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Former Tulane quarterback Darian Mensah has already found a new program in Duke, while Mississippi State's Michael Van Buren Jr., Wisconsin's Braedyn Locke and Cal's Fernando Mendoza are exploring changes of their own in the transfer portal. Mensah, a redshirt freshman with three years of eligibility remaining, told ESPN on Wednesday he has transferred to Duke. He attended the Blue Devils men's basketball game against Incarnate Word on Tuesday night. The Blue Devils (9-3) will face Mississippi in the Gator Bowl, but without 2024 starting quarterback Maalik Murphy and backup Grayson Loftis, who also entered the portal. Mensah, viewed as one of the top players in the portal, threw for 2,723 yards and 22 touchdowns and completed 65.9% of his passes. He led the Green Wave to a 9-4 record and the American Athletic Conference championship game, where they lost 35-14 to Army. Tulane will play Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl on Sunday. Van Buren, Mendoza and Locke announced on social media they had entered the portal. Van Buren started eight games as a true freshmen for the Bulldogs. He threw for 1,886 yards on 55% passing with 16 total touchdowns and seven interceptions for the Bulldogs (2-10, 0-8 Southeastern Conference). He took over as the starter when Blake Shapen suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in a 45-28 loss to Florida on Sept. 21. Shapen has said he plans to return next season. Van Buren, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound passer from St. Frances Academy in Maryland, had two 300-yard performances for the Bulldogs, including 306 yards and three touchdown passes in a 41-31 road loss against Georgia. Mendoza threw for 3,004 yards in 2024 with 16 TDs, six interceptions and a 68.7 completion percentage. "For the sake of my football future this is the decision I have reached," he posted. Locke passed for 1,936 yards with 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions for Wisconsin this season. He said he will have two years of eligibility remaining at his next school. ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan cornerback Will Johnson has joined defensive tackle Mason Graham in the NFL draft. Johnson declared for the draft on Wednesday, one day after Graham decided he would also skip his senior season with the Wolverines. Both preseason All-America players are expected to be first-round picks. Johnson was limited to six games this year due to an injury. He had two interceptions, returning them both for touchdowns to set a school record with three scores off interceptions. Johnson picked off nine passes in three seasons. Graham played in all 12 games this season, finishing with 3 1/2 sacks and seven tackles for losses. He had 18 tackles for losses, including nine sacks, in his three-year career. Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson is The Associated Press offensive player of the year in the Southeastern Conference and South Carolina defensive lineman Kyle Kennard is the top defensive player. Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia was voted the top newcomer on Wednesday while the Gamecocks' Shane Beamer is coach of the year in voting by the panel of 17 media members who cover the league. Sampson led the SEC and set school records by rushing for 1,485 yards and 22 touchdowns. He is tied for third nationally in rushing touchdowns, recording the league's fifth-most in a season. Sampson was chosen on all but two ballots. Mississippi wide receiver Tre Harris and his quarterback, Jaxson Dart, each got a vote. Kennard led the SEC with 11-1/2 sacks and 15-1/2 tackles for loss. He also had 10 quarterback hurries and forced three fumbles. Beamer led the Gamecocks to just their fifth nine-win season, including a school-record four wins over Top 25 opponents. They've won their last six games and ended the regular season with a win over eventual ACC champion Clemson. South Carolina plays Illinois on Dec. 31 in the Citrus Bowl. Pavia helped lead Vandy to its first bowl game since 2018 after transferring from New Mexico State. He passed for 2,133 yards and 17 touchdowns with four interceptions. He ran for another 716 yards and six touchdowns, directing an upset of Alabama. AMES, Iowa — Matt Campbell, who led Iowa State to its first 10-win season and became the program's all-time leader in coaching victories, has agreed to an eight-year contract that would keep him with the Cyclones through 2032. University president Wendy Wintersteen and athletic director Jamie Pollard made the announcement Wednesday, four days after the Cyclones lost to Arizona State in the Big 12 championship game. “Given all the uncertainty currently facing college athletics, it was critical that we moved quickly to solidify the future of our football program,” Pollard said. “Matt is the perfect fit for Iowa State University and I am thrilled he wants to continue to lead our program. Leadership continuity is essential to any organization’s long-term success." The Cyclones won their first seven games for their best start since 1938 and are 10-3 heading into their game against Miami in the Pop Tarts Bowl in Orlando, Florida, on Dec. 28. BRIEFLY FLAG PLANT: Ohio Republican state Rep. Josh Williams said Wednesday on social media he's introducing a bill to make flag planting in sports a felony in the state. His proposal comes after the Nov. 30 fight at the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry football game when the Wolverines beat the Buckeyes 13-10 and then attempted to plant their flag at midfield. MALZAHN: Gus Malzahn, who resigned as UCF’s coach last month to become Mike Norvell’s offensive coordinator at Florida State, said he chose to return to his coaching roots rather than remain a head coach distracted by a myriad of responsibilities. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Over 18,000 in Mexico register to run for Supreme Court seats and federal judges in new system
Rising voices of a generation: How young South Koreans defend democracyWorld News Live: Welcome to our World News live blog, your go-to source for instant updates on major events across the globe. Whether it's political shifts, economic trends, environmental crises, or international conflicts, we deliver real-time reports to keep you informed and engaged with the latest global developments. Disclaimer: This is an AI-generated live blog and has not been edited by Hindustan Times staff. ...Read More World News Live : Trailer for Harry and Meghan's polo series branded ‘gross and grotesque’ on social media: ‘Utter trash’ US News Live : Who is Damian Williams? Manhattan’s top federal prosecutor who brought charges against Diddy resigns as Trump returns
Walker Texas Ranger star Chuck Norris, 84, reveals his 'remarkable' mother Wilma has died at 103 By HEIDI PARKER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 19:19, 6 December 2024 | Updated: 19:51, 6 December 2024 e-mail 11 shares View comments Hollywood actor Chuck Norris shared some sad news on Friday. The 84-year-old Walker, Texas Ranger actor revealed that his mother Wilma died at the age of 103 on Wednesday. The former US Air Force soldier shared a sweet note to Instagram on Friday where he called her 'a woman of unwavering faith, a beacon of light in our lives' adding 'her love reflected God's grace.' There were several photos of Chuck with his mother who was from Oklahoma . 'Wednesday morning, my brother Aaron and I’s wonderful mother went home to be with Jesus,' his caption began. 'Our mom was a woman of unwavering faith, a beacon of light in our lives, and her love reflected God’s grace.' Hollywood actor Chuck Norris shared some sad news on Friday. The 84-year-old Walker, Texas Ranger actor revealed that his mother Wilma died at the age of 103 on Wednesday Chuck then said: 'Growing up, her laughter filled our home with joy, and her hugs provided a sense of safety that we will forever cherish. She had a remarkable way of making everyone feel special, often putting the needs of others before her own. 'From my earliest memories, she taught me the importance of kindness and compassion. 'I am so thankful for the countless lessons she shared, the prayers she lifted for us, and the way she embodied the love of Christ every day.' He finished with: 'We love you, Mom. Until we meet again.' Norris was born in Ryan, Oklahoma, in 1940 to his mom Wilma and dad Ray Dee Norris, who was a World War II Army soldier who became a mechanic. His mother was of Irish descent and while his father was of Cherokee descent. Chuck was the oldest of three brothers; his younger brothers are Wieland and Aaron. When Norris was 16 years old, his parents divorced, and he later relocated to Prairie Village, Kansas and then to Torrance, California with his mother and brothers. Chuck got his start as a martial artist. He trained celebrities in martial arts for movies which led to a small part in The Wrecking Crew (1968). 'Wednesday morning, my brother Aaron and I’s wonderful mother went home to be with Jesus,' his caption began 'Our mom was a woman of unwavering faith, a beacon of light in our lives, and her love reflected God’s grace,' he said Chuck then said: 'Growing up, her laughter filled our home with joy, and her hugs provided a sense of safety that we will forever cherish.' Seen with his brothers Bruce Lee got him a role in The Way of the Dragon (1972). Norris had the starring role in the action film Breaker! Breaker! (1977), then came Good Guys Wear Black (1978). Norris made A Force of One (1979), The Octagon (1980), and An Eye for an Eye (1981). His bigger films were Silent Rage (1982, Forced Vengeance (1982), and Lone Wolf McQuade (1983). He might be best known for his television series Walker, Texas Ranger from 1993 until 2001 He had more hits with Invasion U.S.A (1985), The Delta Force (1986), and Firewalker (1986), Code of Silence (1985). He might be best known for his television series Walker, Texas Ranger from 1993 until 2001. After the show he starred in Delta Force 2 (1990), The Hitman (1991), Sidekicks (1992), Forest Warrior (1996), and The President's Man (2000) and its sequel (2002). His last appearance in a major film release was in The Expendables 2 (2012). His interests are martial arts, exercise, philosophy, politics, Christianity, Western fiction, and biography. Chuck's book Black Belt Patriotism: How to Reawaken America (2008) was a best seller. Oklahoma Share or comment on this article: Walker Texas Ranger star Chuck Norris, 84, reveals his 'remarkable' mother Wilma has died at 103 e-mail 11 shares Add commentWASHINGTON (AP) — A machinists strike. Another safety problem involving its troubled top-selling airliner. A plunging stock price. 2024 was already a dispiriting year for Boeing, the American aviation giant. But when one of the company's jets crash-landed in South Korea on Sunday, killing all but two of the 181 people on board, it brought to a close an especially unfortunate year for Boeing. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.BETHESDA, Md. , Dec. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- AGNC Investment Corp. (Nasdaq: AGNC) announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend of $0.12 per share of common stock for December 2024 . The dividend is payable on January 10, 2025 to common stockholders of record as of December 31, 2024 . For further information or questions, please contact Investor Relations at (301) 968-9300 or IR@AGNC.com . ABOUT AGNC INVESTMENT CORP. Founded in 2008, AGNC Investment Corp. (Nasdaq: AGNC) is a leading investor in Agency residential mortgage-backed securities (Agency MBS), which benefit from a guarantee against credit losses by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or Ginnie Mae . We invest on a leveraged basis, financing our Agency MBS assets primarily through repurchase agreements, and utilize dynamic risk management strategies intended to protect the value of our portfolio from interest rate and other market risks. AGNC has a track record of providing favorable long-term returns for our stockholders through substantial monthly dividend income, with over $13 billion of common stock dividends paid since inception. Our business is a significant source of private capital for the U.S. residential housing market, and our team has extensive experience managing mortgage assets across market cycles. To learn more about The Premier Agency Residential Mortgage REIT , please visit www.AGNC.com , follow us on LinkedIn and X , and sign up for Investor Alerts . CONTACT: Investor Relations - (301) 968-9300 View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/agnc-investment-corp-declares-monthly-common-stock-dividend-of-0-12-per-common-share-for-december-2024--302329440.html SOURCE AGNC Investment Corp.
Jimmy Carter: Many evolutions for a centenarian ‘citizen of the world’Who are the favorites to win Golden Globes? | Streamed & Screened podcastMelania Trump reveals what she advised Barron after realising he can't have a ‘normal’ life
Workless youth push up sickness benefits billBy Stephanie Lai and Hadriana Lowenkron, Bloomberg News Donald Trump says he is selecting venture capitalist David Sacks of Craft Ventures LLC to serve as his artificial intelligence and crypto czar, a newly created position that underscores the president-elect’s intent to boost two rapidly developing industries. “David will guide policy for the Administration in Artificial Intelligence and Cryptocurrency, two areas critical to the future of American competitiveness. David will focus on making America the clear global leader in both areas,” Trump said Thursday in a post on his Truth Social network. Trump said that Sacks would also lead the Presidential Council of Advisors for Science and Technology. In Sacks, Trump is tapping one of his most prominent Silicon Valley supporters and fundraisers for a prime position in his administration. Sacks played a key role in bolstering Trump’s fundraising among technology industry donors, including co-hosting an event at his San Francisco home in June, with tickets at $300,000 a head. He is also closely associated with Vice President-elect JD Vance, the investor-turned-Ohio senator. Sacks is a venture capitalist and part of Silicon Valley’s “PayPal Mafia.” He first made his name in the technology industry during a stint as the chief operating officer of PayPal, the payments company whose founders in the late 1990s included billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk and investor Peter Thiel. After it was sold to eBay, Sacks turned to Hollywood, where he produced the 2005 satire Thank You for Smoking. Back in Silicon Valley, he founded workplace communications company Yammer, which was bought by Microsoft Corp. in 2012 for $1.2 billion. He founded his own venture capital firm, Craft Ventures, in 2017 and has invested in Musk-owned businesses, including SpaceX. Sacks said on a recent episode of his All-In podcast that a “key man” clause in the agreements of his venture firm’s legal documents would likely prevent him from taking a full-time position, but he might consider an advisory role in the new administration. A Craft spokeswoman said Sacks would not be leaving Craft. In his post, Trump said Sacks “will safeguard Free Speech online, and steer us away from Big Tech bias and censorship.” Protecting free speech is a keen interest of Sacks. He regularly speaks about “woke” interests that try to muzzle unpopular opinions and positions. The new post is expected to help spearhead the crypto industry deregulation Trump promised on the campaign trail. The role is expected to provide cryptocurrency advocates a direct line to the White House and serve as a liaison between Trump, Congress and the federal agencies that interface with digital assets, including the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Trump heavily campaigned on supporting crypto, after previously disparaging digital assets during his first White House term, saying their “value is highly volatile and based on thin air.” The president-elect on Thursday said Sacks would “work on a legal framework so the Crypto industry has the clarity it has been asking for, and can thrive in the U.S.” During the campaign, Trump spoke at a Bitcoin conference, accepted crypto campaign donations and met with executives from Bitcoin mining companies and crypto exchanges multiple times. Trump’s desire to give priority to the digital asset industry is also reflected in his close allies and cabinet selections, including his Commerce secretary pick, Howard Lutnick, and Treasury secretary nominee Scott Bessent. On the AI front, Sacks would help Trump put his imprint on an emerging technology whose popular use has exploded in recent years. Sacks is poised to be at the front lines in determining how the federal government both adopts AI and regulates its use as advances in the technology and adoption by consumers pose a wide array of benefits as well as risks touching on national security, privacy, jobs and other areas. The president-elect has expressed both awe at the power of AI technology as well as concern over the potential harms from its use. During his first term, he signed executive orders that sought to maintain US leadership in the field and directed the federal government to prioritize AI in research and development spending. As AI has become more mainstream in recent years and with Congress slow to act, President Joe Biden has sought to fill that void. Biden signed an executive order in 2023 that establishes security and privacy protections and requires developers to safety-test new models, casting the sweeping regulatory order as necessary to safeguard consumers. A number of technology giants have also agreed to adopt a set of voluntary safeguards which call for them to test AI systems for discriminatory tendencies or security flaws and to share those results. Trump has vowed to repeal Biden’s order. The Republican Party’s 2024 platform dismissed Biden’s executive order as one that “hinders AI Innovation, and imposes Radical Leftwing ideas on the development of this technology.” Sacks can be expected to work closely with Musk, the world’s richest person and one of the president-elect’s most prominent supporters. Musk is also a player in the AI space with his company xAI and a chatbot named Grok — efforts which pit him against Silicon Valley’s giants — and he stands to wield significant influence within the incoming administration. The appointment won’t require Sacks to divest or publicly disclose his assets. Like Musk, Sacks will be a special government employee. He can serve a maximum of 130 days per year, with or without compensation. However, conflict of interest rules apply to special government employees, meaning Sacks will have to recuse himself from matters that could impact his holdings. Sacks’s Craft Ventures is known more for enterprise software investing than for crypto, but it has made a few crypto investments, including BitGo and Bitwise. Still, Sacks has firm opinions on the sector. Speaking last month on All-In, Sacks praised a bill on crypto regulation that had passed in the U.S. House but not the Senate earlier this year. The Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act would regulate certain types of digital assets as a commodity, regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. “The crypto industry basically wants a really clear line for knowing when they’re a commodity and they want commodities to be governed, like all other commodities, by the CFTC,” he said on the November podcast. He also disparaged some of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s positions on crypto under its chair, Gary Gensler. “The days of Gensler terrifying crypto companies,” he said. “Those days are about to be over.” Earlier this week, Trump nominated crypto advocate Paul Atkins to lead the SEC. With assistance from Zoe Ma, Bill Allison, Sarah McBride, Anne VanderMey and stacy-marie ishmael. ©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Couple went to the same urgent care for the same illness. But their bills were very different
Florida State continues torrid star with rout of UMass
Buffalo (10-2) at Los Angeles Rams (6-6) Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EST, FOX BetMGM NFL odds: Bills by 3 1/2. Against the spread: Bills 8-4; Rams 5-7. Series record: Bills lead 9-5. Last meeting: Bills beat Rams 31-10 in Inglewood, Calif. on Sept. 8, 2022. Last week: Bills beat San Francisco 35-10; Rams beat New Orleans 21-14. Bills offense: overall (10), rush (11), pass (17), scoring (2). Bills defense: overall (11), rush (18), pass (8), scoring (T-6). Rams offense: overall (18), rush (26), pass (11), scoring (20). Rams defense: overall (25), rush (28), pass (15), scoring (21). Turnover differential: Bills plus-17; Rams plus-3. WR Amari Cooper. He has so far played a valuable bit role since being acquired in a trade with Cleveland. He’s scored a TD and made a highlight reel play last weekend by making a one-handed catch and, before getting tackled, lateraled the ball back to Josh Allen to set up the quarterback’s passing and receiving TD. Cooper’s getting healthier after being hampered by a left wrist injury, and is expected to play a larger role in the passing attack down the stretch. LB Omar Speights. Little was expected of Speights as an undrafted free agent out of LSU, but he has quickly established himself as a promising piece of the Rams young defense. Speights had a career-high 10 tackles versus the Saints and was constantly around the ball. Los Angeles will need him to maintain that level of activity against Buffalo’s high-powered offense. Rams offensive line vs. Bills defensive line. Keep QB Matthew Stafford upright, and open up holes for RB Kyren Williams. It’s a pretty simple formula for the Rams, and they executed it well in New Orleans, letting Williams rush for 104 yards while Stafford was only sacked twice. Buffalo has two disruptive ends in Gregory Rousseau (6 1/2 sacks, 15 tackles for loss) and A.J. Epenesa (5 sacks), so keeping them in check will be a challenge. The Bills are also proving to be sturdier in stopping the run in recent weeks, though there was statistical regression last week with San Francisco reduced to keeping the ball on the ground in heavy snowfall. Bills TE Dalton Kincaid resumed practicing, though on a limited basis, after missing two games with a knee injury. He is listed as questionable. ... Rookie WR Keon Coleman (right wrist) is questionable after being limited in practice all week. He sat out the last three games. ... Starting S Taylor Rapp is good to go after landing on the injury report this week with a shoulder/neck injury. ... Rookie DT DeWayne Carter (left wrist) is in position to be activated off IR barring a setback. ... Stafford sprained his ankle against the Saints, but he doesn't expected to be limited by the injury and didn't have a designation on Friday's report. ... Rams LT Alaric Jackson is expected to play through a foot injury. ... OLB Jared Verse should play despite rolling his ankle in practice Thursday. ... TE Tyler Higbee, who sustained a serious knee injury in the NFC wild-card game at Detroit, won’t make his season debut this week despite getting in three full practices. The Bills thumped the Rams at SoFi Stadium in the 2022 season opener, heralding a miserable defense of its Super Bowl title for Los Angeles. ... Buffalo has won three straight in the series, scoring 30 points or more in each of those victories. The Bills have already clinched their fifth straight AFC East title, and look to catch the Kansas City Chiefs (11-1), whom they beat last month, for the conference’s top seed. ... Buffalo is 20-2 in regular-season games played in December and January since 2020. ... The Bills have won seven straight since losing consecutive road games at Baltimore and Houston. They’re one win from matching the franchise’s second-longest streak set first in 1990 and again spanning the 2023-24 seasons. The team record is 11, spanning the 1963-64 seasons. ... Buffalo has at least 10 wins through 12 games for the fifth time in team history and first since 1991. ... Allen has a record of 30-5 when he doesn’t commit a turnover. His two lost fumbles and five interceptions account for all seven of Buffalo’s giveaways this season. And he’s 43-27 overall when committing a turnover. ... With 107 yards rushing, including a career-high 65-yard TD run last weekend, RB James Cook topped 100 yards for the fifth time in his career. Cook has four TDs in his past three games and 12 overall (including one receiving) this season. His 11 TDs rushing are the most by a Bills player since LeSean McCoy had 13 in 2016. ... Edge rusher Von Miller’s 127 1/2 sacks lead active players and rank 17th overall, a half-sack behind Rickey Jackson. ... Buffalo has forced at least one takeaway in each game this season, including three forced fumbles against the 49ers. ... The Rams haven’t forced a turnover in their past two games. They had seven takeaways in the three games prior to this stretch. ... Williams earned his second 100-yard game of the season against the Saints. The 6.9 yards per carry average was Williams’ best of the season. ... Since getting ejected in the first half in Seattle, WR Puka Nacua has 30 receptions for 394 yards and two touchdowns over the past four games. He had five catches for 56 yards and a score versus the Saints, his seventh game with at least 50 yards and a touchdown. ... Stafford threw for 183 yards and two touchdowns in the Superdome, the second time in the past seven games the Rams won with Stafford not passing for 200 yards. They did that just twice in Stafford’s first 46 games with the team. ... CB Cobie Durant had two tackles for loss against New Orleans, the first time in his three-year career having multiple negative stops without a sack. ... After starting 16 for 19 on field goals, rookie PK Joshua Karty has missed his past two attempts. He did not attempt a field goal against the Saints, with coach Sean McVay choosing to go for it on fourth-and-4 from the New Orleans 25-yard line in the second quarter. Williams has put together consecutive solid outings, with at least 70 yards and a touchdown against the Eagles and Saints. The one part of his game that still hasn’t resurfaced is as a passing game option, where Williams has one grab for 9 yards over the past three games. Williams is too useful as a receiver to not get him involved there, so expect McVay to dial up some calls, to the benefit of those in point-per-reception formats. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
St. John's 58, Stony Brook 34Adele admits Las Vegas residency had a ‘rocky’ startMap Shows Most Popular Relocation Countries for Blue-State Residents
PHILADELPHIA -- The Eagles had every excuse to lose Sunday. They were playing their archrivals, the Cowboys, for the second time this season. The Cowboys were out of playoff contention but they had won four of five games, including a win at Washington, the site of the Eagles’ latest disaster, and they were playing with abandon, visiting a team haunted by collapses both distant and recent. The week before, the Birds blew a 14-point lead at Washington, where they lost quarterback Jalen Hurts to a concussion that lingered through Sunday, Hurts’ first missed game of the season. Worse, the Eagles’ top-ranked defense had lost its composure, and the game, at Washington. Finally, on Sunday, not only was the offense’s quarterback absent, so was the defense’s quarterback: Middle linebacker Nakobe Dean missed Sunday’s game due to an abdominal strain. They had every excuse to lose. They didn’t lose. Nick Sirianni wouldn’t have it. In a 13-win campaign that saw the Birds clinch the NFC East with a week left, it was, in many ways, Sirianni’s finest hour of the season. It was a ticklish spot for Sirianni, who’s had a hell of a season. He’d been questioned after a 2-2 start, which followed a 1-5 collapse in 2023 and a blowout loss in the playoffs. He’d been pilloried after Game 5, when he taunted Eagles fans after a home win. Game 5 was the start of a franchise-record 10-game winning streak, in which a more composed, mature Sirianni guided the team to blowout wins in Cincinnati and Dallas as well as decisive victories over the Commanders, Rams, Ravens, and Steelers. A pass-first coach, Sirianni had leaned on Saquon Barkley, who, in the fourth quarter, became the ninth player to eclipse 2,000 rushing yards in a season; at 2,005, he passed O.J. Simpson’s best season, in 1973 with the Bills, but remains 100 yards behind Eric Dickerson’s 1994 record, set with the Colts. Sirianni’s next big decision: Will he let Barkley play in a probably meaningless finale against the Giants next week? It’s a fine problem to have, especially considering the more pressing problems he dealt with this past week, and the weight carried by Sunday’s game against the Cowboys. Last week’s messy loss, combined with Hurts’ injury, added to a postgame dustup with former Eagles tight end Zach Ertz, put the focus on Sirianni again. He’d been a Coach of the Year candidate for a month. He’d seemingly earned a contract extension; his expires after next season. But a loss to the Cowboys and a win by the Commanders on Sunday night would have put the division title in jeopardy, and, perhaps, Sirianni’s future. Sirianni proved equal to the task. Sirianni prepared backup quarterback Kenny Pickett, whose style of play is entirely opposite to that Hurts’. He prepared third-string rookie Tanner McKee, who threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Brown for a dagger late in the third quarter, then added a 25-yarder to DeVonta Smith in the fourth. He controlled Jalen Carter, who led the league with four unnecessary roughness penalties, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who was ejected at Washington for two unsportsmanlike conduct fouls. Carter’s disappearance and Gardner-Johnson’s absence led to 22 fourth-quarter points in the Commanders’ comeback win. He featured Smith, knowing the Cowboys would sell out to stop Brown. Smith had six catches for 120 yards and two touchdowns. Brown had three catches for 36 yards and a score. Nothing mattered more than preparing Pickett. Pickett recognized a six-man blitz and hit Smith for a 22-yard touchdown and a 14-7 lead. He was part of four short-yardage Tush Pushes, three of which worked, the fourth for a touchdown as the first half expired with the Eagles leading, 24-7. He completed 10 of 15 passes for 143 yards and the touchdown before a hit from Micah Parsons aggravated a rib injury Pickett suffered at Washington and knocked him from the game. With Pickett hobbled and with McKee an unknown entity, Sirianni knew the Birds would have to ride Barkley. They did: They gave the ball to Barkley on six of the first seven plays of the third quarter, and he gained 30 yards as the Eagles made four first downs, used almost seven minutes, and came a away with a 26-yard field goal for a 20-point lead. Barkley finished with 167 yards, the fifth-highest rushing total of his career, the third-highest total of this season, and his 11th 100-yard rushing game this season. He did it on 31 rushes, which tied for the third-highest total of his career. This was not the Cowboys team that began the season as a playoff favorite. It lacked quarterback Dak Prescott, defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, receiver CeeDee Lamb, guard Zack Martin, and cornerback Trevon Diggs, five of Dallas' six best players, excepting Parsons. So no, the Cowboys weren’t good. But, since Sirianni was hired in 2021, the Eagles have lost to plenty of teams that weren’t good. Occasionally, Sirianni has been the problem. On Sunday, he was the solution. ©2024 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Visit inquirer.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. ©2024 The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC. Visit at inquirer.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.City Council has authorized the Elizabeth City Police Department to spend $440,000 on crime-solving technology. The $440,000 comes from a grant project that is administered by the U.S. Department of Justice with funding made available under the federal Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022. The Byrnes Community Project grant does not require any matching funds from the city. 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Jimmy Carter: Many evolutions for a centenarian ‘citizen of the world’
Mensah, a redshirt freshman with three years of eligibility remaining, told ESPN on Wednesday he has transferred to Duke. He attended the Blue Devils men's basketball game against Incarnate Word on Tuesday night. The Blue Devils (9-3) will face Mississippi in the Gator Bowl, but without 2024 starting quarterback Maalik Murphy and backup Grayson Loftis, who also entered the portal. Mensah, viewed as one of the top players in the portal, threw for 2,723 yards and 22 touchdowns and completed 65.9% of his passes. He led the Green Wave to a 9-4 record and the American Athletic Conference championship game, where they lost 35-14 to Army. Tulane will play Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl on Sunday. Van Buren, Mendoza and Locke announced on social media they had entered the portal. Van Buren started eight games as a true freshmen for the Bulldogs. He threw for 1,886 yards on 55% passing with 16 total touchdowns and seven interceptions for the Bulldogs (2-10, 0-8 Southeastern Conference). He took over as the starter when Blake Shapen suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in a 45-28 loss to Florida on Sept. 21. Shapen has said he plans to return next season. Van Buren, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound passer from St. Frances Academy in Maryland, had two 300-yard performances for the Bulldogs, including 306 yards and three touchdown passes in a 41-31 road loss against Georgia. Mendoza threw for 3,004 yards in 2024 with 16 TDs, six interceptions and a 68.7 completion percentage. "For the sake of my football future this is the decision I have reached," he posted. Locke passed for 1,936 yards with 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions for Wisconsin this season. He said he will have two years of eligibility remaining at his next school. ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan cornerback Will Johnson has joined defensive tackle Mason Graham in the NFL draft. Johnson declared for the draft on Wednesday, one day after Graham decided he would also skip his senior season with the Wolverines. Both preseason All-America players are expected to be first-round picks. Johnson was limited to six games this year due to an injury. He had two interceptions, returning them both for touchdowns to set a school record with three scores off interceptions. Johnson picked off nine passes in three seasons. Graham played in all 12 games this season, finishing with 3 1/2 sacks and seven tackles for losses. He had 18 tackles for losses, including nine sacks, in his three-year career. Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson is The Associated Press offensive player of the year in the Southeastern Conference and South Carolina defensive lineman Kyle Kennard is the top defensive player. Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia was voted the top newcomer on Wednesday while the Gamecocks' Shane Beamer is coach of the year in voting by the panel of 17 media members who cover the league. Sampson led the SEC and set school records by rushing for 1,485 yards and 22 touchdowns. He is tied for third nationally in rushing touchdowns, recording the league's fifth-most in a season. Sampson was chosen on all but two ballots. Mississippi wide receiver Tre Harris and his quarterback, Jaxson Dart, each got a vote. Kennard led the SEC with 11-1/2 sacks and 15-1/2 tackles for loss. He also had 10 quarterback hurries and forced three fumbles. Beamer led the Gamecocks to just their fifth nine-win season, including a school-record four wins over Top 25 opponents. They've won their last six games and ended the regular season with a win over eventual ACC champion Clemson. South Carolina plays Illinois on Dec. 31 in the Citrus Bowl. Pavia helped lead Vandy to its first bowl game since 2018 after transferring from New Mexico State. He passed for 2,133 yards and 17 touchdowns with four interceptions. He ran for another 716 yards and six touchdowns, directing an upset of Alabama. AMES, Iowa — Matt Campbell, who led Iowa State to its first 10-win season and became the program's all-time leader in coaching victories, has agreed to an eight-year contract that would keep him with the Cyclones through 2032. University president Wendy Wintersteen and athletic director Jamie Pollard made the announcement Wednesday, four days after the Cyclones lost to Arizona State in the Big 12 championship game. “Given all the uncertainty currently facing college athletics, it was critical that we moved quickly to solidify the future of our football program,” Pollard said. “Matt is the perfect fit for Iowa State University and I am thrilled he wants to continue to lead our program. Leadership continuity is essential to any organization’s long-term success." The Cyclones won their first seven games for their best start since 1938 and are 10-3 heading into their game against Miami in the Pop Tarts Bowl in Orlando, Florida, on Dec. 28. BRIEFLY FLAG PLANT: Ohio Republican state Rep. Josh Williams said Wednesday on social media he's introducing a bill to make flag planting in sports a felony in the state. His proposal comes after the Nov. 30 fight at the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry football game when the Wolverines beat the Buckeyes 13-10 and then attempted to plant their flag at midfield. MALZAHN: Gus Malzahn, who resigned as UCF’s coach last month to become Mike Norvell’s offensive coordinator at Florida State, said he chose to return to his coaching roots rather than remain a head coach distracted by a myriad of responsibilities.
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Mohamed Salah is "selfish" for publicly expressing his disappointment at Liverpool's failure to offer him a new contract, says former Reds defender Jamie Carragher. Salah, whose current deal expires at the end of the season, told reporters after Sunday's win at Southampton that he is "probably more out than in" and has yet to be offered fresh terms. The 32-year-old is Liverpool's top scorer this season with 12 goals in all competitions and scored twice against the Saints to move the club eight points clear at the top of the Premier League. "I must say I am very disappointed with Mo Salah," Carragher told Sky Sports' Monday Night Football. "Liverpool have Real Madrid midweek [in the Champions League] and Man City at the weekend. That's the story right now." He added: "If he keeps putting comments out, his agent puts out cryptic messages, that is selfish. That is thinking about themselves and not the football club." Liverpool have not publicly commented on Salah's remarks, but a club source told BBC Sport that contact between Liverpool and Salah's agent, Ramy Abbas Issa, is ongoing and has been positive. Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club , Chris Sutton said Salah's decision to approach reporters in the mixed zone to talk about his future suggests he wants to stay at Anfield. "It wasn't one of those where Mo Salah was asked to talk, he actually made an approach and wanted to speak to a couple of press guys to get things off his chest," said the former Blackburn and Chelsea striker. "So in that respect it says to me that he wants to stay." The Athletic's Rory Smith added: "It strikes me that he is making it very clear to the Liverpool fans that he wants to stay and that if he doesn't end up staying that it's not really a lack of intent on his part. "The problem will be his age. Liverpool will be looking at the vast data set you have of footballers over the last 20, 30 years, which suggests that at some point in your mid-30s your performances do dip. They will wonder whether is it worth committing £300,000 a week or so to a player who might only have another year at this level. "Or maybe he will have another two years at this level? Or another five or six? That's the gamble Liverpool have to take." As well as Salah, defender Trent Alexander-Arnold and club captain Virgil van Dijk are also out of contract at the end of the season. "The most important thing for Liverpool Football Club this season isn't the future of Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold," added Carragher. "The most important thing is Liverpool winning the Premier League. "I hope they don't feel like this club would fall apart if they left. Steven Gerrard left the club and the next manager won the Premier League. Graeme Souness left and Liverpool won the Double. "Salah, would we miss him? Of course we would. But Liverpool will move on."By Stephanie Lai and Hadriana Lowenkron, Bloomberg News Donald Trump says he is selecting venture capitalist David Sacks of Craft Ventures LLC to serve as his artificial intelligence and crypto czar, a newly created position that underscores the president-elect’s intent to boost two rapidly developing industries. “David will guide policy for the Administration in Artificial Intelligence and Cryptocurrency, two areas critical to the future of American competitiveness. David will focus on making America the clear global leader in both areas,” Trump said Thursday in a post on his Truth Social network. Trump said that Sacks would also lead the Presidential Council of Advisors for Science and Technology. In Sacks, Trump is tapping one of his most prominent Silicon Valley supporters and fundraisers for a prime position in his administration. Sacks played a key role in bolstering Trump’s fundraising among technology industry donors, including co-hosting an event at his San Francisco home in June, with tickets at $300,000 a head. He is also closely associated with Vice President-elect JD Vance, the investor-turned-Ohio senator. Sacks is a venture capitalist and part of Silicon Valley’s “PayPal Mafia.” He first made his name in the technology industry during a stint as the chief operating officer of PayPal, the payments company whose founders in the late 1990s included billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk and investor Peter Thiel. After it was sold to eBay, Sacks turned to Hollywood, where he produced the 2005 satire Thank You for Smoking. Back in Silicon Valley, he founded workplace communications company Yammer, which was bought by Microsoft Corp. in 2012 for $1.2 billion. He founded his own venture capital firm, Craft Ventures, in 2017 and has invested in Musk-owned businesses, including SpaceX. Sacks said on a recent episode of his All-In podcast that a “key man” clause in the agreements of his venture firm’s legal documents would likely prevent him from taking a full-time position, but he might consider an advisory role in the new administration. A Craft spokeswoman said Sacks would not be leaving Craft. In his post, Trump said Sacks “will safeguard Free Speech online, and steer us away from Big Tech bias and censorship.” Protecting free speech is a keen interest of Sacks. He regularly speaks about “woke” interests that try to muzzle unpopular opinions and positions. Crypto czar The new post is expected to help spearhead the crypto industry deregulation Trump promised on the campaign trail. The role is expected to provide cryptocurrency advocates a direct line to the White House and serve as a liaison between Trump, Congress and the federal agencies that interface with digital assets, including the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Trump heavily campaigned on supporting crypto, after previously disparaging digital assets during his first White House term, saying their “value is highly volatile and based on thin air.” The president-elect on Thursday said Sacks would “work on a legal framework so the Crypto industry has the clarity it has been asking for, and can thrive in the U.S.” During the campaign, Trump spoke at a Bitcoin conference, accepted crypto campaign donations and met with executives from Bitcoin mining companies and crypto exchanges multiple times. Trump’s desire to give priority to the digital asset industry is also reflected in his close allies and cabinet selections, including his Commerce secretary pick, Howard Lutnick, and Treasury secretary nominee Scott Bessent. AI tech On the AI front, Sacks would help Trump put his imprint on an emerging technology whose popular use has exploded in recent years. Sacks is poised to be at the front lines in determining how the federal government both adopts AI and regulates its use as advances in the technology and adoption by consumers pose a wide array of benefits as well as risks touching on national security, privacy, jobs and other areas. The president-elect has expressed both awe at the power of AI technology as well as concern over the potential harms from its use. During his first term, he signed executive orders that sought to maintain US leadership in the field and directed the federal government to prioritize AI in research and development spending. As AI has become more mainstream in recent years and with Congress slow to act, President Joe Biden has sought to fill that void. Biden signed an executive order in 2023 that establishes security and privacy protections and requires developers to safety-test new models, casting the sweeping regulatory order as necessary to safeguard consumers. A number of technology giants have also agreed to adopt a set of voluntary safeguards which call for them to test AI systems for discriminatory tendencies or security flaws and to share those results. Trump has vowed to repeal Biden’s order. The Republican Party’s 2024 platform dismissed Biden’s executive order as one that “hinders AI Innovation, and imposes Radical Leftwing ideas on the development of this technology.” Musk ties Sacks can be expected to work closely with Musk, the world’s richest person and one of the president-elect’s most prominent supporters. Musk is also a player in the AI space with his company xAI and a chatbot named Grok — efforts which pit him against Silicon Valley’s giants — and he stands to wield significant influence within the incoming administration. The appointment won’t require Sacks to divest or publicly disclose his assets. Like Musk, Sacks will be a special government employee. He can serve a maximum of 130 days per year, with or without compensation. However, conflict of interest rules apply to special government employees, meaning Sacks will have to recuse himself from matters that could impact his holdings. Strong opinions Sacks’s Craft Ventures is known more for enterprise software investing than for crypto, but it has made a few crypto investments, including BitGo and Bitwise. Still, Sacks has firm opinions on the sector. Speaking last month on All-In, Sacks praised a bill on crypto regulation that had passed in the U.S. House but not the Senate earlier this year. The Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act would regulate certain types of digital assets as a commodity, regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. “The crypto industry basically wants a really clear line for knowing when they’re a commodity and they want commodities to be governed, like all other commodities, by the CFTC,” he said on the November podcast. He also disparaged some of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s positions on crypto under its chair, Gary Gensler. “The days of Gensler terrifying crypto companies,” he said. “Those days are about to be over.” Earlier this week, Trump nominated crypto advocate Paul Atkins to lead the SEC. With assistance from Zoe Ma, Bill Allison, Sarah McBride, Anne VanderMey and stacy-marie ishmael. ©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.