ask, but it's up to Kevin if he lets them. He said: "I make the rules and I don't have to give you a reason. It's my rules and my pub." Learned from his Army days, stationed in Germany and Scandinavia during the Cold War, he finds discipline lacking from many modern punters. He said: "Coming in drunk I think is ridiculous... discipline is worse today than when I went into the pub game 50 years ago." Another reason is carrying on the tradition of the "real English pub" because, having travelled the world, he knows "you don't get them anywhere else". He loves that The Nag's Head is "still a pub", in contrast to its chain-owned competitors. The publican said: "It's about independence. I think I've done well to achieve that in central London. "You go to Manchester, Newcastle, Birmingham and the pubs are all big company owned so you get the same thing. There's nobody who tells you that you're a bit ugly or that you're a handsome sod." Kevin says he won’t be retiring any time soon. He mentioned his sons, so perhaps he’ll pass the mantle to them at some point. No phones No children £15 minimum card spend but prefers cash No swearing No turning up drunk Hang your coat on the hooks provided After I left the pub, I spoke with a few customers. Karl and Leigh, visiting from Kent, had been drinking while I was in the pub - I'd spotted Kevin tell the couple to hang their coats up. Leigh said: “I put my coat on the table and he told me to put it on the hook. But I think he’s [Kevin] very old school, very very old school.” Karl said: “Same, if you put your coat on the stool, you have to put it on the hook. He’s an old man isn’t he, he’s stuck in his ways.” But the couple would gladly visit again. Two brothers, visiting from Scotland, shared what they thought. David said: “My brother took his phone out and he wasn’t very happy about that but apart from that it’s a nice, normal pub, it’s quite quiet and yeah it’s just a nice place. “Probably quite unusual nowadays, with the phone thing, and there’s no TV but it’s good though, I enjoyed it.” “We’re just visiting London for a couple of days and someone told us about it. It’s a nice pub, I’d definitely go back.” Later on in the evening, I came across The Nag’s Head’s neighbours. Emma, who works next door, said: “We have a good relationship with the pub owners and we’ll definitely go in and have a few drinks on a Friday and a Thursday evening usually. “But we just respect and appreciate the fact they have the rules and we adhere to them. “I haven’t had a negative experience there. Everyone’s really friendly, we often hear chit chats outside because we’re just next door, but it’s all good.” Meanwhile, standing just outside the pub were two happy customers. Ella, from Blackpool said: “I’m a northerner and I love it. I think it's so cute but we have a Nag’s Head in Manchester - rough and ready, this is very cute and quaint. The guy is lovely." While Imi, a local, said: “The no phones thing I see and I actually think it’s a really good idea.” READ MORE SUN STORIES Ella added: “I respect the no phones thing because people are trying to enjoy the environment and obviously you being on your phone isn’t very sociable.” And Imi laughed: “I like it, I think it’s a good thing to enforce and there’s so many pubs in London, if you don’t like it, go somewhere else.”
Sheridan College has announced it will be reducing its administration, suspending 40 programs and conducting a review of another 27 amid what it calls chronic underfunding and changing government policies. “These changes are required for Sheridan to remain a financially sustainable and vibrant community in response to chronic underfunding, changing government policies, and social, technological, and economic disruption,” read a statement from President and Vice Chancellor, Janet Morrison. The federal government announced earlier this year that it will be issuing approximately 300,000 fewer international student permits over the next three years. Related: Morrison’s statement said enrolment projections show the school will have about 30 per cent fewer students in the coming years, leading to a loss of approximately $112 million in revenue in the next fiscal year. She said they started by reducing administrative roles and trying to find efficiencies, but now program suspensions are unavoidable. As a result, they will be contracting by about 25 to 30 per cent. “Sheridan will look different, but our commitment to learning, discovery and engagement remains the same.” The programs affected have not yet been announced by the college. Sheridan currently has 40,000 students enrolled across three campuses in Brampton, Mississauga and Oakville. The international student cap is expected to primarily affect Ontario as it had seen a larger share of growth in foreign students. Ottawa has also announced it would be limiting international college students’ work permits after graduation to areas that have labour-market shortages in Canada. Several other colleges and universities have announced job cuts amid growing deficits including St. Lawrence College in Kingston and Mohawk College in Hamilton. Seneca Polytechnic, meanwhile, will be temporarily shuttering one of its campuses north of Toronto by the end of the fall semester. The Ministry of Colleges and Universities, in response to Sheridan’s decision, said funding for post-secondary institutions is higher than it’s ever been, adding they invested $1.3 billion earlier this year to stabilize the sector. “Staffing decisions and human resource matters lie solely with the institutions. We’ll continue to support the post-secondary sector for their long-term success and sustainability to ensure students can get good-paying, in-demand jobs once they graduate. However, we will not put additional costs on the backs of students and families by raising tuition.” Colleges Ontario said at the time the measures by the federal government were introduced that they will have “potentially long-lasting negative repercussions” for many of the 24 public colleges, possibly forcing some to close their doors. With files from The Canadian PressClaim that 320,000 migrant children went missing during the Biden administration is misleading
Photo: Flckr-BC Goct FILE. Transit A program that provides Central Okanagan residents with bus passes has grown. United Way B.C. and the City of Kelowna said in a Tuesday press release, they're nearly doubling the number of bus tickets they offer those in need and launching a pilot program for monthly passes, through the Emergency Transportation Assistance Program. Since 2012, they have distributed 10,200 tickets annually to residents of Kelowna, West Kelowna, Peachland, Lake Country, and Westbank First Nation. Now nearly 5,550 tickets are being distributed quarterly and 100 monthly passes distributed each month in the program. "I'm one of the many who was fortunate enough to benefit from this new program," Mark Arvesu said in a press release. "These are challenging times in my life, and it gave me a sense of comfort knowing that we live in a community where we are genuinely here for each other, and I felt it more-so when I was blessed with the bus pass. I'm truly grateful." A Syrian refuge the United Way has called Rita to protect her anonymity has a similar story, according to the United Way. She moved to Kelowna after fleeing persecution and genocide in Syria in 2020. Her husband is looking for work every day, but learning English is proving difficult at the age of 45. She takes her children to school every morning and then walks home, where rent costs over 80 per cent of their income. To feed her children, she also walks to the various free food programs across Kelowna, often for upwards of one to two hours, and carries the heavy food items home. She cannot afford the transit fare of $2.50 per trip. "The Emergency Transportation Assistance Program has been incredibly successful at making transit accessible for those who cannot afford fares but need reliable transportation to access services, and opportunities for employment, education, and social connection," Mike Kittmer, Transit and Programs Manager, City of Kelowna, said. "Expanding this program is an important part of the City's ongoing work to support our community's most vulnerable and improve social wellness for all."Indian-American AI Expert Sriram Krishnan Faces Racist Attacks After White House AppointmentOn Wednesday at around 6pm, thousands of social media users in parts of the UK reported an outage with Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. The social media giant reported that a “technical issue” had left users unable to access its services. DownDetector, a website that monitors social media outages, says the three cities hit worst by the outage were London, Manchester and Glasgow. Other major cities hit hard by the blackout were Cardiff, Nottingham and Birmingham. By around 10pm on Wednesday, DownDetector UK said there had been 23,445 reports of Facebook outages, 11,466 Instagram outages and 18,646 on WhatsApp across Britain. In an update issued at 10.26pm on X, Meta said the problem was now nearly resolved. A spokesperson said: “Thanks for bearing with us! We’re 99% of the way there – just doing some last checks. “We apologise to those who’ve been affected by the outage.” Other parts of the world affected include Europe, Asia, South America and Australia, according to DownTracker. To find out if your area is affected, visit: .
Brandon Stroud scores 16 as South Florida knocks off Webber International 106-49Sullivan school board honors Christmas card art winners
Vance takes on a more visible transition role, working to boost Trump’s most contentious picksBill Belichick, arguably the greatest coach in NFL history, is poised to return to a football sideline. But Belichick isn’t coming back to the NFL. In a move that will reverberate through every level of the game, he is on the verge of becoming the coach at the University of North Carolina.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Shaquil Barrett is rejoining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs signed the two-time Super Bowl champion on Saturday, while also announcing safety Jordan Whitehead was activated from injured reserve ahead of Sunday’s home game against the Carolina Panthers. Barrett spent five seasons with Tampa Bay from 2019 to 2023. He led the NFL with a franchise-record 19 1-2 sacks in his first year with the Bucs, then helped the team win its second Super Bowl title the following season. In all, Barrett started 70 games with Tampa Bay, amassing 45 sacks, 15 forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and three interceptions. He was released last winter in a salary cap move, signed a one-year contract with the Miami Dolphins in free agency, then abruptly announced his retirement on social media before the start of training camp in July. Barrett, who also won a Super Bowl during a four-season stint with the Denver Broncos, decided to unretire last month. He signed with the Bucs after clearing waivers earlier in the week. Whitehead has missed the past four games with a pectoral injury. His return comes of the heels of the Bucs placing safety Christian Izien on IR with a pectoral injury. On Saturday, the Bucs also activated rookie wide receiver Kameron Johnson from IR and elevated punter Jack Browning to the active roster from the practice squad. NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflPoulin has game winner as Montreal Victoire tops Minnesota Frost 3-2 for 3rd straight win
The UN General Assembly on Wednesday overwhelmingly adopted a resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, a symbolic gesture rejected by the United States and Israel. The resolution -- adopted by a vote of 158-9, with 13 abstentions -- urges "an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire," and "the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages" -- wording similar to a text vetoed by Washington in the Security Council last month. At that time, Washington used its veto power on the Council -- as it has before -- to protect its ally Israel, which has been at war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip since the Palestinian militant group's October 7, 2023 attack. It has insisted on the idea of making a ceasefire conditional on the release of all hostages in Gaza, saying otherwise that Hamas has no incentive to free those in captivity. Deputy US Ambassador Robert Wood repeated that position Wednesday, saying it would be "shameful and wrong" to adopt the text. Ahead of the vote, Israel's UN envoy Danny Danon said: "The resolutions before the assembly today are beyond logic. (...) The vote today is not a vote for compassion. It is a vote for complicity." The General Assembly often finds itself taking up measures that cannot get through the Security Council, which has been largely paralyzed on hot-button issues such as Gaza and Ukraine due to internal politics, and this time is no different. The resolution, which is non-binding, demands "immediate access" to widespread humanitarian aid for the citizens of Gaza, especially in the besieged north of the territory. Dozens of representatives of UN member states addressed the Assembly before the vote to offer their support to the Palestinians. "Gaza doesn't exist anymore. It is destroyed," said Slovenia's UN envoy Samuel Zbogar. "History is the harshest critic of inaction." That criticism was echoed by Algeria's deputy UN ambassador Nacim Gaouaoui, who said: "The price of silence and failure in the face of the Palestinian tragedy is a very heavy price, and it will be heavier tomorrow." Hamas's October 2023 attack on southern Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,208 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. That count includes hostages who died or were killed while being held in Gaza. Militants abducted 251 hostages, 96 of whom remain in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead. Israel's retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed at least 44,805 people, a majority of them civilians, according to data from the Hamas-run health ministry that is considered reliable by the United Nations. "Gaza today is the bleeding heart of Palestine," Palestinian UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour said last week during the first day of debate in the Assembly's special session on the issue. "The images of our children burning in tents, with no food in their bellies and no hopes and no horizon for the future, and after having endured pain and loss for more than a year, should haunt the conscience of the world and prompt action to end this nightmare," he said, calling for an end to the "impunity." After Wednesday's vote, he said "we will keep knocking on the doors of the Security Council and the General Assembly until we see an immediate and unconditional ceasefire put in place." The Gaza resolution calls on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to present "proposals on how the United Nations could help to advance accountability" by using existing mechanisms or creating new ones based on past experience. The Assembly, for example, created an international mechanism to gather evidence of crimes committed in Syria starting from the outbreak of civil war in 2011. A second resolution calling on Israel to respect the mandate of the UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) and allow it to continue its operations was passed Wednesday by a vote of 159-9 with 11 abstentions. Israel has voted to ban the organization starting January 28, after accusing some UNRWA employees of taking part in Hamas's devastating attack. abd/sst/jgc/nro/des
Perfect at home, Cavaliers invite Hawks into pick-your-poison test