BOSTON — By the end of a game that is supposed to be a reward for a season well played, North Carolina looked like a football program in such perilous straits it would be willing to pay someone like Bill Belichick something like $50 million to fix things. QED. As the new coach might say, the Tar Heels are on to Belichick. Saturday’s 27-14 loss to Connecticut in the Fenway Bowl started poorly and fizzled to the end, not unlike the Tar Heels’ season, one that began with reasonable optimism and a win at Minnesota before descending into a series of trials and tribulations that saw Mack Brown fired before the regular season was over en route to a 6-7 finish and fifth straight bowl loss. On Friday, J.J. Jones took pains to make sure Brown wasn’t forgotten, reminding people that he was the reason why every player on the roster was here even if things hadn’t worked out the way they had planned. But just as Brown’s final game at North Carolina saw N.C. State dancing on the Kenan Stadium turf instead, the season’s final game under interim coach Freddie Kitchens — who will remain on Belichick’s new staff — was nothing to remember. “It’s a disappointing result for us,” Kitchens said. “I thought our guys kept fighting all the way to the very end. We just kind of ran out of time there but we never gave up. These guys have been through a lot these last three weeks. The ability to show up for work every day has been unbelievable to see with these guys. I commend them for everything they’ve done these last few weeks.” With all the injuries and critical opt-outs, including offensive lineman Willie Lampkin on the eve of the game after practicing all month, the Tar Heels weren’t exactly at full strength to start. When quarterback Jacolby Criswell went down clutching at his shoulder after a seven-yard scramble in the first quarter, they were left with true freshman Michael Merdinger, who not only had yet to take a snap this season but is currently in the transfer portal. It took North Carolina 29 minutes and 37 seconds to achieve a first down, and only Chris Culliver’s 95-yard kickoff return prevented a first-half shutout. By the time UNC figured out, midway through the fourth quarter, that its best offensive play was a direct snap to running back Caleb Hood — a quarterback in high school who became, essentially, the Tar Heels’ fifth quarterback of the season — it was too late for anything but a consolation touchdown pass to John Copenhaver. That 17-yard strike from the Richmond County product was the third completion and first passing TD of Hood’s career, to go with two rushing and one receiving, and Copenhaver’s 10th and final TD catch at UNC. Of the Tar Heels’ 206 yards of offense, 139 came in the fourth quarter. Still, not only was this postscript to the Brown Era a third straight loss — and UNC’s second debacle in the Boston area in six weeks — it ended the Triangle’s football winning streak against UConn, a seven-game run going back 17 years to Duke’s 45-14 home loss to open a 1-11 season. Kitchens is now the other half of the answer to a trivia question, with Ted Roof. The ACC also had won the first two editions of the Fenway Bowl, a run noted on the manual scoreboard on the Green Monster, one of several nice touches that capitalized on the historic venue. (Although they don’t dump clam chowder on the winning coach. Yet.) Which is good, because the football wasn’t particularly picturesque. Connecticut opened with a leadoff double to right — a 47-yard run down the first-base line on the first play from scrimmage — and never really looked back. Defense, in a statement that tests the bounds of obvious, was never this North Carolina’s team strength. Shorn of offense with Criswell hurt and Omarion Hampton preparing for the draft, the Tar Heels struggled to keep up. Any thoughts Jones and others might have harbored of winning one for Mack evaporated quickly on both sides of the ball. “At the end of the day, we need to do a little better than that, in my opinion,” defensive lineman Beau Atkinson said. You could say things didn’t end well, but they rarely do. A program in dramatic transition looked very much the part on Saturday. The players probably deserved better than this, for sticking it out to the bitter end of a season racked with disappointment and loss, but even their minds were clearly preoccupied with what happens next, whether that’s in Chapel Hill or elsewhere. Why wouldn’t they be? They’re only human. “I’m definitely ready for the offseason now that this game is over,” said Atkinson, who is eligible to return. “And just ready to go to work and try to get me and the rest of the D-line and this defense as a whole better. That’s my main focus now.” If they weren’t looking forward before, there’s nothing else left now. The final punctuation has been applied to Brown’s second stint at UNC. It’s officially the Belichick Era. They’re on to TCU. ©2024 The News & Observer. Visit at newsobserver.com . Distributed at Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Slug: ‘Profs of Practice' Vadodara: Prof Satish Pathak of M S University has filed a complaint with chief minister Bhupendra Patel against university vice-chancellor Prof Vijay Kumar Srivastava. Pathak has alleged that Srivastava appointed five persons as "professors of practice" in the architecture department by violating statutory provisions. Pathak stated that the appointments violate the guidelines of the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Council of Architecture (COA). IPL 2025 mega auction IPL Auction 2025: Who got whom IPL 2025 Auction: Updated Full Team Squads The architecture department is part of MSU's Faculty of Technology and Engineering (FTE). The department of architecture, like architecture colleges in the country, is regulated by COA. "Like the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) is the regulatory body when it comes to technology and engineering colleges, COA is the regulatory body for architecture colleges. Currently, COA has no provision on the appointment of professors of practice," he stated in his complaint. The complaint also states that according to the UGC norms, the number of professors of practice in a higher education institute, at any point in time, should not exceed 10% of the posts sanctioned in the institute. "When it comes to the department of architecture, there are 17 sanctioned posts. These include three posts of professors, six posts of associate professors, and eight posts of assistant professors. Against this sanctioned strength, only one in the form of the current head of department is filled while another teacher retired two years ago. This leaves 16 posts vacant," he said. "So, appointing five ‘professors of practice' is not just a violation of the COA provisions but also a violation of UGC guidelines." Pathak alleged that these appointments were done while cutting short the number of temporary teaching positions, some of whom were teaching in the department for a long time. He demanded a thorough inquiry into the appointments.
SEANN Walsh lashed out at his Weakest Link co-stars and declared he was 'unfollowing them' after a disaster on the show. The comedian took part in a 'Party Special' of the BBC quiz but was left fuming after being voted off prematurely by his fellow celebrities. Seann had been the strongest link during the first round of the game but was voted out by his competitors after the second round. He was picked to leave by fellow competitors Babatunde Aléshé, Scarlett Moffatt and Richie Anderson . Even host Romesh Ranganathan said: "This is, for so many reasons, unbelievable. It was an incredible decision." Waving his finger in the air, Sean told the celebrities: "I'm unfollowing all of you!" Although Seann had answered one of his questions correctly, he had struggled with his second. Romesh had asked: "In politics , which motoring manoeuvre that refers to the driver of a vehicle changing direction is a term used for an abrupt reversal of policy?" Seann asked him to repeat the question, before hesitating and wrongly answering: "Indication." The correct answer was "U-turn". Richie used the error as his reasoning for voting Seann out. "I think it was the time you took with the... I mean, you could have done a U-turn in that time!" he quipped. As the celebrities gasped, Seann hit back: "Very good." Looking annoyed, Seann told Romesh he had been "daydreaming" when he was asked the question. The actual weakest link for the second round was Ibiza Weekender and Celebrity Big Brother winner David Potts. David had been asked: "In fashion, the logo of which sportswear brand is officially known as a 'swoosh'?" He wrongly answered "Adidas". The correct answer is "Nike". "I didn't know what a swoosh was. If you'd have said tick, I would have said Nike," David claimed to Romesh. Speaking to the camera after he was dismissed from the stage, Seann blasted David's 'swoosh' answer. He said: "I didn't feel I was the weakest link in the round. "I love David, but 'swoosh'? I would have got 'swoosh'. If you just make the noise it does the tick! Swoosh! Adidas?!" Unlike in many other countries, such as the US, HMRC allows cash prizes from competitions and the National Lottery to be tax-free. However, in order for the money to be seen as from a 'competition', there has to be a skill-based element, such as a quiz question, or the option of free entry. This is why some competitions ask incredibly simple questions that even a five-year-old could answer, as they are trying to get around the requirement to offer a free entry option. Former Gogglebox star Scarlett and radio and TV star Richie made it to the final round of The Weakest Link on Saturday night. Scarlett ended up winning the show following a sudden death round. She had been asked: "Which Prime Minister of the 21st Century has a surname that is an anagram of the word 'romance'?" Scarlett looked stumped before guessing: "David Cameron?" She was stunned to be told it was the correct answer, meaning she had won £7,650 for her chosen charity, The Samaritans. Scarlett is an ambassador for the organisation.
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NATO and Ukraine to hold emergency talks after Russian attack with hypersonic missileLittler, who won the Grand Slam of Darts last week, hit checkouts of 170, 164 and 136 as he threatened to overturn an early deficit, but Humphries held his nerve to win the last three legs. “I’m really, really proud of that one to be honest,” Humphries told Sky Sports. FOR THE SECOND TIME 🏆🏆 Luke Humphries retains his 2024 Ladbrokes Players Championship Finals title, beating Luke Littler 11-7 in the final. — PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) “I didn’t feel myself this week playing-wise, I felt like I was a dart behind in a lot of the scenarios but there’s something that Luke does to you. He really drives me, makes me want to be a better player and I enjoy playing him. “He let me in really early in that first session to go 4-1 up, I never looked back and I’m proud that I didn’t take my foot off the gas. These big games are what I live for. “Luke is a special talent and he was right – I said to him I’ve got to get these (titles) early before he wins them all. “I’d love to be up here and hitting 105 averages like Luke is all the time but he’s a different calibre, he’s probably the best player in the world right now but there’s something about me that never gives up. “This is a great way to go into the worlds.” HUMPHRIES GOES BACK-TO-BACK! 🏆 Luke Humphries retains his Players Championship Finals title! Cool Hand puts on an absolute clinic to defeat Luke Littler 11-7 in an epic final! 📺 | Final — PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) Littler, who lost the world championship final to Humphries last year, said: “It was tough, missed a few doubles and if you don’t take chances early on, it’s a lot to come back. “I hit the 170 and the 164 but just didn’t have enough in the end. “It’s been a good past two weeks. I just can’t wait to go home, chill out, obviously practice at home for the worlds. That’s it now, leading up to the big one.”
The AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands (AP) — Tyson Degenhart’s 25 points helped Boise State defeat Hampton 83-69 at the Cayman Islands Classic on Sunday. Degenhart had five rebounds for the Broncos (4-1). O’Mar Stanley scored 13 points and added five rebounds. Andrew Meadow shot 2 for 7 (1 for 4 from 3-point range) and 5 of 6 from the free-throw line to finish with 10 points, while adding six rebounds. The Pirates (2-4) were led in scoring by Noah Farrakhan, who finished with 23 points and four steals. Kyrese Mullen added 12 points and six rebounds for Hampton. George Beale also had 12 points. Boise State took the lead with 15:12 remaining in the first half and did not give it up. The score was 41-21 at halftime, with Degenhart racking up 10 points. Degenhart scored 15 points in the second half to help lead the way as Boise State went on to secure a victory, despite being outscored by Hampton in the second half by a six-point margin. NEXT UP These two teams both play Tuesday. Boise State hosts Utah Tech and Hampton hosts N.C. A&T. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .UVALDE, Texas (AP) — A Texas judge on Thursday refused to throw out criminal charges accusing the former Uvalde schools police chief of putting children at risk during the slow response to the 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting, while a lawyer for his co-defendant said they want to move the upcoming trial out of the small town where the massacre occurred. At a court hearing in Uvalde, Judge Sid Harle rejected Pete Arredondo's claim that was he improperly charged and that only the shooter was responsible for putting the victims in danger. Nineteen children and two teachers were killed in the shooting on May 24, 2022. Harle also set an Oct. 20, 2025, trial date. An attorney for Arredondo's co-defendant, former Uvalde schools police officer Adrian Gonzales, said he will ask for the trial to be moved out of Uvalde because his client cannot get a fair trial there. Uvalde County is mostly rural with fewer than 25,000 residents about 85 miles (140 kilometers) west of San Antonio. “Everybody knows everybody,” in Uvalde, Gonzales attorney Nico LaHood said. Both former officers attended the hearing. Nearly 400 law enforcement agents rushed to the school but waited more than 70 minutes to confront and kill the gunman in a fourth-grade classroom. Arredondo and Gonzales are the only two officers facing charges — a fact that has raised complaints from some victims' families. Both men have pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of abandoning or endangering a child, each of which carry punishment of up to two years in jail. Gonzales has not asked the judge to dismiss his charges. A federal investigation of the shooting identified Arredondo as the incident commander in charge, although he has argued that state police should have set up a command post outside the school and taken control. Gonzales was among the first officers to arrive on the scene. He was accused of abandoning his training and not confronting the shooter, even after hearing gunshots as he stood in a hallway. Arredondo has said he was scapegoated for the halting police response. The indictment alleges he did not follow his active shooter training and made critical decisions that slowed the police response while the gunman was “hunting” his victims. It alleges that instead of confronting the gunman immediately, Arredondo caused delays by telling officers to evacuate a hallway to wait for a SWAT team, evacuating students from other areas of the building first, and trying to negotiate with the shooter while victims inside the classroom were wounded and dying. Arredondo’s attorneys say the danger that day was not caused by him, but by the shooter. They argued Arredondo was blamed for trying to save the lives of the other children in the building, and have warned that prosecuting him would open many future law enforcement actions to similar charges. “Arredondo did nothing to put those children in the path of a gunman,” said Arredondo attorney Matthew Hefti. Uvalde County prosecutors told the judge Arredondo acted recklessly. “The state has alleged he is absolutely aware of the danger of the children,” said assistant district attorney Bill Turner. Jesse Rizo, the uncle of 9-year-old Jacklyn Cazares who was killed in the shooting, was one of several family members of victims at the hearing. “To me, it’s hurtful and painful to hear Arredondo’s attorneys try to persuade the judge to get the charges dismissed,” Rizo said. He called the wait for a trial exhausting and questioned whether moving the trial would help the defense. “The longer it takes, the longer the agony,” Rizo said. “I think what’s happened in Uvalde ... you’ll probably get a better chance at conviction if it’s moved. To hold their own accountable is going to be very difficult.” The massacre at Robb Elementary was one of the worst school shootings in U.S. history, and the law enforcement response has been widely condemned as a massive failure. Nearly 150 U.S. Border Patrol agents, 91 state police officers, as well and school and city police rushed to the campus. While terrified students and teachers called 911 from inside classrooms, dozens of officers stood in the hallway trying to figure out what to do. More than an hour later, a team of officers breached the classroom and killed the gunman. Within days of the shooting, the focus of the slow response turned on Arredondo, who was described by other responding agencies as the incident commander in charge. Multiple federal and state investigations have laid bare cascading problems in law enforcement training, communication, leadership and technology, and questioned whether officers prioritized their own lives over those of children and teachers. Several victims or their families have filed multiple state and federal lawsuits. Associated Press reporter Jim Vertuno in Austin, Texas, contributed. Lathan is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
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Lark Hotels Forms Joint Venture With Life House, Adding More Than 50 Properties to North American Portfolio(All times Eastern) Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts Friday, Dec. 20 COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S) 4 p.m. ESPNU — Chris Paul HBCU Challenge: Norfolk St. vs. Grambling St., Uncasville, Conn. 6:30 p.m. ESPNU — Chris Paul HBCU Challenge: Delaware St. vs. Alabama St., Uncasville, Conn. 8 p.m. FOX — St. John’s at Providence 8:30 p.m. ESPNU — Cincinnati vs. Dayton, Cincinnati COLLEGE BASKETBALL (WOMEN’S) 8:30 p.m. FS1 — Ohio St. vs. Stanford, San Francisco 11 p.m. FS1 — Creighton vs. UCLA, San Francisco COLLEGE FOOTBALL Noon ESPN — The StaffDNA Cure Bowl: Ohio vs. Jacksonville St., Orlando, Fla. 3:30 p.m. ESPN2 — The Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl: Tulane vs. Florida, Tampa, Fla. 8:10 p.m. ABC — CFP First Round: Indiana at Notre Dame ESPN — CFP First Round: Indiana at Notre Dame ESPN2 — CFP First Round: Indiana at Notre Dame (Command Center) GOLF 3:30 a.m. GOLF — DP World Tour: The AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, Second Round, Mont Choisy Le Golf, Grand-Baie, Mauritius Noon GOLF — PGA Tour: The PNC Championship Pro-Am, Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Orlando, Fla. 4 a.m. (Saturday) GOLF — DP World Tour: The AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, Third Round, Mont Choisy Le Golf, Grand-Baie, Mauritius HORSE RACING 3 p.m. FS2 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races NBA BASKETBALL 7:30 p.m. NBATV — Milwaukee at Cleveland NBA G-LEAGUE BASKETBALL 11 a.m. ESPNU — Winter Showcase: Texas vs. Motor City, Orlando, Fla. 1 p.m. NBATV — Winter Showcase: San Diego vs. Long Island, Orlando, Fla. 1:30 p.m. ESPNU — Winter Showcase: Mexico City vs. Rip City, Orlando, Fla. 3:30 p.m. NBATV — Winter Showcase: Cleveland vs. Salt Lake, Orlando, Fla. 4 p.m. ESPNEWS — Winter Showcase: Delaware vs. Santa Cruz, Orlando, Fla. TENNIS 6 a.m. TENNIS — Next Gen ATP Finals: Round Robin 11 a.m. TENNIS — Next Gen ATP Finals: Round Robin The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV .
Man Pleads Guilty in Case of Secret Chinese Police Station in NYC( MENAFN ) Turkey’s defense industry has reached a 70 percent domestic production capacity in 2024, according to the Turkey Defense Industry 2024 report released by the Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (MUSIAD) on Friday. The report assesses the current state and future outlook of Turkey's defense sector, noting significant progress in key strategic products and a notable rise in domestic production capacity. The MUSIAD Defense Industry Board’s evaluation in the report emphasizes the need to reduce foreign dependence, particularly in engine and power transmission systems. It points out that despite advancements, there remains reliance on foreign sources for engine and power transmission systems, particularly for the ALTAY main battle tank and other military platforms. The report stresses that domestic engine production remains a critical area of focus. Fatih Altunbas, Chairman of the MUSIAD Defense Industry Board, whose insights were featured in the report, underlined the importance of enhancing R&D in advanced materials technologies. "Domestic production should be boosted, and reliance on foreign technology in composite materials such as graphene, nanomaterials, and carbon fiber must be reduced," Altunbas said. MENAFN28122024000045016755ID1109037624 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Tait-Jones scores 21 as UC San Diego defeats James Madison 73-67Abortions are up in the US. It's a complicated picture as women turn to pills, travelKYIV, Ukraine — NATO and Ukraine will hold emergency talks Tuesday after Russia attacked a central city with an experimental, hypersonic ballistic missile. escalating the nearly 33-month-old war. The conflict is “entering a decisive phase,” Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Friday, and “taking on very dramatic dimensions.” Ukraine’s parliament canceled a session as security was tightened following Thursday’s Russian strike on a military facility in the city of Dnipro. In a stark warning to the West, President Vladimir Putin said in a nationally televised speech the attack with the intermediate-range Oreshnik missile was in retaliation for Kyiv’s use of U.S. and British longer-range missiles capable of striking deeper into Russian territory. Putin said Western air defense systems would be powerless to stop the new missile. Ukrainian military officials said the missile that hit Dnipro reached a speed of Mach 11 and carried six nonnuclear warheads, each releasing six submunitions. Speaking Friday to military and weapons industries officials, Putin said Russia will launch production of the Oreshnik. “No one in the world has such weapons,” he said. “Sooner or later, other leading countries will also get them. We are aware that they are under development. “We have this system now,” he added. “And this is important.” Putin said that while it isn’t an intercontinental missile, it’s so powerful that the use of several of them fitted with conventional warheads in one attack could be as devastating as a strike with strategic — or nuclear — weapons. Gen. Sergei Karakayev, head of Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces, said the Oreshnik could reach targets across Europe and be fitted with nuclear or conventional warheads, echoing Putin’s claim that even with conventional warheads, “the massive use of the weapon would be comparable in effect to the use of nuclear weapons.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov kept up Russia's bellicose tone on Friday, blaming “the reckless decisions and actions of Western countries” in supplying weapons to Ukraine to strike Russia. "The Russian side has clearly demonstrated its capabilities, and the contours of further retaliatory actions in the event that our concerns were not taken into account have also been quite clearly outlined," he said. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, widely seen as having the warmest relations with the Kremlin in the European Union, echoed Moscow’s talking points, suggesting the use of U.S.-supplied weapons in Ukraine likely requires direct American involvement. “These are rockets that are fired and then guided to a target via an electronic system, which requires the world’s most advanced technology and satellite communications capability,” Orbán said on state radio. “There is a strong assumption ... that these missiles cannot be guided without the assistance of American personnel.” Orbán cautioned against underestimating Russia’s responses, emphasizing that the country’s recent modifications to its nuclear deployment doctrine should not be dismissed as a “bluff.” “It’s not a trick ... there will be consequences,” he said. Separately in Kyiv, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský called Thursday’s missile strike an “escalatory step and an attempt of the Russian dictator to scare the population of Ukraine and to scare the population of Europe.” At a news conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Lipavský also expressed his full support for delivering the necessary additional air defense systems to protect Ukrainian civilians from the “heinous attacks.” He said the Czech Republic will impose no limits on the use of its weapons and equipment given to Ukraine. Three lawmakers from Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, confirmed that Friday's previously scheduled session was called off due to the ongoing threat of Russian missiles targeting government buildings in central Kyiv. In addition, there also was a recommendation to limit the work of all commercial offices and nongovernmental organizations "in that perimeter, and local residents were warned of the increased threat,” said lawmaker Mykyta Poturaiev, who said it's not the first time such a threat has been received. Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate said the Oreshnik missile was fired from the Kapustin Yar 4th Missile Test Range in Russia’s Astrakhan region and flew 15 minutes before striking Dnipro. Test launches of a similar missile were conducted in October 2023 and June 2024, the directorate said. The Pentagon confirmed the missile was a new, experimental type of intermediate-range missile based on its RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile. Thursday's attack struck the Pivdenmash plant that built ICBMs when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. The military facility is located about 4 miles southwest of the center of Dnipro, a city of about 1 million that is Ukraine’s fourth-largest and a key hub for military supplies and humanitarian aid, and is home to one of the country’s largest hospitals for treating wounded soldiers from the front before their transfer to Kyiv or abroad.