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If you’re sitting on a pile of travel or credit card rewards with no immediate travel plans, donating them to a charity is an easy way to have a positive impact. And it's a popular way to give: In 2021, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan members donated around 94 million miles to charities at an approximate cash value of $2.6 million, according to the airline. Beyond the social benefits, miles donations also qualify as activity on your loyalty account and can prevent the rest of your rewards from expiring . But if you’re in the habit of maximizing points and miles, you might also want to stretch the value of your charitable donations as far as possible. And by that measure, some methods of donating points and miles fall short. Here’s what to consider before donating your miles and points . Many loyalty programs make it easy to redeem your points and miles for a donation directly through their rewards portals. But some portals — especially those from airline and hotel programs — don’t publish the cash value a charity will receive for your miles or points. That means the charity may receive less value for your donation than you’d think, while also making it hard to compare the value of a donation with the value of other options for redeeming your points. Best Western Rewards is one of the few loyalty programs that publishes a cash value for charitable points donations. The charity will receive $2 for every 500 points you donate, for a point a value of 0.4 cent each. NerdWallet values Best Western points at 0.6 cent apiece, so you would receive 33% less value for your donation relative to using them for a hotel stay. Generally, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) doesn’t count points and miles as a source of income, so if you donate them, you can't deduct the cash value of your gift. This lack of favorable tax treatment for the consumer combined with the uncertain value you’ll often receive for miles and points donations should have you at least consider other avenues for your philanthropic endeavors. Keep in mind that this drawback only matters for taxpayers who itemize deductions on their income tax returns. If you're like most people and take the standard deduction instead of itemizing, you wouldn't be able to get a charitable tax deduction from any donation. Some rewards programs have a minimum donation amount for select charities. For example, you’d have to donate at least 2,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards points for a donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. That minimum amount makes it tougher to donate points that may be collecting dust in your loyalty account. To maximize the value of your donation, consider a charity that books travel directly with your miles or points rather than donating directly through your loyalty program's portal. For example, Miles4Migrants uses donated airline miles and credit card points to directly book award travel for refugees and asylum seekers. “Instead of maximizing points and miles to book a dream trip, we do it to help refugees reach safe new beginnings,” said Patrick Stouffer, partnerships manager at Miles4Migrants, in an email. Miles4Migrants has redeemed over 775 million donated miles in pursuit of their mission, with a cash value of over $17 million. That expertise allows them to get more value out of every donation. “Our team has the specialized knowledge necessary to stretch the value of every point or mile, ensuring donations go as far as possible,” Stouffer said. “Even if you aren’t able to reap any tax advantages of donating your points, at least you’ll know they made the largest possible impact.” Direct cash donations help avoid the downsides of donating miles and points. If you have a credit card that earns cash back , or if you earn cash rewards through a shopping portal like TopCashBack or Rakuten , consider cashing out and donating those rewards instead of your miles and points. With a cash donation, you’ll know the exact value a charity will receive from your donation and likely qualify for a potential itemized deduction on your taxes. Some rewards programs make this process simple and transparent. Travel rewards programs sometimes incentivize charitable giving by offering bonus points for your cash donations. For example, American Airlines offers 10 AAdvantage miles for every dollar members contribute to the charity Stand Up To Cancer. That extra incentive can be an individual boon for your charitable donation. Just be aware that any points or miles you receive from such promotions will reduce the tax deductibility of your contribution. American Airlines values those bonus miles you receive through donations at 3 cents each. So if you donate $100 and receive 1,000 AAdvantage miles, American values those miles at $30. You’ll receive a tax form declaring those rewards as $30 in income, giving you a qualifying tax deduction of $70. When you donate cash and receive bonus points, the charity still receives your full donation and you get a slug of points. While you'll have to pay taxes on those points, it can still be a big win for your future travel plans. More From NerdWallet Craig Joseph writes for NerdWallet. Email: cjoseph@nerdwallet.com . The article Should You Donate Your Points and Miles to Charity? originally appeared on NerdWallet.
STOCK MARKET SNAPSHOT FOR 14/12/2024
Why the Acting President of Myanmar’s NUG Is Right to Prioritize Internal PoliticsNov 25 - The solo monohull 24-hour distance record fell again on Monday during the Vendee Globe as the race’s frontrunners capitalised on near-perfect conditions, repeatedly breaking the mark in a display of endurance and precision. Yoann Richomme, who held the record set five days ago, reclaimed the mark with a blistering 579.86 nautical miles sailed. Richomme led a group of record-breakers that included Thomas Ruyant, Nicolas Lunven, Charlie Dalin, Sebastien Simon and Jeremie Beyou. Sailing in flat seas and steady 17-20 knot winds, the fleet took full advantage of the conditions as they raced to stay within a fast-moving low-pressure system propelling them towards the Southern Ocean. As the top group battles to remain within the narrowing weather system, the pressure mounts. "It is a bit like in life, the rich get richer!” joked Romain Attanasio, currently in 16th place. Leaders Dalin and Ruyant are pulling away, widening the gap from the chasing pack, which now stretches to 273 nautical miles. “We’re not going fast just to break the record but to stay in the best position with this depression. The boat feels like it’s going at Mach 12, and survival comes down to being cautious, staying crouched, and holding on,” Ruyant, in second place, said as he recounted bursts of speed at 32 knots. The relentless pace has left no time for celebrations. “The game right now is staying with this depression,” Attanasio said. “Behind us, it’s soft, and to leeward, we’re unsure, so we avoid stepping out of this system.” However, Attanasio is optimistic about a Plan B — a second depression tracking just behind the fleet. “The Saint Helena high is reforming and will pass quickly in front of us, so we shouldn’t get trapped in the middle,” he said. This safety net offers some reassurance as competitors push their boats and themselves to the limit. The Vendee Globe is a solo, non-stop and unassisted sailing race around the world, starting and finishing in Les Sables-d'Olonne in France. The route spans approximately 24,000 nautical miles, with sailors dealing with harsh and remote conditions in the open seas. Forty skippers representing a record 11 nationalities and including six female competitors set off on the race on Nov. 10. Frenchman Yannick Bestaven won the last edition, finishing in 80 days three hours and 44 minutes. Sign up here. Writing by Ossian Shine, editing by Pritha Sarkar Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab
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Manipur: 12 Tribals killed in encounter to be laid to rest on December 5Major stock indexes on Wall Street drifted to a mixed finish Friday, capping a rare bumpy week for the market. The S&P 500 ended essentially flat, down less than 0.1%, after wavering between tiny gains and losses most of the day. The benchmark index posted a loss for the week, its first after three straight weekly gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.2%, while the Nasdaq composite rose 0.1%, ending just below the record high it set on Wednesday. There were more than twice as many decliners than gainers on the New York Stock Exchange. Gains in technology stocks helped temper losses in communication services, financials and other sectors of the market. Broadcom surged 24.4% for the biggest gain in the S&P 500 after the semiconductor company beat Wall Street’s profit targets and gave a glowing forecast, highlighting its artificial intelligence products. The company also raised its dividend. The company's big gain helped cushion the market's broader fall. Pricey stock values for technology companies like Broadcom give the sector more weight in pushing the market higher or lower. Artificial intelligence technology has been a focal point for the technology sector and the overall stock market over the last year. Tech companies, and Wall Street, expect demand for AI to continue driving growth for semiconductor and other technology companies. Some tech stocks were a drag on the market. Nvidia fell 2.2%, Meta Platforms dropped 1.7% and Google parent Alphabet slid 1.1%. Among the market's other decliners were Airbnb, which fell 4.7% for the biggest loss in the S&P 500, and Charles Schwab, which closed 4% lower. Furniture and housewares company RH, formerly known as Restoration Hardware, surged 17% after raising its forecast for revenue growth for the year. Story continues below video All told, the S&P 500 lost 0.16 points to close at 6,051.09. The Dow dropped 86.06 points to 43,828.06. The Nasdaq rose 23.88 points to 19,926.72. Wall Street's rally stalled this week amid mixed economic reports and ahead of the Federal Reserve's last meeting of the year. The central bank will meet next week and is widely expected to cut interest rates for a third time since September. Expectations of a series of rate cuts has driven the S&P 500 to 57 all-time highs so far this year . The Fed has been lowering its benchmark interest rate following an aggressive rate hiking policy that was meant to tame inflation. It raised rates from near-zero in early 2022 to a two-decade high by the middle of 2023. Inflation eased under pressure from higher interest rates, nearly to the central bank's 2% target. The economy, including consumer spending and employment, held strong despite the squeeze from inflation and high borrowing costs. A slowing job market, though, has helped push a long-awaited reversal of the Fed's policy. Inflation rates have been warming up slightly over the last few months. A report on consumer prices this week showed an increase to 2.7% in November from 2.6% in October. The Fed's preferred measure of inflation, the personal consumption expenditures index, will be released next week. Wall Street expects it to show a 2.5% rise in November, up from 2.3% in October. The economy, though, remains solid heading into 2025 as consumers continue spending and employment remains healthy, said Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY. “Still, the outlook is clouded by unusually high uncertainty surrounding regulatory, immigration, trade and tax policy,” he said. Treasury yields edged higher. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.40% from 4.34% late Thursday. European markets slipped. Britain's FTSE 100 fell 0.1%. Britain’s economy unexpectedly shrank by 0.1% month-on-month in October, following a 0.1% decline in September, according to data from the Office for National Statistics. Asian markets closed mostly lower.
Analysis: Bengals keep confidence high with Steelers on tap in regular-season finaleNone
China’s total grain production reached a record of more than 700 million metric tons in 2024, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Friday, as Beijing moves to boost output in its quest to achieve food security. The year’s output in the world’s largest importer of grain stood at 706.5 million tons, after larger harvests of staple rice, wheat and corn, Wei Fenghua, deputy director of the rural department said in the statement. That was 1.6% higher than 2023’s harvest of 695.41 million tons, Bureau data showed. “The year’s grain harvest was again bountiful,” Wei said, after China’s regions and authorities strictly adopted the tasks of farmland protection and food security, while overcoming the adverse effects of natural disasters. China is highly reliant on imports from Brazil and the United States to feed its population of 1.4 billion. In recent years China has stepped up investments in farm machinery and seed technology in the effort to ensure food security. Rice production in 2024 rose to 207.5 million tons, up 0.5% on the year, while wheat output grew 2.6% to 140.1 million tons, the data showed. Corn saw a bigger jump at a record 294.92 million tons, up 2.1% from the previous year. Soybeans fell 0.9% to 20.65 million tons. The bumper harvest was attributed to larger plantings of rice and corn, on top of better yields of rice, wheat and corn. National sown area of grain was about 294.9 million acres (119.34 million hectares), an increase of 0.3% from the previous year in a fifth consecutive year of expansion, Wei said. Planting size for rice rose for the first time in four years, expanding 0.2% on the year to 71.66 million acres (29 million hectares). Corn planting was also 1.2% higher at 110.54 million acres (44.74 million hectares). Soybeans planting size shrank 1.4% to 25.53 million acres (10.33 million hectares). Wheat planting size also declined 0.2% to 58.32 million acres (23.6 million hectares). Despite the increasing production, China remains dependent on imported supplies of soybean and corn, its agriculture ministry has said. Source: Reuters (Reporting by Mei Mei Chu and Ella Cao;Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans. Like the original Connections , the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle , Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle. If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you. What is Connections Sports Edition? The NYT 's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic , the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common. Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer. If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends. Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media. Here's a hint for today's Connections Sports Edition categories Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try: Here are today's Connections Sports Edition categories Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories: Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle. Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions. Drumroll, please! The solution to today's Connections Sports Edition #68 is... What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands . If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.Democrats plan to elect new party leader just days after Trump's inauguration
Dissolvable makeup wipes from Conserving Beauty become celebrity favourite as brand launches into PricelineWho is Sebastian Gorka, the Trump-appointee former US officials call an 'Islamophobic Huckster?'EAST LANSING, Mich. — Rutgers saved its best for last. After getting gutted last week in a last-second loss to Illinois that rattled the foundation of the program, no one would have blamed the Scarlet Knights for mailing in their regular-season finale. Instead, Rutgers responded with a performance that will send it into the postseason feeling like, yet again, the team that should have been counted out a long time ago will be fighting for something special. Extra motivation? Rutgers needed none of it Saturday. The Scarlet Knights spent one day to put rehash what went wrong against Illinois. They said they moved on and proved it early, dismantling Michigan State for a 41-14 win that was never in jeopardy. The bounce-back performance should be something to give coach Greg Schiano’s team something to be proud of with whatever comes next in the postseason. After all: It was Michigan State fighting for a postseason berth Saturday, but Rutgers looked like the playing with its season on the line. Rutgers can sit back and wait for its bowl game destination knowing it salvaged its season after a four-game losing streak and quickly erased what was one of its worst losses ever. On Saturday, te Scarlet Knights were better in every facet. Offensively, defensively, special teams — this was the type of complementary football that has escaped Rutgers until its final game of the regular season. If this was the final time fans see senior running back Kyle Monangai in a Rutgers uniform, the senior gave one last memorable performance. Monangai moved past Terrell Willis for second place on the school’s all-time rushing list. He racked up 101 of his 129 yards in the first half to help Rutgers rattle off 34 unanswered points, spanning the second and third quarters. In a potentially fitting finale, Monangai recorded a 100-yard game for the third straight season against Michigan State. After all, it was here in East Lansing where Monangai first exploded onto the scene in 2022. Just three years ago, Monangai rattled off a then-Big Ten record for Rutgers after carrying 24 times for 162 yards and a touchdown. It was a game Rutgers still found a way to lose. There might not be a better embodiment of Rutgers’ resurgence than Monangai who went from an unheralded recruit to the Big Ten rushing champ to a player who went back to work time and time again. When Rutgers needed one last week of work, it turned to wise words from the face of its senior class, who put it simply ... to move past the heartbreak, Rutgers needed to “just get back to work”. Instead of checking out, Rutgers got back to work. Observations Move to the spread? Experimenting with different packages, formations and tempo, it was somewhat startling that Rutgers not only spread things out — but thrived doing so. Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis hit sophomore Ian Strong for a 9-yard touchdown pass. At that point, with Rutgers leading 31-7, it was becoming clear that the offense was going to operate at a high level with whatever it was hoping to accomplish. That may be the best news for Rutgers. With Monangai and the run game, the Scarlet Knights were able to bring balance to its offense. Will that be the case next season? Either way, Rutgers will have a quarterback in Kaliakmanis and a loaded core of young receivers who could give the Scarlet Knights a foundation to build around. After throwing for 150 yards Saturday, Kaliakmanis will need 248 yards in the bowl game to reach the 2,700-yard mark, which has only been reached by three other Rutgers passers — Ryan Hart, Mike Teel and Gary Nova — who also have substantial players in program lore. Dariel Djabome delivers all season long From the first game of the regular season to the last, the junior linebacker from Quebec was one of Rutgers’ biggest revelation. The team’s leading tackler, who was thrust into the starting lineup to replace injured captain Mohamed Toure, delivered the game’s biggest play when he stuffed running back Kay’ron Lynch-Adams in the backfield for a turnover on downs. At the time, Michigan State had the chance to tie the game with a field goal but gambled facing 4th-and-1 at Rutgers’ 6-yard line. With Michigan State facing a 10-7 deficit with 10:01 to play in the second quarter, the momentum fully swung in Rutgers’ favor from there as the Scarlet Knights scored on five of its six first-half possessions. Special teams deja vu Michigan State avoided complete destruction from a special teams blunder, but it just goes to show how steady that unit has been under Schiano. Halfway through the first quarter, long snapper Jack Carson Wentz sent a high snap through the hands of punter Ryan Eckley, who was able to scoop it up and stay out of the end zone when he was hit by freshman Ben Black. Rutgers took over at the 1-yard line but went backwards on a illegal motion by Monangai, leading to an eventual 25-yard field goal by Jai Patel that put Rutgers up 10-7 with 7:29 left in the first quarter. Last season, Michigan State punter Michael O’Shaughnessy dropped a snap, opening the door for Rutgers to rally for an 18-point comeback in the fourth quarter of an eventual 27-24 win for the Scarlet Knights. Go big or go home What was more unlikely? Senior Tyler Needham returning from what was previously diagnosed as a season-ending injury or him playing as a tight end? Needham, switching from No. 56 to 86, returned to the field three weeks removed from a knee injury and was used as a sixth offensive lineman, giving the Scarlet Knights a jumbo package look in a game decided in the trenches. Needham started the first nine games at right tackle before injuring his knee against Minnesota three weeks ago. Rutgers diagnosed his injury as season-ending, but the Philadelphia native was back in the starting lineup Saturday, giving the Scarlet Knights another option for its injury-decimated group of tight ends. While redshirt sophomore Mike Higgins saw the field, Rutgers used its jumbo package for a majority of its offensive snaps. Blustery Big Ten weather The official reading at kickoff was 24 degrees. Snow covered the field and fell like confetti from start to finish in a game between two teams trying to take advantage of the weather. Hits felt bigger, catches felt grittier and this Nov. 30, regular-season finale felt like the embodiment of Big Ten football. On a day, where Michigan State was playing for a bowl berth, Rutgers came into Spartan Stadium and was simply better across the board. Bonus coverage - With the win, Rutgers finished the regular season with a 7-5 record and 4-5 mark in Big Ten play. The 7-5 record will stand as Rutgers’ best regular-season record since 2014 when the Scarlet Knights recorded the same overall finish in its inaugural season in the Big Ten. Its four Big Ten wins also set a new program best. - The snow was a no-go, apparently. Michigan State running back Nate Carter was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct after celebrating by doing snow angels following his first touchdown run of the game. It was a significant penalty, too. On the ensuing kickoff, Jonathan Kim booted the ball out of bounds. With the penalty yardage stacked together, Rutgers started with possession at the 50-yard line for its first drive, which ended with a 7-yard touchdown run by Monangai. Injury updates The Scarlet Knights listed 13 players as pre-game scratches on their availability report . The list included three new seniors — defensive end Aaron Lewis, cornerback Eric Rogers and safety Desmond Igbinosun — who all played last week against Illinois. In addition to those three regulars, Rutgers listed four other major contributors — wide receiver Christian Dremel, offensive lineman Tyler Needham, tight end Mike Higgins and cornerback Al-Shadee Salaam — as questionable two hours before kickoff. All four ended up playing, opening the door for Needham’s intriguing return as a jump-package option. The line Rutgers opened as a one-point favorite Sunday, but the lined eventually moved to favor Michigan State. At the time of kickoff, Michigan State was a favorite by 1 1/2 points, according to multiple sports books. The total points was set at 47 1/2. MORE RUTGERS COVERAGE Rutgers loses physical battle with Texas A&M, leaves Las Vegas with lost opportunities What’s Rutgers’ injury situation vs. Michigan State? Scarlet Knights thin again Rutgers vs. Texas A&M FREE LIVE STREAM (11/30/24) | How to watch men’s college basketball in Las Vegas online Everything Rutgers fans need to know about Michigan State showdown Married to Rutgers: Fans sneak away from Vegas hoops tournament to say, ‘I do’ Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription. Patrick Lanni may be reached at planni@njadvancemedia.com .
EA Sports FC Empires is a new mobile soccer game that includes club creation and development, building a guild with other players, and more. Developer EA has announced a new FC title, EA Sports FC Empires , that has just launched on mobile devices. The game serves as a standalone experience separate from EA Sports FC and aims to be a more social, strategy-focused title for soccer lovers. Compared to the EA Sports FC mainline titles, Empires will be a more focused experience and include features such as building a club from the ground up, managing your roster of players, testing out your Squad against other players, and participating in events and activities across the globe. Build a club from the ground up in EA Sports FC Empires In EA Sports FC Empires, you can create your soccer club and customize all aspects, including building important facilities such as training pitches, stadiums, club stores, and more. Players can upgrade these locations to encourage their club’s growth. Of course, the list of players you sign to be on your squad is also essential. In FC Empires, you can manage up to three teams in your club. Furthermore, you can scout for new players, coach your team, alter the lineup and formation to suit your desired playstyle, train your players, and upgrade their talents and traits. A huge lineup of real soccer players & clubs EA Sports FC Empires will have over 4,000 real-life soccer players at launch, a massive variety to help you curate the best lineup for your club. However, the devs have since confirmed that the game will not include any women players and that “there are currently no immediate plans for women’s leagues to be introduced into the game.” However, they further noted that “these plans may change in future.” In addition to the game’s roster of players, Empires will also have 98 authentic clubs from across the biggest Leagues in the world, including the following: Related: Premier League Bundesliga LALIGA EA SPORTS Serie A Made in Italy Ligue 1 McDonald’s Form a Guild with other players EA Sports FC Empires will also include various events and activities for your squads to participate in, all of which will help you gain resources to help strengthen your club. There will be a Guild feature so that you can even team up with your friends. Once you have created a Guild, you can contest areas of the game’s world map by facing off against others. Your Guild’s reputation will be on the line; a win boosts your influence, while a loss could damage it. The aim is to create a Guild to then become the world’s best and most popular soccer club across the whole game. EA Sports FC Empires is now available to play on mobile via early access in Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand and can be downloaded for Android and iOS devices.Joe Burrow threw three touchdown passes to Tee Higgins, including a game-winning scoring strike with 1:07 left in overtime, to give the host Cincinnati Bengals an electrifying 30-24 win over the Denver Broncos on Saturday. Cade York could have given Cincinnati (8-8) the win with 2:43 to go in the extra session, but his 33-yard field-goal attempt hit the left upright. The Bengals' defense buckled down, though, forcing Denver to go three-and-out to get Burrow, Higgins and the rest of the offense back out on the field. Cincinnati proceeded to go 63 yards in five plays, with Higgins' 3-yard TD catch giving the Bengals their fourth straight victory. Higgins finished with 11 catches for 131 yards. Marvin Mims Jr. forced overtime by hauling in a 25-yard score on fourth-and-1 to draw the Broncos (9-7) even at 24 with eight seconds left in regulation. Burrow had put Cincinnati in front by plunging into the end zone from 1 yard out just 1:21 earlier. Burrow completed 39 of 49 passes for 412 yards and the three touchdowns while Ja'Marr Chase had nine catches for 102 yards and set a single-season franchise record for receptions. He now has 117. Tight end Mike Gesicki played a key role in the Cincinnati passing game, grabbing a season-high 10 catches for 86 yards. The Bengals kept their playoff hopes alive, but they must beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 18 while also getting losses from the Broncos, Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts. Mims was rookie quarterback Bo Nix's favorite target, recording 103 yards and a pair of scores on eight receptions. Nix went 24-for-31 passing for 219 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Denver is still in search of a wild-card spot and can lock one down with a win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Jan. 5. Wil Lutz booted a 30-yard field goal to open the scoring and give the Broncos a 3-0 lead. The first Burrow-to-Higgins TD -- a 2-yard connection -- put the hosts up 7-3 with 1:49 to go in the first half, and that advantage held until the break. A 22-yard field goal from York made it 10-3 with 9:07 remaining in the third quarter. Nix found Courtland Sutton for a 6-yard touchdown to tie things at 10. The teams then traded fourth-quarter TDs, with Higgins snatching a 12-yard scoring pass and Mims ending up on the receiving end of a 51-yard strike. --Field Level MediaU.S. stocks climbed after market superstar Nvidia and another round of companies said they’re making even fatter profits than expected. The S & P 500 pulled 0.5% higher Thursday after flipping between modest gains and losses several times in the morning. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 1.1%, and the Nasdaq composite edged up less than 0.1%. Banks, smaller companies and other areas of the stock market that tend to do best when the economy is strong helped lead the way, while bitcoin briefly broke above $99,000. Crude oil, meanwhile, continued to rise. Treasury yields edged higher in the bond market. On Thursday: The S & P 500 rose 31.60 points, or 0.5%, to 5,948.71. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 461.88 points, or 1.1%, to 43,870.35. The Nasdaq composite rose 6.28 points, or less than 0.1%, to 18,972.42. The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies rose 38.48 points, or 1.7%, to 2,364.02. For the week: The S & P 500 is up 78.09 points, or 1.3%. The Dow is up 425.36 points, or 1%. The Nasdaq is up 292.30 points, or 1.6%. The Russell 2000 is up 60.18 points, or 2.6%. For the year: The S & P 500 is up 1,178.88 points, or 24.7%. The Dow is up 6,180.81 points, or 16.4%. The Nasdaq is up 3,961.07 points, or 26.4%. The Russell 2000 is up 336.94 points, or 16.6%.
Former Oilers defenseman Vincent Desharnais was a long-shot success story in Edmonton, but with the Vancouver Canucks so far this season, things aren't going well. The Canucks signed Desharnais in the offseason to a two-year contract for $4M, and fans immediately thought it may be too much for a depth player. So far this season, Desharnais just hasn't been able to live up to his contract value, and the Canucks are reportedly exploring trades for him already. Through the first part of the season, the former Oilers defenseman was healthy-scratched several times, and he only has two points and a -2 rating in 17 games. Vancouver Canucks floating Vincent Desharnais in trade talks, but receiving little interest According to further reports, the Canucks are having a hard time finding a suitor to take on Desharnais. Sportsnet's Satiar Shah has said there's been almost no interest for the big defenseman on the trade market. Vincent Desharnais became a bit of a fan favorite in Edmonton for his long-shot success story to make the NHL and his rugged style of play, but it was those reasons that made it smart for the Oilers to walk away from him in free agency. After being drafted in the seventh round by the Oilers, he worked his way through the ECHL and AHL for years to make the Oilers. At the age of 28, Desharnais has played in only 131 career NHL games — so he's a low-skill player with relatively low experience. He's a bottom-pairing defenseman who provides size and physicality, but those aren't premium assets worth paying for in free agency. $2M is a significant amount of yearly salary to pay any player, especially for a team trying to contend for the Stanley Cup — teams need good value from those inexpensive players. Right now, Desharnais isn't proving much value, and his deficiencies are arguably hurting the Canucks. The Edmonton Oilers are in the market for a defenseman this season , but a reunion with Desharnais should not be in the cards. Whatever happens with Desharnais, Oilers fans will cheer him on to have success in the next stop of his career. It'll be much easier to cheer for him not playing on the Canucks anyway. This article first appeared on Oilers Daily and was syndicated with permission.Percentages: FG .490, FT .636. 3-Point Goals: 3-12, .250 (Pettway 3-4, Horton 0-1, Tillmon 0-1, Bryant 0-2, Anderson 0-4). Team Rebounds: 2. Team Turnovers: None. Blocked Shots: 1 (Terry). Turnovers: 16 (Bush 3, Horton 3, Pettway 3, Tillmon 3, Anderson 2, Bryant, Ricks). Steals: 8 (Anderson 2, Ricks 2, Sawyer 2, Horton, Pettway). Technical Fouls: None. Percentages: FG .700, FT .577. 3-Point Goals: 10-17, .588 (Roberts 2-4, Clark 1-1, Dease 1-1, Jackson 1-1, Parker 1-1, Potter 1-1, Villegas 1-1, I.Williams 1-2, Wright-Forde 1-2, S.Williams 0-1, Walker 0-2). Team Rebounds: 2. Team Turnovers: 1. Blocked Shots: 4 (Walker 2, Dease, Wright-Forde). Turnovers: 15 (Jackson 3, Dease 2, Giwa 2, I.Williams 2, Clark, Parker, Roberts, S.Williams, Walker, Wright-Forde). Steals: 9 (Parker 2, Walker 2, Dease, Dennis, Potter, Roberts, Wright-Forde). Technical Fouls: None. A_1,155 (10,000).
In the immediate wake of Dakota Ditcheva's title winning performance over Taila Santos at the PFL 2024 Championships, the Manchester native is one of the biggest names in the sport for at least one weekend. Fans have immediately begun speculation over how she would do against other great fighters like Valentina Shevchenko, where Ditcheva sits on the pound-for-pound list, and if she will move to the UFC in the near future. In an interview with TalkSport MMA , the martial arts star shed light on at least one of these questions. "It's difficult now because I've just beat the best girl here. I think big fights suit me better, but will anyone watch the PFL season without me?" The question is a valid one. The women's flyweight division did not even exist in PFL until this season, as the promotion shut down their lightweight division following Kayla Harrison's departure, instead forming the 125-lb division for Ditcheva, Santos, and Bellator champ Liz Carmouche. As far as big fights, the reference is clear. Valentina Shevchenko barely beat the woman Dakota just annihilated and is coming off a trilogy where she both lost and drew a fight. The UFC flyweight champion is scheduled to defend her title against French kickboxer Manon Fiorot soon. If Fiorot snatches the belt from Valentina, Manon vs. Ditcheva would also instantly become a big fight, as would fights against the likes of Zhang Weili, who may move up to flyweight, and Alexa Grasso. Even Natalia Silva could be a big fight one day, as a young, rising striking talent like Ditcheva herself. The status of 'Dangerous' Dakota's contract is unknown at present, she may be tied to PFL for the 2025 season and even beyond. Yet if she is not, a bidding war may ensue for her services, or she may go looking for big fights anyways now that she has $1 million in her wallet and money is less of an issue. BODY SHOT FINISH! DAKOTA DITCHEVA IS THE 2024 PFL WOMENS FLYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION! #ANDNOW #PFLWorldChampionship LIVE NOW ON ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/cU8qbGIiSeStellar Bancorp stock soars to 52-week high of $30.94
Serbia arrests 12 in connection with railway station roof collapseLOWELL, Mass. (AP) — Max Brooks' 26 points helped UMass-Lowell defeat Dartmouth 92-83 on Saturday. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * LOWELL, Mass. (AP) — Max Brooks' 26 points helped UMass-Lowell defeat Dartmouth 92-83 on Saturday. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? LOWELL, Mass. (AP) — Max Brooks’ 26 points helped UMass-Lowell defeat Dartmouth 92-83 on Saturday. Brooks added nine rebounds and four steals for the River Hawks (8-4). Quinton Mincey added 20 points while going 7 of 10 from the floor, including 3 for 5 from 3-point range, and 3 for 4 from the line while he also had six assists. Martin Somerville shot 3 for 10 (2 for 5 from 3-point range) and 4 of 7 from the free-throw line to finish with 12 points, while adding six rebounds. The Big Green (4-6) were led by Connor Amundsen, who posted 28 points and six assists. Cade Haskins added 16 points for Dartmouth. Jayden Williams also recorded 11 points. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. Advertisement