NoneWINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — It wasn’t how Duke drew up the final play, but it worked out perfect for the Blue Devils in Saturday’s 23-17 victory over Wake Forest. Maalik Murphy threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Moore as time expired, allowing Duke to end the regular season with three consecutive victories. Murphy said he realized he took too long to make a decision after the last snap. “I knew at that point I had to make a play,” he said. “The damage was already done, time was ticking.” With the score tied at 17, the Blue Devils (9-3, 5-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) moved 76 yards in 1:22 after forcing a Wake Forest punt. It appeared that Duke might run out of time in the slow-developing play, but Moore improvised and broke free along the right side, caught the ball at the 10-yard line and spun into the end zone to complete a comeback from 14 points down in the second half. “The play that Maalik and Jordan put together was magical,” Duke coach Manny Diaz said. “Nobody thought a 5-yard route would turn into a (long) touchdown.” So instead of a long field-goal attempt, Duke had something better. “I just decided to take it down the field,” Moore said. “I think that’s a testament to our chemistry. ... Maalik had the confidence in himself to make that kind of play.” It resulted in Duke’s sixth victory by seven points or less. “It’s like a perfect exclamation point to our season,” Diaz said. “An unbelievable way to finish our season.” Murphy racked up with 235 yards on 26-for-34 passing. Moore, who was down with an injury after a reception earlier in the second half, made five catches for 98 yards. Hank Bachmeier threw for 207 yards and a touchdown as Wake Forest (4-8, 2-6) ended its second straight four-win season with a four-game losing streak. “A heartbreaking loss,” Demon Deacons coach Dave Clawson said. “It’s a tough way to lose a game and a tough way to end the season.” Tate Carey’s 8-yard run, Matthew Dennis’ 37-yard field goal and Horatio Fields’ 9-yard reception across 11 minutes of game time gave Wake Forest a 17-3 lead with nine minutes left in the third quarter. Duke took advantage of a short field following a punt, moving 42 yards in four plays to score on Star Thomas’ 3-yard run. The Blue Devils recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff and converted on Murphy’s 2-yard run with 12:57 left to pull even. “What has been proven is that we’re mentally tough,” Diaz said. “We’re not going to do everything perfect.” Record receiver Taylor Morin became Wake Forest’s all-time leader in receiving yards with 2,974. He picked up 47 yards on eight catches on Saturday. Morin, in his fifth season, passed former NFL player Ricky Proehl, who had 2,929 yards in the late 1980s. The takeaway Duke: The Blue Devils have secured at least a nine-win season for the second time in three seasons, this one coming in Diaz’s first season. They racked up a 4-0 record against in-state opponents, including comebacks to top North Carolina and Wake Forest. “Every quest that we have for championships starts in our own state,” Diaz said. Wake Forest: The Demon Deacons punted on their final three possessions of the season. They finished with a 1-6 record in home games. “It’s been a tough year, a long year, and I’m proud of our team and how hard they fought,” Clawson said. Up next Duke: Awaits a bowl invitation Wake Forest: Enters the offseason with a losing record for the third time in five seasons. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballThousands of defiant pro-EU protesters in Georgia staged a fresh rally Friday after the prime minister claimed victory in a "battle" against the opposition, amid a deepening post-electoral crisis. Tbilisi has been engulfed in turmoil since the governing Georgian Dream party declared that it had won a disputed October 26 election. The party's critics have accused it of creeping authoritarianism and of steering the country back towards Russia. Tens of thousands have taken to the streets since the election to protest against alleged electoral fraud. Fresh rallies took place across the country after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced last week that Georgia would not hold talks on European Union membership until 2028. Police have fired tear gas and water cannon against pro-EU protests in Tbilisi and hundreds of arrests have been made, triggering outrage at home and mounting international condemnation. France, Germany and Poland condemned what they called the government's "disproportionate" use of force against protesters and opposition leaders in a joint statement by their foreign ministers Friday. Several thousand people blocked the street outside parliament for a ninth consecutive night Friday, some blowing whistles and others setting off firecrackers. The crowd was smaller than on previous nights and the mood quieter, but protesters rejected claims the movement was dying out. "We are fighting for our freedom," said Nana, 18, a medical student, wrapped in an EU flag, accompanied by a friend in a matching Georgian flag. "We are not going to give up." Another protester, 35-year-old academic Alexander Kavtaradze, said: "It's a battle of nerves right now. The illegitimate government is hoping we'll get tired, that fewer people will come out each day. "We will continue our fight until the end." Separate protests were held outside Georgia's Public Broadcaster -- accused of serving as a government propaganda tool -- the education ministry, and the country's tourism administration offices. Shalva Alaverdashvili, founder of the Georgian hotels' federation, told AFP that the "unexpected and unacceptable" suspension of EU accession talks has severely hit the country's tourism industry, which accounts for seven percent of the country's GDP. Thousands have also staged anti-government rallies in the second city of Batumi on the Black Sea coast. On Friday evening, a court in Tbilisi put a 19-year-old youth activist in pre-trial detention. Zviad Tsetskhladze had been arrested during the protests on charges of "organising, leading, and participating in group violence". Tsetskhladze told the judge: "Democracy in Georgia is no more. The rule of law has been crushed. "Our actions are a form of resistance, aimed at preserving the rule of law, defending democracy, and protecting the rights of every individual." Earlier Friday Prime Minister Kobakhidze praised his security forces for "successfully neutralising the protesters' capacity for violence". "We have won an important battle against liberal fascism in our country," he told a news conference, using language reminiscent of how the Kremlin in Russia targets its political opponents. "But the fight is not over. Liberal fascism in Georgia must be defeated entirely, and work towards this goal will continue," Kobakhidze said. He repeated an earlier threat to "complete the process of neutralising the radical opposition". With both sides ruling out a compromise, there appeared to be no clear route out of the crisis. The leader of the opposition Lelo party, Mamuka Khazaradze, said the ruling party "no longer has the strength or resources to stand against the people." The government "has resorted to arresting young activists and political opponents out of fear of relentless public protests and growing civil disobedience by public servants," he told AFP. The interior ministry said police had detained three more individuals Friday for "participating in group violence", punishable by up to nine years' jail. Masked officers have raided several opposition party offices and arrested opposition leaders earlier this week, while around 300 people have been detained at rallies. On Friday Nika Gvaramia, leader of the opposition Akhali party, was sentenced to 12 days in prison. Alexandre Elisashvili, leader of the Strong Georgia opposition group, was remanded in custody for two months of pretrial detention. More trouble is expected after December 14, when Georgian Dream lawmakers elect a loyalist to succeed pro-Western President Salome Zurabishvili. She has vowed not to step down until the parliamentary polls are re-run. Local media has also reported protests across the country, including in the cities of Batumi, Kutaisi, Zugdidi, Rustavi and Telavi. Critics of Georgian Dream are enraged by what they call its betrayal of Tbilisi's bid for EU membership, enshrined in the constitution and supported by around 80 percent of the population. Several ambassadors, a deputy foreign minister, and other officials have resigned over the suspension of EU talks. Georgian Dream, in power for more than a decade, has advanced controversial legislation in recent years, targeting civil society and independent media and curbing LGBTQ rights. Brussels warned such policies were incompatible with EU membership, while domestic critics accuse the government of copying Russia's playbook. Georgia's own rights ombudsman Levan Ioseliani has accused the police of "torture" against those arrested. ub-im/jj
In a series of archived posts from a now-deleted Reddit account, Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson , wrote extensively about a chronic back condition that he said caused him immense pain. The New York Police Department is now looking into whether a denied insurance claim related to that injury played a role in the shooting, Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told Fox News on Tuesday . “He was posting an X ray on his social media showing numerous screws being inserted into his spine. Some of the writings that he had, he was discussing the difficulty of sustaining that injury,” Kenny said. ”So we’re looking into whether or not the insurance industry either denied a claim from him, or didn’t help him out to the fullest extent.” Health insurers refusing to pay for cancer care, a surgical procedure or other life-saving treatment is a common frustration for many people in the U.S., and a potentially devastating problem for some, experts say. Roughly 6 in 10 insured adults experience problems when they use their insurance, including insurers refusing to pay for care, according to a 2023 survey published by KFF , a nonprofit group that researches health policy issues. Refusals to pay for care are more common for people with employer-based health insurance or private insurance compared to people with public insurance, such as Medicare and Medicaid. About 1 in 5 insured adults who use emergency services had a denied claim. It’s impossible to know the full scope of the problem, Dr. Adam Gaffney, a critical care physician at the Cambridge Health Alliance in Massachusetts, said. In the U.S., he said, private insurers are generally not required to publicly disclose data on denied claims, although the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, has some transparency rules. Another KFF report published last year found nearly 17% of in-network claims were denied in 2021 among people with Obamacare coverage. People and their doctors are often left to navigate numerous insurance plans — each has their own requirements and their own list of what’s covered — to determine whether they’ll be able to get the care they need, Gaffney said. “There’s a huge lack of clarity for patients and for doctors about what’s covered, what medicine can be started and what care will be approved and what will be blocked,” Gaffney said. “And there’s also a huge amount of administration burden that falls on medical practices to show that care is needed to get approved.” ”You can see how that kind of creates a degree of anarchy,” he added. Almost 3 of 5 adults who experience a coverage denial said their care was delayed as a result, according to a report from the CommonWealth Fund . When patients get denied, Gaffney said, they may not think to appeal, leaving them with medical debt . People don’t appeal because they may not realize it’s an option that can make a difference, or that they have the right to do it, surveys show . It’s more common for people with lower incomes to not appeal: A study published in the Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law in August found those who were less affluent were significantly less likely than their wealthier counterparts to appeal denials of coverage. Arthur Caplan, the head of the medical ethics division at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City, said denied claims is an issue many in the public have been furious with for a long time. He noted that it’s not just adults who experience it; children, particularly those in need of expensive treatments such as gene therapy, are routinely turned down by insurance companies. “Our health care is not seen as a right. It’s something you earn,” Caplan said. “This is a boiling cauldron that the shooting exposed.”Cerity Partners LLC Increases Stake in AXIS Capital Holdings Limited (NYSE:AXS)Simon Property Group Inc. stock underperforms Wednesday when compared to competitors
A Look Into Banner Inc's Price Over EarningsCould indulging in dark chocolate help lower the risk of type 2 diabetes? A Harvard study suggests so. Tracking over 1 lakh nurses for 25 years, researchers found that consuming five or more servings of dark chocolate weekly was associated with a 21% reduced risk of diabetes. The secret lies in flavanols, compounds in dark chocolate that may boost metabolic health. But don’t rush to the candy aisle just yet! Milk chocolate showed no such benefits and was linked to weight gain. Experts emphasise this study doesn’t prove cause and effect and advise more research. With type 2 diabetes on the rise, especially in India, this finding offers a delicious potential addition to a balanced diet. Maharashtra CM’s wife, Amruta, blends her banking career and passion for singing and acting. A former Axis Bank VP, she is also deeply involved in community work across Maharashtra, sharing her diverse journey. A new mother died in a lift accident at a Meerut hospital after the cable snapped, injuring two employees. Protests by grieving family members led to patient relocations as authorities investigate negligence. Cash found at Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi's seat in Parliament has sparked controversy. Singhvi denied the allegations, while political leaders debated the appropriateness of the incident amid an ongoing investigation. The Golden Temple incident highlights gaps in security at religious sites. While places like the Ram Temple, Vaishno Devi, and Tirumala employ advanced surveillance and specialized forces, uniform safeguards remain a challenge.Flirty Trump makes a very suggestive statement on intimate moment with Jill Biden READ MORE: Donald Trump and Jill Biden share intimate moment in Paris By SONYA GUGLIARA and LAURA PARNABY FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 15:59 EST, 8 December 2024 | Updated: 16:26 EST, 8 December 2024 e-mail View comments Donald Trump has made a suggestive statement about a viral intimate moment he shared with Jill Biden during a trip to Notre Dame. Pictures of the soon-to-be president with the smiling First Lady at the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France , sent social media users into a frenzy. Many claimed that Jill looked incredibly animated during the cordial rendezvous - as the partisan pair leaned into one another and made small talk in the City of Love. And Trump, 78, has now monopolized on the viral comments, implying that Mrs Biden is attracted to him by sharing a screenshot of the moment on Truth Social. He overlaid the photo of beaming Jill Biden with the caption: 'A fragrance your enemies can't resist', while plugging his 'Fight Fight Fight' perfume brand. 'Here are my new Trump Perfumes & Colognes! I call them Fight, Fight, Fight, because they represent us WINNING. Great Christmas gifts for the family,' he wrote. 'Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!' The Trump Fragrance, with versions for both men and women, are on sale at $199 per bottle. After seeing the doting images of the political pair online , internet personality Nick Sortor wrote on X: 'Jill DEFINITELY voted for President Trump.' Donald Trump has made a suggestive statement about a viral intimate moment he shared with Jill Biden during a trip to Notre Dame with the above post on Truth Social Pictures of the soon-to-be president with the smiling first lady at the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France sparked a wave of reactions online Jill and her daughter Ashley sat near Trump at the Saturday ceremony, but what some believed would be an uncomfortable seating arrangement turned into a telling moment. The photos captured Jill grinning and engaged in casual conversation with Trump as they leaned in close to each other. One person commented: 'Find someone who looks at you like Jill Biden looks at President Trump.' Another chimed in: 'Jill and Ashley Biden look like they’re absolutely in love with President Trump.' 'Just look at the admiration for Trump in Jill Biden's eyes at the Notre-Dame reopening in Paris,' one user pointed out. Some even went as far as to say that Jill - and her family - voted against her party on Election Day. 'She looks way too happy,' someone wrote. 'I believe they surely did vote for Trump.' 'Totally voted for him, no doubt,' one user asserted. And another agreed: 'She for sure voted for him. No doubt in my mind.' Someone claimed: 'Jill hates Kamala. She and Joe could not be more happy that Trump won.' Another echoed the same sentiment: 'The Bidens voted for Trump because they knew what Kamala was not able to do.' Another said: 'I have a strange feeling that the transition is going to be very smooth.' Many claimed that Jill looked incredibly animated during the cordial rendezvous - as the partisan pair leaned into one another and made small talk in the City of Love One commenter wrote that Jill looked 'way too happy' to be speaking with the president-elect Jill and Trump were seen in deep discussion at the ceremony, with some saying they look like 'pals' Commenters all agreed that Jill seemed to be enjoying her conversation with the president-elect Politics aside, people were quick to point out that Jill seemed to be enjoying the conversation and Trump's company overall. One X user said: 'This is the happiest I've seen her in months.' 'They look like pals,' someone shared, pointing to how comfortable they appeared to be with one another. One person joked: 'What will Joe say when he sees that look? Lol they’re practically drooling over President Trump.' Trump supporters also commended him for being 'charming' and personable. One Trump lover wrote: 'He’s irresistible!' While another added: 'Come on. Honestly don’t see how anyone hates him!' The president-elect was also spotted rubbing elbows with French President Emmanuel Macron at the historic ceremony. Macron greeted Trump with a cordial peck on the check and a hug. The two political figures had a meeting as a part of the ceremony, which celebrated the renovation of the iconic cathedral the was destroyed by a 2019 fire. Trump was seated in between Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, in the same row as the Bidens. Macron vocalized his positive stance on Trump, calling it a 'great honor' to be meeting with him to discuss various political issues . Jill and Trump's charming conversation came just about a month after Jill vowed to help Melania in any way possible while assuming her First Lady role. 'She gave the president-elect a handwritten letter of congratulations for Melania, which also expressed her team's readiness to assist with the transition,' the East Wing said. 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