Conference title games a chance at banner, bragging rights and, for some, season-wrecking loss
Indiana should be able to breathe easy this week. It has very little chance of making it into the Big Ten championship game. On the other hand, Georgia's spot in the Southeastern Conference title game is so risky that if the Bulldogs lose they might have been better off sitting it out. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
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West Ham surprise Newcastle with 2-0 away winUS stock indices pushed to fresh records Tuesday, shrugging off tariff threats from President-elect Donald Trump while European equities retreated. Trump, who doesn't take office until January 20, made his threat in social media posts Monday night, announcing huge import tariffs against neighbors Canada and Mexico and also rival China if they do not stop illegal immigration and drug smuggling. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
Citigroup Inc. Increases Holdings in Skechers U.S.A., Inc. (NYSE:SKX)LOS ANGELES – The Biden administration plans on reducing part of Intel's $8.5 billion in federal funding for computer chip plants around the country, according to three people familiar with the grant who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. The reduction is largely a byproduct of the $3 billion that Intel is also receiving to provide computer chips to the military. President Joe Biden announced the agreement to provide Intel with up to $8.5 billion in direct funding and $11 billion in loans in March. Recommended Videos The changes to Intel’s funding are not related to the company’s financial record or milestones, the people familiar with the grant told The Associated Press. In August, the chipmaker announced that it would cut 15% of its workforce — about 15,000 jobs — in an attempt to turn its business around to compete with more successful rivals like Nvidia and AMD. Unlike some of its rivals, Intel manufactures chips in addition to designing them. Two years ago, President Biden hailed Intel as a job creator with its plans to open a new plant near Columbus, Ohio. The president praised the company for plans to “build a workforce of the future” for the $20 billion project, which he said would generate 7,000 construction jobs and 3,000 full-time jobs set to pay an average of $135,000 a year. The California-based tech giant's funding is tied to a sweeping 2022 law that President Biden has celebrated and which is designed to revive U.S. semiconductor manufacturing. Known as the CHIPS and Science Act , the $280 billion package is aimed at sharpening the U.S. edge in military technology and manufacturing while minimizing the kinds of supply disruptions that occurred in 2021, after the start of the coronavirus pandemic, when a shortage of chips stalled factory assembly lines and fueled inflation . The Biden administration helped shepherd the legislation following pandemic-era concerns that the loss of access to chips made in Asia could plunge the U.S. economy into recession. When pushing for the investment, lawmakers expressed concern about efforts by China to control Taiwan, which accounts for more than 90% of advanced computer chip production. In August, the administration pledged to provide up to $6.6 billion so that a Taiwanese semiconductor giant could expand the facilities it is already building in Arizona and better ensure that the most advanced microchips are produced domestically for the first time. The Commerce Department said the funding for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. meant the company could expand on its existing plans for two facilities in Phoenix and add a third, newly announced production hub. The administration has promised tens of billions of dollars to support construction of U.S. chip foundries and reduce reliance on Asian suppliers, which Washington sees as a security weakness. _____ Boak reported from Washington.
Conference title games a chance at a banner, bragging rights and, for some, a season-wrecking loss
Indiana should be able to breathe easy this week. It has very little chance of making it into the Big Ten championship game. On the other hand, Georgia's spot in the Southeastern Conference title game is so risky that if the Bulldogs lose they might have been better off sitting it out. Over the next two weeks, the warm familiarity of conference championship games, which began in 1992 thanks to the SEC, could run into the cold reality that comes with the first 12-team College Football Playoff. League title games give the nation's top contenders a chance to hang a banner and impress the CFP committee, but more than ever, the bragging rights come with the risk of a season-wrecking loss — even with an expanded field. “I just don’t think it’s a quality conversation,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said last week, sticking with the time-honored cliche of looking no further than the next weekend's opponent. Those who want to have that talk, though, already know where Georgia stands. The Bulldogs (9-2) are ranked sixth in this week's AP Top 25 and projected somewhere near that in the next set of CFP rankings that come out Tuesday. They already have two losses and will have to beat No. 3 Texas or No. 20 Texas A&M in the SEC title game on Dec. 7 to avoid a third. How bad would a third loss hurt? The chairman of the selection committee insists that a team making a conference title game shouldn't count against it. What that really means won't be known until the games are played and the pairings come out on Dec. 8. "We're going to let the season play out," Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said. “But I think teams who make that championship game, the committee looks at them and puts them in high esteem." All of which could be good news for Indiana in the unlikely event the Hoosiers find themselves playing for the Big Ten title. IU is coming off a flop in its first major test of the season, a 38-15 loss to Ohio State last weekend. After his team's first loss of the season, coach Curt Cignetti took offense to being asked whether the Hoosiers were still a playoff-caliber team. “Is that a serious question?” he asked. “I’m not even gonna answer that. The answer is so obvious.” What might hurt Indiana, which dropped five spots to No. 10 in the AP poll, would be another drubbing. The Hoosiers would be at least a two-touchdown underdog in a title-game matchup against top-ranked Oregon. The odds of that happening, however, are slim. It would take a Michigan upset over No. 2 Ohio State on Saturday, combined with a Maryland upset over No. 4 Penn State and, of course, an Indiana win over Purdue (1-10). Because this is the first year of the 12-team playoff, there's no perfect comparison to make. For instance, this is the first time Power Four conference champions are guaranteed a spot in the playoff. But 2017 provides a textbook example of how a team losing its conference title game suffered. That year, Alabama had one loss (to Auburn) and didn't play in the SEC title game, but made the four-team field ahead of Wisconsin, which was 12-1 after a loss to Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game. Ohio State didn't make it either — two losses didn't get teams into a four-team field. Neither did undefeated UCF. Saturday's results made things a little more clear for the rest of the conferences: — In the Big 12, winning the title game will probably be the only way for Arizona State (9-2), BYU (9-2), Iowa State (9-2), Colorado (8-3) or anyone else to earn a spot in the 12-team playoff. None are ranked higher than 14th in the AP poll. — The Atlantic Coast Conference could get multiple bids. Miami (10-1), SMU (10-1) and Clemson (9-2) all finished in the top 12 of this week's AP poll. They were cheering the loudest when both Alabama and Ole Miss suffered their third losses of the season. — The Mountain West would be a one-bid conference, but that's only a sure thing if Boise State wins. A loss by the Broncos could open the CFP for Tulane or Army of the American Athletic. Both the MWC and AAC title games take place at 8 p.m. on Dec. 6. — Where the committee places Alabama and Ole Miss on Tuesday will be an indicator of what it thinks of teams with three losses that played very strong schedules. — It could also set the stakes for Georgia, which faces the prospect of loss No. 3 in the Dec. 7 title game, assuming the Bulldogs beat rival Georgia Tech this week. — Clemson has been steadily climbing. Its 34-3 loss to Georgia came on Aug. 31. Is it ancient history to the committee, though? — Indiana's status as a playoff team — in, out, nervous? — will become apparent. The Ohio State game was Indiana's first against a top-flight opponent. Then again, it is the Hoosiers' only loss and their weak Big Ten schedule is not their fault. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
NCAA volleyball tournament: How to watch Texas A&M vs. Wisconsin (12/13/24) | FREE LIVE STREAM, Time, TV, Channel for Sweet 16 gameCNBC's Jim Cramer reviewed the market's reaction to President-elect Donald Trump's latest cabinet pick, hedge fund manager Scott Bessent. Cramer said Wall Street demonstrated a belief that the potential Treasury secretary will be a prudent force in the administration. "What matters is that this treasury secretary designate is a serious person, not unlike Steven Mnuchin before him," he said "And those who believed Trump couldn't get a dollop of rigor in the cabinet — well, they've been proven wrong." CNBC's Jim Cramer on Monday reviewed investors' reaction to President-elect Donald Trump 's latest cabinet pick, hedge fund manager Scott Bessent . His takeaway is that Wall Street believes the potential Treasury secretary will be a prudent force in the administration. "What matters is that this Treasury secretary designate is a serious person, not unlike Steven Mnuchin before him," he said "And those who believed Trump couldn't get a dollop of rigor in the cabinet — well, they've been proven wrong." While the market initially celebrated Trump's win as a step towards corporate deregulation and lower taxes, investors grew concerned at the possibility of high tariffs, Cramer said. But the averages soared on Monday, with both the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 hitting new records during the session. Cramer also pointed out that Treasury yields fell , with the 10-year sliding to about 4.28% when investors were worried about it hitting 4.5% a few days ago. According to Cramer, some are impressed with Bessent's qualifications — he worked for billionaire George Soros and ran his own hedge fund — and his three-pronged policy plan. Bessent has advised pursuing a so-called 3-3-3 initiative, modeled after the "three arrows" policy implemented by former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who helped pull Japan's economy out of stagnation . Bessent's plan includes cutting the deficit by 3% of the gross domestic product by 2028, growing the economy at a 3% rate and producing three million additional oil barrels per day. Cramer suggested the deficit reduction plan makes sense, and he called the 3% growth target a "Goldilocks story," that could gradually shrink the deficit without harsh spending cuts. He was fairly skeptical about the oil initiative and called it a "pipeline dream." "Call it the firmament — not Wall Street, but the firmament," he said. "That's where Scott Bessent, the Treasury Secretary designate, comes from, so the fence sitters and skeptics are jumping on the Trump bandwagon as if the president elect said, 'higher stock prices and lower taxes for all.'" Sign up now for the CNBC Investing Club to follow Jim Cramer's every move in the market. Disclaimer Questions for Cramer? Call Cramer: 1-800-743-CNBC Want to take a deep dive into Cramer's world? Hit him up! Mad Money Twitter - Jim Cramer Twitter - Facebook - Instagram Questions, comments, suggestions for the "Mad Money" website? madcap@cnbc.com(CNN) — After recent burglaries at homes of professional athletes – including Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce – the NFL and NBA have issued security memos to teams and players warning that “organized and skilled groups” are increasingly targeting players’ residences for such crimes. An NFL security bulletin issued Wednesday and obtained by CNN, warns that players across multiple sports leagues are being targeted. Perpetrators “appear to exploit team schedules to target athletes’ homes on game days,” and appear to be using public records, social media, media reports and surveillance to gather information on their targets, it says. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
GRAND FORKS — Chris Logan won't return as the UND women's soccer coach next season. Logan’s contract won’t be renewed after it expires on Dec. 31, the school announced Monday. Logan signed a two-year contract extension in November 2022, after the Fighting Hawks won seven games and appeared in the Summit League tournament. But UND has won just one of 16 league games since (1-7-8). The Fighting Hawks were winless in conference play this season (0-4-4) and 4-8-6 overall. UND announced a national search for the next coach will begin immediately. Logan, who took over as head coach in December 2016, went 51-68-24 record in his eight seasons. UND was 21-41-12 in conference play during Logan’s tenure, making the Summit League tournament in 2019 and 2022. He was named the Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year in 2017 as a first-year head coach. Logan led the program in its transition from the Big Sky to the Summit League in the fall of 2018. Logan was the longest-tenured coach in program history. He replaced Matt Kellogg, who was at the helm for four seasons. Other UND head coaches were Kirsten Gay (five seasons), Brock Thompson (three), Tim Bennett (one), Matt Grandstrand (two), Angela Morrison (one) and Neil Sedgwick (two). During the season, members of the soccer team met with UND President Andy Armacost to voice concerns of equality, and sent an outline of concerns to UND’s Title IX office. "We, the members of the UND women's soccer team, are submitting this formal Title IX complaint to address ongoing gender inequities, as well as the systemic failure of the administration, to support and provide adequate resources to our team," said the letter, which the Herald obtained in October. "We have followed proper channels of communication for several years without significant action being taken to resolve these concerns. Our intention is to outline the key issues that have led to a discriminatory environment and ask for immediate corrective measures." The letter is critical of administrative support, unequal access to facilities at Ralph Engelstad Arena, the condition of Bronson Field, limited access to medical staff and "a general feeling of marginalization." UND spokesman David Dodds said Armacost met with players in early October. According to a UND player in attendance, six UND players met with Armacost in Twamley Hall on Oct. 4. Logan declined to discuss the letter or player concerns with the Herald in October, but referenced the complaint on social media Monday afternoon. “There is a formal investigation into this and I have been a part of the meetings,” Logan wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “I believe the Title IX complaint is pretty blatant, but the university has a President that will work this out for the betterment of the athletes.”Conference title games a chance at a banner, bragging rights and, for some, a season-wrecking loss
With 2025 coming up, the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is closer every day. The 2,5% adjustment will be applied starting January 1 st to all Social Security benefits, with one notable exception. As the Social Security Administration (SSA) explains, “The latest COLA is 2.5 per cent for Social Security benefits and SSI payments. Social Security benefits will increase by 2.5 percent beginning with the December 2024 benefits, which are payable in January 2025. Federal SSI payment levels will also increase by 2.5 per cent effective for payments made for January 2025. Because the normal SSI payment date is the first of the month and January 1 is a holiday, the SSI payments for January are always made at the end of the previous December.” But first, what are Social Security benefits? They are support given by the Federal Government and distributed by the SSA to individuals who qualify because of Retirement, Disability or other types of financial hardship. There are five programs run by the SSA that provide benefits, each with their own characteristics and requirements: Disability Benefits: Monthly payments for those with a qualifying disability or blindness and sufficient work history. Survivor Benefits: Support for family members of a deceased worker who paid into Social Security , such as spouses, ex-spouses, children, or dependent parents. Family Benefits: Monthly payments to certain family members of people who are eligible for Retirement or Disability. Retirement Benefit: Monthly check that replaces part of your income when you reduce your hours or stop working altogether It is based on your work history. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) : Monthly payments to people with disabilities and older adults who have little or no income or resources. As an example of the distribution of these benefits, in 2022, 70.6 million people received Social Security benefits, according to the SSA’s Office of Retirement and Disability Policy , with 5.6 million new beneficiaries joining that year. Among disabled workers, the average age was 55.6, and women accounted for 55% of SSI recipients. Furthermore, 85% of SSI payments were distributed to individuals with disabilities or blindness. Changes to Social Security benefits Since those who receive government assistance are more economically vulnerable than their well-paid salaried counterparts, there are changes made every year to ensure that the benefits they receive are enough to make ends meet. One of the most important changes is the previously mentioned COLA. It ensures that beneficiaries do not lose purchasing power over time and can afford to live a comfortable life. For those who wish to lean how the increase will affect their benefits, the SSA sends out yearly notices to beneficiaries explaining the particulars of their specific increase and the amount of their new check. These notices will be distributed in the month of December, but will also be available online to consult for those who have a my Social Security Account. The information that will be available online is another change to the SSA system, as now many forms, especially those related to overpayments or that need to accompany disability applications will be available online and no longer require actual signatures. The last change we will reflect on involves Social Security , but it is not directly related to it. Many beneficiaries (in fact, most of them) are also enrolled in Medicare, and one of the changes to Medicare is the rise in the Part B premiums. Even though the change may seem insignificant, Part B premiums are taken out of Social Security checks before they reach the recipients’ bank account. The increase will be approximately $10, which will significantly impact the 2,5% increase. To put it into context, the average retirement Social Security check is $1,907, which puts the increase around $47. If we subtract the $10 Medicare will take, this will leave retirees with only $37 extra dollars a month.( MENAFN - IANS) New Delhi, Nov 30 (IANS) Increasing the number of neurologists in India as well as leveraging digital health technology like telemedicine is crucial to combat the burden of strokes in India, the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry said on Saturday. Stroke has become a growing health crisis in India, with more than 1.8 million new cases annually, making it one of the leading causes of disability and death in the country. The condition imposes a significant emotional and financial burden on patients and their families while underscoring critical gaps in healthcare infrastructure, awareness, and timely treatment. "Addressing stroke care in India requires a multi-faceted approach that integrates prevention, timely diagnosis, and robust infrastructure," Advisor to National Health Systems Resource Centre, Dr K. Madan Gopal said at the 2nd Edition of the National Stroke Conclave and Awards, held here. "While programmes like hypertension and diabetes screening under the National Programme for Non-Communicable Diseases are vital, the real challenge lies in building capacity, from increasing the number of neurologists to leveraging digital health solutions like telemedicine," he added. Gopal also urged for collective efforts from the public and private sectors to bridge the gaps and create a sustainable impact on stroke prevention and management. World Stroke Organisation President Dr Jeyaraj Pandian called for ensuring equitable services. "The WHO emphasises stroke surveillance as a priority, yet the struggle lies in gathering reliable data on mortality and addressing variations across regions. A comprehensive approach that includes rehabilitation and prevalence programmes, both locally and globally, is critical to transforming stroke care and outcomes," Pandian said. Stroke remains one of the most pressing yet preventable health challenges in India. It is responsible for more than 12 lakh deaths annually in the country. The experts stressed the need to boost awareness to ensure timely treatment. MENAFN30112024000231011071ID1108941529 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. 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