ph. 777

ph. 777 None

Bengals trying to end another 3-game skid in visit to suddenly surging Cowboys

No. 24 Arizona is coming off consecutive defeats for the first time in the Tommy Lloyd era when it faces undefeated Davidson on Wednesday to begin the Battle 4 Atlantis in Paradise Island, Bahamas. Arizona (2-2) lost at Wisconsin 103-88 on Nov. 15 and followed that with a home loss against Duke 69-55 on Friday. The Wildcats have dropped 15 spots in the Associated Press Top 25 poll in two weeks. Arizona's record is .500 this early in a season for the first time since it was 3-3 to start the 2017-18 schedule. "I've got work to do, so let's get to work," said Lloyd, in his fourth year as Arizona's head coach. "Let's see where we're at in a month, and if we're still struggling, you know what I'll do? I still got work to do, but I'm gonna get to it." Arizona shot 39.6 percent from the field against Duke, and just 26.1 percent (6 of 23) from 3-point range. The Wildcats were outrebounded by 43-30 and their 15 turnovers led to 19 points. Jaden Bradley led Arizona with 18 points and KJ Lewis added 12. Preseason All-American Caleb Love had eight points on 3-of-13 shooting from the field, including 1-of-9 from 3-point range. Arizona made only one field goal in the last 5:39 as Duke pulled away after its lead was trimmed to six points. "We didn't play great," Lloyd said. "Now we need to take a step back and figure out why. Are there some schematic problems? Are there some problems with how our personnel is kind of put together? "We got to figure out what our certainties are, and the things we have to have, and then over the course of the next couple of days, if there's adjustments we need to make, we need to figure out what those are." Davidson is 4-0 after a 15-17 record last season, in which it lost its last six games to put an end to postseason hopes. A 93-66 win over visiting VMI on Friday followed a 91-85 win at Bowling Green and 76-70 victory over visiting East Tennessee State. The two wins by 10 points or fewer are important because Davidson was 6-12 in such games last season. It was 4-11 in games decided by five points or fewer. "The goal (is) to get better," Davidson head coach Matt McKillop said after the season opener. "We talk about fighting to win every possession. I think we had to figure out what that really felt like with the lights on." Davidson made 13 shots from 3-point range in the win over VMI. Reed Bailey had 23 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Bobby Durkin added 19 points, including 17 of them and a career-best five 3-pointers in the first half. Bailey leads Davidson in scoring (19 points per game) and rebounding (7.8). Durkin is shooting 57.9 percent (22 of 38) from the field and 54.2 percent (13 of 24) from 3-point range. By contrast, Arizona's Love is shooting 32 percent (16 of 50) from the field and 21.4 percent (6 of 28) from beyond the arc. Bradley leads Arizona with 15.5 points per game. He is shooting 50 percent (24 of 48) from the field and is 35.7 percent (5 of 14) from 3-point range. --Field Level Media

Bourke Street Mall gets a glow-up: Hotels, retail and ‘Mecca of all Meccas’

Why Uber Technologies Plunged TodayUniversity of Michigan will no longer use diversity statements in faculty hiring, promotion, tenure

China isn’t short of options when it comes to critical minerals that could be used as counters in a trade war with the US. Beijing’s ban on Tuesday covering sales to the US of gallium, germanium, antimony and superhard materials, and tighter controls on graphite, are likely an opening salvo in export controls that could be extended to dozens of niche materials if trade frictions with Washington escalate. “This may only be the start of the country ensuring national security and its strategic role in mineral resources,” Citic Securities said in a note. The state-backed brokerage listed 10 commodities, including the 17 elements grouped as rare earths, in which China holds an outsized role as producer or processor. The minerals are typically crucial to high-tech manufacturing, including so-called dual uses in military applications. Beijing’s latest restrictions were imposed after the White House on Monday slapped fresh curbs on the sale to China of high-end memory chips made by US and foreign companies. The Biden administration is using targeted measures to slow the country’s development of advanced semiconductors and artificial intelligence systems that may help its military. President-elect Donald Trump, however, has threatened import tariffs as high as 60 percent on all Chinese goods, a measure that would invite a heavy response from Beijing. Beijing is reminding Washington —including the incoming Trump administration — that it has a new arrow in its quiver, said Bloomberg Economics. We expect a second US-China trade war in Donald Trump’s second term. One key difference could be that Beijing escalates by using export controls in response to US tariffs. As well as rare earths, Citic’s list includes tungsten, molybdenum, titanium, tin, indium, chromium, tantalum, niobium and cesium as candidates for export curbs. China also enjoys dominance in other commodities such as arsenic, which has a wide range of applications from herbicides to telecommunications. In recent years, the US has relied on China for 60 percent of its supply of the metal, according to the US Geological Survey. Rare earths, meanwhile, have been a feature of China’s previous trade disputes, and last year the government halted the export of a range of technologies associated with processing the elements, making it harder for the US and its allies to bolster supplies of the strategic raw materials. In the wake of Beijing’s ban, investors rushed into companies that mine and refine critical minerals. In China, Yunnan Lincang Xinyuan Germanium Industrial Co. surged by 10 percent, the daily limit, while Yunnan Chihong Zinc & Germanium Co. rose as much as 7,8 percent. In Sydney, Lynas Rare Earths Ltd. advanced as much as 5.6 percent. The company last month opened the largest processing facility for the elements outside China. The problem for Beijing is that further curbs on strategic minerals will only hasten efforts by the US and its allies to counter its dominance, which will dilute their impact. For example, when China first tightened export controls on germanium and gallium in 2023, it would have signaled to buyers they needed to diversify supply. As a result, Chinese customs data showed zero exports of the two minerals to the US this year, which suggests that firms were instead tapping inventories or procuring the metal from other sources.Why Uber Technologies Plunged Today

Texas will offer land for mass deportation facilities in project named after 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray

Cover Five: What to make of wild week around Nebraska football, and 5 biggest impact signees

The U.S. House of Representatives is set to vote next week on an annual defense bill, which includes $3 billion to remove Chinese telecom equipment from American wireless networks. As of Nov. 20, the agency has received more than 35,000 reimbursement claims, and 30 final certifications of applications stating all replacement work had been completed, Rosenworcel wrote. The networks face a June 21, 2025, deadline to complete this work, but would be granted extensions based on delayed reimbursements. The agency has already granted 118 such extensions. Rosenworcel wrote that 72 percent of status updates indicated that lack of funding is an obstacle to the “removal, replacement, and disposal” of the banned technology, and 50 percent of networks reported they cannot complete this work without additional funding. The FCC chair said the funding shortfall impacts rural communities more significantly, and some have expressed concerns they may have to shut down portions of their network and withdraw from the process without removing the banned technology. “Any shut down of network facilities could remove the only provider available,” Rosenworcel wrote, adding that this would pose a continued national security concern. Competitive Carriers Association CEO Tim Donovan on Saturday praised the announcement, saying “funding is desperately needed to fulfill the mandate to remove and replace covered equipment and services while maintaining connectivity for tens of millions of Americans.” American telecom networks made headlines recently as intelligence officials confirmed the ongoing presence of Chinese state-backed hackers on American networks. The telecoms that were breached have responded, and none of them “have fully removed the Chinese actors from these networks,” Neuberger said. “So there is a risk of ongoing compromises to communications, [and] until U.S. companies address the cybersecurity gaps, the Chinese are likely to maintain their access.” “The purpose of the operation was more focused,” Neuberger said. “We believe ... the actual number of calls that they took, recorded and took, was really more focused on very senior political individuals. ” The ongoing cyber campaign, dubbed “Salt Typhoon,” is being investigated by the FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. The agencies said in November that Chinese hackers have conducted a “broad and significant cyber espionage campaign” aimed at stealing data from individuals working in government and politics.

The final gaming-focused major event of 2024, , is only a few days away, and already, some publishers are hyping up what will appear during the ceremony. It's two highly-anticipated 2K-published titles that are slated to land with fresh looks this Thursday, namely and existence was first revealed by 2K and Gearbox Software during Gamescom Opening Night Live. The first teaser trailer only had a cryptic scene of what's happening in the alien looter shooter universe, but The Game Awards reveal should have a lot more to offer. "Prepare yourselves," hyped up the official channels earlier today "We’re about to crank things up to the next fucking level at The Game Awards. Who's ready to get their first look at the most ambitious Borderlands yet?!" Moreover, Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford pitched in with a much more substantial teaser of his own, confirming that gameplay will indeed be shown off: Yes, there is GAME PLAY in the trailer! Also, in addition to a lot of in-game footage, I will share a sick, never-before-seen original cinematic sequence depicting a moment that occurs about half way between the end of Borderlands 3 and the beginning of Borderlands 4. I AM... Compared to that, teaser is much tamer. Its simply invited fans to watch The Game Awards for first-look at the prequel entry. The game's reveal in August. It's in development at the Mafia 3 and the original Mafia's remake studio Hanger 13. The game is slated to take players into 1900s Sicily to offer a look into the "origins of organized crime with a gritty mob story." Both and currently have broad 2025 launch windows attached to them, but The Game Awards may reveal a more tighter time slot for their release, probably far away as possible from 2K's biggest launch of 2025: The , December 12, 2024, from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.AP News Summary at 3:01 p.m. EST

Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, Colorado’s Travis Hunter, Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty and Miami’s Cam Ward were announced as the Heisman Trophy finalists on Monday night. The Heisman has been given to the nation’s most outstanding college football player since 1935. This year’s winner will be announced Saturday in New York. The top four vote-getters determined by more than 900 voters are selected as finalists. The voting panel includes members of the media and former Heisman winners. A look, in alphabetical order, at each of the finalist’s road to Manhattan. Gabriel Gabriel, who transferred from Oklahoma in the offseason, led unbeaten and top-ranked Oregon to the Big Ten championship in its first year in the league and the No. 1 seed in the Gabriel averages 274 yards passing per game and has thrown for 28 touchdowns with six interceptions. His 73.2% completion rate is second in the nation. His 35 total touchdowns are tied for seventh nationally, and his career total of 187 is the highest in NCAA history. He set the all-time Football Bowl Subdivision record for career quarterback starts with his 62nd in the Hunter Hunter, will go down as in history. His accomplishments harken those of Charles Woodson, the Michigan cornerback who in 1997 became the first Heisman winner who primarily played defense. Woodson also spent time at receiver, but Hunter’s offensive production dwarfs his. Hunter was named All-Big 12 first-team receiver and earned honorable mention for offensive player of the year. He leads the Big 12 with 92 receptions and 14 receiving touchdowns and is second with 1,152 yards. His 21 receiving plays of 20-plus yards lead the nation. He also is Big 12 defensive player of the year and a unanimous first-team defensive back after recording 31 tackles, tying for the Big 12 lead with 11 pass breakups and tying for second with four interceptions. Jeanty The junior running back has had one of the in college football history. His 2,497 yards rushing are the fourth-highest single-season total in the FBS, and his 192.1 yards per game lead the nation and are 58 more than the next highest average. Jeanty has rushed for at least 125 yards in 13 straight games. Jeanty has gone over 200 yards in his last two games and a total of six times this season. He averages 7.26 yards per cary, and his 344 attempts are the most in the FBS in two seasons. He and Army’s Bryson Daily share the national lead with 29 rushing touchdowns. Ward The Miami quarterback was named Associated Press offensive player of the year and newcomer of the year in the Atlantic Coast Conference on Monday. He leads the nation with a , 4,319 total yards, 343.6 passing yards per game and 41 total touchdowns rank second. Ward leads the nation’s highest-scoring offense (44.2 ypg). He became the first Miami quarterback to post seven straight 300-yard games, and he has 10 games with 300-plus yards and three or more TD passes. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up . AP college football: andA primary school student has dodged an as police search for a man in a white van. or signup to continue reading A composite image of the man has been released and police have urged witnesses or those with CCTV footage to contact investigators. The 11-year-old boy was walking home from school in , at 3.45pm on November 18 when a man approached him, Victoria Police said. The boy told investigators the unknown man pulled his van onto the wrong side of the road and rolled down the window. The man allegedly said the boy's mother had asked him to drive the 11-year-old home. The boy declined the ride and the van drove away. The boy's mother reported the alleged abduction attempt to police when her child returned home. Police have released photos of a van spotted on CCTV in the area as the investigation continues. Anna Houlahan reports on crime and social issues affecting regional and remote Australia in her role as national crime reporter at Australian Community Media (ACM). She was ACM’s Trainee of the Year in 2023 and, aside from reporting on crime, has travelled the country as a journalist for Explore Travel Magazine. Reach out with news or updates to anna.houlahan@austcommunitymedia.com.au Anna Houlahan reports on crime and social issues affecting regional and remote Australia in her role as national crime reporter at Australian Community Media (ACM). She was ACM’s Trainee of the Year in 2023 and, aside from reporting on crime, has travelled the country as a journalist for Explore Travel Magazine. Reach out with news or updates to anna.houlahan@austcommunitymedia.com.au DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily! Advertisement Advertisement

Bid for fund to preserve affordable housing in Ottawa fails at committeeAdam Shakir: Presenting Comprehensive ENT Care at Milton KeynesOn a rare two-game skid, No. 24 Arizona faces DavidsonUS to send $1.25 billion in weapons to Ukraine, pushing to get aid out before Biden leaves office

California to consider requiring mental health warnings on social media sites

US to send $1.25 billion in weapons to Ukraine, pushing to get aid out before Biden leaves office