OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — The biggest question facing the Baltimore Ravens right now has little to do with Lamar Jackson or even a defense that started the season poorly. It's about a kicking conundrum that has turned into a crisis. Can the Ravens make it to the Super Bowl with Justin Tucker? One of the more surprising subplots of this NFL season has been Tucker's decline from one of the greatest of all time to a week-in, week-out liability. Sunday's loss to Philadelphia might have been the nadir — he missed two field goals and an extra point in a game the Ravens ultimately lost 24-19 . “Points were at a premium in the game. They have been in a few of these games. Sometimes we haven't made the most of our opportunity to score points,” coach John Harbaugh said Monday. "We're racking our brains, talking to Justin, looking at what we're doing. I'm very confident that it's going to get fixed. I believe it will. It has to. “And he's the guy to get it fixed.” Harbaugh has given every indication that he's standing by Tucker, who is in his 13th season and is under contract through 2027. When he's at his best, he's the type of kicker that gives his team a clear advantage in close games, but this season he has missed eight field goals. Sunday showed that against a good defensive team, the Ravens (8-5) can't simply assume their excellent offense will pile up points. There almost certainly will be close games in the weeks to come. Tucker's ability to come through will be tested again, and it's hard for Baltimore to feel too confident at the moment. “When he was hitting, three or four years ago, hitting bombs, we were going 57, 58, 56 pretty regularly," Harbaugh said. “That's tightened up a little bit.” What's working The Ravens continue to do a good job stopping the run. Although Saquon Barkley did eventually surpass the 100-yard mark late in the game, Baltimore held the Eagles to 140 yards on the ground, well below their usual output. What needs help Even beyond Tucker's problems, Sunday wasn't a great showing by Baltimore's special teams. Tylan Wallace was shaky returning punts, and the Ravens had to start four drives inside their own 20 and two inside their own 10. “They had great bounces, and they downed right down in there,” Wallace said. "I’m pretty sure we’ll come back and talk about those and see what we can do to avoid those.” Stock up The Ravens' defense continued to show signs of improvement, holding Philadelphia to 252 total yards. “I think we’ve just locked in on some things, and we’re playing our deep coverages better, bottom line,” Harbaugh said. "You watch the coverage, you watch the guys’ spacing, positioning, eyes, the communication, the checks that get made, and you just keep chasing doing the right things. It’s not (that we) changed the defense. We’re just playing it a lot better.” Stock down Harbaugh was vague on receiver Diontae Johnson's situation. He was active Sunday but didn't play, and he has only one catch in four games since the Ravens acquired him in a trade from Carolina. “I’m going to have to wait just to clarify it,” Harbaugh said. "There’s some moving parts there that we’re going to have to figure out and explore and just see where we’re at. I know that’s not the answer you want, but that’s the best I can do in fairness to everybody right now.” Injuries The Ravens were missing pass-rushing ace Kyle Van Noy (hamstring/neck) on Sunday, and WR Rashod Bateman was dealing with knee soreness. Key stats Through his first 12 seasons, Tucker made field goals at a 90% clip. That's dropped to 70% this season. He had a 95% success rate from under 50 yards, and that's dipped to 83%. Next steps The Ravens have this week off before a Dec. 15 road game against the New York Giants. Then comes a home matchup with Pittsburgh that may determine whether Baltimore has any shot to win the AFC North. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Noah Trister, The Associated PressJIADE LIMITED Receives Nasdaq Notification Letter Regarding Minimum Bid Price DeficiencyPLYMOUTH — Central New Hampshire Chamber of Commerce is holding its annual Travel & Tourism Seminar on Thursday, Feb. 6, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Common Man Inn and Spa in Plymouth “We’ve designed the Travel & Tourism Seminar to benefit anyone who is involved with or dependent upon the tourism industry in New Hampshire,” said Matty Leighton, executive director. “We have excellent speakers presenting on topics that are relevant and timely, and this year, we’ve added a panel discussion that will be lively and interactive.” The seminar includes educational presentations, a networking luncheon and a mini travel expo where attendees can explore and interact with area businesses and organizations. This year’s program features two speakers: Ted Kitchens, director of Manchester-Boston Regional Airport. Kitchens will share an air service update and discuss how continued increases in service encourage travel and tourism throughout the state. Steven Whitman, founder of Resilience Planning & Design. Whitman will present on how New Hampshire can balance its efforts to attract and accommodate tourism with the preservation of its natural resources. The event will also include a panel discussion on “Using Technology to Promote Travel and Tourism.” “We are proud to be a member of CNHCC and to support this event as we all work together to enhance the travel experience and support the vibrant tourism industry in our state,” said Kitchens. “As the state’s second largest gateway for visitors, MHT plays a significant role in boosting travel and tourism for the state.” “We’ve worked hard to develop and expand the Travel & Tourism Seminar over the past three years,” said Leighton. “The fact that high profile organizations like Manchester-Boston Regional Airport and Service Credit Union, our Speaker Sponsor, are willing to partner with us is a testament to how the Seminar has grown and the value it delivers to sponsors, exhibitors, and attendees.” For more information, visit centralnh.org .
Community members have until Jan. 12 to provide input on the upcoming Spring High School rebuild via a survey launched by Spring ISD on Dec. 11. Some context The rebuild of Spring High School was included in the district's $850 million bond approved by voters in 2022. Spring High School was originally constructed in 1968 and is the district's oldest high school, according to district officials. In March, the district purchased a 185.2-acre plot of land located near the intersection of the Hardy Toll Road and Riley Fuzzel Road for the new location of Spring High School. The property lies about three miles from Spring High School's current location at 19428 I-45, Spring. The details According to the district's bond website—which was last updated Nov. 19—construction on the new campus is set to begin in the summer of 2025 and is expected to open for the fall 2028 semester. Per the website, the new campus will be "designed with the latest technology, resources and amenities to provide students with a state-of-the-art learning environment." The project architect is Huckabee Architects and the project contractor is Stewart Builders . Get involved Parents, students, community members and staff members are invited to give input on the Spring High School rebuild via an online survey , which will be open through Jan. 12. For additional information on the project, click here . Emily Lincke contributed to this report.
Indore (Madhya Pradesh): India has taken stringent steps to regulate the fintech industry as per Financial Action Task Force's recommendations for tackling money laundering and terror financing, said Vivek Aggrawal, additional secretary, revenue department, Government of India. “India is among the few countries that are working on FATF recommendations to regulate the fintech industry,” he said during the ongoing 41st plenary meeting of the Eurasian Group in Indore. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has also issued separate guidelines to regulate payment aggregators and payment gateways, he added. Agrawal is attending the five-day EAG meeting as the head of the India delegation. He is also the director of the financial intelligence unit (FIU) in India. He said it is now mandatory for virtual asset service providers (VASPs) in the country to register themselves with the FIU. "The development of financial technology is crucial for the growth of digital payment systems but especially in view of the threats of money laundering and terrorist financing, the development of this technology has its own challenges as misuse of technology can lead to criminals committing cybercrimes and financial frauds anonymously," he said. The finance ministry official said India's fintech industry is currently leading the world. "We want regulation to be done in such a way that it does not hamper the growth of the industry, enhances ease of doing business and the country remains a global hub of digital technology," he said. Before briefing the media, Agrawal attended a workshop organised by EAG and Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG). Chairman EAG at the workshop on 'Innovation Finance', Yuri Chikhanchin, and APG co-chair Mitsutoshi Kajikawa also attended. According to officials, about 200 foreign and 60 Indian delegates are participating in the EAG meeting, which will go on till November 29. These include representatives from the International Monetary Fund and the Asian Development Bank, he said.