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OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder won their 11th straight game, beating the short-handed Memphis Grizzlies 130-106 on Sunday night in a matchup of Western Conference leaders that turned lopsided before halftime. Rookie Ajay Mitchell scored 17 points, Aaron Wiggins contributed 16 and Jalen Williams added 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Thunder (26-5), who opened a five-game lead over second-place Memphis. Gilgeous-Alexander made 14 of 19 shots to go along with seven assists, six rebounds and a team-high four blocks. He sat most of the fourth quarter. Oklahoma City blocked nine shots, including three by center Isaiah Hartenstein. The Thunder led 76-50 at halftime behind 23 points from Gilgeous-Alexander and 12 each from Mitchell and Kenrich Williams, who combined to go 5 for 7 on 3-point shots. Oklahoma City outscored the Grizzlies 42-19 in the second quarter to take control. Desmond Bane had 22 points and nine rebounds for Memphis (22-11), which played without star Ja Morant (shoulder) and Zach Edey, the team’s No. 9 overall draft pick, who was in concussion protocol. Jay Huff added 17 points but Jaren Jackson Jr., the team's leading scorer at 21.9 points per game, managed 13 points on 3-of-17 shooting. Grizzlies: Memphis jumped out to a 9-0 lead but struggled to score after that, making 37 of 97 shots from the field (38.1%) and 14 of 51 from 3-point range (27.5%). Thunder: Oklahoma City lost the rebound battle 51-46, but outscored the Grizzlies 56-36 in the paint. Memphis pulled within 42-36 on a jumper by Jackson, but Oklahoma City went on a 32-9 run to extend the lead to 74-45 and put the game out of reach before halftime. Oklahoma City converted 21 Memphis turnovers into 33 points. Grizzlies: Visit Phoenix on Tuesday night. Thunder: Host Minnesota on Tuesday night. AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nbaPLCQ launches Indian author’s book about Pakistan’s largest city Karachi

WASHINGTON — Millions of Americans with obesity would be eligible to have popular weight-loss drugs like Wegovy or Zepbound covered by Medicare or Medicaid under a new rule the Biden administration proposed Tuesday morning. The costly proposal from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services immediately sets the stage for a showdown between the powerful pharmaceutical industry and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an outspoken opponent of the weight-loss drugs who, as President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the agency, could block the measure. While the rule would give millions of people access to weekly injectables that have helped people shed pounds so quickly that some have labeled them miracle drugs, it would cost taxpayers as much as $35 billion over the next decade. “It’s a good day for anyone who suffers from obesity,” U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra told The Associated Press in an interview. “It’s a game changer for Americans who can’t afford these drugs otherwise.” The rule would not be finalized until January, days after Trump takes office. A bipartisan coalition of congressional members has lobbied for the drugs to be covered by Medicare, saying it could save the government from spending billions of dollars on treating chronic ailments that stem from obesity. While it’s unclear where Trump himself stands on coverage of the weight-loss drugs, his allies and Cabinet picks who have vowed to cut government spending could balk at the upfront price tag. Under the proposal, only those who are considered obese – someone who has a body mass index of 30 or higher – would qualify for coverage. Some people may already get coverage of the drugs through Medicare or Medicaid, if they have diabetes or are at risk for stroke or heart disease. Becerra estimated that an additional 3.5 million people on Medicare and 4 million on Medicaid could qualify for coverage of the drugs. But research suggests far more people might qualify, with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services estimating roughly 28 million people on Medicaid are considered obese. Medicare has been barred from offering the drugs under a decades-old law that prohibits the government-backed insurance program from covering weight-loss products. The rule proposed by the Biden administration, however, would recognize obesity as a disease that can be treated with the help of the drugs. The anti-obesity drug market has expanded significantly in recent years, with the Food and Drug Administration approvingb a new class of weekly injectables like Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Eli Lilly’s Zepbound to treat obesity. People can lose as much as 15% to 25% of their body weight on the drugs, which imitate the hormones that regulate appetites by communicating fullness between the gut and brain when people eat. The cost of the drugs has largely limited them to the wealthy, including celebrities who boast of their benefits. A monthly supply of Wegovy rings up at $1,300 and Zepbound will put you out $1,000. Shortages of the drugs have also limited the supplies. Kennedy, who as Trump’s nominee for HHS secretary is subject to Senate confirmation, has railed against the drugs’ popularity. In speeches and on social media, he’s said the U.S. should not cover the drugs through Medicaid or Medicare. Instead, he supports a broad expansion of coverage for healthier foods and gym memberships. “For half the price of Ozempic, we could purchase regeneratively raised, organic food for every American, three meals a day and a gym membership, for every obese American,” Kennedy said to a group of federal lawmakers during a roundtable earlier this year. Ozempic is a diabetes drug that can stimulate weight loss. Comments are not available on this story. Send questions/comments to the editors. « Previous

First Trust Materials AlphaDEX Fund ( NYSEARCA:FXZ – Get Free Report )’s stock price dropped 0.7% during trading on Friday . The company traded as low as $56.47 and last traded at $56.76. Approximately 36,727 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 2% from the average daily volume of 36,029 shares. The stock had previously closed at $57.16. First Trust Materials AlphaDEX Fund Price Performance The company has a market capitalization of $343.40 million, a PE ratio of 9.32 and a beta of 1.04. The business has a 50-day moving average of $63.37 and a 200 day moving average of $64.49. Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of FXZ. Zions Bancorporation N.A. purchased a new stake in shares of First Trust Materials AlphaDEX Fund during the 2nd quarter valued at about $60,000. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its position in First Trust Materials AlphaDEX Fund by 8,640.0% during the third quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 1,748 shares of the company’s stock valued at $117,000 after purchasing an additional 1,728 shares during the period. RPg Family Wealth Advisory LLC bought a new stake in shares of First Trust Materials AlphaDEX Fund in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $383,000. Clarus Wealth Advisors boosted its holdings in shares of First Trust Materials AlphaDEX Fund by 9.4% in the 3rd quarter. Clarus Wealth Advisors now owns 5,833 shares of the company’s stock worth $387,000 after purchasing an additional 499 shares during the period. Finally, CoreCap Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of First Trust Materials AlphaDEX Fund during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $425,000. First Trust Materials AlphaDEX Fund Company Profile The First Trust Materials AlphaDEX Fund (FXZ) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the StrataQuant Materials index. The fund tracks a tiered, equal-weighted index of large- and mid-cap basic materials firms in the US. Holdings are selected and weighted based on growth and value metrics. FXZ was launched on May 8, 2007 and is managed by First Trust. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for First Trust Materials AlphaDEX Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for First Trust Materials AlphaDEX Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

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11 graves with 15 bodies found near Mexican border with GuatemalaNoneFlag football uses talent camps to uncover new starsBATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Cam Carter hit five 3-pointers and finished with 23 points, Vyctorius Miller added 20 points and LSU never trailed Sunday night in a 110-45 win over Mississippi Valley State, the Tigers' 21st consecutive victory when scoring at least 100 points. LSU's 65-point margin of victory was its largest since the Tigers beat Grambling by 75 (112-37) on Nov. 20, 1999 and is the third biggest against a Division-I opponent in program history. The 110 points were the most by LSU since a 119-108 win over North Florida on Dec. 12, 2015. Carter scored 11 points — including three 3-pointers — in the first six minutes to make it 18-6 and LSU led by double figures the rest of the way. The Delta Devils went 0 for 6 from the field and committed five turnovers as LSU scored 17 consecutive points to take a 28-point lead with 7:44 left in the first half and led 55-13 at halftime. The Tigers allowed the seventh-fewest points in a half by an opponent in program history. Mississippi Valley State (2-11) is averaging 46.2 points and is winless with a scoring margin of minus-44.2 in 11 games against Division-I opponents this season. LSU (11-2) has won three games in a row since a 74-64 loss to SMU at the Compete 4 Cause Classic in Frisco, Texas, on Dec. 14. Jordan Spears and Daimion Collins added 15 points apiece for the Tigers, who shot 66% (46 of 70) from the field and made 12 3s. Alvin Stredic led Mississippi Valley State with eight points. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Following the death of former president Jimmy Carter on Sunday, Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank released a statement expressing his heartfelt condolences to the Carter family. Blank called Carter a friend and role model. “I am deeply saddened by the loss of my dear friend and role model, President Jimmy Carter,” Blank wrote. “He was a great American, a proud Georgian and an inspirational global humanitarian. “He lived his life with great civic responsibility and took it upon himself to be the change he wished to see amongst others. On behalf of my family and our family of businesses, we send a heartfelt message of condolence to his loved ones.” Carter, who won the 1976 presidential election, entered home hospice care in Plains, Georgia in February 2023 after a series of hospital stays. In October, Carter celebrated his 100th birthday. His grandson, Jason Carter, spoke out at the time about the blessing living so long was. “Not everybody gets 100 years on this earth, and when somebody does, and when they use that time to do so much good for so many people, it’s worth celebrating,” Jason Carter, chair of The Carter Center governing board, said in an interview, per the Associated Press . “These last few months, 19 months, now that he’s been in hospice, it’s been a chance for our family to reflect and then for the rest of the country and the world to really reflect on him. That’s been a really gratifying time.” Blank also heaped praise on president Carter for the man he was. “President Carter’s kind and uniting spirit touched so many lives,” Blank’s statement read. “He was a man of deep faith, and did everything with principal and grace, doing things the right way for the right reasons. “We first met at The Home Depot, and I will remember him as an enthusiastic do-it-yourselfer who was willing to roll up his own sleeves to build homes for others. He was also an avid sports fan of our Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United teams.” But where Blank was the most thankful was for Carter’s service to his country, in numerous ways, including in political office. “But mostly, I will remember President Carter as my friend, a guiding light and someone who served humanity day in and day out – a quality he exhibited daily throughout his remarkable life. We will be forever indebted to President Carter for his honorable service as a Navy officer, his tireless diplomatic efforts, his dedicated philanthropic work, and his caring leadership as Georgia’s governor and then as leader of the free world. “I join with the city of Atlanta, the state of Georgia, and a grieving nation in mourning the loss of one of the world’s most compassionate souls. I will miss him dearly.” This article first appeared on 5 GOATs and was syndicated with permission.Charity Fraud Awareness Week

Best Fantasy Football Week 13 Defense Streamers (D/ST): Seahawks DST, Cowboys DST Face Struggling New York Offenses - Roto Street JournalNEW YORK (AP) — No ex-president had a more prolific and diverse publishing career than Jimmy Carter . His more than two dozen books included nonfiction, poetry, fiction, religious meditations and a children’s story. His memoir “An Hour Before Daylight” was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2002, while his 2006 best-seller “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid” stirred a fierce debate by likening Israel’s policies in the West Bank to the brutal South African system of racial segregation. And just before his 100th birthday, the Dayton Literary Peace Prize Foundation honored him with a lifetime achievement award for how he wielded “the power of the written word to foster peace, social justice, and global understanding.” In one recent work, “A Full Life,” Carter observed that he “enjoyed writing” and that his books “provided a much-needed source of income.” But some projects were easier than others. “Everything to Gain,” a 1987 collaboration with his wife, Rosalynn, turned into the “worst threat we ever experienced in our marriage,” an intractable standoff for the facilitator of the Camp David accords and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. According to Carter, Rosalynn was a meticulous author who considered “the resulting sentences as though they have come down from Mount Sinai, carved into stone.” Their memories differed on various events and they fell into “constant arguments.” They were ready to abandon the book and return the advance, until their editor persuaded them to simply divide any disputed passages between them. “In the book, each of these paragraphs is identified by a ‘J’ or an ‘R,’ and our marriage survived,” he wrote. Here is a partial list of books by Carter: “Keeping Faith: Memoirs of a President” “The Blood of Abraham: Insights into the Middle East” (With Rosalynn Carter) “Everything to Gain: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life” “An Outdoor Journal: Adventures and Reflections” “Turning Point: A Candidate, a State, and a Nation Come of Age” “Always a Reckoning, and Other Poems” (With daughter Amy Carter) “The Little Baby Snoogle-Fleejer” “Living Faith” “The Virtues of Aging” “An Hour Before Daylight: Memories of a Rural Boyhood” “Christmas in Plains: Memories” “The Hornet’s Nest: A Novel of the Revolutionary War” “Our Endangered Values: America’s Moral Crisis” “Faith & Freedom: The Christian Challenge for the World” “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid” “A Remarkable Mother” “Beyond the White House” “We Can Have Peace in the Holy Land: A Plan That Will Work” “White House Diary” “NIV Lessons from Life Bible: Personal Reflections with Jimmy Carter” “A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence, and Power” “A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety”