FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — Jalen Haynes scored 18 points as George Mason beat Mount St. Mary's 64-56 on Saturday. Haynes also added 16 rebounds for the Patriots (9-4). Darius Maddox shot 5 of 11 from the field, including 1 for 5 from 3-point range, and went 2 for 3 from the line to add 13 points. Brayden O'Connor shot 2 for 5 (2 for 3 from 3-point range) and 3 of 4 from the free-throw line to finish with nine points. The Mountaineers (8-5, 1-1 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) were led by Dola Adebayo, who recorded 13 points and seven rebounds. Mount St. Mary's also got 11 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two blocks from Terrell Ard Jr.. Arlandus Keyes also had seven points. Haynes scored 11 points in the first half and George Mason went into halftime trailing 30-28. George Mason used a 10-3 second-half run to come back from a three-point deficit and take the lead at 34-30 with 17:54 remaining in the half before finishing off the victory. Maddox scored nine second-half points. George Mason plays Tuesday against Davidson at home, and Mount St. Mary's hosts Niagara on Sunday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
Games to snuggle up with this holiday seasonGDP, durable goods orders, and jobless claims top Wednesday's economic calendarMOST Wall Street strategists anticipate the 2024 rally gaining stronger momentum in 2025. Unfortunately, in the contrarian world of finance, optimism is not always a good sign. Almost everyone agrees that the US economy and stock market are now in the palm of president-elect Donald Trump’s hand. But what will he do with them all? Trump and his cadre of supporters, including Elon Musk, are determined to shake things up, and make the United States a more business-friendly place. The motto for the second Trump administration seems to be borrowed from Musk’s old stamping ground in Silicon Valley, which is to “move fast and break things”.
Give Pepperoni A Break And Go For A Different Pork Pizza ToppingAustralia’s regional property markets continue to outperform their metro counterparts, but price growth is cooling. Regional dwelling values rose 1.1 per cent in the three months to October, compared with 0.8 per cent in the cities, according to the latest CoreLogic Regional Market Update . The respective growth rates have softened from 2.3 per cent and 2.2 per cent respectively in the quarter to April. Mining regions in WA and Queensland led the charge, with property values in Mackay, Geraldton and Townsville up 8.8 per cent, 8.2 per cent and 6.6 per cent, respectively. Over the year to October, dwelling prices in each of the three markets surged by more than a quarter, driven by affordability and lifestyle appeal, CoreLogic economist Kaytlin Ezzy said. “But even with the impressive growth, for those with the capacity to service a mortgage, they still remain attainable with medians less than $600,000,” Ms Ezzy said. In NSW and Victoria, there were signs of cooling in markets that had run hot during COVID-era tree and sea changes. Seven out of eight Victorian non-capital significant urban areas posted value drops, along with 10 of 21 equivalent regions in NSW. The holiday town of Batemans Bay on NSW’s southern coast fell the most with a 2.7 per cent slump over the quarter, followed by Warrnambool on Victoria’s southwest coast, where values sunk 2.6 per cent. “There’s certainly been a slowdown in demand for these areas and more stock on the market and that’s in addition to higher interest rates, cost of living pressures, and limited borrowing capacity” Ms Ezzy said. Over the year, 10 property markets in the southeastern states posted declines, led by a 6.3 per cent fall in the town of Ballarat in central-western Victoria. Regional rental prices grinded 0.5 per cent higher over the three months, but held steady on average across capital cities. As for mortgage affordability, Westpac economists recently joined NAB in pushing expectations of a Reserve Bank interest rate cut from February to May 2025. ANZ and CBA economists still expect the RBA to ease the cash rate for the first time in more than four years in February 2025. REGIONAL PROPERTY VALUES AT A GLANCE: – Highest quarterly growth: Mackay (Qld) – 8.3 per cent – Lowest quarterly growth: Batemans Bay (NSW) – minus 2.7 per cent – Highest annual growth: Geraldton (WA) – 28.7 per cent – Lowest annual growth: Ballarat (Vic) – 6.3 per cent – Shortest days on market: Bunbury (WA) – 13 days – Longest days on market: Batemans Bay (NSW) – 72 days REGIONAL RENTALS AT A GLANCE: – Highest quarterly rental growth: Albany (WA) – up 3.0 per cent – Lowest quarterly rental growth: Batemans Bay (NSW) – minus 2.4 per cent – Highest yearly rental growth: Geraldton (WA) – 14.6 per cent – Lowest yearly rental growth: Burnie – Somerset (Tas) – 1.8 per cent – Most affordable: Burnie – Somerset (Tas) – $408 – Least affordable: Gold Coast – Tweed Heads (Qld and NSW) – $833
Haynes' 18 help George Mason defeat Mount St. Mary's 64-56
Finish strong? Rutgers did more than that in rout of Michigan State | ObservationsTill that happens, for the last column of the year, here are a few wild, random remarks and observations, just to keep our flagging spirits up. 2024 was a year of murder and mayhem. Assassinations and attacks. Danger and defeat. Struggles and strife. Excess and absurdity. Opulence and irreverence. Upheavals and upsets. Wars and no peace. But the world continues to spin on. So does Sunita Williams. Tu Mera Hero Contest 2024, in India, was won hands down by an unlikely candidate (ask Amit Shah), who emerged as a clear topper for the vast majority of citizens -- Babasaheb Ambedkar. And we mustn’t forget another superhero who put India on the international sports’ map by moving a few white pieces around on a board: 18-year-old Gukesh Dommaraju, the third youngest Grandmaster in the history of chess. In the controversies stakes, Babasaheb and the Constitution of India generated enough heat to give sleepless nights to millions. While showbiz folks like Diljit Dosanjh, Allu Arun and Kangana Ranaut kept the entertainment press working overtime by getting in and out of trouble with their provocative statements. Such a pity our favourite Flamboyance Pharoah Ranveer Singh, opted for a Daddy Cool break after the birth of his daughter Dua (no, not that Lipa). We miss his antics! The Americanisation of Middle India reached saturation point. Look around you. What do you see and hear? Yankee Doodle Dandy? Urban schoolkids behave like from Cartoon Network, down to the weird accents. Older children, the pre-teens and teens, have zero connect to their immediate environment -- they don’t think they are Indian. They don’t want to be Indian. Their fantasy lives are mixed up with a distorted “global” reality, as they binge on bizarre content across OTT platforms and play nasty video games. When we start reviewing the year just gone by, our selective memory kicks in. Every list in the universe is subjective and partial. Prejudiced and lop-sided. No matter what is claimed by those compiling it. Surveys and their interpretations are open to many challenges, which is what makes lists so much fun. If I say, for example, that the meteoric rise of Tripti Dimri to the top of the heap of “most searched Bollywood celebrities of 2024”, did not surprise me, there will be thousands asking: “But who is she?” Fair... Ditto for “Aaj ki Raat” the hottest item song of 2024, picturised on the luscious and luminous Tamannah Bhatia. It is this year’s unsurprising (to me) winner, as is “Stree-2”, a nonsensical horror movie about a feminist ghost (I swear I’m not making this up). Tamannah has fans swaying sexily from here to the North Pole. Can anybody explain its hold? It has become the number one song for DJs spinning away at New Year parties. 2024 has been a Year of Loss, more than anything else. So many legendary, iconic personalities have passed away, leaving those who knew and respected their work, totally bereft. My own, very personal sense of losing beloved people, began with fashion designer nonpareil Rohit (“Gudda”) Bal, who died under tragic circumstances, aged 63. In today’s times, with increased longevity, one can safely state, he died young and had a lot more to live for and give the world. We may not have been close friends, But Bal had the special ability to make people feel “seen”, appreciated and cherished. Our interactions, over the years, remain vivid and precious in my memory bank. Bal’s immense contribution to the world of fashion, will (hopefully), be meticulously documented in the years to come -- he deserves nothing less. Bal’s legacy extends well beyond fashion and couture. Rohit worshipped beauty, surrounded himself with beauty, and shared his commitment to beauty with uncommon generosity with all those lucky enough to have been in his orbit. Next to leave us was tabla wizard Zakir Hussain, who was gone just like that -- poof! The insistent beat of those magic fingers stopped abruptly, and we, his adoring admirers, lost our own rhythm briefly, recalling the many concerts he had drawn us to, the countless encounters here in India and across the world. Zakir was 73. His father and guru, the great Alla Rakha, had lived till 80. Hearing the duo energetically engaged in a was an unforgettable experience, a few music lovers from my generation were fortunate to have enjoyed. Zakir’s outgoing, entirely unaffected and consistently charming personality, made him one of the most approachable superstars of today, always ready to oblige fans with a selfie, autograph and hug. Shyam Benegal, at 90, was remarkable and unique. His movies transcended labels and are impossible to categorise or box into convenient “genres”. Simply because Shyam Benegal was a genre unto himself! He made films with an abiding passion for the subject, uncaring how they would fare at the box office. At the time of his death, he was raring to go, with three or four subjects he was toying with as future projects. Asked by a cocky, immature interviewer whether he had thought about his “after life”, he was puzzled and amused. The podcaster, not satisfied with Shyam’s thoughtful answer, kept badgering. Then came this cringe-making clincher: “Are you a bad Hindu?” Shyam laughed: “There’s nothing like a ‘bad Hindu’. You are a Hindu. Hinduism accepts everything -- good and bad.” He celebrated his 90th birthday joyfully on December 14, with friends and family cheering him on at a poolside party. On December 23, Shyam was no more. Then came the final blow: India’s beloved “Turbanator” and liberator, Dr Manmohan Singh, our former Prime Minister, crossed over, aged 92. The Bharat Ratna which he richly deserved was denied to him during his illustrious lifetime. A posthumous recognition is no recognition at all! But do award it, for God’s sake! Everyone will have their list to review as 2024 ends a few days from now. If the pleasant memories exceed the sad ones, consider yourself blessed. The political chaos around us cannot be ignored. Remaining upbeat and optimistic is obligatory, as we head into 2025, unsure of how things will unravel. More people will go to the great beyond. Icons will disgrace themselves. Tyrants will strive aggressively to continue their reign of terror. Millions will die. Millions will laugh. The French say it best: “ ” This is life! Brace yourselves. “Winter is coming”. You are warned. Come on, 2025 ... surprise and delight us! No more Annus Horribilis, okay??? Give us Annus Mirabilis, !!!
Report: Leadership needed to address quantum threat mitigation
Russian President Vladimir Putin approved the federal budget for 2025 and the planned period of 2026-2027, according to a document released on the legal-acts portal on Sunday. Russia's revenues in 2025 are projected to reach about 40.3 trillion rubles ($378.5 billion), while expenditures are expected to amount to over 41 trillion rubles ($390 billion), resulting in a deficit of 0.5 percent of GDP, according to the budget. Russia's GDP is projected to reach 214.5 trillion rubles ($2.02 trillion) in 2025, rising to 230.5 trillion rubles ($2.17 trillion) in 2026 and 248.3 trillion rubles ($2.33 trillion) in 2027. Inflation is forecasted to remain below 4.5 percent in 2025 and 4 percent in the following years. Key priorities outlined in the budget include fulfilling social obligations, ensuring national security and defense, advancing technological sovereignty, and developing infrastructure, with a total of 21 trillion rubles ($197.3 billion) allocated for social policies, 14 trillion rubles ($131.5 billion) for defense and law enforcement, and 14 trillion rubles ($131.5 billion) for national economic development over the next three years.
No. 25 Baylor dismantles Arlington Baptist 107-53DOD spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said Monday the additional troops are to augment U.S. forces already there on heightened alert. The House voted Wednesday to pass its yearly defense bill that would give junior enlisted troops a significant pay bump and work to eliminate DEI programs at the Pentagon. It passed 281-140, with 16 Republicans voting no. Only 81 Democrats voted yes – 124 voting no – a much larger margin than in years passed when the legislation typically enjoyed bipartisan support. Many Democrats opposed a provision of the bill that restricts coverage of transgender treatments for minors. The legislation now heads to the Senate for passage before heading to President Joe Biden’s desk for signature. The 1,800-page bill known as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), details how $895.2 billion allocated toward defense and national security will be spent. It will be voted on more than two months after the start of the fiscal year. The $895.2 billion represents a 1% increase over last year’s budget, a smaller number than some defense hawks would have liked. A significant portion of the legislation focused on quality-of-life improvements for service members amid record recruitment issues , a focus of much bipartisan discussion over the last year. That includes a 14.5% pay increase for junior enlisted troops and increasing access to child care for service members while also providing job support to military spouses. The House voted Wednesday to pass its yearly defense bill that would give junior enlisted troops a significant pay bump and work to eliminate DEI programs at the Pentagon. (DANIEL SLIM/AFP via Getty Images) The measure authorizes a 4.5% across-the-board pay raise for all service members starting Jan. 1. The NDAA typically enjoys wide bipartisan support, but this year’s focus on eliminating "woke" policies could be hard for Democrats to stomach. PENTAGON ANNOUNCES NEW COUNTER-DRONE STRATEGY AS UNMANNED ATTACKS ON US INTERESTS SKYROCKET The policy proposal to prohibit Tricare, the military's health care provider, from covering transgender services for the minor dependents of service members has raised concerns, prompting the leading Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Adam Smith of Washington, to reconsider his support for the bill. "Blanketly denying health care to people who clearly need it, just because of a biased notion against transgender people, is wrong," he said in a statement. "This provision injected a level of partisanship not traditionally seen in defense bills." The goal of that provision is to prevent any "medical interventions that could result in sterilization" of minors. The legislation now heads to the Senate for passage before heading to President Joe Biden’s desk for signature. (Fox News Digital) The bill included a 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted troops. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Other provisions, like a blanket ban on funding for gender transition surgeries for adults, did not make their way into the bill, neither did a ban on requiring masks to prevent the spread of diseases. The bill also supports deploying the National Guard to the southern border to help with illegal immigrant apprehensions and drug flow. Another provision opens the door to allowing airmen and Space Force personnel to grow facial hair; it directs the secretary of the Air Force to brief lawmakers on "the feasibility and advisability" of establishing a pilot program to test out allowing beards. HERE IS WHO IS VYING FOR POWER IN SYRIA AFTER THE FALL OF BASHAR AL-ASSAD Democrats are also upset the bill did not include a provision expanding access to IVF for service members. Currently, military health care only covers IVF for troops whose infertility is linked to service-related illness or injury. But the bill did not include an amendment to walk back a provision allowing the Pentagon to reimburse service members who have to travel out of state to get an abortion. The bill extends a hiring freeze on DEI-related roles and stops all such recruitment until "an investigation of the Pentagon’s DEI programs" can be completed. It also bans the Defense Department from contracting with advertising companies "that blacklist conservative news sources," according to an internal GOP memo. The memo said the NDAA also guts funding for the Biden administration’s "Countering Extremist Activity Working Group" dedicated to rooting out extremism in the military’s ranks. The annual defense policy bill also does not authorize "any climate change programs" and prohibits the Pentagon from issuing climate impact-based guidance on weapons systems. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., touted $31 billion in savings in the legislation that would come from cutting "inefficient programs, obsolete weapons, and bloated Pentagon bureaucracy." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The compromise NDAA bill, negotiated between Republican and Democrat leadership, sets policy for the nation's largest government agency, but a separate defense spending bill must be passed to allocate funds for such programs.
Penn State clinches Big Ten championship game berth with win vs. Maryland, will play Oregon