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In the high-stakes world of football transfers, every decision and acquisition can make a significant impact on a team’s fortunes. The marksman’s pursuit of the Brazilian international symbolizes his ambition to strengthen his team’s midfield and enhance their attacking threat. With the Brazilian’s arrival, the marksman’s team could become a more potent force on the field, capable of competing with the best and challenging for honours on multiple fronts.BIZENGRI ® is the first and only therapy approved by the FDA specifically for pancreatic adenocarcinoma and NSCLC that harbor NRG1 gene fusions and are advanced unresectable or metastatic 1 Merus and Partner Therapeutics announced a license agreement for U.S. commercialization UTRECHT, The Netherlands and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Merus N.V. (Nasdaq: MRUS) [Merus, the Company, we, or our], a clinical-stage oncology company developing innovative, full-length, multispecific antibodies (Biclonics ® and Triclonics ® ), announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved BIZENGRI ® (zenocutuzumab-zbco), the first and only treatment indicated for adults with pancreatic adenocarcinoma or non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that are advanced unresectable or metastatic and harbor a neuregulin 1 ( NRG1 ) gene fusion who have disease progression on or after prior systemic therapy. These indications are approved under accelerated approval based on overall response rate (ORR) and duration of response (DOR). Continued approval for these indications may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial(s). BIZENGRI ® has a Boxed WARNING for Embryo-Fetal Toxicity and warnings for infusion-related reactions (IRRs), hypersensitivity and anaphylactic reactions, interstitial lung disease (ILD)/pneumonitis, and left ventricular dysfunction. 1 See Important Safety Information below. We believe this approval fills an important need for patients with NRG1 + cancer who have not previously had treatment options approved to specifically target this driver. BIZENGRI ® (zenocutuzumab-zbco) 20 mg/mL Injection for Intravenous Use is expected to be available to patients in the coming weeks. “The FDA approval of BIZENGRI ® marks an important milestone for patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma or NSCLC that is advanced unresectable or metastatic and harbors the NRG1 gene fusion. I have seen firsthand how treatment with BIZENGRI ® can deliver clinically meaningful outcomes for patients,” said Alison Schram, MD, an attending medical oncologist in the Early Drug Development Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and a principal investigator for the ongoing eNRGy trial. “I am extraordinarily grateful for the patients and families who participated in the trial.” “BIZENGRI ® is Merus’s first approved medicine based on our highly innovative and proprietary Biclonics ® technology platform and offers significant promise for patients with NRG1 + pancreatic adenocarcinoma and NRG1 + NSCLC,” said Shannon Campbell, Chief Commercial Officer of Merus. “This approval is a testament to both our technology and strong execution as we continue to develop our multispecific platforms and pipeline, including our lead asset petosemtamab.” The approval of BIZENGRI ® is based on data from the eNRGy trial, a multicenter, open-label clinical trial that enrolled patients with NRG1 + pancreatic adenocarcinoma or NRG1 + NSCLC that is advanced unresectable or metastatic and had disease progression on or after prior systemic therapy. In patients with NRG1 + pancreatic adenocarcinoma (n=30), BIZENGRI ® demonstrated an ORR of 40% (95% CI, 23%-59%). DOR in NRG1 + pancreatic adenocarcinoma ranged from 3.7 months to 16.6 months. In the same trial, patients with NRG1 + NSCLC (n=64) who were treated with BIZENGRI ® demonstrated an ORR of 33% (95% CI, 22%-46%). The median DOR in NRG1 + NSCLC was 7.4 months (95% CI, 4.0-16.6). Response rates were measured using the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) v1.1 as assessed by blinded independent central review (BICR). In the pooled safety population (N=175), the most common (≥10%) adverse reactions were diarrhea, musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, nausea, infusion-related reactions (IRR), dyspnea, rash, constipation, vomiting, abdominal pain, and edema. The most common Grade 3 or 4 laboratory abnormalities (≥2%) were increased gamma-glutamyltransferase, decreased hemoglobin, decreased sodium, decreased platelets, increased aspartate aminotransferase, increased alanine aminotransferase, increased alkaline phosphatase, decreased magnesium, decreased phosphate, increased activated partial thromboplastin time, and increased bilirubin. “The Personalized Medicine Coalition applauds the approval of BIZENGRI ® , a new targeted therapy for NRG1 + pancreatic adenocarcinoma and NRG1 + NSCLC that are advanced unresectable or metastatic,” said Edward Abrahams, President of the Washington-based education and advocacy organization. “In keeping with the growing number of personalized medicines on the market today, BIZENGRI ® offers the only approved NRG1 + therapy for patients with these difficult-to-treat cancers.” The company plans to help appropriate patients gain access to BIZENGRI ® by providing resources and support based on each patient's needs and situation. PTx AssistTM is available to help guide patients through treatment, from providing educational information to helping to understand insurance coverage and identifying potential financial assistance options. For more information, patients and providers can call 1-844-637-8777, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET. Please see full Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNING, at www.BIZENGRI.com/pi . About BIZENGRI ® BIZENGRI ® is a bispecific antibody that binds to the extracellular domains of HER2 and HER3 expressed on the surface of cells, including tumor cells, inhibiting HER2:HER3 dimerization and preventing NRG1 binding to HER3 . BIZENGRI ® decreased cell proliferation and signaling through the phosphoinositide 3-kinase-AKT-mammalian target of rapamycin pathway. In addition, BIZENGRI ® mediates antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. BIZENGRI ® showed antitumor activity in mouse models of NRG1 + lung and pancreatic cancers. 1 About the eNRGy Trial The eNRGy trial (Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02912949) is a multicenter, open-label clinical trial that includes patients with advanced unresectable or metastatic NRG1 + pancreatic adenocarcinoma or NRG1 + NSCLC who have disease progression on or after prior systemic therapy. There were 30 patients in the NRG1 + pancreatic adenocarcinoma group and 64 patients in the NRG1 + NSCLC group. The main outcome measures were ORR and DOR, as determined by BICR according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) v1.1. 1 In the NRG1+ pancreatic adenocarcinoma group, the median age was 49 years (range, 21-72 years); 43% were female; 87% were White, 7% were Asian, and 3.3% were Black or African American. All patients had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 or 1, and all patients had metastatic disease. Patients received a median of 2 prior systemic therapies (range, 0-5); 97% had prior systemic therapy with prior chemotherapy. 1 In the NRG1+ NSCLC group, the median age was 64 years (range, 32-86 years); 64% were female, 33% were White, 56% were Asian, and 3.4% were Black or African American. ECOG performance status was 0 or 1 in 97% of patients or 2 in 3% of patients, and 98% of patients had metastatic disease. Patients received a median of 2 prior systemic therapies (range, 1-6). 1 IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION BOXED WARNING: EMBRYO-FETAL TOXICITY Embryo-Fetal Toxicity: Exposure to BIZENGRI ® during pregnancy can cause embryo-fetal harm. Advise patients of this risk and the need for effective contraception. WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Infusion-Related Reactions/Hypersensitivity/Anaphylactic Reactions BIZENGRI ® can cause serious and life-threatening infusion-related reactions (IRRs), hypersensitivity and anaphylactic reactions. Signs and symptoms of IRR may include chills, nausea, fever, and cough. In the eNRGy study, 13% of patients experienced IRRs, all were Grade 1 or 2; 91% occurred during the first infusion. Administer BIZENGRI ® in a setting with emergency resuscitation equipment and staff who are trained to monitor for IRRs and to administer emergency medications. Monitor patients closely for signs and symptoms of infusion reactions during infusion and for at least 1 hour following completion of first BIZENGRI ® infusion and as clinically indicated. Interrupt BIZENGRI ® infusion in patients with ≤ Grade 3 IRRs and administer symptomatic treatment as needed. Resume infusion at a reduced rate after resolution of symptoms. Immediately stop the infusion and permanently discontinue BIZENGRI ® for Grade 4 or life-threatening IRR or hypersensitivity/anaphylaxis reactions. Interstitial Lung Disease/Pneumonitis BIZENGRI ® can cause serious and life-threatening interstitial lung disease (ILD)/pneumonitis. In the eNRGy study, ILD/pneumonitis occurred in 2 (1.1%) patients treated with BIZENGRI ® . Grade 2 ILD/pneumonitis (Grade 2) resulting in permanent discontinuation of BIZENGRI ® occurred in 1 (0.6%) patient. Monitor for new or worsening pulmonary symptoms indicative of ILD/pneumonitis (e.g., dyspnea, cough, fever). Immediately withhold BIZENGRI ® in patients with suspected ILD/pneumonitis and administer corticosteroids as clinically indicated. Permanently discontinue BIZENGRI ® if ILD/pneumonitis ≥ Grade 2 is confirmed. Left Ventricular Dysfunction BIZENGRI ® can cause left ventricular dysfunction. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) decrease has been observed with anti-HER2 therapies, including BIZENGRI ® . Treatment with BIZENGRI ® has not been studied in patients with a history of clinically significant cardiac disease or LVEF less than 50% prior to initiation of treatment. In the eNRGy study, Grade 2 LVEF decrease (40%-50%; 10 - 19% drop from baseline) occurred in 2% of evaluable patients. Cardiac failure without LVEF decrease occurred in 1.7% of patients, including 1 (0.6%) fatal event. Before initiating BIZENGRI ® , evaluate LVEF and monitor at regular intervals during treatment as clinically indicated. For LVEF of less than 45% or less than 50% with absolute decrease from baseline of 10% or greater which is confirmed, or in patients with symptomatic congestive heart failure (CHF), permanently discontinue BIZENGRI ® . Embryo-Fetal Toxicity Based on its mechanism of action, BIZENGRI ® can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. No animal reproduction studies were conducted with BIZENGRI ® . In postmarketing reports, use of a HER2-directed antibody during pregnancy resulted in cases of oligohydramnios manifesting as fatal pulmonary hypoplasia, skeletal abnormalities, and neonatal death. In animal models, studies have demonstrated that inhibition of HER2 and/or HER3 results in impaired embryo-fetal development, including effects on cardiac, vascular and neuronal development, and embryolethality. Advise patients of the potential risk to a fetus. Verify the pregnancy status of females of reproductive potential prior to the initiation of BIZENGRI ® . Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with BIZENGRI ® and for 2 months after the last dose. ADVERSE REACTIONS NRG1 Gene Fusion Positive Unresectable or Metastatic Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Serious adverse reactions occurred in 23% of patients with NRG1 Gene Fusion Positive Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma who received BIZENGRI ® . There were 2 fatal adverse reactions, one due to COVID-19 and one due to respiratory failure. In patients with NRG1 Gene Fusion Positive Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma who received BIZENGRI ® the most common (≥20%) adverse reactions, including laboratory abnormalities, were increased alanine aminotransferase (51%), diarrhea (36%), increased aspartate aminotransferase (31%), increased bilirubin (31%), decreased phosphate (31%), increased alkaline phosphatase (28%), decreased sodium (28%) musculoskeletal pain (28%), decreased albumin (26%), decreased potassium (26%), decreased platelets (26%), decreased magnesium (24%), increased gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (23%), decreased hemoglobin (23%), vomiting (23%), nausea (23%), decreased leukocytes (21%), and fatigue (21%). NRG1 Gene Fusion Positive Unresectable or Metastatic NSCLC Serious adverse reactions occurred in 25% of patients with NRG1 Gene Fusion Positive NSCLC who received BIZENGRI ® . Serious adverse reactions in ≥ 2% of patients included pneumonia (n=4) dyspnea and fatigue (n=2 each). Fatal adverse reactions occurred in 3 (3%) patients and included respiratory failure (n=2), and cardiac failure (n=1). Permanent discontinuation of BIZENGRI ® due to an adverse reaction occurred in 3% of patients. Adverse reactions resulting in permanent discontinuation of BIZENGRI ® included dyspnea, pneumonitis and sepsis (n=1 each). In patients with NRG1 Gene Fusion Positive NSCLC who received BIZENGRI ® , the most common (>20%) Adverse Reactions, including laboratory abnormalities, were decreased hemoglobin (35%), increased alanine aminotransferase (30%), decreased magnesium (28%), increased alkaline phosphatase (27%), decreased phosphate (26%) diarrhea (25%), musculoskeletal pain (23%), increased gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (23%), increased aspartate aminotransferase (22%), and decreased potassium (21%). Please see full Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNING, at BIZENGRI.com/pi. About Merus N.V. Merus is a clinical stage oncology company developing innovative full-length human bispecific and trispecific antibody therapeutics, referred to as Multiclonics ® . Multiclonics ® are manufactured using industry standard processes and have been observed in preclinical and clinical studies to have several of the same features of conventional human monoclonal antibodies, such as long half-life and low immunogenicity. For additional information, please visit Merus’ website https://merus.nl and LinkedIn . Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including without limitation, statements regarding product development and the potential benefits and treatment impact of BIZENGRI ® (zenocutuzumab-zbco); our belief that this approval fills an important need for patients with NRG1 + cancer who have not previously had treatment options approved to specifically target this driver; the expectation of BIZENGRI ® to be available to patients in the coming weeks; the promise BIZENGRI® holds for patients with NRG1 + pancreatic adenocarcinoma and NSCLC; its implication to our technology and execution as we continue to develop our multispecific platforms and pipeline, including our lead asset petosemtamab; and our expectation to provide patients with access to BIZENGRI ® , as well as offering helpful resources and support based on each patient's needs and situation. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections of Merus. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: challenges and uncertainties inherent in product research and development, including the uncertainty of clinical success and of obtaining regulatory approvals; uncertainty of commercial success; manufacturing difficulties and delays; competition, including technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges to patents; product efficacy or safety concerns resulting in product recalls or regulatory action; changes in behavior and spending patterns of purchasers of health care products and services; changes to applicable laws and regulations, including global health care reforms; and trends toward health care cost containment. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the following: our need for additional funding, which may not be available and which may require us to restrict our operations or require us to relinquish rights to our technologies or antibody candidates; potential issues associated with regulatory approval, which would impact our ability to commercialize our product candidates and affect our ability to generate revenue; the lengthy and expensive process of clinical drug development, which has an uncertain outcome; our reliance on third parties to conduct our clinical trials, and the potential for those third parties to not perform satisfactorily; impacts of the volatility in the global economy, including global instability, including the ongoing conflicts in Europe and the Middle East; we may not identify suitable Biclonics ® or bispecific antibody candidates under our collaborations, or our collaborators may fail to perform adequately under our collaborations; our reliance on third parties to manufacture our product candidates, which may delay, prevent, or impair our development and commercialization efforts; protection of our proprietary technology; our patents may be found invalid, unenforceable, circumvented by competitors, and our patent applications may be found not to comply with the rules and regulations of patentability; we may fail to prevail in potential lawsuits for infringement of third-party intellectual property; and our registered or unregistered trademarks or trade names may be challenged, infringed, circumvented, or declared generic or determined to be infringing on other marks. These and other important factors discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2024, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, on October 31, 2024, and our other reports filed with the SEC, could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. Any such forward-looking statements represent management’s estimates as of the date of this press release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change, except as required under applicable law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. Multiclonics ® , Biclonics ® , Triclonics ® , and BIZENGRI ® are registered trademarks of Merus N.V. Reference: 1. BIZENGRI. Prescribing information. Merus N.V.; 2024. ©2024 Merus N.V. All rights reserved. MAT-0247 V4 12/24
How are states spending opioid settlement cash? KFF Health News is trackingClubs from across the football pyramid are “alarmed” by the lack of consultation on legislation which could “fundamentally affect the future of English football”, West Ham vice-chairwoman Karren Brady has said. The Apprentice star also argued that a lack of clarity from the Government on the ownership test is causing “significant uncertainty” for potential investors. This came as the House of Lords continued its scrutiny of the Football Governance Bill, which seeks to establish an independent regulator for the top five tiers of the men’s game. In the upper chamber, Baroness Brady said: “We are creating legislation which will profoundly affect 160 quite unique institutions, from Premier League clubs through to the National League community clubs, but it is important for everyone to understand that the consultation with these affected businesses by the current Government has been remarkably limited, almost unbelievably so. “Just seven Premier League clubs, I was one of them, was granted a brief half-hour meeting with the Secretary of State over the summer. “And following this cursory engagement, significant decisions were made that could fundamentally affect the future of English football, most notably with the inclusion of parachute payments within the backstop mechanism. “This is particularly concerning given that fundamental issues still remained unresolved, we still lack any clarity on Uefa’s position on state interference, for example, this clearly creates profound uncertainty for clubs competing in or aspiring to European competition, as well as our national teams.” “We don’t know what the ownership test will look like, this causes significant uncertainty for potential investors as to whether they are able to own a club,” she added. Lady Brady continued: “I have spoken to many of my colleagues across all of the football pyramid, we are all alarmed about and puzzled by the lack of discussion on the Bill with ministers. “Would the minister agree that we all want to get the detail of this Bill right? And can she see any downsides to providing meaningful opportunities to hear from all clubs across the football pyramid affected by the legislation?” Prior to this, Tory shadow sports minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay had tabled an amendment which he said would allow clubs to “make their views known on this legislation” by including specific competitions on the face of the Bill. Labour frontbencher Baroness Twycross told the upper chamber: “I don’t think the leagues are confused either on which leagues this legislation will apply to.” She added: “This power is both reasonable and the result of evidence-based consultation with all key stakeholders in the industry. “This power ensures that the competitions in scope can be amended in a timely manner and ensures the scope of the regime remains relevant.” The peer later said: “Over the past three years there have been countless opportunities for all affected and interested parties to make representations.” Lady Brady also raised concerns about the financial distribution backstop, which she said is “clearly designed as a mechanism to gain direct access to, and apportionate Premier League revenue, and no-one else’s”. “I might add the backstop will allow the IFR (Independent Football Regulator) to do this even if it was against the Premier League clubs’ will, or even without the clubs’ agreement, even if it was to have a detrimental effect on the clubs and the overall competition it removes revenue from,” she added. The backstop would allow the new IFR to intervene in the distribution of Premier League broadcast revenue down the leagues as a last resort. It could be triggered by the Premier League, English Football League (EFL) or National League to mediate the fair financial distribution of this revenue if they are not able to come to an agreement. Conservative peers later raised concerns over the cost implications to clubs of establishing the regulator, although they faced claims of “filibustering” – wasting time by making overlong speeches in a bid to delay progress. Watching opposition benches blatantly filibustering to destroy the Football Governance Bill is nothing short of sporting vandalism.Football is broken. Clubs are struggling. Now those seats have been lost, do they no longer care about likes of Reading or Southend? @FairGameUK — Niall Couper (@NiallCouper) December 4, 2024 Labour peer Lord Watson of Invergowrie questioned why Lord Parkinson was showing “confected outrage” at the Bill when the former culture minister would have been defending a similar proposal had the Tories remained in power. Lord Parkinson, in his reply, said: “We want to see this regulator established, we want to see it doing its work and doing so effectively, but we also see before us a Bill that is different because of the election that was called and the result that happened, and we’re interrogating particularly closely the changes that the Government have made to the Bill – of which there are many. “And we have more concerns on these benches than we did before the election from my colleagues behind me about the way we do it.” The Tory peer pointed to Labour frontbenchers fulfilling their duties to “properly scrutinise” then-government legislation when they were on the opposition benches. Lady Twycross, in an intervention, said: “While I agree that (Lord Parkinson) is correct that I would scrutinise legislation when I was sitting on those (opposition) benches, I have never sought to filibuster a Bill to which my party had committed, which my party had laid before Parliament, and intended to filibuster it to the point of getting us stuck in treacle.” Lord Parkinson replied: “That is not what we’re doing.” Niall Couper, chief executive of the campaign group Fair Game, wrote on social media site X: “Watching opposition benches blatantly filibustering to destroy the Football Governance Bill is nothing short of sporting vandalism.”
When opening windows for ventilation during the day, it is crucial to be cautious of the outdoor temperature and wind conditions. While fresh air circulation is beneficial for indoor air quality, make sure to regulate the level of ventilation to avoid excessive heat loss. A balance between air circulation and temperature control is key to creating a cozy and healthy living environment.
Albany scores 24 4th-quarter points to overtake Hampton 41-34As they stood side by side at the concert, it was evident that Kimi is not only the spitting image of his father in looks but also in demeanor. Their shared passion for music was palpable as they sang along to the songs, their voices blending harmoniously in a touching display of familial unity. It was a rare and heartwarming sight to see a father and son enjoying each other's company, bonding over a shared love for music and performance.
Major Shake-Up May Be Looming For Toronto Maple Leafs Coverage In Canada, Per Sources‘Earthmovers, rapid urbanisation destroying megalithic burial sites in Tamil Nadu’Title: Yao Ming's Induction into the Hall of Fame: Spokesperson Responds, Requires Personal Approval
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers have traded guard D'Angelo Russell to the Brooklyn Nets for forward Dorian Finney-Smith and guard Shake Milton. The Lakers also sent forward Maxwell Lewis and three second-round draft picks to Brooklyn on Sunday. Russell averaged a career-low 12.4 points for the Lakers this season in a diminished role under new coach JJ Redick, who had vowed to unlock the point guard's formidable offensive game. Instead, Russell was removed from the starting lineup early in the season, and he struggled to make a consistent impact as a reserve, with his shooting percentages declining significantly. The 6-foot-7 Finney-Smith isn't a top scorer, but he is a steady 3-and-D wing who fills an obvious need for the Lakers. Los Angeles has had inconsistent wing play and has lacked an effective defender at the key position during the long-term injury absence of Jarred Vanderbilt , who hasn't played since Feb. 1. Finney-Smith averaged 10.4 points and 4.6 rebounds this season for the Nets, who acquired him from Dallas in the February 2023 in the trade of Kyrie Irving. Finney-Smith has been limited to five games this month by a sprained ankle and a bruised calf, but the 31-year-old played 27 minutes against San Antonio on Friday. Redick and Finney-Smith were teammates with the Mavericks during the 2020-21 season, and Redick has expressed admiration for Finney-Smith's hard-nosed game. Milton is joining his sixth NBA team in less than two years, including his third trade in 11 months. He is averaging 7.4 points and 2.4 assists per game this season as a Nets reserve. Russell is being traded by the Lakers to the Nets for the second time in his career. He also made the move in 2017 after spending his first two NBA seasons with Los Angeles, which drafted him in 2015. Russell earned the only All-Star selection of his career during his two seasons in Brooklyn. Russell has been traded five times in the past 7 1/2 years. The 10-year pro excelled for the Lakers during their run to the 2023 Western Conference finals after returning to the team in February of that season, although he got benched during that final playoff series against Denver. Russell remained a fairly consistent scorer last year while setting a new franchise record for 3-pointers made in a season, but his career-long problems with offensive inconsistency and defensive ability kept him out of Redick's plans this year. With Russell's departure, Gabe Vincent is the only true point guard left in the Lakers' rotation, although LeBron James often fills the role of initiating their offense. The Lakers (18-13) have won five of six heading into their visit from Cleveland on New Year's Eve. The trade continues a roster restructuring by the Nets, who traded former Lakers point guard Dennis Schröder to Golden State two weeks ago. Schröder was Brooklyn's third-leading scorer, while Finney-Smith was its fourth-leading scorer. The Nets have been one of the NBA's lowest-scoring teams this season, so Russell should have plenty of chances to make an offensive impact. Brooklyn has lost three of four heading into its road game against Orlando on Sunday. Russell's $18.7 million contract expires this summer, while Finney-Smith has a $15.4 million player option for the 2025-26 season. Lewis was the Lakers' second-round pick in 2023, but he played in just 41 games over the past two seasons while shuttling to the G League. AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
Boopie Miller scored 24 points and Yohan Traore added 20 points and 11 rebounds as SMU was at its best after halftime in a 98-82 win over Longwood on Sunday afternoon in Dallas. The Mustangs (11-2) have won seven straight games but this one was not without a serious scare from Longwood. SMU led by just a bucket after a seesaw first half but took charge with a 15-3 run to open the second. The Lancers pulled to within 69-62 on a tip in by Elijah Tucker with 11:37 to play before SMU put away the game with a 14-1 run capped by Chuck Harris' 3-pointer with 6:57 remaining. Matt Cross added 19 points while Harris hit for 12 for the Mustangs, who shot 62 percent from the floor. Tucker led Longwood (11-4) with 20 points, with Colby Garland adding 19 and Emanuel Richards scoring 12 points in the loss. The Lancers allowed their most points of the season and surrendered 32 points more than their season average. The teams went back and forth in a contentious first eight minutes that featured 11 lead changes and three ties with neither team up by more than three points. Harris' jumper with 11:55 left in the first half pushed the Mustangs to a 21-19 lead but that was quickly answered by a 3-pointer from Jefferson to put Longwood back on top at 22-21. SMU then reeled off 17-4 run, with Kario Oquendo contributing two free throws, a 3-pointer and a bucket to that surge and two free throws from Traore put the Mustangs up 38-26 with 5:34 to play in the half. Just when it seemed like SMU had found the formula to dispatch the feisty Lancers, Longwood rallied to tie the game at 43 on pull-up jumper by Garland with 8.9 seconds left before halftime. That gave Harris enough time to get down the floor and into the paint for a short jumper that gave the Mustangs a 45-43 lead at the break. Traore led all scorers with 15 points and seven rebounds before halftime while Miller added 11 for SMU. Garland and Tucker had 10 points apiece to pace the Lancers. --Field Level Media
Clubs from across the football pyramid are “alarmed” by the lack of consultation on legislation which could “fundamentally affect the future of English football”, West Ham vice-chairwoman Karren Brady has said. The Apprentice star also argued that a lack of clarity from the Government on the ownership test is causing “significant uncertainty” for potential investors. This came as the House of Lords continued its scrutiny of the Football Governance Bill, which seeks to establish an independent regulator for the top five tiers of the men’s game. In the upper chamber, Baroness Brady said: “We are creating legislation which will profoundly affect 160 quite unique institutions, from Premier League clubs through to the National League community clubs, but it is important for everyone to understand that the consultation with these affected businesses by the current Government has been remarkably limited, almost unbelievably so. “Just seven Premier League clubs, I was one of them, was granted a brief half-hour meeting with the Secretary of State over the summer. “And following this cursory engagement, significant decisions were made that could fundamentally affect the future of English football, most notably with the inclusion of parachute payments within the backstop mechanism. “This is particularly concerning given that fundamental issues still remained unresolved, we still lack any clarity on Uefa’s position on state interference, for example, this clearly creates profound uncertainty for clubs competing in or aspiring to European competition, as well as our national teams.” “We don’t know what the ownership test will look like, this causes significant uncertainty for potential investors as to whether they are able to own a club,” she added. Lady Brady continued: “I have spoken to many of my colleagues across all of the football pyramid, we are all alarmed about and puzzled by the lack of discussion on the Bill with ministers. “Would the minister agree that we all want to get the detail of this Bill right? And can she see any downsides to providing meaningful opportunities to hear from all clubs across the football pyramid affected by the legislation?” Prior to this, Tory shadow sports minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay had tabled an amendment which he said would allow clubs to “make their views known on this legislation” by including specific competitions on the face of the Bill. Labour frontbencher Baroness Twycross told the upper chamber: “I don’t think the leagues are confused either on which leagues this legislation will apply to.” She added: “This power is both reasonable and the result of evidence-based consultation with all key stakeholders in the industry. “This power ensures that the competitions in scope can be amended in a timely manner and ensures the scope of the regime remains relevant.” The peer later said: “Over the past three years there have been countless opportunities for all affected and interested parties to make representations.” Lady Brady also raised concerns about the financial distribution backstop, which she said is “clearly designed as a mechanism to gain direct access to, and apportionate Premier League revenue, and no-one else’s”. “I might add the backstop will allow the IFR (Independent Football Regulator) to do this even if it was against the Premier League clubs’ will, or even without the clubs’ agreement, even if it was to have a detrimental effect on the clubs and the overall competition it removes revenue from,” she added. The backstop would allow the new IFR to intervene in the distribution of Premier League broadcast revenue down the leagues as a last resort. It could be triggered by the Premier League, English Football League (EFL) or National League to mediate the fair financial distribution of this revenue if they are not able to come to an agreement. Conservative peers later raised concerns over the cost implications to clubs of establishing the regulator, although they faced claims of “filibustering” – wasting time by making overlong speeches in a bid to delay progress. Watching opposition benches blatantly filibustering to destroy the Football Governance Bill is nothing short of sporting vandalism.Football is broken. Clubs are struggling. Now those seats have been lost, do they no longer care about likes of Reading or Southend? @FairGameUK — Niall Couper (@NiallCouper) December 4, 2024 Labour peer Lord Watson of Invergowrie questioned why Lord Parkinson was showing “confected outrage” at the Bill when the former culture minister would have been defending a similar proposal had the Tories remained in power. Lord Parkinson, in his reply, said: “We want to see this regulator established, we want to see it doing its work and doing so effectively, but we also see before us a Bill that is different because of the election that was called and the result that happened, and we’re interrogating particularly closely the changes that the Government have made to the Bill – of which there are many. “And we have more concerns on these benches than we did before the election from my colleagues behind me about the way we do it.” The Tory peer pointed to Labour frontbenchers fulfilling their duties to “properly scrutinise” then-government legislation when they were on the opposition benches. Lady Twycross, in an intervention, said: “While I agree that (Lord Parkinson) is correct that I would scrutinise legislation when I was sitting on those (opposition) benches, I have never sought to filibuster a Bill to which my party had committed, which my party had laid before Parliament, and intended to filibuster it to the point of getting us stuck in treacle.” Lord Parkinson replied: “That is not what we’re doing.” Niall Couper, chief executive of the campaign group Fair Game, wrote on social media site X: “Watching opposition benches blatantly filibustering to destroy the Football Governance Bill is nothing short of sporting vandalism.”
However, as the African swine fever situation in China gradually stabilizes and domestic pork production recovers, the oversupply of pork in the market has started to put pressure on pig prices. Additionally, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on consumer behavior and consumption patterns has added another layer of uncertainty to the hog market, with fluctuations in demand for pork products being observed.
Stock market today: Wall Street gains ground as it notches a winning week and another Dow recordBarcelona is eagerly anticipating the return of their star defender, Faty, as they prepare to face Leganes in an upcoming match. Faty has been sidelined with an injury for the past few weeks, but his timely recovery has brought hope and excitement to both the team and fans alike. His presence on the field has always been a game-changer, and his return couldn't have come at a better time.