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TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Brandon Stroud led South Florida past Webber International on Saturday with 16 points off of the bench in a 106-49 victory. Stroud shot 6 of 7 from the field and 4 for 4 from the line for the Bulls (7-6). Kobe Knox scored 15 points, going 5 of 8 (3 for 6 from 3-point range). Quincy Adekokoya went 5 of 11 from the field (3 for 6 from 3-point range) to finish with 14 points, while adding seven rebounds. Gabriel Sorensen finished with 14 points for the Warriors and Khalyl Simmons added 12 points. South Florida took the lead with 12:25 remaining in the first half and did not relinquish it. The score was 54-26 at halftime, with Stroud racking up 12 points. South Florida extended its lead to 98-43 during the second half, fueled by a 16-2 scoring run. Knox scored a team-high 10 points in the second half as their team closed out the win. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell's stirring locker room tribute to his team last week at Seattle was respectfully interrupted by seven-year veteran right tackle Brian O'Neill, who flipped the script on the game ball awards by tossing one to the boss in honor of his second 13-win season in three years. The Vikings have obliterated even the most optimistic of external predictions for this transitional season, taking a sparkling 13-2 record into their matchup against the Green Bay Packers that has made O'Connell the current favorite for the NFL Coach of the Year award. “It’s a credit to who he is as a person, as a coach and as a leader,” tight end T.J. Hockenson said. “We’re very fortunate to be able to play under him.” The Vikings can not only win the NFC North for a second time in three seasons, but get the No. 1 seed with a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the NFC tournament if they beat both the Packers at home on Sunday and the Detroit Lions on the road next week. Don't expect the Vikings to ponder that possibility, though, as tantalizing as it would be. “It can be a very tired cliché to talk about going 1-0 until you’ve systematically built your entire operation daily of just trying to do that every single day,” O'Connell said after Minnesota's eighth consecutive victory . “These guys, it’s not a cliché at that point. It becomes part of your football foundation and the makeup of your locker room, of your leadership, your coaching staff.” The Packers could be forgiven for being less than impressed by the impact O'Connell has made, for a reason beyond simply him coaching their biggest rival. Green Bay enjoyed even better out-of-the-gate success under coach Matt LaFleur, who was hired in 2019 and won 13 regular-season games in each of his first three years. Though they're in third place at 11-4, two games behind the Lions and the Vikings, the Packers too have secured a place in the playoffs even if they can't win their loaded division. They'll likely be the visiting team as long as they're alive this postseason. "I think that just all of us going against one another, it’s forced you to be at your best every week," LaFleur said. “You can’t afford a slip-up, just to keep up with everybody.” The road team has won each of the past three matchups in this series. The Packers are 0-4 against the teams with the top three records in the NFC: Detroit, Minnesota and Philadelphia. “We’ve got to be able to go win these games against the really good teams in the league and set ourselves up for the situation we’ll be in for the playoffs,” quarterback Jordan Love said. The running men Aaron Jones rushed for 93 yards on 22 carries for Minnesota in a 31-29 victory at Green Bay on Sept. 29. Released by the Packers for salary cap relief in favor of their premier free agency addition, the three-plus-years-younger Josh Jacobs, Jones just hit the 1,000-yard mark last week and can't hide from the significance of facing his former team. "They respect you because they were on your team or they've seen the work that you put in, but you want to gain their respect in another way from playing against them, like, ‘Man, this dude is really as good as I thought he was,’" Jones said. Jacobs, for his part, is fourth in the NFL entering Week 17 with 1,216 rushing yards for the most by a Packers player in a season since Ryan Grant (1,253) in 2009. Minimizing their mistakes The earlier matchup this season featured seven combined turnovers, four by the Packers and three by the Vikings. Both of these teams are among the NFL's best in the turnover department, with Green Bay at a plus-12 margin and Minnesota at a plus-10. The Packers have allowed a total of three sacks and have committed just two turnovers over their past five games. Picking up the Pace The Vikings are eagerly anticipating the return of second-year linebacker Ivan Pace, the sparkplug who has missed four games on injured reserve with a hamstring strain. They’ll be cautious with him and the tricky nature of that injury, but getting Pace back in the middle of the action with fellow linebacker Blake Cashman would be a big boost to the play-calling options for defensive coordinator Brian Flores. “He flies around. When he blitzes, he’s as impactful as anybody, and when you can really get him and Cash out there at the same time, they both can really play to their strengths,” O’Connell said. “They’re both really good blitzers. Cash is phenomenal in coverage and reading the quarterback, and when you can kind of pair those guys together, run and pass, that’s when we’re at our best.” Kicking correction Brayden Narveson missed both of his field-goal attempts for Green Bay, from 37 and 49 yards, in the two-point decision at Lambeau Field in Week 4. The Packers released Narveson a couple of weeks later in favor of 11-year veteran Brandon McManus, who has gone 16 of 17 on field-goal tries including game-winners as time expired against Houston and Jacksonville. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL Dave Campbell, The Associated Press
China probes Nvidia for 'violating' anti-monopoly lawSenate Democrats are hustling to confirm far-left federal judges before the end of the 118th Congress next month , even after making a “handshake agreement” with Republicans to relinquish four appeals court appointments to President-elect Donald Trump. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) acknowledged this week that lame-duck President Biden’s four nominees didn’t have a path to confirmation in the closely divided chamber — and that striking the deal with the GOP boosted the chances of adding to the more than 220 jurists confirmed to the federal bench since Biden took office in January 2021. “The trade was four circuit nominees — all lacking the votes to get confirmed — for more than triple the number of additional judges moving forward,” a Schumer spokesperson said in a statement. A Senate Republican aide told The Post that the settlement was part of “speeding the process” for as many as 25 judges in Democrat-controlled states to be confirmed before the end of the year. While not setting any records, the number of Biden appointees joining the federal judiciary is rapidly approaching the 245 confirmed under Trump, 78 — all of whom will serve for as long as they wish, barring impeachment and removal. Schumer has already filed cloture on several other controversial picks who were opposed by Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee — including California district judge nominee Cynthia Valenzuela Dixon, who passed the first procedural hurdle with a 50-49 vote. Dixon, who currently serves as a California state bar court judge, was flagged for her prior activism as national director of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, where she attacked voter ID laws as “modern-day poll taxes” and advocated for illegal immigrants to receive in-state tuition . Schumer also moved ahead with the nominations of Brian Murphy, who was picked to be a district judge in Massachusetts, and Sparkle Sooknanan, tapped by Biden for a district judgeship in the nation’s capital. Both nominations will come up for a floor vote when the Senate comes back from its Thanksgiving recess in early December. As a board member of the Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Murphy signed an open letter in June 2022 calling for the elimination of all arrests “for fraught and unnecessary police encounters involving possessory offenses, assault and battery, breaking and entering, and similar offenses.” Murphy did not disclose the letter to the committee — but Senate Republican staffers revealed his alarming stance, along with others, in a questionnaire . “I do not recall any discussion about this letter, nor do I recall reading it,” he admitted in the questionnaire. “I do not know what led to the issuance of this letter nor what basis was relied upon for its factual assertions.” Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a Judiciary panel member known for his colorful comments and pointed questions, has vigorously opposed many nominees by calling attention to their past left-wing activism and overturned rulings. During a recent hearing, Kennedy made California district judge nominee Noel Wise squirm by reading out a Time magazine article she authored about gender identity. “‘Sex has countless — countless — natural permutations,'” the senator recited , before asking: “Did I read that correctly?” “I believe that is consistent with medical science,” responded Wise, who is also up for a final confirmation vote after Thanksgiving when the Senate reconvenes. It’s unclear whether Dem-aligned independent Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia or Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona — both of whom are retiring at the end of this Congress — will oppose the judges in a final floor vote. This week, US Magistrate Judge Embry Kidd — who failed to inform senators about lenient sentences he gave to child sex offenders that were later reversed — was confirmed by a 49-45 vote to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers Georgia, Alabama and Florida. Kidd’s confirmation came about only because of five Republican absences — including Vice President-elect and Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) — and despite Manchin voting against the nomination. “This leftist judge would have been voted down and the seat on the important 11th circuit would have been filled by Donald Trump next year had Republicans showed up,” raged Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis on X. “Now, the leftist judge will have a lifetime appointment and the people of FL, AL and GA will suffer the consequences.” The GOP aide explained that before the deal was struck on confirming judges, “it was a game of chicken” to see “who’s showing up any particular day” — with Vice President Kamala Harris unable to cast tie-breaking votes this week due to her vacationing in Hawaii. “The Democrats are trying to stack the Courts with Radical Left Judges on their way out the door,” Trump raged Wednesday on his Truth Social account. “Republican Senators need to Show Up and Hold the Line — No more Judges confirmed before Inauguration Day!” Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) cheered on the deal that his conference later struck with Democrats, while warning that any of the four appeals court judges who pledged to vacate their seat should not go “back on their word to retire” with Trump due to take office. “The Senate yesterday reached a deal to NOT bring President Biden’s four pending circuit nominees for a vote, which will allow President Trump to replace them,” Tillis said in a Thursday statement on X. “I expect that the judges who submitted their retirements will not play partisan politics with a presidential transition and a bipartisan Senate deal by going back on their word to retire,” he added. “No judges did this during the previous lame duck because the judiciary needs to be above partisan politics.” Former President Ronald Reagan holds the all-time judicial confirmation record, with 402 federal judges placed on the bench during his eight years in office.
Income investors might want to check out the ASX dividend stocks in this article if they are looking for new additions in 2025. That's because analysts are tipping them as top buys ahead of the new year. Let's see what they are recommending: ( ) Goldman Sachs thinks that annuities company Challenger could be an ASX dividend stock to buy. The broker currently has a buy rating and $7.82 price target on its shares. It likes Challenger due to its "exposure to the growing superannuation market" and its belief that "higher yields should drive a favorable sales environment for retail annuities." Goldman is expecting this to support the payment of fully franked dividends of 27 cents per share in FY 2025 and then 28 cents per share in FY 2026. Based on the current Challenger share price of $6.01, this will mean of 4.5% and 4.65%, respectively. ( ) Analysts at UBS are bullish on Dexus Property Group and believe it could be another ASX dividend stock to buy. The broker has a buy rating and $8.86 price target on its shares. Dexus Property Group is one of Australia's leading fully integrated real estate groups. It manages a high-quality Australasian real estate and infrastructure portfolio valued at $54.5 billion. The Dexus platform includes the Dexus investment portfolio and the funds management business. UBS expects this platform to support the payment of dividends per share of 37 cents in FY 2025 and 38 cents in FY 2026. Based on the latest Dexus share price of $7.10, this will mean yields of 5.2% and 5.35%, respectively. ( ) Finally, Bell Potter thinks that Smartgroup could be an ASX dividend stock to buy. Its analysts currently have a buy rating and $10.00 price target on its shares. Smartgroup is an employee management services provider. It offers services such as salary packaging and fleet management to organisations across Australia. Analysts at Bell Potter believe that "SIQ looks well priced given a fwd P/E of ~14.5x, a defensive client base, earnings tailwinds from the Electric Car Discount Bill (exempts low or zero emission vehicles from Fringe Benefits Tax), an ROE of ~30% and a strong balance sheet." In respect to dividends, the broker is forecasting fully franked dividends of 53.3 cents in FY 2024 and then 59.7 cents in FY 2025. Based on its current share price of $7.63, this means big potential dividend yields of 7% and 7.8%, respectively.1 2 Nagpur: Union minister Nitin Gadkari advocated use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to transform India's logistics sector. Gadkari also set the aim to reduce logistics costs by 2% within the next two years. Speaking at the ‘Revolutionizing Supply Chain with Artificial Intelligence' conference organized by the Indian Institute of Materials Management in the city, Gadkari emphasized the potential of AI in making significant improvements across logistics, packaging, production, and timely delivery of products and services. "Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is set to become the third-largest economy globally, and AI will play a crucial role in achieving the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat," Gadkari said. Gadkari stressed the importance of the right choice of technology, proper utilization, and also ensuring its benefits reach all sections of society. He pointed out that India's youth will play an important role in driving this transformation. "The industry must focus on developing its distribution systems, prioritizing timely delivery, effective packaging, and logistics capacity," Gadkari said. He emphasized that these areas need to be addressed with urgency to stay competitive globally. Gadkari further explained that AI is bringing radical changes to traditional supply chain methods, helping Indian industries tackle global challenges and make data-driven decisions in production and distribution. Gadkari clarified that AI offers significant conveniences to the industry, and it will also contribute to reducing the carbon footprint in related sectors. Venkataraman, director of the Indian Institute of Materials Management, Nagpur, shared his views on how AI can address multi-dimensional challenges in supply chain management. The two-day conference, which brought together experts in logistics, supply chain management, and AI, aimed to discuss the sustainable development of supply chains through AI applications. The institute, which plays a vital role in training professionals in materials management, provides courses in logistics and supply chain management at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , Location Guesser and Mini Crossword .
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Dan Campbell stood at the podium after Detroit blew a 17-point lead to San Francisco in last season's NFC title game and talked about how that might have been the Lions' only shot at reaching the Super Bowl. The coach knew how difficult it would be to maintain that high level of play through injuries, attrition and with a target on their back as a top contender in the NFC. Eleven months later as Campbell and the Lions prepare to return to Levi's Stadium for the first time since that loss , that has proved to be prophetic — for San Francisco instead of Detroit. The Lions (13-2) head into the rematch Monday night with the inside track at the top seed in the NFC playoffs, while the 49ers (6-9) have already been eliminated from postseason contention . The element of revenge for last season's 34-31 loss is secondary for Detroit, considering what's on the line the last two weeks of the season. The Lions can clinch the top seed in the NFC by winning their final two games or with a win against the Niners if Minnesota loses to Green Bay on Sunday. “Anytime we lose, the thought of losing is going to motivate you to not want to lose again, particularly with where you were at,” Campbell said. “So, that’s always going to bring its own level of motivation to it. But this is where we’re at in the season, we know that we need another win, we understand where we’re at in the division and the NFC, so I think it’s all encompassing.” While the Lions have no need to search for motivation, that's not the case for the 49ers, who are playing out the string of a lost season after making losing back-to-back NFC title games in 2021-22 and the Super Bowl last season. A run of injuries to key players like Christian McCaffrey, Trent Williams, Nick Bosa and Brandon Aiyuk, combined with inconsistent play all season have led to the 49ers having nothing to play for in the final two games. “It’s obviously not where you want to be this time of year,” Bosa said. "It’s different, especially watching where we’re at last year against this team. Just that feeling of December, January football is a feeling that I’ve gotten used to being really competitive and being in the mix. I think we’re doing a good job of staying engaged and obviously this is our job, so we’re going to finish it strong. Detroit’s faith in Jameson Williams is paying off, taking advantage of his game-breaking abilities with big plays. Jared Goff heaved an 82-yard touchdown pass over Williams’ shoulders and into his hands in last week’s win at Chicago. Earlier this season, Goff threw 70-, 64- and 52-yard passes for scores to the third-year receiver. “We work on it a ton, him and I do, and it’s a testament to him,” Goff said. “He’s asking for it. He wants that work, and I’m more than happy to give it to him during the week. It’s good. Our connection continues to grow. He’s obviously one of the best deep threats in our league, even when it’s not perfect.” The 49ers head into the game scrambling to put together an offensive line. Williams has been out for more than a month with an ankle injury and his backup at left tackle, Jaylon Moore, is now sidelined by a quadriceps injury. Left guard Aaron Banks injured his knee last week, while his backup Ben Bartch is already out with an ankle injury. That will leave the Niners with two third-stringers protecting Brock Purdy. But Shanahan said he isn’t thinking of sitting Purdy to protect him. “People deal with that throughout the year on other weeks, too,” he said. “I mean, we’ve got a football team. We’ve got to go out and we’ve got two games here and we’ve got to see what guys we can put out there and whatever we do we’re going to put a game plan together to, as best as we can to give us a chance to win.” Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who may have a chance for the second straight offseason to be an NFL head coach, routinely pulls off trick plays and his latest was a doozy. Goff intentionally stumbled after taking a snap and Jahmyr Gibbs went to the ground as their teammates yelled, “fumble,” to fool the Bears on a 21-yard touchdown pass to Sam LaPorta. “Those make you feel good because everybody is invested in it,” Campbell said. “It’s fun. It’s different. It’s sound. “I know it sounds crazy, but it’s sound.” San Francisco kicker Jake Moody is having a rough second season after being drafted in the third round a year ago. Moody has missed seven field goals this season, including a 41-yarder last week at Miami. Moody is just 10 for 16 since coming back from a high ankle sprain in his kicking foot, but Shanahan said he still has confidence in him. “I still feel the same about him, that I believe he’ll be our guy,” Shanahan said. "I mean everyone’s got to perform and do things like that. I think he has had a tough year. Before his high ankle sprain, he missed one. ... I think he was 12 of 13 before that, so I thought he was doing really well." AP Sports Writer Larry Lage contributed to this report. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflNavigating the Future: Technology's promise, pitfalls, and path forwardArizona State makes College Football Playoff with 45-19 win over Iowa State in Big 12 title game
South Korea’s Yoon survives impeachment move, party leader says president will resignArticle content KINGSTON, Ont. — Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks head coach Michael Faulds feels his team plays its best football when the competition is tough. The unbeaten squad should be put to the test Saturday against the Quebec powerhouse Laval Rouge et Or in the Vanier Cup. “We’ve been saying to the guys all week that it was very fitting that the Yates Cup had to go through the Western Mustangs, the team that has won the most (Ontario titles),” Faulds said. “And it’s very fitting, too, that the Vanier Cup has to go through the Laval Rouge et Or, the team that has won the most Vanier Cups. “Our guys are excited. We respect the heck out of Laval and know it’s going to take all four quarters.” Led by Hec Crighton Trophy winner Taylor Elgersma at quarterback, the Golden Hawks have outscored the opposition 128-76 over three playoff wins after an 8-0 regular season. Rouge et Or quarterback Arnaud Desjardins, a finalist for the outstanding player honour, leads a Laval team that needed two close victories to reach the Canadian university football title game. Laval boasts a stingy defence that led U Sports with only 106 points against over a 7-1 campaign. The Rouge et Or are looking for their second Vanier Cup title in the last three years. “We’re definitely a younger edition, but we’ve grown and tomorrow is our final exam,” said Laval head coach Glen Constantin. “So we’re looking forward to playing really good football against a quality opponent.” The Golden Hawks held a walkthrough for about an hour on Friday morning at Richardson Stadium in rainy, windy conditions. The clouds mostly cleared for the Rouge et Or session in the afternoon. A sellout crowd at the 8,000-seat Queen’s University stadium is expected with cool, overcast conditions in the forecast. “It’ll be a real celebration of football here in Canada,” Faulds said. “With the Grey Cup being last weekend, this is the last football game in Canada in 2024 and what a matchup.” Laurier enjoyed home-field advantage in a 29-21 win over Queen’s in the Ontario semifinal before topping Western 51-31 in the conference championship. The Golden Hawks looked just as strong on the road, handing the Atlantic champion Bishop’s Gaiters their first loss last weekend with a 48-24 rout. Laval, meanwhile, opened the playoffs with a comfortable 41-18 victory over Concordia. The Rouge et Or beat the 2023 Vanier champion Montreal Carabins 22-17 for the Quebec title before edging the Canada West champion Regina Rams 17-14 last week at Mosaic Stadium. A fourth-year kinesiology and physical education major from London, Ont., Elgersma led U Sports in passing yards and touchdown completions. He also rushed for seven TDs himself. Receiver Olivier Cool and running back William Tremblay have four playoff touchdowns apiece for Laval. Tanner Nelmes and Tayshaun Jackson have been productive out of the Laurier backfield while Ryan Hughes has been one of Elgersma’s favourite targets. The Golden Hawks, who last won the Vanier Cup in 2005, have a 2-3 all-time record in the national championship game, while Laval is 11-2. “We have a culture of playing good disciplined football,” Constantin said. “If we stick to the process, then we believe we have a good chance.” The Rouge et Or have won both previous meetings against the Golden Hawks. Laval beat Laurier in the Uteck Bowl in 2004 and 2016 at Quebec City.
TORONTO — Canada's main stock index moved lower Monday, led by losses in technology and utilities stocks, while U.S. stock markets were also down. The S&P/TSX composite index closed down 66.38 points at 25,625.42. In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 240.59 points at 44,401.93. The S&P 500 index was down 37.42 points at 6,052.85, while the Nasdaq composite was down 123.08 points at 19,736.69. “It started pretty positive in the morning. It's just been slowly, slowly grinding down ever since,” said Michael Currie, senior investment adviser at TD Wealth. Some of the market direction Monday was driven by two separate news stories out of China, he said. “The (Chinese) central bank says they're starting to buy gold again, and they're looking to loosen their monetary policy a bit. So that helped oil a lot, helped gold a lot,” said Currie. China also said it’s investigating semiconductor giant Nvidia over suspected violations of anti-monopoly laws, which sent the company’s stock lower. Nvidia’s share price was down 2.6 per cent Monday at US$138.81. Otherwise, “it’s all about interest rates today,” said Currie. In the U.S., investors are awaiting the latest update on inflation later in the week. However, given that the slowing job market is more of a concern for the U.S. Federal Reserve at this point, the data is unlikely to change what investors currently expect from the Fed next week, said Currie: a quarter-percentage-point cut. “Unless there's something really crazy out of the inflation numbers, there’s no reason to expect anything different is going to happen next week,” he said. In Canada, where the central bank is gearing up for a rate decision Wednesday, a larger half-point cut is more likely, he said. Expectations for a bigger cut rose after last week’s jobs report, which saw the unemployment rate jump to 6.8 per cent in November. “The more we're cutting rates, especially the accelerated rate compared to the States, the more that just keeps beating up our dollar,” said Currie. He expects more buzz in the coming months about the divergence between interest rates in Canada and the U.S. as the loonie continues to weaken. “We're seeing it already, and as the gap gets bigger, it'll become more of a story.” However, Currie noted the TSX briefly touched an all-time high earlier in the day. “Basically since the US election, it's just been a non-stop rally,” he said. The Canadian dollar traded for 70.77 cents US compared with 70.74 cents US on Friday. The January crude oil contract was up US$1.17 at US$68.37 per barrel and the January natural gas contract was up 11 cents at US$3.18 per mmBTU. The February gold contract was up US$26.20 at US$2,685.80 an ounce and the March copper contract was up eight cents at US$4.28 a pound. — With files from The Associated Press This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 9, 2024. Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD) Rosa Saba, The Canadian Press
FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) — Mustapha Amzil scored 14 points as New Mexico beat Colorado State 76-68 on Saturday. Amzil added five rebounds for the Lobos (10-3, 2-0 Mountain West Conference). Donovan Dent added 14 points while going 7 of 16 from the field while they also had six assists. C.J. Noland had 11 points and finished 5 of 7 from the field. Nique Clifford led the way for the Rams (7-6, 1-1) with 17 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals. Jaylen Crocker-Johnson added 13 points and nine rebounds for Colorado State. Kyan Evans also had 10 points. New Mexico took the lead with 8:53 to go in the first half and did not relinquish it. The score was 41-25 at halftime, with Filip Borovicanin racking up 10 points. New Mexico was outscored by Colorado State in the second half by eight points, with Amzil scoring a team-high six points in the final half. Both teams next play Tuesday. New Mexico visits Fresno State and Colorado State goes on the road to play San Jose State. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar . For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Data Skrive. Get local news delivered to your inbox!