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AUSTIN, Texas , Dec. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Subsplash , the industry leader in engagement technology for churches, announced today its acquisition of Pulpit AI , the artificial intelligence company for pastors and churches. "At Subsplash, we're committed to supporting church communities by making it easier to share the truth of Jesus," said Tim Turner , CEO of Subsplash. "Pulpit AI allows us to provide hundreds of thousands of forward-looking church leaders with tools that multiply their content creation efforts—helping deepen discipleship within their communities!" This acquisition marks an exciting step forward in Subsplash's mission of equipping every church to engage more people through technology by transforming sermons into dynamic, discoverable content that reaches people every day of the week—anywhere, anytime. Pastors and church leaders can leverage the Subsplash Platform—mobile apps, online giving, live streaming, websites, media delivery, events management, communication tools, and more—now paired with the power of AI making it simple to upload sermons and automatically create a suite of content—from video clips for social media to study guides for small groups, sermon recaps, weekly newsletters, and more. "The Church should be at the forefront of innovation and creativity," said Turner. "We can't wait to see how this acquisition helps amplify the gospel message and, by the grace of Jesus, we'll never stop innovating for His Church." With Subsplash & Pulpit AI's advanced tools, pastors can save valuable time while broadening the reach and impact of their messages. By enabling church leaders to repurpose their sermons quickly and effectively, Subsplash aims to enhance engagement with each sermon created, connecting congregations with meaningful content throughout the week. About Subsplash Subsplash is the industry leader in Fintech and mobile SaaS with an award-winning digital engagement platform used by over 20,000 leading churches and ministries around the world. Subsplash is passionate about helping mission-minded organizations engage their audiences through centralized, easy-to-manage systems. As the creators of the Ultimate Engagement PlatformTM, they're dedicated to delivering delight to millions of people through custom mobile apps, websites, live streaming, media hosting delivery, online giving, events management, communication tools, and more. SOURCE Subsplash
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Vancouver Whitecaps owners put Major League Soccer club up for saleHemispheres away from each other, Roc Marciano and The Alchemist are in sync like they’re in the same room. Roc is back home in LA, decompressing from Art Basel, while The Alchemist, who DJs for Eminem, is just landing in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with the “Rap God.” It’s slightly past midnight for Alchemist, who shows us Zoom attendees a group of people taking pictures of him in front of his hotel. It’s unclear if they’re sneaking shots because, as he suspects, his purple-and-pink ensemble is in stark contrast to their cultural garb or because he’s one of the greatest producers ever to walk the earth. During our conversation, someone walks up to show him love. The international appreciation is a testament to the body of work and production acumen displayed on The Skeleton Key , his new album with Roc Marciano, a follow-up to their 202 collaboration, Elephant Man’s Bones . When I ask when they started working on the 10-track album, which dropped Monday on RocMarci.com (with two bonus songs) and is available on streaming platforms today, Roc clarifies that they have an ongoing creative relationship. Alchemist is always sending beats, and Roc is always writing. Their chemistry is apparent throughout our conversation as they finish and build on each others’ thoughts. That cohesion comes through on the album’s first single, “Chopstick,” which exemplifies The Skeleton Key ’s overall vibe. Throughout the project, Alchemist delivers a canvas that varies from the sixties horror score of “Rauf” to the searing “Street Magic,” where Roc rhymes, “I’m a wolf, I’m aloof, I’m not cool / Despite what you may have assumed, I’m rude,” characteristically delivered with enough steeliness to radiate an entirely different context of “cool.” Their sophomore collaboration comes at the end of banner years for both artists. Alchemist dropped three projects: Heads I Win, Tails You Lose (as Gangrene with Oh No), Black & Whites with Hit-Boy and Big Hit, and The Genuine Articulate — while garnering notable individual placements like Kendrick Lamar’s “Meet The Grahams.” In March, Roc Marciano released his well-regarded album Marciology . He also recently struck a partnership between his Pimpire International label and Roc Nation’s Equity Distribution, which he says puts “a staff” behind his movement in a manner he’s never had before. The two say 2025 is set to be just as prosperous as they’re more artistically focused and empowered on the business end than ever. Editor’s picks The 100 Best TV Episodes of All Time The 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time Roc Marciano and The Alchemist talked to Rolling Stone about The Skeleton Key , their craft as producers, and the late, great Ka . How’s your 2024 been? Alchemist: It’s been eventful. It’s been more than I could ask for. I can’t speak for Roc, but I feel like we’re both at the place where we’re in a real good hefty stride where it’s like... I won’t say comfort zone because we never try to get too comfortable. I think the turnout and after running for a long time, it feels like we don’t got to speed on the bike anymore; we could kick back and we’re in a flow now. For years, I felt like we were pedaling to create the landscape that we have now. I feel like that’s why it’s... I don’t want to say easy, but it’s like without much effort that we could pull off something like this, basically whenever we want. At what point would you say you felt that flow state? Alchemist: I don’t know if it was a moment, but once we pulled off Elephant Man’s Bones , it felt like we approached it. We got over a hump, and it was like once we both got that and achieved that, collectively, I feel like — and maybe it’s in my head — I could pitch 80 to 90% with Roc if I’m sending him beats or if I got something in mind for him. We’re pretty much in sync. Similar to the flow I had with Prodigy, two completely different artists, but it was like the [similar] rhythm that we were in. It’s rare when you get connections like that with other artists. Related Content A$AP Rocky Teams With J. Cole for New Song 'Ruby Rosary' How Hit-Boy and His Father Big Hit Brought The Family Together on ‘Black & Whites’ Roc Marciano Satiates His Cult Fanbase On ‘Marciology’ How the Rising Rapper MIKE Became More Boundless Than Fan Expectations When would you say y’all started working on this project? Roc Marciano: It’s kind of like we never stopped. We always making music. I’m always sitting on a batch of beats from Al. How much of this one did y’all get a chance to record in person? Roc: Damn, how many joints we did? I think some of the older joints we did from the last project we might’ve did together, I’m not sure. Alchemist: I’m not sure. Some of them we did, but we live in the same city now, too. I feel like we’re damn near in the same studio every morning because of our respective work areas. I could pull up on Roc, or he’d come to my spot, but I think the flow is better when I’m sending him stuff and he’s in his bag over there, taking his time. And then we convene, and we come to my spot or his spot, we take notes, but I think we both have our [own] work environment. I know if Roc is in his element over there, I could just send him stuff, and at his leisure, if it might be three in the morning, it might be eight in the morning, whatever, he’s comfy, and he’s able to do what he does. How intentional was it for this one to have no features? Roc: I don’t know, I don’t care about features, to be honest. [ Laughs ] Features are always an afterthought. Whenever I put features on my album, they’re usually my friends. I never think of an album and be like, “Yo, I need rappers on my album.” I don’t give a fuck about features. Alchemist: It felt like we needed to just do this one. I felt like people that love what we do, I don’t think that they’re like, “Man, that album was good, but we needed some other voices on there.” I feel like if anything, they might be annoyed. It wasn’t one of those events. It felt like a quick mission we needed to pull off, just us in our bag. It naturally became that. And I think it says something too. I was telling Roc yesterday that it’s kind of dope that we were able to get together and make something with this much motion. And get with Josué Thomas , who’s our brother, to do the artwork, and [have] Evidence, also our brother, to do the video. It’s a very self-contained creative product. What is it that’s special and distinct about collaborating with each other? Roc: Alchemist is one of the greats. I always wanted to work with him from back in the days since the Mobb Deep days. So to be able to work with him now, and call him one of my closest friends, I’m blessed to even have this friend circle. So it’s respect and admiration from my side. Alchemist: And I say it all the time, Roc’s my favorite rapper, and I don’t take it lightly because somebody I consider my favorite is one of my close friends. Those are two separate things. I don’t ever let one conflate the other. You are still the God, so when I get an opportunity to work with him or get his ear... Because I know what the hell he’s going to do to these beats, and it’s like, that’s your best friend, if you make beats. Your best friend is the guy who’s going to take your beats and breathe life into them. My friends make me look good. Without these guys, they’d just be a bunch of cool instrumentals. So I value it, and I let them know every time we get a chance to work, like, “Man, thank you.” Roc: Thank you, brother, and I’m lucky myself, man, to make shit, and you always have my back, and make sure I always got a crazy pack from you. Alchemist: That ain’t easy, because Roc’s standards is high. [ Laughs ] I send him a lot of stuff until we land on the right one, but it’s specific. We always find if it takes a couple beats, CDs, or whatever it takes, we going to get to a place where he finds something that moves the pen, and that’s all I can ask for. So, Roc, as a rapper and producer, what does it do for you as an emcee when you can get beats from somebody and just focus on writing? Roc: Yeah, it’s definitely [like] now I don’t have to worry about half the workload. So all I have to do is make sure that I hold up my end of the bargain. When I’m doing my own production, obviously, you got to wear both hats. With this, I get a chance totally focus on what I’m writing, so it’s definitely a much better and easier process for me. On “Street Magic,” you said: “I don’t need my ego stroked.” How important is it not to be driven in your art by external validation? Alchemist: I mean, shit, Roc don’t give a fuck about that. Roc is truly the essence of that. He don’t care with nothing. He does it for the most purest, and not even selfish [reasons], like it’s got to be validated to him first. It got to sit right in his heart, and where he’s at in his career. If somebody else likes it, that shit is trivial for Roc, because I look at stuff. I like to do consumer research and see what’s out there. Roc really, he appreciates it, but he ain’t tripping on that. It’s truthfully [like] we validate this first. We do it for a deeper, higher purpose. So anyone else liking it or validating it after is icing on the cake, you know what I mean? Roc: And I don’t trust people’s tastes anyway. People have bad tastes, so a person with bad taste can’t tell me shit. It’s no need for me to even try to wrap my head around that. I trust my taste over 99% of motherfuckers out here, so have at it. If people love it, they love it. If they don’t, it’s cool. What does your consumer research look like, Al? Alchemist: I do my studies, man. I love watching it. It fascinates me to see that we could press upload on this album, and in Germany, or in Belgium, or Japan, within an hour, there’s people enjoying it. I watch the reviews. If you do reviews, and you got five views on your review, I’m one of the five views. I try to give hope to some of them guys in their room doing those reviews. I watch them, and I like seeing, even if it’s a bad review, the real-time effect of our music on some technology shit. Roc: I got your bad review hanging right here. Alchemist: [ Laughs ] I never thought in my life that I would be in retail. At this point in our careers, we actually run our own labels. We make all the decisions. So it’s on some consumer research type of thing, just seeing what’s working, what isn’t. I check the temperatures out there. That reminds me of the tweet you made recently. It was like, “Yo, if you’re hot, I’ll find you. “ Alchemist: When something that reaches my radar is genuine, I definitely am the type that’ll reach out. I love discovering new artists, or giving somebody who’s a new producer [props like] “Yo, I see you. Keep going crazy.” There’s a producer, Child Actor , who’s really dope that was on my radar. I reached out to him. I didn’t wait for him to hit me like, “Yo, you’re dope. I mess with you.” I’ve done that to a lot of guys because I know what that does, and what that would’ve done for me at the time. And it’s genuine, too, like these are people I get inspiration from. Roc: Yeah, I love doing that, too. I love when you shout people out, and show them love, and they be like, “Yo, wow.” They can’t believe it. You be like, “What, you think I’m corny?” I’m not corny, bro. If you dope, I’ll show you love. It ain’t no skin off my back. So to show love, it don’t cost you nothing. Roc, how does the recent partnership with Roc Nation add to your movement? Roc: It’s just now, there’s a staff behind it. It’s contributing in ways that I feel like the people that were supporting me, they’ve always wanted to see it on a bigger stage and they wanted to see it pushed more to the front. So now that I have a staff and a team behind the projects, because everything that was built, even on our side, we built this without a staff. We weren’t even using marketing dollars and advertisements. This has all been organic. So now, to actually have some people helping out, it’s going to be great, and it’s going to bring more awareness, and it’s bringing more awareness to what we’re doing. Al, I saw you were in one of Eminem’s trailers for his recent album. I was wondering what that experience was like, filming that trailer. Alchemist: It was cool. It was an honor. Anytime they give me the chance to wet my shoes with some acting. And yeah, it’s cool to add that to the list of things that I do. Just being affiliated with Eminem. Obviously, I’m overseas right now on tour with Eminem. Yeah. It’s a blessing to be hitting on all levels. And I could be on the road with him doing this big ass show, come home, hit the studio, and get busy with Roc Marci and make classics and hit the road. I’m blessed to have all these different influences and be able to be with the best of the best in every category. So yeah, it was dope. It was dope when they tapped me to do shit like that because acting, it’s a new challenge for me. Wow. This is a whole world. And even though there’s little bits and things, last year I was filming some stuff with Hit-Boy and Big Hit and it’s fun. It’s like, “Shit. This is tough.” This is not... I respect actors. So it was fun to be able to do that. You mentioned you did something with Big Hit and Hit-Boy. I was wondering if the Eminem thing was your first acting role since Murda Muzik . Alchemist: [Laughs] That was my debut. Trevor, the gun salesman. Probably. And that was a last-minute thing, too. But acting is something that I would love to try my hand at a little more. I have a couple of things coming I don’t want to blow up, but for next year I think it should be interesting. In another interview , you said, “The fun is in danger” in a creative sense. What do you think are some of the next most ambitious creative things you’d like to explore? Roc Marciano: Actually, I want to do more singing. I want to get more into the melody side. I want to make an album like Isaac Hayes, like Black Moses kind of shit. Just fun stuff like that. Experimenting, even though I know they want to box us in with samples and stuff like that. But I’m going to start fucking with some live instrumentation, as well. Just start expanding in every way possible. Whatever they saying we shouldn’t be doing, we going to try our hand at it. Alchemist, I saw that some of your music is not on DSPs anymore. I was wondering if it will be returning to streaming or what’s going on with that? Alchemist: I got some plans. I think people will be surprised, but everything will be back. Yeah, it’s going to come back. Man, remember when Taylor Swift put her music back out? Yeah, re-recorded. Alchemist: Right. Well, I may not re-record, but I realized that the span of my career has touched a lot of different eras and what you think everybody knows, they just might not know. And I feel like me introducing some of the old projects... Like if I re-release First Infantry and do a new video, it’s going to be a whole new first week to a whole world of people. So there’s something there that I got that I’m toying with. And for the ones that knew about it, just keep your mouth shut and act like you don’t know what I’m doing. Roc: Exactly. Shut up. Alchemist: You know what I’m saying? Re-rock. Roc: See, that’s the danger we talking about. You’re not supposed to do that. Ka passed away recently . How are y’all holding up, and what do you think his legacy is? Roc: Well, holding up is a challenge every day when you lose somebody like Ka, so just never going to get over that. But as far as this legacy and everything that we doing, Ka’s firmly planted in it and is a big part of all of this that we started. Ka was the only feature on my first album. He’s been there for this whole ride, and all of the respect and admiration we get, he’s due it as well. It’s cemented: Ka is one of the best lyricists to ever walk the planet. And I’m not saying that because he passed because I was saying that while he was living. And that’s just what it is. That’s the truth. And he’s going to be forever missed. Alchemist: Ka was one of my biggest inspirations, and I still maintain that even more now. Definitely something I was able to tell him while he was here and let him know I met him through Roc. But I never let him think for a minute that I didn’t know that he was something special. And from the whole aspect of him producing, writing, and filming his own videos, that really inspired me. I felt like he was a true artist, and there was no filter between him. Sometimes you got to explain your shit to an engineer. You got to explain your shit to a video director. There was none of that. He bypassed all that. His art was exactly from the visual. You could smell, taste, and touch what was his pure thought. And that, to this day, still motivates me, especially on the video side of things. I feel like this type of project is something that we had to do, even in the spirit of Ka, in the passing of it. Man this is something that will make him proud. And I definitely felt like we were getting his blessings from above, as far as to keep going and keep alive in the artistry that we’ve been given. We all have a limited time on this earth, so every day matters. And Ka proved that. Look at how great his discography is in a short period of time. It’s almost scary. Like, “Damn, he did his thing.” But we never know when we’re going to check out. He’s always going to be a big inspiration, I know, to Roc and to me, as well. What are y’all looking forward to most in 2025? Roc: More great music and just enjoying life and our families and adding on to the legacy that we’ve been building. That’s what I’m looking forward to. Alchemist: Yeah, I can’t even lie, it looks already like next year could potentially be the biggest year ever for me. And really, to be honest, just based on the things I have lined up already, I’m just making sure I stay healthy, man. That’s all I care about now. I want to stay here because [there are] too much blessings around the corner. So [that’s] what I’m thinking about, making sure that we are in the right shape, mind, body, and soul to receive all the blessings that are right around the corner from the work. It wasn’t like they fell out of the sky. Roc: Ain’t that what I always be on you about? Alchemist: That’s it. Roc be checking in on me every now and then like, “Yo, you good? You sleeping? You eating good?” Because he knows I might work to the point where I’m not even paying attention to that shit. [ Laughs ] But as we get older, these are the true things. The only thing on my mind, is I got to stay good so I can enjoy all this shit. Because the hard work is starting to pay off and it’s only making us work harder.The clock is ticking in Annapolis as state legislators work to address Maryland’s $2.7 billion budget shortfall before the Maryland General Assembly session begins. Spotlight on Maryland interviewed Senate President Bill Ferguson, D-Baltimore City, and newcomer Del. Chris Tomlinson, R-Carroll and Frederick counties, on Wednesday in Annapolis as a dark budget cloud loomed overhead. Del. Tomlinson said much of the upcoming Maryland General Assembly session will focus on finding ways to resolve the state’s growing deficit. “I don’t think there is anybody in Annapolis, or in the state of Maryland, that would tell you otherwise, Republican or Democrat, that there is not a crisis,” Del. Tomlinson said. “There is absolutely a budget crisis.” Sen. Ferguson told Spotlight on Maryland that he believes many of the state’s fiscal problems are due to service costs being higher than anticipated. He added that his chamber is ready to review all available options to address the budget issue. “We are going to have to have an all-of-the-above approach,” Sen. Ferguson said. “The first is that we are going to have to live within our means and then, if there are places where we cannot compromise on our values, we are going to have to find ways to fund.” Spotlight on Maryland pressed Sen. Ferguson on whether that meant Marylanders should prepare for the possibility of tax hikes. “If we get to a place where there is still a gap, and we have to look for revenues in places that will not make us less competitive, then they’re on the table,” Sen. Ferguson said. “We have to be realistic that everything is on the table at the moment, but it has to be with a lens to keep Maryland competitive in the region and nationally.” Sen. Ferguson echoed Gov. Wes Moore’s stance from the previous session, saying that “an extremely high bar” must be achieved for significant tax or fee increases to be approved in his chamber. A similar position was taken last session that created a short-lived budget showdown in March, with the House of Delegates approving $1.3 billion in increased taxes and fees. An agreement was eventually reached that stopped many of the House’s planned revenue increases from taking effect. Both Sen. Ferguson and Del. Tomlinson agreed that the funding aspects of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, the state’s 10-year public education plan, must remain a priority to ensure the effort’s funding goals are ultimately met. They acknowledged this may require some adaptations. “The legislature will not retract from the commitment we are making in public education for Marylanders and Maryland families, but we will make adjustments,” Sen. Ferguson said. “We have to make sure we can meet the expectations we have laid out and meet the promise of what kids and families deserve in Maryland.” Del. Tomlinson said the Republican caucus intends to announce a bill before the session that will spread the Blueprint’s funding positions into multiple years beyond the current 10-year mandate. He said this could significantly alleviate the burden on taxpayers right away. Both state legislators said evaluating state operations will also be on the table this upcoming session. While Sen. Ferguson said he desires to protect state workers who provide services to residents, he also indicated a willingness to consider modernization. “Look, as a public servant and any state elected official, we should always be looking for opportunities to make government work better and be more efficient,” Sen. Ferguson said. “It’s a fundamental part of our job.” Del. Tomlinson said the state could save money and create an optimized workforce by decreasing codified regulations. “The state of Maryland, the first meeting was in 1634, so you’re talking about hundreds of years of bills being passed and one of the things that stands out to me is all of these reports that someone has to do in state government,” Del. Tomlinson said. “I am positive nobody every looks at the reason why these reports have to be created is because somebody 20, 30, 40, I don’t know, 100 years ago had a bug up their butt and needed this report to be created.” “Those people are so long gone, nobody cares about these things anymore.” Spotlight on Maryland contacted Gov. Moore’s office on Thursday to ask whether he is considering furloughs or hiring freezes that are commonplace to plug government budget holes. The governor’s office neither acknowledged nor answered emailed questions. The Maryland Constitution requires the state legislature to pass a balanced budget before the 90-day session concludes. Lawmakers must either increase taxes or cut spending to address the budget shortfall. Sen. Ferguson’s office told Spotlight on Maryland that several proposed solutions will be announced during a press conference on Tuesday in Annapolis.Sam McDowell: Chiefs enacted emergency plan after Patrick Mahomes’ outburst vs. Raiders. What next?
BALTIMORE (AP) — Azmar Abdullah's 21 points off of the bench led Boston University to a 69-62 victory against Howard on Sunday. Abdullah went 7 of 9 from the field (5 for 7 from 3-point range) for the Terriers (3-4). Kyrone Alexander added 10 points while going 2 of 9 from the floor, including 2 for 5 from 3-point range, and 4 for 4 from the line while they also had seven rebounds. Ben Palacios went 3 of 5 from the field (3 for 4 from 3-point range) to finish with nine points. Marcus Dockery finished with 17 points and two steals for the Bison (3-3). Blake Harper added 14 points, seven rebounds and three steals for Howard. Anwar Gill had 10 points and two steals. An 11-0 run in the first half gave Boston University a five-point lead. The teams entered the break with Boston University ahead 26-21, while Michael McNair led their club in scoring with eight points. Abdullah's 18-point second half helped Boston University close out the seven-point victory. NEXT UP Boston University takes on Sacred Heart at home on Sunday, and Howard visits UMBC on Monday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Colin Smalls puts up 23 points as American tops UAlbany 81-77 at Puerto Rico Classico
Chuck Woolery, smooth-talking game show host of 'Love Connection' and 'Scrabble,' dies at 83
City of LA to explore new policy allowing tenants to purchase their buildingsBoston cancer researcher accused of tricking distant relative with dementia into changing her will to get apartmentCINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Bengals have found all manner of ways to lose close games this season. Sunday's 44-38 loss to AFC North rival Pittsburgh can be blamed on a defense that missed tackles and allowed 520 yards of offense, and three turnovers by Joe Burrow. It's become a familiar story in this disappointing season. Cincinnati (4-8) keeps scoring lots of points but can't close out games. Seven of the Bengals’ eight losses this year have been by one score. Burrow has stopped talking about the possibility of going on a run and making the playoffs. He'd just like to win another game or two. “Playoffs are the furthest thing from my mind,” the fifth-year quarterback said. “You never know what can happen, so I’ll keep putting one foot in front of the other and try to be the best player I can be for the rest of the season, week in and week out.” The Bengals allowed Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson to throw for a season-high 414 yards and three touchdowns. After Wilson threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown, the Steelers (9-3) scored on seven of their last nine possessions. They didn't punt until early in the fourth quarter. Burrow lost two fumbles and threw an interception. “We haven’t done enough to earn the win,” coach Zac Taylor said. “It’s a simple as that. It’s nobody else’s fault but our own. We haven’t earned it.” Turnovers aside, Burrow had another strong game, finishing with 28 for 38 for 309 yards with three touchdowns. Burrow is having a great season statistically, and he hasn't hidden his disappointment and frustration about Cincinnati's narrow losses. ... WR Ja'Marr Chase had a touchdown catch to bring his league-leading total to 13. The defense missed tackles and couldn't hold off the Steelers, even with Burrow keeping the game close. It didn’t help that LB Logan Wilson (knee) and DT Sheldon Rankins (illness) had to sit out. The Bengals have allowed 34 or more points six times, including in four of the past five games. Cincinnati became the first NFL team to lose four games in a season in which it scored 33 points or more. RB Chase Brown has been dependable as the featured back since Zack Moss went down with a neck injury. He rushed for 70 yards and a touchdown against the Steelers. He also had three catches for 30 yards. The second-year back has 677 yards rushing and six TDs. “He’s really coming along, improving his game every single week,” Burrow said. “Pass game, run game, running hard, understanding his protection responsibilities. He’s a guy that practices hard, plays hard, and a guy you can count on.” The Bengals' coaching staff. Something has got to give. There was no excuse for the defense to play this badly after a bye week. The unit gave up 500-plus yards for the second time this season. None were reported in the game. 30.3 — The average points per game by the Bengals against teams with a .500 or better record this season. They are 0-7 in those games. The Bengals will try to regroup before facing the Dallas Cowboys (5-7) next Monday night. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
No. 10 Maryland holds off George Mason late, 66-56 in a matchup of unbeatens
Abdullah scores 21 off the bench, Boston University defeats Howard 69-62
AP Trending SummaryBrief at 5:57 p.m. EST"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" Thanks for your interest in Kalkine Media's content! To continue reading, please log in to your account or create your free account with us.
Hezbollah fired into a disputed border zone held by Israel on Monday after multiple Israeli strikes inside Lebanon since a ceasefire took hold last week. The militant group said the volley, its first during the truce, was a warning shot in response to what it called repeated Israeli violations . Israeli leaders threatened to retaliate, and within hours, Israel’s military carried out a string of strikes in southern Lebanon, state media reported. There was no immediate word on casualties or what was struck. Israel has said its strikes in since the ceasefire began Wednesday have been in response to unspecified Hezbollah violations, and that under the truce deal it reserves the right to retaliate. Hezbollah began launching its attacks in solidarity with Hamas militants who are fighting Israel in the Gaza Strip. The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 people hostage . Israel’s blistering retaliatory offensive has killed at least 44,429 Palestinians , more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were combatants. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The war in Gaza has destroyed vast areas of the coastal enclave and displaced 90% of the population of 2.3 million, often multiple times . Here’s the Latest: WASHINGTON — U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is demanding the immediate release of Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza, saying that if they are not freed before he is sworn into office for a second term there will be “HELL TO PAY.” “Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if the hostages are not released prior to January 20, 2025, the date that I proudly assume Office as President of the United States, there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against Humanity,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social site . He added that, “Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW!” It was not immediately clear whether Trump was threatening to directly involve the U.S. military in Israel’s ongoing campaign against Hamas in Gaza. Trump allies have said he hopes there will be a ceasefire and hostage release deal before he returns to office early next year. The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 people hostage on Oct. 7, 2023. Some 100 are still held inside Gaza , around two-thirds believed to be alive. WASHINGTON — Senior American officials have had conversations with Israelis to raise questions about some of the strikes they have carried out against Hezbollah since a ceasefire went into place but have not found the Israelis to be in gross violation of the terms of the ceasefire, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter. The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly about the sensitive conversations with the Israelis, said those conversations were part of a mechanism that was created to ensure that ceasefire agreement is implemented. “This is that mechanism working,” the official added. White House national security spokesman John Kirby on Monday that “largely speaking the ceasefire is holding.” “We’ve gone from, you know dozens of strikes, you know, down to one a day maybe two a day,” Kirby told told reporters aboard Air Force One as President Joe Biden made his way for a visit to Angola. “That’s a tremendous, tremendous reduction. And we’re going to keep trying and see what we can do to get it down to zero so that both sides are fully implementing it. But, this is, this is the only it’s only a, a week or so old.” — By Aamer Madhani JERUSALEM — Hezbollah fired into a disputed border zone held by Israel on Monday, the militant group’s first attack since its ceasefire with Israel took hold last week, after Lebanon accused Israel of violating the truce more than 50 times in recent days. The Israeli military said two projectiles were launched toward Mount Dov, a disputed Israeli-held territory known as Shebaa Farms in Lebanon, where the borders of Lebanon, Syria, and Israel meet. Israel said the projectiles fell in open areas and no injuries were reported. Hezbollah said in a statement that it fired on an Israeli military position in the area as a “defensive and warning response” after what it called “repeated violations” of the ceasefire deal by Israel. It said complaints to mediators tasked with monitoring the ceasefire “were futile in stopping these violations.” The U.S.- and French-brokered ceasefire came into effect on Wednesday calling for a 60-day halt in fighting, aiming to end more than a year of exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israel. Since then, Israel has carried out a number of strikes in Lebanon, most recently on Monday, when a drone strike killed a man on a motorcycle in southern Lebanon and another hit a Lebanese army bulldozer in the northeastern town of Hermel, wounding a soldier. The Lebanese army had stayed on the sidelines of the war between Israel and Hezbollah. Israel says the strikes are in response to Hezbollah violations of the ceasefire, without giving specifics. BEIRUT — Lebanon’s parliament speaker on Monday accused Israel of committing 54 breaches of the ceasefire that ended the war between Hezbollah and Israel, demanding urgent intervention to halt what he called “flagrant violations.” Speaking to the Lebanese newspaper Al Joumhouria, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri condemned Israel’s “aggressive actions,” including the alleged demolition of homes in border villages, the persistent overflight of Israeli reconnaissance drones, and airstrikes that have caused casualties. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Berri’s assertions. Israel says it reserves the right under the ceasefire deal to respond to perceived ceasefire violations. An Israeli drone strike on Monday hit a Lebanese army military bulldozer in the northeastern town of Hermel, wounding a soldier, the Lebanese army said in a statement. Also on Monday, an Israeli drone strike targeting a motorcycle in Jdeidet Marjayoun in southern Lebanon killed one person, the Lebanese Health Ministry said. In Bint Jbeil province, a drone strike injured one person, the state-run National News Agency said. On Saturday, two people were killed in an airstrike on Marjayoun province, Lebanon’s state media said. Berri called on the technical committee established to monitor the ceasefire to take immediate action, urging it to “oblige Israel to halt its violations and withdraw from Lebanese territories without delay.” He said that Lebanon and Hezbollah have fully adhered to the terms of the ceasefire since the early hours of Wednesday. Berri is the leader of the Shiite Amal movement, which is closely allied with the Shiite militant group Hezbollah. BEIRUT — Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said Monday one person was killed in an Israeli drone strike that hit a motorcycle, while the Lebanese army said that a soldier was wounded in an Israeli strike on a military bulldozer at an army base. The Israeli military said that it carried out a series of strikes in Lebanon on Sunday and Monday, including one in the same area where the soldier was said to have been wounded. It said it struck several military vehicles in Lebanon’s Bekaa province as well as strikes on Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon. The incidents underscored the fragility of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah reached after nearly 14 months of cross-border fighting. Since the ceasefire went into effect on Wednesday, Israel has struck several times in response to what it says have been ceasefire violations by Hezbollah. Lebanon has accused Israel of violating the deal but so far Hezbollah has not resumed its rocket fire. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Monday rejected accusations that Israel is violating the tenuous ceasefire agreement, saying it was responding to Hezbollah violations. In a post on X, Saar said that he made that point in a call with his French counterpart, Jean-Noël Barrot. France, along with the U.S., helped broker the deal and is part of an international monitoring committee meant to ensure the sides uphold their commitments. Israel says that it reserves the right under the deal to respond to perceived ceasefire violations. TEL AVIV, Israel — The Israeli military said Monday an Israeli American soldier who was believed to have been taken hostage alive on Oct. 7, 2023, is now presumed to have been killed during Hamas’ attack and his body taken into Gaza. Neutra, 21, was a New York native who enlisted in the Israeli military and was captured when Hamas attacked southern Israel. Neutra’s parents, Ronen and Orna, led a public campaign while he was thought to be alive for their son’s freedom. They spoke at protests in the U.S. and Israel, addressed the Republican National Convention this year and kept up ties with the Biden administration in their crusade to secure their son’s release. In a statement announcing the death, the military did not say how it came to the conclusion over Neutra’s fate. He was one of seven American Israelis still held in Gaza, four of whom are now said to be dead. Hamas released a video of one, Edan Alexander, over the weekend, indicating he was still alive. In late summer, Israel said Hamas killed Hersh Goldberg-Polin , another prominent Israeli American hostage, along with five other captives, whose bodies the Israeli military recovered. The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 hostage. Some 100 captives are still held inside Gaza , around two-thirds believed to be alive. Iraqi militias supported by Iran deployed in Syria on Monday to back the government’s counteroffensive against a surprise advance by insurgents who seized the largest city of Aleppo, a militia official and a war monitor said. Insurgents led by jihadi group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham launched a two-pronged attack on Aleppo last week and the countryside around Idlib before moving toward neighboring Hama province. Government troops built a fortified defensive line in northern Hama in an attempt to stall the insurgents’ momentum while jets on Sunday pounded rebel-held lines. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus Sunday and announced Tehran’s full support for his government. He later arrived for talks in Ankara, Turkey, one of the rebels' main backers. Iran has been of Assad’s principal political and military supporters and deployed military advisers and forces after 2011 protests against Assad’s rule turned into an all-out war. Tehran-backed Iraqi militias already in Syria mobilized and additional forces crossed the border to support them, said the Iraqi militia official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. According to Britain-based opposition war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, some 200 Iraqi militiamen on pickups crossed into Syria overnight through the strategic Bou Kamal. They were expected to deploy in Aleppo to support the Syrian army’s pushback against the insurgents, the monitor said. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — U.S. Navy destroyers shot down seven missiles and drones fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels at the warships and three American merchant vessels they were escorting through the Gulf of Aden. No damage or injuries were reported. U.S. Central Command said late Sunday that the destroyers USS Stockdale and USS O’Kane shot down and destroyed three anti-ship ballistic missiles, three drones and one anti-ship cruise missile. The merchant ships were not identified. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement and said they had targeted the U.S. destroyers and “three supply ships belonging to the American army in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden.” Houthi attacks for months have targeted shipping through a waterway where $1 trillion in goods pass annually over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and Israel’s ground offensive in Lebanon. A ceasefire was announced in Lebanon last week. The USS Stockdale was involved in a similar attack on Nov. 12 . Read more of the AP's coverage of the Middle East wars: https://apnews.com/hub/mideast-warsDonald Trump shared a strange post on Truth Social revealing that Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates asked to visit him at Mar-a-Lago, with many believing it was meant to be a private message. Since Trump's victory in November 2024, several tech executives have sought meetings with the president-elect at his Mar-a-Lago estate, aiming to discuss issues such as job creation, manufacturing and policy concerns. On Friday, December 29, Trump shared a Truth Social post where he mentioned that Bill Gates had requested to meet with him at Mar-a-Lago, CNN reported. The visit in question would be his second in-person meeting with Trump since 2016. "Where are you? When are you coming to the "Center of the Universe," Mar-a-Lago. Bill Gates asked to come, tonight. We miss you and x! New Year's Eve is going to be AMAZING!!! DJT," Trump wrote . The meeting's outcome is still uncertain, as Gates has not publicly confirmed plans to visit. Originally published by Latin TimesScientists Urge Trust in AI to Advance Mankind - NewsmaxMiddle East latest: Israel and Hezbollah trade fire, threatening Lebanon ceasefire
INDIANAPOLIS -- Ninety years ago, former NFL owner George A. Richards purchased the Portsmouth Spartans, moving the franchise to Detroit as the Lions , and they would get off to a sweltering 10-1 start in that first season. On the road Sunday at Indianapolis, head coach Dan Campbell helped the team hit a feat that hasn't happened since 1934, a 10-1 start after beating the Colts 24-6 , but he wasn't too caught up in the moment. "We're so locked in on the here and now that it's hard," Campbell said. "It's a little bit like last year -- you get through it and maybe you can take a breath to turn around and look behind you and see what you did, but right now, we're just going. We're rolling." Campbell acknowledged history but was more impressed with his team's unbeaten road streak. The Lions are the NFL's last undefeated road team (6-0) this season, which is a testament to the franchise's turnaround since Campbell's arrival in 2021. Editor's Picks NFL Week 12 big questions and takeaways: Five wild endings, huge upsets and division-race shake-ups 6m NFL Nation The Lions finished 3-13-1 in 2021, then improved to 9-8 in 2022 before finishing 12-5 last season with an NFC Championship Game appearance. Following Sunday's win, the Lions are now officially the first NFC team to reach 10 wins this season, the first time the franchise has accomplished that. "It gave me a flashback to 2022 and at that point we were 0-11-1 on the road. And just thinking about that and now I think we're 16-5 since then and just that group of guys," Campbell said. "I said something in the locker room about it. I'm looking at Frank [Ragnow] and [Jared] Goff and Deck [ Taylor Decker ] and [Penei] Sewell , Alim [McNeill] and Saint [ Amon-Ra St. Brown ], and it's like, 'Man, you remember that?' "But all of those guys are responsible for the flip," he said. "It says a lot. If you can win on the road, you're normally a pretty good damn team and we can win on the road." The Lions also captured their ninth consecutive victory of the regular season with the win. The only other time they've had a nine-game win streak was also in 1934, when they won 10 in a row, per ESPN Research. "We are road warriors. We love it," said Lions quarterback Goff, who finished 26-for-36 with 269 passing yards. "We come together on the road, and we have an us-against-the-world mentality and it's fun when we can get our own fans here. The way they show out, it's really unbelievable. They do a hell of a job." While the offense has dominated headlines, the defense has also shined under defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. Detroit hasn't allowed a touchdown in 10 straight quarters as the defenders continue to hold each other accountable in moments of victory and defeat. For the third game this season, Detroit's defense allowed fewer than 10 points, which is the most in a Lions season since 1983. "We expect to win," Lions nose tackle DJ Reader said. "It's not a feeling where you walk in and you're guessing whether it's going to happen. Guys expect excellence out of themselves and others on our team, so I think that's the best part. Even though you see the score today, we're still out there on each other." The Lions will now shift their focus to the annual Thanksgiving game Thursday, which they haven't won since 2016. Detroit will host the Chicago Bears , a division rival, with the team looking to reach new heights in pursuit of becoming a championship team. "We've got a group of selfless humans," said Lions running back David Montgomery , who scored a second-quarter rushing touchdown. "I call this place 'The Land of Misfit Toys.' You got to a place where people say that you're not good enough or this team is not supposed to be exactly who we are, and we're not proving anybody wrong, but we in the mix to try to prove ourselves right. So, I think that's big."Indianapolis (7-8) at New York Giants (2-13) Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, Fox. BetMGM NFL Odds: Colts by 7 1/2. Against the spread: Colts 9-6; Giants 4-11. Series record: Colts lead 12-7. Last meeting: Giants beat the Colts 38-10 on Jan. 1, 2023, in East Rutherford, N.J. Last week: Colts beats Titans 38-30; Giants lost to Falcons 34-7. Colts: overall (21), rush (8), pass (28), scoring (21) Colts defense: overall (29), rush (28), pass (24), scoring (23) Giants offense: overall (32), rush (22), pass (29), scoring (32) Giants defense: overall (22), rush (31), pass (7), scoring (25) Turnover differential: Colts minus-2; Giants minus-10. DT DeForest Buckner had a tackle for a loss in his fifth straight game and had a pass defended against Tennessee. He has sacks in three of the past four games and is one of three players with seven or more sacks in each of the past six seasons. The Giants have allowed 18 sacks in the past five games. WR Malik Nabers has 97 receptions, breaking the team record of 91, set by Odell Beckham in 2014 and matched by Saquon Barkley in 2018. Nabers needs three catches in the final two games to become the fifth rookie in NFL history with at least 100. Puka Nacua of the Rams set the league rookie record of 105 receptions last season, but Raiders tight end Brock Bowers also is in contention to break it with 101 catches this season. Indianapolis broke a 68-year-old franchise record by rushing for 335 yards against the Titans. Look for the Colts to keep running the ball. Despite losing tackle Dexter Lawrence and linebacker Bobby Okereke to season-ending injuries last month, New York's run defense has gotten better with Elijah Chatman, Jordon Riley and Elijah Garcia in the middle. The Giants held Derrick Henry of the Ravens to 67 yards two weeks ago and Bijan Robinson of the Falcons to 94 last weekend. Colts: QB Anthony Richardson (back, foot) missed practice Thursday and Friday and was listed as questionable, along G Quenton Nelson (ankle), LB E.J. Speed (knee) and TE Mo Alie-Cox (toe). Giants: LB Micah McFadden (neck), C John Michael Schmitz (ankle), CB Greg Stroman (shin-shoulder) and S Raheem Layne (knee) are all out. ... Nabers (toe) also missed the first two days, but he usually finds a way to play. The Colts had won four straight until the Giants snapped the streak in the 2022 season. The teams have met twice in the playoffs, with the Colts winning both. The most memorable game was the 1958 championship game which Baltimore won 23-17 in overtime on Alan Ameche's 1-yard run. It was the first NFL title game decided in OT. The Colts moved from Baltimore to Indianapolis in March 1984. The Colts have alternated wins and losses each of the past five games. ... Indy is 3-5 on the road this season heading into its final game regular-season game outside Indianapolis. ... Richardson broke the Colts single-season record for TD runs by a quarterback (six) last week and he needs two more to pass Jacoby Brissett (11) for No. 5 on the franchise's career list. ... Only three players have more games with 100 yards rushing this season than Jonathan Taylor (six). He's also second on the franchise list with 53 total TDs over a player's first five seasons, trailing Hall of Fame RB Lenny Moore (55). ... Indy's defense has allowed 48 plays of 20 or more yards this season, the fifth fewest in the NFL. ... The Colts have allowed the fewest points (12) on opening possessions and are tied with Pittsburgh for the NFL lead with five red zone takeaways. Giants: New York has lost a franchise-record 10 straight games and is 0-8 at MetLife Stadium. The only winless season at home was in 1974 when they played at the Yale Bowl in New Haven, Connecticut, while Giants Stadium was being built. ... RB Tyrone Tracy caught his first TD last weekend. He has rushed for five. ... Nabers' 97 catches are fifth in the league entering Week 17. Nabers and Tracy can become the NFL’s third pair of rookie teammates each with 1,000-plus yards from scrimmage. Tracy needs 16 yards and Nabers 29. ... WR Wan’Dale Robinson has a career-best 78 receptions. ... OLB Brian Burns has sacks in his past two home game. ... ILB Darius Muasau led the Giants with 11 combined tackles last weekend. ... S Dane Belton has had at least five tackles in three straight games. Why not Taylor coming up big two weeks in a row. The Colts running back won the AFC offensive player of the week award rushing for 218 yards and three touchdowns against the Titans. He has 76 carries for 421 yards over the past three games and has his first 1,000-yard season since winning the 2021 rushing crown. The Giants are next to last stopping the run. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflFrom Maui to the Caribbean, Thanksgiving tournaments a beloved part of college basketball