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Cox to launch mobile business, joining cable rivals Comcast, Charter and Altice

January 5, 2023 Published by Lillian Rizzo

US Top News and Analysis

In this photo illustration, the Cox Communications logo is displayed on a smartphone screen.

Rafael Henrique | SOPA Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images

Cox Communications is ringing in the new year with the official launch of its mobile business.

The privately held cable and internet operator plans to announce the national launch of Cox Mobile Thursday at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Cox has trailed peers like Comcast, Charter Communications and Altice USA, which started offering mobile service to their customers in recent years and have been adding customers at a fast clip.

Like Comcast and Charter’s services, Cox Mobile will only be available to new and existing customers. Cox has 7 million customers in 18 states, and has started quietly offering mobile service in certain markets in recent months.

Cable operators began offering mobile service with the aim of giving customers another reason not to leave their broadband plans. This holds true now more than ever, as profitability for these business units is in sight.

Cable companies have been losing pay-TV customers that opt for streaming-only services, although that accelerated recently. However, broadband subscriber growth has stalled in recent quarters as competition has ramped up and customers’ moving activity stagnates as the housing market slows down.

“I think now they’re reusing wireless as a way to reinforce their broadband business. There’s not much profitability in it yet, but that’s not their concern. The concern is holding on to broadband customers,” said John Hodulik, an analyst at UBS.

How the competition shapes up

Although wireless companies like AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile hold the large bulk of wireless customers in the U.S., Comcast and Charter’s mobile businesses have been growing at a faster rate due to cheaper and more flexible plans.

Charter’s Spectrum Mobile offers a $30 unlimited data plan, or $14 by the gigabyte of internet used in the month plan. Similarly, Comcast’s Xfinity Mobile starts at $30 for unlimited data, or $15 by the gigabyte.

The cheaper options stem from their ability to rely heavily on home broadband Wi-Fi and hotspots for data usage. When their mobile customers leave Wi-Fi and rely on a network, they’re offloaded to the cable companies’ partner operator — Verizon for both Comcast and Charter — still giving the wireless company a piece of the pie.

Cox Mobile will offer similar plans, unlimited at $45 a month or $15 by the gig. Cox is also reportedly using Verizon as its network partner, which the company is expected to confirm at Thursday’s event.

A wrench was thrown in Cox’s plans to launch its mobile business when T-Mobile sued the company in 2021, saying Cox was obligated to pursue a partnership with them. Earlier this year, a Delaware court judge reportedly ruled in Cox’s favor.

Charter said it had 4.7 million wireless customers as of Sept. 30, while Comcast said it reached 5 million.

“We started off with this reimagined mobile service because we knew customers would spend a significant amount of time on Wi-Fi,” said Danny Bowman, chief mobile officer at Charter, adding Spectrum Mobile customers spend about 85% of their time on Wi-Fi.

“By keeping the mobile package simple, we have exponential growth,” Bowman added. Charter and Comcast also allow customers to bring their own devices, an option Cox won’t yet offer. Currently, customers must purchase Samsung phones through Cox for service.

‘We need to do this’

Smaller cable operators are also seeing the value in offering a mobile plan to customers.

The National Content and Technology Cooperative, or NCTC, an industry group made up of more than 700 cable and broadband providers, has been in discussions to create a mobile offering for its members.

“It’s become such a focal point. It’s the thing everybody seems to think is what you need to have,” NCTC President Lou Borrelli said of mobile offerings. “I’ve seen it referred to as the new bundle. I don’t dispute that.”

Since NCTC’s membership includes small providers — many in rural areas — the cooperative started discussions with wireless operators last year on behalf of its entire base.

Borrelli said NCTC hadn’t been in a rush to offer mobile until it saw how Charter and Comcast did in net additions in 2021. “I remember getting calls from some of our board members saying, ‘You know, maybe we should look at this,'” he said.

NCTC’s negotiations should wrap up this year, Borrelli said. Some have already added mobile. Colorado-based WOW! Internet, Cable & Phone unveiled a mobile plan in July through a partnership with Reach Mobile.

Borrelli said consumer research in certain markets showed companies had no choice in the matter. “Members have told us they don’t care what the results are, we need to do this.”

Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal, which owns CNBC.

Pelé buried at cemetery in Brazilian city he made famous

January 5, 2023 Published by The Associated Press

SANTOS, Brazil (AP) — Brazil said a final farewell to Pelé on Tuesday, burying the legend who unified the bitterly divided country.

Newly inaugurated President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva paid his respects at Vila Belmiro, the stadium where Pelé played for most of his career.

Pelé died last week at age 82 and was laid to rest in Santos, the city where he became famous after moving there at age 15 to play for Santos FC. The funeral Mass was held at the team’s Vila Belmiro stadium before his black casket was driven through the streets of the of Santos in a firetruck.

It was taken into the cemetery as bands played the team’s official song and a Roman Catholic hymn. Before the golden-wrapped casket arrived, attendees sang samba songs that Pelé liked.

Some Brazilian soccer legends weren’t there.

“Where’s Ronaldo Nazario? Where’s Kaká, where’s Neymar?” asked Claudionor Alves, 67, who works at a bakery next to the stadium. “Do they think they will be remembered like Pelé will? These guys didn’t want to stop their vacations, that’s the problem.”

Geovana Sarmento, 17, waited in a three-hour line to view Pelé’s body as it lay in repose. She came with her father, who was wearing a Brazil shirt with Pelé’s name.

“I am not a Santos fan, neither is my father. But this guy invented Brazil’s national team. He made Santos stronger, he made it big, how could you not respect him? He is one of the greatest people ever, we needed to honor him,” she said.

Caio Zalke, 35, an engineer, wore a Brazil shirt as he waited in the line.

“Pelé is the most important Brazilian of all time. He made the sport important for Brazil and he made Brazil important for the world,” Zalke said.

Pelé in the 1960s and 1970s was perhaps the world’s most famous athlete. He met presidents and queens, and a civil war in Nigeria was put on hold so people could watch him play. Many Brazilians credit Pelé with putting the country on the world stage for the first time.

Rows of shirts with Pelé’s No. 10 were placed behind one of the stadium’s goals, waving in the city’s summer winds. A section of the stands filled up with bouquets of flowers placed by mourners and sent by clubs and star players — Neymar and Ronaldo among them — from around the world as loudspeakers played the song “Eu sou Pelé” (“I am Pelé”) recorded by him.

The crowd was mostly local, although some came from far away, and many mourners were too young ever to have seen Pelé play. The mood was light, as people filtered out of the stadium to local bars, wearing Santos FC and Brazil shirts.

Claudio Carrança, 32, a salesman, said: “I never saw him play, but loving Pelé is a tradition that goes from father to son in Santos. I learned his history, saw his goals, and I see how Santos FC is important because he is important. I know some Santos fans have children supporting other teams. But that’s just because they never saw Pelé in action. If they had, they would feel this gratitude I feel now.”

Among those at the stadium was Pelé’s best friend Manoel Maria, also a former Santos player.

“If I had all the wealth in the world I would never be able to repay what this man did for me and my family,” Maria said. “He was as great a man as he was as a player — the best of all time. His legacy will outlive us all. And that can be seen in this long line with people of all ages here.”

FIFA President Gianni Infantino told journalists that every country should name a stadium after Pelé.

“I am here with a lot of emotion, sadness, but also with a smile because he gave us so many smiles,” Infantino said. “As FIFA, we will pay a tribute to the ‘King’ and we ask the whole world to observe a minute of silence.”

Another fan and friend in line was Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Gilmar Mendes.

“It is a very sad moment, but we are now seeing the real meaning of this legendary player to our country,” Mendes told journalists. “My office has shirts signed by Pelé, a picture of him as a goalkeeper, also signed by him. DVDs, photos, a big collection of him.”

Pelé had undergone treatment for colon cancer since 2021. The medical center where he had been hospitalized said he died of multiple organ failure as a result of the cancer.

Pelé led Brazil to World Cup titles in 1958, 1962 and 1970 and remains one of the team’s all-time leading scorers with 77 goals. Neymar tied Pelé’s record during this year’s World Cup in Qatar.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger’s new mugshot revealed

January 5, 2023 Published by

Latest & Breaking News on Fox News

Bryan Kohberger, the 28-year-old criminal justice student accused of killing four undergrads at a neighboring school, arrived at the Latah County Jail Wednesday evening, hours after authorities flew him out of Pennsylvania.

Police there and the FBI took him into custody on Dec. 30 after raiding his parents’ house in Albrightsville.

Kohberger faces four counts a first-degree murder and a felony burglary charge for allegedly entering a six-bedroom house and stabbing four University of Idaho students.

Latah County Coroner Cathy Mabbutt has said the victims were likely sleeping at the time of the ambush. Only some of them had defensive wounds, she said.

UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO MURDERS TIMELINE: WHAT WE KNOW

After deputies booked Kohberger into the county jail, his new mugshot appeared on the sheriff’s website.

Police identified the victims of the Nov. 13 attack as Kaylee Goncalves and Maddie Mogen, 21, along with 20-year-olds Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin, who were dating.

After the attacks, Kohberger is believed to have finished the semester at Washington State University, about 7 miles away from the crime scene.

He was studying there for a Ph.D in the department of criminal justice and criminology and working as a TA.

On Dec. 15, the day a Pullman Police SWAT team shot and killed an armed suspect after an hours-long and unrelated standoff, Kohberger was pulled over twice with his dad in Indiana, once for speeding and once for tailgating, as they made their way back to the Poconos.

WATCH: New video shows traffic stop in Indiana involving Idaho murder suspect

A source told Fox News’ Dan Springer Wednesday that the stops came at the direction of the FBI, who were looking for images of Kohberger’s hands.

Kohberger’s Pennsylvania defense attorney said the father’s trip had been planned well in advance.

He also said Kohberger expected to be exonerated in Idaho after waiving his extradition in the Keystone State.

Kohberger arrived in Idaho just before 6:30 p.m. Wednesday after a cross-country flight from Pennsylvania that made two pits stops along the way.

Deputies escorted him out of a Pennsylvania State Police plane. He was seen wearing a red prisoner jumpsuit under a heavy jacket.

GREG GUTFELD: Goldman Sachs’ ‘free’ perks for its employees are vanishing faster than a CNN anchor

January 5, 2023 Published by

Latest & Breaking News on Fox News

Knock it off. Knock it off. Oh, man. You’re going to be in my hotel room later. Happy Wednesday, everyone. It’s the first Wednesday of the New Year, and I can only hope you’re holding on to those resolutions. After all, you want a beach bod, not a Bankman bod. Somebody get this guy a training bra. He’s a 30-year-old guy with the body of Kathy Bates.

Speaking of banks, did you hear what’s going down at Goldman Sachs? Huh, see, transition, everybody. As a recession becomes reality and layoffs loom. The perks that one used to enjoy at your job are disappearing faster than Whoopi Goldberg’s Jewish fan base. According to The New York Post, they’re taking away their free coffee perks for the Goldman Sachs employees. I know, stop the presses or at least the French presses. I know. That’s why I sit here, and you’re in the audience.

GODLMAN SACHS PLANNING TO LAY OFF THOUSANDS OF EMPLOYEES

So now those bankers will have to pay for it like the rest of us, just like I do for those massages. Bill Hemmer has such strong hands, sadly, as the New York Post reports, Goldman Sachs employees returned to work on Tuesday to find out that they’d have to pay for their crappy coffee. That’s the Post’s words, not mine. I’m guessing it’s Starbucks, which I happen to like, because you know what I always say? I like my coffee the way I like my Joy Reid, black and really bitter.

So to quote one worker, they were “confronted” when they got their coffee “with a sign and a woman yelling at us” that the coffee was “no longer complimentary.” A woman yelling at them, Judge, I didn’t know you spend your mornings at Goldman Sachs. Anyway, the anonymous banker goes on quote, “we had to go to the checkout counter before we could leave, I paid $2.99 this morning for a —– cup of Seattle’s best. Well, I assume they’re either talking about coffee or a urine sample from Kelsey Grammer, he’s clean now.

But come on, people. What’s with the whining? You don’t have to buy coffee. You can make your own or choose to not drink it. It’s not like the “Gutfeld!” paid toilets at the studio where the audience has no choice. And man, if I cleaned up on that, even if I don’t clean them. But look, no one’s forcing you to work there. You’re not chained to your desk like Kat and that’s for her own well-being. But caffeine may be the least of their worries.

GOLDMAN SACHS OFFICIAL TELLS “FACE THE NATION” THE RISK OF RECESSION IS “VERY, VERY HIGH”

As many as 4,000 “low performing” employees, 8% of the Goldman workforce could potentially be laid off. So they might as well buy the coffee then at least they already have a cup for people to drop change into. That was mean. I actually feel bad for them. But this is happening to everyone, not just Wall Streeters. So many Americans are dealing with inflation and an uncertain future. And for that misery, of course, you can thank Joe Biden’s America. Am I right, people?

AUDIENCE: Applauses and cheers.

That’s what you call a desperate attempt for red meat applause. That meat was redder than a baboon’s — during mating season. But I’m not totally heartless, regardless of what my four homeless, estranged children have to say. The rich have feelings, too, and I should know the price of helicopter fuel is driving me insane. Worse, I now have to fill the tank myself after letting Kilmeade go, and he could pack a lot of tears under those jaunty eyebrows.

GOLDMAN STRATEGISTS WARN S&P COULD DROP ANOTHER 11% IF RECESSION HITS

But this is what happens when good times suddenly become bad. All those perks seem to vanish faster than a CNN anchor. What freebies that were once dangled in front of you to join the firm disappear like a garbage bag full of éclairs during “The View’s” feeding time, but it’s like SeaWorld. But we’re all experiencing this malaise. Before the media would ignore it, the politicians would deny it and when it got undeniably worse, the press and politicians would collude and tell us that inflation is actually a good thing, which is like saying COVID is a good thing or high crime is a good thing. In fact, now that I think of it, pretty sure they did say that.

As for Goldman Sachs, a company that’s already dealing with lower revenues in this uncertain economic climate, coworkers claim that the free coffee was the last straw, which sucks because that straw was going to be saved for the blow.

Airbus joins Starlab commercial space station project

January 5, 2023 Published by NASA Official

WASHINGTON — Airbus Defence and Space is joining a commercial space station project led by Voyager Space, a move that could potentially make it easier for European governments to use the station after the retirement of the International Space Station.

Denver-based Voyager Space announced Jan. 4 a partnership with Airbus on its Starlab commercial space station project. Airbus will provide “technical design support and expertise” for Starlab, the companies said, but did not disclose additional details about the partnership or financial terms.

Voyager Space announced plans for Starlab in October 2021 working with Lockheed Martin. Starlab, as described at the time, would feature in inflatable module, docking node and bus, capable of hosting up to four astronauts at a time.

Voyager Space, through its subsidiary Nanoracks, won one of three NASA Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development, or CLD, awards from NASA in December 2021. The $160 million Space Act Agreement is intended to support design work on Starlab as NASA prepares to transition from the ISS to commercial space stations by the end of the decade.

That transition will also involve NASA’s international partners on the ISS, something that both Airbus and Voyager Space officials alluded to in the announcement of their partnership. “Working with Airbus we will expand Starlab’s ecosystem to serve the European Space Agency (ESA) and its member state space agencies to continue their microgravity research in LEO,” Dylan Taylor, chairman and chief executive of Voyager Space, said in the announcement.

“This collaboration is an important step in making Starlab a reality, providing a foundation for long-lasting European and American leadership in space,” said Jean-Marc Nasr, executive vice president of space systems at Airbus Defence and Space, in the same statement.

ISS partners have pondered how they will make use of commercial space stations run by American companies. Current ISS arrangements, where space agencies barter for services, are unlikely to apply to commercial facilities, where agencies may have to work directly with the station’s operator rather than through NASA.

“We need to find ways to work together, certainly in other ways than we did before,” said Peter Gräf, director of applications and science at the German space agency DLR, during a panel discussion at the AIAA ASCEND conference in October. “There are a lot of options available and the main players are in heavy discussions on that.”

Direct payments from European governments to American companies for use of commercial space stations could be politically problematic. “The taxpayers in Europe don’t want to pay directly to private American companies,” said Nicolas Maubert, space counselor at the French Embassy in the U.S. and representative of the French space agency CNES in the U.S., at the conference panel. Those concerns may be alleviated, though, if companies from Europe and other ISS partners are involved with the stations.

ESA officials, who are beginning work on their post-ISS plans, are aware of those concerns. “Shall we pay directly to commercial providers in the U.S.? We can, of course, but that is euros directly supporting U.S. industry. Is that something Europe wants to do, that our member states want to do?” said Frank De Winne, head of ESA’s European Astronaut Center, in an interview during ESA’s ministerial council meeting in Paris in November.

How ESA will deal with commercial space stations is something the agency will study leading up to its next ministerial council meeting in 2025, but he said one option would be for ESA to fund development of a European crewed vehicle that could service those stations.

“If we talk to the commercial providers today, to the CLDs that are being funded by NASA, they all tell us the same thing: they are interested in transportation,” he said. “For them to keep their costs low on transportation, they want competition. It’s as simple as that.”

Airbus is not the first European company to be involved in a commercial space station project. Thales Alenia Space is building modules for Axiom Space that will initially be installed on the ISS but eventually be detached to form a commercial space station.

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The latest updates on NFL star Damar Hamlin's condition

January 5, 2023 Published by CNN

The pregame “60-minute meeting” among medical teams and NFL officials was vital to the response when Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed during Monday night’s game, NFL Chief Medical Officer Dr. Allan Sills said.

“If you ask me, the 60-minute meeting is the most important thing we do on Sundays,” Sills told CNN on Wednesday.

“It happens one hour before kickoff… and it involves everyone on the medical care team from both teams. So the team physicians, the athletic trainers, our independent personnel, which are our unaffiliated neurotrauma consultants, our airway doctors, our visiting team medical liaisons, the paramedics, the ambulance crew and the referee. That whole crew of people gets together one hour before the game, and they review that emergency action plan, they talk specifically about locations of emergency equipment, who’s going to lead if we have a cardiac arrest, how the chain of command will go,” he explained.

“Fans don’t ever see that meeting. It happens underneath the stands,” Sills said. “It’s part of the reason why, in this tragic moment on Monday night, we could have a quick, effective and really transformational response.”

Sills said that the main focus now is on treating Hamlin but that his medical team will continue to search for answers, including possible causes like commotio cordis and myocarditis.

“Many times in these cases, players don’t necessarily have a preexisting history or a preexisting abnormality, and cardiac arrest can occur without any warning,” he said.

Sills also said questions of safety are relevant to him as a parent of four and grandfather of nine.

“I let my children and my grandchildren play sports because I think there are tremendous benefits. But what I want to know as a parent is: is that sports league prepared? Do they have an emergency action plan? Do they have bystanders or people who are trained in emergency procedures? Do they have a defibrillator present? To me, those are the key questions, and I also want to make sure the league or the team they’re associated with promotes an atmosphere of safety,” he said.

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[World] Makiivka: Russia blames missile attack on soldiers' mobile phone use

January 5, 2023 Published by BBC News

In November, Russia withdrew from the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, a major strategic defeat for Moscow. The announcement to retreat, though, was made by Gen Sergei Surovikin, commander of Russian forces in Ukraine. President Putin was meanwhile pictured touring a neurological facility, and did not make any comment on the situation in Kherson.

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These four House Republicans voted against adjourning amid Speaker fight

January 5, 2023 Published by Mychael Schnell

Just In | The Hill

Four Republicans joined Democrats Wednesday night in voting against adjourning the House, pushing the motion to the cusp of failure after the GOP was unable to elect a Speaker for the second day in a row.

The motion to adjourn ultimately passed in a narrow 216-214 vote, handing Republicans a win. GOP Reps. Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Lauren Boebert (Colo.) and Matt Gaetz (Fla.) and Rep.-elect Eli Crane (Ariz.) were the only Republicans to oppose the measure.

Two Republicans and two Democrats did not vote.

Asked why he voted against the motion to adjourn, Gaetz told reporters “I love voting.”

The final moment in the vote to adjourn was dramatic, with both parties trying to overcome one another in the tally. The lead alternated between those opposed to and in favor of adjournment before the “yes” votes locked it up.

Democratic leadership had pushed their members to vote against adjourning in a bid to force a seventh vote overall — and fourth on Wednesday — on the Speakership.

Republicans in the chamber erupted in cheers when the final vote was called.

Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) offered the motion to adjourn after Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), on his way to the chamber, told reporters “I don’t think voting tonight is productive.”

Instead of kicking off the seventh ballot Wednesday evening, the chamber will reconvene at noon on Thursday.

The House adjourned earlier on Wednesday — at around 4:30 p.m. — after McCarthy failed to win the Speakership on three separate ballots. The California Republican won 201 votes, short of the majority needed to secure the gavel. Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.) picked up 212 votes.

Twenty Republicans voted for Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) instead of McCarthy on all three of Wednesday’s ballots, and Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.) voted present throughout the trio.

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Russian church head calls for Ukraine truce; Kyiv rebuffs it

January 5, 2023 Published by ANDREW MELDRUM

Top News: US & International Top News Stories Today | AP News

Local residents carry the body of a 20-year-old man killed in Russian shelling in Kherson, Ukraine, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/LIBKOS)

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The head of the Russian Orthodox Church called Thursday for a 36-hour Christmas cease-fire in Ukraine at the end of this week, but his appeal looked unlikely to bring any breakthrough in halting the war that began nearly 11 months ago with Moscow’s invasion.

Patriarch Kirill suggested a truce from noon Friday through midnight Saturday, local time. The Russian Orthodox Church, which uses the ancient Julian calendar, celebrates Christmas on Jan. 7 — later than the Gregorian calendar — although some Christians in Ukraine also mark the holiday on that date.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak dismissed Kirill’s call as “a cynical trap and an element of propaganda.” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had proposed a Russian troop withdrawal earlier, before Dec. 25, but Russia rejected it.

Kirill has previously justified the war as part of Russia’s “metaphysical struggle” to prevent a liberal ideological encroachment from the West.

Moscow officials made no comment on Kirill’s overture. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with Turkey’s president Thursday and the Kremlin said Putin “reaffirmed Russia’s openness to a serious dialogue” with Ukrainian authorities.

Hub peek embed (Russia-Ukraine) – Compressed layout (automatic embed)

But that professed readiness came with the usual preconditions: that “Kyiv authorities fulfill the well-known and repeatedly stated demands and recognize new territorial realities,” the Kremlin said, referring to Moscow’s insistence that Ukraine recognize Crimea as part of Russia and acknowledge other illegal territorial gains.

Previous attempts at peace talks have fallen at that hurdle, as Ukraine demands that Russia withdraws from occupied areas at the very least.

Elsewhere, the head of NATO said he detected no change in Moscow’s stance on Ukraine, insisting that the Kremlin “wants a Europe where they can control a neighboring country.”

“We have no indications that President Putin has changed his plans, his goals for Ukraine,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in Oslo.

Ukraine’s Western allies have renewed a vow to keep supporting Kyiv for as long as it takes to defeat Russia.

In the latest pledge of military help, the French Defense Ministry said it plans talks soon with its Ukrainian counterpart on delivering armored combat vehicles. France’s presidency says it will be the first time this type of Western-made wheeled tank destroyer is sent to Ukraine’s military.

Also, U.S. President Joe Biden said Bradley Fighting Vehicles, a medium armored combat vehicle that can serve as a troop carrier, could be sent to Ukraine.

The fighting in Ukraine has increasingly become a war of attrition in recent weeks, as winter sets in.

Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of the Ukrainian presidential office, said Thursday at least five civilians were killed and eight wounded across the country by Russian shelling in the previous 24 hours.

The ongoing intense battle for the eastern city of Bakhmut has left 60% of the city in ruins, Donetsk Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko said Thursday. Ukrainian defenders were holding the Russians back, but the Kremlin’s forces have pummeled the city with months of relentless shelling.

Taking the city in the Donbas region, an expansive industrial area bordering Russia, would not only give Putin a major battlefield gain after months of setbacks, but it also would rupture Ukraine’s supply lines and open the way for Moscow’s forces to press on toward key Ukrainian strongholds in Donetsk.

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Follow AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

Cardinals not expecting Kyler Murray to be ready for start of next season

January 5, 2023 Published by Fox News

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray underwent ACL repair surgery Wednesday, and it’s unlikely he’ll be back under center for the start of the 2023-24 season.

Head coach Kliff Kingsbury spoke with reporters and said quarterback Colt McCoy will be shut down the rest of the year due to a concussion. He compared Murray’s situation with McCoy’s.

“It was tough,” Kingsbury said via ESPN about ending McCoy’s season early. “He wanted to play, and it’s just in our situation with … probably not having Kyler start the year, it’s the right thing to do.”

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) is carted off the field after an injury during the first half of a game against the New England Patriots Dec. 12, 2022, in Glendale, Ariz.
(AP Photo/Darryl Webb)

Murray posted a picture after undergoing surgery, thanking everyone that’s remained by his side since he suffered his injury on the third play against the New England Patriots in Week 14 at home. Murray decided to take off outside the pocket, and as he went to juke out a defender, his knee buckled before being hit.

MRI results confirmed he had torn his ACL.

CARDINALS QUARTERBACK WOES CONTINUE AHEAD OF CHRISTMAS DAY MATCHUP

“ACL surgery was successful, thank you for all the love and prayers,” Murray wrote on Twitter. “I appreciate the support and positivity more than I can express, I’ll be back.”

It’s been a roller coaster season for a Cardinals team that had a roster capable of reaching the playoffs after qualifying last season. But the offense, in particular, couldn’t find consistency. And a lot questions were thrown at Murray and Kingsbury as the offense struggled.

Last season, Murray threw for 3,787 yards with 24 touchdowns to 10 interceptions and rushed for 423 yards and five touchdowns on his way to a 9-5 record as a starter. This season, Murray threw for 2,368 yards in 11 games with 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He rushed for 418 yards and three touchdowns.

Kyler Murray (1) of the Arizona Cardinals celebrates after a touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders in the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium Sept. 18, 2022, in Las Vegas.
(Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

The Cardinals are at the bottom of the NFC with a 4-12 record.

JJ WATT REVEALS HILARIOUS VOICE MEMO FROM CARDINALS ROOKIE WHO LEARNED OF HIS RETIREMENT

If the Cardinals lose to San Francisco this weekend, it would be their seventh straight defeat.

But Murray isn’t going anywhere anytime soon for Arizona.

He signed a five-year, $230.5 million extension prior to the start of this season. The contract is one of the main reasons Murray’s play has been hyper-analyzed this season amid the team’s struggles.

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray walks off the field after a game against the Los Angeles Chargers Nov. 27, 2022, in Glendale, Ariz.
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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The Cardinals have many questions to answer this offseason, but one thing they will be paying attention to closely is Murray’s recovery given their hefty investment in the Oklahoma product.

Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

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