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jili 333 NBA Christmas Day delivered in full force, headlined by the primetime showdown between the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors—one matchup that never fails to deliver when LeBron James and Stephen Curry are involved. The game concluded with a game-winning layup from Austin Reaves, who gave the Lakers a 115-113 lead with one second remaining. The two shots before that came from Curry, who hit back-to-back three-pointers to tie the game, nearly willing Golden State back into the contest. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Thanks for the feedback.COLLEGE FB NOTES

FORMER Vice-President, Cde Phelekezela Mphoko, died in India yesterday afternoon at the age of 84 while receiving medical treatment. Acknowledging his dedicated contributions to Zimbabwe’s liberation and growth, the Zanu-PF Politburo promptly honoured him by declaring him a national hero. He is survived by wife, Laurinda, three children, Sikhumbuzo, Siduduzo and Siqokoqela, as well as several grandchildren. Family member Velile Mphoko said the former Vice-President’s wife and children were in Dubai and preparing to fly back home. “Senior family members have instructed us not to allow anyone into the house,” he told Saturday Chronicle at the Mphoko family home in Douglasdale suburb, Bulawayo, yesterday evening. President Mnangagwa expressed deep grief and sadness at the passing of the former Vice-President. “A veteran of our Liberation Struggle, Cde Mphoko’s political and military history coincides with the early days of militant nationalism against white settler colonialism, which later morphed into the armed Liberation Struggle. He was among its early architects, brave fighters, and formative commanders,” said President Mnangagwa. The President stressed that the national hero’s contribution to the liberation struggle can hardly be overstated. “Trained in many countries, including in the then Soviet Union, Cde Mphoko specialised in logistics, an onerous and sensitive responsibility which ensured huge consignments of assortments of arms of war were moved to different bases in the rear, and the war front inside the country in order to maintain the momentum of the Armed Liberation Struggle and to exert ever-mounting pressure on the settler regime until final victory. “A versatile cadre, Cde Mphoko would later join Zapu’s liaison department, a role which took him to Maputo, Mozambique, where the then Zanu was headquartered. We worked very closely with him, laying the groundwork and anticipating the eventual convergence of the two liberation movements into the Patriotic Front,” said President Mnangagwa. He noted that Cde Mphoko’s latter career as an ambassador was moulded by his early exposure to diplomacy during the liberation struggle. “It was an illustrious career which peaked with his appointment as Zimbabwe’s ambassador to various key countries, including the Russian Federation. On behalf of the Party Zanu-PF, Government, my family, and on my behalf, I wish to express my deepest, heartfelt condolences to the Mphoko family, especially to Mrs Mphoko and the children, on this their saddest loss,” said the President. In recognition of Cde Mphoko’s meritorious role of service to his country, the former Vice -President has been declared a national hero. “The Zanu-PF Politburo has unanimously decided and agreed to celebrate and immortalise his life of sacrifice by according him the status of National Hero. May his dear soul rest in eternal peace.” Cde Mphoko was appointed Vice-President in 2014, replacing Cde John Landa Nkomo, who died in 2013. Cde Mphoko was born on June 11, 1940, at Gwizane in Bubi District, Matabeleland North. The former Vice-President was arrested in 1963 for political violence after lashing out at a Rhodesian police officer who had set his dog on him and fellow youths. He was sentenced to three years in jail and sent to Khami Prison. He was a delegate at the Cold Comfort Farm People’s Caretaker Council Congress in the same year. The Congress created a Special Affairs Department and decided on an external wing of Zapu that would plan and direct the armed struggle. Under the Special Affairs programme, Cde Mphoko, along with Albert Nxele, Walter Mbambo, and Sam Dumaza Mpofu, was selected by Zapu leader Cde Joshua Nkomo to go for military training. On April 4, 1964, while awaiting a retrial, Cde Mphoko left Zimbabwe as part of a group of six and received military training in the Soviet Union between May 1964 and February 1965. In March 1965, he created the first military command structure, the Military Planning Committee, to plan and direct the armed struggle. He was one of the first seven commanders commissioned by the revolution and the political leadership to recruit, train, and command Zimbabweans into a revolution for the liberation of Zimbabwe. In 1967, he became a member of the Joint Military Command in charge of Logistics and Supply in the ANC/Zapu Alliance. He commanded the Joint Military rehearsals for the Wankie operations at Dan Nang base, Luthuli Camp, which included South African freedom fighters Joe Modise and Chris Hani, who was the commander of the Detachment, among others. In 1967 and 1968, he operated in Sipolilo (now Guruve) together with Modise, Abraham Nkiwane, Dumiso Dabengwa and others. In 1976, he was a delegate at the formation of the Patriotic Front in Maputo, Mozambique, with Jason Ziyaphapha Moyo, George Silundika, and Joseph Msika. In 1977, Cde Mphoko attended the OAU Adhoc Committee of Foreign Ministers in Luanda, Angola, with Cdes Msika and Silundika. In 1979, he attended the Lancaster House Peace Talks as a military delegate. In 1980, Cde Mphoko was appointed as a Special Envoy for Dr Joshua Nkomo to President Samora Machel of Mozambique, King Sobhuza II of Swaziland, Chief Leabuwa Jonathan of Lesotho, President Fidel Castro of Cuba, and Eric Honneker of the German Democratic Republic. He served in the sub-committee that designed the national flag of the new Republic of Zimbabwe. In 1981, Cde Mphoko worked in the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare as Deputy Director for Demobilisation. In 1987, he was transferred to the diplomatic service, with junior stints in Mozambique as Liaison Officer, and in 1996, he was appointed Liaison Officer to Austria, also covering the United Nations Drug Control Programme and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation. In 2002, he was appointed Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Botswana, before becoming Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to the Russian Federation. Zvamaida Murwira and Remember Deketeke PRESIDENT Mnangagwa, who is also Chancellor of all State universities, yesterday capped 3 320 graduates from the Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU), with the institution saying it will start producing bio-methane gas as part of its contribution to address the energy gap that has affected the country owing to the El [...] Patrick Chitumba, AFTER successfully hosting the inaugural SADC Regional Construction Summit, Zimbabwe Building Contractors Association (ZBCA) president, Dr Tinashe Manzungu, has revealed ambitious plans for the sector to establish itself as a major player in the region. This vision aligns with the industry’s broader objective of bolstering Zimbabwe’s economic growth and development. Zimbabwe’s construction [...] Ashley Phiri, DEPUTY Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology, and Bubi Member of Parliament, Simelisizwe Sibanda, has stressed the urgent need for collective action to address the ongoing HIV/Aids crisis. Speaking at the Matabeleland North World Aids Day commemorations, themed “Take the Rights Path — my health, my rights, our [...]

Devolver have delayed Baby Steps, Skate Story, Stick It To The Stickman into 2025Bills rookie Cole Bishop beginning to get comfortable after consecutive startsJudith Graham | (TNS) KFF Health News Carolyn Dickens, 76, was sitting at her dining room table, struggling to catch her breath as her physician looked on with concern. “What’s going on with your breathing?” asked Peter Gliatto, director of Mount Sinai’s Visiting Doctors Program. “I don’t know,” she answered, so softly it was hard to hear. “Going from here to the bathroom or the door, I get really winded. I don’t know when it’s going to be my last breath.” Dickens, a lung cancer survivor, lives in central Harlem, barely getting by. She has serious lung disease and high blood pressure and suffers regular fainting spells. In the past year, she’s fallen several times and dropped to 85 pounds, a dangerously low weight. And she lives alone, without any help — a highly perilous situation. This is almost surely an undercount, since the data is from more than a dozen years ago. It’s a population whose numbers far exceed those living in nursing homes — about 1.2 million — and yet it receives much less attention from policymakers, legislators, and academics who study aging. Consider some eye-opening statistics about completely homebound seniors from a study published in 2020 in JAMA Internal Medicine : Nearly 40% have five or more chronic medical conditions, such as heart or lung disease. Almost 30% are believed to have “probable dementia.” Seventy-seven percent have difficulty with at least one daily task such as bathing or dressing. Almost 40% live by themselves. That “on my own” status magnifies these individuals’ already considerable vulnerability, something that became acutely obvious during the covid-19 outbreak, when the number of sick and disabled seniors confined to their homes doubled. “People who are homebound, like other individuals who are seriously ill, rely on other people for so much,” said Katherine Ornstein, director of the Center for Equity in Aging at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. “If they don’t have someone there with them, they’re at risk of not having food, not having access to health care, not living in a safe environment.” Related Articles Health | Weight loss drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy are all the rage. Are they safe for kids? Health | Rural governments often fail to communicate with residents who aren’t proficient in English Health | Some breast cancer patients can avoid certain surgeries, studies suggest Health | Who gets obesity drugs covered by insurance? In North Carolina, it helps if you’re on Medicaid Health | How the FDA allows companies to add secret ingredients to our food Research has shown that older homebound adults are less likely to receive regular primary care than other seniors. They’re also more likely to end up in the hospital with medical crises that might have been prevented if someone had been checking on them. To better understand the experiences of these seniors, I accompanied Gliatto on some home visits in New York City. Mount Sinai’s Visiting Doctors Program, established in 1995, is one of the oldest in the nation. Only 12% of older U.S. adults who rarely or never leave home have access to this kind of home-based primary care. Gliatto and his staff — seven part-time doctors, three nurse practitioners, two nurses, two social workers, and three administrative staffers — serve about 1,000 patients in Manhattan each year. These patients have complicated needs and require high levels of assistance. In recent years, Gliatto has had to cut staff as Mount Sinai has reduced its financial contribution to the program. It doesn’t turn a profit, because reimbursement for services is low and expenses are high. First, Gliatto stopped in to see Sandra Pettway, 79, who never married or had children and has lived by herself in a two-bedroom Harlem apartment for 30 years. Pettway has severe spinal problems and back pain, as well as Type 2 diabetes and depression. She has difficulty moving around and rarely leaves her apartment. “Since the pandemic, it’s been awfully lonely,” she told me. When I asked who checks in on her, Pettway mentioned her next-door neighbor. There’s no one else she sees regularly. Pettway told the doctor she was increasingly apprehensive about an upcoming spinal surgery. He reassured her that Medicare would cover in-home nursing care, aides, and physical therapy services. “Someone will be with you, at least for six weeks,” he said. Left unsaid: Afterward, she would be on her own. (The surgery in April went well, Gliatto reported later.) The doctor listened carefully as Pettway talked about her memory lapses. “I can remember when I was a year old, but I can’t remember 10 minutes ago,” she said. He told her that he thought she was managing well but that he would arrange testing if there was further evidence of cognitive decline. For now, he said, he’s not particularly worried about her ability to manage on her own. Several blocks away, Gliatto visited Dickens, who has lived in her one-bedroom Harlem apartment for 31 years. Dickens told me she hasn’t seen other people regularly since her sister, who used to help her out, had a stroke. Most of the neighbors she knew well have died. Her only other close relative is a niece in the Bronx whom she sees about once a month. Dickens worked with special-education students for decades in New York City’s public schools. Now she lives on a small pension and Social Security — too much to qualify for Medicaid. (Medicaid, the program for low-income people, will pay for aides in the home. Medicare, which covers people over age 65, does not.) Like Pettway, she has only a small fixed income, so she can’t afford in-home help. Every Friday, God’s Love We Deliver, an organization that prepares medically tailored meals for sick people, delivers a week’s worth of frozen breakfasts and dinners that Dickens reheats in the microwave. She almost never goes out. When she has energy, she tries to do a bit of cleaning. Without the ongoing attention from Gliatto, Dickens doesn’t know what she’d do. “Having to get up and go out, you know, putting on your clothes, it’s a task,” she said. “And I have the fear of falling.” The next day, Gliatto visited Marianne Gluck Morrison, 73, a former survey researcher for New York City’s personnel department, in her cluttered Greenwich Village apartment. Morrison, who doesn’t have any siblings or children, was widowed in 2010 and has lived alone since. Morrison said she’d been feeling dizzy over the past few weeks, and Gliatto gave her a basic neurological exam, asking her to follow his fingers with her eyes and touch her fingers to her nose. “I think your problem is with your ear, not your brain,” he told her, describing symptoms of vertigo. Because she had severe wounds on her feet related to Type 2 diabetes, Morrison had been getting home health care for several weeks through Medicare. But those services — help from aides, nurses, and physical therapists — were due to expire in two weeks. “I don’t know what I’ll do then, probably just spend a lot of time in bed,” Morrison told me. Among her other medical conditions: congestive heart failure, osteoarthritis, an irregular heartbeat, chronic kidney disease, and depression. Morrison hasn’t left her apartment since November 2023, when she returned home after a hospitalization and several months at a rehabilitation center. Climbing the three steps that lead up into her apartment building is simply too hard. “It’s hard to be by myself so much of the time. It’s lonely,” she told me. “I would love to have people see me in the house. But at this point, because of the clutter, I can’t do it.” When I asked Morrison who she feels she can count on, she listed Gliatto and a mental health therapist from Henry Street Settlement, a social services organization. She has one close friend she speaks with on the phone most nights. “The problem is I’ve lost eight to nine friends in the last 15 years,” she said, sighing heavily. “They’ve died or moved away.” Bruce Leff, director of the Center for Transformative Geriatric Research at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, is a leading advocate of home-based medical care. “It’s kind of amazing how people find ways to get by,” he said when I asked him about homebound older adults who live alone. “There’s a significant degree of frailty and vulnerability, but there is also substantial resilience.” With the rapid expansion of the aging population in the years ahead, Leff is convinced that more kinds of care will move into the home, everything from rehab services to palliative care to hospital-level services. “It will simply be impossible to build enough hospitals and health facilities to meet the demand from an aging population,” he said. But that will be challenging for homebound older adults who are on their own. Without on-site family caregivers, there may be no one around to help manage this home-based care. ©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.None

The secret to making successful financial New Year’s resolutionsThe US State and Treasury departments said they hit Georgian Dream party founder and honorary chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili with penalties “for undermining the democratic and Euro-Atlantic future of Georgia for the benefit of the Russian Federation”, according to a statement. The designation of Mr Ivanishvili is the latest in a series of sanctions the US has placed on Georgian politicians and others this year. Those sanctions include freezes on assets and properties those targeted may have in US jurisdictions or that might enter US jurisdictions as well as travel bans on the targets and members of their families. “We strongly condemn Georgian Dream’s actions under Ivanishvili’s leadership, including its ongoing and violent repression of Georgian citizens, protesters, members of the media, human rights activists, and opposition figures,” the State Department said in a statement. “The United States is committed to promoting accountability for those undermining democracy and human rights in Georgia.” Mr Ivanishvili is a billionaire who made his fortune in Russia and served briefly as Georgia’s prime minister. In 2012, he founded Georgian Dream, Georgia’s longtime ruling party. Critics have accused Georgian Dream of becoming increasingly authoritarian and tilted towards Moscow. The party recently pushed through laws similar to those used by the Kremlin to crack down on freedom of speech and LGBT+ rights, prompting the European Union to suspend Georgia’s membership application process indefinitely. In October, Georgian Dream won another term in a divisive parliamentary election that has led to more mass protests. Last month, the country’s prime minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, announced a four-year suspension of talks on Georgia’s bid to join the European Union, fuelling further public outrage.

Former transgenders, parents and activists braved frigid temperatures on Wednesday morning to rally outside the Supreme Court to demand an end to the 'butchery' and ‘trauma’ of child sex-change surgeries and treatments. Martin Luther King High School in Riverside, California, is the latest battleground in the ongoing national culture war over trans athletes in girls' sports. Students at the school have gone viral on social media in recent weeks amid an ongoing lawsuit over two girls' cross country runners allegedly being told they can't wear t-shirts that read "Save Women's Sports." The two teenage girls heading the lawsuit allege their shirts were compared to swastikas by school administrators, while a trans athlete competes on their team and took a varsity spot from a female player. Another student athlete on the school's cross-country team, Rylee Morrow, brought more national attention to the situation when she gave an impassioned speech at a school board meeting in November in a clip that went viral due to her conveyed fears of having to share a locker room with a biological male. "Having a male on the team proposes genetic advantages," Morrow later said during an interview on Fox News, while lambasting her school for comparing the shirts to swastikas. "It was honestly disappointing in our staff at our school; that's a mass genocide, and to compare such a very broad term to such a horrible time in history is quite disappointing." This past week, the situation appeared to escalate when students from the school appeared in a viral TikTok in which they said the school has instituted a new dress code to prevent students from wearing the shirts. "When our school won't let a girl wear this shirt who lost her varsity spot for a biological male so everyone wears them and they try to not let us into school, dress code us and keep us out of class for voicing our opinion and supporting a friend. Crazy how the world works," a caption read. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The TikTok has since been deleted from the account, but it still circulates across X. California Family Council outreach director Sophia Lorey revealed that more than 150 students have worn the t-shirts to school since the incident started, and alleged that students who refused to comply with the new dress code were forced to spend hours in the principal's office. Lorey says that those students plan to keep doing this on a regular basis despite their school's new rule. "I received those numbers from parents directly involved," Lorey told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview. "I then have received word on social media that the students plan to continue to do this every Wednesday." Lorey added that she hopes this will lead more of the school's students to join the ongoing lawsuit. "I’m deeply disappointed in the school administration for trampling on their First Amendment rights, issuing dress code violations and comparing ‘XX does not equal XY’ to wearing a swastika, simply because the students are standing up for biological reality, is disgusting. Schools should protect free speech, not punish students for defending what is right. I am looking forward to hopefully more students joining the lawsuit, and truth prevailing," Lorey said in an exclusive statement. "Even if the school doesn’t like the message, this does not give them the ability to violate their students' First Amendment right. Earlier this year, I won my First Amendment right case, after a librarian silenced me for stating, ‘Men do not belong in women’s sports,’ and I believe we will see the same results here." Former NCAA swimmer and OutKick contributor Riley Gaines also spoke out about the situation and encouraged her followers in a post on X to reach out to the school to voice displeasure with the administration. Julianne Fleischer, Legal Counsel at Advocates for Faith & Freedom, who is representing the two athletes involved in the lawsuit, appeared on Fox News with Morrow on Nov. 26 to speak out against the school for its stance on preventing the girls from wearing the shirts. SJSU TRANSGENDER VOLLEYBALL SCANDAL: TIMELINE OF ALLEGATIONS, POLITICAL IMPACT AND A RAGING CULTURE MOVEMENT "They wore [the shirts] to their practice, and the athletic director told them that they needed to hide their shirt or change their shirts because that message, ‘Save Girls' Sports,’ creates a hostile environment," she explained. The Riverside Unified School District (RUSD) provided a statement to Fox News Digital defending the decision to have the student in the school, but has not addressed its stance on the t-shirts. The RUSD also said the reason for this is because of the state laws in California in which public schools are obligated to protect trans athletes. "While these rules were not created by RUSD, the District is committed to complying with the law and CIF regulations. California state law prohibits discrimination of students based on gender, gender identity and gender expression, and specifically prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender in physical education and athletics. The protections we provide to all students are not only aligned with the law but also with our core values which include equity and well-being," the statement read. The sudden national culture movement to protect women's and girls' sports from trans inclusion has been just as much of a youth movement as it has a conservative movement since it picked up steam this year. High school students across New York reportedly planned a mass walkout event to protest trans inclusion in girls' sports back in October, according to The New York Post. "It’s not right for boys to compete against girls in sports. It’s a huge disadvantage for girls," said Hannah Pompeo, a 16-year soccer player at Eden High School near Buffalo, ahead of the students' planned "Walk Off for Fairness Day." California has been a particular hotbed for the movement and controversial instances involving trans inclusion this year, as the state has had laws in place to protect trans athletes that seek to compete against females since 2013. Stone Ridge Christian High School, located in Merced, forfeited a state playoff volleyball game against a team that was said to have a biological male transgender athlete on its team. Stone Ridge Christian was commended for the decision and even held a ceremony with Gaines to celebrate the decision. Another trans volleyball player at Half Moon Bay High School prompted the Catholic school Notre Dame Belmont to forfeit a match earlier this season, but they chose to play a rematch. That rematch reportedly included booing of the trans athlete. Notre Dame Belmont was then told it could face "consequences" for the decision of students to boo. Meanwhile, one of the most polarizing national controversies involving trans athlete inclusion recently played out at San Jose State University this past volleyball season. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Trans player Blaire Fleming and female teammate Brooke Slusser were thrust into the controversy that garnered mainstream attention, and was even used as a campaign point in the recent presidential election, after Slusser filed two lawsuits alleging she had been made to share a bedroom and changing space with Fleming for an entire season without being told the player is a biological male. The team saw eight of its matches forfeited, including a conference tournament match, amid the controversy, which only brought more national attention to the team as it made it all the way to the Mountain West championship game. The issue of trans inclusion in girls' and women's sports became a massive political vulnerability for Democrats in the recent election. President-elect Trump pounced on the issue, declaring a stance in favor of a national ban on trans athletes in women's sports. The opposition has fueled a massive culture movement, especially among young women in Democrat-controlled states with laws in place to enable trans athletes to compete against them. The movement has become so powerful in recent months that it is now even the basis for a lucrative apparel brand, XX-XY Athletics, which has signed multiple female athletes who have endured the experience of competing against transgenders as brand ambassadors. Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X , and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter . Jackson Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital. He previously worked for ESPN and Business Insider. Jackson has covered the Super Bowl and NBA Finals, and has interviewed iconic figures Usain Bolt, Rob Gronkowski, Jerry Rice, Troy Aikman, Mike Trout, David Ortiz and Roger Clemens.

Police deny sitting on evidence as Netflix doc brings renewed attention to JonBenet Ramsey's killingWEST POINT, N.Y. — The first conference championship celebration in Army history was underway at midfield and Bryson Daily made clear it would be a brief one. The Black Knights are going after another trophy next week. “Beat Navy,” Daily said. He and the Black Knights ought to be a tough matchup for the Midshipmen — or just about anyone. Daily rushed for four touchdowns to tie the American Athletic Conference championship game record, and No. 24 Army completed a perfect first season in the league by beating Tulane 35-14 on Friday night. Kanye Udoh rushed for 158 yards, including a 72-yarder to set up a Daily TD, and a score. Daily added 126 yards on the ground for the Black Knights (11-1), who overwhelmed AAC opponents with their bruising, clock-eating rushing attack during their first around the league, then ran it to perfection in the championship game. Army won the first conference title in its 134-year history. The Black Knights have one game left in the regular season and it's they one they want most: against Navy next Saturday for the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy. Tulane linebacker Sam Howard (15) grabs the face mask of Army quarterback Bryson Daily during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in West Point, N.Y. Credit: AP/Adam Hunger “Now we've got the biggest game of the year coming up in eight days and we’re looking forward to that,” Army coach Jeff Monken said. Daily had runs of 5, 3, 4 and 7 yards. The 221-pound quarterback's four rushing scores gave him 29 this season, breaking the AAC record of 25 set by Navy QB Will Worth in 2016. The conference player of the year has rushed for multiple TDs in 10 consecutive games. Except for an unsuccessful stint in Conference USA from 1998-2004, the Black Knights had played as an independent since their program began in 1890. Monken said this week that Army felt that it needed to be in a conference to have a pathway to college football's expanded postseason. As cadets poured out of the stands to join players in a midfield celebration, the Black Knights must have been loving the decision. Army running back Kanye Udoh (6) carries the ball for a first down against the Tulane during the second quarter of the American Athletic Conference championship NCAA college football game, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in West Point, N.Y. Credit: AP/Adam Hunger Darian Mensah threw two touchdown passes for Tulane (9-4), which was playing in its third straight AAC championship game and has lost the last two. The Green Wave had hopes of hosting before losing at home to Memphis on Thanksgiving night, ending their 17-game winning streak in conference games. They were even shakier Friday, botching field goal attempts after their first two drives, then fumbling a kickoff and having a pass intercepted in their own territory on the next two. Then Tulane could barely get its hands on the ball in the second half, when Army had TD drives of 11 and 16 plays. “When you start slow the way we did, missing two field goals early, you don’t do yourselves any favors,” Tulane coach Jon Sumrall said, “because once they get a lead, a couple scores, it’s really, really hard to overcome.” A temperature of 29 degrees to begin just the third December game in the 101-season history of Michie Stadium demanded a strong running attack, and nobody does it better than Army, which came in leading the country with 312.5 rushing yards per game. Army gained 335 on the ground and went 4 for 5 on fourth down. Daily didn’t even attempt a pass until the second half — when he kept a scoring drive alive with a 9-yard completion on fourth-and-5. The Green Wave were asked during the week about playing in the chilly conditions along the Hudson River, and the weather may have been a factor when Tulane attempted a field goal after a good first drive. Holder Brice Busch dropped the snap on the Army 27. Army promptly went 72 yards in 11 plays for Daily’s 5-yard score. Tulane got inside the Army 20 again on its second drive but had to settle for another field goal attempt. The Green Wave handled the snap this time but Patrick Durkin’s kick was wide right from 38 yards. Daily’s 4-yard run made it 21-0 before Tulane finally got on the board on Mensah’s 42-yard pass to Mario Williams with 44 seconds left in the half. But Army regained control with a 6 1/2-minute drive to open the third quarter. The takeaway Tulane: The Green Wave will regret their untimely and uncharacteristically sloppy play to finish the regular season after never losing the turnover battle in any game until their last two. Army: The Black Knights’ opponents know what’s coming and only current No. 4 Notre Dame, which routed Army at Yankee Stadium last month, has been able to stop it. Poll implications Tulane: The Green Wave fell out with the Memphis loss after going into the game ranked 18th and won’t get back in. Army: The Black Knights will extend to a ninth straight week in the AP Top 25, their longest stretch since being ranked each week of the 1958 season. Up next Tulane: Awaits its bowl destination. Army: Faces Navy next Saturday in Landover-Maryland.

AI is a game changer for students with disabilities. Schools are still learning to harness it

By Kemberley Washington, CPA, Bankrate.com (TNS) As the end of the year approaches, now’s the time to start preparing for filing your 2024 tax return in 2025. When it comes to tax strategies, generally Dec. 31 is the deadline to make changes that might lower your tax bill. One major exception is the deadline for contributing to a Roth or traditional IRA : You have until April 15, 2025, to make a contribution to a Roth or traditional IRA for tax year 2024. If you qualify for deductible IRA contributions , then a contribution to your traditional IRA can reduce your taxable income for 2024. Here are tips and strategies to prepare now for the 2025 tax-filing deadline. If you had significant changes in your life in 2024 — maybe you got married or divorced, started your own business, or had to claim unemployment benefits — your taxes may be more complicated. As a result, you might need to hire a certified public accountant (CPA), enrolled agent (EA) or other tax professional to prepare and file your taxes. If you decide to hire someone, it’s best to start planning for that sooner rather than later. Waiting until the calendar flips to April could cost you. The average fee for a professional to prepare and file a simple Form 1040 tax return, with no itemized deductions, is about $220, according to a survey by the National Society of Accountants in 2020-2021, the most recent data available. But that amount rises quickly for more complex returns, and varies depending on where you live. For example, a Form 1040 with itemized deductions costs an average of $432 in states on the Pacific Coast, compared with $285 in New England. No matter where you live, prices usually rise as the tax deadline approaches, so it’s smart to start searching for a tax pro soon. If you’re uncomfortable doing your taxes on your own and can’t afford a CPA, enrolled agent or other tax pro, or to pay for tax software , there are free options to consider. The IRS currently offers three ways to prepare your taxes for free: •With the IRS Free File program, the IRS partners with for-profit tax-software companies that offer free tax-prep software to eligible taxpayers so they can file their federal tax returns for free. Some taxpayers may also qualify for a free state tax filing, depending on the software provider. In January, the IRS will announce the income limit to qualify for the program for the 2025 tax season (for filing 2024 tax returns). For the 2024 tax season (2023 tax returns), taxpayers’ adjusted gross income (AGI) couldn’t exceed $79,000. •The IRS also offers its Direct File program, a free tool that allows you to file your federal income tax return directly with the IRS at no cost. The program supports simple tax returns and is available only in certain states. Check to see if you qualify here. •Another free-filing option is the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. IRS-certified volunteers offer free basic tax preparation in person to people who earn less than $67,000 a year, are disabled or whose English is limited. The IRS has an online location tool for hundreds of free tax preparation sites in the U.S. (the locator tool is updated from February through April). Some VITA sites also offer online tax-prep assistance. Now is a good time to create an IRS online account. If you want to see your Form 1040 from last year, or you’re missing a prior year Form W-2 or mortgage interest statement, you can find your documents using this free tax tool. Another benefit of creating an IRS online account is that it allows you to quickly obtain your prior year’s tax information without sitting on the phone for hours with an IRS representative, says Carl Johnson, a certified public accountant in New Orleans. An IRS online account also lets you view your account balance and payment history for each year. You can also create a payment plan to settle your federal income tax debt within minutes. If you’re 73 years old and have enjoyed watching your 401(k) or IRA grow tax-free without touching it, remember that the IRS is going to want its share each year. That means you’ll have to make withdrawals — and pay income tax. If you turned 73 in 2024, plan to take your required minimum distribution (RMD) at the latest by April 1, 2025. Read this IRS bulletin for more information. The amount of your RMDs is based on your age and the year-end values of your retirement accounts. A Roth IRA has two big tax advantages over a traditional IRA : Qualified withdrawals are not considered income for federal (and usually state) tax purposes, and you don’t have to take distributions from a Roth every year once you reach age 73. Converting a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA may save you money in the long run. Just know that when you convert an IRA to a Roth, it’s considered taxable income, which will raise your tax bill for that year. Generally, it’s best to convert to a Roth IRA when you’re in a low-income year. As tax season approaches, many people start receiving phone calls, emails and texts from entities claiming to be the IRS. Be wary, and understand that these are scams. Typically, the IRS will mail you a notice before using any other method of communication to notify you concerning issues with your tax return. The IRS won’t reach out via social media or text messaging. Relatedly, the IRS warns taxpayers to be careful when choosing a tax preparer. Taking time to vet your tax preparer is crucial to protect yourself from tax scams and fraud. Before hiring a tax professional, search that person’s name in the IRS database of federal tax return preparers to avoid dishonest “professionals.” “Taxpayers should check the tax professional’s credentials,” Johnson says. Tax pros without credentials “may take questionable positions without any degree of scrutiny or fear of losing their access to the profession,” Johnson says. Taxpayers who don’t file a tax return and owe a tax bill, or who file but don’t pay their tax bill on time, risk severe penalties. The IRS can even seize assets if necessary. Respond quickly if the IRS has been sending you letters because it found an error on your return or claims you owe back taxes. Typically, the IRS will send you a notice if you have a balance due, changes were made to your tax return, or the agency needs additional information. “If you ignore a collection letter from the IRS, you may face wage garnishments, liens, bank levies, and other adverse action. And in some cases, the amount due may increase for failure to respond,” Johnson says. Keep in mind the IRS does offer installment plans and other payment plans. Make copies of your correspondence and use only the U.S. Postal Service, the postmark from which is your proof of timeliness when responding. But whatever you do, don’t ignore the IRS because this may cause more issues in the future. ©2024 Bankrate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.7 tips to prepare for next year’s taxes now

Arizona (7-8) at Los Angeles Rams (9-6) Saturday, 8:15 p.m. EST, NFL Network BetMGM NFL odds : Rams by 6 1/2. Against the spread: Cardinals 9-6; Rams 8-7. Series record: Rams lead 50-41-2. Last meeting: Cardinals beat Rams 41-10 in Glendale, Ariz. on Sept. 15. Last week: Cardinals lost to Carolina 36-30, OT; Rams beat New York Jets 19-9. Cardinals offense: overall (11), rush (5), pass (20), scoring (14). Cardinals defense: overall (20), rush (22), pass (13), scoring (T-13). Rams offense: overall (15), rush (20), pass (13), scoring (17). Rams defense: overall (24), rush (25), pass (19), scoring (21). Turnover differential: Cardinals minus-4; Rams plus-5. WR Marvin Harrison Jr. has had a relatively productive rookie season with 51 catches for 726 yards and seven touchdowns. But it’s also true that he hasn’t always looked like the true franchise changing force the Cardinals expected when they took him with the No. 4 overall pick. Arizona might be out of the playoff race, but Harrison’s development continues to be a major focus for the team down the stretch. RB Kyren Williams is coming off his best game of the season after rushing for 122 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries to help Los Angeles grind out a win at the Meadowlands. He hardly factored into the first meeting against Arizona, a game the Rams trailed 14-0 halfway into the first quarter and 24-3 at halftime, getting 12 carries and running for 25 yards and a touchdown behind a battered offensive line. Cardinals QB Kyler Murray vs. Rams defensive line. Los Angeles had no answers for Murray in September as he threw for 266 yards and three touchdowns without an interception and added 59 yards rushing. But their defensive front is much more cohesive than it was in the second week of the season, with rookies Jared Verse and Braden Fiske proving to be menaces in the backfield. If Murray feels that pressure and can’t keep his eyes downfield, the Rams will be in much better shape to limit Arizona’s passing game. The Cardinals have been beat up over the past two games. Both of the starting tackles — Paris Johnson Jr. (knee) and Jonah Williams (knee) — are out for the season after they were put on injured reserve this week. Others such as RB James Conner (knee), LB Baron Browning (neck), LB Mack Wilson Sr. (concussion) and DL Darius Robinson (calf) have been limited during practice. ... The Rams are in good shape, a far cry from where they were to start the season. RT Rob Havenstein was the only name on their injury report through Wednesday, when he was limited because of a shoulder injury. Arizona has not swept the season series since 2014 when the Rams were playing in St. Louis. ... The Rams and Cardinals have split the past four meetings. Arizona had dropped 11 of the previous 12 in the series. ... Los Angeles is 3-2 against Arizona since moving into SoFi Stadium in 2020, kickstarting its run to the Super Bowl after the 2021 season with a 34-11 win in an NFC wild-card game. The Cardinals have lost four of their past five games and were eliminated from the playoff race after last week’s 36-30 loss to the Carolina Panthers. The Cardinals have made the playoffs just once over the past nine seasons. That was in 2021 ... Harrison had four catches for 130 yards and two TDs vs. the Rams in Week 2. All of that production came in the span of seven plays in the first quarter. ... The Cardinals are No. 5 in the NFL with 145.8 yards rushing per game. They also rank No. 2 with 5.28 yards per carry. ... Chad Ryland has made 25 field goals since his debut in Week 5, which ranks fourth in the NFL over that span. ... Safety Budda Baker has a career-high 148 tackles this season, which broke his previous high of 147 set in 2019. ... James Conner has 1,500 yards from scrimmage this season, including 1,090 rushing and 410 receiving. ... Trey McBride has caught 91 passes this season, which is a franchise record at tight end for the Cardinals. ... The Rams can clinch a playoff spot with a win and either a Seahawks loss or tie or a series of results elsewhere to secure the strength of victory tiebreaker. ... Rams QB Matthew Stafford threw for 110 yards against the Jets. Los Angeles has won all four games this season where Stafford has finished with fewer than 200 yards through the air. ... WR Puka Nacua had a record-setting rookie season, but Arizona was the one team that kept him in check. Nacua made four catches in each of the two meetings in 2023, finishing with 26 and 27 yards. ... The Rams didn’t have LT Alaric Jackson (suspension), LG Steve Avila (knee) or Nacua (knee) in the Week 2 game against the Cardinals. ... Los Angeles has run for at least 132 yards in four straight games, with Williams accounting for at least 87 yards in each outing that span. Cooper Kupp likely sank many a fantasy title push with his limited production over the past month, and the Rams WR should remain on benches this week for any owners still in the mix. Kupp has topped 44 yards receiving once in his past five games against Arizona. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLHelios Technologies officer sells $215,920 in common stock

Simpson and Boggios bring pharmacy biz back into NOTL handsHappy holidays from Bad Bunny , who announced Thursday he will release a new album Jan. 5. “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” which translates to “I should have taken more photos,” is his sixth studio album and follows in his tradition of releasing new music on unexpected dates. His debut album, 2018’s “X 100PRE," arrived around Christmas and 2020's “El Último Tour del Mundo” near Thanksgiving. The January release date is just before “Día de Reyes,” or Three Kings Day, and is a Sunday — unlike the industry's standard Friday release date. The Puerto Rican musician announced the news on Instagram in a short video featuring filmmaker Jacobo Morales. He also released a new single, “PIToRRO DE COCO.” A day before, Bad Bunny teased a 17-track list on social media, with each song titled “BOMBA,” perhaps in reference to the Puerto Rican musical style and dance. “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” follows 2023's “Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana” (“Nobody Knows What Will Happen Tomorrow”), which was met with mixed reviews. On that album, Bad Bunny's reggaeton offerings were limited, returning instead to the Latin trap of “X 100PRE” in songs like “MONACO” and “GRACIAS POR NADA.” The announcement caps a busy year for El Conejo Malo. Bad Bunny made headlines after he threw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris shortly after a comedian at Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally made crude jokes about Latinos and called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage.” He also canvassed North America on his “Most Wanted Tour,” which made The Associated Press' list of the best concerts of the year.Jharkhand Election 2024: BJP's Devendra Kunwar Wins Jarmundi SeatIfedi starts at left tackle for Browns in prime-time matchup against AFC North-leading Steelers

Stock market today: Wall Street slips as technology stocks drag on the market NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks slipped as Wall Street closes out a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 fell 1.3% Friday and the the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 418 points, or 1%. The Nasdaq composite is down 1.8%. Technology stocks were the biggest drag on the market. The S&P 500 is still headed for its second consecutive annual gain of more than 20%, the first time that has happened since 1997-1998. Energy was the best-performing sector as oil prices rose more than 1%. In Asia, stocks in South Korea fell after the main opposition party voted to impeach the country’s acting leader. 10 tips from experts to help you change your relationship with money in 2025 NEW YORK (AP) — As the calendar changes to 2025, you might be thinking about how to approach your relationship with money in the new year. Whether you’re saving to move out of your parents’ house or pay off student loan debt, financial resolutions can help you stay motivated. If you’re planning to make financial resolutions for the new year, experts recommend that you start by evaluating the state of your finances in 2024. Then, set specific goals and make sure they’re attainable for your lifestyle. An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalition WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump’s supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in the president-elect’s political movement into public display. The argument previews fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare tensions between the newest flank of Trump’s movement — that is, wealthy members of the tech world who want more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump’s Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. A 9th telecoms firm has been hit by a massive Chinese espionage campaign, the White House says WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official says a ninth U.S. telecoms firm has been confirmed to have been hacked as part of a sprawling Chinese espionage campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Administration officials said this month that at least eight telecommunications companies, as well as dozens of nations, had been affected by the Chinese hacking blitz known as Salt Typhoon. But Anne Neuberger, a deputy national security adviser, said Friday that a ninth victim had been identified after the administration released guidance to companies about how to hunt for Chinese culprits in their networks. Most Americans blame insurance profits and denials alongside the killer in UHC CEO death, poll finds WASHINGTON (AP) — Most Americans believe health insurance profits and coverage denials share responsibility for the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO — although not as much as the person who pulled the trigger. So says a new poll from NORC at the University of Chicago. It finds that about 8 in 10 Americans say that the person who committed the killing has “a great deal” or “a moderate amount” of responsibility for the Dec. 4 shooting of Brian Thompson. Still, some see suspect Luigi Mangione as a heroic figure. About 7 in 10 adults say coverage denials or health insurance profits also bear at least “a moderate amount” of responsibility for Thompson’s death. Another jackpot surpasses $1 billion. Is this the new normal? Remember this moment because it probably won’t last: A U.S. lottery jackpot is projected to soar above $1 billion, and that's still a big deal. Friday’s Mega Millions drawing is worth an estimated $1.15 billion. The prize has evoked headlines across the country, despite the nation's top 10 jackpots already having boasted billion-dollar payouts. Jonathan Cohen is the author of the book “For a Dollar and a Dream: State Lotteries in Modern America.” He says he expects jackpots to continue to grow in size. Larger payouts attract more media attention, increase ticket sales and bring in new players. How the stock market defied expectations again this year, by the numbers NEW YORK (AP) — What a wonderful year 2024 has been for investors. U.S. stocks ripped higher and carried the S&P 500 to records as the economy kept growing and the Federal Reserve began cutting interest rates. The benchmark index posted its first back-to-back annual gains of more than 20% since 1998. The year featured many familiar winners, such as Big Tech, which got even bigger as their stock prices kept growing. But it wasn’t just Apple, Nvidia and the like. Bitcoin and gold surged and “Roaring Kitty” reappeared to briefly reignite the meme stock craze. Richard Parsons, prominent executive who led Time Warner and Citigroup, dies at 76 NEW YORK (AP) — Richard Parsons, one of corporate America’s most prominent Black executives who held top posts at Time Warner and Citigroup, has died. He was 76. Parsons died Thursday at his Manhattan home. He was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2015 and cited “unanticipated complications” from the disease for cutting back on work a few years later. Financial services company Lazard confirmed his death. Parsons was a longtime member of the company's board. His friend Ronald Lauder told The New York Times that the cause of death was cancer. Parsons stepped down Dec. 3 from the boards of Lazard and Lauder’s company, Estée Lauder, citing health reasons. He had been on Estée Lauder’s board for 25 years. Israel strikes Houthi rebels in Yemen's capital while the WHO chief says he was meters away JERUSALEM (AP) — A new round of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen has targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital of Sanaa and multiple ports. The World Health Organization’s director-general said Thursday's bombardment took place just “meters away” as he was about to board a flight in Sanaa. He says a crew member was hurt. The strikes followed several days of Houthi attacks and launches setting off sirens in Israel. Israel's military says it attacked infrastructure used by the Houthis at the airport in Sanaa, power stations and ports. The Israeli military later said it wasn’t aware that the WHO chief was at the location in Yemen. At least three people were reported killed and dozens injured in the Sanaa airport strike. Holiday shoppers increased spending by 3.8% despite higher prices New data shows holiday sales rose this year even as Americans wrestled with still high prices in many grocery necessities and other financial worries. According to Mastercard SpendingPulse, holiday sales from the beginning of November through Christmas Eve climbed 3.8%, a faster pace than the 3.1% increase from a year earlier. The measure tracks all kinds of payments including cash and debit cards. This year, retailers were even more under the gun to get shoppers in to buy early and in bulk since there were five fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Mastercard SpendingPulse says the last five days of the season accounted for 10% of the spending. Sales of clothing, electronics and Jewelry rose.

Thanksgiving for Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles and her husband, Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens, is a delicate balance of football and family traditions. The gymnast, widely celebrated as one of the greatest athletes in her field, shared how she and Owens plan to enjoy the holiday while accommodating his demanding NFL schedule. Biles, 27, revealed that she will travel to Detroit on Thanksgiving morning to watch Owens and the Chicago Bears face off against the Detroit Lions. "I'll fly up in the morning and head back right after the game, so we can still spend Thanksgiving together," she said in an exclusive interview with US Weekly . View the original article to see embedded media. Biles also acknowledged the unique challenges of being married to a professional football player. "Holidays often revolve around sports, especially in football, but we make it work," Biles shared. While cheering from the stands, Biles ensures that their home remains a hub of holiday cheer. Back in Chicago, she has arranged for a chef to prepare a traditional Thanksgiving meal, not just for her and Owens but also for some of his teammates. © Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images "Some of the guys might stop by for a plate if they don’t have family nearby," she said. Biles shared that the meal will be ready by the time the couple returns from the 12:30 p.m. kickoff in Detroit, allowing them to relax and enjoy a late Thanksgiving feast together. Biles described the arrangement as “a way to stay connected despite the hectic schedule.” Related: Simone Biles Sends Four-Word Message to Jonathan Owens Before Bears vs. LionsFox News Flash top sports headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. Jason Kelce’s media career has taken off in his first year away from the NFL, and his next adventure will be joining late-night television. "They Call It Late Night with Jason Kelce" will premiere Jan. 3 on ESPN, running five Friday nights through February 1, starting at 1 a.m. Late-night TV is a competitive space, and Kelce got some advice from a longtime host as he prepares for his new show. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Jimmy Kimmel (Randy Holmes/ABC via Getty Images) Kelce revealed the news on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!," and the future Pro Football Hall of Fame center said Kimmel has given him "tons of advice" about how to make his show a hit. "To be able to go on his show and promote my show that’s coming out, but also to just go there and talk to him, get all the ins and outs about how to run a late-night show — how you talk into the camera, how you choose topics, how you prepare. It was honestly a very beneficial trip to take," Kelce said on his "New Heights" podcast. TRAVIS KELCE JOKES THAT JASON AND KYLIE SHOULD ‘GO FOR THE STARTING FIVE’ AFTER ANNOUNCEMENT OF 4TH CHILD Travis Kelce , Jason’s younger brother who stars for the Kansas City Chiefs, called Kimmel "one of the best in the business for a reason," noting he got to meet the host over the summer. Former NFL player and ESPN commentator Jason Kelce on the sidelines during the first half of a game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. (Denny Medley/Imagn Images) Jason said he is also a big fan of Conan O’Brien, though he likes all the current late-night greats. Jason has been to football stadiums all over this year despite being retired after joining the "Monday Night Countdown" panel for ESPN while making appearances at "College GameDay" and doing his podcast with Travis throughout the year. Jason’s wife, Kylie Kelce, is also launching her own podcast, "Not Gonna Lie." Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles reacts after announcing his retirement from the NFL at NovaCare Complex March 4, 2024, in Philadelphia. (Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Jason will embark on his first solo act with this late-night show, and he’s making sure to use all his resources to make it stick. Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X , and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter . Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.Ange Postecoglou searching for answers over Tottenham’s injury crisis

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