Andre De Grasse watched Aaron Brown explode out of the blocks and round the corner with blazing speed. Brown passed the baton to Jerome Blake, who sprinted down Lane 9 before Brendon Rodney kept the pace as he charged toward Canada’s anchor at Stade de France. "I've never seen those three guys ever run like that,” De Grasse said. “They ran the race of their life.” De Grasse grabbed the final handoff — and the rest was history. While nursing a hamstring injury, the star sprinter powered the underdog Canadian men’s 4x100-metre relay team across the finish line for an unexpected gold medal on Aug. 9 at the Paris Olympics. “Those guys were in control of the race,” coach Glenroy Gilbert said. “And once you put the stick in Andre’s hands ... it’s a no-brainer. “There's no better guy with ice water in his veins to take the stick at the end.” The relay squad of Brown, Blake, Rodney and De Grasse ran away with The Canadian Press team of the year award for 2024 on Saturday. De Grasse tied swimmer Penny Oleksiak as Canada’s most decorated Olympian with seven medals. The team’s triumph also redeemed disappointing individual showings as all four sprinters failed to reach finals in Paris. They received 37 of 53 votes from writers, broadcasters and editors across the country. “Out of nowhere, the Canadian men's 4x100-metre relay team put together one of the most electrifying and stunning moments of any Olympic Games,” said Todd Saelhof, sports editor at Postmedia Calgary. The 1996 men’s relay team headlined by Donovan Bailey is the only other track team to earn the honour since the award’s inception in 1966. Team Rachel Homan finished second with seven votes after winning both the Canadian and world curling championships. The Edmonton Oilers, who lost in the Stanley Cup final, and Olympic silver medal beach volleyball duo of Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson tied for third at three votes. “This relay team wasn't even expected to reach the podium,” said CBC Sports senior producer Tony Care. “This gold medal was the biggest moment of the Paris Olympics.” Not only did none of the sprinters reach individual finals, they also barely squeaked into the relay final with the slowest qualifying time. Gilbert remembers the situation looking “pretty dire” for the team. “Despondent and kind of down” is how Brown described the group’s morale. A review of the heat with biomechanist Dana Way helped the Canadians realize a result was possible without their best legs, as long as their exchanges were on point. Then, standing outside the call room where teams huddle for a final prayer, Brown rallied his running mates with an impromptu speech that still resonates months after winning gold. “This is our shot, we can do this,” Brown said of his message. “Really emphasize that we can do it despite the fact that nobody is checking for us, nobody believes we can do it.” Brown also hammered home that it could be their swan song after years of success as a quartet. De Grasse, Rodney and Brown won bronze at the Rio 2016 Games before Blake joined to claim silver — upgraded from bronze — at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. They followed up with world championship gold in Eugene, Ore., in 2022. At the relay final in Paris, Blake was the youngest of the bunch at 28. De Grasse was 29, while Rodney and Brown were 32 — hardly young guns in a sport typically dominated by youth. “Who knows if everybody's going to be running in L.A. (in 2028)?” De Grasse recalled Brown saying. “Just basically giving that speech of, 'we're gonna go out there and shock the world ... let's go out here and trust one another and get off that mark and run like your life's depending on it.' “That pumped me up, that put me in a different mindset, and it gave me that motivation we needed to get the job done." After the win, a video of American sprint star Noah Lyles repeatedly responding “Who?” to questions about a rivalry with Canada earlier that year resurfaced and went viral. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau even referred to it in a social media post. Blake insists they’d forgotten all about that until they celebrated on the track with Canadian flags wrapped around their arms. “That's when somebody in the stadium, a Canadian fan, was like ‘What now? Canada who?” said Blake, who repeated those words to reporters after the race. “That's when I started yelling that.” Looking ahead, Brown, Blake, Rodney and De Grasse all aspire to continue sprinting for another four years and compete in the 2028 Games, but they acknowledge that a lot can change in that time. For now, they’re focused on running it back at next year’s world championships in Tokyo. And after striking gold in Paris, they don’t expect anyone to ask who Canada is in 2025. “The world’s definitely gonna have a target on us, a big one,” Rodney said. “We just got to come with our A game. It's always hard to be motivated after the Olympics, but the motivation is that you're now the target.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 28, 2024. Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian PressH&M REOPENS ICONIC TIMES SQUARE FLAGSHIP IN NEW YORK CITY AS NEW BRAND SHOWCASEFederal appeals court upholds law requiring sale or ban of TikTok in the US A federal appeals court panel on Friday unanimously upheld a law that could lead to a ban on TikTok in a few short months, handing a resounding defeat to the popular social media platform as it fights for its survival in the U.S. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the law - which requires TikTok to break ties with its China-based parent company ByteDance or be banned by mid-January — is constitutional, rebuffing TikTok’s challenge that the statute ran afoul of the First Amendment and unfairly targeted the platform. TikTok and ByteDance — another plaintiff in the lawsuit — are expected to appeal to the Supreme Court. Police believe the gunman who killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO quickly left NYC on a bus after shooting NEW YORK (AP) — Police officials say the gunman who killed the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer likely left New York City on a bus soon after fleeing the scene on a bicycle and hopping in a cab. Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny says video of the gunman fleeing Wednesday’s shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson showed him riding through Central Park and later taking a taxi to a bus terminal, directly across from New Jersey. Investigators also believe the shooter left his backpack in Central Park and are searching for it. Police have video of the man entering the bus station but no video of him exiting. Trump offers a public show of support for Pete Hegseth, his embattled nominee to lead the Pentagon WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is offering a public show of support for Pete Hegseth, his embattled choice to lead the Pentagon. Hegseth's ability to win confirmation by the Senate is wavering as he faces questions over allegations of excessive drinking, sexual assault and his views on women in combat. Trump posted on social media that Hegseth is a winner “and there is nothing that can be done to change that.” Hegseth spent much of the week on Capitol Hill trying to salvage his Cabinet nomination and reassure Republican senators that he is fit to lead the Pentagon. One critical senator, Republican Joni Ernst, said Friday that Hegseth deserves a “fair hearing.” IAEA chief: Iran is poised to 'quite dramatically' increase stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — Iran is poised to “quite dramatically” increase its stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium. That's according to comments by the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency on Friday. Rafael Mariano Grossi spoke in Bahrain, on the sidelines of the International Institute of Strategic Studies’ Manama Dialogue. He says Iran had begun preparing advanced centrifuge cascades to spin at nuclear facilities to increase its supply of 60% enriched uranium. That kind of material is a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. Grossi says this is “very concerning." Iran did not immediately acknowledge the preparations, which Grossi said had begun on Friday. Inspectors hope to examine what’s going on. US added a strong 227,000 jobs in November in bounce-back from October slowdown WASHINGTON (AP) — America’s job market rebounded in November, adding 227,000 workers in a solid recovery from the previous month, when the effects of strikes and hurricanes had sharply diminished employers’ payrolls. Last month’s hiring growth was up considerably from a meager gain of 36,000 jobs in October. The government also revised up its estimate of job growth in September and October by a combined 56,000. Friday’s report also showed that the unemployment rate ticked up from 4.1% in October to a still-low 4.2%. The November data provided the latest evidence that the U.S. job market remains durable even though it has lost significant momentum from the 2021-2023 hiring boom, when the economy was rebounding from the pandemic recession. Trump taps forceful ally of hard-line immigration policies to head Customs and Border Protection WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump's immigration and border team is filling out. Trump has announced a former Border Patrol chief, Rodney Scott, to head the Customs and Border Protection agency. Scott is a career Border Patrol agent who rose to head the agency during Trump's first term. He's been a vocal supporter of tougher enforcement measures. At CBP he'll head a department of roughly 60,000 employees responsible for protecting the country’s borders while also facilitating trade and travel. Trump also said he’d nominate Caleb Vitello as acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the agency that, among other things, arrests migrants in the U.S. illegally. Vitello is a career ICE official with more than 23 years in the agency. Romania's top court annuls first round of presidential vote won by far-right candidate BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — A top Romanian court has annulled the first round of the country’s presidential election, days after declassified intelligence alleged Russia ran a coordinated online campaign to promote the far-right outsider who won the first round. Friday's unprecedented and final decision by the Constitutional Court came after President Klaus Iohannis declassified intelligence on Wednesday that alleged Russia ran a sprawling campaign comprising thousands of social media accounts to promote Calin Georgescu across platforms like TikTok and Telegram. Despite being a huge outsider who declared zero campaign spending, Georgescu emerged as the frontrunner on Nov. 24. He was due to face reformist Elena Lasconi of the Save Romania Union party in a runoff on Sunday. Crews recover the body of a woman from a Pennsylvania sinkhole after a 4-day search Police say the remains of a woman who fell into a sinkhole have been recovered four days after she went missing while searching for her cat. Trooper Steve Limani said Friday that the body of 64-year-old Elizabeth Pollard was sent to the Westmoreland County Coroner’s Office for an autopsy. Pollard disappeared while looking for her cat on Monday evening, and authorities found her car close to what is thought to be a newly opened sinkhole above a long abandoned coal mine a few hours later. The sinkhole is in the village of Marguerite, about 40 miles east of Pittsburgh. Jury will consider lesser charge in NYC subway chokehold case, judge dismisses manslaughter charge NEW YORK (AP) — The judge overseeing the trial of a man accused of using a deadly chokehold on an unruly subway passenger has dismissed the top charge in the case at the request of prosecutors, allowing the jury to consider a lesser count after the panel indicated it was deadlocked on whether Daniel Penny was guilty of manslaughter. The judge’s decision on Friday came hours after Manhattan jurors sent him a note saying they were unable to agree on a manslaughter verdict. Penny is facing charges of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide in the death of Jordan Neely, who Penny held in a chokehold for about six minutes on a New York City subway in 2023. Vance tells residents in hurricane-stricken North Carolina that they haven't been forgotten FAIRVIEW, N.C. (AP) — Vice President-elect JD Vance is surveying hurricane damage in western North Carolina in one of his first public appearances since the November election. Vance and his wife, Usha, visited the Fairview Volunteer Fire Department, which was flooded with 4 to 6 inches of water in the storm. They heard that roughly a dozen people contracted walking pneumonia while responding to the hurricane's destruction and that power outages prevented some first responders from talking with their families. Vance said, “My simple message to the people of Appalachia is that we haven’t forgotten you — we love you.” Vance has largely stayed out of the public eye since the election aside from shepherding Trump’s Cabinet nominees around Capitol Hill.
'The man o' independent mind': What it was like at Alex Salmond's memorial service - The National
Rico Carty, who won the 1970 NL batting title when he hit a major league-best .366 for the Atlanta Braves, has died. He was 85. Major League Baseball , the players’ association and the Braves paid tribute to Carty on social media on Sunday. No further details on Carty’s death were provided. “Carty was one of the first groundbreaking Latino stars in the major leagues, and he established himself as a hero to millions in his native Dominican Republic, his hometown of San Pedro de Macoris, and the city of Atlanta, where he was a beloved fan favourite,” the players’ association said in its statement . The Braves said Carty left an indelible mark on the organization. “While his on-field accomplishments will never be forgotten, his unforgettable smile and generous nature will be sorely missed,” the team said in its statement. Carty made his big league debut with the Braves in September 1963. He batted .330 with 22 homers and 88 RBIs in his first full season in 1964, finishing second to Dick Allen in voting for NL Rookie of the Year. The Braves moved from Milwaukee to Atlanta after the 1965 season, and Carty got the franchise’s first hit in its new home on April 12, 1966, against Pittsburgh. Carty had his best year in 1970, batting .366 with 25 homers and a career-best 101 RBIs. He started the All-Star Game after he was elected as a write-in candidate, joining Willie Mays and Hank Aaron in the NL outfield. Carty batted .299 with 204 homers and 890 RBIs over 15 years in the majors, also playing for Cleveland, Toronto, Oakland, Texas and the Chicago Cubs. He retired after the 1979 season.Artificial intelligence chatbots are everywhere. Driven by the rise of ChatGPT , Gemini and Claude , the software mimics human conversation. You've probably chatted with a customer service bot while shopping online or asked a virtual assistant to set a reminder. They're embedded in apps, websites and smart devices, helping you complete tasks faster and more efficiently with 24/7 support for everything from online shopping to booking flights. But they're not just for practical uses. Some chatbots are designed purely for entertainment or companionship. For instance, Replika creates a virtual friend experience , while chatbots like ChatGPT are often used for creative brainstorming , coding help and casual conversation . AI chatbots have also found a place in professional environments. Tools like Microsoft's Copilot integrate with work platforms, streamlining tasks like drafting emails or summarizing long documents . Around 35% of people in the USA have used AI chatbots to answer a question instead of a search engine, according to one survey in 2023, and another 35% have turned to it for explanations . A 2024 study showed a rise, with 56% of US teens and 55% of parents using AI-powered search engines , while half of teens and 38% of parents used chatbots. Another study found that 17% of respondents said chatbot-style results helped them find answers faster. The growing stats back this up: businesses love them and users see why. ChatGPT is more popular than ever and logged 3.9 billion visits in November 2024, doubling its traffic from the year before. AI chatbots, with a 252% growth rate , is the second fastest-growing category in artificial intelligence, just behind AI image generators , according to some stats. Perhaps we live in times when we got accustomed to outsourcing our intelligence to these machines a tad too much. Still, they are undeniably simplifying our routines and workflows like never before. Not all chatbots are the same "Chatbot" is often used as an umbrella term to describe any software capable of simulating a conversation with humans. Early chatbots functioned like basic FAQ systems, offering pre-written answers to simple, expected questions. They couldn't handle natural language, forcing users to rely on specific keywords or phrases. Anything outside their programming, like complex or unexpected questions, would stump them. Over time, chatbots evolved with improved algorithms. Conversational AI chatbots started using technologies like natural language processing and machine learning to engage in adaptive, context-aware dialogues. Today, generative AI chatbots produce human-like responses, making interactions feel natural and intuitive. The biggest leap forward for AI chatbots has been their ability to "understand" context. For example, if you type "What's the weather like?" in a rule-based chatbot, it might respond with "I don't understand." But an AI chatbot can understand your query, identify your location (if permissions allow) and provide the weather forecast. It can even suggest leaving early for an appointment you have if bad weather could cause traffic delays. This ability to interpret and respond contextually is what sets AI chatbots apart. While these categories often overlap, their differences lie in complexity and the depth of interaction they provide. How AI chatbots work AI chatbots rely on various algorithms, machine learning and lots of data to function. They are powered by large language models like OpenAI's GPT-4 , Google's Gemini , Perplexity and Anthropic's Claude and can engage in longer, more complex discussions, provide personalized recommendations and even solve problems on the fly. These models are trained on massive amounts of data from books, articles and online conversations and use this training to generate coherent, contextually relevant responses. When you type or speak to a chatbot , it is called a prompt . The quality of your prompt will result in the quality of output. The chatbot breaks down your input into smaller parts, analyzes the meaning and generates a response based on patterns learned during training. LLMs allow chatbots to understand nuanced language, handle follow-up questions and even infer meaning from vague or incomplete prompts. AI chatbots don't just follow a rigid set of instructions; they "learn" from patterns and user inputs. Instead of answering a single question, they can maintain the flow of a conversation, remember details from earlier conversations and adapt their tone or detail level based on your input. Modern AI chatbots also use natural language understanding to grasp open-ended queries, overcoming typos, language issues and context. Popular uses for AI chatbots AI chatbots have found a home in almost every industry. Businesses use them to streamline customer service, with some studies showing gen AI chatbots resolving 75% of customer interactions . They also reduce staff workloads and enhance user experience. Retail companies rely on chatbots to help customers track orders, find products, answer FAQs and even personalize recommendations based on browsing behavior. Banks integrate them to answer questions about account balances or transaction histories. In healthcare, AI chatbots assist patients with appointment scheduling and symptom checks. In education, they're helping students with tutoring and homework assistance. Beyond business, AI chatbots are becoming tools for personal productivity. Virtual assistants such as Siri and Alexa now use AI chatbot technology to offer smarter, more nuanced interactions. They can send messages, schedule appointments and even tell you a joke. As these systems evolve, their potential applications will become even wider. The benefits and limitations of AI chatbots AI chatbots are undeniably useful. They save time, automate repetitive tasks and make accessing information more convenient. If you've ever resolved a billing issue late at night or gotten quick answers without waiting on hold, you've experienced their efficiency. Still, they're far from perfect. While chatbots are getting better at understanding context, they still struggle with highly complex or emotionally sensitive situations. A chatbot might misinterpret a sarcastic comment or fail to provide the empathy a human would offer in a customer service scenario. Privacy is another concern, since chatbots process and sometimes store user data. Though reputable companies have safeguards in place, you should always be cautious about sharing sensitive information due to the risk of data breaches . Bias and hallucinations are other major issues AI chatbots face. Who can forget about the infamous Google's AI Overviews flop that suggested users put glue in pizza and eat rocks? Or when Google's Gemini depicted Nazis as people of color ? The future of AI chatbots AI chatbots are evolving rapidly, and their capabilities are only expected to grow. Features like multimodal functionality, which lets chatbots process text, images and audio, are already making them more versatile. OpenAI, for example, has introduced voice interactions in ChatGPT , bringing it closer to a fully conversational assistant. The technology behind them will continue to improve, bringing us closer to a future where talking to AI could feel as natural as chatting with a friend. Hopefully, humans won't go as far as developing romances akin to the one from the movie Her with Scarlett Johannson . (Interestingly enough, OpenAI has already gotten into hot water, and there is a potential legal battle over using a voice almost identical to Johannson's for its AI assistant.) Here's where things get even more interesting: generative AI companies started leaning into a phenomenon called anthropomorphism (giving human-like traits to non-human things, like computers or animals). These companies are essentially giving chatbots personalities, branding them as "assistants" or "companions." One example is Meta AI partnering with celebrities to lend their voices to their AI assistant. The goal? Make them feel less artificial and more like helpful partners ready to assist you. By combining speed, adaptability, and a growing understanding of human conversation, they offer a glimpse into the future of user-friendly tech. In the coming years, chatbots will likely become smarter, more personalized and more attuned to individual needs. Check out CNET's picks for the best AI chatbots of 2024 .
A childhood friend of the Quebec man killed in a Florida boat explosion Monday said one of the victim’s sisters was among the other six passengers injured in the blast. Thi Cam Nhung Lê said 41-year-old Sebastien Gauthier was celebrating the holidays with his family when the explosion occurred in Fort Lauderdale. Lê said Gauthier’s older sister was also on the boat when it erupted into flames, and she was taken to a hospital. “It’s unimaginable, incomprehensible,” Lê said Saturday, adding that Gauthier’s family and mutual friends informed her about his death. Lê, 40, said she first met Gauthier in her early adolescence and they grew up together in Quebec City. She remembers him as a globetrotter who always had a smile on his face. “He’s still my best friend. It’s always him I call if I need something, but he’s no longer with us,” she said. The last time the two friends saw each other face-to-face was about two years ago, Lê said, but she last messaged Gauthier on social media in the days before Monday’s explosion. And on Jan. 1, her birthday, she would have expected a call from him, just like every year. “I’m shocked, surprised, and feeling a little bit of regret,” she said. “You regret not having seen him more. I spent yesterday crying. You can’t believe your friend disappears from one day to the next.” Earlier this week, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission confirmed that Gauthier died of his injuries in Broward County. The FWC said its preliminary investigation in Fort Lauderdale showed a 37-foot vessel exploded after its engines were started, injuring all seven passengers on board. Video posted on social media Monday showed the vessel engulfed in flames, with a thick column of black smoke billowing into the sky. However, Florida authorities have not provided The Canadian Press with more information about the investigation. Searching for an explanation has also left Lê angry. As she mourns the loss of her longtime friend, she said she’s still waiting for answers about what led to his unexpected death.Gazprom Will Halt Gas Supplies to Moldova Amid Debt Dispute
Dan Campbell acknowledges Lions' Dan Skipper as he vomits during impassioned postgame victory speech
Chargers more worried about the cold than the opponent, thrash Pats and secure playoffsNoneThrivent Financial for Lutherans lowered its position in shares of CVS Health Co. ( NYSE:CVS – Free Report ) by 26.3% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 91,055 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock after selling 32,496 shares during the quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans’ holdings in CVS Health were worth $5,726,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Livelsberger Financial Advisory bought a new stake in shares of CVS Health during the third quarter worth about $31,000. Reston Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in CVS Health in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $32,000. First Community Trust NA raised its stake in shares of CVS Health by 116.2% during the second quarter. First Community Trust NA now owns 562 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 302 shares during the last quarter. Kathleen S. Wright Associates Inc. acquired a new position in shares of CVS Health during the third quarter worth $33,000. Finally, ORG Partners LLC grew its stake in shares of CVS Health by 11,840.0% in the second quarter. ORG Partners LLC now owns 597 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 592 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.66% of the company’s stock. CVS Health Stock Up 1.6 % Shares of NYSE:CVS opened at $58.01 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $73.00 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.72, a PEG ratio of 0.96 and a beta of 0.55. The business’s 50 day moving average is $59.21 and its 200 day moving average is $58.61. CVS Health Co. has a 12-month low of $52.71 and a 12-month high of $83.25. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80. CVS Health Dividend Announcement The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 1st. Investors of record on Monday, October 21st were issued a dividend of $0.665 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, October 21st. This represents a $2.66 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.59%. CVS Health’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 67.51%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several brokerages have commented on CVS. Wells Fargo & Company raised CVS Health from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $60.00 to $66.00 in a report on Monday, November 18th. Mizuho reduced their target price on CVS Health from $73.00 to $66.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, October 24th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered their price target on shares of CVS Health from $64.00 to $63.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Friday, August 9th. Truist Financial reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $67.00 price objective (down from $76.00) on shares of CVS Health in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, StockNews.com lowered shares of CVS Health from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Thursday, November 14th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and thirteen have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $72.28. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on CVS CVS Health Profile ( Free Report ) CVS Health Corporation provides health solutions in the United States. It operates through Health Care Benefits, Health Services, and Pharmacy & Consumer Wellness segments. The Health Care Benefits segment offers traditional, voluntary, and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CVS? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for CVS Health Co. ( NYSE:CVS – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for CVS Health Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CVS Health and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
Prosecutors defend effort to retry Ex-Nebraska Rep. Fortenberry in false statements case
Train collides with fire truck in Florida; police say 3 firefighters and several passengers hurtEddie Howe says ‘a lot more to come’ from Newcastle striker Alexander IsakFORT MYERS, Fla. — Justice Carlton scored 30 points off the bench on 12-of-15 shooting as fifth-ranked Texas beat Butler 94-59 in the Gulf Coast Showcase semifinals on Saturday night. Rori Harmon added 13 points and Kyla Oldacre, Aaliyah Moore and Bryanna Preston had 10 each for the Longhorns. Caroline Strande led Butler with 14 points, and Riley Makalusky and Lily Carmody added 11 each. Texas (6-0) took a quick 7-0 lead, but Butler (6-2) hung around until a 16-4 run by the Longhorns created distance the Bulldogs couldn’t recover from. Texas scored 39 points off a whopping 29 Butler turnovers, outscored the Bulldogs 54-34 in the paint and had a 41-22 edge in total rebounds. Takeaways Butler: The Bulldogs attacked Texas regularly and it led to a number of layups, but Butler just didn’t have enough of them. Texas: The Longhorns’ bench outscored Butler 59-29 and was exemplified by the freshman Carlton, who had 18 of her 30 points in the second half. Key moment Even though Madison Booker had just three points, she didn’t lack hustle and ferocity. When Butler’s Madi Gewirtz picked up a loose ball and appeared ready to go in for a layup, Booker charged and went up just at the right time to swat the ball away. Key stat Butler lost by 35 despite making half of its shots. The problem was that the Bulldogs only took 42 shots compared to Texas' 67. Up next Texas will play former Big 12 rival No. 12 West Virginia in the Gulf Coast Showcase championship game Sunday, and Butler will face Boise State in the third-place game.
Winners, losers as Eagles rout Rams 37-20 on Sunday Night FootballNoneMiles Barnstable scored 23 points as St. Thomas beat Bowling Green 93-68 on Saturday. Barnstable shot 6 for 12 (3 for 8 from 3-point range) and 8 of 9 from the free-throw line for the Tommies (10-4). Drake Dobbs scored 18 points while going 6 of 10 from the floor, including 1 for 3 from 3-point range, and 5 for 6 from the line and added five assists. Kendall Blue shot 5 for 11 (2 for 6 from 3-point range) and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line to finish with 16 points. The Tommies picked up their sixth straight win. Javontae Campbell led the way for the Falcons (4-7) with 18 points, six rebounds and four steals. Marcus Johnson added 16 points for Bowling Green. Derrick Butler had 15 points. St. Thomas took the lead with 18:36 remaining in the first half and did not relinquish it. Carter Bjerke led their team in scoring with 12 points in the first half to help put them up 46-20 at the break. St. Thomas pulled away with a 10-0 run in the second half to extend a 20-point lead to 30 points. They were outscored by Bowling Green in the second half by a one-point margin, but still wound up on top, as Barnstable led the way with a team-high 14 second-half points. St. Thomas' next game is Sunday against UC Riverside on the road, and Bowling Green hosts Aquinas (MI) on Monday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Dillon Brooks scores a season-high 28 to lead the Rockets past the Trail Blazers 116-88
FARGO — North Dakota State football got a late boost to its 2025 recruiting class. Omaha Central (NE.) defensive end Alijah Wayne announced his commitment to the Bison Sunday night. ADVERTISEMENT Wayne is 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, who had originally committed to South Dakota State back in June. Wayne announced last week that he de-committed from the Jackrabbits. Wayne was on-site at the Fargodome last week prior to NDSU’s win over Missouri State. Regular Season Highlights!!🦅 https://t.co/KVWS37Siua @RingsNthingsCA @TerrenceMackey2 @CentralEaglesFB pic.twitter.com/ZYKC76Ixa7 "What sold it for me was how genuine the coaching staff and players were. On my official visit it felt like I was already apart of the team." Wayne said. "I felt welcomed, prioritized and throughout the weekend I kept envisioning myself being there, and being apart of this amazing program." Change of plans, headed in a new direction! #Committed #AGTG 🤘🦬 @NDSUfootball @CoachTimNDSU @NickGoeser @RingsNthingsCA @TerrenceMackey2 @CentralEaglesFB #RememberYano pic.twitter.com/BQUawJEIS8 Wayne earned an offer from Oregon State in September to go on top of offers from Air Force, Southern Illinois, SDSU and North Dakota. Rivals.com ranks Wayne as a three-star prospect. NDSU originally offered Wayne on May 15. ADVERTISEMENT Wayne added: "On my visit I could sense the relationship these coaches have with their players and I knew I wanted to be apart of that. NDSU also has a great program for sports management which is what I intend to major in. Overall NDSU doesn’t lack anything in what i’m looking for not only in the next four years but as well as the rest of my life." Wayne had 39 tackles, 3 for loss and one sack in eight games this season. He finished with 131 tackles and six sacks during his career. Omaha Central plays in the top class of Nebraska high school football, the Eagles season ended in the opening round of the playoffs to Papillion-La Vista. Wayne becomes the 31st commitment for the Bison Class of 2025 and the third from Nebraska. Thank you @NDSUfootball for having me for Junior Day this past Friday! I appreciated the opportunity! @CoachLJ38 @NickGoeser @CoachJakeLandry @CoachOlsonNDSU @RingsNthingsCA @FMPMentoring pic.twitter.com/hRs0JrS28Q Thomas Roberts from Boone Central High School and Mikhale Ford from Lincoln East committed over the summer. ADVERTISEMENT Wayne plans to sign on Dec. 4 on National Signing Day.Biden is considering preemptive pardons for officials and allies before Trump takes office
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Nevada 90, Oklahoma St. 78Kashmiri pandits on Saturday hit out at the BJP-led central government for not acknowledging their displacement from Kashmir over three decades ago as ‘genocide’ and reiterated their demand for the implementation of ‘Margdarshan resolution’. Observing the 33rd homeland day anniversary here, the displaced community also demanded enhancement of relief measures, adequate security for PM-package employees working in the valley and ample employment opportunities for the youth of the community in Jammu. The Kashmiri pandits highlighted the demands in two resolutions passed at the 33rd ‘National Homeland Day Convention’, hosted by Panun Kashmir, one of the leading organisations representing Kashmiri migrant pandits, a spokesperson of the group said. He said the event, themed ‘Kashmiri Hindus caught between Jehad (holy war) and denial of genocide’, marked 33 years since the ‘Margdarshan resolution’, which was passed by the community on this day in 1991 after mass migration from Kashmir. The spokesperson said the first resolution strongly condemns the ‘denial of the genocide’ and calls for urgent measures to address the frequent terrorist attacks targeting the community in the valley. “It reaffirms the commitment to the Margdarshan resolution, demanding the creation of a separate Union Territory for the permanent rehabilitation of Kashmiri Hindus,” he said. He said the second resolution deals with the alleged state’s apathy towards displaced Kashmiri Hindus, urging the Indian government to withdraw the humiliating “migrant” label and to take immediate action to enhance relief measures, provide security for Prime Minister-package employees working in the valley, and create employment opportunities in Jammu. Earlier in his address, a prominent Kashmiri pandit leader, Tito Ganju acknowledged the significant contributions of all those who have fought for the cause of Kashmiri Hindus and reaffirmed the collective resolve to not rest until justice is served. “The road ahead may be long, but we will continue our fight for justice, dignity and a secure homeland. We are united in our cause, and together, we will make our voices heard,” Ganju said. Amidst the solemn reflections and speeches, the convention also featured remarkable cultural performances, underscoring the strength and unity of the Kashmiri Pandit community. A soulful rendition of Kashmiri folk songs – transporting the audience to a time before exile and traditional Kashmiri music filled the atmosphere with energy and vibrancy during the event, the spokesperson said. Chairman of Panun Kashmir, Ajay Chrungoo condemned what he called denial of the genocide faced by Kashmiri Hindus, criticising both the state’s indifference and the world’s silence. “The fight for justice was not merely about land but about acknowledging the pain and suffering that the community has endured,” he said. He reaffirmed the Margdarshan Resolution for the permanent rehabilitation of Kashmiri Hindus. He said such a move was not just an aspiration but a necessity, given the continuing terror threat and the alleged inability of the current political establishment to address the community’s plight.