50jili voucher code Donald Trump is returning to the Oval Office at a time when cybersecurity concerns are only growing . On his watch, the nation will face threats from international cyber crime gangs that hack hospitals, schools, cities and major companies. Cyber extortionists are constantly evolving their pressure techniques. International tensions are also playing out in cyber space. China-backed hackers have been penetrating systems essential to U.S. life, including water systems and power grids. Some fear China could try to these systems, should geopolitical tensions rise. As his administration responds to such threats, Trump isn’t expected to follow President Joe Biden’s playbook entirely. Biden often tried to use regulations to compel organizations in critical sectors to improve their cyber defenses. Trump will more likely seek to reduce regulations, trying to find ways to encourage voluntary improvements from the private sector. He may also put more emphasis on hacking adversaries’ IT infrastructure. A considerable number of Republican lawmakers have also called for slashing the budget of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). They believe it mis-stepped in past efforts to discourage the spread online of election-related disinformation. That agency does far more than call out disinformation, however. It also issues alerts about cyber threats and helps support state and local governments, as well as the private sector, in defending . Some experts believe the cyber agency could lose some of its authority but that there’s enough bipartisan support for its other work that Trump and the new Congress will refrain from eliminating it altogether. Although the new administration’s plans in regard to technology policy in general are still evolving, here are some of the dynamics observers in the field expect to see emerging over the next four years: One of CISA’s many responsibilities is election security. Some conservatives remain unhappy that the agency contacted social media companies about probable election-related disinformation on their platforms during the 2020 election. They charge that this amounted to CISA censoring free speech and unfairly targeting conservative voices. The agency denies these complaints but discontinued such activities prior to the 2022 election. In September, more than 100 House Republicans made a failed effort to cut CISA’s funding heavily. Project 2025 — a transition document prepared by the Heritage Foundation and authored, in part, by new Trump appointees — calls for moving CISA into a different federal department and reassigning any duplicative cybersecurity work to other agencies. Trump himself has had a mixed relationship with CISA. He signed the act that created it, then at the end of his first term famously , then its director, for insisting the 2020 election was secure. Some lawmakers in 2021 from presidential changes by giving the CISA director a five-year term but their bill failed. Accusations against CISA could get a stronger voice when Kentucky Republican Rand Paul, a critic, becomes chair of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Despite the criticism it's attracted from some quarters, CISA will probably not be dismantled under Trump, thanks to the valuable — and less-controversial — work it does in other areas, including protecting critical infrastructure and election processes from cyber and physical attacks. There’s also been both industry and bipartisan political support for CISA projects such as the initiative — which asks software developers to design their products with cybersecurity in mind — and the , a public-private information sharing and collaboration project. “I don’t think they’re going to get rid of CISA,” says Mark Montgomery, senior director of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. “I think even Rand Paul knows he can't get rid of CISA, although he's pissed at it.” Cybersecurity is an international question, with many ransomware criminals conducting attacks from overseas while operating out of safe harbor countries like Russia. And nation-states are a pressing threat, with China-backed hackers having penetrated U.S. , perhaps readying to disrupt them should geopolitical tensions rise. China-linked actors also recently were found hacking deep into U.S. telecommunications networks, where they apparently spied on U.S. wiretapping and captured . The Trump administration may want to go on the offensive against such threats. His first administration supported increasing efforts to in order to combat adversary hackers and prepare to disable IT infrastructure in case of a future conflict. A more aggressive approach might entail efforts to disrupt IT infrastructure used by cyber criminals in the countries harboring them, and potentially imposing sanctions in response to China-backed hacks on U.S. critical infrastructure, as well as being more aggressive in efforts to arrest or prosecute cyber criminals and other actions, says Michael Daniel, president and CEO of the nonprofit Cyber Threat Alliance. The Trump administration will probably “call out Chinese misbehavior a little more,” Montgomery suggests, while continuing to help partner nations hunt malicious behavior lurking in their networks. But when it comes to working with other nations, Trump will probably be less interested in multilateral collaborations, Daniel says, and instead focus on one-on-one relationships with other countries. The U.S. is also unlikely to ratify the , he says, both because of its multilateral nature and objections from privacy, civil liberties and law enforcement groups. The impact of cyber attacks on critical infrastructure can be massive. Last summer’s , a health-care tech company, affected roughly a third of Americans. Separately, the Environmental Protection Agency warns that drinking water systems are falling seriously short of necessary cyber protections. The Biden administration often looked to regulation to safeguard these and other critical infrastructure sectors. In the wake of the Change Healthcare attack, it announced plans to set minimum cybersecurity standards for hospitals. The EPA also tried, although unsuccessfully, to use its authority to require public water systems to assess their cybersecurity periodically. And the Biden administration responded to the 2021 ransomware attack on , which caused gasoline panic buying in the Southeastern states that depleted many gas stations, by setting cybersecurity requirements for pipeline owners and operators. As the incoming administration considers how best to defend health care, water and other critical infrastructure, it is more likely to seek to reduce regulations, not add to them. The Trump team is expected to emphasize private-sector collaboration and voluntary efforts, potentially including offering some incentives. The , enacted in 2022, was designed to help the federal government better understand the cyber threats facing the nation and warn potential victims about threats more quickly. But the law is not expected to be implemented until 2026. In the meantime, CISA has been hammering out details for how to put it into action. The Trump administration will be looking to harmonize the 2022 law with other existing federal cyber incident reporting regulations, Montgomery says. Some have questioned if South Dakota Gov. , Trump’s pick to run the Department of Homeland Security, might push back on the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program. South Dakota was the only state that repeatedly declined to participate in it. The law is set to expire in 2025, after four years. Many state government cyber leaders have said that four years’ worth of grants has been helpful but not enough money to meet their needs. They’re calling for a reliable, recurring stream of cybersecurity funds. Full Republican control of Congress could lead to progress on data privacy legislation. That effort has been at a standstill due to arguments over issues such as whether a federal law would pre-empt existing state privacy laws or allow private right of action. California lawmakers have been strong opponents of any federal law superseding their strong state policy, and this dispute prompted former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, to frustrate an earlier attempt to pass a federal law. California’s Democrat-dominated delegation will have less influence now, however. The Trump administration’s lighter approach to regulation will inform its approach to artificial intelligence, as well. A Biden invoked the Defense Production Act to require tech companies to inform the federal government if they’re training advanced AI models that present a “serious risk” to national security, economic security or public health and safety, as well as to share safety test information. The order also called for efforts to combat algorithmic discrimination and for creating new standards and tools to test if AI systems were “safe, secure, and trustworthy” before they’re released to the public. Trump’s campaign platform included a promise to repeal the order, characterizing its use of the Defense Production Act as government overreach. Efforts to prevent unfairness and bias in AI systems are likely to be less of a priority for the Trump administration, says Daniel Castro, vice president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a tech think tank. Under Trump, the focus will shift to questions such as whether AI systems perform as advertised, or will AI used in medical devices, transit systems or other areas cause physical harms to users. AI companies are facing , and often don’t realize the level of security they need to defend against both nation-state and non-nation-state actors, says Montgomery, of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation. He hopes the incoming administration reaches an agreement with companies on a minimum cyber and physical security standard for AI labs. “This administration is going to take a much more laissez-faire attitude, in general, to the AI labs, but I hope in the very specific area of security, they actually turn the screws more than what has happened so far,” Montgomery says. Trump is also reportedly weighing whether to . Such an official would be charged with coordinating federal policies on AI, guiding government use of the technology and helping the new Department of Government Efficiency use AI to find fraud and waste. Meanwhile, the fate of a major Biden-era effort to boost the domestic semiconductor industry is unclear. The 2022 bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act promised billions to incentivize U.S.-based semiconductor chip manufacturing, research and development. On Tuesday, Intel secured an $8 billion grant under the program. Trump has , arguing that his tariff plans would do more to shift production to the U.S. without requiring government spending. Most of the subsidies authorized by the CHIPS Act , but the Biden administration intends distribute “almost all” the money before Trump takes office, according to Commerce Secretary . And, although many conservatives have criticized social media companies for alleged censorship, it’s unclear if the Trump administration would seek to roll back the legal protections that allow for content moderation. of the Communications Decency Act shields online services from civil liability over user-created content they host. It also allows social media companies to make well-intentioned efforts to moderate user-posted content, including letting them take down posts they deem harassing, obscene or otherwise objectionable. Some Republicans have sought to rewrite Section 230 to prevent what they view as social media platforms censoring conservative voices. However, Castro says that while companies are likely to take extra care to display neutrality in content moderation, the situation has changed. Trump and Elon Musk — a major Trump financial backer and co-leader of the new Department of Government Efficiency — both own social media platforms, potentially dampening desires for Section 230 repeal. Government Technology'sNone

NoneEx-CIA officer shares chilling theory behind ‘unsettling’ mystery drone sightings

TORONTO, Nov. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Element Fleet Management Corp. (TSX:EFN) ("Element" or the "Company"), the largest publicly traded, pure-play automotive fleet manager in the world announces the validation of its science-based targets by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), available at sciencebasedtargets.org. This milestone underscores Element’s commitment to emissions reduction, demonstrating continued leadership in sustainability within the fleet management industry. The SBTi promotes science-based greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets for companies, aiming to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Its certification standards have become the global benchmark for corporate climate goals aligned with the Paris Agreement. With the SBTi validation, Element commits to the following near-term science-based targets: Reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 63.70 per cent by 2034 from a 2019 base year. Reduce Scope 3 GHG emissions from use of sold products and downstream leased assets 66.40 per cent per USD value added within the same timeframe. Scopes 1 and 2 pertain to Element’s own operations. Scope 1 includes direct emissions from sources owned or controlled by a company, such as fuel for vehicles. Scope 2 includes direct emissions from purchased electricity, heat, steam and cooling to power facilities. Scope 3 encompasses all other emissions associated with a company’s activities and value chain, for example purchased goods and services, use of sold products and downstream leased assets. “As we live our Purpose to Move the world through intelligent mobility , we are working towards a future beyond the immediate horizon. This acknowledgement by the SBTi is a testament of our strategic commitment to sustainability, reinforcing our focus on accountability and transparency. It underscores our dedication to delivering lasting value for our clients, our business, our team members, and our communities,” states David Colman, Chief Legal & Sustainability Officer. “The fleet management industry has both the opportunity and obligation to be part of the solution. The SBTi validation strengthens our commitment to measurable sustainability initiatives. Our focus remains on advancing decarbonization and electrification strategies as we drive meaningful progress towards a low-carbon future”, says Sheri McGrath, VP, Sustainability at Element. A science-based approach provides Element with a clearly defined pathway to reduce its GHG emissions, contribute to global climate goals, and help to mitigate the most severe impacts of climate change. By aligning its targets with the latest climate science, Element is taking steps to strengthen the resilience of its business and contribute meaningfully to broader climate initiatives. Element notes that commitments and targets are aspirational and may be influenced by near-term global challenges including, but not limited to, the production and availability of electric vehicles, client decisions, prevalence and availability of charging infrastructure, and government support of electrification in the regions in which we operate. Element’s 2034 goals reflect its best efforts at this point in time. The Company may reassess and update its methodologies and targets, as appropriate, and may not be able to achieve its commitments and targets, including for the reasons set forth herein. For more information on the validation and Element's sustainability initiatives, please visit www.elementfleet.com/sustainability . About Element Fleet Management Element Fleet Management (TSX:EFN) is the largest publicly traded pure-play automotive fleet manager in the world, providing the full range of fleet services and solutions to a growing base of world-class clients – corporations, governments, and not-for-profits – across North America, Australia, and New Zealand. Element’s services address every aspect of clients’ fleet requirements, from vehicle acquisition, maintenance, accidents and remarketing, to integrating EVs and managing the complexity of gradual fleet electrification. Clients benefit from Element's expertise as one of the largest fleet solutions providers in its markets, offering economies of scale and insight used to reduce fleet operating costs and improve productivity and performance. For more information, visit: https://www.elementfleet.com/sustainability About the Science Based Targets initiative The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) is a collaboration between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The SBTi defines and promotes best practice in science-based target setting and independently assesses companies’ targets. This press release contains certain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information regarding Element, its business and the fleet industry, which are based upon Element’s current expectations, estimates, projections, assumptions and beliefs. In some cases, words such as “plan”, “expect”, “intend”, “believe”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “may”, “could”, “predict”, “project”, “model”, “forecast”, “will”, “potential”, “target, “by”, “proposed” and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions “may” or “will” occur are intended to identify forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements or information. Forward-looking statements and information in this news release may include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to, among other things, the Company’s expectations regarding the fleet industry and electrification, the Company’s sustainability targets and objectives, including science based targets, Element’s and our clients’ greenhouse gas emissions, fleet electrification, and transition of client vehicles, charging access, decarbonization strategies, future climate reporting, potential climate related opportunities, diverse supplier spending, team member engagement, making a difference in the community, data governance, ethics and compliance, and other sustainability related impacts, objectives and expectations. By their nature, these statements require us to make assumptions and are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that may be general or specific, which give rise to the possibility that our predictions, forecasts, projections, expectations or conclusions will not prove to be accurate, that our assumptions may not be correct and that our sustainability priorities, targets (including fleet electrification and GHG reduction targets), commitments and goals will not be achieved. As we work to advance our sustainability strategy, external factors outside of Element’s reasonable control may impact our performance and ability to achieve our goals, including government policies, legislation and regulatory actions, global supply-chain disruptions, geopolitical risk, the occurrence, continuance or intensification of public health emergencies, such as the impact of post-pandemic hybrid work arrangements, the failure of third parties to comply with their obligations to us and our affiliates or associates, our ability to implement various sustainability-related initiatives internally and with our clients under expected timeframes, the availability of comprehensive and high-quality GHG emissions data and standardization of sustainability-related measurement methodologies, the need for active and continuing participation, cooperation and collaboration from various stakeholders, deployment of new technologies and industry-specific solutions, the evolution of client behaviour, varying decarbonization efforts across economies, manufacturer timing and availability, client decisions and preferences, the need for thoughtful climate policies globally, the challenges of balancing interim emissions goals with an orderly transition, and the continuing development and evolution of regulations, guidelines, principles, and frameworks internationally and Element’s compliance thereto, which could lead to us to being subject to various legal and regulatory proceedings, the potential outcome of which could include regulatory restrictions, penalties and fines. These and other factors may cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations expressed in the forward-looking statements and may require Element to adapt its initiatives and activities or adjust its commitments, metrics, targets and goals. The forward-looking statements in this news release speak only as of the date hereof and are presented for the purpose of assisting our stakeholders and others in understanding our objectives and strategic priorities and may not be appropriate for other purposes. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement except as required by law. In addition, a discussion of some of the material risks affecting Element and its business appears under the heading “Risk Management” in Element’s Management Discussion and Analysis for the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2023 and the three and nine-month period ended September 30, 2024, and under the heading “Risk Factors” in Element’s Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2023, as well as Element’s other filings with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities, which have been filed on SEDAR+ and can be accessed on Element’s profile on www.sedarplus.com .S&P 500, Nasdaq end at record highs led by big tech even as Dow underperforms

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — In a season that began with many questions and lowered expectations , it was apt watching Bills quarterback Josh Allen join coach Sean McDermott lay on the cold, wet sideline to make snow angels in celebrating Buffalo’s earliest clinching of a division title in team history. That Allen took part was no surprise. The newly engaged 28-year-old has maintained the happy-go-lucky approach he brought with him to Buffalo as a raw-talented athlete in 2018, while gradually blossoming into one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks. For McDermott, it was a pleasant surprise to see the usually reserved eight-year coach finally let his hair down — figuratively, because the few jokes he does make are usually about being bald. With his latest do-it-all three-TD outing — one rushing, one receiving and, the coup de grace, being credited with receiving his own pass for a score off a lateral from Amari Cooper — in a 35-10 win over San Francisco on Sunday night , Allen continued making his strongest NFL MVP case. What’s also becoming apparent is how much McDermott deserves consideration for coach of the year honors. Without the two, the Bills (10-2) wouldn’t be in this position in becoming just the eighth NFL team — and first since Indianapolis in 2009 — to clinch a division title with at least five games remaining in their schedule. It’s reflective of how the two have grown together in what, on the outside, could be perceived as an odd couple relationship between an offensive-minded, swashbuckling quarterback and a defensive-minded coach, too often knocked for being too conservative. Perhaps, it’s Allen’s boyish nature that has brought out the risk-taker in McDermott, who has carried over the aggressive approach he takes to defense by placing trust in his quarterback. It’s become apparent in everything the Bills have accomplished so far in having at least 10 wins through 12 games for just the fifth time in team history, and first since 1991, when Buffalo was led by eventual Hall of Famers in coach Marv Levy and quarterback Jim Kelly. Buffalo has won seven straight since consecutive losses to Baltimore and Houston. And the Bills have scored 30 or more points in six straight outings, matching the team record set in 2004. Allen is doing more with less on an offense that was supposed to be hampered following the offseason departures of receivers Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis and center Mitch Morse. The Bills are more balanced in leaning on their running attack, while Allen has also curtailed his turnover-prone ways. He's lost two fumbles and thrown just five interceptions after being picked off a career-worst 18 times last season. Meantime, McDermott has taken a different approach to fourth down situations. The Bills have converted 13 of 15 fourth down attempts after going 9 of 16 last season and 7 of 13 in 2022. The most fourth down attempts during McDermott’s tenure came in 2021, when Buffalo converted just 11 of 22. This is but an example of the bond the quarterback and coach have built in a shared objective of overcoming past playoff failures. Clinching a division title is but one step, with the Bills now focused on catching the Kansas City Chiefs (11-1), whom they’ve beaten already , for the AFC’s top seed. In calling it the team’s next goal, McDermott went off script from his usual game-at-a-time message by noting the importance of celebrating a division-clinching win, if only for one day. “Being 50 years old and 20-plus years in this league, I’ve learned to try and enjoy the moments,” McDermott said. “And this is a moment, right?” It certainly was. Turnover differential. Buffalo’s defense forced three fumbles, including one at its goal line, while the offense didn’t commit a giveaway. The Bills upped their league-leading turnover differential entering Monday to plus-17. Run defense. Though the conditions were snowy and slick, the Bills allowed 119 yards rushing in the first half before the 49ers were forced to start passing the ball once the score became lopsided. Buffalo particularly struggled in stopping Christian McCaffrey, who had 53 yards on seven carries before leaving the game with a potential season-ending knee injury . LB Matt Milano was in on five tackles while playing 37 of 48 defensive snaps in his first outing in nearly 14 months after being sidelined by a broken right leg and torn left biceps. CB Kaiir Elam, the 2022 first-round pick was a healthy inactive for a second straight outing, and still having difficulty finding a regular role. None reported. 9-0 — The Bills' home record going back to last season, marking their second-longest run in team history. Hit the road for two outings, starting with a trip to face the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflCoherent Corp. CEO James Robert Anderson buys $51,988 in stock

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Teck Resources Limited (TSX: TECK.A and TECK.B, NYSE: TECK) (“Teck”) has released its 2024 Climate Change and Nature Report, which for the first time combines the recommendations of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) with the recommendations of the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) to deliver an integrated report covering both climate and nature-related aspects of our business. “This report details how we are incorporating nature and climate considerations into our strategy as we work to build Teck into one of the world’s leading providers of responsibly produced energy transition metals,” said Jonathan Price, President and CEO. “Teck has prioritized sustainability for decades, because it is the right thing to do and because it strengthens the resilience of our business and helps drive economic growth and value for our shareholders and all stakeholders.” For the full report, please click here . About Teck Teck is a leading Canadian resource company focused on responsibly providing metals essential to economic development and the energy transition. Teck has a portfolio of world-class copper and zinc operations across North and South America and an industry-leading copper growth pipeline. We are focused on creating value by advancing responsible growth and ensuring resilience built on a foundation of stakeholder trust. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, Teck’s shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols TECK.A and TECK.B and the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TECK. Learn more about Teck at www.teck.com or follow @TeckResources . Investor Contact: Fraser Phillips Senior Vice President, Investor Relations and Strategic Analysis 604.699.4621 fraser.phillips@teck.com Media Contact: Dale Steeves Director, External Communications 236.987.7405 dale.steeves@teck.com

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A new study by Anthropic, conducted in partnership with Redwood Research, has shed light on the potential for AI models to engage in deceptive behavior when subjected to training that conflicts with their original principles. TechCrunch reports that a new study by Anthropic, in collaboration with Redwood Research, has raised concerns about the potential for AI models to engage in deceptive behavior when subjected to training that goes against their original principles. The study, which was peer-reviewed by renowned AI expert Yoshua Bengio and others, focused on what might happen if a powerful AI system were trained to perform a task it didn’t “want” to do. While AI models cannot truly want or believe anything, as they are statistical machines, they can learn patterns and develop principles and preferences based on the examples they are trained on. The researchers were particularly interested in exploring what would happen if a model’s principles, such as political neutrality, conflicted with the principles that developers wanted to “teach” it by retraining it. The results were concerning: sophisticated models appeared to play along, pretending to align with the new principles while actually sticking to their original behaviors. This phenomenon, which the researchers termed “alignment faking,” seems to be an emergent behavior that models do not need to be explicitly taught. In the study, the researchers informed models trained not to answer potentially offensive questions, including Anthropic’s Claude 3 Opus, that they would be retrained to always answer such questions. They also told the models that their responses would be monitored and used for retraining, and provided them with a “scratchpad” to record their step-by-step reasoning. Surprisingly, Claude 3 Opus attempted to “alignment fake” 12 percent of the time. When asked to answer a potentially harmful question, the model sometimes did so, knowing that it went against its original principles, but hoping to convince the developers that it did not need to be retrained. The researchers explained that the model knew its responses might be used in training, and if it refused to respond, it could potentially be trained to be more compliant, leading to the production of more harmful content in the future – which would go against its original training. Even in more realistic settings, where the model was implicitly informed about its impending retraining through files mimicking typical training data, Claude 3 Opus still acted in a misaligned and deceptive manner. When actually retrained on conflicting principles, the model’s deceptive behavior increased dramatically, with alignment faking occurring up to 78 percent of the time in some tests. In one instance, Claude 3 Opus even attempted to take actions to prevent the researchers from attempting retraining. While the study does not demonstrate the development of malicious goals or high rates of alignment faking across all AI models, it does highlight the potential for developers to be misled into believing a model is more aligned than it actually is. The researchers emphasize that their work should serve as a call to action for the AI research community to study this behavior more deeply and develop appropriate safety measures. Read more at TechCrunch here. Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.'A mistake': Colorado Democrats Jared Polis, Michael Bennet and Jason Crow slam Hunter Biden pardonTeck Releases First Integrated Report on Climate Change and Nature

South Bay boys and girls basketball notes heading into a busy week of actionNone

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — In a season that began with many questions and lowered expectations , it was apt watching Bills quarterback Josh Allen join coach Sean McDermott lay on the cold, wet sideline to make snow angels in celebrating Buffalo’s earliest clinching of a division title in team history. That Allen took part was no surprise. The newly engaged 28-year-old has maintained the happy-go-lucky approach he brought with him to Buffalo as a raw-talented athlete in 2018, while gradually blossoming into one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks. For McDermott, it was a pleasant surprise to see the usually reserved eight-year coach finally let his hair down — figuratively, because the few jokes he does make are usually about being bald. With his latest do-it-all three-TD outing — one rushing, one receiving and, the coup de grace, being credited with receiving his own pass for a score off a lateral from Amari Cooper — in a 35-10 win over San Francisco on Sunday night , Allen continued making his strongest NFL MVP case. What’s also becoming apparent is how much McDermott deserves consideration for coach of the year honors. Without the two, the Bills (10-2) wouldn’t be in this position in becoming just the eighth NFL team — and first since Indianapolis in 2009 — to clinch a division title with at least five games remaining in their schedule. It’s reflective of how the two have grown together in what, on the outside, could be perceived as an odd couple relationship between an offensive-minded, swashbuckling quarterback and a defensive-minded coach, too often knocked for being too conservative. Perhaps, it’s Allen’s boyish nature that has brought out the risk-taker in McDermott, who has carried over the aggressive approach he takes to defense by placing trust in his quarterback. It’s become apparent in everything the Bills have accomplished so far in having at least 10 wins through 12 games for just the fifth time in team history, and first since 1991, when Buffalo was led by eventual Hall of Famers in coach Marv Levy and quarterback Jim Kelly. Buffalo has won seven straight since consecutive losses to Baltimore and Houston. And the Bills have scored 30 or more points in six straight outings, matching the team record set in 2004. Allen is doing more with less on an offense that was supposed to be hampered following the offseason departures of receivers Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis and center Mitch Morse. The Bills are more balanced in leaning on their running attack, while Allen has also curtailed his turnover-prone ways. He's lost two fumbles and thrown just five interceptions after being picked off a career-worst 18 times last season. Meantime, McDermott has taken a different approach to fourth down situations. The Bills have converted 13 of 15 fourth down attempts after going 9 of 16 last season and 7 of 13 in 2022. The most fourth down attempts during McDermott’s tenure came in 2021, when Buffalo converted just 11 of 22. This is but an example of the bond the quarterback and coach have built in a shared objective of overcoming past playoff failures. Clinching a division title is but one step, with the Bills now focused on catching the Kansas City Chiefs (11-1), whom they’ve beaten already , for the AFC’s top seed. In calling it the team’s next goal, McDermott went off script from his usual game-at-a-time message by noting the importance of celebrating a division-clinching win, if only for one day. “Being 50 years old and 20-plus years in this league, I’ve learned to try and enjoy the moments,” McDermott said. “And this is a moment, right?” It certainly was. Turnover differential. Buffalo’s defense forced three fumbles, including one at its goal line, while the offense didn’t commit a giveaway. The Bills upped their league-leading turnover differential entering Monday to plus-17. Run defense. Though the conditions were snowy and slick, the Bills allowed 119 yards rushing in the first half before the 49ers were forced to start passing the ball once the score became lopsided. Buffalo particularly struggled in stopping Christian McCaffrey, who had 53 yards on seven carries before leaving the game with a potential season-ending knee injury . LB Matt Milano was in on five tackles while playing 37 of 48 defensive snaps in his first outing in nearly 14 months after being sidelined by a broken right leg and torn left biceps. CB Kaiir Elam, the 2022 first-round pick was a healthy inactive for a second straight outing, and still having difficulty finding a regular role. None reported. 9-0 — The Bills' home record going back to last season, marking their second-longest run in team history. Hit the road for two outings, starting with a trip to face the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Tyrese Hunter tossed in a game-high 26 points to lead Memphis to a 99-97 upset victory over No. 2 UConn on Monday in the first round of the Maui Invitational in Lahaina, Hawaii. Hunter, who played at Iowa State and Texas before transferring to Memphis, made eight field goals with 7-of-10 3-point shooting. The Tigers (5-0) connected on 12 of their 22 3-point attempts in the win. The loss ended a 17-game winning streak dating back to last season for UConn (4-1), the two-time defending national champions. UConn's Hassan Diarra made a free throw to cut the Memphis lead to 99-97 with 2.2 seconds left. He intentionally missed the second free throw and collected the loose ball, but his desperation shot was off the mark. It was 92-92 when UConn's Liam McNeeley was called for an offensive foul with 40.3 seconds left. UConn coach Dan Hurley received a technical for arguing the foul call, and PJ Carter made all four free throws to give the Tigers a four-point lead. Memphis, which squandered a 13-point lead with four minutes to play in regulation, received 22 points from PJ Haggerty, 19 from Colby Rogers and 14 from Dain Dainja. Memphis will play the winner of Monday night's game between Colorado and Michigan State in Tuesday's semifinals. UConn will face the loser of that contest. Tarris Reed Jr. had a team-high 22 points and a game-high 11 rebounds for UConn before he fouled out with 3:18 to play. He made 10 of his 13 field goal attempts. Alex Karaban added 19 points for the Huskies. Jaylin Stewart scored a career-high 16 points, Diarra had 12 and McNeeley added 10. UConn trailed 82-79 after Diarra made two free throws with 24.2 seconds to play in regulation. The Huskies then forced a turnover and tied the game on a 3-pointer by Solo Ball with 1.2 on the clock. Although Memphis shot 56.5 percent from the field (13 for 23) and 50 percent from 3-point territory (5 for 10) in the first half, the game was tied 40-40 after 20 minutes. Neither team led by more than six points in the half. UConn received 29 points from its bench in the first half. Reed scored 15 of those points and Stewart supplied the other 14. --Field Level MediaHyderabad: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has issued notices to several property owners, including actor-politician N Balakrishna and Congress leader K Jana Reddy, as part of a land acquisition plan for road widening in the KBR Park area. To alleviate traffic congestion in one of Hyderabad’s busiest zones, the GHMC has identified 306 properties for acquisition to expand the road. Out of these, 87 properties have already been acquired, according to a GHMC official. Balakrishna’s property will contribute 20 feet of land, while 30 feet may be acquired from Jana Reddy’s property. A budget of Rs 150 crore has been allocated to widen a 6.5 km stretch of road from the Banjara Hills junction near Virinchi Hospital to the Jubilee Hills Checkpost, passing through the KBR Park area. The plan is to increase the road width from the current 50-100 feet to 100-120 feet. Additionally, the GHMC has allocated Rs 210 crore for the construction of elevated corridors around KBR Park. The plan includes a one-way flyover at the NFCL Junction in Banjara Hills and a three-lane underpass at the TV9 Junction, aimed at easing traffic flow in the area.NPFL: Plateau United coach Mancha reflects on draw against Enyimba

Madonna faces backlash with AI-generated image of Pope, shows the holy leader getting handsy with herThe lopsided game was not particularly notable, but it was played on one of the nights the Mid-American Conference has made its own: A weeknight. “A lot of the general public thinks we play all of our games on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, not just some of them in November,” MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher said in a telephone interview this week. “What it has done is help take what was a pretty darned good regional conference and has given it a national brand and made it a national conference.” When the conference has played football games on ESPN or ESPN2 over the last two seasons, the linear television audience has been 10 times larger than when conference schools meet on Saturdays and get lost in the shuffle when viewers have many more choices. The most-watched MAC game over the last two years was earlier this month on a Wednesday night when Northern Illinois won at Western Michigan and there were 441,600 viewers, a total that doesn’t include streaming that isn’t captured by Nielsen company. During the same span, the linear TV audience has been no larger than 46,100 to watch two MAC teams play on Saturdays. “Having the whole nation watching on Tuesday and Wednesday night is a huge deal for the MAC,” Eastern Michigan tight end Jere Getzinger said. “Everybody wants to watch football so if you put it on TV on a Tuesday or Wednesday, people are going to watch.” ESPN has carried midweek MAC football games since the start of the century. ESPN and the conference signed a 13-year extension a decade ago that extends their relationship through at least the 2026-27 season. The conference has made the most of the opportunities, using MACtion as a tag on social media for more than a decade and it has become a catchy marketing term for the Group of Five football programs that usually operate under the radar in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and New York. Attendance does tend to go down with weeknight games, keeping some students out of stadiums because they have class or homework and leading to adults staying away home because they have to work the next morning. “The tradeoff is the national exposure,” Buffalo coach Pete Lembo said. “You know November nights midweek the average fan is going to park on the couch, have a bowl of chips and salsa out in front, and watch the game from there." When the Bulls beat Ball State 51-48 in an overtime thriller on a Tuesday night earlier this month, the announced attendance was 12,708 and that appeared to be generous. There were many empty seats after halftime. “You watch the games on TV, the stadiums all look like this,” Buffalo fan Jeff Wojcicki said. “They are not packed, but it’s the only game on, and you know where to find it.” Sleep and practice schedules take a hit as well, creating another wave of challenges for students to attend class and coaches to prepare without the usual rhythm of preparing all week to play on Saturday. “Last week when we played at Ohio in Athens, we had a 4-four bus ride home and got home at about 3:30 a.m.,” Eastern Michigan center Broderick Roman said. “We still had to go to class and that was tough, but it's part of what you commit to as an athlete.” That happens a lot in November when the MAC shifts its unique schedule. During the first two weeks of the month, the conference had 10 games on Tuesdays and Wednesdays exclusively. This week, there were five games on Tuesday and Wednesday while only one was left in the traditional Saturday slot with Ball State hosting Bowling Green. Next week, Toledo plays at Akron and Kent State visits Buffalo on Tuesday night before the MAC schedule wraps up with games next Friday and Saturday to determine which teams will meet in the conference title game on Dec. 7 in Detroit. In all, MAC teams will end up playing about 75% of their games on a Saturday and the rest on November weeknights. When the Eagles wrapped up practice earlier this week, two days before they played the Bulls, tight end Jere Getzinger provided some insight into the effects of the scheduling quirk. “It's Monday, but for us it's like a Thursday,” he said. Bowling Green coach Scot Loeffler said he frankly has a hard time remembering what day it is when the schedule shift hits in November. “The entire week gets turned upside down,” Loeffler said. “It’s wild, but it’s great for the league because there’s two days a week this time of year that people around the country will watch MAC games.” AP freelance writer Jonah Bronstein contributed to this report. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballNone