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North Macedonian political party demands ban on TikTok after at least 17 students injuredAmazon has announced an additional $4 billion investment in Anthropic, the maker of Claude AI, bringing its total funding to $8 billion. This follows prior investments of $1.25 billion in September and $2.75 billion in March, showcasing Amazon's commitment to advancing AI. Amazon disclosed that its cloud platform, Amazon Web Services (AWS), will serve as Anthropic's primary training partner, in its blog post. Anthropic plans to leverage AWS's Trainium and Inferentia chips for developing future AI models. This partnership highlights Amazon's strategic efforts to strengthen its position in the Artificial Intelligence space while competing with leaders like OpenAI and Microsoft. Claude AI will power Amazon's upcoming Alexa revamp, slated for a 2025 release. Reports suggest that Claude's performance outshines Amazon's in-house Artificial Intelligence models, specifically in terms of delivering a conversational and interactive user experience. However, beta testing revealed that the current version of the upgraded Alexa still struggles with responsiveness and basic tasks, like turning on lights. Amazon's intensified focus on AI reflects its goal to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. With the improved Alexa and deeper collaboration with Anthropic, Amazon aims to deliver a smarter, more capable virtual assistant for its users.
COPPER MOUNTAIN, Colo. — For a pair of lower-level downhill events, this sure had plenty of Olympic medal-capturing and World Cup-winning ski racers. The stage belonged to Lindsey Vonn, the 40-year-old who took another step on her comeback trail Saturday with her first races in nearly six years. Vonn wasn't particularly speedy and finished in the middle of the pack on a cold but sunny day at Copper Mountain. Times and places weren't the mission, though, as much as getting used to the speed again and gaining the necessary points to compete on the World Cup circuit this season. Vonn accomplished both, finishing 24th in the first downhill race of the day and 27th in the second. She posted on social media after the FIS races that she had enough points to enter World Cup events. The timing couldn't be more perfect — the next stop on the women's circuit is Beaver Creek, Colorado, in a week. Vonn, who used to own a home in nearby Vail, hasn't committed to any sort of timetable for a World Cup return. “Today was a solid start and I had a blast being in start with my teammates again!” Vonn wrote on X. “While I’m sure people will speculate and say I’m not in top form because of the results, I disagree. This was training for me. I’m still testing equipment and getting back in the groove.” Lindsey Vonn reacts after her run at a downhill skiing race at Copper Mountain Ski Resort on Saturday in Copper Mountain, Colo. Her competition — a veritable who's who of high-profile ski racers — applauded her efforts. “I don't expect her to come back and win — just that she comes back and she has fun,” said Federica Brignone of Italy, a former overall World Cup champion and three-time Olympic medalist. “She's having fun, and she’s doing what she loves. That’s the best thing that she could do.” In the first race on a frigid morning, Vonn wound up 1.44 seconds behind the winning time of 1 minute, 5.79 seconds posted by Mirjam Puchner of Austria. In her second race through the course later in the morning, Vonn was 1.53 seconds behind Cornelia Huetter of Austria, who finished in 1:05.99. Huetter is the reigning season-long World Cup downhill champion. “It’s really nice to compare with her again, and nice to have her (racing) again,” Huetter said. “For sure, for the skiing World Cup, we have a lot of more attention. It's generally good for all racers because everyone is looking.” Also in the field were Nadia Delago of Italy, who won a bronze medal in downhill at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, and Puchner, the Olympic silver winner in super-G in Beijing. In addition, there was Marta Bassino of Italy, a winner of the super-G at the 2023 world championships, and two-time Olympic champion Michelle Gisin of Switzerland. “For me, it was really a training, but it was fun to have a World Cup race level right here,” Gisin said. “It was a crazy race.” Vonn remains a popular figure and took the time after each run to sign autographs for young fans along with posing for photos. Lindsey Vonn competes in a downhill skiing race at Copper Mountain Ski Resort on Saturday in Copper Mountain, Colo. When she left the sport, Vonn had 82 World Cup race victories, which stood as the record for a woman and within reach of the all-time Alpine record of 86 held by Swedish standout Ingemar Stenmark. The women’s mark held by Vonn was surpassed in January 2023 by Mikaela Shiffrin, who now has 99 wins — more than any Alpine ski racer in the history of the sport. Shiffrin is currently sidelined after a crash in a giant slalom event in Killington, Vermont, last weekend. Vonn’s last major race was in February 2019, when she finished third in a downhill during the world championships in Sweden. The three-time Olympic medalist left the circuit still near the top of her game. But all the broken arms and legs, concussions and torn knee ligaments took too big a toll and sent her into retirement. She had a partial knee replacement last April and felt good enough to give racing another shot. “It's very impressive to see all the passion that Lindsey still has,” Gisin said. Also racing Saturday was 45-year-old Sarah Schleper, who once competed for the United States but now represents Mexico. Schleper was the next racer behind Vonn and they got a chance to share a moment between a pair of 40-somethings still racing. “I was like, ‘Give me some tips, Lindsey,’” Schleper said. “She’s like, ‘Oh, it’s a highway tuck, the whole thing.’ Then she’s like, ‘It’s just like the good old days.’" Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, foreground right, dives toward the end zone to score past San Francisco 49ers defensive end Robert Beal Jr. (51) and linebacker Dee Winters during the second half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus) South Carolina guard Maddy McDaniel (1) drives to the basket against UCLA forward Janiah Barker (0) and center Lauren Betts (51) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) LSU punter Peyton Todd (38) kneels in prayer before an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. LSU won 37-17. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) South Africa's captain Temba Bavuma misses a catch during the fourth day of the first Test cricket match between South Africa and Sri Lanka, at Kingsmead stadium in Durban, South Africa, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, left, is hit by Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, center, as Eagles wide receiver Parris Campbell (80) looks on during a touchdown run by Barkley in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough) Los Angeles Kings left wing Warren Foegele, left, trips San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, center, during the third period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) Olympiacos' Francisco Ortega, right, challenges for the ball with FCSB's David Miculescu during the Europa League league phase soccer match between FCSB and Olympiacos at the National Arena stadium, in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) Brazil's Botafogo soccer fans react during the Copa Libertadores title match against Atletico Mineiro in Argentina, during a watch party at Nilton Santos Stadium, in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) New York Islanders left wing Anders Lee (27), center, fight for the puck with Boston Bruins defensemen Parker Wotherspoon (29), left, and Brandon Carlo (25), right during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Jiyai Shin of Korea watches her shot on the 10th hole during the final round of the Australian Open golf championship at the Kingston Heath Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake) New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin cools off during first period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Brazil's Amanda Gutierres, second right, is congratulated by teammate Yasmin, right, after scoring her team's first goal during a soccer international between Brazil and Australia in Brisbane, Australia, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Pat Hoelscher) Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (89) tries to leap over Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Joshua Williams (2) during the first half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Luiz Henrique of Brazil's Botafogo, right. is fouled by goalkeeper Everson of Brazil's Atletico Mineiro inside the penalty area during a Copa Libertadores final soccer match at Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) Gold medalists Team Netherlands competes in the Team Sprint Women race of the ISU World Cup Speed Skating Beijing 2024 held at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (33) reaches for an incomplete pass ahead of Arizona Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. (2) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) Melanie Meillard, center, of Switzerland, competes during the second run in a women's World Cup slalom skiing race, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Killington, Vt. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green goes up for a dunk during the second half of an Emirates NBA cup basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) Mari Fukada of Japan falls as she competes in the women's Snowboard Big Air qualifying round during the FIS Snowboard & Freeski World Cup 2024 at the Shougang Park in Beijing, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) Seattle Kraken fans react after a goal by center Matty Beniers against the San Jose Sharks was disallowed due to goaltender interference during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Seattle. The Sharks won 4-2. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Mathilde Gremaud of Switzerland competes in the women's Freeski Big Air qualifying round during the FIS Snowboard & Freeski World Cup 2024 at the Shougang Park in Beijing, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) Lara Gut-Behrami, of Switzerland, competes during a women's World Cup giant slalom skiing race, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Killington, Vt. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) England's Alessia Russo, left, and United States' Naomi Girma challenge for the ball during the International friendly women soccer match between England and United States at Wembley stadium in London, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Get local news delivered to your inbox!
WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump picked Scott Bessent to serve as Treasury secretary Friday, tapping a billionaire hedge fund manager to lead an economic agenda that is expected to be built around raising tariffs and cutting taxes. Bessent, the founder of the investment firm Key Square Capital Management, has emerged as a central economic adviser to Trump over the past year. He has called for rolling back government subsidies, deregulating the economy and raising domestic energy production. Unlike many on Wall Street, Bessent, 62, has also defended the use of tariffs, which are Trump’s favorite economic tool. “Scott is widely respected as one of the World’s foremost International Investors and Geopolitical and Economic Strategists,” Trump said in a statement posted on social media. “Scott’s story is that of the American Dream.” “Together, we will Make America Rich Again, Prosperous Again, Affordable Again, and most importantly, Great Again,” Trump said. Although Bessent’s policy ideas are in lockstep with conservative economic principles, one aspect of his background could draw questions from Republicans. He rose to prominence in the finance world as a protégé of George Soros, a billionaire Democratic donor and longtime villain of the right wing, and served for years as his top money manager. Related Story: The selection came after intensive deliberation by Trump and his advisers, who debated for weeks about who should win the most prominent economic job in his administration. Bessent and Howard Lutnick, the CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, tussled over the job before Lutnick was picked to be commerce secretary this week. Trump also considered tapping Kevin Warsh, a former Federal Reserve Board governor, and Marc Rowan, the CEO of Apollo Global Management, for the role. If confirmed by the Senate, Bessent would take over a department with vast responsibilities that is at the core of the federal government. The Treasury Department issues debt to fund the government’s operations and pay its bills, including paying Social Security and veterans benefits. But the most visible parts of Bessent’s job will be shepherding the administration’s tax plans through Congress, leading economic negotiations with China and overseeing the nation’s sanctions program. — This article originally appeared in . By Alan Rappeport and Maggie Haberman c.2024 The New York Times Company
A war monitor said late Saturday that Islamist-led rebels had entered the strategic city of Homs, on the way towards Damascus where Syria's embattled government said it was setting up an impenetrable security cordon. The capture of Homs, Syria's third-largest city, would cut the seat of power in the capital Damascus from the Mediterranean coast, a key bastion of the Assad clan which has ruled Syria for the past five decades. Homs would be the third major city seized by the rebels who began their advance 10 days ago, reigniting a years-long war that had become largely dormant. "Rebel factions entered the city of Homs and took control of some neighborhoods after the withdrawal of security forces and the army from their last positions in the city," said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Commander Hassan Abdel Ghani, of the rebel alliance that launched the offensive, said on Telegram that "our forces have begun advancing into the city of Homs." Aron Lund, a fellow of the Century International think tank, has said that should the government of President Bashar al-Assad lose Homs, it wouldn't mean the end of his rule, but "with no secure route from Damascus to the coast, I'd say it's over as a credible state entity." In Damascus, about 140 kilometers (85 miles) south of Homs, Interior Minister Mohammed al-Rahmoun told state television that "a very strong security and military cordon" was being established around the capital "and no one... can penetrate this defensive line that we, the armed forces, are building." Earlier, Assad's government denied the army had withdrawn from areas around Damascus. - 'Scared' - Rebel commander Ghani had said his forces had "begun the final phase of encircling the capital." The leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Islamist group which heads the assault, told fighters to prepare to take the capital. "Damascus awaits you," he said on Telegram, using his real name instead of his nom de guerre, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani. Residents of the capital described to AFP a state of panic as traffic jams clogged the city center, people sought supplies and queued to withdraw money from ATMs. "The situation was not like this when I left my house this morning... suddenly everyone was scared," said one woman, Rania. A few kilometrers away, the mood was starkly different. In a Damascus suburb, witnesses said protesters toppled a statue of Assad's father, the late president Hafez al-Assad. AFPTV images from Hama, Syria's fourth-largest city, showed abandoned tanks and other armored vehicles, one of them on fire. Hama resident Kharfan Mansour said he was "happy with the liberation of Hama and the liberation of Syria from the Assad regime." The president's office denied reports Assad had left Damascus, saying he was "following up on his work and national and constitutional duties from the capital." - Soldiers 'fled' - As government forces fall back, a war monitor and Abdel Ghani said rebels were within 20 kilometers of Damascus. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said government forces had ceded more key ground, losing control of all southern Daraa province, cradle of the 2011 uprising. The army said it was "redeploying and repositioning" in Daraa and another southern province, Sweida. The Britain-based Observatory said troops were also evacuating posts in Quneitra, near the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. Jordan has urged its citizens to leave neighboring Syria "as soon as possible," as have Assad ally Russia and the United States, which both keep troops in Syria. An AFP correspondent in Daraa saw local fighters guarding public property and civil institutions. In Sweida, a local fighter told AFP that after government forces withdrew "from their positions and headquarters, we are now securing and protecting vital facilities." An Iraqi security source told AFP that Baghdad has allowed in hundreds of Syrian soldiers, who "fled the front lines," through the Al-Qaim border crossing. A second source put the figure at 2,000 troops, including officers. - 'Tired of war' - HTS is rooted in the Syrian branch of al-Qaida. Proscribed as a terrorist organization by Western governments, it has sought to soften its image in recent years, and told minority groups living in areas they now control not to worry. Since the offensive began, at least 826 people, mostly combatants but also including 111 civilians, have been killed, the Observatory said. The United Nations said the violence has displaced 370,000 people. U.N. special envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, called for "urgent political talks" to implement Security Council Resolution 2254 of 2015, which set out a roadmap for a negotiated settlement. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that the United States should "not get involved", after outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Friday for a "political solution to the conflict", in a call with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. After Fidan and his Iranian and Russian counterparts discussed Syria in Qatar on Saturday, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said they agreed on the initiation of "political dialogue between the Syrian government and legitimate opposition groups." Russia's Sergei Lavrov said it was "inadmissible" to allow a "terrorist group to take control" of Syrian territory. Moscow and Tehran have supported Assad's government and army during the war, as has Lebanese armed group Hezbollah. A source close to Hezbollah said it had sent 2,000 fighters into Syria, to an area near the Lebanese border, "to defend its positions." Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose government backs some armed groups in northern Syria, said Saturday that Syria "is tired of war, blood and tears."Spurs travel to Premier League champions Manchester City on Saturday reeling from a disappointing home loss to Ipswich before the international break. The club’s problems have multiplied during the past fortnight with midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur handed a seven-match domestic ban on Monday and Cristian Romero (toe) joining a lengthy list of absentees. However, Postecoglou remains bullish about Tottenham’s progress and acutely aware of the scrutiny set to come his way if they stay 10th. “Christmas is a joyous occasion, irrespective, and I think it should be celebrated. If we’re still 10th then people won’t be happy, I won’t be happy, but we might not be 10th,” Postecoglou pointed out before nine games in 30 days. “Certainly for us I think it’s a significant period because you look at those games and we’ve got the league where we’ve got to improve our position and a couple of important European fixtures that can set us up for the back half of the year, also a Carabao Cup quarter-final. “At the end of that period we could be in a decent position for a strong second half of the year, so for us it is an important period. “You know there’s no more international breaks, so the full focus is here. You can build some momentum through that, or if things don’t go well you could get yourself into a bit of a grind. Ready for #MCITOT 👊 Go behind the scenes of training ahead of our trip to Manchester 🎥⤵️ pic.twitter.com/4jFZTCIwSz — Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 22, 2024 “Of course if we had beaten Ipswich, we’d be third and I reckon this press conference would be much different wouldn’t it? “I’m not going to let my life be dictated by one result, I’m sorry. I take a wider perspective on these things because I know how fickle it can be, but we need to address our position for sure. “And if we’re 10th at Christmas, yeah it won’t be great. There’d be a lot of scrutiny and probably a lot of scrutiny around me, which is fair enough, but that’s not where I plan for us to be.” Tottenham’s immediate efforts to move up the table will require them ending City’s two-year unbeaten home run in the Premier League. The champions have lost their last four matches in all competitions, but have some key personnel back for Saturday’s clash and will aim to toast Pep Guardiola’s new contract with a victory. Postecoglou was pleased to see Guardiola commit to a further two seasons in England, adding: “I love the fact that there’s a massive target out there that can seem insurmountable. “I look at it the other way. I go, ‘imagine if you knock him off, that’d be something’. “I’m at the stage of my life where I’d rather have the chance of knocking him off than missing that opportunity. “When greatness is around, you want to be around it. And hopefully it challenges you to be like that as well.” Saturday’s fixture will be Postecoglou’s 50th league game in charge of Spurs and he knows what is required to bring up three figures. A post shared by Premier League (@premierleague) “No European football, significant player turnover, change of playing style. Where did I think we’d be after 50 games? God knows. “It could have been a whole lot worse, but when you look at it in the current prism of we’re 10th, you’re going ‘it doesn’t look good’ and I understand that and we have to improve that. “But over the 50 games, I think there’s enough there that shows we are progressing as a team and we are developing into the team we want. “The key is the next 50 games, if they can be in totality better than the first 50? First, that means I’m here but second, I think we’ll be in a good space.”
SUNLU Formnext 2024 Event Highlights: From Functional Filaments to FilaDryer E2In the absence of clear answers from federal authorities about the reported drones that have mysteriously appeared in the skies over much of New Jersey and other parts of the Northeast in recent weeks, officials have begun banding together to pool resources and information in the hopes of preparing for what they described as “potential drone threats.” On Friday, almost 50 law enforcement professionals from 19 state, local and federal agencies gathered at Rutgers University for the inaugural meeting of a so-called “drone working group,” according to the New Jersey State Police, which co-hosted the event. Among the other groups represented were state police agencies in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia, as well as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Officials from two federal agencies — the Federal Aviation Administration and Naval Weapons Station Earle, a U.S. Navy base — also attended. A handful of non-law enforcement agencies, including the Network Contagion Research Institute, a nonprofit that assesses political threats and disinformation, were represented at the meeting. “The working group shared information, sifted fact from fiction, discussed drone and counter drone-technologies, addressed regulatory issues and the need for federal legislation, and explored online sentiment toward the sightings,” the state police reported in a news release. Officials also discussed the “potential drone threat to critical infrastructure and high-profile events,” including the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The tournament’s final will be held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey that summer. The release suggested that the working group would continue to meet, with the goal of being able “to draft a collaborative action plan, develop an interagency communication protocol, and identify training needs and equipment priorities,” according to John Farmer, director of the Miller Center for Policing and Community Resilience. Since the first sightings were reported in Morris County on Nov. 18, authorities have repeatedly emphasized the lack of evidence that the drones pose any kind of national security or public safety threat. The White House has said that the majority of the 5,000 sightings so far reported to the FBI have actually been legal drones, manned aircraft, helicopters, and even distant stars. Approximately 100 of those reports were deemed worthy of further investigation, a joint statement from the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, FAA and Department of Defense said earlier this month. The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, neither of which was represented at the Rutgers meeting, continue to investigate the matter, as do state officials. Meanwhile, drone flights remain temporarily banned in 22 parts of New Jersey and 30 parts of New York through the middle of next month, an order imposed by the FAA at the request of federal security agencies. Authorities have also warned against pointing lasers at suspected drones, with accidental strikes on airplanes up 269% in New Jersey this month. Stories by AJ McDougall Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. AJ McDougall may be reached at amcdougall@njadvancemedia.com . Follow her on X at @oldmcdougall.
Mike Gundy will remain Oklahoma State coach after coming to agreement on restructured dealEnzo Maresca ‘thankful’ for connection at Leicester ahead of return with Chelsea
The holiday hiatus offers a natural moment for reflection. The Colorado men’s basketball team isn’t anywhere near where it hopes to be when the calendar reaches March. Yet at the end of nonconference play, with the Buffaloes’ first Big 12 Conference game in nearly 13 years officially one week away as of Monday, head coach Tad Boyle is pleased with the progress his club has made since tipping off his 15th season at CU on Nov. 4. Offensively, the Buffs are shooting well, owning a .472 overall field goal percentage alongside a .372 mark from long range. CU (9-2) has shared the ball well, averaging 17 assists per game while gradually lowering its turnover rate. The Buffs averaged an untenable 18.3 turnovers through the season’s first three games but have averaged 12.6 in the eight games since, matching a season-low with 10 in three of the past four games. Defensively, the Buffs have surrendered enough good looks along the perimeter to allow four of their 11 opponents to make at least 11 3-pointers, but CU’s overall defensive 3-point percentage of .309 is a number the Buffs would be stoked to maintain during Big 12 play. The rebounding has been a group effort — team leader Trevor Baskin averages 6.5 rebounds per game — but the Buffs have posted an average rebounding margin of plus-5.5. “I think we’ve made progress in a lot of areas on both sides of the ball, offensively and defensively,” Boyle said. “We’ve shown in stretches we can really guard, and we can really defend. That we understand the scouting report and play for each other. I think offensively, we share the ball. We had 22 assists (against Bellarmine) and 10 turnovers. We’ve done a better job of taking care of the ball here lately. Now, that will be tested sorely our first conference game. “But I think we’ve gotten better in a lot of areas. I really do. I still worry about our rebounding when we play a big, physical team. That’s going to be the ultimate test. The one thing you have to understand in conference play, you don’t know where the next win’s coming from. So you’d better try to win the one right in front of you. Which for us right now is Iowa State on December 30th. We know that’s not going to be easy.” Texas Tech’s Darrion Williams was named the Big 12 player of the week on Monday, while Arizona State freshman Jayden Quaintance collected the newcomer of the week honor. Williams recorded 23 points, seven rebounds and five assists in a win against Lamar, adding 10 points, nine assists and four rebounds earlier in the week against Oral Roberts. Quaintance was named the MVP of the Springfield Basketball Hall of Fame Classic as ASU topped Massachusetts. Quaintance posted his third double-double of the season with 19 points and 11 rebounds, adding four blocked shots. Iowa State remained the front-runner among the Big 12 schools in the Associated Press Top 25, maintaining its spot at No. 3 in the latest poll released on Monday. Kansas moved up one spot to No. 7, Houston held steady at No. 15, Cincinnati moved up two spots to No. 17, and Baylor rejoined the poll at No. 25. ... With little movement expected over the holiday week, CU began the week on Monday ranked at No. 77 in the NET and at KenPom.com.
Two major automakers are joining forces to survive