The Timberwolves have managed to tame a difficult portion of the schedule with three straight victories that have come in varying forms. But one thing has been consistent throughout: Drama. Minnesota rallied in the fourth, then held on for dear life in the closing seconds of Sunday’s 112-110 victory over the San Antonio Spurs at Target Center. ADVERTISEMENT The Wolves’ last three wins have come by a combined nine points. San Antonio had the ball, down two with 13 seconds to play, but Jeremy Sochan’s 3-point attempt at the horn fell woefully short. After another stiflingly slow start — the Wolves trailed 21-10 at one point in the opening frame — the bench unit again breathed life into the operation with pace and intensity. Minnesota blitzed the Spurs 32-12 in the second quarter to take a 12-point advantage into halftime. San Antonio responded, though, taking an eight-point advantage early in the fourth quarter. But, for the third straight game, Minnesota was able to generate decent offense down the stretch to close a game out. It was largely done with defense down the stretch Sunday, as Minnesota induced a number of 3-point misses from Victor Wembanyama down the stretch. Wembanyama finished with 34 points and eight rebounds but also missed a critical free throw that would’ve tied the game with 18 seconds to play. Donte DiVincenzo continued his recent stretch of success. He followed up Friday’s 22-point showing in Houston by scoring 25 points Sunday. As he stood on the floor for a postgame, television interview, Target Center erupted into a “Donte!” chat. He smiled. A rough start now seems to be firmly played in his rearview mirror. ADVERTISEMENT “It’s special,” the wing noted. ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .
Sir Keir Starmer praised the “sense of public service” among officials on Friday following a backlash from unions who accused him of unleashing a “Trumpian” attack on civil servants a day earlier. On Thursday the prime minister gave a speech in which he accused Whitehall of giving up on changing how government works. Setting out six “milestones” for his government, Starmer said that Whitehall had “totally lost sight” of how to drive through reform. In a nod to language used by Donald Trump , he said: “I don’t think there’s a swamp to be drained here, but I do think too many people in Whitehall are comfortable in the tepid bath of managed decline; have forgotten, to paraphrase JFK, that you choose change not becauseThe Score: Intel, Salesforce, American Airlines and More Stocks That Defined the WeekNone
Selden scores 29, Gardner-Webb takes down Bethune-Cookman 79-64
Salma Hayek's shocking 1995 casting photo goes viral Have YOU got a story? Email tips@dailymail.com By SHARON MAI FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 23:35 EST, 29 December 2024 | Updated: 23:37 EST, 29 December 2024 e-mail 3 View comments Salma Hayek 's casting photo from 1995 has gone viral nearly three decades later. The actress, 58, was praised by fans after social media sleuths unearthed a Polaroid photo of her at the beginning of her acting career when she was just breaking into Hollywood . The headshot was accompanied by her acting resume and appeared in Latina Magazine in 2018. In reaction to the photo, social media users gushed about how she looked nearly the same as she does now despite how much time has passed. The Desperado star — who showcased her chic sense of style while taking a smoke break and shopping last month — was lauded for her seemingly ageless beauty. She wore a nude-colored, low-cut T-shrit with a gold cross pendant as she showed off her sultry smolder and her signature, voluminous dark hair. Salma Hayek 's casting photo from 1995 has gone viral nearly three decades later. The actress, 58, was praised by fans after social media sleuths unearthed a Polaroid photo of her at the beginning of her acting career when she was just breaking into Hollywood Alongside the photo, there was an attached resume, which seemed to be from 1997, showing her breakout role as Carolina in Desperado and several other appearances. It showed her roles from the 1993 indie drama Mi Vida Loca all the way up to her breakout appearance in the 1997 romantic comedy Fools Rush In. Her various theater roles and three awards were also listed. Hayek began her entertainment career in 1989 and started making minor acting appearances before her breakout role in 1995. The casting materials provided a glimpse into the trajectory of her rise to superstardom. She went on to star in one of her most iconic roles as Frida Kahlo in the titular biopic Frida in 2002. Hayek's portrayal of the famous Mexican artist earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress. Since then, Hayek has gone on to become an acclaimed film producer in addition to an award-winning actress. In reaction to the photo, social media users gushed about how she looked nearly the same as she does now despite how much time has passed. The Desperado star was lauded for her seemingly ageless beauty Alongside the photo, there was an attached resume, which seemed to be from 1997, showing her breakout role as Carolina in Desperado and several other appearances including one of her most iconic ones in From Dusk Till Dawn; pictured 1996 in From Dusk Till Dawn still The casting materials provided a glimpse into the trajectory of her rise to superstardom. She went on to star in one of her most iconic roles as Frida Kahlo in the titular biopic Frida in 2002 Most recently, she starred opposite Channing Tatum in Magic Mike's Last Dance, which was released in February 2023. Read More Salma Hayek goes bargain hunting on Black Friday in Los Angeles Earlier this year, she talked about her decades-spanning resume and said her acting career improved after she turned 40. About her most iconic, breakout role, she told the Wall Street Journal in October: 'I don't think there was one that opened so many doors. 'I would think every time, "This is the one. Now, you know, people are gonna bring me the good roles." But it didn't happen like that for me,' she explained. 'Even after I was nominated for an Oscar, the type of roles that I got didn't change.' Hayek began her entertainment career in 1989 and started making minor acting appearances before her breakout role in 1995; pictured 1994 Since then, Hayek has gone on to become an acclaimed film producer in addition to an award-winning actress; pictured 1996 in Los Angeles Earlier this year, she talked about her decades-spanning resume and said her acting career improved after she turned 40; pictured November 1995 in Los Angeles About her most iconic, breakout role, she told the Wall Street Journal in October: 'I don't think there was one that opened so many doors; pictured August 1995 in Los Angeles Hayek added: 'What has opened the doors for me, it's been my tenacity, my consistency. I just wouldn't go away. 'And it's funny, just when they told me, like, "After a certain age, that's it, your career is over." That's when my career started getting better.' She continued: 'They said, "You stop working at 40 in Hollywood." 'And here we are, 58, I'm still working.' Channing Tatum Salma Hayek Share or comment on this article: Salma Hayek's shocking 1995 casting photo goes viral e-mail Add comment
Carragher was one of many who were mighty impressed with the full-backs performance against two of Real Madrid's galacticos. Jamie Carragher has heaped praise on Conor Bradley after the right-back’s outstanding display for Liverpool in Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Real Madrid. The 21-year-old marked his maiden Champions League start with a clean sheet and his first assist of the season. His ball to Alexis Mac Allister led to the Argentine’s opener on 52 minutes, nine minutes before Caoimhin Kelleher saved Kylian Mabppe’s penalty. Mohamed Salah then won and missed his own spot kick on 70 minutes. But Cody Gakpo’s second goal in as many Champions League games six minutes later secured Liverpool’s status as table-toppers. Bradley’s night would end three minutes from time due to injury. Having kept Mbappe quiet and got the better of Jude Bellingham throughout the match, Bradley was forced off before the end while feeling his hamstring. He was seen walking around the pitch after full-time, in what fans will hope is a sign his issue is not severe. He duly received praise from Carragher for his showing, with his sturdy display allowing Trent Alexander-Arnold a whole game’s rest with Joe Gomez replacing Bradley upon his injury. Taking to X, Carragher wrote: “What a performance @conorbradley03”, with fire and runing emojis attached. Liverpool will assess Bradley and his fitness ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash with Manchester City, when Alexander-Arnold is expected to return. He has not played for two-and-a-half weeks since picking up his hamstring problem in the 2-0 win over Aston Villa. The Reds, meanwhile, also have concern over Ibrahima Konate, who finished the game on the turf holding his leg. He managed to walk off the pitch but sported a limp on the way back to the dressing room.
Asian shares were mixed on Monday after stocks fell broadly on Friday as Wall Street closed out a holiday-shortened week on a down note. U.S. futures were lower while oil prices were little changed. In Asia, South Korea’s Kospi added 0.6% to 2,418.80. But shares of Jeju Air Co. lost 8.8% after one of the company’s jets skidded off a runway , slammed into a concrete fence and burst into flames Sunday in South Korea as its landing gear failed to deploy. 179 people died in the crash. Political turmoil continued as South Korean law enforcement officials requested a court warrant on Monday to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol. They are investigating whether his martial law decree on Dec. 3 amounted to rebellion. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index lost 0.9% to 39,914.21 as the dollar gained against the Japanese yen, trading at 157.83 yen, up from 157.75 yen. The Tokyo market will wrap up trading for 2024 with a yearend ceremony as Japan begins its New Year holidays, the biggest festival of the year. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong shed 0.3% to 20,030.63 while the Shanghai Composite index was up 0.3% at 3,408.72. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 dipped 0.9% to 8,191.50. On Friday, the S&P 500 fell 1.1% to 5,970.84. Roughly 90% of stocks in the benchmark index lost ground, but it managed to hold onto a modest gain of 0.7% for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.8% to 42,992.21. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite fell 1.5%, to 19,722.03. The losses were made worse by sharp declines for the Big Tech stocks known as the “Magnificent 7”, which can heavily influence the direction of the market because of their large size. A wide range of retailers also fell. Amazon fell 1.5% and Best Buy slipped 1.5%. The sector is being closely watched for clues on how it performed during the holiday shopping season. The S&P 500 gained nearly 3% over a 3-day stretch before breaking for the Christmas holiday. On Thursday, the index posted a small decline. Despite Friday's drop, the market is moving closer to another standout annual finish . The S&P 500 is on track for a gain of around 25% in 2024. That would mark a second consecutive yearly gain of more than 20%, the first time that has happened since 1997-1998. The gains have been driven partly by upbeat economic data showing that consumers continued spending and the labor market remained strong. Inflation, while still high, has also been steadily easing. A report on Friday showed that sales and inventory estimates for the wholesales trade industry fell 0.2% in November, following a slight gain in October. That weaker-than-expected report follows an update on the labor market Thursday that showed unemployment benefits held steady last week. The stream of upbeat economic data and easing inflation helped prompt a reversal in the Federal Reserve's interest rate policy this year. Expectations for interest rate cuts also helped drive market gains. The central bank recently delivered its third cut to interest rates in 2024. Even though inflation has come closer to the central bank's target of 2%, it remains stubbornly above that mark and worries about it heating up again have tempered the forecast for more interest rate cuts. Inflation concerns have added to uncertainties heading into 2025, which include the labor market’s path ahead and shifting economic policies under incoming President Donald Trump. Worries have risen that Trump’s preference for tariffs and other policies could lead to higher inflation , a bigger U.S. government debt and difficulties for global trade. In other dealings early Monday, U.S. benchmark crude oil picked up 1 cent to $70.61 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, lost 1 cent to $73.78 per barrel. The euro fell to $1.0427 from $1.0433.
Sight sciences EVP Manohar Raheja acquires $19,250 in stockBills' letdowns on defense, special teams and clock management in loss to Rams are all too familiar
The Jharkhand Assembly election results declared on Saturday (November 23, 2024) reveal that the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) rhetoric of “Bangladeshi infiltration” in the Santhal Pargana region failed to consolidate Scheduled Tribe voters in its favour, with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance losing 27 of the 28 ST-reserved seats it contested across the State. Jharkhand Assembly election results 2024: LIVE coverage The BJP itself contested 25 of the 28 seats spread across the Santhal Pargana, Kolhan, South Chotanagpur, and Palamu regions. It won only in Seraikella, where former Chief Minister Champai Soren, who had jumped over from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, emerged victorious with a margin of more than 20,000 votes. However, the BJP lost the Khunti and Torpa seats to the JMM, bringing the NDA’s tally in ST seats down to one from three in 2019. Located in the northeastern part of the State, many of the Santhal Pargana region’s seats border West Bengal. The INDIA bloc also secured about 52% of the votes in the region — its highest vote share across all regions in this election — marking an increase of over 12 percentage points compared with 2019. Further, in Santhal Pargana, the BJP also lost general seats like Rajmahal, Sarath, and Godda. In Rajmahal, where the BJP’s incumbent Anant Kumar Ojha had been winning since 2009, the JMM’s Mohammad Tajuddin won with a margin of over 43,000 votes. The BJP also lost Sarath to the JMM and Godda to the Rashtriya Janta Dal, which also beat the BJP in Deoghar, an SC seat that the party had won in 2019 and 2014. In the Santhal Pargana region, the JMM-Congress-RJD alliance won 17 of the 18 Assembly seats , with the BJP coming out on top in Jarmundi, which was won by the Congress in the 2014 and 2019 Assembly polls. The BJP ran its campaign for this election in Jharkhand on the platform of “Bangladeshi infiltration” in the Santhal Pargana region. The party framed this issue as a threat to Jharkhand’s identity as an Adivasi State, linking it not only to “demographic changes” in the region, but also to crimes against tribal women, land alienation, and the perceived erosion of indigenous cultural practices. It combined slogans like “protect Adivasis’ Roti, Beti, Mati” with “Ek Hain to Safe Hain” to disrupt the INDIA bloc’s longstanding coalition of Muslims and Adivasis. The JMM countered this narrative on three fronts: holding the BJP-led Union government responsible for controlling infiltration; branding the BJP star campaigners as “outsiders” who were unable to prevent atrocities against tribals in their own States; and citing BJP MPs’ suggestions to carve out Santhal Pargana from Jharkhand as purported evidence that the BJP sought to “break” the State. While the BJP was boosting its campaign by flooding social media with advertisements on the “infiltration” issue and getting Sangh Parivar-affiliated Vanvasi Kalyan Ashrams to promise a National Register of Citizens, the JMM’s campaign chose to take its talking points to the people by flooding local WhatsApp groups at the district-level. The BJP’s narrative on the alleged infiltration also got a fillip with the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes conducting “investigations” and publishing “reports” on the issue even as the JMM-led State government and the BJP-led Union government fought out this battle before the Jharkhand High Court in the months ahead of the election. In fact, leaders like Mr. Champai Soren and Lobin Hembram publicly said that one of the principal reasons for their switch to the BJP was the issue of alleged infiltration in Santhal Pargana threatening tribal way of life. While Mr. Hembram lost his Borio seat by a margin of 19,000 votes to the JMM’s Dhananjay Soren, the impact of Mr. Champai Soren’s switch to the BJP was limited in the Kolhan region. In Santhal Pargana’s Jamtara region, the BJP had attempted to boil its “infiltration” rhetoric down to the fight between the Congress’s Irfan Ansari and JMM founder Shibu Soren’s daughter-in-law Sita Murmu Soren, who contested on BJP ticket. Here too, Ms. Soren lost by a margin of over 43,000 votes. In the Kolhan region, the BJP won back the Jamshedpur East Assembly constituency after losing it to an Independent in 2019. In Ghatsila, Mr. Champai’s son, Babu Lal Soren, lost to the JMM by over 22,000 votes and in Potka seat, where former Union Minister and ex-Chief Minister Arjun Munda’s wife Meera Munda was contesting, the JMM’s Sanjib Sardar won by close to 28,000 votes. The Janata Dal (United) helped the BJP by winning the Jamshedpur West seat in addition to Seraikella and Jamshedpur East. However, the JMM won 10 other seats in the region, with its ally Congress retaining the Jaganathpur seat. In the South Chotanagpur region, where the network of the Sangh Parivar-affiliated Vanvasi Kalyan Ashrams ran a shadow campaign for the BJP in Adivasi villages on the promise of an NRC to counter “infiltration” despite it being missing from the party’s manifesto, the BJP failed to win any of 11 ST-reserved seats. The BJP was dealt a blow by the JMM on the Khunti seat, which has traditionally been a bastion of the BJP ever since the State was formed. It was wrested by the JMM’s Ram Surya Munda, who beat the BJP’s incumbent Nilkanth Singh Munda (five-time MLA) by a margin of over 42,000 votes. The BJP also lost the Torpa seat, which it had won in 2019. In just Ranchi and Hatia seats, BJP incumbents C.P. Singh and Navin Jaiswal retained their positions. While the Congress wrested the Kanke (SC) seat from the BJP with a margin of less than 1,000 votes, the JMM defeated NDA-ally All Jharkhand Students’ Union in the Silli seat. Published - November 23, 2024 11:13 pm IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Jharkhand Assembly Elections 2024 / Jharkhand / Bharatiya Janata Party / Assembly Elections / state politicsCEO predicts 5-day week will be scrappedNeem seed extract improves effectiveness of pesticide December 6, 2024 Texas A&M University A research group has developed an innovative pesticide delivery system called nanopesticides. These tiny technologies could change how we use pesticides. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email Pesticides can be made more effective and environmentally friendly by improving how they stick to plant surfaces, thanks to new research led by Dr. Mustafa Akbulut, professor of chemical engineering at Texas A&M University. Akbulut and his research group have developed an innovative pesticide delivery system called nanopesticides. These tiny technologies, developed through a collaboration between Texas A&M University's engineering and agricultural colleges, Dr. Luis Cisneros-Zevallo, professor of Horticultural Science and Dr. Younjin Min, professor of Chemical Environ Engineering at University of California, Riverside, could change how we use pesticides. "The U.S. is a world leader in agricultural production, feeding not just our nation but much of the world. Yet we are using pesticides in a way that is simply not sustainable -- with a substantial fraction not reaching its intended target," said Akbulut. "Our research shows that by optimizing the surface chemistry of pesticide carriers, we can make these essential crop protection tools more efficient." The team studied different types of nanopesticide carriers, testing their "stickiness" to pepper leaves, a representative model for many important crops. They discovered that the carrier's surface chemistry plays an important role in how well the nanopesticide adheres to the plant. Nanopesticides encapsulate the active pesticide ingredients within microscopic carriers. Think of it like delivering a targeted package directly to the pest, minimizing collateral damage. This research focused on understanding how these nanopesticides interact with plant surfaces, a crucial step in maximizing their effectiveness. Pesticides are essential for protecting crops from pests and diseases, and without them, we would lose a huge portion of our harvests -- up to 70-80% of fruits, 40-50% of vegetables, and 20-30% of cereals. However, current pesticide application methods are incredibly inefficient. More than 80-90% of sprayed pesticides miss their target entirely, ending up in the environment where they can cause harm. This waste is not only bad for the planet, but it is also economically unsustainable. This compound, which Akbulut and Yashwanth Arcot, Ph.D candidate discuss in their paper published in Surfaces and Interfaces Journal, is a mixture of Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate (ELA), a food preservative compound, and neem seed extract. Arcot's interest in the research focuses on nanopesticide chemistry to ensure a higher targeting ability and the strong correlation between the nanopesticide carrier and its adsorption behavior. Akbulut believes that by using nanopesticide, he can increase the efficacy by better targeting the plant surface. Akbulut and his team aim to achieve this by taking various pesticides and modifying their interfacial properties using carriers that are best suited to interact with the plant surface characteristics. Overall, the goal of the research is to find a way for more efficient and environmentally friendly pesticide formulations that are sustainable for agricultural practices and global food security. "This study addresses a critical challenge in sustainable agriculture by optimizing nanopesticide systems to enhance efficacy, reduce environmental pollution, and minimize impacts on non-target organisms and human health," Arcot said. Neem seed is a naturally occurring pesticide that comes from the seeds of the neem tree and is used to control pests and diseases on crops. The extract from a neem seed tree grows mostly in India but is organic pesticide management. "Organic pesticides use this formulation, and we also use this molecule in the center. Although the carriers are different, the active ingredient inhibits or inactivates the pest." According to the paper, among various types of pesticides, nanopesticides have shown to be an advanced crop protection strategy that relies on agricultural technology, nanotechnology, and materials chemistry. Akbulut said this discovery has profound implications for the future of agriculture. By tailoring the surface chemistry of nanopesticides, scientists can optimize their effectiveness, ensuring that more of the pesticide reaches the target pest and less ends up polluting the environment. "For farmers or industry who are using the pesticides, they will clearly understand the value of this research," Akbulut said. "Pesticides, in general, are considered bad for the environment, using neem seed extract ensures crop survival from pests and is non-toxic for consumption." Story Source: Materials provided by Texas A&M University . Original written by Raven Wuebker. Note: Content may be edited for style and length. Journal Reference : Cite This Page :
I tried the 'simplified' makeup brand REFY and one product stayed perfectly in place for ten hours
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), C-DAC, Indian Toy Industries and LEGO Group celebrated the Convocation Ceremony of the 1 st batch of engineering graduates who have spent one year training under the project ‘Development of Electronics and IT-based Control and Automation Solutions for Consumer Electronic Goods (Toy Industry)’. The project is a tailored made initiative of the R&D group of MeitY to foster the growth of the Indian electronic toys industry by developing prototypes and equipping young engineers, including from under-represented communities with the skills needed to design such toys. Under this MeitY initiative, young engineers were selected from across India from SC/ST and NER background and engaged in R&D activities for a year, with hands-on experience in designing and developing electronic toys for the first six months, working and learning in the toy labs at C-DAC-Noida followed by a six-month training at industry to create toy prototypes based on industry needs. The participants were provided with a monthly stipend of Rs. 25,000 for one year. To provide a global exposure to the interns, the LEGO Group has joined as a knowledge partner. From October 2023 till March 2024, Sam Coates, Head of Innovation (Interactive) at the LEGO Group’s Creative Play Lab (CPL), delivered webinars to the young engineers, providing insights on CPL’s experimentation mindset, guidance on toy development and standards, and feedback on toy prototypes developed by the engineering students. During the Event, Secretary, MeitY announced the Electronic Toy Hackathon (e-Toycathon). And Shri Sanjay Mehndiratta, MD, Toys Zone offered appointment letters to 10 Trained Students. Commenting on the occasion, Secretary, MeitY said, “India has a growing market of electronic toys and to build the Indian toy industry ecosystem, Electronics and IT can play a crucial role. I am very happy that the building blocks for it are getting created and the next generation of engineers are working towards it. This program can be formalized in a bigger way to cater more students and more impact in overall promotion of the Toy industries. We could setup a CoE with the help of STPI/MSH and other institutes with electronic toys in focus. It will help in creating entrepreneurship/startups. I wish the graduating students all the very best for their future.” This convocation ceremony, held on November 23, 2024 at MeitY was graced by Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, Shri Bhuvnesh Kumar, Additional Secretary, MeitY, Ms. Sunita Verma, Group Coordinator, R&D in E & IT, Shri Vivek Khaneja, ED, CDAC-Noida, Shri Manu Gupta, Chairman, Toys Association of India, Shri Sanjay Mehndiratta, MD, Toys Zone, Shri Vipin Nijhawan, MD, S.R. & Sons and Ms. Bhavana Mandon, Country Manager, LEGO Group in India.
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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Nick Sirianni wore the hat given to NFC East champions as he sat at the podium and considered all the greatness that his Eagles still could accomplish this season. Personal goals, sure. Saquon Barkley has Eric Dickerson's NFL rushing record in sight. Team goals, absolutely. There are playoff games and a Super Bowl to try and win — and this Philadelphia team sure plays like one that could win it all. “It’s cool, I’m not going to downplay it," Barkley said of the division crown. “At the end of the day, you’re not getting remembered for being a 2024 NFC East division champ.” Barkley rushed for 167 yards to top 2,000 on the season , backup quarterback Kenny Pickett ran and threw for scores before departing with injured ribs, and the Eagles clinched the division title by routing the Dallas Cowboys 41-7 on Sunday. Barkley has 2,005 yards and needs 101 in next Sunday's mostly meaningless regular-season finale to top Dickerson and his 2,105 yards for the Los Angeles Rams in 1984. The Eagles (13-3) led 24-7 in the third quarter when Pickett was drilled by defensive end Micah Parsons, ending his first start in place of the concussed Jalen Hurts. Tanner McKee, a career third-stringer, entered the game and the Eagles finished the drive with a field goal. McKee later threw two TD passes, a 20-yarder to A.J. Brown and a 25-yarder to DeVonta Smith, in front of a roaring crowd delighted to watch the Eagles dominate their rivals to wrap up the division title and at least the No. 2 seed in the NFC. “We always want to do special things. I think winning the division is always a special thing, and then our goals are much bigger from here,” Sirianni said. “I think we’ve got special guys.” Hurts was injured in last week's loss at Washington and remains in the NFL's concussion protocol — he didn’t practice all week -- which opened the door for Pickett to start. Pickett, acquired from Pittsburgh in the offseason, played with extra protection under his jersey after he suffered a rib injury when he was pressed into service against the Commanders. Sore ribs or not, Pickett was pumped for this start all week. He was raised a diehard Eagles fan in central New Jersey about 80 miles from Lincoln Financial Field and recalled “great memories” of going to games with his dad and grandfather since he was 5 years old. The 26-year-old Pickett said he had plenty of family at the Linc to cheer him on against Dallas (7-9). More than 60,000 other Eagles rooted him on, too, but Pickett's dream day ended prematurely. He finished 10 of 15 for 143 yards. With the Eagles no longer having a division title to play for, it's likely Hurts will rest another week ahead of the playoffs. Now, Pickett could be sidelined as well — possibly forcing McKee into the starting lineup. Barkley had 31 carries and his last one went for 23 yards to push him over 2,000. He could also sit out rather than risk injury chasing Dickerson's record. Barkley, who left the Giants and signed a three-year deal with the Eagles for $26 million guaranteed, set the NFL mark for most yards rushing in a player's first season with a new team. The friends and family that traveled to see Pickett play had to wait a bit after Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson returned an interception 69 yards for a score on Dallas’ opening drive. Cooper Rush — who threw for 147 yards and had two interceptions — followed on the next drive for Dallas with a 4-yard TD pass to Jalen Tolbert. Pickett connected with Grant Calcaretta for 34 yards and then hit Smith — who had six catches total for 120 yards — for a 22-yard score and a 14-7 lead. The Eagles' defense broke the game open when a recovered fumble led to Jake Elliott’s 31-yard field goal and Gardner-Johnson’s second pick of the day set up Pickett's rushing score on a tush push. Just like Hurts. Pickett took two tough shots on the same drive on the third: Osa Odighizuwa was flagged for roughing the passer on a late hit and Parsons delivered the knockout blow. The Eagles were thrilled to have a capable backup QB who went 14-10 as a starter with the Steelers. His performance prompted Pittsburgh legend and Fox broadcaster Terry Bradshaw to say the Steelers never should have gotten rid of him. “All I wanted to accomplish today was to get the win, for the team, for the city,” Pickett said. Cowboys struggle The injury-depleted Cowboys had won four of five but were no match for Philadelphia. “We knew it was going to be a different game with the plan this week,” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said. “To be honest with you, we didn’t really get to some of the things we’d hope to get to.” The teams scuffled late in the game, and Eagles defensive back Sydney Brown was ejected after an altercation in a stadium tunnel. Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Brooks and cornerback Troy Pride were also thrown out. Injuries Cowboys: S Donovan Wilson suffered a knee injury. ... All-Pro WR CeeDee Lamb was shut down for the final two weeks with a sprained right shoulder. Eagles: DE Bryce Huff briefly left with a shoulder injury sustained in his first game back since he was activated off the injured list. He had wrist surgery. Up next The Cowboys host Washington next Sunday in their final game of the season. The Eagles tune up for the playoffs with a home game against the Giants next Sunday. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLRarely does a college basketball game provide such stark contrast between the sport's haves and have-nots as when Jackson State faces No. 9 Kentucky on Friday in Lexington, Ky. While Kentucky claims eight NCAA Tournament crowns and the most wins in college basketball history, Jackson State has never won an NCAA Tournament game and enters the matchup looking for its first win of the season. Impressive tradition and current record aside, Kentucky (4-0) returned no scholarship players from last season's team that was knocked off by Oakland in the NCAA Tournament. New coach Mark Pope and his essentially all-new Wildcats are off to a promising start. Through four games, Kentucky is averaging 94.3 points per game, and with 11.5 3-pointers made per game, the team is on pace to set a school record from long distance. The Wildcats boast six double-figure scorers with transfer guards Otega Oweh (from Oklahoma, 15.0 ppg) and Koby Brea (from Dayton, 14.5 ppg) leading the team. The Wildcats defeated Duke 77-72 on Nov. 12 but showed few signs of an emotional letdown in Tuesday's 97-68 win over a Lipscomb team picked to win the Atlantic Sun Conference in the preseason. Kentucky drained a dozen 3-pointers while outrebounding their visitors 43-28. Guard Jaxson Robinson, held to a single point by Duke, dropped 20 points to lead the Kentucky attack. Afterward, Pope praised his team's focus, saying, "The last game was over and it was kind of on to, ‘How do we get better?' That's the only thing we talk about." Lipscomb coach Lennie Acuff also delivered a ringing endorsement, calling Kentucky "the best offensive Power Four team we've played in my six years at Lipscomb." Jackson State (0-5) and third-year coach Mo Williams are looking for something positive to build upon. Not only are the Tigers winless, but they have lost each game by nine or more points. Sophomore guard Jayme Mitchell Jr. (13.8 ppg) is the leading scorer, but the team shoots just 35.8 percent while allowing opponents to shoot 52.3 percent. The Tigers played on Wednesday at Western Kentucky, where they lost 79-62. Reserve Tamarion Hoover had a breakout game with 18 points to lead Jackson State, but the host Hilltoppers canned 14 3-point shots and outrebounded the Tigers 42-35 to grab the win. Earlier, Williams, who played against Kentucky while a student at Alabama, admitted the difficulties of a challenging nonconference schedule for his team. "Our goal is not to win 13 nonconference games," Williams said. "We're already at a disadvantage in that regard. We use these games to get us ready for conference play and for March Madness." Jackson State has not made the NCAA Tournament since 2007. The Tigers had a perfect regular-season record (11-0) in the Southwestern Athletic Conference in 2020-21 but lost in the league tournament. Kentucky has never played Jackson State before, but the game is being billed as part of a Unity Series of matchups in which Kentucky hosts members of the SWAC to raise awareness of Historical Black Colleges and Universities and provide funds for those schools. Past Unity Series opponents have been Southern in December 2021 and Florida A&M in December 2022. --Field Level Media
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