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Grades: Nebraska 44, Wisconsin 25Vermillion, S.D. There was the famous “The Pitch” in 1985 semifinals that sent North Dakota State on its way to a Division II national football championship. On Saturday, the Bison had “The Drive,” taking almost an entire quarter for an apparent game-winning score and a Missouri Valley Football Conference championship all to themselves. ADVERTISEMENT Then came “The Meltdown.” What transpired in the final four minutes at the Fargodome was a hard lesson for the Bison, a 29-28 loss that seemed almost over, but it wasn’t. “No. 1, there should be no one crying in there,” said head coach Tim Polasek, pointing at the locker room. “This isn’t time to cry. It’s time to be really upset and angry and reflect on yourself what you could have done better.” Polasek called USD’s two touchdowns in the last four minutes poor fundamentals, first allowing Jack Martens to get behind the Bison secondary for a 40-yard touchdown reception with 3:22 remaining. That cut NDSU’s lead to 28-23 after a failed two-point conversion. But on the ensuing kickoff, with NDSU having its “hands” team on the field in anticipation of some sort of squib kick, instead the Coyotes booted it deep and NDSU returner RaJa Nelson was forced to track it down. It took the perfect bounce for USD, and Nelson was forced out of bounds at his 2-yard line. “I’ve struggled with that my whole career,” Polasek said. “It’s the 50-50 gamble. I couldn’t really get a pulse, the kid really turned the laces hard, even on normal kickoffs. When they turn it hard, it usually means a squib. We have to handle it better and unfortunately for us it took a helluva bounce.” ADVERTISEMENT He also would have liked to have seen Nelson play a little deeper in that situation. Regardless, the Bison got one first down when quarterback Cam Miller gained three yards on third-and-3 to the 12. But three plays got three yards and NDSU punted. USD took over at its 42-yard line with 1:14 remaining and six plays later the DakotaDome was erupting in a rally party. The Bison have done that rally trick a few times over the years to other teams, but those last four minutes were a rare sight. Almost hard to believe, rare. Receiver Javion Phelps was so wide open on the game-winning 25-yard pass with 12 seconds remaining that it looked like busted coverage. Polasek, when asked if he would have done anything different in the last two minutes, said he would have taken a time out before the last touchdown pass. “The book tells you not to, but just to regroup our defense and make sure our pass rush was ready to go,” he said. Ultimately, it was a collection of big plays that did in the Bison. Trailing 28-17 and facing fourth-and-10, USD quarterback Aidan Bouman hit Phelps for 37 yards to the NDSU 40-yard line. The touchdown to Martens came two plays later. That drive took 48 seconds. ADVERTISEMENT “We beat ourselves, that’s all it is,” said Bison defensive lineman Will Mostaert. “I thought we didn’t play great, we have to play better. We have to be ready for those situations where we have to get stops. Not going to win games if you don’t get stops.” It seemed over when the Bison went on a monstrous 20-play, 99-yard drive that took most of the fourth quarter. It took 10:53 and started on a four-yard run by Marty Brown on the last play of the third quarter. NDSU converted two fourth-and-ones, with Miller picking up the first on a three-yard run at his own 37-yard line. His 16-yard run picked up the other. The drive appeared stalled and Griffin Crosa booted a 30-yard field goal, but USD was called for a personal foul for leaping over the line of scrimmage. Brown bulled in from the 1 and it was 28-17 with 4:10 left. Then Bouman took over. He was on the verge of being sacked on a couple of the big completions but didn’t go down. “He completed the right throws, had some really good balls and we had some breakdowns,” Mostaert said. It was probably a long bus ride back to Fargo for all involved with the team. NDSU still claimed a share of the conference title, although it certainly didn’t feel like it. ADVERTISEMENT “That loss belongs to both sides of the ball,” Polasek said. “We talk a lot about ending games on our terms and we had a chance to do that offensively.”
As part of a national “moonshot” to cure blindness, researchers at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus will receive as much as $46 million in federal funding over the next five years to pursue a first-of-its-kind full eye transplantation. “This is no easy undertaking, but I believe we can achieve this together,” said Dr. Kia Washington, the lead researcher for the University of Colorado-led team, during a press conference Monday. “And in fact I’ve never been more hopeful that a cure for blindness is within reach.” The CU team was one of four in the United States that received funding awards from the federal Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health , or ARPA-H. The CU-based group will focus on achieving the first-ever vision-restoring eye transplant by using “novel stem cell and bioelectronic technologies,” according to a news release announcing the funding. The work will be interdisciplinary, Washington and others said, and will link together researchers at institutions across the country. The four teams that received the funding will work alongside each other on distinct approaches, though officials said the teams would likely collaborate and eventually may merge depending on which research avenues show the most promise toward achieving the ultimate goal of transplanting an eye and curing blindness. Dr. Calvin Roberts, who will oversee the broader project for ARPA-H, said the agency wanted to take multiple “shots on goal” to ensure progress. “In the broader picture, achieving this would be probably the most monumental task in medicine within the last several decades,” said Dr. Daniel Pelaez of the University of Miami’s Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, which also received ARPA-H funding. Pelaez is the lead investigator for that team, which has pursued new procedures to successfully remove and preserve eyes from donors, amid other research. He told The Denver Post that only four organ systems have not been successfully transplanted: the inner ear, the brain, the spinal cord and the eye. All four are part of the central nervous system, which does not repair itself when damaged. If researchers can successfully transplant the human eye and restore vision to the patient, it might help unlock deeper discoveries about repairing damage to the brain and spine, Pelaez said, as well as addressing hearing loss. To succeed, researchers must successfully remove and preserve eyes from donors and then successfully connect and repair the optical nerve, which takes information from the eye and tells the brain what the eye sees. A team at New York University performed a full eye transplant on a human patient in November 2023, though the procedure — while a “remarkable achievement,” Pelaez said — did not restore the patient’s vision. It was also part of a partial face transplant; other approaches pursued via the ARPA-H funding will involve eye-specific transplants. Washington, the lead CU researcher, said she and her colleagues have already completed the eye transplant procedure — albeit without vision restoration — in rats. The CU team will next work on large animals to advance “optic nerve regenerative strategies,” the school said, as well as to study immunosuppression, which is critical to ensuring that patients’ immune systems don’t reject a donated organ. The goal is to eventually advance to human trials. Pelaez and his colleagues have completed their eye-removal procedure in cadavers, he said, and they’ve also studied regeneration in several animals that are capable of regenerating parts of their eyes, like salamanders or zebra fish. His team’s funding will focus in part on a life-support machine for the eye to keep it healthy and viable during the removal process. InGel Therapeutics, a Massachusetts-based Harvard spinoff and the lead of a third team, will pursue research on 3-D printed technology and “micro-tunneled scaffolds” that carry certain types of stem cells as part of a focus on optical nerve regeneration and repair, ARPA-H said. ARPH-A, created two years ago, will oversee the teams’ work. Researchers at 52 institutions nationwide will also contribute to the teams. The CU-led group will include researchers from the University of Southern California, the University of Wisconsin, Indiana University and Johns Hopkins University, as well as from the National Eye Institute . The teams will simultaneously compete and collaborate: Pelaez said his team has communicated with researchers at CU and at Stanford, another award recipient, about their eye-removal research. The total funding available for the teams is $125 million, ARPA-H officials said Monday, and it will be distributed in phases, in part dependent on teams’ success. U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, a Democrat who represents Denver in Congress, acknowledged the recent election results at the press conference Monday and pledged to continue fighting to preserve ARPA-H’s funding under President-elect Donald Trump’s administration. The effort to cure blindness, Washington joked, was “biblical” in its enormity — a reference to the Bible story in which Jesus cures a blind man. She and others also likened it to a moonshot, meaning the effort to successfully put Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the moon nearly 50 years ago. If curing blindness is similar to landing on the moon, then the space shuttle has already left the launchpad, Washington said. “We have launched,” she said, “and we are on our trajectory.”
Joly, Blair condemn anti-NATO protest in Montreal that saw fires, smashed windows
The masked gunman who stalked and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel used ammunition emblazoned with the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose,” a law enforcement official said Thursday. The gunman is still at large and a manhunt is underway. Here's the latest: Just minutes before the shooting, the suspect was seen on surveillance footage purchasing the two items from a nearby Starbucks. Both the water bottle and protein bar wrapper were later recovered from a trash can in the vicinity of the killing, according to a police spokesperson. They’ve been sent to the city’s medical examiner for expedited fingerprint testing. As the suspect remained at large Thursday afternoon, New York police were sorting through a growing number of leads coming in through a public hotline. Many have been unfounded, including a tip from a commuter who claimed to have spotted the shooter on a Long Island Rail Road train Wednesday evening. Police searched the train, but found no sign of the gunman. Members of the public have also provided police with several different names of people who bear a resemblance to the gunman — though they have yet to confirm the shooter’s identity. NYPD spokesperson Carlos Nieves urged anyone with information to contact the department “even if it seems trivial.” “We ask you to call the tip line because that little piece of information could be the missing piece of the puzzle that ties everything together,” he said. Users’ reactions — and in many cases jokes — populated comment sections teeming with frustration toward health insurers broadly and UnitedHealthcare in particular. “I would be happy to help look for the shooter but vision isn’t covered under my healthcare plan,” one comment read on Instagram. “Thoughts and prior authorizations!” wrote another user. Images released by police of a person they say is wanted for questioning in connection with the shooting match the lobby of the HI New York City hostel on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Both feature a black-and-white checkered floor and a distinctive bench in the shape of a semicircle. Matheus Taranto, a guest at the hostel who’s visiting from Brazil, says he saw police at the lodging Wednesday evening. He said an officer wouldn’t let him access a bathroom where he wanted to brush his teeth. “I asked why, he was like, no, nothing happened,” said Taranto, 24. He didn’t connect the dots with the shooting until later. In Minnesota, police in the Minneapolis suburb of Maple Grove, where Thompson lived, said Thursday they believe a bomb threat on Wednesday night was a hoax. Maple Grove police put out a statement Thursday saying a “suspected swatting investigation” was underway. The department said it received a report of a bomb threat directed at two addresses around 7 p.m. CT Wednesday. The Minneapolis Bomb Squad and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office assisted, but investigators found no suspicions devices or other items. “The case is considered an active investigation, while the incident appears to be a hoax. No further comments will be made at this time,” the police statement said. Police reports provided to The Associated Press by the department show that officers made contact with family members at one of the homes and were told they had seen nothing suspicious and had received no direct threats. Back in Thompson’s home state of Minnesota, authorities were investigating a bomb threat that reportedly was made against his home Wednesday night, after his death. It was first reported by TMZ. City Prosecutor Andrew Draper confirmed to The Associated Press via email Thursday that he received an email Wednesday night “regarding a bomb threat. I reported it to the Maple Grove Police Department and do not have any additional information.” Maple Grove police officials did not immediately respond to requests for details Thursday. Local ATF spokesperson Ashlee Sherrill said: “ATF was made aware of the incident in Maple Grove last night, but no ATF resources were deployed. We are unable to confirm any further details.” A local FBI spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for information on the FBI’s involvement in the investigation. The words emblazoned on the ammunition used in the shooting – “deny,” “defend” and “depose” – were written in permanent marker, according to a law enforcement official. The official wasn’t authorized to publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. — Jake Offenhartz As of Thursday morning, police were still searching for the shooter. They released new photos of a person they said is wanted for questioning in connection with the shooting. The images match the lobby of the HI New York City hostel on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, including its black-and-white checkered floor and a distinctive bench in the shape of a semi-circle. An employee at the hostel said police had visited but declined to provide further information. Danielle Brumfitt, a spokesperson for the lodging, said in an emailed statement that they are cooperating with the NYPD but can’t comment due to the active investigation. According to the official who spoke to AP about the ammunition messaging, investigators are running DNA and fingerprint analysis on items found near the shooting, including a water bottle, that they believe the suspect may have discarded. Additionally, they’re looking into whether the suspect had pre-positioned a bike as part of an escape plan. Doctors and patients have become particularly frustrated with prior authorizations, which are requirements that an insurer approve surgery or care before it happens. UnitedHealthcare was named in an October report detailing how the insurer’s prior authorization denial rate for some Medicare Advantage patients has surged in recent years. The report from the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations also named rivals Humana and CVS. Insurers say tactics like prior authorization are needed to limit unnecessary care and help control spiraling medical costs. Frustrations extend beyond the coverage of care. Expensive breakthrough medications to slow Alzheimer’s disease or help with obesity are frequently not covered or have coverage limits. In the U.S. health care system, patients get coverage through a mix of private insurers such as UnitedHealthcare and government-funded programs such as Medicaid and Medicare. That can prove particularly frustrating for doctors and patients because coverage often varies by insurer. Polls reflect those frustrations with the U.S. health care system in general and insurance companies in particular. About two-thirds of Americans said health insurance companies deserve “a lot of blame” for high health care costs, according to a KFF poll conducted in February . Thompson’s wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News that he told her “there were some people that had been threatening him.” She didn’t have details but suggested the threats may have involved issues with insurance coverage. Eric Werner, the police chief in the Minneapolis suburb where Thompson lived, said his department had not received any reports of threats against the executive. A message left at the scene of an insurance executive’s fatal shooting — “deny,” “defend” and “depose” — echoes a phrase commonly used to describe insurer tactics to avoid paying claims. The three words were emblazoned on the ammunition a masked gunman used to kill UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson , a law enforcement official told The Associated Press on Thursday. They’re similar to the phrase “delay, deny, defend” — the way some attorneys describe how insurers deny services and payment, and the title of a 2010 book that was highly critical of the industry. Police haven’t officially commented on the wording or any connection between them and the common phrase. But Thompson’s shooting and the messages on the ammunition have sparked outrage on social media and elsewhere, reflecting a deepening frustration Americans have over the cost and complexity of getting care. ▶ Read more about the messaging left behind by the shooter The New York Police Department released photos Thursday morning, asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the individual pictured. Police say the person is wanted for questioning in connection with the shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO. A Senate panel has been investigating how frequently three major insurers, including UnitedHealthcare, deny care to patients who are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans. It has also investigated the use of artificial intelligence in deny those claims. Medicare Advantage is the private version of Medicare, which provides health insurance to millions of older Americans. The Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee’s report released earlier this year found that as UnitedHealthcare relied more on its automated system to review claims denials increased for post-acute treatment, which includes nursing home or rehabilitation care. The insurer denied nearly a quarter of claims, a rate that doubled over just a two-year period from 2020 to 2022. Joseph Kenny, the NYPD chief of detectives, says the shooter wore a black face mask, black-and-white sneakers and a distinctive gray backpack. He arrived outside the hotel about five minutes before UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson did, then waited and ignored other pedestrians before he approached Thompson from behind. After the assailant began to fire, his 9 mm pistol jammed but he quickly fixed it and kept firing, Kenny said, another sign of the shooter’s professionalism. “From watching the video, it does seem that he’s proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly,” Kenny said. The hostels were on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and police were following a tip that the suspect may have stayed at one of the residences, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation. The official requested anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss the ongoing search. According to an employee of Kama Central Park, two detectives arrived at the hostel at 7 a.m. Thursday with a photo of the shooter and asked staff if they recognized the man. They did not, the employee said, and the detectives left soon after. An employee at the nearby HI New York City hostel also confirmed that police had visited the location Thursday, but declined to provide further information. — Jake Offenhartz New York Mayor Eric Adams said Thursday the shooter used a silencer — something he’d never encountered in his 22 years as a police officer. “In all of my years in law enforcement I have never seen a silencer before,” Adams, a retired NYPD captain, said in an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “And so that was really something that was shocking to us all.” The masked gunman used ammunition emblazoned with the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose,” a law enforcement official said Thursday. The official was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. The words on the ammunition may have been a reference to strategies insurance companies use to try to avoid paying claims. Investigators recovered several 9 mm shell casings from outside the hotel, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny had said earlier. — Mike Balsamo, Jake Offenhartz and Michael R. Sisak The chief executive of UnitedHealthcare, one of the nation’s largest insurers, was killed Wednesday in midtown Manhattan in what police described as a targeted attack by a shooter outside a hotel where the company was holding a conference. ▶ Read more about the key things to know about the fatal attackTennis couple Katie Boulter and Alex de Minaur are now engaged, after nearly five years of dating, having partnered up for mixed doubles at Wimbledon. Revealing their secret to the world via Instagram on Monday morning with a heartwarming selfie, Boulter showcased her engagement ring snuggled around De Minaur's arm. "We've been keeping a small secret..." she captioned, inviting a deluge of congratulations from peers. Tennis ' very own Thanasi Kokkinakis playfully remarked, "About damn time," while Paula Badosa among others extended warm wishes. The British player's captain Anne Keothavong excitedly commented, "Whoop! Whoop! ! " and Eva Lys shared an emotional reaction. Emma Raducanu's tragic journey since U.S. Open win Rafael Nadal showed his true colors when Novak Djokovic missed his farewell Hints of the engagement were teased previously by Britain's No. 1 in a scenic seaside Instagram post accompanied by the words, "Today was a good day". Though celebrations may be brief, as the fiancés gear up for a head-to-head battle at the upcoming United Cup. Great Britain and Australia ended up in the same group for another year, leading to a quirky showdown on December 31 where Katie Boulter will potentially have to root against her fiancé Alex de Minaur. Each United Cup match includes two singles and one mixed doubles play, raising the chance that Boulter might face De Minaur across the net if both are picked for doubles action. The tennis couple has already jetted to Australia as they get ready for the action-packed 2025 season. Before her engagement news rocked social media, Boulter gave fans a sneak peek into her training at the Ken Rosewall Arena. Meanwhile, De Minaur is bypassing traditional Christmas festivities for dedication to his game. He confided to AAP, "Well, it will basically consist of me spending some time on the tennis court... and in the gym." DON'T MISS Terry Bradshaw makes honest FOX NFL quit admission as Michael Strahan calls out 'set up' Logan Paul offered the chance to ditch Conor McGregor and fight icon with Jake Bubba Wallace shares six-word message after threatening to leave 23XI Racing Describing his decision to train over celebrating he remarked, "There's not that much time before we start competing again, so you can't really have too many days off, right? " Emphasizing his relentless drive, De Minaur added, "There's no rest for the wicked. Ultimately, let's just say the fuel that drives me to get better, that hunger, it over-rides the feeling of me needing a week off, two weeks off with holidays, and enjoying the festive season."
Canada Post strike: Key issues in the dispute that's holding up mail delivery The ongoing Canada Post strike has reached the three-week mark as the two sides continue to trade proposals through a government-appointed mediator. Sammy Hudes, The Canadian Press Dec 5, 2024 1:29 PM Dec 5, 2024 1:35 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Canada Post employees and supporters rally as they are reflected in a window at Canada Post headquarters in Ottawa, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick The ongoing Canada Post strike has reached the three-week mark as the two sides continue to trade proposals through a government-appointed mediator. The work stoppage centres around a variety of issues, including disputes over wages and weekend delivery. Here's a snapshot of the issues underpinning the standoff between the Crown corporation and union. Wage increases The Canadian Union of Postal Workers, which represents 55,000 Canada Post workers, said at the start of the strike that wage increases must be kept in line with inflation, with cost-of-living adjustment payments rolled into the basic wage rate. The union initially called for a cumulative wage hike of 24 per cent over four years. CUPW negotiator Jim Gallant said that figure has moved since the start of negotiations, but declined to comment on the union's latest proposal. "We have just lived through the worst cost of living crisis in a generation," the union's national president Jan Simpson said in a post on Tuesday. Canada Post says it has offered what it calls "competitive" wage increases totalling 11.5 per cent over four years and more paid leave. It notes labour costs rose by $242 million in 2023, or about 6.5 per cent, compared with 2022. The organization declined to comment on Thursday. Weekend delivery One of the main snags in negotiations has been a push to expand delivery to the weekend, but the two sides are at odds over how to staff the expansion. Canada Post has pitched seven-day-a-week delivery as a way to boost revenue and "secure the future of the company" as it struggles to compete with other delivery companies. The Crown corporation says it would staff weekend delivery shifts with a mix of new permanent part-time positions and some full-time, which would "create flexibility while not adding significant long-term fixed costs." But the union characterizes Canada Post's proposals as "attacks on full-time work," accusing the Crown corporation of wanting to increase the part-time mix to more than 50 per cent of the workforce. It says it is concerned some part-timers could be scheduled for as few as eight hours per week and wouldn’t be eligible for benefits until they reach 1,000 hours. "Canada Post has every ability today to deliver parcels on the weekend, inside our collective agreement at straight time," Gallant said in an interview. "We think it can be done with full-timers ... We're just saying, 'Instead of hiring 10 part-timers, you can hire three full time." Job security and retirement The union has highlighted a number of its demands for better job security, including a request for "improved protections against technological change." Gallant said Canada Post is "always looking for new technology" that could threaten workers' duties. "This loading and unloading of trucks by robots is one that they're really, really looking at (and) forklifts that drive themselves through a plant," he said. "We're always afraid." When it comes to retirement, CUPW says Canada Post wants new workers to accept a defined contribution pension plan, even though its defined benefit pension plan is overfunded by 140 per cent. "All workers deserve the right to retire with dignity, and for us, that means postal workers — present and future — maintain their defined benefit pension plan," Simpson said. Canada Post says its proposals are "focused on protecting and enhancing what’s important to current employees ... while protecting the defined benefit pension and their job security." Rural service The union has said it wants job security rights for rural and suburban mail carriers in line with those granted to urban postal workers. It has outlined a number of issues affecting its Rural Suburban Mail Carrier bargaining unit, saying it wants an hourly rate system with appropriate time values, union involvement and "safeguards against (Canada Post's) unilateral change." The union says Canada Post must maximize and maintain eight-hour routes for rural workers, grant improved rights for on-call relief employees, and uphold paid meal and rest period rights. It says the Crown corporation must also ensure the bargaining unit's involvement in service expansion projects. Earlier this week, Simpson called on Canada Post to commit to working with the union "to expand services at the post office including postal banking and electric vehicle charging stations." Safer working conditions The union has demanded the full elimination of Canada Post's "separate sort from delivery" system, which entails certain employees spending the entirety of their shifts sorting mail for letter carriers to go out and deliver — as opposed to carriers performing both tasks. It says this system overburdens carriers, who as a result spend more time outdoors and potentially exposed to extreme weather events. "Postal workers suffer the second highest rate of disabling injury among workers under federal jurisdiction, behind only the road transportation sector," Simpson said. "Growing neighbourhood mail volumes and changing work methods like separate sort-from-delivery are only making things worse." The union has also proposed increases to short-term disability program payments and injury on duty payments, along with more paid medical days. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 5, 2024. Sammy Hudes, The Canadian Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More The Mix US judge rejects Boeing's plea deal in a conspiracy case stemming from fatal plane crashes Dec 5, 2024 2:15 PM Chief 'disappointed' to see clean water used as a political 'tactic' by Conservatives Dec 5, 2024 2:15 PM S&P/TSX composite rises Thursday, U.S. markets down ahead of jobs report Dec 5, 2024 1:46 PM Featured Flyer
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DETROIT (AP) — Legend Geeter's 22 points helped Detroit Mercy defeat Purdue Fort Wayne 79-78 on Thursday. Geeter also contributed nine rebounds for the Titans (5-5, 1-0 Horizon League). Orlando Lovejoy scored 18 points while finishing 8 of 15 from the floor and added nine assists. Emmanuel Kuac went 4 of 9 from the field (2 for 6 from 3-point range) to finish with 11 points. Jalen Jackson finished with 17 points, four assists and two steals for the Mastodons (5-4, 0-1). Rasheed Bello added 17 points and four assists. Corey Hadnot II had 10 points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
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ABUJA – The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Christopher Gwabin Musa, on Thursday harped on the critical role of the Defence Correspondents Association of Nigeria (DECAN) in the promotion of national security and national interest. General Musa stated this in his keynote address at the Roundtable Discussion On Nigeria’s Security and the National interest. The event was organized by the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) with DECAN. The CDS who described the event as a “great feat”, however commended the the NCTC for its “efforts towards ensuring our dear country Nigeria is safe and secure.” He said, “Today’s occasion presents me the rare opportunity to make a statement on the critical role of the media in fostering Nigeria’s national security and defence matters thus necessitating collaboration to further Nigeria’s national security interest. “The theme for the discussion, ‘National Security and National Interest, A Development Journalism Approach for the Defence Beat’ is apt considering the propensity of development and sits at the intersection of national pride, global responsibility as well as the pursuit of peaceful coexistence and sustainable development. “In a world fraught with echoes of conflict, uncertainty, security dilemmas, ambiguous and complex geopolitical challenges, the narrative surrounding national security often emerges from a narrow lens. It is easy to find that the focus on national security is often skewed and confined to discussions of military strength as well as the immediate threats posed by hostile state and non-state actors.” Although these views are essential, General Musa noted that “it is important our understanding of national security is expanded to incorporate broader social, economic, and environmental elements which are hallmarks of what is termed ‘development journalism’. “It is also necessary to note that the actions of the military in ensuring Nigeria’s national security accounts for only 30 percent of the overall efforts required while the remaining 70 percent for maintaining Nigeria’s peace and security rest on the socio-economic elements of the country.” In a nutshell, the CDS revealed that national security entails the protection of our nation’s core values, institutions as well as citizens from both external and internal threats while national interest involves the broad goals and objectives guiding our nation’s actions and decisions. “These are critical concerns of our nation particularly in the face of numerous security challenges which tends to undermine the very fabric of our country and threatens the safety as well as security of our citizens. Military efforts to safeguard our nation’s sovereignty could be enhanced through development journalism which is a specialized form of journalism that focuses on the social, economic, and political development of a nation. “In the area of defence beats, development journalism seeks to promote public awareness and understanding of defence as well as security issues, while holding governments, the defence sector and other stakeholders accountable for their actions as well as informing decision-making by policymakers and defence officials.” The adoption of a development journalism approach the CDS said allows for a more active collaboration with journalists and media organizations, enabling them to play a more effective role in promoting national cohesion and stability thereby advancing Nigeria’s national interest. According to General Musa, “Our national security cannot and should not solely be reliant on the strength of the Armed Forces of Nigeria rather it should be strengthened by Nigeria’s educated, healthy and socially cohesive population underpinned by development journalism. “More so, the development journalism approach will not only require collaboration and dialogue among stakeholders, it will also focus on people centrism in the accomplishment of Nigeria’s national interest. “This approach thus resonates with my leadership concept which is, “to Nurture a Professional Armed Forces of Nigeria that is People-Centric, Capable of Meeting its Constitutional Responsibilities in a Joint and Collaborative Environment.” Also speaking, the National Coordinator (NCTC), Major General Adamu Laka said, “We are gathered here today, though from various professional backgrounds, but as athletic Nigerians, jointly committed to understanding the role of the media in relation to national security and interests. “As we are rightly aware, the role of the media, especially journalists, as signed defence and security beats is pivotal in shaping public perception and policy on critical issues of national security and interests. “Through reporting, analysis and storytelling, journalists inform members of the public and have the power to influence strategies, people’s actions and reactions. Having been in this military career for a while, I must attest to the fact that our defence and security correspondents have been an immense wealth of expertise and experience. “Most of you have reported on the frontlines, analysed trends and followed the intricate network that sustained these threats to our national security and interests. You have confronted not just the facts, but also the responsibility to report with accuracy, fairness and sensitivity in an environment that is often fraught with misinformation and heightened emotions.” General Laka, however assured that the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Advisor, will continue to collaborate with you and other critical stakeholders to achieve and sustain the destruction of terrorist propaganda.” The objective of theroundtable discussion with the media, according to Laka is to “foster an open and insightful exchange of ideas. “By sharing your experiences, observations and challenges, together we aim to enhance collective understanding of the dynamics of terrorism and its evolving tactics, discover the ethical considerations of reporting on such sensitive issues, identify opportunities for collaboration between journalists, security experts and policy makers, and have best thoughts on the development of a national strategic communication plan and protocol for the gathering and distribution of news on terrorism and violent extremism with the hope of stemming threats to our national security and interests. “Additionally, we thought it prudent to invite commissioners and special assistants to governors of states affected by terrorism and violent extremism, as your insights and experience are integral to this discourse. “Your contributions today will help shape practical strategies for addressing these challenges. Please engage openly, freely and consultatively. At this juncture, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Chief of Defence Staff for honouring our invitation. “Your guidance and steadfast support have been pivotal to the Centre’s ongoing efforts for Nigeria’s safety and security. I also wish to express sincere appreciation to all those here present, the Chairman and Special Advisor to the President of Media and Publicity for your support to this Centre. Finally, I thank all our distinguished guests and members of the Defence Correspondence Association of Nigeria for making time to be with us today.”WEST LAYFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Trey Kaufman-Renn had 18 points and Myles Colvin and Camden Heide each scored 13 to lead No. 6 Purdue to an 80-45 rout of Marshall on Saturday. Colvin and Heide were making their first starts of the season for Purdue (5-1). Braden Smith, who was averaging 14.6 points, was scoreless on an 0-for-4 shooting day. Smith had a team-high nine assists. Nate Martin led Marshall (3-2) with nine points, playing 24 minutes before fouling out with several minutes left in the game. The Boilermakers shot 55% in the first half to take a 39-24 halftime lead. However, Purdue made only one field goal in the final nine minutes of the first half. Purdue picked up the intensity in the second half, leading by as many as 41 points. The Boilermakers shot 50% for the game and held the Thundering Herd to 30%. HONOLULU (AP) — R.J. Davis scored 14 of his 18 points in the first half and No. 10 North Carolina pulled away from Hawaii. Elliot Cadeau had 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting, Seth Trimble scored 11 of his 13 points after halftime and Ian Jackson added 11 for the Tar Heels (3-1). Davis, an All-American guard, moved into fourth place on North Carolina’s all-time career scoring list. He overtook Sam Perkins with his free throw at the 11:59 mark of the first half. Gytis Nemeiksa led Hawaii with 16 points and had 10 rebounds. Akira Jacobs made three 3-pointers and scored 13 points off the bench. Tanner Christensen had 10 points and 10 rebounds and Marcus Green added 10 points for the Rainbow Warriors (4-1). NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — David Joplin scored a career-high 29 points and made six 3-pointers, Chase Ross had 14 points and five steals, and No. 15 Marquette beat Georgia. Joplin scored five straight Marquette points to begin a 12-3 run that Stevie Mitchell capped by banking in a shot with 1:33 remaining for a 78-66 lead. Mitchell made a steal at the other end to help seal it. Ben Gold scored a career-high 14 points and Kam Jones had 10 points and seven assists for Marquette (6-0). Jones was coming off the program’s third triple-double in more than 100 seasons when he had 17 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in 36 minutes against No. 6 Purdue on Tuesday. Gold’s previous high was 12 points at UConn on Feb. 7, 2023, while Joplin’s was 28 at DePaul on Jan. 28, 2023. Blue Cain scored 17 points and Tyrin Lawrence added 15 for Georgia (5-1). Dakota Leffew had 11 and Silas Demary Jr. 10. The Bulldogs turned it over 18 times, leading to 27 points by Marquette. ATLANTA (AP) — Dillon Mitchell had 14 points and 11 rebounds for his first double-double of the season, and No. 18 Cincinnati beat Georgia Tech. Jizzle James and Cole Hickman also scored 14 points apiece for the Bearcats (5-0), who passed the first true test of the young season against their first major conference opponent in the Yellow Jackets of the ACC. Naithan George made three 3-pointers while scoring 13 points for Georgia Tech (2-3). Duncan Powell added 10 points, while leading scorer Baye Ndogo finished with just five points. CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Will Riley scored his 19 points in the second half and No. 25 Illinois beat Maryland Eastern Shore. Kylan Boswell added 13 points, Tomislav Ivisic had 11 and Morez Johnson Jr. finished with 10 for the Illini (4-1), who shot 25% (10 for 40) from 3-point range but committed just nine turnovers. Tre White grabbed 11 rebounds and Kasparas Jakucionis seven for Illinois, which outrebounded the Hawks 59-38. Jalen Ware scored 10 points and Christopher Flippin had 10 rebounds for Maryland Eastern Shore (2-6), which had its lowest point total of the season. The team’s previous low came in 102-63 loss to Vanderbilt on Nov. 4.
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