Researchers launch “moonshot” to cure blindness through eye transplants

DeepSeek unveils one of the first AI models to rival OpenAI’s o1Opposition Leader wants police to investigate murder plot claimFor all its speed and centrifugal force, all its peril and push-the-envelope ingenuity, stock-car racing for decades subsisted on its array of characters. Guys named Fonty and Fireball, the Intimidator and the King, Foyt and France. They were an ensemble of ruffians and renegades, booze runners and barrier crashers, united by a critical common denominator. All were mavericks. Now, their audacity and achievements have been recounted in a sleek, photo-filled coffee-table book. "NASCAR Mavericks: The Rebels and Racers Who Revolutionized Stock Car Racing," was been released. Published by Motorbooks (an imprint of the Quarto Publishing Group), it's available at various online sites including Amazon and store.nascar.com . H.A. "Herb" Branham and Holly Cain, both former Tampa Tribune motorsports writers, spent 10 months on the project, interviewing roughly 100 sources. "What does it mean to be a maverick?" three-time NASCAR champ Tony Stewart asks rhetorically in his foreword. "Speaking from personal experience, it's doing what you think is right, even when others say you're wrong. And it's being told you can't, so you go even harder just to prove them wrong." What ensues over the next 192 pages is an illustrated digest of sorts; character sketches in simple, unapologetic prose of those who embodied the maverick approach. "We talked to just about anybody that was relevant to the stories that were still alive, including obviously the people themselves," Branham said. The mavericks include visionaries who helped propel the sport from red-clay tracks to major speedways (i.e. Bill France Sr.), crew chiefs who bent the rules to nearly their breaking point (i.e. Smokey Yunick), and drivers who had developed their automotive chops by running from the law in the South's nether regions (i.e. Curtis Turner). The group also features those who sped full-throttle into what was once deemed a Southern-male sport. Among them: Wendell Scott, the first Black racer to win a NASCAR Cup Series race; and Sara Christian, the first female driver in the Strictly Stock Division (forerunner to the NASCAR Cup Series). Of course, the stars of NASCAR's heyday — such as Dale Earnhardt, Darrell Waltrip and Richard Petty — get their due, as do modern-day mavericks such as Stewart, Kurt and Kyle Busch, and Hall of Fame crew chief Chad Knaus. Even maverick-style developments (a tobacco company becoming a corporate sponsor, the network TV takeover, the creation of a street race in Chicago) are chronicled. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Here, the PA news agency looks at the seven Grand Slam finals contested by the pair. Murray turned in a poor performance in Melbourne, failing at the third attempt to win a set in a Grand Slam final as Djokovic broke serve seven times and hit six aces to claim a comprehensive win 6-4 6-2 6-3. “You had an unbelievable tournament and deserved to win,” the Scot said in reference to his opponent. “I look forward to playing against you in the future.” It took five sets for Murray to claim his first Grand Slam title, becoming the first British man to achieve the feat since Fred Perry in 1936. The final clocked in at four hours and 54 minutes as Murray prevailed 7-6 (10) 7-5 2-6 3-6 6-2 to end a wait of 287 tournaments in British male tennis for a victory. “I want to congratulate Andy on his first grand slam, he thoroughly deserves it,” said Djokovic. “I really tried my best. I gave it my all. It was a tremendous match.” Congrats @DjokerNole . Incredible athlete. Perfect gentleman. #ausopen — judy murray (@JudyMurray) January 27, 2013 Murray was dogged by injury in Melbourne with a heavily strapped right foot and a tight hamstring as Djokovic fought back from a set down to land a third consecutive Australian Open title, 6-7 (2) 7-6 (3) 6-3 6-2. “His record here is incredible,” said Murray. ”Very few people have managed to do what he has done, a deserved champion.” Murray ended a 77-year wait for a British men’s victory at Wimbledon by defeating his old foe 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 in SW19, serving emphatically with nine aces and only two double faults to throw off the weight of history. The Scot had been 4-1 down in the second set as the match threatened to slip away from him and with it the chance to cement his place in tennis folklore, but having wasted three championship points he finally sealed the deal when Djokovic drove into the net with his final shot. A post shared by Novak Djokovic (@djokernole) Djokovic triumphed 7-6 (5) 6-7 (4) 6-3 6-0 and after the 24 matches and five grand slam finals the pair had played against each other across nine years, the Serb had established a 16-8 overall lead and 3-2 in slam finals. “Success is being happy,” said Murray. “It’s not about winning every single tournament you play, because that isn’t possible.” What a journey. Really grateful for everything. I'll keep working hard. Love is the key! pic.twitter.com/CrT7TYRL3O — Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) January 31, 2016 The Serb landed a fourth win over Murray in Australian Open finals and his 11th in 12 matches to land his 11th major title, whilst the Scot made it five consecutive final losses in Melbourne, a new record in the Open era. “I feel like I’ve been here before,” said Murray after a 6-1 7-5 7-6 (3) loss. “Congratulations Novak, six Australian Opens, an incredible feat, and incredible consistency the last year.” "This is something that’s so rare in tennis... it’s gonna take a long time for it to happen again" Andy to Novak ❤️ pic.twitter.com/LN7dW8ZJED — Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 5, 2016 This was Murray’s first final at Roland Garros but it brought a familiar conclusion as Djokovic triumphed against him for the fifth time in seven Grand Slam finals. The 3-6 6-1 6-2 6-4 success was a first win for the Serb in Paris and saw him hold all four slams simultaneously. Murray went on to win Wimbledon the following month and was voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year but, addressing Djokovic in Paris, said: “This is his day today. What he’s achieved the last 12 months is phenomenal, winning all four of the grand slams in one year is an amazing achievement.”Chiefs offense hitting its stride with return of wide receiver Marquise Brown from injury

What We Know About Luigi Mangione, Arrested in Connection with UHC CEO KillingChiefs offense hitting its stride with return of wide receiver Marquise Brown from injury

MANKATO — Despite losing in overtime Friday, the Minnesota State women's hockey team felt good entering Game 2 of its series against Ohio State. MSU just needed to generate a bit more offense. The Mavericks did just that Saturday, as Taylor Otremba scored two third-period goals en route to a 4-1 WCHA victory over the No. 2 Buckeyes at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center. The victory snaps a 19-game losing streak to Ohio State dating back to the 2019-20 season. MSU got on the scoreboard first at 3:17 of the third period on a goal by Claire Vekich and held its 1-0 lead into the third period. Otremba scored the eventual game-winner at 5:14 of the third, but the Buckeyes answered with a goal at 8:31 to cut the deficit to 2-1. There was some adversity in the following minutes, but MSU was able to kill two penalties in the third while clinging to its one-goal lead. Otremba scored her second of the game at 15:58, and Madison Mashuga secured the win with an empty-net goal at 18:49. Shots on goal favored Ohio State 31-12. Hailey Hansen made 30 saves for MSU to get the victory, while MSU's skaters blocked 17 shots in front of Hansen. The Mavericks (4-7-1, 2-7-1 in WCHA) play a road nonconference series against Dartmouth next weekend.

Why Indonesia needs to reform its oil, gas exploration landscapeNatixis Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Repligen Co. ( NASDAQ:RGEN – Free Report ) by 53.6% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 33,625 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock after purchasing an additional 11,731 shares during the quarter. Natixis Advisors LLC owned approximately 0.06% of Repligen worth $5,004,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Bank of New York Mellon Corp grew its stake in shares of Repligen by 21.0% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 1,370,375 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $172,749,000 after acquiring an additional 237,884 shares during the period. Conestoga Capital Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Repligen by 26.7% during the 2nd quarter. Conestoga Capital Advisors LLC now owns 946,877 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $119,363,000 after acquiring an additional 199,322 shares during the period. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans grew its stake in shares of Repligen by 240.5% during the 2nd quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 601,829 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $75,866,000 after acquiring an additional 425,061 shares during the period. New York State Common Retirement Fund grew its stake in shares of Repligen by 14.4% during the 3rd quarter. New York State Common Retirement Fund now owns 567,044 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $84,387,000 after acquiring an additional 71,274 shares during the period. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its stake in shares of Repligen by 39.4% during the 2nd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 429,524 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $54,149,000 after acquiring an additional 121,305 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 97.64% of the company’s stock. Repligen Stock Up 0.6 % Shares of RGEN opened at $142.58 on Friday. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $140.20 and its 200-day simple moving average is $143.62. Repligen Co. has a 1 year low of $113.50 and a 1 year high of $211.13. The stock has a market capitalization of $7.99 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -385.34, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.87 and a beta of 0.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26, a current ratio of 10.44 and a quick ratio of 5.56. Insider Activity at Repligen In related news, Director Anthony Hunt sold 22,191 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $145.37, for a total transaction of $3,225,905.67. Following the sale, the director now owns 139,840 shares in the company, valued at approximately $20,328,540.80. This represents a 13.70 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink . 1.20% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In RGEN has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Wolfe Research assumed coverage on Repligen in a research note on Thursday, November 14th. They set a “peer perform” rating for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on Repligen from $190.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. Benchmark restated a “hold” rating on shares of Repligen in a research note on Monday, August 5th. UBS Group dropped their price target on Repligen from $205.00 to $185.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company assumed coverage on Repligen in a research note on Tuesday, August 27th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $180.00 price target for the company. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $190.25. Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on RGEN About Repligen ( Free Report ) Repligen Corporation develops and commercializes bioprocessing technologies and systems for use in biological drug manufacturing process in North America, Europe, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. It offers Protein A ligands that are the binding components of Protein A affinity chromatography resins; and cell culture growth factor products. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding RGEN? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Repligen Co. ( NASDAQ:RGEN – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Repligen Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Repligen and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syria's prime minister said Monday that most cabinet ministers were back at work after rebels overthrew President Bashar Assad , but some state workers failed to return to their jobs, and a United Nations official said the country's public sector had come “to a complete and abrupt halt." Meanwhile, streams of refugees crossed back into Syria from neighboring countries, hoping for a more peaceful future and looking for relatives who disappeared during Assad's brutal rule. There were already signs of the difficulties ahead for the rebel alliance now in control of much of the country. The alliance is led by a former senior al-Qaida militant who severed ties with the extremist group years ago and has promised representative government and religious tolerance. The rebel command said Monday they would not tell women how to dress. “It is strictly forbidden to interfere with women’s dress or impose any request related to their clothing or appearance, including requests for modesty,” the command said in a statement on social media. Nearly two days after rebels entered the capital, some key government services had shut down after state workers ignored calls to go back to their jobs, the U.N. official said, causing issues at airports and borders and slowing the flow of humanitarian aid. Rebel leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was long known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, also met for the first time with Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Jalali, who stayed in Syria when Assad fled. “You will see there are skills" among the rebels, al-Sharaa said in a video shared on a rebel messaging channel. Israel said it carried out airstrikes on suspected chemical weapons sites and long-range rockets to keep them from falling into the hands of extremists. Israel also seized a buffer zone inside Syria after Syrian troops withdrew. In northern Syria, Turkey said allied opposition forces seized the town of Manbij from Kurdish-led forces backed by the United States, a reminder that even after Assad's departure, the country remains split among armed groups that have fought in the past. The Kremlin said Russia has granted political asylum to Assad , a decision made by President Vladimir Putin . Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on Assad’s specific whereabouts and said Putin did not plan to meet with him. Damascus was quiet Monday, with life slowly returning to normal, though most shops and public institutions were closed. In public squares, some people were still celebrating. Civilian traffic resumed, but there was no public transport. Long lines formed in front of bakeries and other food stores. There was little sign of any security presence though in some areas, small groups of armed men were stationed in the streets. Across swathes of Syria, families are now waiting outside prisons , security offices and courts, hoping for news of loved ones who were imprisoned or who disappeared. Just north of Damascus in the feared Saydnaya military prison, women detainees, some with their children, screamed as rebels broke locks off their cell doors. Amnesty International and other groups say dozens of people were secretly executed every week in Saydnaya, and they estimate that up to 13,000 Syrians were killed between 2011 and 2016. “Don’t be afraid," one rebel said as he ushered women from packed cells. "Bashar Assad has fallen!” In southern Turkey , Mustafa Sultan was among hundreds of Syrian refugees waiting at border crossings to head home. He was searching for his older brother, who was imprisoned under Assad. “I haven’t seen him for 13 years," he said. "I am going to go see whether he’s alive.” Prime minister says government is operational, but UN official says it's paralyzed Jalali, the prime minister, has sought to project normalcy since Assad fled. “We are working so that the transitional period is quick and smooth,” he told Sky News Arabia TV on Monday, saying the security situation had already improved from the day before. At the court of Justice in Damascus, which was stormed by the rebels to free detainees, Judge Khitam Haddad, an aide to the justice minister in the outgoing government, said Sunday that judges were ready to resume work quickly. “We want to give everyone their rights,” Haddad said outside the courthouse. “We want to build a new Syria and to keep the work, but with new methods.” But a U.N. official said some government services had been paralyzed as worried state employees stayed home. The public sector “has just come to a complete and abrupt halt," said U.N. Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria Adam Abdelmoula, noting, for example, that an aid flight carrying urgently needed medical supplies had been put on hold after aviation employees abandoned their jobs. “This is a country that has had one government for 53 years and then suddenly all of those who have been demonized by the public media are now in charge in the nation’s capital,” Abdelmoula told The Associated Press. "I think it will take a couple of days and a lot of assurance on the part of the armed groups for these people to return to work again.” Britain, U.S. considering removing insurgent group from terror list Britain and the U.S. are both considering whether to remove the main anti-Assad rebel group from their lists of designated terrorist organizations. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham began as an offshoot of al-Qaida but cut ties with the group years ago and has worked to present a more moderate image. The group's leader, al-Sharaa, “is saying some of the right things about the protection of minorities, about respecting people’s rights,” British Cabinet minister Pat McFadden said, adding that a change would be considered “quite quickly.” But British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, speaking later during a visit to Saudi Arabia, said it was "far too early” to make that decision. In Washington, a Biden administration official noted that HTS will be an “important component” in Syria's future and that the U.S. needs to “engage with them appropriately.” Another administration official said the U.S. remains in a “wait and see” mode on whether to remove the designation. Both officials requested anonymity to discuss the ongoing internal deliberations. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters that such designations are constantly under review. Even while it is in place, the designation does not bar U.S. officials from speaking with members or leaders of the group, he said. The U.S. also announced it was sending its special envoy for hostage affairs to Beirut to seek information about the whereabouts of Austin Tice, a journalist who vanished in Syria 12 years ago and who President Joe Biden has said is believed to be alive. Israel confirms it struck suspected chemical weapons and rockets Israelis welcomed the fall of Assad, who was a key ally of Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group, while expressing concern over what comes next. Israel says its forces temporarily seized a buffer zone inside Syria dating back to a 1974 agreement after Syrian troops withdrew in the chaos. “The only interest we have is the security of Israel and its citizens," Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar told reporters Monday. Saar did not provide details about the targets, but the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said they included weapons warehouses, research centers, air defense systems and aircraft squadrons. Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in Syria in recent years, targeting what it says are military sites related to Iran and Hezbollah . Israeli officials rarely comment on individual strikes. Syria agreed to give up its chemical weapons stockpile in 2013, after the government was accused of launching an attack near Damascus that killed hundreds of people . But it is widely believed to have kept some of the weapons and was accused of using them again in subsequent years. Turkey says its allies have taken northern town Officials in Turkey, which is the main supporter of the Syrian opposition to Assad, say its allies have taken full control of the northern Syrian city of Manbij from a U.S.-supported and Kurdish-led force known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF. The SDF said a Turkish drone struck in the village of al-Mistriha in eastern Syria, killing 12 civilians, including six children. Turkey views the SDF, which is primarily composed of a Syrian Kurdish militia, as an extension of the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which has waged a decades-long insurgency in Turkey. The SDF has also been a key ally of the United States in the war against the Islamic State group. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Monday warned against allowing Islamic State or Kurdish fighters to take advantage of the situation, saying Turkey will prevent Syria from turning into a “haven for terrorism.” ___ Mroue reported from Beirut and Goldenberg from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writers Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, Mehmet Guzel at the Oncupinar border crossing in Turkey, Jamey Keaten in Geneva, and Aamer Madhani and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report. ___ Follow the AP's Syria coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/syria Sarah El Deeb, Bassem Mroue And Tia Goldenberg, The Associated PressStockNews.com Begins Coverage on Ampio Pharmaceuticals (NYSE:AMPE)