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Rice 35, South Florida 28The South Carolina women's basketball team has been defeated for the first time since March 31, 2023. The No. 1 Gamecocks fell Sunday in Los Angeles as Lauren Betts posted a double-double effort to lead No. 5 UCLA to a 77-62 triumph. The Gamecocks (5-1) suffered their first defeat after 43 consecutive victories, dating back to the loss to Iowa 77-73 in the NCAA Tournament semifinals. South Carolina defeated Iowa last season for the national championship. Betts finished with 11 points, a game-high 14 rebounds, four assists and four blocks to power the Bruins (5-0) to a historic victory. UCLA also got 15 points from Londynn Jones on 5-of-5 shooting from 3-point range, 13 points from Elina Aarnisalo and 11 each from Kiki Rice and Gabriela Jacquez. It's the first time UCLA has beaten South Carolina since 1981. The Bruins lost twice to the Gamecocks in the 2022-23 season, including in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Te-Hina Paopao had 18 points for South Carolina on 4-of-4 3-point shooting, while Tessa Johnson had 14 points. UCLA won the rebounding battle 41-34, marking the second time this season the Gamecocks have been outrebounded. South Carolina also got outscored in the paint 26-18. It's rare that a Dawn Staley-coached team -- units that typically revolve around dominant centers from A'ja Wilson to Aaliyah Boston to Kamilla Cardoso -- gets beat in the paint and on the glass, but with 6-foot-7 Betts, UCLA had the recipe to outmuscle the Gamecocks in those areas of the game. South Carolina never led after UCLA began the game with an 18-5 run, capped off by back-to-back 3-pointers from Jones. The Gamecocks cut the deficit to nine points in the second quarter, but the Bruins responded with a 17-5 run and entered halftime ahead by 21 points. Aarnisalo scored seven points during that run. From there, the Gamecocks never got within single digits of the lead in the second half. It's the first time in 21 tries that UCLA has beaten an AP-ranked No. 1 team. And it's the first time South Carolina lost a true road game since 2021, a streak of 33 games. The schedule doesn't get any easier for South Carolina. While UCLA faces UT Martin next on Friday, the Gamecocks play No. 8 Iowa State on Thursday. --Field Level Media
“Gladiator II” asks the question: Are you not moderately entertained for roughly 60% of this sequel? Truly, this is a movie dependent on managed expectations and a forgiving attitude toward its tendency to overserve. More of a thrash-and-burn schlock epic than the comparatively restrained 2000 “Gladiator,” also directed by Ridley Scott, the new one recycles a fair bit of the old one’s narrative cries for freedom while tossing in some digital sharks for the flooded Colosseum and a bout of deadly sea-battle theatrics. They really did flood the Colosseum in those days, though no historical evidence suggests shark deployment, real or digital. On the other hand (checks notes), “Gladiator II” is fiction. Screenwriter David Scarpa picks things up 16 years after “Gladiator,” which gave us the noble death of the noble warrior Maximus, shortly after slaying the ignoble emperor and returning Rome to the control of the Senate. Our new hero, Lucius (Paul Mescal), has fled Rome for Numidia, on the North African coast. The time is 200 A.D., and for the corrupt, party-time twins running the empire (Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger), that means invasion time. Pedro Pascal takes the role of Acacius, the deeply conflicted general, sick of war and tired of taking orders from a pair of depraved ferrets. The new film winds around the old one this way: Acacius is married to Lucilla (Connie Nielsen, in a welcome return), daughter of the now-deceased emperor Aurelius and the love of the late Maximus’s life. Enslaved and dragged to Rome to gladiate, the widower Lucius vows revenge on the general whose armies killed his wife. But there are things this angry young phenom must learn, about his ancestry and his destiny. It’s the movie’s worst-kept secret, but there’s a reason he keeps seeing footage of Russell Crowe from the first movie in his fever dreams. Battle follows battle, on the field, in the arena, in the nearest river, wherever, and usually with endless splurches of computer-generated blood. “Gladiator II” essentially bumper-cars its way through the mayhem, pausing for long periods of expository scheming about overthrowing the current regime. The prince of all fixers, a wily operative with interests in both managing gladiators and stocking munitions, goes by the name Macrinus. He’s played by Denzel Washington, who at one point makes a full meal out of pronouncing the word “politics” like it’s a poisoned fig. Also, if you want a masterclass in letting your robes do a lot of your acting for you, watch what Washington does here. He’s more fun than the movie but you can’t have everything. The movie tries everything, all right, and twice. Ridley Scott marshals the chaotic action sequences well enough, though he’s undercut by frenetic cutting rhythms, with that now-familiar, slightly sped-up visual acceleration in frequent use. (Claire Simpson and Sam Restivo are the editors.) Mescal acquits himself well in his first big-budget commercial walloper of an assignment, confined though he is to a narrower range of seething resentments than Crowe’s in the first film. I left thinking about two things: the word “politics” as savored/spit out by Washington, and the innate paradox of how Scott, whose best work over the decades has been wonderful, delivers spectacle. The director and his lavishly talented design team built all the rough-hewn sets with actual tangible materials the massive budget allowed. They took care to find the right locations in Morocco and Malta. Yet when combined in post-production with scads of medium-grade digital effects work in crowd scenes and the like, never mind the sharks, the movie’s a somewhat frustrating amalgam. With an uneven script on top of it, the visual texture of “Gladiator II” grows increasingly less enveloping and atmospherically persuasive, not more. But I hung there, for some of the acting, for some of the callbacks, and for the many individual moments, or single shots, that could only have come from Ridley Scott. And in the end, yes, you too may be moderately entertained. “Gladiator II” — 2.5 stars (out of 4) MPA rating: R (for strong bloody violence) Running time: 2:28 How to watch: Premieres in theaters Nov. 21. Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic.I'm A Celebrity's Reverend Richard Coles opens up about being gay in the church as he reveals to GK Barry he was 'not the first'Memphis fights off No. 2 UConn in OT in Maui Invitational thriller
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NEW YORK, Nov. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leading securities law firm Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP announces that a lawsuit has been filed against Dentsply Sirona Inc. XRAY and certain of the company's senior executives for potential violations of the federal securities laws. If you invested in Dentsply, you are encouraged to obtain additional information by visiting https://www.bfalaw.com/cases-investigations/dentsply-sirona-inc . Investors have until January 27, 2025, to ask the Court to be appointed to lead the case. The complaint asserts claims under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 on behalf of investors in Dentsply stock. The case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and is captioned North Collier Fire Control and Rescue District Firefighters' Retirement Plan v. Dentsply Sirona Inc., et al. , No. 24-cv-09083. What is the Lawsuit About? Dentsply manufactures professional dental products. On December 31, 2020, Dentsply paid $1.04 billion to acquire Byte, a manufacturer of affordable, "doctor-directed," clear dental aligners. The complaint alleges that, during the relevant period, Dentsply touted the growth in Byte's business as well as Dentsply's ability to profitably generate revenue by converting members of Byte's "target demographics" into new patients. In truth, the complaint alleges that Dentsply targeted low-income people with underlying dental issues that were ineligible for treatment and Dentsply sold Byte aligners to contraindicated patients. The complaint further alleges that Dentsply knew that its Byte aligners were causing severe patient injuries but did little to investigate and had no systems in place to notify the FDA, contrary to regulation. As a result, Dentsply materially overstated the goodwill value of Byte. On October 24, 2024, Dentsply announced the "voluntary suspension of sales and marketing of its Byte Aligners and Impression Kits while the company conducted a review of certain regulatory requirements related to these products." Dentsply also disclosed that it "expects to record non-cash charges for the impairment of goodwill within the range of $450-$550 million" for its Orthodontic and Implant Solutions segment, with the decline in fair value for the Orthodontic Aligner Solutions reporting unit "driven primarily by adverse impacts from recent state regulatory trends pertaining to the Company's direct-to-consumer aligner business." During a "Byte business update call" CEO Campion gave more context about the Byte suspension: "[I]n connection with our ongoing discussions with FDA, we have determined that our patient onboarding workflow may not provide adequate assurance that certain contraindicated patients do not enter treatment with Byte Aligners." As a result of this news, the price of Dentsply stock fell more than 4%, from a closing price of $24.41 per share on October 24, 2024 to a closing price of $23.31 per share on October 25, 2024. Then, on November 7, 2024, Dentsply reported its financial results for the third quarter of 2024 during which it disclosed it had "recorded a non-cash charge for the impairment of goodwill of ($495) million net of tax within the Orthodontic and Implant Solutions segment." Dentsply also revised its 2024 outlook, with expected organic sales of "(3.5%) to (2.5%) (previously (1%) to flat)" and adjusted EPS of "$1.82 to $1.86 (previously $1.96 to $2.02)." CEO Campion disclosed that although Dentsply was "not at a point in our analysis to make a definitive decision concerning Byte," the company was "thoroughly evaluating strategic options, which may include a discontinuation of some or all of this business." This news caused the price of Dentsply stock to fall $6.72 per share, or more than 28%, from a closing price of $23.98 per share on November 6, 2024, to a closing price of $17.26 per share on November 7, 2024. Click here for more information: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases-investigations/dentsply-sirona-inc . What Can You Do? If you invested in Dentsply you may have legal options and are encouraged to submit your information to the firm. All representation is on a contingency fee basis, there is no cost to you. Shareholders are not responsible for any court costs or expenses of litigation. The firm will seek court approval for any potential fees and expenses. Submit your information by visiting: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases-investigations/dentsply-sirona-inc Or contact: Ross Shikowitz ross@bfalaw.com 212-789-3619 Why Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP? Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP is a leading international law firm representing plaintiffs in securities class actions and shareholder litigation. It was named among the Top 5 plaintiff law firms by ISS SCAS in 2023 and its attorneys have been named Titans of the Plaintiffs' Bar by Law360 and SuperLawyers by Thompson Reuters. Among its recent notable successes, BFA recovered over $900 million in value from Tesla, Inc.'s Board of Directors (pending court approval), as well as $420 million from Teva Pharmaceutical Ind. Ltd. For more information about BFA and its attorneys, please visit https://www.bfalaw.com . https://www.bfalaw.com/cases-investigations/dentsply-sirona-inc Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Copy link Copied Copy link Copied Subscribe to gift this article Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe. Already a subscriber? Login Oxfordshire | Deep in the salubrious agrarian dreamscape of the Cotswolds, on a narrow country lane, sits an unobtrusive stone shack. It may be buried in the heart of middle England, but it would be intimately familiar to millions of people worldwide who have never been anywhere near it. The building, with its wood-beamed outhouse and its rutted parking lot for about 40 cars, is the shopfront of Diddly Squat – the made-for-TV farming venture of former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson. Copy link Copied Copy link Copied Subscribe to gift this article Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe. Already a subscriber? Login Introducing your Newsfeed Follow the topics, people and companies that matter to you. Latest In Europe Fetching latest articles Most Viewed In World
5 Dec 2024 Starmer launches six key pledges in ‘plan for change’ Gary Gibbon Political Editor The Prime Minister set out six missions for the government this morning, insisting that it would drive them forward to make the promised changes a reality. Keir Starmer outlined six ‘measurable milestones’ over which – he said – the British people would have the power to hold the government’s feet to the fire. Share on Facebook Share Share on Twitter Tweet Share on WhatsApp Send Share on WhatsApp Send Share on WhatsApp Email Load more share options
Cher on the Humor and Heartbreak of Her Extraordinary New Memoir
Victor Wembanyama plays 1-on-1 chess with fans in New YorkMIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins were ready to deal veteran defensive tackle Calais Campbell to the Baltimore Ravens ahead of the Nov. 5 trade deadline until Mike McDaniel stepped in. “I may or may not have thrown an adult temper tantrum,” Miami's coach said, confirming the news first reported by NFL Network Sunday morning. The Dolphins were 2-6 and had lost three straight at that point. They'd played four uninspired games without their starting quarterback, going 1-3 after Tua Tagovailoa went on injured reserve on Sept. 17 with a concussion. Campbell would have had a chance to rejoin the contending Ravens, and Miami would have received a 2026 fifth-round pick in return, NFL Network reported. McDaniel argued that Campbell was too valuable to lose. “I was happy that they brought me into the conversations," Campbell said after Miami's 34-15 win over the New England Patriots . “They didn't have to say anything to me at all. We had a really good conversation about what we think about this team, where we are. We felt like we had a good shot to get back into the fight.” Added McDaniel: “I think it wasn’t like it was (GM) Chris (Grier) versus me. ... That’s the tricky thing about Chris’ job is he has to look long-term and short-term at the same time, what’s the best for the organization.” Campbell, a 17-year veteran, signed with the Dolphins after playing for Atlanta last season. Players and coaches have praised the 38-year-old's contributions on the field and in the locker room. “There’s no one’s game I’ve come to respect more than Calais up front on the D-line,” defensive tackle Zach Sieler said, “being with him this year and just the energy, the attitude and the mindset he brings every week. It can’t be matched, and that’s the reason why he is who he is today and doing what he’s doing at 17 years.” Campbell leads the team with four sacks. With back-to-back sacks in Weeks 10 and 11, he became the eighth player 38 or older to record sacks in consecutive games since the 1970 merger. He also has nine tackles for loss, giving him at least five tackles for loss in 15 of his 17 seasons. He played for Baltimore from 2020-2022, totaling 11 sacks and 113 tackles. “I think he means a great deal to not only the defensive line room, but the entire defense as well as the entire team,” McDaniel said earlier this week. “It’s rare for a guy to get here when he did, and then be voted, with such conviction, captain. I think the way that he operates to be a pro, I think has had a substantial impact on a lot of players that hadn’t been fortunate enough to be around someone with sustained success like he’s had.” The Dolphins have won three straight games since the deadline. Miami's defense held the Patriots scoreless until the fourth quarter on Sunday. Campbell broke down the team's pregame huddle as he has done before most games this season. He was also seen coaching up rookie linebacker Chop Robinson, who is always seeking pointers from the six-time Pro Bowler. “My job is to speak on behalf of what’s the best thing for the 2024 Dolphins,” McDaniel said. “I’m just fortunate to work in an organization where myself and the GM can be transparent and work together. “And he didn’t want to see any more adult temper tantrums.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
( MENAFN - Gulf Times) Mercedes driver George Russell was agonisingly close to claiming pole position at Qatar Grand Prix, but he explained that he is more than ready to battle back past pole-sitter Max Verstappen and get stuck into a multi-team fight for the win. The Briton continued his magnificent run of form that has characterised his last few races, lining up for his fourth consecutive front-row start in tomorrow's race around the Lusail International Circuit. After taking provisional pole, he was pipped to the top spot by just 0.055s following Verstappen's final flying lap – but the tight result, coupled with his P3 finish in the Sprint, has left Russell optimistic that he can target victory. He also explained that Mercedes couldn't“have dreamt of” their resurgence to be repeatedly in the mix at the front of the field after they experienced a clear slump in performance after the summer break. “Feeling in such a groove at the moment, feeling really great,” Russell said after qualifying.“My first lap was one of the best I've ever done, and then for whatever reason just couldn't find that extra bit of time on the last lap and Max pipped me.“Just taking the positives – the car's been so great the last two weekends and just enjoying it while we can.” Four teams could have a shot at the win around the high-speed, physically demanding track as Red Bull, Mercedes, McLaren and Ferrari have been virtually inseparable at points across the weekend's sessions. It was McLaren who led the pack in the Sprint, with Lando Norris handing Piastri the win out of the final corner, after Russell found himself unable to overtake the Australian having lost P2 on the first lap, but he consistently stayed close to both papaya cars. He added:“Hopefully we can have a proper race rather than this team orders stuff! It's going to be a good race. I think we'll all be going for it. It's actually great that Max is in the mix as well – I was really surprised at their turnaround because they looked really off the pace yesterday, off the pace this morning. Obviously they were both in Q3 and Max on pole so I think we've got a good race on our hands.” I know I've still got it, says 'slow' Hamilton Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton said he knew he had 'still got it' despite qualifying sixth and nearly half a second slower than Mercedes teammate George Russell for today's Qatar Grand Prix. The seven-times Formula One world champion, who will be 40 next year when he moves to Ferrari, had said after qualifying seventh for the sprint at Lusail on Friday that he was“definitely not fast any more”. He repeated that verdict to reporters after the main qualifying session, with Russell on the front row, but in a slightly more positive way.“I know I've still got it,” he said.“It's just the car won't go any faster, I definitely know I've got it. It's not a question in my mind. Looking forward to the end (of the season).” The most successful driver in the history of the sport with a record 105 wins has triumphed twice this season but Russell, second on the grid in Qatar behind four-times champion Max Verstappen, has out-qualified him 18-5.“I'm slow,” said Hamilton.“About half a second off my team-mate in the same car.“It's been all year,” he added, saying he did not know why that was. “It's not possible to change it right now.” The season ends in Abu Dhabi on Dec 8, with Hamilton contracted to Mercedes until the end of the year and facing sponsor commitments before he can start at Ferrari next season. MENAFN30112024000067011011ID1108942198 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.The 25-year-old Sweden international took his goal tally for the season to 12 in the 3-0 Boxing Day win over Aston Villa at St James’ Park, 10 of them in his last 10 Premier League games, after a challenging start to the new campaign. Isak managed 25 goals in a black and white shirt last season to further justify the club record £63million the club paid to bring him to Tyneside from Real Sociedad during the summer of 2022, but as delighted as he is with his big-money signing, head coach Howe is confident there is even more to come. Murph 🔗 Alex Isak Different game. Same link up. 💪 pic.twitter.com/OMhZf7dtKZ — Newcastle United (@NUFC) December 27, 2024 Asked where the former AIK Solna frontman currently ranks in world football, he said: “My biggest thing with Alex is I am evaluating his game on a daily and weekly basis and I just want to try to push him for more. “Everyone else can say where he is in the pecking order of world football. His game is in a good place at the moment. “My job is to not sit back and appreciate that, my job is to try and find areas he can improve, push him towards that and never stop pushing him. He has all the ingredients in there. Football never stops evolving and changing and he has to evolve with it. “There is a lot more to come from him. Our job is to help him deliver that. “Of course the main responsibility is for Alex to keep his focus, ignore the plaudits and keep helping the team, not be selfish. It is about Newcastle and he plays his part.” It is no coincidence that Newcastle have prospered as Isak has rediscovered his best form, and they will head for Manchester United – where they have won only once in the top flight since 1972 – on Monday evening looking for a fifth successive win in all competitions. He has scored in each of the last five league games having grown into the mantle of the Magpies’ main man, a role performed with such distinction in the past by the likes of Jackie Milburn, Malcolm Macdonald and Alan Shearer, and he has done so with the minimum of fuss. Asked about his character, Howe said: “He is calm, cool – he is what you see on the pitch. “He doesn’t get overly emotional, which for a striker is a great quality because that coolness you see and calmness in front of goal is part of his personality, part of what he is. He seems to have an extra half a second when other players don’t. “With Alex, the beauty of his attitude is that he wants to improve. We give him information and he is responsive. He is not a closed shop. “He is in no way thinking he has arrived at a certain place. He knows he has to keep adding to his game. The challenge is great for him to keep scoring freely as he is now.”
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