Martin Keown has urged Mikel Arteta to grant more freedom to Bukayo Saka on the pitch.

Saka, operating on the right side of Arsenal’s attack, has emerged as one of the team’s standout performers. However, his effectiveness has made him a marked player, with opponents taking special measures to neutralise his threat.

Facing increased attention and sometimes becoming predictable, Saka has encountered challenges in certain matches. Keown, having observed the Englishman’s struggles against specific opponents, recommends that Arteta allows him more freedom to enhance his influence on the pitch.

He writes in the Daily Mail:

“Currently, Arsenal’s full backs move into central areas, but there is also the option for them to get forward more regularly down the flanks. Saka could be given greater freedom to roam rather than remain fixed to the right. Perhaps Martin Odegaard could enter that space on the wing to pose extra problems.”

Mikel Arteta has shared his perspective on why he relishes matches against Liverpool as his Arsenal team prepares to face them this weekend.

Having played for Liverpool’s city rivals Everton for several seasons during his career, Arteta is well-acquainted with the intense rivalry between the red and blue sides of the city.

As the manager of Arsenal, he recognises that Liverpool stands as one of his team’s most significant rivals, emphasising the need to approach each encounter with seriousness and determination.

In their last visit to Anfield, Arsenal secured a 1-1 draw, establishing themselves as a formidable opponent for the Reds.

Ahead of their game this weekend, Arteta said, as quoted by the Daily Mail:

Idaho has among the strictest abortion bans in the country. It’s so strict, in fact, that in 2022, the Biden administration sued the state, arguing that it violates a federal law regulating medical emergencies. The legal battle went all the way up to the Supreme Court, which said on Friday that Idaho’s law could go into effect—at least until the court reviews the case in April.

In Idaho, it’s illegal to perform an abortion—punishable by up to five years in prison—except when “necessary to prevent the death of a pregnant woman.” But doctors have faced confusion over when, if ever, they can step in to perform emergency abortions: What if, as US Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar poses, a patient’s condition isn’t life-threatening, but could become so? How long are doctors supposed to watch their patients’ conditions deteriorate before stepping in?

“Doctors in Idaho are afraid,” Julie Lyons, a family physician who sued the state over the law, told the Idaho Capital Sun in December. “We are afraid to provide simple obstetric care because of the fear that what we do with our patient could lead to prosecution.” Similarly, an Idaho OB/GYN told the Washington Post following the court’s decision on Friday, “I could take care of a patient in [a life-threatening] scenario tomorrow—and now I have to wait for months to figure out what I can do. It just makes me question what I am doing in this state anymore.”

It’s not just Idaho. As my colleague Madison Pauly wrote in July 2022:

The ambiguity in Wisconsin’s state abortion ban, for instance, has left doctors like Abigail Cutler, an OBGYN in Wisconsin, in an impossible bind. Wisconsin’s law, written in 1849, allows abortions to “save the life of the mother.”

When Donald Trump’s lawyers head to the Supreme Court next month, they’ll be making their case to some familiar faces: three justices that Trump appointed.

On Friday, the court agreed to hear the ex-president’s appeal of a recent Colorado ruling that Trump, due to his role in fomenting the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, is prohibited by the 14th Amendment from running for office again. The case—which could impact the presidential election in other states, as well—will likely be one of the most important that SCOTUS has ever considered. The constitutional issues are incredibly complex, and the stakes are as high as they get. The right answer isn’t obvious. Some influential conservative legal scholars have argued that Trump should be legally barred from the ballot; some high-profile liberals have countered that in a democracy, the decision should be left to the voters.

No one knows how the case will come out, and it’s entirely possible that the court will rule overwhelmingly, perhaps even unanimously, to let Trump run for office. But one thing seems reasonably clear: If the Supreme Court does decide to ban Trump from running (or to allow individual states to keep him off their ballots), it will likely be because at least one of the justices Trump appointed votes to do so.

The math is fairly simple. Assuming Clarence Thomas doesn’t recuse himself, it will take five votes to uphold the Colorado decision. Three of those would presumably come from the three Democratic appointees. The two most conservative justices on the court—Thomas and Samuel Alito—are probably the least likely to vote against Trump. So to win, Trump will probably need to convince three of the remaining four jurists, a group that includes Chief Justice John Roberts and the three associate justices that Trump himself put on the court.

Trump’s team is well aware of this dynamic. Appearing on Fox News this week, Trump attorney Alina Habba said, “I think it should be a slam dunk in the Supreme Court. I have faith in them.”

Arsenal is showing interest in a potential move for Amadou Onana and may consider approaching Everton for his signature in the current transfer window.

Despite Everton’s recent struggles, the midfielder has been one of the standout players in the Premier League and has remained loyal to the club.

Onana’s combative presence has been instrumental in Everton’s resurgence under Sean Dyche, catching the attention of Arsenal.

According to Team Talk, Mikel Arteta is impressed with Onana’s performances, and Arsenal is contemplating a move for the midfielder in the ongoing transfer window.

With Thomas Partey facing an extended absence from training, Arsenal is actively seeking a replacement for the Ghanaian, and Onana is being considered as a potential heir to Partey’s role at the Emirates.

Arsenal Women lost legend Jordan Nobbs when she signed for Aston Villa in the 2023 winter transfer window. Jordan’s reasoning at the time was to give her more playing time and a far greater opportunity of being selected for the Women’s World Cup 2023 Lionesses squad – which she achieved.

Arsenal Women then lost former Arsenal Academy player, defender Anna Patten, when she signed to Aston Villa in the 2023 summer transfer window, after Patten had been on loan to The Villans for more than one season.

We reported this week that the latest departure from Arsenal Women is full back Noelle Maritz who has now completed her transfer to Aston Villa Women, which has been confirmed today by Arsenal.

It is highly anticipated that Arsenal will announce the signing of USWNT full back, Emily Fox, within the coming days.

Aston Villa Women had a roaring season last year, finishing 5th in the WSL table behind the traditional Top 4. This season however, has been a totally different kettle of fish for Carla Ward’s Villans. They currently occupy 9th position in the WSL. After losing their first 5 games, more recent wins have seen them move out of the relegation zone but Ward was expected to be a busy manager in the January transfer window, to boost Villa’s chances of moving up the table.

The transfer window will not save Arsenal; only Mikel Arteta and his tactical decisions will. by Jack

Arsenal has lost three of its last five games, which is disappointing, but in games against West Ham and Fulham, Mikel Arteta, on paper, clearly fielded his strongest available lineups. On a good day, with Raya at goal, Saliba at defense, Rice and Havertz at midfield, and the attacking trio of Martinelli, Jesus, and Saka, plus the other players, Arsenal have the ability to demolish any side that comes up against them. Having said that, the Gunners have not been performing as expected in recent weeks.

Many Gooners are certain that signing a super striker will solve everything. However, Mikel Arteta, like any other top coach, is dealing with a team that has lost form and whose tactics have become predictable. There’s no assurance that replacing Gabriel Jesus with Ivan Toney will return Arsenal to their top form.

Mikel Arteta’s tactical plan may have to be reconsidered. He has a variety of tactical options. He can, for one, choose to revert to a 4-4-2 shape, which will protect his fullbacks, particularly the left back, who have been exposed. One of the front two, Havertz and Jesus, or Havertz and the new attacker, can play as a No. 10. That’s only one of several ideas Arteta might consider adapting.

We need to be realistic about the transfer window; there’s even a suggestion that this may be a quiet transfer window due to FFP restrictions.

No more excuses!

What in the world is this pathetic excuse for a season? The FA Cup? Seriously? Oh, great, a chance for some silverware, but it damn well better not be the only one. As an Arsenal fan, I’m not settling for anything less than winning a minimum of two trophies and being the runner-up in the third.

And don’t get me started on the absurd amount of money we’ve squandered on this so-called “group of players.” Saka, ESR, Nelson, Nketiah – we didn’t even have to cough up for them, and Martinelli came on the cheap. So, let me get this straight, we shell out big bucks, and the players we actually buy aren’t even good enough to start? What a colossal waste!

Arteta and Edu, the masterminds behind this disaster, handpicked these players, and now they’re responsible when things inevitably go south. The Kroenke’s should demand more than this pitiful excuse of a season. We should be aiming for the top, not just some measly FA Cup. If we drop out of that, and our league position takes a nosedive, Arteta and Edu should pack their bags and make way for someone who can actually win the league and the Champions League. No more room for experimentation – this is business, and it’s time to deliver trophies or hit the road.

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I’m supposed to feel confident going into this FA cup game at home, but instead, I’m fearing a thrashing from Liverpool’s B team. Arteta, it’s time to step up or step out. The Kroenkes can’t afford to wait around – a couple of games and, if things don’t turn around, it’s goodbye. We need a manager who’s a proven winner, not some apprentice learning on the job. No more patting ourselves on the back for participation – it’s about serious results now, a relentless run of victories, or it’s time to clean house.

Oleksander Zinchenko missed Arsenal’s game against Fulham owing to a calf injury that Mikel Arteta could not clarify the severity of. After witnessing Jakub Kiwior struggle at left back against Fulham, and with Takehiro Tomiyasu joining the Japan national team ahead of the Asian games, Arsenal fans have been worried for the better part of this week that they may not have a recognized fullback when they play Liverpool this Saturday.

Throughout the week, there were numerous suggestions for how Arsenal should handle the matter. Many people did not want to see Kiwior play left back again; thus, some suggested recalling Kieran Tierney after his loan spell at Real Sociedad. There was also speculation about signing a left-back.

The good news is that, for the game against Liverpool, Mikel Arteta has hinted that Oleksander Zinchenko may be available for selection. He said of the Ukrainian international, as per Football London, “He’s progressing well. We have another training session tomorrow. We’ll evaluate if he’s ready to start the game. The rest, there is no news.”

It’s fantastic news that Zinchenko might be fit for selection against Liverpool. I hope he’s back to his best. Anyway, there has been discussion of Arsenal purchasing a top left back, and I believe that is a major move that should not be overlooked. Zinchenko hasn’t been very great at times, and competition may be the perfect way to motivate him to improve.

Darren N

On Friday, ahead of the third anniversary of the January 6 Capitol attack, President Joe Biden delivered an impassioned campaign speech on what he framed as an urgent matter: This year, “democracy is on the ballot.” 

Much of the 30-minute speech—delivered near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, and available to watch in full here—stayed true to Biden’s familiar brand of American patriotism. The president revisited the day we “nearly lost America,” condemned political violence, and praised the “ordinary citizens, state election officials,” and “the American judicial system,” which, he said, “put the Constitution first” in the fallout from the 2020 election.

“Because of them, because of you,” he said, “The will of the people prevailed.”

But the address was also a searing indictment of Donald Trump—and a warning. Biden reminded viewers of Trump’s plans if he wins the presidency in 2024, repeatedly invoking the former president’s own words and actions. “Trump’s assault on democracy isn’t just part of his past,” Biden said. “It’s what he’s promising for the future. He’s been straightforward.”

“His first rally for the 2024 campaign,” Biden said of Trump, “opened with a choir of January 6th insurrectionists singing from prison on a cellphone while images of the January 6th riot played on the big screen behind him at his rally.”

The match between Arsenal and Liverpool is one that most football fans will want to watch this weekend in the round of 32 of the FA Cup.
Given that both teams will want to maintain their dignity as top clubs, the game is expected to be tight.

Liverpool will be without their star player, Mohammed Salah, but Jurgen Klopp has sent a warning to Arsenal, insinuating they should be worried as they are going to face a strong Liverpool team. The German coach wants to win the FA Cup, and he knows he has to beat Arsenal to do it.

“It is probably the most tricky draw you can get,” Klopp said at his pre-match press conference, as per the BBC. “It will be a tough one, but the game here was a good one, so let’s hope that we can show a good performance there as well.

“I don’t know if Arsenal is a game to rotate. I don’t know if we have 100% the opportunity to do it. It’s not as if we have the biggest squad available.

“We have players available, and we can line the team up 100%. A good team, and I think that is what we will do. If that looks then afterwards like rotation, then I don’t know that.

Should Arteta play Ramsdale or Raya to face Liverpool?

Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal squad will welcome Liverpool to The Emirates for the 3rd round of the FA Cup in what is set to be an action-packed game and a chance for our lads to go through to the next round. Arsenal holds the record for the most FA Cup won by one club and will be looking to continue this fine form this season and hopefully win our 15th trophy.

Arteta will no doubt make some changes and rotate his squad a bit as it’s a cup game and I’d expect the same type of thing for Jurgen Klopp, and with a chance to rotate and give the fringe players some minutes, all eyes will be on the team sheet to see who and who doesn’t start and for me, the biggest question is whether Arteta starts Aaron Ramsdale or David Raya for this cup clash.

Normally, I’d 100% expect Ramsdale to be starting cup games as he has all season and Arteta said he would, but because we were drawn against Liverpool, who have been in great form this season, currently sitting top of the table and look to be one of our main competition for the title, Arteta might decide to play what he thinks is his strongest squad and if the early part of the season is anything to go by, Raya is his ideal and first choice keeper.

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For me, I think Ramsdale is more than capable of putting on a performance between the sticks, but with the 3-1 loss to West Ham in the Carabao Cup freshly in Arteta’s mind, I can see why he would put his trust in Raya against such a strong rival. Ramsdale last played against PSV in The Champions League, he had a very good game and made some incredible saves, looking a bit shaky and nervous at the start but really grew into the game in the second half.

Brentford manager Thomas Frank is looking forward to frustrating Arsenal this winter, hinting that an Ivan Toney transfer to Arsenal may not take place.

Toney is set to return to competitive football when the Premier League returns, after serving a suspension from football activities (since late last season) for a betting offense.

Brentford, of course, has missed his services and would welcome the opportunity to enjoy his goalscoring ability for as long as possible. Even so, Arsenal appear to believe that Toney is the striker to take them to the next level, and they have been linked with a deal for him this winter.

If Arsenal wants to recruit Toney, they may have to pay a lot of money, as the Brentford manager insisted in his most recent press conference.

“The very short answer is yes,” said Frank, when asked if Toney would stay. “He is a Brentford player. He is here, we miss a few offensive players and I cannot see why we should sell him. I would love to have him here for a long time.

Should FA Cup underdogs be allowed to choose whether they play at home or away? Marcus Speller thinks so. Today he, Luke and Jim discuss the one change they would each make to improve the world’s oldest cup competition.

Speaking of making improvements, Jim also makes the case for banning Sweet Caroline from football. Plus, we hear from a listener that once beat Jamie Redknapp at Table Tennis.

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It’s FA Cup third round weekend! And what a curtain-raiser it was last night on ITV4…

Marcus, Luke, Jim and Vish discuss Sunderland gaffes ahead of the derby, Arsenal moaning ahead of their clash with Liverpool, and why Paul Cook is definitely ready to spring a cupset!

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This story was originally published by Grist and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration.

Last year, climate change came into sharp relief for much of the world: The planet experienced its hottest 12-month period in 125,000 years. Flooding events inundated communities from California to East Africa to India. A heat wave in South America caused temperatures to spike above 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the middle of winter, and a heat dome across much of the southern United States spurred a 31-day streak in Phoenix of 110 degree-plus temperatures. The formation of an El Niño, the natural phenomenon that raises temperatures globally, intensified extreme weather already strengthened by climate change. The US alone counted 25 billion-dollar weather disasters in 2023—more than any other year. 

Yet this devastation was met by some of the largest gains in climate action to date. World leaders agreed for the first time to “transition away” from oil and gas at the annual United Nations climate summit, hosted last month by the United Arab Emirates. Funds and incentives from President Joe Biden’s signature climate law, the Inflation Reduction Act, started to roll out to companies and municipalities. Electric vehicle sales skyrocketed, thousands of young people signed up for the first-ever American Climate Corps, and companies agreed to pay billions of dollars to remove harmful chemicals called PFAS from drinking water supplies.

As we enter a new year, we asked Grist reporters what big stories they’re watching on their beats, 24 predictions for 2024. Their forecasts depict a world on the cusp of change in regard to climate—both good and bad, and often in tandem. Here’s what we’re keeping an eye on, from hard-won international financial commitments, to battles over mining in-demand minerals like lithium, to the expansion of renewable energy.

One student has died and four others, as well as an administrator, have been injured in Perry, Iowa early Thursday, in what appears to be the year’s first mass school shooting. 

The attack, which unfolded at Perry High School just after 7:30 a.m. local time, led to the death of an unnamed sixth-grader, according to Mitch Mortvedt, assistant director of the Division of Criminal Investigation at the Iowa Department of Public Safety. It was not immediately clear why that victim, a student at Perry Middle School, was at the high school; NBC News reported that the shooting unfolded during a breakfast program, before classes began, and that students of different ages may have been on campus. 

The five injured people are being treated at local hospitals, Mortvedt told reporters Thursday afternoon. Their conditions weren’t immediately clear Thursday night. 

The attacker, a 17-year-old student at the high school, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Mortvedt said, adding that authorities believe the shooter acted alone, employing a pump-action shotgun and small-caliber handgun. Authorities who swarmed the school following reports of gunshots also found an improvised explosive device on campus, which officials from the State Fire Marshal and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms “rendered…safe,” Mortvedt said. 

The shooting came on the first school day of 2024 in Perry, some 40 miles northwest of Des Moines. 

Republicans are standing with Donald Trump in record numbers—and a majority consider him to be a “person of faith,” according to two polls that dropped this week. 

Republicans today are more likely to be sympathetic to Trump regarding his involvement in the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol, compared to the week after the insurrection, a Washington Post-University of Maryland poll found. Fourteen percent of GOP-identified respondents said last month that Trump bears a great or good amount of responsibility for the deadly insurrection, compared to 27 percent who said the same nearly three years ago. Only 18 percent of Republicans in that survey said the insurrection was “mostly violent,” compared to 26 percent who said so in 2021. (As a reminder, the insurrection led to injuries to approximately 140 police officers.)

The Washington Post reports that, in follow-up interviews, some participants said their views changed over the past couple years—because they’ve grown to believe the conspiracy theory that January 6 was an inside job. (GOP presidential candidate and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy has espoused this theory during his campaign and did so again today in response to the Post story.) 

Additionally, only 31 percent of Republicans surveyed said they believed President Biden was legitimately elected in 2020, compared to 39 percent in 2021; overall, the poll found, 36 percent of Americans don’t accept Biden’s presidency as legitimate. 

“From a historical perspective, these results would be chilling to many analysts,” Michael J. Hanmer, director of the Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement at the University of Maryland, told the Post. But the results also provide some insight into why polling continues to show Trump as the likely GOP presidential nominee; that is, his role in the insurrection isn’t hurting him. Among his base, it appears to be helping cement his image as a martyr unfairly targeted by the DC establishment. 

SpaceX, the space flight company owned by Elon Musk, illegally fired eight employees after they criticized Musk’s social media behavior, a new complaint from the National Labor Relations Board alleges.

The complaint stems from a June 2022 open letter that was shared on the company’s internal chat system in which the fired employees called on SpaceX to “swiftly and explicitly separate itself” from its owner because of Musk’s increasingly erratic and inflammatory social media posts. The letter also claimed that SpaceX had failed to uphold its zero-tolerance sexual harassment policy, as well as its “No Asshole” policy. Now, after a yearlong investigation, the NLRB has found evidence of at least 37 labor violations. 

“Elon’s behavior in the public sphere is a frequent source of distraction and embarrassment for us,” the letter stated, according to a report by The Verge. “As our CEO and most prominent spokesperson, Elon is seen as the face of SpaceX—every Tweet that Elon sends is a de facto public statement by the company.”

Nine employees were terminated shortly after the letter’s release. (The NLRB’s complaint involves eight of them.) According to reports from the Associated Press, five employees were fired one day after the letter was sent, while the remaining four were terminated weeks later. 

 The new NLRB complaint adds to the growing labor complaints surrounding Musks’s companies. In February 2022, Tesla employees filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against Tesla, with one Black employee claiming to hear racial slurs at least 50 to 100 times a day. As my former colleague, Edwin Rios wrote: 

This story was originally published by Grist and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration.

A change to the federal EV incentive that took effect Monday could widen access for low and middle-income buyers who want to go electric but have been excluded by high prices. 

The clean vehicle tax credit, which offers up to $7,500 toward a new electric, hydrogen, or plug-in hybrid vehicle, and up to $4,000 for a used one, is now available as an instant rebate at approved dealers. Until now, buyers could not take advantage of the credit until they filed their taxes. 

EV-equity advocates said the change will put buying an electric vehicle within reach of more buyers. “It’s a huge help,” Irvin Rivero, e-mobility associate at the Bay Area nonprofit Acterra, told Grist. Rivero consults prospective buyers on how to apply for financial incentives, and said some clients either can’t afford the upfront cost or do not earn enough to owe taxes.

“A lot of people were getting the tax credit, but the people who didn’t have tax liability weren’t benefiting from this program,” Rivero said.