CHICAGO (AP) — Aidan Laughery rushed for three touchdowns and No. 22 Illinois topped Northwestern 38-28 on Saturday to reach nine victories for the first time since its 2007 Rose Bowl season. Pat Bryant dashed in to score off Luke Altmyer’s 43-yard pass early in the third quarter as Illinois (9-3, 6-3 Big Ten) struck for touchdowns just over 4 minutes apart early in the third quarter to open a 28-10 lead in what had been a tight game. Bryant's 10th receiving touchdown tied a school record. Altmyer, who threw for 170 yards, had a TD himself on a keeper from the 1-yard line early in the second quarter. David Olano added a field goal in the fourth to cap Illinois' scoring. Laughery, a sophomore running back, rushed for a career-best 172 yards and topped 100 for the first time. He entered with only one TD this season and two for his career. He had a career-long 64-yard run for a score early in the second half. Coach Bret Bielema said he wasn't surprised by Laughery's explosive performance as the Gibson City, Illinois product rounded back into form after being hampered by a hamstring injury earlier this season. “I thought today would be a day that could happen,” Bielema said. “Today some of those turned into big home run hits we've kind of been waiting on all year.” Laughery said he's been prepping for this kind of game, when he carried the ball 12 times for an average of 14.3 yards. “Finally, the opportunity was there,” said Laughery, who got the game ball. “You know you gotta' hit one and it came together today.” He credited the Illini offensive line with opening space for his breakout performance. “Those guys were covering them (Northwestern's defense) all day long,” Laughery said. “It was awesome running behind the looks we were getting” Northwestern’s Devin Turner intercepted Altmyer twice, including for a 13-yard touchdown return late in the first quarter. Thomas Gordon caught Jack Lausch's 15-yard TD pass with a minute left, then the Wildcats added a two-point conversion to complete the scoring. Northwestern (4-8, 2-7 Big Ten) didn’t pack it in as hosted its second game this season at Wrigley Field, this time on a breezy sunny day with game-time temperature of 20 degrees. It looked like the Illini might run away after Bryant’s 10th receiving touchdown 4:52 into the third. He entered tied for the Big Ten lead. But Luke Akers kicked his second field goal of the game, a 34-yarder, with 5:35 left in the third quarter to cut it to 28-13. Lausch led the Wildcats on their next possession and finished it with an 11-yard touchdown toss to A.J. Henning to narrow the Illini lead to 28-20. Then Mac Resetich intercepted Lausch’s pass 50 seconds into the fourth quarter. Laughery powered up the middle for 31 yards and his third TD about two minutes later to quell the Wildcats' momentum. Northwestern dominated in possession time — 34:32 to 25:28 —and plays — 90 to 53. The margin was even more pronounced in the first half, but the Wildcats settled for a 13-yard touchdown return on Turner’s second pick of the game with 2:14 left in the first quarter and Akers’ 21-yard field goal that opened the scoring 6:29 in. Illinois led 14-10 at the half on Laughery’s 30-yard TD run midway through the first quarter and Altmyer’s keeper 1:39 into the second. Akers missed wide to the right on a 44-yard attempt as time ran out in the half. Both teams’ leading pass receivers were injured. Northwestern’s Bryce Kirtz was knocked out of the game in the first quarter with a lower-body injury after two receptions that upped his total yards to 598. Illinois’ Bryant went to the locker room with about 5 minutes left in the first half after Turner collided with him as he plucked his second interception. Bryant returned, however, for the second half. Illinois: Is in line for a prestigious bowl game appearance and a chance to tie the school record of 10 wins, most recently set during their 2001 Sugar Bowl season. “We wanted to put ourselves in a good position on this day to get to nine wins and see where it can go,” Bielema said. “Just a fun day overall. I don't know what the future holds. It think we're a team that can play with anybody in the country.” Northwestern: Finished its second season under coach David Braun at 4-8 overall and 2-7 in the Big Ten. The Wildcats dropped their final three and five of the last six. Illinois is headed to a bowl game. Northwestern opens its 2025 season at Tulane on Aug. 30. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football . Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25
Trump’s Defense secretary nominee has close ties to Idaho Christian nationalists
Prosus is acquiring online travel agency Despegar.com for US$1.7-billion (R32-billion) as the Dutch technology investor seeks to expand its online commerce presence in Latin America. Despegar’s board approved the offer of $19.50/share, a 33% premium to the closing price on 20 December, Prosus said in a statement on Monday. “This acquisition demonstrates our strategy to build value by creating high-quality ecosystems of complementary technology businesses,” Prosus CEO Fabricio Bloisi said. “We will accelerate Despegar’s growth by leveraging the extensive customer touchpoints within our portfolio.” Prosus parent Naspers was an early investor in Tencent Holdings, and Prosus is now scouring the globe for companies in an effort to replicate its success with the Chinese internet firm. Bloisi, who prior to taking the helm at Prosus in July ran its Latin American iFood delivery service, stands to earn a $100-million moonshot pay package if he can double the company’s value in four years. The group has sold off some investments since Bloisi took over, including a stake in Indian online food delivery firm Swiggy during its initial public offering and its holding in China’s Trip.com for about $1.5-billion. This is its first big acquisition under Bloisi, although more deals are expected as he seeks rapid growth. Despegar operates in 19 countries and handles over 9.5 million transactions a year. The company did $5.3-billion in gross bookings in its 2023 financial year. The deal, which is expected to close during the second quarter of 2025 pending regulatory approval, will add to Prosus’s e-commerce portfolio in Latin America, where it also has a classified business OLX, iFood and events platform Sympla. Upon completion, the group will have about 100 million customers and over $500-million in e-commerce earnings before interest and tax in Latin America, according to a Prosus presentation. Read: Naspers plans more IPOs after Swiggy success Prosus has redoubled its efforts to deploy the company’s capital, focusing on sectors including online food, classifieds, payments and fintech, Prosus chief investment officer and president Ervin Tu said last month. Prosus, through Naspers, made a blockbuster investment in Tencent in 2001, when it paid $34-million for nearly half of the company. Today, it owns about a quarter of the firm, which has a market value of about $480-billion. The group’s investment in the Chinese tech giant has distorted Prosus’s stock price and created a gap between the value of the stake and the rest of the group’s businesses. — (c) 2024 Bloomberg LP Get breaking news from TechCentral on WhatsApp. Sign up here
Titans QB Mason Rudolph gets another chance at starting, this time against the JagsWhat misuse of ambulances means for patient safetyChandigarh, Nov 30, 2024 (Yes Punjab News) Terming the medium of literature as the most potent weapon to inspire youngsters towards defence services, the Punjab Governor and UT Admisnstrator Gulab Chand Kataria on Saturday said that valour exhibited by sons and daughters of Punjab in different wars was a perennial source of motivation for the entire nation. The Governor was speaking here after inaugurating the 8th edition of the Military Literature Festival (MLF) being organised at the Lake Sports Complex. The two-day event beginning today is being held here to offer youngsters a peep into the army life and to nurture future defence leaders. “The festival not only celebrates India’s glorious military heritage but also underscores the role of military literature in enhancing knowledge and fostering patriotism among citizens, the Governor said. Highlighting the increasing participation of women in the armed forces, the Governor said it marked a progressive step towards gender equality and inclusivity in our forces. The Governor commended the efforts of the Festival organisers to encourage and prepare young boys and girls to join the military, contributing significantly to national security and defense. India’s strides toward self-reliance in defense under the vision of Aatma Nirbhar Bharat were another focal point of the Governor’s address. He proudly noted that India is not only manufacturing state-of-the-art weapons and military equipment but is also emerging as a key exporter of defense technology to other nations. This, he said, reflects India’s growing stature as a global power in military innovation. The Governor recalled India’s historic achievement under the leadership of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam during the Pokhran nuclear tests. “Pokhran was a turning point that showcased to the world India’s capability and resolve. It was a moment of national pride that established our nation as a formidable nuclear power,” he remarked, urging the youth to draw inspiration from such milestones in India’s military history. The festival’s theme, “Wars Under the Nuclear Umbrella,” aligns with discussions on contemporary global challenges and India’s preparedness for future conflicts. Various panel discussions are scheduled on topics like the war in Ukraine, regional instability, and advancements in defense technology. In his address, the Governor reiterated the importance of military literature as a tool to inspire future generations. He urged the festival’s organizers to expand its reach to villages across the state, ensuring that stories of bravery, sacrifice, and patriotism resonate with every corner of Punjab. The Governor also proposed publishing an annual magazine to preserve and disseminate the event’s rich content to schools and colleges. The Governor emphasized the need for retired military officers to engage with students, sharing their experiences to inspire them to join the armed forces. “Your life stories, struggles, and achievements can ignite a sense of duty and patriotism in the youth, shaping them as future defenders of our nation,” he said. The event also features a grand military equipment exhibition organized by the Western Command, showcasing India’s defense capabilities. The Governor lauded the efforts of Lt. Gen. T.S. Shergill and Lt. Gen. Manoj Kumar Katiyar for organizing this world-class festival and urged all citizens to reflect on India’s journey toward self-reliance in defense and military excellence. The 8th Military Literature Festival Chandigarh continues to be a platform for celebrating the nation’s rich martial legacy while fostering discussions on the challenges and opportunities in modern warfare and global security. On this occasion, MP from Chandigarh Mr. Manish Tewari and Mayor Chandigarh Mr. Kuldeep Kumar were also present.
Americans have been appalled by thousands of illegal immigrants — those granted temporary legal status or who crossed the border undetected — exacerbating homelessness and straining shelters, schools and social services budgets. President-elect Donald Trump promised aggressive deportations during his campaign, but he hardly has a mandate. He won the popular vote by 1.5 percentage points, and Republicans enjoy a House majority of only three seats. President Biden muffed the immigration issue by reversing most of Mr. Trump’s tough border policies — including requiring many migrants to wait in Mexico while their asylum claims could be heard. The Biden policy coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic and economic disorder in much of Latin America, and the number of immigrants in the U.S. illegally surpassed 13 million. Hardly all deadbeats, many found work and proved vital to sustaining the robust 2.5% pace of economic growth we enjoyed in the Trump and Biden years, compared with the 1.9% accomplished during the Bush-Obama era. After the pandemic shutdowns, the economy rapidly recovered and was at full employment in the summer of 2023. Over the next year, it added 195,000 jobs a month, when indigenous population growth and legal immigration could support only about 80,000 a month. Illegal immigrants made up the difference, account for half of agricultural workers and are prominently represented in the building trades, hospitality and day care for children and older adults. Vice President-elect J.D. Vance argues that these workers could be replaced by offering Americans higher wages, but that’s silly. In an economy with just 7 million job-seekers, it’s highly problematic to visualize how more than 1 million Americans could be motivated to take backbreaking jobs picking avocados and lettuce in the Central Valley of California, packing meat in Iowa or milking cows in Wisconsin. The combination of workers deported, fleeing to Canada or going into hiding would create significant food shortages and the kind of grocery price inflation suffered during and after the COVID shutdowns. It would force many women to quit the workforce for lack of child care. Familiar faces would disappear at supermarkets, restaurants and dry cleaners, while the pace of inflation, which appears to be settling at about 2.5%, would jump to 4.5%. Economic growth would slow dramatically and retirement security impaired by an anemic stock market. Workers in immigrant-dominated occupations would get pay raises that exceed the rate of inflation. But for Americans employed in other industries, moribund or nonexistent growth would spell more joblessness and wages lagging inflation like the years following the COVID shutdowns. The cost of mass deportation could reach $900 billion — enough to build nearly 3 million homes or 43,450 elementary schools. The incoming Trump administration is misreading its mandate. Americans may want the border and immigration laws tightly enforced, but according to a recent Pew Trust poll, 64% of Americans favor letting illegal immigrants who are already here stay if they meet conditions such as passing a background check. Seeing real incomes fall, shortages of basic services such as child care, elder care, home and office cleaners and counter help at fast-food places — and draconian images of the National Guard and sheriff’s deputies dragging immigrants from their workplaces and homes — would surely make the latter statistic rocket and permit Mr. Trump’s critics to paint him as a fascist. With only a slim Republican majority in the House, prospects for a good deal of his other economic and foreign policy priorities would be impaired. In the propaganda competition with China and Russia for influence in emerging nations, the American brand of champion of human rights would be severely damaged. Our current system permits too few legal immigrants, creating worker shortages, including in the tech sector. It is too biased toward family reunification, which can be abused through chain immigration and a diversity lottery. Instead, we should increase quotas enough to ensure 1 million to 1.5 million more workers a year. Like Canada, we should screen applicants primarily on the basis of their prospective contribution to the economy — prioritize those applicants filling needed employment categories. Let employers sponsor workers but pay a significant fee to be set by auction — the proceeds could be used to assist local governments with resettlement costs. Employers should be required to guarantee work for a minimum period of perhaps a year or two, subject to safeguards to prevent churning. It’s not just blue-collar and low-wage occupations that suffer shortages, and bigger quotas for engineers and other technology workers would likely accelerate growth in ways we have not calculated. Raising the cost to employers of immigrant workers through auctioned licenses would greatly reduce their incentive to turn to immigrants to avoid paying native-born Americans and green card holders higher wages. Stronger growth would raise real incomes for most everyone and help create more secure retirements through a higher worker-to-reitree ratio and a stronger stock market. . Copyright © 2024 The Washington Times, LLC. .What misuse of ambulances means for patient safety
AP News Summary at 1:24 p.m. ESTAS we approach the end of another year, many of us are left reflecting on the goals we set and the progress we've made. The reality, however, is that life rarely unfolds according to our plans, especially when it comes to personal finance. Perhaps you started the year with ambitious goals — to save more, invest in your future or finally pay off those lingering debts. Yet, as 2024 draws to a close, you might be feeling a mix of pride in what you've achieved and disappointment in what remains unfinished. But here's the truth: there's still time to turn things around, and more importantly, there's time to end the year feeling strong, proud and financially secure. Register to read this story and more for free . Signing up for an account helps us improve your browsing experience. OR See our subscription options.
Leaders fail to connect with CanadiansMOREHEAD, Ky. (AP) — Steven Clay scored 15 points as Morehead State beat Alice Lloyd 94-63 on Saturday. Clay shot 6 for 12, including 3 for 8 from beyond the arc for the Eagles (7-6). Kenny White Jr. scored 14 points, finishing 7 of 9 from the floor. Jerone Morton, Tayler Brelsford and George Marshall all scored 13 points. Jared Strickland finished with 12 points and eight rebounds for the Eagles. Landon Napier added 10 points for Alice Lloyd. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
Gippsland Backs Greyhound Track as Animal Welfare Groups Voice Ethical ConcernsTitans QB Mason Rudolph gets another chance at starting, this time against the Jags
Tossing and Turning: How Seasonal Stress Affects Your Sleep Cyclehas sold more than 1 million copies since its launch, with additional players jumping in via Xbox Game Pass. The news was announced by developer GSC Game World, which claimed this was just the start of the game’s adventure. “No wonder it feels a bit crowdy in the Zone. A million copies were sold, and much more stalkers joined the artifact hunt with Game Pass,” the studio . “The Heart of Chornobyl emanates stronger with each of us.” So far, has hit a 24-hour peak of 121,335 players on Steam (via ) and that number will likely rise in future – particularly as GSC Game World begins to release the first patches and content updates for the game. Notably, the launch of has been accompanied by an array of issue reports, as players have encountered rafts of bugs in the game. Many players have reported issues running the game on their PC, with any attempt resulting in visual glitches and poor resolution. Some have claimed enemies tend to spawn directly in front of you, creating a real dissonance in exploration. Others have issues with stealth, gun combat, fast travel, and random game freezes. GSC Game World is working to address STALKER 2’s bugs Despite all this, sentiment towards is largely positive, with many players enjoying the experience regardless. There’s also a clear throughline in player feedback: they’ll patiently wait for new patches, as GSC Game World continues to work on the game and address its major bugs. has rightfully earned a fair bit of leeway: it was developed under incredibly difficult conditions, as much of the studio team was forced to evacuate from their home country of Ukraine mid-development, due to Russia’s invasion. Some of the team remained in Ukraine, while others evacuated to the Czech Republic, understandably causing complications with smooth development. While ‘s path from launch hasn’t been entirely smooth, GSC Game World has committed to addressing the major issues with the game, creating a better experience for those one million players+ now wandering its wasteland. Those keen to jump in once its rougher edges are smoothed can stay tuned for updates via and .AP News Summary at 11:07 a.m. EST
