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AP Sports SummaryBrief at 5:38 p.m. ESTJayden Daniels dazzles again as Commanders clinch a playoff spot by beating Falcons 30-24 in OT LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — The Washington Commanders clinched a playoff spot by beating the Atlanta Falcons 30-24 in overtime. Jayden Daniels ran for a season-high 127 yards and threw for 227 and three touchdowns to make the postseason in his rookie year in the NFL. He outdueled fellow top-10 draft pick Michael Penix Jr. in a game each had an interception. The Commanders can move up to the sixth seed in the NFC if they win at Dallas next weekend. The Falcons lost control of their playoff chances and now can only get in if they beat Carolina and Tampa Bay loses to New Orleans in Week 18. Darnold gives Vikings another gem with career-high 377 yards in 27-25 win over Packers MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Sam Darnold added another exploit to his career-altering season, passing for a personal-best 377 yards and three touchdowns as the Minnesota Vikings hung on to beat the Green Bay Packers 27-25 for their ninth consecutive victory. The Vikings are 14-2. They set up a final-week showdown in Detroit for both the division title and the No. 1 seed for the playoffs in the NFC. Jordan Love’s only touchdown pass for the Packers came with 2:18 left to pull the Packers within two points. Darnold responded with two completions for first downs to seal the game. Saquon Barkley tops 2,000 yards rushing as Eagles beat Cowboys 41-7 to clinch NFC East PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Saquon Barkley rushed for 167 yards to top 2,000 on the season, backup quarterback Kenny Pickett ran and threw for scores before departing with injured ribs, and the Philadelphia Eagles clinched the NFC East title by routing the Dallas Cowboys 41-7. Barkley has 2,005 yards and needs 101 in next week’s mostly meaningless regular-season finale to top Eric Dickerson and his 2,105 yards for the Los Angeles Rams in 1984. The Eagles led 24-7 in the third quarter when Pickett was drilled by defensive end Micah Parsons, ending his first start in place of the concussed Jalen Hurts. NFC's No. 1 seed comes down to Vikings-Lions showdown at Detroit in Week 18 The NFC’s No. 1 seed will come down to the final week when the Detroit Lions host the Minnesota Vikings. The winner takes the NFC North and gets a first-round playoff bye and home-field advantage until the Super Bowl. The loser gets the No. 5 seed and must play on the road in the wild-card round. The Vikings held on for a 27-25 victory over the Green Bay Packers to set up the high-stakes showdown in Week 18. The Lions visit the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night. Win, lose or tie, they have to beat the Vikings for a second time this season. Bills clinch the AFC's No. 2 seed with a 40-14 rout of the undisciplined Jets ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score and the Buffalo Bills clinched the AFC’s No. 2 seed with a 40-14 rout of the New York Jets. The Bills put the game away by capitalizing on two Jets turnovers and scoring three touchdowns over a 5:01 span in the closing minutes of the third quarter. Buffalo’s defense forced three takeaways overall and sacked Aaron Rodgers four times, including a 2-yard loss for a safety in the second quarter. The five-time defending AFC East champion Bills improved to 13-3 to match a franchise single-season record. Thompson-Herro fight leads to ejections of multiple players and coaches in Heat's victory in Houston HOUSTON (AP) — Rockets forward Amen Thompson threw Heat guard Tyler Herro to the floor to trigger an altercation that resulted in six ejections in the closing minute of Miami’s 104-100 victory over Houston on Sunday. Thompson and Herro became entangled with Miami about to inbound the ball leading 99-94 with 35 seconds left. Thompson grabbed Herro by the jersey and tossed him, with referee Marc Davis describing it as Thompson “body slams Herro.” Herro, Thompson, and Udoka were ejected, as were Heat guard Terry Rozier, Rockets guard Jalen Green, and Rockets assistant coach Ben Sullivan. LeBron James at 40: A milestone birthday arrives Monday for the NBA's all-time scoring leader When LeBron James broke another NBA record earlier this month, the one for most regular-season minutes played in a career, his Los Angeles Lakers teammates handled the moment in typical locker room fashion. They made fun of him. Dubbed The Kid from Akron, with a limitless future, James is now the 40-year-old from Los Angeles with wisps of gray in his beard, his milestone birthday coming Monday, one that will make him the first player in NBA history to play in his teens, 20s, 30s and 40s. He has stood and excelled in the spotlight his entire career. Rising Sun Devils: Arizona State looks to pull off another big surprise at the Peach Bowl ATLANTA (AP) — As they prepare for Arizona State’s biggest game in nearly three decades, the guys who made it happen aren’t the least bit surprised to be rated a nearly two-touchdown underdog in the College Football Playoff. That’s a familiar position for the Sun Devils. They've been an underdog most of the season. Of the eight teams still vying for a national championship, there’s no bigger surprise than 11-2 Arizona State. The Sun Devils went 3-9 a year ago and were picked to finish dead last in their first season in the Big 12 Conference. Now, they're getting ready to face Texas in the Peach Bowl quarterfinal game on New Year’s Day. Penn State coach James Franklin says Nick Saban should be college football's commissioner SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Penn State coach James Franklin believes college football needs a commissioner and he even has a candidate in mind: former Alabama coach Nick Saban. Franklin made the suggestion Sunday at Penn State’s College Football Playoff quarterfinals media day ahead of the Fiesta Bowl. The sixth-seeded Nittany Lions are preparing for their game against No. 3 seed Boise State on Tuesday. The veteran coach was responding to a question about Penn State’s backup quarterback situation after Beau Pribula transferred to Missouri before the playoff. Pribula’s decision highlighted some of the frustrating aspects of a new college football world in the Name, Image and Likeness era and the transfer portal, forcing players to make tough decisions at inopportune times. Penn State's polarizing QB Drew Allar puts critics on mute and keeps winning games SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Even when Penn State quarterback Drew Allar gets some praise, it’s usually a backhanded compliment. They say he’s a good game manager and stays within himself, or that he doesn’t try to do too much. They mention he might not be flashy, but he gives the team a chance to win. And here’s the thing about Penn State since Allar stepped under center: The Nittany Lions have won games. A lot of them. Sometimes that’s hard to remember considering the lukewarm reception he often gets from fans. The polarizing Allar has another chance to quiet his critics on Tuesday, when Penn State plays Boise State in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals at the Fiesta Bowl.
HIGH POINT, N.C. (AP) — Brian Moore Jr. scored 33 points as Norfolk State beat High Point 77-74 on Sunday. Moore added five rebounds and six assists for the Spartans (9-6). Christian Ings scored 12 points, shooting 5 of 6 from the field and 2 for 4 from the line. Jalen Myers had seven points and shot 1 of 3 from the field and 4 of 5 from the free-throw line. The Panthers (12-3) were led in scoring by Chase Johnston, who finished with 24 points. Kimani Hamilton added 18 points, 15 rebounds, five assists and two blocks for High Point. Kezza Giffa also put up 12 points. Up next for Norfolk State is a matchup Tuesday with Tennessee on the road. High Point hosts Radford on Thursday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .As of mid-December, FEMA shelled out $1.1 billion for Floridians who were victims of hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton, according to an agency spokesperson. It’s about the same amount the agency dispersed across Florida after Ian in 2022, which was the costliest hurricane in state history. Unlike two years ago, however, much of the damage this time was clustered in Tampa Bay, which bore the brunt of the three storms. Combined, homeowners and renters in Hillsborough and Pinellas received $670 million from FEMA this year. And yet, how federal officials have distributed the record amount of aid varied, leaving those hit the hardest with vastly different perceptions of FEMA. For the full story, please visit miamiherald.com
Manmohan Singh, the former Indian prime minister whose economic reforms made his country a global powerhouse, has died at the age of 92, current leader Narendra Modi said Thursday. India "mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished leaders," Modi posted on social media platform X shortly after news broke of Singh's passing. "As our Prime Minister, he made extensive efforts to improve people's lives." Singh was taken to a hospital in New Delhi after he lost consciousness at his home on Thursday, but could not be resuscitated and was pronounced dead at 9:51 pm local time, according to a statement by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. Singh, who held office from 2004 to 2014, is credited with having overseen an economic boom in Asia's fourth-largest economy in his first term, although slowing growth in later years marred his second stint. "I have lost a mentor and guide," opposition Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said in a statement, adding that Singh had "led India with immense wisdom and integrity." "Millions of us who admired him will remember him with the utmost pride," said Gandhi, a scion of India's powerful Nehru-Gandhi dynasty and the most prominent challenger to Modi. Mallikarjun Kharge, leader of the opposition in parliament's upper house, said "India has lost a visionary statesman, a leader of unimpeachable integrity, and an economist of unparalleled stature." President Droupadi Murmu wrote on X that Singh will "always be remembered for his service to the nation, his unblemished political life and his utmost humility." Born in 1932 in the mud-house village of Gah in what is now Pakistan, Singh studied economics to find a way to eradicate poverty in India and never held elected office before taking the vast nation's top job. He won scholarships to attend both Cambridge, where he obtained a first in economics, and Oxford, where he completed his PhD. Singh worked in a string of senior civil posts, served as a central bank governor and also held various jobs with global agencies including the United Nations. He was tapped in 1991 by then Congress prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao to reel India back from the worst financial crisis in its modern history. In his first term Singh steered the economy through a period of nine-percent growth, lending India the international clout it had long sought. He also sealed a landmark nuclear deal with the United States that he said would help India meet its growing energy needs. Known as "Mr Clean", Singh nonetheless saw his image tarnished during his decade-long tenure when a series of corruption cases became public. Several months before the 2014 elections, Singh said he would retire after the polls, with Sonia Gandhi's son Rahul earmarked to take his place if Congress won. But Congress crashed to its worst-ever result at that time as the Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, led by Modi, won in a landslide. Singh -- who said historians would be kinder to him than contemporary detractors -- became a vocal critic of Modi's economic policies, and more recently warned about the risks that rising communal tensions posed to India's democracy. bjt/mlm
Wike to Odili: “An elder statesman should not behave like trader or sycophantLast year, the internet mulled over the enigma that was Skibidi Toilet and found more complexity to this narrative of sentient toilets than what meets the eye. This year, the levels of absurdity were hardly different, though the memes have been equally entertaining. The internet has come a long way, especially now that it's being helmed by a generation of youngsters who have grown up hacking into their parents' phones instead of licking dirt off their fingers. But this unblinking exposure to screens did make them intelligent in their own ways. Now, memes are no longer a simple template of hasty comedy. No, no, pookies. The internet of 2024 gave us a scroll of new slang, in-depth lore, and a gaping case of brainrot. Year of the wordsmiths If you were diagnosed as chronically online this year, then congratulations! You've been promoted and you're now one of the elite employees. Of what, exactly? You may never find out. But that's okay, because you're low-key just a chill guyor an anthropomorphic dog with your hands stuffed in your pants' pockets as the soft lull of Gia Margaret's Hinoki Wood plays in the background. If none of that makes sense to you, then you're probably of the opposite demographic and might need a little context. Except, any explanation might render you even more perplexed. But that's the fun of written memes; they are a mouthful and often accompanied by visual elements, but their appeal lies in the text. And this year, they've been a common culprit of the collective internet brainrotwhich, by the way, has been deemed Word of the Year by the Oxford University Press (OUP), if you want to get a sense of the impact of memes that were born this year. From one-liners to long-form passages, these memes encourage personal touches so you too can make them hyper-specific for that extra relatability. You can credit that to X's essay-writing tweaks or the fact that everyone with a general understanding of the world wants to pen think-pieces on TikTok. But sometimes these memes are just phrases that function as social cues for like-minded individuals to find each other. A greeting, if you will. "Send it to me, Rachel" does not mean anything in isolation, but this year found teenagers echoing it like a chant all the same. A user on YouTube admitted that the source clip has "literally been my vocal stim for weeks." Lore of the new lingo Aside from their unique intelligence, the generation currently prevailing over the big web is also known for its creativity. Entire musical numbers have been created based on "brainrot" terminology, which is essentially just modern slang. Although carried over from 2023, this level of creativity dominated the digital horizon for its magical ability to incorporate an extensive vocabulary of memes into high-quality music. Internet lists and video tutorials for Gen Alpha slang are graciously at the disposal of rookies from the former generation. Words like 'mewing', 'rizz', and 'sigma' might seem like they mean nothing at first glance, but translation manuals are also available online for the nonplussed oldies. But hey, don't judge the new internet culture. That's not very demure of you. Pictorial takeover No matter how much our critical faculties continue to evolve, it seems likely that we'll always view memes as visuals that potently substitute slapstick comedy. This sentiment persisted in 2024, which saw the rise of AI-generated content, and a hoard of inexplicable memes as a result of that. This collection of memes is referred to as 'slop', a word which made it to OUP's Word of the Year shortlist before 'brainrot' took the crown. Take, for example, the AI-made graphic slides of a ludicrous story centering a cat as Bongo Cat's cover of Billie Eilish's What Was I Made For? plays in the background. The song, composed only of sorrowful instrumentals and committed meow-meows, even caught the singer's attention and made a concert debut. As you can expect, the crowd was more than eager to sing along. But AI didn't dominate the illustrative category of memes this year. For a sarcastic show of depression, Clean Bandit's Symphony was revived and an artwork of dolphins and rainbows was slapped over it to reel it in. In a similar yet grimmer fashion, Thomas Lea's painting The Two-Thousand Yard Stare depicting a dissociated soldier became symbolic of youthful angst, with the subject sometimes being replaced by a cat to really highlight what's popular with the current generation. Aside from the idiosyncrasies of cats, one thing the internet tirelessly and unanimously enjoys is absurdity. Observe memes ever since the birth of the digital sphere and you'd hardly find a consistent pattern, which is honestly the best part about this ever-changing humour. Each year, it becomes stranger and proudly so. Oh, how far we've come from stock photos and block text. COMMENTS Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive. For more information, please see our
Assisted dying Bill under pressure as dozens of MPs say they could withdraw support
NYT Connections hints and answers for December 30: Solve Puzzle #568 today!New Delhi, Dec 26 (PTI) India’s sports fraternity on Thursday joined the nation in mourning the demise of two-time former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, paying homage to his “calm leadership and wisdom” in stirring condolence messages. Singh, 92, died at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here after losing consciousness at his home owing to age-related ailments. “Sad news of the passing of Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji. A visionary leader and a true statesman who worked tirelessly for India’s progress. His wisdom and humility will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to his loved ones,” World Cup-winning former cricketer Yuvraj Singh posted on X. Similar sentiments were expressed by his former teammate and Aam Aadmi Party’s Rajya Sabha member Harbhajan Singh, who described Singh as a thorough gentleman and visionary leader. “What truly set him apart was his calm and steady leadership in times of crisis, his ability to navigate complex political landscapes, and his unwavering belief in India’s potential,” he wrote. It was during Singh’s second tenure that India hosted the 2010 Commonwealth Games in the national capital. It was the first international multi-sport extravaganza to be held in the country after the 1982 Asian Games, also hosted by Delhi. Former wrestler Vinesh Phogat, who is now a Congress MLA in Haryana, called Singh a man of “extraordinary wisdom, simplicity and vision.” “Dr. Manmohan Singh was not just a Prime Minister, but he was a thinker, economist and a true patriot. His calm leadership style and economic vision gave the country a new direction, from the 1991 economic reforms to establishing India’s reputation on the global stage. “There was depth in his humility and wisdom in his every word. His services and contributions to the country will always be remembered. You will always live in our hearts, Sir,” she wrote in her emotional tribute on social media. Former cricketers Virender Sehwag and VVS Laxman and ex-women’s hockey team captain Rani Rampal were also among those who expressed their sadness at his death. Before serving as Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014, Singh was finance minister in the P V Narasimha Rao-led government and was the brain behind the economic reforms of 1991 that marked the beginning of liberalisation in the country. Widely respected for his intellect and grace in public life, Singh had retired from active politics in April this year after over a three-decade run as a Rajya Saha MP. PTI PM PM PM This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. var ytflag = 0;var myListener = function() {document.removeEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);lazyloadmyframes();};document.addEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);window.addEventListener('scroll', function() {if (ytflag == 0) {lazyloadmyframes();ytflag = 1;}});function lazyloadmyframes() {var ytv = document.getElementsByClassName("klazyiframe");for (var i = 0; i < ytv.length; i++) {ytv[i].src = ytv[i].getAttribute('data-src');}} Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );Travellers say they have 'lost trust in police' after children forced to leave city centre
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The slump in the number of people heading to the shops during Boxing Day sales signals a return to declining pre-pandemic levels, an analyst has said. Boxing Day shopper footfall was down 7.9% from last year across all UK retail destinations up until 5pm, MRI Software’s OnLocation Footfall Index found. However, this year’s data had been compared with an unusual spike in footfall as 2023 was the first “proper Christmas” period without Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, an analyst at the retail technology company said. It found £4.6 billion will be spent overall on the festive sales. Before the pandemic the number of Boxing Day shoppers on the streets had been declining year on year. The last uplift recorded by MRI was in 2015. Jenni Matthews, marketing and insights director at MRI Software, told the PA news agency: “We’ve got to bear in mind that (last year) was our first proper Christmas without any (Covid-19) restrictions or limitations. “Figures have come out that things have stabilised, we’re almost back to what we saw pre-pandemic.” There were year-on-year declines in footfall anywhere between 5% and 12% before Covid-19 restrictions, she said. MRI found 12% fewer people were out shopping on Boxing Day in 2019 than in 2018, and there were 3% fewer in 2018 than in 2017, Ms Matthews added. She said: “It’s the shift to online shopping, it’s the convenience, you’ve got the family days that take place on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.” People are also increasingly stocking-up before Christmas, Ms Matthews said, and MRI found an 18% increase in footfall at all UK retail destinations on Christmas Eve this year compared with 2023. Ms Matthews said: “We see the shops are full of people all the way up to Christmas Eve, so they’ve probably got a couple of good days of food, goodies, everything that they need, and they don’t really need to go out again until later on in that week. “We did see that big boost on Christmas Eve. It looks like shoppers may have concentrated much of their spending in that pre-Christmas rush.” Many online sales kicked off between December 23 and the night of Christmas Day and “a lot of people would have grabbed those bargains from the comfort of their own home”, she said. She added: “I feel like it’s becoming more and more common that people are grabbing the bargains pre-Christmas.” Footfall is expected to rise on December 27 as people emerge from family visits and shops re-open, including Next, Marks and Spencer and John Lewis that all shut for Boxing Day. It will also be payday for some as it is the last Friday of the month. A study by Barclays Consumer Spend had forecast that shoppers would spend £236 each on average in the Boxing Day sales this year, but that the majority of purchases would be made online. Nearly half of respondents said the cost-of-living crisis will affect their post-Christmas shopping but the forecast average spend is still £50 more per person than it was before the pandemic, with some of that figure because of inflation, Barclays said. Amid the financial pressures, many people are planning to buy practical, perishable and essential items such as food and kitchenware. A total of 65% of shoppers are expecting to spend the majority of their sales budget online. Last year, Barclays found 63.9% of Boxing Day retail purchases were made online. However, a quarter of respondents aim to spend mostly in store – an 11% rise compared with last year. Karen Johnson, head of retail at Barclays, said: “Despite the ongoing cost-of-living pressures, it is encouraging to hear that consumers will be actively participating in the post-Christmas sales. “This year, we’re likely to see a shift towards practicality and sustainability, with more shoppers looking to bag bargains on kitchen appliances and second-hand goods.” Consumers choose in-store shopping largely because they enjoy the social aspect and touching items before they buy, Barclays said, adding that high streets and shopping centres are the most popular destinations.The Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks meet for the first time of the season in a TNT doubleheader. Miami is 7-7 on the season and playing its second game in eight days. Miami beat Dallas 123-118 in OT on Sunday thanks to a Jimmy Butler dunk that sent the game into OT. Butler scored 33 points and had back-to-back 30-point games for the first time all season. Milwaukee is 8-9 this year and has four straight wins over Houston, Chicago, Indiana, and Charlotte. Giannis Antetokounmpo has led the Bucks in scoring with three straight games of 32 or more points but faces his toughest test against a Miami team that he averages 19.0 career points per game against. With that said, let’s dive into the matchup and offer some information and possibly a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch the opening tip, projected lineups, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts. Listen to the Rotoworld Basketball Show for the latest player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Details & how to watch Bucks @ Heat ● Date: Tuesday, November 26, 2024 ● Time: 7:30 PM ET ● Site: American Airlines Arena ● City: Miami, FL ● TV/Streaming: TNT Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page , along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out. Game odds for Milwaukee @ Miami The latest odds as of Tuesday afternoon: ● Moneyline: Milwaukee Bucks (+115), Miami Heat (-135) ● Spread: Miami -2 (-110) ● Total: 222.5 Bet the Edge is your source for all things sports betting. Get all of Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick’s insight on weekdays at 6AM ET right here or wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Probable starting lineups for Milwaukee and Miami · Milwaukee Bucks (8-9) PG Damian Lillard SG Andre Jackson SF Taurean Prince PF Giannis Antetokounmpo C Brook Lopez · Miami Heat (7-7) PG Tyler Herro SG Duncan Robinson SF Jimmy Butler PF Haywood Highsmith C Bam Adebayo Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Bucks @ Heat Milwaukee is 6-10-1 ATS this season, ranking tied for seventh-worst. Miami is 7-7 ATS this season and 2-4 at home, ranking 8th-worst. Milwaukee is 1-2 ATS as a road underdog and 2-5 ATS as a road team overall, ranking third-worst. Milwaukee is 10-7 to the Under, ranking fifth-best. Miami is 8-6 ot the Over this year. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored at least 32 points in three straight games. Jimmy Butler has 30 and 33 points in the last two games. Notable Player Props for Bucks @ Heat Highest Point Props Giannis Antetokounmpo O/U 30.5 Points Damian Lillard O/U 23.5 Points Tyler Herro O/U 21.5 Points Jimmy Butler O/U 20.5 Points Bam Adebayo O/U 17.5 Points Highest Rebound Props Giannis Antetokounmpo O/U 11.5 Points Bam Adebayo O/U 10.5 Rebounds Bobby Portis O/U 7.5 Rebounds Highest Assist Props Damian Lillard O/U 7.5 Assists Giannis Antetokounmpo O/U 5.5 Assists Tyler Herro O/U 4.5 Assists Expert picks & predictions for Bucks @ Heat Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700. NBC Sports Bet Best Bet Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes the Miami Heat to go UNDER the first-quarter Team Total of 29.5: “These teams know each other real well having played each other in the 2022-23 postseason and three teams last year, so I expect a competitive and fun Cup Game between the Bucks and Heat. I am going Under 29.5 first-quarter points for Miami in this spot. Lately, Miami has struggled in the first quarter with 25.0 1Q PPG in the past five (29th in Offensive Efficiency). Overall, Miami ranks 24th in the NBA with 26.8 first-quarter points per game (22nd in off eff) and 14th with 29.2 at home (14th in off eff). When they met last year, Miami scored 28, 22, and 40 first-quarter points. The Heat are coming off an OT game and this will be the second game in eight days for Miami, which isn’t always a great equation to fast starts.” Here are the best bets our model is projecting for the Bucks and the Heat: · Moneyline : NBC Sports finds confidence in taking Miami on the ML (-135) · Spread : NBC Sports has strong confidence in Miami -2 on the spread · Total : NBC Sports has low confidence towards a play on the Total OVER 222.5 points Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the EXPERT NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and total picks for each of the games on today’s calendar! Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff: · Jay Croucher (@croucherJD) · Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper) · Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) · Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
The Latest: Former President Jimmy Carter is dead at age 100ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — John Elway says any remorse over bypassing Josh Allen in the 2018 NFL draft is quickly dissipating with rookie Bo Nix's rapid rise, suggesting the Denver Broncos have finally found their next franchise quarterback. Elway said Nix, the sixth passer selected in April's draft, is an ideal fit in Denver with coach Sean Payton navigating his transition to the pros and Vance Joseph's defense serving as a pressure release valve for the former Oregon QB. “We’ve seen the progression of Bo in continuing to get better and better each week and Sean giving him more each week and trusting him more and more to where last week we saw his best game of the year,” Elway said in a nod to Nix's first game with 300 yards and four touchdown throws in a rout of Atlanta. For that performance, Nix earned his second straight NFL Rookie of the Week honor along with the AFC Offensive Player of the Week award. “I think the sky’s the limit," Elway said, “and that’s just going to continue to get better and better.” In a wide-ranging interview with The Associated Press, Elway also touted former coach Mike Shanahan's Hall of Fame credentials, spoke about the future of University of Colorado star and Heisman favorite Travis Hunter and discussed his ongoing bout with a chronic hand condition. Elway spent the last half of his decade as the Broncos’ GM in a futile search for a worthy successor to Peyton Manning, a pursuit that continued as he transitioned into a two-year consultant role that ended after the 2022 season. “You have all these young quarterbacks and you look at the ones that make it and the ones that don’t and it’s so important to have the right system and a coach that really knows how to tutelage quarterbacks, and Sean’s really good at that,” Elway said. “I think the combination of Bo’s maturity, having started 61 games in college, his athletic ability and his knowledge of the game has been such a tremendous help for him,'" Elway added. “But also Vance Joseph’s done a heck of a job on the defensive side to where all that pressure’s not being put on Bo and the offense to score all the time.” Payton and his staff have methodically expanded Nix’s repertoire and incorporated his speed into their blueprints. Elway lauded them for “what they’re doing offensively and how they’re breaking Bo into the NFL because it’s a huge jump and I think patience is something that goes a long way in the NFL when it comes down to quarterbacks.” Elway said he hopes to sit down with Nix at some point when things slow down for the rookie. Nix, whose six wins are one more than Elway had as a rookie, said he looks forward to meeting the man who won two Super Bowls during his Hall of Fame playing career and another from the front office. “He’s a legend not only here for this organization, but for the entire NFL," Nix said, adding, "most guys, they would love to have a chat with John Elway, just pick his brain. It’s just awesome that I’m even in that situation.” Orange Crush linebacker Randy Gradishar joined Elway in the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year, something Elway called “way, way overdue.” Elway suggested it's also long past time for the Hall to honor Shanahan, who won back-to-back Super Bowls in Denver with Elway at QB and whose footprint you see every weekend in the NFL because of his expansive coaching tree. Elway called University of Colorado stars Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders “both great athletes." He said he really hopes Sanders gets drafted by a team that will bring him along like the Broncos have done with Nix and he sees Hunter being able to play both ways in the pros but not full time. Elway said he thinks Hunter will be primarily a corner in the NFL but with significant contributions on offense: “He's great at both. He's got great instincts, and that's what you need at corner." It's been five years since Elway announced he was dealing with Dupuytren’s contracture, a chronic condition that typically appears after age 40 and causes one or more fingers to permanently bend toward the palm. Elway's ring fingers on both hands were originally affected and he said now the middle finger on his right hand is starting to pull forward. So, he’ll get another injection of a drug called Xiaflex, which is the only FDA-approved non-surgical treatment, one that he's endorsing in an awareness campaign for the chronic condition that affects 17 million Americans. The condition can make it difficult to do everyday tasks such as shaking hands or picking up a coffee mug. Elway said what bothered him most was “I couldn't pick up a football and I could not imagine not being able to put my hand around a football." AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflNone
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score, and the Buffalo Bills clinched the AFC’s No. 2 seed with a 40-14 rout of the unraveling and undisciplined New York Jets on Sunday. The Bills put the game away by capitalizing on two Jets turnovers and scoring three touchdowns over a 5:01 span in the closing minutes of the third quarter. Buffalo’s defense forced three takeaways overall and sacked Aaron Rodgers four times, including a 2-yard loss for a safety in the second quarter. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
Video Chats: A Great Way for Dolphins Fans to Stay Connected WorldwideJimmy Carter, the earnest Georgia peanut farmer, who as US president struggled with a bad economy and the Iran hostage crisis but brokered peace between Israel and Egypt and later received the Nobel Peace Prize for his humanitarian work, died at his home in Plains, Georgia, on Sunday, the Carter Center said. He was 100. “My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love,” said Chip Carter, the former president’s son. “My brothers, sister, and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honouring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs.” The Carter Center said there will be public observances in Atlanta and Washington. These events will be followed by a private interment in Plains, it said. Final arrangements for the former president's state funeral are still pending, according to the center. Jimmy Carter, a Democrat, served as president from January 1977 to January 1981 after defeating incumbent Republican President Gerald Ford in the 1976 US election. Carter was swept from office four years later in an electoral landslide as voters embraced Republican challenger Ronald Reagan, the former actor and California governor. Carter lived longer after his term in office than any other US president. Along the way, he earned a reputation as a better former president than he was a president – a status he readily acknowledged. His one-term presidency was marked by the highs of the 1978 Camp David accords between Israel and Egypt, bringing some stability to the Middle East. But it was dogged by an economy in recession, persistent unpopularity and the embarrassment of the Iran hostage crisis that consumed his final 444 days in office. In recent years, Carter had experienced several health issues including melanoma that spread to his liver and brain. Carter decided to receive hospice care in February 2023 instead of undergoing additional medical intervention. His wife, Rosalynn Carter, died on November 19, 2023, at the age of 96. He looked frail when he attended her memorial service and funeral in a wheelchair. Carter left office profoundly unpopular but worked energetically for decades on humanitarian causes. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 in recognition of his "untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development." Carter had been a centrist as governor of Georgia with populist tendencies when he moved into the White House as the 39th US president. He was a Washington outsider at a time when America was still reeling from the Watergate scandal that led Republican Richard Nixon to resign as president in 1974 and elevated Ford from vice president. "I'm Jimmy Carter and I'm running for president. I will never lie to you," Carter promised with an ear-to-ear smile. Asked to assess his presidency, Carter said in a 1991 documentary: "The biggest failure we had was a political failure. I never was able to convince the American people that I was a forceful and strong leader." Despite his difficulties in office, Carter had few rivals for accomplishments as a former president. He gained global acclaim as a tireless human rights advocate, a voice for the disenfranchised and a leader in the fight against hunger and poverty, winning the respect that eluded him in the White House. Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his efforts to promote human rights and resolve conflicts around the world, from Ethiopia and Eritrea to Bosnia and Haiti. His Carter Center in Atlanta sent international election-monitoring delegations to polls around the world. A Southern Baptist Sunday school teacher since his teens, Carter brought a strong sense of morality to the presidency, speaking openly about his religious faith. He also sought to take some pomp out of an increasingly imperial presidency – walking, rather than riding in a limousine, in his 1977 inauguration parade. The Middle East was the focus of Carter's foreign policy. The 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty, based on the 1978 Camp David accords, ended a state of war between the two neighbors. Carter brought Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin to the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland for talks. Later, as the accords seemed to be unraveling, Carter saved the day by flying to Cairo and Jerusalem for personal shuttle diplomacy. The treaty provided for Israeli withdrawal from Egypt's Sinai Peninsula and establishment of diplomatic relations. Begin and Sadat each won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1978. HOSTAGE CRISIS On November 4, 1979, revolutionaries devoted to Iran's Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini had stormed the US Embassy in Tehran, seized the Americans present and demanded the return of the ousted shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was backed by the United States and was being treated in a US hospital. The American public initially rallied behind Carter. But his support faded in April 1980 when a commando raid failed to rescue the hostages, with eight US soldiers killed in an aircraft accident in the Iranian desert. Carter's final ignominy was that Iran held the 52 hostages until minutes after Reagan took his oath of office on January 20, 1981, to replace Carter, then released the planes carrying them to freedom. In another crisis, Carter protested the former Soviet Union's 1979 invasion of Afghanistan by boycotting the 1980 Olympics in Moscow. He also asked the US Senate to defer consideration of a major nuclear arms accord with Moscow. Unswayed, the Soviets remained in Afghanistan for a decade. Carter won narrow Senate approval in 1978 of a treaty to transfer the Panama Canal to the control of Panama despite critics who argued the waterway was vital to American security. He also completed negotiations on full U.S. ties with China. Carter created two new US Cabinet departments – education and energy. Amid high gas prices, he said America's "energy crisis" was "the moral equivalent of war" and urged the country to embrace conservation. "Ours is the most wasteful nation on earth," he told Americans in 1977. In 1979, Carter delivered what became known as his "malaise" speech to the nation, although he never used that word. "After listening to the American people I have been reminded again that all the legislation in the world can't fix what's wrong with America," he said in his televised address. "The threat is nearly invisible in ordinary ways. It is a crisis of confidence. It is a crisis that strikes at the very heart and soul and spirit of our national will. The erosion of our confidence in the future is threatening to destroy the social and the political fabric of America." As president, the strait-laced Carter was embarrassed by the behavior of his hard-drinking younger brother, Billy Carter, who had boasted: "I got a red neck, white socks, and Blue Ribbon beer." 'THERE YOU GO AGAIN' Jimmy Carter withstood a challenge from Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy for the 1980 Democratic presidential nomination but was politically diminished heading into his general election battle against a vigorous Republican adversary. Reagan, the conservative who projected an image of strength, kept Carter off balance during their debates before the November 1980 election. Reagan dismissively told Carter, "There you go again," when the Republican challenger felt the president had misrepresented Reagan's views during one debate. Carter lost the 1980 election to Reagan, who won 44 of the 50 states and amassed an Electoral College landslide. James Earl Carter Jr. was born on October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia, one of four children of a farmer and shopkeeper. He graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1946, served in the nuclear submarine program and left to manage the family peanut farming business. He married his wife, Rosalynn, in 1946, a union he called "the most important thing in my life." They had three sons and a daughter. Carter became a millionaire, a Georgia state legislator and Georgia's governor from 1971 to 1975. He mounted an underdog bid for the 1976 Democratic presidential nomination, and out-hustled his rivals for the right to face Ford in the general election. With Walter Mondale as his vice presidential running mate, Carter was given a boost by a major Ford gaffe during one of their debates. Ford said that "there is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe and there never will be under a Ford administration," despite decades of just such domination. Carter edged Ford in the election, even though Ford actually won more states – 27 to Carter's 23. Not all of Carter's post-presidential work was appreciated. Former President George W. Bush and his father, former President George H.W. Bush, both Republicans, were said to have been displeased by Carter's freelance diplomacy in Iraq and elsewhere. In 2004, Carter called the Iraq war launched in 2003 by the younger Bush one of the most "gross and damaging mistakes our nation ever made." He called George W. Bush's administration "the worst in history" and said Vice President Dick Cheney was "a disaster for our country." In 2019, Carter questioned Republican Donald Trump's legitimacy as president, saying "he was put into office because the Russians interfered on his behalf." Trump responded by calling Carter "a terrible president." Carter also made trips to communist North Korea. A 1994 visit defused a nuclear crisis, as President Kim Il Sung agreed to freeze his nuclear program in exchange for resumed dialogue with the United States. That led to a deal in which North Korea, in return for aid, promised not to restart its nuclear reactor or reprocess the plant's spent fuel. But Carter irked Democratic President Bill Clinton's administration by announcing the deal with North Korea's leader without first checking with Washington. In 2010, Carter won the release of an American sentenced to eight years hard labor for illegally entering North Korea. Carter wrote more than two dozen books, ranging from a presidential memoir to a children's book and poetry, as well as works about religious faith and diplomacy. His book "Faith: A Journey for All," was published in 2018.
Jonah Goldberg: What if most Americans aren't bitterly divided?
A number of Western officials and security agencies have recently warned of the growing challenges posed by Russian hybrid warfare . This threat is not new, of course. The Kremlin has long been engaged in acts of hybrid aggression against the West, with information warfare playing a central role in Moscow’s efforts to destabilize its democratic adversaries. With geopolitical tension now rising amid a jockeying for position ahead of anticipated Ukraine peace talks in early 2025, Russian information attacks look set to intensify. It is important to acknowledge that Russian information warfare is highly innovative and continues to evolve at a rapid pace. Russia’s information offensives initially focused on the Kremlin’s own media platforms such as RT and Sputnik , but these outlets have proven relatively easy to identify, discredit, and restrict. In recent years, Russia has increasingly sought to promote its narratives via partners and proxies, as the recent scandal involving prominent US podcasters highlighted. The pioneering use of social media troll farms to fuel divisions and distort public opinion remains a major component of Russian information warfare. In addition, the Kremlin engages in the large-scale creation of fake websites mimicking prominent news outlets, adding a veneer of credibility to Russian disinformation. Russian narratives are also evolving. In 2022, the Kremlin’s attempts to depict Ukraine as a Nazi state largely failed to connect with international audiences, who struggled to understand how a country with a popularly elected Jewish president and no far-right presence in government could be in need of “de-Nazification.” Instead, Moscow has turned its attention to promoting the decline of the West and the need for a new multipolar world order. Through a wide variety of traditional and digital media initiatives, the Kremlin has sought to highlight economic problems in Europe and North America, while pushing the idea of growing Western public dissatisfaction over issues such as identity politics and minority rights. Meanwhile, Russia positions itself as a bastion of traditional family values, social stability, and conservatism. This has struck a chord with alienated segments of society throughout the West. As the world watches the Russian invasion of Ukraine unfold, UkraineAlert delivers the best Atlantic Council expert insight and analysis on Ukraine twice a week directly to your inbox. The Global South is currently a priority front in Russia’s information war. With the invasion of Ukraine leaving Russia isolated from the West, the Kremlin has reoriented its foreign policy toward the non-Western world. In its messaging to audiences across the Global South, Russia plays on historical resentment at centuries of Western colonialism and portrays itself as a fellow victim of the West. Despite Russia’s long history of imperial aggression and openly imperialistic ambitions in Ukraine, Putin has sought to win over audiences in Africa, Asia, and South America by posing as a defender against Western imperialism. It would be foolish to dismiss Russia’s anti-imperial messaging as absurd. Older generations across the Global South are often aware of the role played by the Soviet Union in the decolonization movement that followed World War II. Others have little knowledge of the imperial ambitions underpinning the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and tend base their opinions on Putin primarily on his opposition to the West. This is helping to shape the geopolitical outlook throughout the Global South and is creating a range of foreign policy challenges for the West that expand far beyond the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Another key element of the Kremlin’s disinformation campaign is the claim that NATO enlargement represents a direct security threat to the Russian Federation and is the real cause of the war in Ukraine. This argument resonates loudly with international audiences suspicious of the West’s dominant role in world affairs. While other Russian attempts to justify the invasion of Ukraine have fallen flat, attempts to blame NATO have proved highly effective. In reality, Putin seems well aware that NATO doesn’t pose a threat to Russia. Tellingly, he raised no serious objections in 2022 when neighboring Finland and Sweden announced their intention to join the alliance, despite the fact that this would more than double Russia’s NATO borders and transform the strategically crucial Baltic Sea into a NATO lake. Indeed, he has since withdrawn most Russian troops from the country’s Finnish frontier. Evidently, Putin’s expansionist foreign policy reflects his opposition to Ukrainian independence rather than any artificial fears over NATO expansion. Putin’s NATO narrative may not stand up to scrutiny, but it is likely to play an important role in any upcoming peace talks, with Russia currently pushing for an end to NATO enlargement and a firm commitment to permanent Ukrainian neutrality. This would be potentially disastrous for international security. A neutral Ukraine would be highly vulnerable to further Russian aggression and eventual occupation. Meanwhile, rising anti-NATO sentiment in the US and elsewhere risks undermining transatlantic cooperation and fostering isolationism. The West must trend carefully when attempting to confront Russian disinformation. Crucially, any efforts to moderate content on social media or impose restrictions on even the most openly propagandistic of platforms invites accusations of censorship. With this in mind, Western governments must walk a fine line as they seek to protect themselves against the Kremlin’s information warfare while safeguarding freedom of expression. Given the transnational nature of the modern information landscape, international cooperation is essential when attempting to combat Russian disinformation. Looking ahead, the Western response should include the creation of collaborative task forces, real-time intelligence sharing, and coordinated efforts to sanction state and private actors. Western policymakers must also match the Kremlin in terms of versatility and innovation if they wish to keep their countries safe in an increasingly complex and interconnected information environment. Putin’s Russia has demonstrated the importance of the information front in modern warfare. It is time for the West to catch up. Kateryna Odarchenko is a partner at SIC Group Ukraine. Elena Davlikanova is a fellow at CEPA. Further reading The views expressed in UkraineAlert are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Atlantic Council, its staff, or its supporters.
