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magical sea creatures John Parker Romo made a 29-yard field goal to lift the Minnesota Vikings to a 30-27 overtime win against the host Chicago Bears on Sunday afternoon. Romo buried the game-winning kick in his third career game for Minnesota (9-2), which won its fourth game in a row. The score capped a 10-play, 68-yard drive for the Vikings after the Bears went three-and-out on the first overtime possession. Sam Darnold completed 22 of 34 passes for 330 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Vikings. Wideout Jordan Addison finished with eight catches for a career-high 162 yards and a touchdown. The overtime defeat spoiled an impressive performance from rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, who completed 32 of 47 passes for 340 yards and two touchdowns for Chicago (4-7). D.J. Moore had seven catches for 106 yards and a touchdown, and Keenan Allen finished with nine catches for 86 yards and a score. Chicago erased an 11-point deficit in the final 22 seconds of regulation to send the game to overtime. Romo had put Minnesota on top 27-16 when he made a 26-yard field goal with 1:56 remaining in the fourth quarter. Williams trimmed the Bears' deficit to 27-24 with 22 seconds to go. He rolled right and found Allen wide open in the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown, and moments later he fired a strike to Moore for a two-point conversion. The Bears recovered an onside kick on the next play to regain possession at their 43-yard line with 21 seconds left. Cairo Santos' onside kick bounced off the foot of Vikings tight end Johnny Mundt, and Tarvarius Moore recovered it. D.J. Moore put the Bears in field-goal position with a 27-yard reception across the middle of the field, and Santos made a 48-yarder as time expired to even the score at 27-all. Minnesota led 24-10 after three quarters. Romo made a 40-yard field goal early in the third quarter, and Aaron Jones punched in a 2-yard run with 1:22 left in the period to put the Vikings on top by two touchdowns. Addison and Jalen Nailor each had receiving touchdowns in the first half for Minnesota. Roschon Johnson scored on a 1-yard run for the Bears' only touchdown of the first half. Chicago trailed 14-10 at the break. --Field Level MediaThe St. Thomas police have arrested someone after an incident at the Santa Claus parade on Saturday. Officers said a 62-year-old St. Thomas woman got into a dispute with another parade attendee who allegedly blocked her family’s view of the parade. According to the STPS, the suspect hit the victim in the face, knocking them to the ground. The police were called, leading to the woman’s arrest without incident. She was taken to police headquarters and released with a court date. London Top Stories Three people in hospital due to collision Assault at Santa Claus parade leads to charges Easton Cowan needs a point Sunday to tie 55-game OHL point streak record CPKC Holiday Train to stop in Southwestern Ontario Sunday night One community still undecided in nuclear waste willingness vote St. Thomas, Ont. and San Jose, Calif. celebrate hockey legend on night his jersey is retired Man charged in child abuse investigation: STPS Nuclear operator helps fund affordable housing project in Goderich CTVNews.ca Top Stories Scurvy resurgence highlights issues of food insecurity in Canada's rural and remote areas A disease often thought to only affect 18th century sailors is reemerging in Canada. Anti-NATO protest in Montreal continues as politicians denounce Friday's violence Federal cabinet ministers condemned an anti-NATO protest in Montreal that turned violent on Friday, saying "hatred and antisemitism" were on display, but protesters deny the claim, saying they demonstrated against the "complicity" of NATO member countries in a war that has killed thousands of Palestinians. Lotto Max jackpot hits $80M for second time ever The Lotto Max jackpot has climbed to $80 million for just the second time in Canadian lottery history. Canada 'already past due' on NATO defence spending target: U.S. House intelligence committee chair Mike Turner The chair of the United States House intelligence committee says Canada needs to accelerate its defence spending targets, especially with its military in 'desperate' need of investment. Bluesky takes bite out of X, as global users flee social media giant: analyst A Canadian technology analyst says it appears Bluesky has legitimate growth momentum in the U.S. and elsewhere, and could be a significant threat to X. Max Verstappen wins fourth straight World Championship as George Russell takes victory in Las Vegas Max Verstappen claimed the Formula One World Drivers’ Championship at Las Vegas Grand Prix that saw George Russell take victory for Mercedes. Nova Scotia Tories appear safe with close battle for second between Liberals and NDP With two days left before Nova Scotians elect their next government, polls suggest Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Houston's decision to call an early vote will pay off and the real battle will be between the Liberals and NDP for second place. Police thought this gnome looked out of place. Then they tested it for drugs During a recent narcotics investigation, Dutch police said they found a garden gnome made of approximately two kilograms of MDMA. These vascular risks are strongly associated with severe stroke, researchers say Many risk factors can lead to a stroke, but the magnitude of risk from some of these conditions or behaviours may have a stronger association with severe stroke compared with mild stroke, according to a new study. Shopping Trends The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us. 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DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Russian state news agencies are reporting that ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad has arrived in Moscow with his family and given asylum. The agencies, Tass and RIA, cited an unidentified Kremlin source. The Associated Press was not immediately able to verify the reports but has contacted the Kremlin for comment. RIA also cited an anonymous Kremlin source that Moscow had received guarantees from Syrian insurgents of the security of Russian military bases and diplomatic posts in Syria. The report did not give further details. Assad reportedly left Syria early Sunday. Syrians have been pouring into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire after a stunning rebel advance reached the capital, ending the Assad family’s 50 years of iron rule . THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syrians poured into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire on Sunday after a stunning rebel advance reached the capital, ending the Assad family's 50 years of iron rule but raising questions about the future of the country and the wider region. Joyful crowds gathered in squares in Damascus, waving the Syrian revolutionary flag in scenes that recalled the early days of the Arab Spring uprising, before a brutal crackdown and the rise of an insurgency plunged the country into a nearly 14-year civil war. Others gleefully ransacked the presidential palace and residence after President Bashar Assad and other top officials vanished, their whereabouts unknown. Russia, a close ally, said Assad left the country after negotiations with rebel groups and had given instructions to transfer power peacefully. Abu Mohammed al-Golani , a former al-Qaida commander who cut ties with the group years ago and says he embraces pluralism and religious tolerance, leads the biggest rebel faction and is poised to chart the country's future. In his first public appearance since fighters entered the Damascus suburbs Saturday, al-Golani visited the sprawling Umayyad Mosque and called Assad's fall “a victory to the Islamic nation.” Calling himself by his given name, Ahmad al-Sharaa, and not his nom de guerre, he told hundreds of people that Assad had made Syria “a farm for Iran’s greed.” The rebels face the daunting task of healing bitter divisions in a country ravaged by war and still split among armed factions. Turkey-backed opposition fighters are battling U.S.-allied Kurdish forces in the north, and the Islamic State group is still active in some remote areas. Syrian state television broadcast a rebel statement early Sunday saying Assad had been overthrown and all prisoners had been released. They called on people to preserve the institutions of “the free Syrian state.” The rebels later announced a curfew in Damascus from 4 p.m. to 5 a.m. The rebels said they freed people held at the notorious Saydnaya prison, where rights groups say thousands were tortured and killed . A video circulating online purported to show rebels breaking open cell doors and freeing dozens of female prisoners, many of whom appeared shocked. At least one small child was seen among them. “This happiness will not be completed until I can see my son out of prison and know where is he,” said one relative, Bassam Masr. "I have been searching for him for two hours. He has been detained for 13 years.” Rebel commander Anas Salkhadi later appeared on state TV and sought to reassure Syria's religious and ethnic minorities, saying: “Syria is for everyone, no exceptions. Syria is for Druze, Sunnis, Alawites, and all sects.” “We will not deal with people the way the Assad family did," he added. Damascus residents prayed in mosques and celebrated in squares, calling, “God is great.” People chanted anti-Assad slogans and honked car horns. Teenage boys picked up weapons apparently discarded by security forces and fired into the air. Revelers filled Umayyad Square, where the Defense Ministry is located. Some waved the three-starred Syrian flag that predates the Assad government and was adopted by the revolutionaries. Elsewhere, many parts of the capital were empty and shops were closed. Soldiers and police left their posts and fled, and looters broke into the Defense Ministry. Videos showed families wandering the presidential palace, some carrying stacks of plates and other household items. “It’s like a dream. I need someone to wake me up," said opposition fighter Abu Laith, adding the rebels were welcomed in Damascus with “love.” At the Justice Ministry, where rebels stood guard, Judge Khitam Haddad said they were protecting documents from the chaos. Outside, some residents sought information about relatives who disappeared under Assad. The rebels “have felt the pain of the people,” said one woman, giving only her first name, Heba. She worried about possible revenge killings by the rebels, many of whom appeared to be underage. Syria’s al-Watan newspaper, which was historically pro-government, wrote: “We are facing a new page for Syria. We thank God for not shedding more blood.” It added that media workers should not be blamed for publishing past government statements, saying it “only carried out the instructions.” A statement from the Alawite sect that has formed the core of Assad's base called on young Syrians to be “calm, rational and prudent and not to be dragged into what tears apart the unity of our country.” The rebels mainly come from the Sunni Muslim majority in Syria, which also has sizable Druze, Christian and Kurdish communities. In Qamishli in the northeast, a Kurdish man slapped a statue of the late leader Hafez Assad with his shoe. Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali said the government was ready to “extend its hand” to the opposition and turn its functions over to a transitional government. A video shared on Syrian opposition media showed armed men escorting him from his office and to the Four Seasons hotel on Sunday. Rami Abdurrahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told The Associated Press that Assad, 59, took a flight early Sunday from Damascus. A senior diplomat from the United Arab Emirates, which had sought to rehabilitate Assad's image and has welcomed high-profile exiles in recent years, declined to comment on his whereabouts. Anwar Gargash said Assad's destination at this point is a “footnote in history,” comparing it to the long exile of German Kaiser Wilhelm II after World War I. The rebel advances since Nov. 27 were the largest in recent years, and saw the cities of Aleppo, Hama and Homs fall within days as the Syrian army melted away. Russia, Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group, which provided crucial support to Assad throughout the uprising, abandoned him as they reeled from other conflicts. The end of Assad’s rule was a major blow to Iran and its allies, already weakened by conflict with Israel . Iran, which had strongly backed him throughout the civil war, said Syrians should decide their future “without destructive, coercive, foreign intervention.” The Iranian Embassy in Damascus was ransacked after apparently having been abandoned. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meanwhile said Israeli troops had seized a buffer zone in the Golan Heights established in 1974, saying it was to protect Israeli residents after Syrian troops abandoned positions. Israel's military later warned residents of five southern Syria communities to stay home for their safety, and didn’t respond to questions. Israel captured the Golan in the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed it. The international community, except for the United States, views it as occupied, and the Arab League on Sunday condemned what it called Israel’s efforts to take advantage of Assad’s downfall occupy more territory. The rebels are led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS , which has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the United States and the United Nations. Al-Golani, has sought to recast the group as a moderate and tolerant force. “Golani has made history and sparked hope among millions of Syrians," said Dareen Khalifa, a senior adviser with the International Crisis Group. "But he and the rebels now face a formidable challenge ahead.” The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, called Saturday for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” The Gulf nation of Qatar, a key regional mediator, hosted an emergency meeting of foreign ministers and top officials from eight countries with interests in Syria late Saturday. They included Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Turkey. Majed al-Ansari, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, said they agreed on the need “to engage all parties on the ground," including the HTS, and that the main concern is “stability and safe transition.” Sewell reported from Beirut. Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue, Sarah El Deeb and Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut; Samar Kassaballi, Omar Sanadiki and Ghaith Alsayed in Damascus; Jon Gambrell in Manama, Bahrain; Josef Federman in Doha, Qatar; and Tia Goldenberg in Jerusalem, contributed.Araghchi made the remark on Wednesday night on his X account, hours after a ceasefire took effect between Israel and Hezbollah, ending more than a year of fighting that intensified since mid-September after the regime escalated airstrikes on Lebanon and launched a ground offensive, prompting fierce resistance from Hezbollah. The top Iranian diplomat said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pleaded for a ceasefire after the regime’s suffered heavy losses in southern Lebanon. “Over the past year, Netanyahu has milked US taxpayers of tens of billions of dollars to fund his war crimes, all while enjoying full US military support and political cover. He was still forced to plead for a ceasefire, after heavy casualties in southern Lebanon”, said Araghchi. “Hezbollah once again shattered myth of Israel's invincibility. High time for Israel to accept defeat in Gaza too”, he added. 4194The blame game has begun as Labor struggles to clear a logjam of legislation before the federal election. With 30 or so bills still before parliament and just one sitting week left in 2024, the Albanese government has taken aim at the Greens for stalling legislation. The minor party’s objection to the Help to Buy shared equity scheme and incentives for build-to-rent have ignited Labor’s ire as the government prepares to bring the bills for a final vote in the Senate in the upcoming days. “The Greens are going to the next election either as an effective party of protest, that has blocked and delayed action on things they say are important to them, or as a party that lets the government get on with addressing the housing needs of Australia,” Housing Minister Clare O’Neil told ABC Radio on Monday. The two housing bills have struggled to attract the support of the opposition or the Greens, with Labor knocking back fresh demands from the minor party. Central to the Greens’ updated position is funding for 25,000 “shovel-ready” homes not given the go-ahead under the first round of the Housing Australia Future Fund. Greens housing spokesman Max Chandler-Mather said his party had designed “a compromise offer that is popular, achievable and easy to accept, it requires no new legislation and sits broadly within government policy”. Labor insists the demand is unlawful and would result in the construction of million-dollar homes that are not value for money and could try push through the bill without support from the Greens. “The time for this negotiation and conversation was six months ago,” Ms O’Neil said. The federal government’s attack on the Greens follows the Queensland state election. The minor party lost a seat in the October contest, bolstering hopes for a Labor resurgence in the state at the upcoming federal election. Meanwhile, the federal government will try court the opposition’s support for its migration bill, which could result in the deportation of more than 80,000 people. A friendless crackdown on misinformation and disinformation has been shelved and gambling reforms have been pushed into 2025. Other proposals to establish an environment protection agency and cap the number of foreign student arrivals have reached a stalemate and cabinet minister have continued to point fingers. “You have populist, vote-grabbing parties like the Greens and the coalition,” Resources Minister Madeleine King told ABC Radio. “We’re trying to do the right thing for the Australian community, whereas they want to block this to be able to put out another TikTok. “It’s absolutely disgraceful.” To Labor’s relief, the government is expecting wins on its aged care reforms and its social media age limit, with the former expected to attract opposition support. Under world-first legislation, Australians younger than 16 will be banned from social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Reddit and X. Labor will also be spruiking its Future Made in Australia plan, with its hydrogen and critical minerals production tax incentives to be introduced to parliament on Monday. The federal election is due to be held by May 17.The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company boosted its holdings in shares of DocuSign, Inc. ( NASDAQ:DOCU – Free Report ) by 2.4% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 53,508 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 1,248 shares during the period. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company’s holdings in DocuSign were worth $3,322,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Inspire Investing LLC purchased a new stake in shares of DocuSign during the 3rd quarter valued at $911,000. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its stake in DocuSign by 1.2% in the third quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 1,328,355 shares of the company’s stock valued at $82,478,000 after buying an additional 16,014 shares during the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC boosted its holdings in DocuSign by 5,660.8% in the third quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 438,914 shares of the company’s stock worth $27,252,000 after acquiring an additional 431,295 shares in the last quarter. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. grew its stake in shares of DocuSign by 7.1% during the third quarter. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. now owns 1,296,517 shares of the company’s stock worth $80,501,000 after acquiring an additional 85,987 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Carrera Capital Advisors acquired a new position in shares of DocuSign during the third quarter valued at about $666,000. 77.64% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on DOCU shares. JMP Securities raised their target price on DocuSign from $108.00 to $124.00 and gave the stock a “market outperform” rating in a research note on Friday. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on shares of DocuSign from $50.00 to $70.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a report on Friday. Citigroup lifted their price objective on shares of DocuSign from $87.00 to $113.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday. HSBC reiterated a “reduce” rating on shares of DocuSign in a research note on Friday. Finally, Bank of America boosted their target price on shares of DocuSign from $60.00 to $68.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, September 6th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, DocuSign has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $92.45. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, CEO Allan C. Thygesen sold 7,763 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $80.54, for a total transaction of $625,232.02. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 100,062 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,058,993.48. This trade represents a 7.20 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link . Also, CFO Blake Jeffrey Grayson sold 9,552 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, October 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $68.80, for a total transaction of $657,177.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 78,265 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $5,384,632. This trade represents a 10.88 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . In the last quarter, insiders sold 69,596 shares of company stock valued at $4,441,529. 1.66% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. DocuSign Trading Up 27.9 % NASDAQ:DOCU opened at $106.99 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $21.72 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.06, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 8.70 and a beta of 0.92. The company’s 50-day moving average is $74.66 and its two-hundred day moving average is $62.01. DocuSign, Inc. has a 12-month low of $44.34 and a 12-month high of $107.86. DocuSign ( NASDAQ:DOCU – Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, September 5th. The company reported $0.97 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.80 by $0.17. DocuSign had a return on equity of 16.18% and a net margin of 34.56%. The company had revenue of $736.03 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $727.20 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.09 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 7.0% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts forecast that DocuSign, Inc. will post 1.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. DocuSign Company Profile ( Free Report ) DocuSign, Inc provides electronic signature solution in the United States and internationally. The company provides e-signature solution that enables sending and signing of agreements on various devices; Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM), which automates workflows across the entire agreement process; Document Generation streamlines the process of generating new, custom agreements; and Gen for Salesforce, which allows sales representatives to automatically generate agreements with a few clicks from within Salesforce. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding DOCU? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for DocuSign, Inc. ( NASDAQ:DOCU – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for DocuSign Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for DocuSign and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

After his team's 102-89 home win on Wednesday night over Purdue Fort Wayne, Penn State coach Mike Rhoades challenged his team's fan base to show up and make more noise. "Sweat with us," he said at one point. At 5-0, the Nittany Lions haven't had to sweat much to get off to a fast start. They might not have to expend much perspiration to make it 6-0 on Monday when they meet Fordham in a semifinal matchup at the Sunshine Slam tournament in Daytona Beach, Fla. Penn State hasn't played a strong schedule so far, but the team has been impressive. It's averaging 98.2 points per game and 13.8 steals per game, both of which ranked second in Division I through Saturday's play. The Nittany Lions were seventh per kenpom.com in turnover rate, forcing 25.3 per 100 possessions. Point guard Ace Baldwin Jr. is leading the charge, scoring 16.4 points and dishing out 7.8 assists while chipping in 2.6 steals. Zach Hicks has nearly doubled his scoring average from 8.4 last season to 15.8 this season, while Northern Illinois transfer Yanic Konan Niederhauser has beefed up the interior, tallying 12.2 points and 7.2 rebounds. Meanwhile, Fordham (3-3) is coming off a 73-71 home loss Friday night against Drexel in New York. The Rams blew a seven-point lead early in the second half and missed a chance to force overtime when leading scorer Jackie Johnson III missed a layup as time expired. Johnson, a UNLV transfer, is averaging 19 points per game and is making nearly 48 percent of his shots as one of three Rams with double-figure scoring averages. Jahmere Tripp scores at an 11.0 clip while Japhet Medor is contributed 10.5, but Fordham is struggling to make shots, canning only 41.5 percent from the field. The Rams were picked for a 14th-place finish in the Atlantic 10 despite returning more scoring than any team in the league except for VCU. Third-year coach Keith Urgo thinks his team can defy low external expectations. "We're experienced and I think we're poised to have a tremendous year," he said. --Field Level MediaHelios Technologies officer sells $215,920 in common stockLiverpool extended their lead at the top of the Premier League table to eight points after a 3-2 win at Southampton. Arne Slot's men had the opportunity to pull further clear of Pep Guardiola's Manchester City and took full advantage despite the home side putting up an almighty fight. Dominik Szoboszlai handed the league leaders the advantage with a left-footed effort from the edge of the penalty area after some poor play by Saints goalkeeper Alex McCarthy. The lead didn't last long as Virgil van Dijk was dispossessed in the middle of the park and Andy Robertson was judged to have fouled Tyler Dibbling inside the 18-yard box. Darwin Nunez must step up for Liverpool in the absence of Diogo Jota. Despite replays appearing to show the contact came outside the area , the decision stood, and Adam Armstrong levelled proceedings. The hosts were in dreamland when Matheus Fernandez picked out the bottom corner to give the Saints the lead. However, Mohamed Salah was on hand - as he always is - to rescue Liverpool with a clever finish and a penalty of his own. One man who never looked likely to find the net in Liverpool's second-half pursuit was Darwin Nunez . The Uruguayan played 90 minutes - only being withdrawn at the start of stoppage time - but the 25-year-old struggled to threaten the Southampton goal, which isn't something that will go unnoticed. Darwin Nunez vs Southampton in Numbers The biggest indicator of how quiet Nunez had been in the opening 45 minutes came when some fans first realised he was on the pitch when he went down inside the box under minimal contact moments after Southampton's equaliser. Until that point, he had been a passenger. Arne Slot looks to play a more controlled style than Jurgen Klopp previously employed at Anfield, but it looks to be taking away from the chaotic nature of Nunez's game. From being a player who was always heavily involved - for better or for worse - the Uruguay international now often looks lost on the pitch. Erling Haaland, Darwin Nunez and Alexander Isak all feature as the 15 best strikers in the Premier League right now are ranked. He only had 25 touches in the game, with two of those being shots. To his credit, Nunez did play one key pass and was inches away from a vital assist after sliding the ball across the face of goal for Luis Diaz . However, his overall play in possession wasn't too strong, as he completed 10 out of his 15 attempted passes. Fans had already been vocal on social media about his lacklustre display during the second-half, with one posting: "This is dire from Nunez. Get Diaz on asap." Nunez was floundering in the centre-forward role, also failing to complete a single dribble or win an aerial duel against the opposing defenders. Liverpool Must Upgrade While Nunez is the club's record transfer and takes home a handsome £140,000 each week , there have been constant doubts surrounding his ability to reach an elite level ever since his arrival in 2022. Klopp fought hard to bring him in from Benfica, but the striker has often been profligate in front of goal and an inconsistent performer. Jurgen Klopp used his growing power at Liverpool to make a signing that many in the club were uncertain about - it's not quite worked out. Slot initially appeared to favour Diogo Jota as his central attacking player at the beginning of the season, but the Portuguese forward's injury issues have once again reared their head. His absence has left only Nunez as an out-and-out centre-forward at Sot's disposal - with Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz capable of filling in when needed. This is likely to be one of several areas the Dutchman has highlighted for potential improvement in coming transfer windows. It's hard to picture a world in which the Reds make a big-money striker signing in January, but it could definitely be on the cards for the summer window. Not knowing what Nunez will do next, and not being able to rely on Jota's availability could be a source of frustration for Slot if not addressed. Salah, Diaz and Gakpo have been left with the majority of the goalscoring burden from wide areas this season, as Nunez and Jota only have four Premier League goals between them this campaign. Who Liverpool Could Target One man who hasn't been able to stop putting the ball in the back of the net is Sporting CP's impressive talisman, Viktor Gyokeres . The Swede has plundered 24 goals in 19 appearances for his club this term, including a hat-trick against Pep Guardiola's Manchester City. He's likely to be looked at by any top club in the market for an elite marksman. Alternatively, the Reds have been linked with a move for Eintracht Frankfurt forward Omar Marmoush . International teammates with Mohamed Salah for Egypt, the deal could make a lot of sense for a versatile attacker who has exploded into form this campaign. Statistics courtesy of Sofascore and Transfermarkt . Correct as of 24-11-24.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — When Kenyan police arrived in Haiti as part of a U.N.-backed mission earlier this year to tackle gang violence, hopes were high. Coordinated gang attacks on prisons, police stations and the main international airport had crippled the country’s capital and forced the prime minister to resign , plunging Haiti into an unprecedented crisis. But the crisis has only deepened since the international policing contingent arrived. The main international airport closed for the second time this year after gangs opened fire on commercial flights in mid-November, striking a flight attendant. Gunmen also are attacking once-peaceful communities to try and seize control of the entire capital, taking advantage of political infighting that led to the abrupt dismissal of the prime minister earlier this month. Now, a new prime minister is tasked with turning around a nation that sees no escape from its troubles as Haitians wonder: How did the country reach this point? Bloody coups, brutal dictatorships and gangs created by Haiti's political and economic elite have long defined the country's history, but experts say the current crisis is the worst they’ve seen. “I’m very bleak about the future,” said Robert Fatton, a Haitian politics expert at the University of Virginia. “The whole situation is really collapsing.” The government is anemic, the U.N.-backed mission that supports Haiti's understaffed police department lacks funding and personnel, and gangs now control 85% of the capital. Then, on Wednesday, another blow. Doctors Without Borders announced it was suspending critical care in Port-au-Prince as it accused police of targeting its staff and patients, including threats of rape and death. It’s the first time the aid group has stopped working with new patients since it began operating in Haiti more than 30 years ago. “Every day that we cannot resume activities is a tragedy, as we are one of the few providers of a wide range of medical services that have remained open during this extremely difficult year,” said Christophe Garnier, mission director in Haiti. Lionel Lazarre, deputy spokesman for Haiti’s National Police, did not return messages for comment. Neither did officials with Kenya’s mission when asked about the surge in gang violence. In a recent statement, the Kenyan-led mission said it was “cognizant of the road ahead that is fraught with challenges." But it noted that ongoing joint patrols and operations have secured certain communities and forced gangs to change the way they operate. André François Giroux, Canada’s ambassador to Haiti, told The Associated Press on Saturday that his country and others have been trying to bolster the Kenyan-led mission. “They’ve done miracles, I think, considering all the challenges that we’ve been facing," he said. “What we have to keep in mind is that it’s still very much in deployment mode,” Giroux said. “There are not even 400 on the ground right now.” A spokesman for Haiti’s new prime minister, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, did not return messages for comment. In a statement Thursday, his administration said authorities were strengthening security along the capital's main roads and had formed a special security council. “The prime minister renews his commitment to find lasting solutions to current problems,” it said. The statement was issued just days after gangs launched a pre-dawn attack Tuesday around an upper-class community in Haiti’s capital, forcing residents armed with machetes and guns to fight side-by-side with police to repel gunmen. At least 28 gang members were killed, but not before some reached an area near an upscale hotel long considered safe. “It tells you that there is no functioning authority in Haiti," Fatton said. A main concern in the ongoing crisis is the temporary closure of the main international airport in Port-au-Prince. It means critical aid is not reaching those who need it the most in a country where nearly 6,000 people are starving and nearly half of the more than 11 million inhabitants are experiencing crisis levels of hunger or worse. Gang violence also has left more than 700,000 people homeless in recent years . “We are deeply concerned about the isolation of Port-au-Prince from the rest of Haiti and the world,” said Laurent Uwumuremyi, Mercy Corps’ country director for Haiti. The aid group helps people including more than 15,000 living in makeshift shelters, but persistent gang violence has prevented workers from reaching a growing number of them in the capital and beyond. Basic goods also are dwindling as the suspension of flights has delayed imports of critical supplies. “Before, there were some neighborhoods in Port-au-Prince that we considered safe that the gangs had never reached, but now they are threatening to take over the control of the entire capital,” Uwumuremyi said. At least 150 people were reported killed in the capital and 20,000 forced to flee their homes in the second week of November alone. Overall, more than 4,500 people were reported killed in Haiti so far this year, the U.N. said. Jimmy Chérizier, a former elite police officer who became a gang leader known as Barbecue, warned that a gang coalition known as Viv Ansanm will keep attacking as they demand the resignation of a transitional presidential council tasked with leading the country along with the new prime minister. The council also is supposed to organize general elections for the first time in nearly a decade so voters can choose a president, a position left empty since President Jovenel Moïse was killed at his private residence in July 2021. The U.S. and other countries pushed for a U.N. peacekeeping mission in Haiti at a U.N. Security Council meeting this week. Only about 400 officers from Kenya have arrived, along with a handful of police and soldiers from other countries — way short of the 2,500 personnel slated for the mission. “This is not just another wave of insecurity; it is a dramatic escalation that shows no signs of abating,” Miroslav Jenča, U.N. assistant secretary general for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas, said Wednesday at the meeting. But Russia and China oppose a U.N. peacekeeping mission , leaving many to wonder what other options are left for Haiti. Giroux, the Canadian ambassador, said his country supports a peacekeeping operation “when the time is right.” “Everybody is looking at a peacekeeping mission as a silver bullet,” he said, adding that even if that were to happen, it wouldn’t be able to deploy for another six to 12 months. “We need to be realistic.” Giroux said he is hopeful that some 600 Kenyans will arrive in Haiti in upcoming weeks, but added that "none of this matters if the political elite doesn’t get its act together.” The nine-member transitional presidential council has been marred by accusations of corruption and infighting and was criticized for firing the previous prime minister. “I’m at a loss for any short-term solution for Haiti, let alone any long-term solutions,” Fatton said. “The gangs have seen that they shouldn’t be afraid of the Kenyan mission.” He said one option may be for the government to negotiate with the gangs. “At the moment, it is perceived as utterly unacceptable," he said. "But if the situation deteriorates even more, what else are you left with?” Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden’s administration is urging Ukraine to quickly increase the size of its military by drafting more troops and revamping its mobilization laws to allow for the conscription of troops as young as 18. A senior Biden administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private consultations, said Wednesday that the outgoing Democratic administration wants Ukraine to lower the mobilization age to 18 from the current age of 25 to help expand the pool of fighting-age men available to help a badly outnumbered Ukraine in its nearly three-year-old war with Russia. The official said “the pure math” of Ukraine’s situation now is that it needs more troops in the fight. The White House has pushed more than $56 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s February 2022 invasion and expects to send billions more to Kyiv before Biden leaves office in less than months. But with time running out, the Biden White House is also sharpening its viewpoint that Ukraine has the weaponry it needs and now must dramatically increase its troop levels if it’s going to stay in the fight with Russia. The official said the Ukrainians believe they need about 160,000 additional troops, but the U.S. administration believes they probably will need more than that. More than 1 million Ukrainians are now in uniform, including National Guard and other units. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also been hearing concerns from allies in other Western capitals that Ukraine has a troop level problem and not an arms problem, according to European officials who requested anonymity to discuss the sensitive diplomatic conversations. The European allies have also stressed that the lack of depth means that it may soon become untenable for Ukraine to continue to operate in Russia’s Kursk border region that Ukraine seized this year. The situation in Kursk has become further complicated by the arrival of thousands of North Korean troops who have come to help Moscow try to claw back the land. The stepped-up push on Ukraine to strengthen its fighting ranks also comes as Ukraine braces for President-elect Donald Trump to take office on Jan. 20. The Republican said he would bring about a swift end to the war and has raised uncertainty about whether his administration would continue the vital U.S. military support for Ukraine. “There are no easy answers to Ukraine’s serious manpower shortage, but lowering the draft age would help,” said Bradley Bowman, senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. “These are obviously difficult decisions for a government and society that has already endured so much due to Russia’s invasion.” Ukraine has taken steps to broaden the pool of draft-eligible men, but the efforts have only scratched the surface against a much larger Russian military. In April, Ukraine’s parliament passed a series of laws, including lowering its draft-eligible age for men from 27 to 25, aimed at broadening the universe of men who could be called on to join the grinding war. Those laws also did away with some draft exemptions and created an online registry for recruits. They were expected to add about 50,000 troops, far short of what Zelenskyy said at the time was needed. Conscription has been a sensitive matter in Ukraine throughout the war. Russia’s own problems with adequate troop levels and planning early in the war prevented Moscow from taking full advantage of its edge. But the tide has shifted and the U.S. says the Ukrainian shortage can no longer be overlooked. Some Ukrainians have expressed worry that further lowering the minimum conscription age and taking more young adults out of the workforce could backfire by further harming the war-ravaged economy. The official added that the administration believes that Ukraine can also optimize its current force by more aggressively dealing with soldiers who desert or go absent without leave.

Share pledging, where corporate insiders uses shares as collateral for personal loans, has been at the heart of several high-profile corporate scandals in recent years. One of the most notorious cases was the . From 1999 to 2002, the U.S.-based telecom company inflated profits to maintain its stock price. The scandal was largely driven by the on his pledged shares. A similar scenario unfolded in China when Leshi Internet Information and Technology and its founder, Jia Yueting, committed from 2007 to 2016. Yueting had pledged 97 per cent of his shares to secure funding for his U.S.-backed company, Faraday Future. To look deeper at this issue, , since Chinese controlling shareholders predominately pledge their shares. Our research found a trouble connection between share pledging by controlling shareholders and the likelihood of corporate misconduct. Our research found that when controlling shareholders engage in pledging, it increases the probability of corporate misconduct. This relationship held true across various types of misconduct and persisted regardless of the severity of penalties imposed. Corporate insiders frequently pledge their shares as collateral to secure loans for personal investments and other private benefits. In the U.S., , and the average pledging ratio reached 37 per cent in 2012. A notable example is Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, who . The trend like Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore and the United Kingdom. In western Europe, pledging is common in a number of countries, including Austria, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Portugal and Spain, and among others. In developing markets like India and Taiwan, between 35 and 50 per cent of publicly listed firms have controlling shareholders who pledge shares. In China, 66 per cent of controlling shareholders pledged their shares between 2003 and 2017, with from RMB$26.22 billion (Chinese Yuan) in 2003 to RMB$2.9 trillion in 2017. , which typically hold at least 50 per cent of voting shares, have significant power over firms. Minority shareholders, on the other hand, receive poor legal protection under concentrated corporate ownership. Concentrated ownership is , particularly in East Asia where . A pivotal shift occurred on May 24, 2013, when the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges, along with the China Securities Depository and Clearing Corporation, through the stock exchange trading system. Before this, share pledging was limited to banks and trusts operating in the over-the-counter market. by offering lower interest rates, fewer restrictions on loan usage and faster approvals. While the deregulation did not target misconduct by securities firms, it created a unique environment for analyzing the causal link between share pledging by controlling shareholders and corporate misconduct. This is what our research looked at. We found that firms located in Chinese provinces with more securities firms (treatment firms) were expected to have greater access to share pledging compared to firms in provinces with fewer securities firms (control firms). Our results confirmed that firms with pledging controlling shareholders were more likely to engage in misconduct following the 2013 deregulation. Prior to 2013, treated and control firms showed no significant differences. However, from 2015 onward, firms in provinces with more securities firms demonstrate an increased likelihood of misconduct compared to firms in provinces with fewer securities firms. This relationship was primarily driven by factors such as financial constraints, stock price inflation, avoidance of margin calls (demands from a broker to fund one’s margin account), and expropriation under weak corporate governance. Factors like political connections, share repurchases and increased bank monitoring didn’t contribute to the link between share pledging and corporate misconduct. Although our study is based on data from China, its findings offer critical insights for countries beyond its borders. The findings are particularly relevant for countries in Asia, western Europe, and Latin America . The study’s conclusions also hold significance for North America, where financial institutions like pension funds and mutual funds invest portions of their portfolios in emerging markets. For instance, the and . The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board reported that was invested in China in March 2024. These institutions should consider governance risks associated with share pledging when developing their investment strategies. For regulators, our study underscores the importance of monitoring the growing influence of share pledging and its potential to exacerbate corporate misconduct. Weak governance structures can allow controlling shareholders to exploit the system, and strengthened oversight and tailored regulations are needed to alleviate these risks. Institutional and retail investors can likewise benefit from the study’s findings, using them to make investment decisions from the perspective of corporate governance. As markets become increasingly integrated, the importance of assessing governance risks associated with share pledging grows. Our research serves as a vital resource for policymakers and regulators who want to maintain ethical, robust financial systems.Top 10 Best Freight Forwarding Companies in India 2025

Vikings withstand Bears' furious rally, win on field goal in OT

LAKEWOOD — The Yakima Valley College volleyball team wasn't down for long. After losing for the first time in a month in the NWAC semifinals to a juggernaut Linn-Benton team on Saturday, the Yaks swept division rival Columbia Basin 25-17, 25-19, 25-23 on Sunday at Pierce College to take third place in the NWAC for the second consecutive season. It's the first time YVC has brought home hardware from back-to-back NWAC tournaments since 1990-91. A key piece of last-year's bronze-medal team, McKenna Steiner led the offense on Sunday, drilling a team-high 13 kills and adding 12 digs and an ace. West Valley graduate Kaitlyn Leaverton logged double-digit kills for the fourth straight game and sixth time in her last seven matches. She racked up 10 to go along with 13 digs, and Selah grad Ana Hrle tied for third on the team with eight kills. Joleen Jaeger and Kalilyn Gomez directed the offense, combing for 44 assists. The Yaks (22-11) finished the regular season tied for second in the NWAC East, two games back of Columbia Basin. But YVC closed the regular season with five consecutive sweeps, including a 25-23, 15-17, 25-23 defeat of Columbia Basin for the Hawks' lone league loss. Three more victories pushed the Yaks into the semifinals, where they were unable to slow down a Linn-Benton team that had won 90 straight games before losing Sunday in the title game to Skagit Valley 19-25, 26-24, 28-26, 20-25, 15-11. YVC highlights: McKenna Steiner 13 kills, 12 digs, ace; Kaitlyn Leaverton 10 kills, 13 digs, ace; Ana Hrle 8 kills, 2 digs; Kalilyn Gomez 20 assts, 2 digs; Joleen Jaeger 24 assts, 2 digs; Mia Carlson 17 digs.

NEW YORK (AP) — Angelina Jolie never expected to hit all the notes. But finding the breath of Maria Callas was enough to bring things out of Jolie that she didn’t even know were in her. “All of us, we really don’t realize where things land in our body over a lifetime of different experiences and where we hold it to protect ourselves,” Jolie said in a recent interview. “We hold it in our stomachs. We hold it in our chest. We breathe from a different place when we’re nervous or we’re sad. “The first few weeks were the hardest because my body had to open and I had to breathe again,” she adds. “And that was a discovery of how much I wasn’t.” In Pablo Larraín’s “Maria,” which Netflix released in theaters Wednesday before it begins streaming on Dec. 11, Jolie gives, if not the performance of her career, then certainly of her last decade. Beginning with 2010’s “In the Land of Blood and Honey,” Jolie has spent recent years directing films while prioritizing raising her six children. “So my choices for quite a few years were whatever was smart financially and short. I worked very little the last eight years,” says Jolie. “And I was kind of drained. I couldn’t for a while.” But her youngest kids are now 16. And for the first time in years, Jolie is back in the spotlight, in full movie-star mode. Her commanding performance in “Maria” seems assured of bringing Jolie her third Oscar nomination. (She won supporting actress in 2000 for “Girl, Interrupted.”) For an actress whose filmography might lack a signature movie, “Maria” may be Jolie's defining role. Jolie's oldest children, Maddox and Pax, worked on the set of the film. There, they saw a version of their mother they hadn't seen before. “They had certainly seen me sad in my life. But I don’t cry in front of my children like that,” Jolie says of the emotion Callas dredged up in her. “That was a moment in realizing they were going to be with me, side by side, in this process of really understanding the depth of some of the pain I carry.” Jolie, who met a reporter earlier this fall at the Carlyle Hotel, didn't speak in any detail of that pain. But it was hard not to sense some it had to do with her lengthy and ongoing divorce from Brad Pitt, with whom she had six children. Just prior to meeting, a judge allowed Pitt’s remaining claim against Jolie, over the French winery Château Miraval, to proceed. On Monday, a judge ruled that Pitt must disclose documents Jolie’s legal team have sought that they allege include “communications concerning abuse.” Pitt has denied ever being abusive. The result of the U.S. presidential election was also just days old, though Jolie — special envoy for the United Nations Refugee Agency from 2012 to 2022 – wasn’t inclined to talk politics. Asked about Donald Trump’s win , she responded, “Global storytelling is essential,” before adding: “That’s what I’m focusing on. Listening. Listening to the voices of people in my country and around the world.” Balancing such things — reports concerning her private life, questions that accompany someone of her fame — is a big reason why Jolie is so suited to the part of Callas. The film takes place during the American-born soprano’s final days. (She died of a heart attack at 53 in 1977.) Spending much of her time in her grand Paris apartment, Callas hasn’t sung publicly in years; she’s lost her voice. Imprisoned by the myth she’s created, Callas is redefining herself and her voice. An instructor tells her he wants to hear “Callas, not Maria." The movie, of course, is more concerned with Maria. It’s Larrain’s third portrait of 20th century female icon, following “Jackie” (with Natalie Portman as Jacqueline Kennedy) and “Spencer” (with Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana). As Callas, Jolie is wonderfully regal — a self-possessed diva who deliciously, in lines penned by screenwriter Steven Knight, spouts lines like: “I took liberties all my life and the world took liberties with me.” Asked if she identified with that line, Jolie answered, “Yeah, yeah.” Then she took a long pause. “I’m sure people will read a lot into this and there’s probably a lot I could say but don’t want to feed into,” Jolie eventually continues. “I know she was a public person because she loved her work. And I’m a public person because I love my work, not because I like being public. I think some people are more comfortable with a public life, and I’ve never been fully comfortable with it.” When Larraín first approached Jolie about the role, he screened “Spencer” for her. That film, like “Jackie” and “Maria,” eschews a biopic approach to instead intimately focus on a specific moment of crisis. Larraín was convinced Jolie was meant for the role. “I felt she could have that magnetism,” Larraín says. “The enigmatic diva that’s come to a point in her life where she has to take control of her life again. But the weight of her experience, of her music, of her singing, everything, is on her back. And she carries that. It’s someone who’s already loaded with a life that’s been intense.” “There’s a loneliness that we both share,” Jolie says. “That’s not necessarily a bad thing. I think people can be alone and lonely sometimes, and that can be part of who they are.” Larraín, the Chilean filmmaker, grew up in Santiago going to the opera, and he has long yearned to bring its full power and majesty to a movie. In Callas, he heard something that transfixed him. “I hear something near perfection, but at the same time, it’s something that’s about to be destroyed,” Larraín says. “So it’s as fragile and as strong as possible. It lives in both extremes. That’s why it’s so moving. I hear a voice that’s about to be broken, but it doesn’t.” In Callas’ less perfect moments singing in the film, Larraín fuses archival recordings of Callas with Jolie’s own voice. Some mix of the two runs throughout “Maria.” “Early in the process,” Jolie says, “I discovered that you can’t fake-sing opera.” Jolie has said she never sang before, not even karaoke. But the experience has left her with a newfound appreciation of opera and its healing properties. “I wonder if it’s something you lean into as you get older,” Jolie says. “Maybe your depth of pain is bigger, your depth of loss is bigger, and that sound in opera meets that, the enormity of it.” If Larraín’s approach to “Maria” is predicated on an unknowingness, he's inclined to say something similar about his star. “Because of media and social media, some people might think that they know a lot about Angelina,” he says. “Maria, I read nine biographies of her. I saw everything. I read every interview. I made this movie. But I don’t think I would be capable of telling you who she was us. So if there’s an element in common, it’s that. They carry an enormous amount of mystery. Even if you think that you know them, you don’t.” Whether “Maria” means more acting in the future for Jolie, she's not sure. “There's not a clear map,” she says. Besides, Jolie isn't quite ready to shake Callas. “When you play a real person, you feel at some point that they become your friend,” says Jolie. “Right now, it’s still a little personal. It’s funny, I’ll be at a premiere or I’ll walk into a room and someone will start blaring her music for fun, but I have this crazy internal sense memory of dropping to my knees and crying.”Jennison Associates LLC Acquires New Holdings in Mercury General Co. (NYSE:MCY)

Statistics after 11 gamesWhat happens when the team with the fastest pace in the NBA meets the team with the second-worst? Sunday offered an answer to that question. The Bulls have gone from 28th in pace to first thanks to the personnel changes and a coach who has rebuilt an offense to maximize their talents. Meanwhile, the Sixers have struggled to succeed with an injury-ridden roster. Sunday, all Nick Nurse could muster pregame when asked how to slow the Bulls down was, “You gotta run back really fast.” Turns out, the Sixers didn’t have an issue keeping up with the Bulls thanks to one MVP being reinserted. Joel Embiid exposed what’s been the Bulls’ Achilles’ heel all season: physicality in the paint. He finished with 31 points, helping hand the Bulls a 108-100 loss on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Bull’s big man — Nikola Vucevic — was rendered largely ineffective, finishing with just 13 points on seven attempts. “One area that’s gotta be a major focus for us going into these four days is we’ve gotta be able to post feed better,” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said. “He could have had a much better offensive night.” Sunday was the Bulls’ second consecutive game with at least 50 three-point attempts, which isn’t necessarily an issue for a team leading the NBA in pace. The task for the Bulls — emphasized by Vucevic’s lack of involvement in the last two losses — is melding their high volume from behind the arc with getting Vucevic his inside touches. “There was way too many passes deflected, tipped away,” Donovan said. “We’ve got to find him and we’ve done a pretty good job of that, but I think that’s the versatility of Vooch. It’s OK if he’s not necessarily getting threes. He can do other things, finding the ball in the pocket. I thought he had some opportunities to shoot the basketball, but he’s so unselfish he moved it. We’ve got to be better at executing passes to him.” The Bulls gave up 21 points off turnovers, including six in the fourth quarter. Donovan added that he’s pleased with his team’s shot selection from behind the arc. They’re averaging 43.5 attempts this season and converting 38.4%. What’s impressed him most is their ability to generate uncontested threes. Against the Sixers, however, they shot 19-for-54 from deep. “We didn’t shoot the ball well,” Donovan said. “I thought it started slipping from us in the first half. I give the guys a lot of credit coming out of the half. Even though we struggled offensively to shoot the ball, we gave ourselves a chance.” “Physically, we competed a lot better defensively.” The Sixers outscored the Bulls 54-30 in the paint and outrebounded them 56-35. Embiid’s presence was the difference. He started the game shooting 0-for-7 before going on an 8-for-11 tear to close the first half, helping give his team a 12-point advantage as they headed for the locker rooms. Rookie Matas Buzelis earned significant minutes in the second half, playing a 15-minute stint between the third and fourth quarters. “It surprised me a little, but I’m always ready for the opportunity,” Buzelis said. “I’m always ready to compete. I was fine today. I just missed some shots. Defensively, I was really solid, got in transition for our guys, and rebounded well. That stretch was pretty good to me, but I’ll rewatch the film.” LaVine led the Bulls with 30 points on another efficient shooting night, going 10-for-21 from the field. Josh Giddey added 13 points and Lonzo Ball finished with three points and two assists. Ball was part of Donovan’s closing lineup after his minutes restriction was upped from a hard cap of 18 minutes per game to 20.