The recent sell-off in renewable energy stocks might be an opportunity to get in cheap, analysts at UBS said this week. They wrote in a note on Thursday that US and EU renewables have jumped to their top-ranking stock theme in recent weeks after the sector saw steep losses in the wake of 's election win. Now, with a cheap point of entry and huge and growing demand for power, it might be time to jump into the space, the analysts said. "The environment of an unrelenting power demand shock puts just about every source of power generation in a solid position to capitalize. Against a backdrop where positioning was not overweight, it seems the sentiment-driven downdraft presents an attractive entry point," the analysts said in a Wednesday note. The analysts said their optimism about surging power demand comes from rapid growth in AI and data center buildouts to power the technology. need a huge amount of power to operate, and their is set to exceed supply in just two years, according to a recent estimate from Bernstein Research. The analysts suggested that data centers' outsized power needs mean they will likely need energy from all available sourcs, including renewables. "The rapid growth in AI and the subsequent Data Center buildout have resulted in an unrelenting demand for increased power generation. This, combined with continued emphasis on the importance of low-carbon solutions from Hyperscalers should pave the way for continued growth in Renewables," they said. The analysts' call comes as Trump's win has sent tumbling, even as much of the rest of the market has on the promise of lower taxes and less regulation. Stocks like Plug Power and Enphase Energy have shed over 24% since the election, while SolarEdge Technologies has plunged 42%. The President-elect, who said he wants to "drill baby, drill," is expected to scale back many of the Biden administration's clean-energy initiatives, including billions of dollars in solar and wind subsidies that were part of the Inflation Reduction Act. But the analysts said that investors' worst fears about the sector likely won't be realized. Companies using Biden-era subsidies could "grandfather" in support at the start of construction rather than risk losing it during a project, and states will likely continue to aim for lower emissions, they say. "We think that the concerns are overdone. In the view of our US utilities analyst, growth in renewables is likely to continue (solar installs were +50% in Trump's last term, compared to the previous 4 years) driven by state and corporate emission goals," the analysts said. Within the sector, the analysts said names poised for gains include US renewables stocks like NextEra and Generac, plus European stocks like Iberdrola, Siemens Energy, EDP, and developers like Ørsted and RWE. Read the original article onIRVING, Texas (AP) — The NFL will consider expanding replay assist to include facemask penalties and other plays. Officials have missed several obvious facemask penalties this season, including two in a three-week span during Thursday night games. “When we see it, because I see it like yourselves and the fans, I have an opportunity to see it from a different angle and see it from a slow-mo,” NFL executive Troy Vincent said Wednesday at the league’s winter meetings. “When you think about the position of where the officials are, things are happening so fast. Sometimes the facemask can be the same color as the gloves. There’s a lot happening. Concerning? Yes, because that’s a big miss. That’s a big foul. That’s why we would like to consider putting that for the membership to consider putting that foul category that we can see, putting that (penalty flag) on the field to help. There is a frustration, and we believe that is one category we can potentially get right." Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold was grabbed by his facemask and brought down in the end zone to end Minnesota’s comeback attempt against the Rams on Oct. 24. But there was no call. On Oct. 3, officials missed a facemask on Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving while he ran for 7 yards late in the fourth quarter. Tampa Bay instead was called for holding on the play, got forced out of field-goal range and Kirk Cousins rallied the Falcons to an overtime victory. “That is one this year, the facemask seems like it was the obvious one” Vincent said. “That keeps showing up.” Vincent also cited hits on a defenseless player, tripping, the fair catch, an illegal batted ball, an illegal double-team block, illegal formations on kickoffs and taunting as other areas that warrant consideration for replay assist. Current rules only allow replay assist to help officials pick up a flag incorrectly thrown on the field, or in assisting proper enforcement of a foul called on the field. The NFL’s Competition Committee will review potential recommendations for owners to vote on for expanding replay assist. Vincent was emphatic about the league’s desire to eliminate low blocks that could lead to serious injuries. “The low block below the knee needs to be removed from the game,” Vincent said. “You look at high school, you look at college, too. Every block should be above the knee, but below the neck. All the work that we’ve done for the head and neck area, all the things that we’ve taken out of the game, this is the right time for us to remove the low block out of the game. Be consistent with high school. Be consistent with college. Every block should be above the knee and below the neck.” The league will consider changes to the onside kick after dramatically overhauling the kickoff rule on a one-year basis. “We need to look at that. That’s a dead play,” Vincent said of the onside kick’s low success rate. “That is a ceremonial play. Very low recovery rate. When we look at the kickoff and maybe where the touchback area should be during the offseason, we need to revisit the onside kick.” Options include giving the team an opportunity to run one play to gain a certain number of yards to keep possession. The Washington Commanders’ search for a new stadium site includes options in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia, and work has escalated on one in particular. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and controlling owner Josh Harris met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill last week about the RFK Stadium site in Washington, which requires a bill getting through Congress to transfer the land to the District government before anything else can happen. “I think there’s a bipartisan support for this,” Goodell said, adding he’d like to see it get to a vote soon. “We hope that it will be addressed and approved so that it’s at least an alternative for the Commanders if we go forward. I grew up in Washington, and I know would be exciting for a lot of fans.” The NFL continues to discuss a potential 18-game season, but would need approval from the players’ union. “We are doing analysis I would say, but we are not finalizing any plans at this point,” Goodell said. “They’ll share that analysis with the players’ union, which would need to agree to any change.” AP Sports Writer Stephen Whyno contributed. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

IRVING, Texas (AP) — The NFL will consider expanding replay assist to include facemask penalties and other plays. Officials have missed several obvious facemask penalties this season, including two in a three-week span during Thursday night games.US President- elect Donald Trump have recently mocked the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on social media while referring to him as the ‘Governor of the Great State of Canada ’, reported NBC News. According to NBC News, this certain comment was actually followed by a dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where Donald Trump and Justin Trudeau eventually discussed regarding potential tariffs on Canadian imports. At the same time, Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 25% tariff unless Canada addresses issues related to illegal immigration and drug trafficking. Also Read : What is Israel up to in Syria? Its tanks are just 24 kilometres southwest of Damascus During their dinner, Donald Trump has also suggested that if Canada could not manage these problems, it might as well become the 51st state of the US which is a joke that elicited nervous laughter from Justin Trudeau, asserted NBC News. Justin Trudeau responded to Donald Trump's tariff threats by stating that Canada would retaliate against any unfair tariffs, noted NBC News. The meeting was characterized as productive by both leaders in spite of the underlying tensions regarding trade. Artificial Intelligence(AI) Basics of Generative AI: Unveiling Tomorrow's Innovations By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Java Programming with ChatGPT: Learn using Generative AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Design Microsoft Designer Guide: The Ultimate AI Design Tool By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Data Science MySQL for Beginners: Learn Data Science and Analytics Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Design Canva Magic Write: Ideas to Stunning Slides in No Time By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Office Productivity Mastering Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 365 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI for Everyone: Understanding and Applying the Basics on Artificial Intelligence By - Ritesh Vajariya, Generative AI Expert View Program Finance A2Z Of Money By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Web Development Advanced C++ Mastery: OOPs and Template Techniques By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By - Neil Patel, Co-Founder and Author at Neil Patel Digital Digital Marketing Guru View Program Strategy Succession Planning Masterclass By - Nigel Penny, Global Strategy Advisor: NSP Strategy Facilitation Ltd. View Program Entrepreneurship Validating Your Startup Idea: Steps to Ensure Market Fit By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Data Analysis Animated Visualizations with Flourish Studio: Beginner to Pro By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI and Analytics based Business Strategy By - Tanusree De, Managing Director- Accenture Technology Lead, Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence: ATCI View Program Office Productivity Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Data Science SQL for Data Science along with Data Analytics and Data Visualization By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development JavaScript Essentials: Unlock AI-Driven Insights with ChatGPT By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Entrepreneurship Marketing & Sales Strategies for Startups: From Concept to Conversion By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Leadership Business Storytelling Masterclass By - Ameen Haque, Founder of Storywallahs View Program Marketing Modern Marketing Masterclass by Seth Godin By - Seth Godin, Former dot com Business Executive and Best Selling Author View Program The remarks of Donald Trump have eventually drawn mixed reactions with some political figures which include Ontario Premier Doug Ford finding humor in the situation. At the same time, Senator Bernie Sanders also jokingly supported the idea of Canada joining the US if it meant adopting its healthcare system. Also Read : Yellowstone Season 5: Here’s what we know about finale release date, time and where to watch FAQs: Who has recently mocked the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and by referring what? US President- elect Donald Trump have recently mocked the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on social media while referring to him as the ‘Governor of the Great State of Canada’. What were the suggestions of Donald Trump to Justin Trudeau during the dinner at Mar-a-lago residence? During their dinner, Donald Trump suggested that if Canada could not manage certain problems, it might as well become the 51st state of the US which is a joke that elicited nervous laughter from Justin Trudeau. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )

Stock market today: Wall Street hits records despite tariff talkIf the Democratic Party wants to win future elections outside of deep blue areas, it might just need to take inspiration from Goodwill Industries and embrace its philosophy of “A hand up, not a handout.” Many election analysts attribute President-elect Donald Trump’s win to one or two major factors, such as the economy or immigration. And as time goes on, political scientists like me may learn more. But one takeaway that is not really being discussed is the role of work, aspiration and prosperity. Warning: I will be painting with a very broad brush here. Please proceed with the understanding that some people in our society require services, and this is by no means a suggestion that they not receive the assistance they need. Patrick Ruffini, a Republican pollster and author of “Party of the People: Inside the Multiracial Populist Coalition Remaking the GOP,” recently joined New York Times columnist Ezra Klein on Klein’s podcast for an episode titled “The Book That Predicted the 2024 Election.” Ruffini shared polling that he conducted with Hispanic voters living in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas. He asked them what is the No. 1 problem they see today with the Democratic Party. Ruffini told Klein that the answer they gave “wasn’t ‘too woke’ or the buzzword of socialism.” Rather, they perceived the Democratic Party as being “the party of welfare benefits for people who do not work.” “And if you look at how the Democratic Party has been perceived in the last four years, in particular in terms of letting immigrants into the country, illegal migrants into the country, and there’s a perception that they’re getting government benefits and not working,” Ruffini said. “And all of this is coming at the expense of people who made their way in America who started from the very bottom of the rung and worked their way up the economic ladder through their own hard work and not necessarily through government policies.” This advice, if heeded, could have helped Vice President Kamala Harris in her campaign. Harris’ economic policy agenda focused on cutting taxes for working families, going after businesses and corporations for price gouging, lowering health care costs, expanding the child tax credit and offering $25,000 for new homebuyers. While Harris’ plan may have put more money in working Americans’ pockets, the focus seemed to be on the government’s role in helping citizens rather than empowering them to achieve their own success. Consider it in light of Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu’s famous quote, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” A Harris administration would have doled out a lot of fish. Back in May, Trump held a large rally in the South Bronx, New York, one of the most Democratic counties in the nation, where he tried to reach out to Black and Hispanic voters. While Trump’s speech was littered with lies about the 2020 election and other ramblings, he spent a large portion of that rally talking about success, both for the country and for individual Americans. “Do you remember I used to give talks on success before politics?” Trump told the crowd. “It starts with getting the right leadership. It also involves men and women just like you. ... I think we’re in the Bronx, we have young people, people that aspire to success.” As we sift through the data of the election, it appears Trump was able to reach at least some of those voters. For example, he increased his vote share in the Bronx by 11 percentage points to nearly 30% on Nov. 5. Trump won the 2024 election by turning out his base of supporters, but he also expanded his coalition among other voters, including several groups that have traditionally been a part of the Democratic base. VoteCast conducted a sweeping survey of the American electorate, interviewing more than 120,000 voters nationwide from Oct. 28 to Nov. 5. Its results found that Trump picked up a small but significant share of Black and Hispanic voters and made narrow gains with men and women. Harris lost support from this portion of the electorate as compared with President Joe Biden’s coalition in 2020. Talking about success seems to have bred electoral success. For years now, Democrats have been wringing their hands over the loss of the working-class voter to Republicans. Instead of trying to “help” workers with aid and programs, Dems should acknowledge, praise and encourage Americans’ labor. Schmidt writes for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: SchmidtOpinions@gmail.com . Get local news delivered to your inbox!

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes got back to climbing on Wednesday after the latest update on inflation appeared to clear the way for more help for the economy from the Federal Reserve . The S&P 500 rose 0.8% to break its first two-day losing streak in nearly a month and finished just short of its all-time high. Big Tech stocks led the way, which drove the Nasdaq composite up 1.8% to top the 20,000 level for the first time. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, meanwhile, lagged the market with a dip of 99 points, or 0.2%. Stocks got a boost as expectations built that Wednesday’s inflation data will allow the Fed to deliver another cut to interest rates at its meeting next week. Traders are betting on a nearly 99% probability of that, according to data from CME Group, up from 89% a day before. If they’re correct, it would be a third straight cut by the Fed after it began lowering rates in September from a two-decade high. It’s hoping to support a slowing job market after getting inflation nearly all the way down to its 2% target. Lower rates would give a boost to the economy and to prices for investments, but they could also provide more fuel for inflation. “The data have given the Fed the ‘all clear’ for next week, and today’s inflation data keep a January cut in active discussion,” according to Ellen Zentner, chief economic strategist for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. Expectations for a series of cuts to rates by the Fed have been one of the main reasons the S&P 500 has set an all-time high 57 times this year , with the latest coming last week. The biggest boosts for the index on Wednesday came from Nvidia and other Big Tech stocks. Their massive growth has made them Wall Street’s biggest stars for years, though other kinds of stocks have recently been catching up somewhat amid hopes for the broader U.S. economy. Tesla jumped 5.9% to finish above $420 at $424.77. It’s a level that Elon Musk made famous in a 2018 tweet when he said he had secured funding to take Tesla private at $420 per share . Stitch Fix soared 44.3% after the company that sends clothes to your door reported a smaller loss for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It also gave financial forecasts for the current quarter that were better than expected, including for revenue. GE Vernova rallied 5% for one of the biggest gains in the S&P 500. The energy company that spun out of General Electric said it would pay a 25 cent dividend every three months, and it approved a plan to send up to another $6 billion to its shareholders by buying back its own stock. On the losing end of Wall Street, Dave & Buster’s Entertainment tumbled 20.1% after reporting a worse loss for the latest quarter than expected. It also said CEO Chris Morris has resigned, and the board has been working with an executive-search firm for the last few months to find its next permanent leader. Albertsons fell 1.5% after filing a lawsuit against Kroger, saying it didn’t do enough for their proposed $24.6 billion merger agreement to win regulatory clearance. Albertsons said it’s seeking billions of dollars in damages from Kroger, whose stock rose 1%. A day earlier, judges in separate cases in Oregon and Washington nixed the supermarket giants’ merger. The grocers contended a combination could have helped them compete with big retailers like Walmart, Costco and Amazon, but critics said it would hurt competition. After terminating the merger agreement with Kroger, Albertsons said it plans to boost its dividend 25% and increased the size of its program to buy back its own stock. Macy’s slipped 0.8% after cutting some of its financial forecasts for the full year of 2024, including for how much profit it expects to make off each $1 of revenue. All told, the S&P 500 rose 49.28 points to 6,084.19. The Dow dipped 99.27 to 44,148.56, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 347.65 to 20,034.89. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.27% from 4.23% late Tuesday. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks expectations for the Fed, edged up to 4.15% from 4.14%. In stock markets abroad, indexes rose across much of Europe and Asia. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was an outlier and slipped 0.8% as Chinese leaders convened an annual planning meeting in Beijing that is expected to set economic policies and growth targets for the coming year. South Korea’s Kospi rose 1%, up for a second straight day as it climbs back following last week’s political turmoil where its president briefly declared martial law. AP Writers Matt Ott and Zimo Zhong contributed.ASP Isotopes Inc. Responds to Short Seller ReportJim Alexander: They talk about “winning the press conference” – shorthand for an acquisition or coaching hire that’s more splash than substance. Given Bill Belichick’s historic reticence with the media, I’m not sure that’s what the University of North Carolina did Wednesday. But win the announcement? No doubt. Hiring the 72-year-old Belichick , winner of six Super Bowls in New England and also famously reluctant to share decision-making duties, to his first college coaching job seems weird at first glance, and also at second and third. Asking a guy who referred to America’s favorite photo sharing app as “Instaface” a while back – which is actually, I believe, a Belichick running joke – to try to connect with young people for whom social media is almost more important than eating? Good luck with that. But this isn’t as nutty as it appears, in my mind, for one reason: College football is becoming more professionalized by the day. NIL agreements, the transfer portal, players represented by agents, a future where schools themselves will pay the players, and maybe even unionization down the road? Guys whose whole careers have been spent in college football are starting to wonder if they can handle these changes. So why not bring in an NFL coach to help with this transition? Especially one with the résumé of Belichick? It’s a risk, but who’s to say he can’t handle the transition to coaching 18- to 22-year-olds better than college football lifers can when it comes to dealing with agents, rustling up NIL money, etc.? And yes, I realize there’s a slight flaw in that logic, because Chip Kelly was both a college and a pro head coach, and we saw how little energy he directed toward NIL matters and how far back it set UCLA’s program. Will Belichick lean into it with more energy? We’ll see. What do you think, Mirjam? They’re already putting up betting propositions – in this case, at BetOnline.ag – on not only North Carolina’s record under Belichick this coming season but how many power conference transfers will come to UNC (the over/under is four), how many years he’ll stay (21⁄2, or half his contract), and – get this one – What will happen first with Bill Belichick’s 20-something girlfriend? Enroll in classes at UNC or date a UNC football player? Yeesh! Mirjam: Wait, are there really odds on that last one? Oh boy. You mentioned Chip Kelly, and I’ve also been thinking about his up-and-down track record, in college and the pros, since he caught lightning in a bottle at Oregon. Also about Deion Sanders, who has been anything but traditional in how he’s approached his job at Colorado – making recruits come to him, being up front about treating the transfer portal as free agency – and how that has transformed the Buffs from doormat to contender in two short years. And how before that, he was at Jackson State from 2020 to 2022. But Belichick doesn’t have the charisma Coach Prime does. Sure, he’s got his own aura as the NFL’s greatest modern coach, and if he wants control – which is a large piece of why he hasn’t been invited to coach another NFL team – he’d have it as a college coach, where reports are that UNC will increase its NIL package for football to $20 million from $4 million. But will he be too blunt for today’s college player, who isn’t contractually obligated to stay anywhere longer than a year? Too honest and critical in his assessments? Will he simply pass on the fanfare and glad-handing that’s supposed to be required of college coaches? We’re gonna find out. But if I were betting, I wouldn’t bet on North Carolina becoming a powerhouse under Belichick. Or even on Belichick loving the gig, because you can take the amateurism out of college football, but still it’s not the NFL. Jim: I’d take the under on the 21⁄2 years, and that has nothing to do with age or energy. Trust me, I’m the last guy who would call someone too old to do whatever. But college football is different, especially in that region of the country. I saw something a while back in the Washington Post which suggested that the hatred for rivals in college football is a feature and not a bug. And that intensity of emotion extends to everything involving the sport, which is why alumni and boosters play such a large role. Let Belichick start out, say, 2-4, and see what the reaction is. Yeah, NFL fans can be rabid, but it’s nothing compared to the way emotions seesaw in college football nation. All of that said, I stand on the premise that the changes in college football – in all of college sports – require an adjustment in the way coaches and athletic departments do business, and I’m not sure the old idea of the program as the coach’s fiefdom applies any longer. More programs in football and basketball are hiring “general managers,” which are positions to oversee NIL payments and the groups that make them – and, ultimately, the disbursements from the schools themselves – and probably also will have a role in player personnel matters. As an aside, the one guy I’m sure – positive, actually – could handle this transition seamlessly has been teaching classes at USC this fall. Pete Carroll made the switch from pro to college the first time and built a dynasty, made the switch from college back to the NFL and built a Super Bowl champ in Seattle, and if he wanted to and felt up to it I’m sure he could handle the new era of college football. (And let’s hear no talk about extra benefits or the like during Carroll’s USC run. You really don’t think stuff was happening elsewhere? The beauty of today’s system is that everything everywhere is above the table now.) Next subject: Is the transfer portal out of control? Is it approaching, or has it already gotten to, the point where there’s too much movement and requires some additional limitations? Old friend Lane Kiffin came out and said what I’m sure lots of other people in the game are thinking: The timing – the combination of the transfer portal opening and early signing day right around the time teams are preparing for bowl or playoff games – is “dumb.” He’s right, but it’s another consequence of a sport that has no leadership and thus has become pure chaos. How do we solve this? I say the first step would be to make Kiffin college football’s first commissioner, but that’s just me. Mirjam: It’s a whirlwind, for sure. Utter chaos. And that free agency is happening on the eve of bowl games tells you everything you need to know about how little college football values bowl games anymore. There’s something to be said for giving athletes agency in a game where coaches come and go all the time. There’s something to their being categorized as employees and given rights as employees, free to give notice and change jobs when they find a better one. Shoot, the non-athletic regular people studying on college campus known as students are free to transfer schools whenever they like, too. But there’s also something to be said about the grass not always being greener. We’ve heard stories about programs allegedly reneging on payment promises, for one. And despite whatever tampering abounds, athletes have to be careful before jumping into the portal with both feet – and it’s doubtful most of them are, considering how incredibly many are transferring. Like, will starting from scratch – or maybe not scratch, but as a player whose last situation didn’t work out – be for the best? Will they really end up in a better situation when the music stops and everyone’s fighting for a seat? Maybe, every case will be its own. It’s hard to know in a scene so chaotic. So, yes, Lane Kiffin, or a conference commission – as Chip Kelly suggested – or some entity helping create and enforce transfer guidelines would sure help everyone. Jim: My suggestion, beyond having someone – anyone – fully in charge of all of the sport’s various stakeholders? Employment, and contracts. This is something the NCAA is resisting with all of its might, while hoping for Congress to hand out an antitrust exemption. But it might be the only way to restore sanity to the process. Make players employees, with signed contracts – could be one year, could be two, could be four years for true stars, could include option years. The system would allow players free agency but would also give programs a certain amount of certainty from year to year, as opposed to a coach walking into the locker room after the final regular-season game and wondering how many of these guys will opt to stay. Another advantage: Those contracts would include bowl games, and there would be no more sitting out just because. That’s something that drives college football people crazy. And we have to understand: College football is a different beast from every other sport on campus. Other sports may come up with different rules. Other levels – Group of Five, mid-major basketball schools, etc. – will have different needs and require different rules as well. But again, a leadership vacuum at the top helps nobody, aside from FOX and ESPN. Before we go, however, we must note that 2024, the first year without the Pac-12 as we knew it, turns out to have been a statement on behalf of college football in the West. Oregon – your alma mater, Mirjam – is the top seed in the College Football Playoff. Fellow Pac-12 refugee Arizona State is in the mix as champion of the Big 12 and the Sun Devils’ coach, Kenny Dillingham, is a former Oregon guy. Boise State will represent the Mountain West (and future reconstituted Pac-12) in the field. Meanwhile, three of the four Heisman Trophy finalists are from the West – Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, Colorado’s Travis Hunter and Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty. Makes me miss the old Pac-12 a little more. Mirjam: Right?! How ’bout them Ducks? Both top-ranked/seeded Oregon and Dillingham. Season’s not over yet, but what a showing by the westerners ... and what that tells me is, yes, it’s a shame the Pac-12 is no more. Related Articles But also, Oregon – with its 14 transfers in starting roles and a reported $23 million in NIL money – is good at playing the modern game. And so too is Dillingham, who has used a few of his postgame press conferences as marketing opportunities, making direct pitches to Arizona businesses to funnel money into the program: “If you had fun watching [Cam Skattebo] play and make those plays, it was there all night ... because it’s a different day and age in college football. And if that was something that we want to continue to do, then what’s that saying? Pay the man his money, right? Isn’t that a saying? Pay the man his money. Pay these guys what they deserve to be paid because right now our team is underpaid. We’re doing more with guys who just got it out the mud, but eventually you should get what you deserve. Our guys deserve more ...” Now imagine Belichick making that kind of pitch.

BEIRUT, Lebanon — Insurgents breached Syria’s largest city Friday and clashed with government forces for the first time since 2016, according to a war monitor and fighters, in a surprise attack that sent residents fleeing and added fresh uncertainty to a region reeling from multiple wars. The advance on Aleppo followed a shock offensive launched by insurgents Wednesday, as thousands of fighters swept through villages and towns in Syria’s northwestern countryside. Residents fled neighborhoods on the city's edge because of missiles and gunfire, according to witnesses in Aleppo. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the country's unresolved civil war, said dozens of fighters from both sides were killed. The attack injected new violence into a region experiencing dual wars in Gaza and Lebanon involving Israel, and other conflicts, including the Syrian civil war that began in 2011. Aleppo has not been attacked by opposition forces since they were ousted from eastern neighborhoods in 2016 following a grueling military campaign in which Syrian government forces were backed by Russia, Iran and its allied groups. But this time, there was no sign of a significant pushback from government forces or their allies. Instead, reports emerged of government forces melting away in the face of advances, and insurgents posted messages on social media calling on troops to surrender. Robert Ford, who was the last U.S. ambassador to Syria, said the attack showed that Syrian government forces are “extremely weak.” In some cases, he said, they appear to have “almost been routed.” This week’s advances were among the largest in recent years by opposition factions, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, and represent the most intense fighting in northwestern Syria since 2020, when government forces seized areas previously controlled by the opposition. The offensive came as Iran-linked groups, primarily Lebanon's Hezbollah, which has backed Syrian government forces since 2015, have been preoccupied with their own battles at home. A ceasefire in Hezbollah's two-month war with Israel took effect Wednesday, the day the Syrian opposition factions announced their offensive. Israel has also escalated its attacks against Hezbollah and Iran-linked targets in Syria during the last 70 days. Dareen Khalifa, a senior adviser with the International Crisis Group and an expert on Syrian groups, said the insurgents have signaled for a while that they were ready for an offensive. But no one expected the swift advance of the forces toward Aleppo. “It’s not only that the Russians are distracted and bogged down in Ukraine, but also the Iranians are distracted and bogged down elsewhere. Hezbollah’s distracted and bogged down elsewhere, and the regime is absolutely cornered,” she said. “But the surprise element comes in with how quickly the regime crumbled.” The attack on Aleppo followed weeks of simmering low-level violence, including government attacks on opposition-held areas. Turkey, which has backed Syrian opposition groups, failed in its diplomatic efforts to prevent the government attacks, which were seen as a violation of a 2019 agreement sponsored by Russia, Turkey and Iran to freeze the line of the conflict. Turkish security officials said Thursday that Syrian opposition groups initially launched a long-planned “limited” offensive toward Aleppo, where attacks targeting civilians originated. However, the offensive expanded as Syrian government forces began retreating from their positions, the officials said. The aim of the offensive was to reestablish the boundaries of the de-escalation zone, according to Turkish officials. The 2016 battle for Aleppo was a turning point in the war between Syrian government forces and rebel fighters after 2011 protests against Bashar Assad’s rule turned into an all-out war. Russia and Iran and its allied groups helped Syrian government forces reclaim control of the city that year after a grueling military campaign and a siege that lasted for weeks. Besides backing opposition forces, Turkey has also established a military presence in Syria, sending troops into parts of the northwest. Separately and largely in the east of Syria, the United States has supported Syrian Kurdish forces fighting Islamic State militants. The Syrian government did not comment on insurgents breaching Aleppo city limits. The Kremlin said Friday that it considered the attack an encroachment on Syria’s sovereignty and that it supported the quickest possible establishment of constitutional order in the region. “Of course, this is a violation of Syria’s sovereignty in this region,” Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told a press briefing. Syria's armed forces said in a statement Friday that they clashed with insurgents in the countryside around Aleppo and Idlib, destroying drones and heavy weaponry. They vowed to repel the attack and accused the insurgents of spreading false information about their advances. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the insurgents detonated two car bombs Friday at the western edge of Aleppo. The war monitor said insurgents were also able to seize control of Saraqeb, south of Aleppo, a town at the strategic intersection of the highways linking Aleppo with Damascus and the coast. Syrian government authorities diverted traffic from that highway Thursday. An insurgent commander posted a recorded message on social media calling on Aleppo residents to cooperate with the advancing forces. Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency reported that the insurgents entered the city center Friday and now control about 70 locations in Aleppo and Idlib provinces. Syria’s state media reported that projectiles from insurgents landed in student accommodations at Aleppo's university in the city center, killing four people, including two students. Syrian armed forces said the insurgents are violating a 2019 agreement that de-escalated fighting in the area, the last remaining opposition stronghold for years. Hezbollah was “the main force” in the government’s control of Aleppo, said Rami Abdurrahman, head of the Observatory. In a phone call with his Syrian counterpart, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the insurgent attacks in Syria “as a plot orchestrated by the U.S. and the Zionist regime following the regime’s defeat in Lebanon and Palestine.” Insurgents posted videos online showing they were using drones, a new weapon for them. It was not clear to what extent the drones were used on the battleground. Insurgents attacked a military airbase southeast of Aleppo with drones early Friday, destroying a helicopter, the Anadolu Agency reported. The opposition groups also seized heavy weapons and military vehicles belonging to the government forces, the agency said. ___ Associated Press writers Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey; Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria; and Ellen Knickmeyer in Washington contributed to this report.Toronto Raptors sign Canadian guard AJ Lawson to two-way contractAnge Postecoglou explodes at 'unacceptable' Timo Werner in head-loss after Rangers draw

Integra LifeSciences Holdings Co. (NASDAQ:IART) Shares Sold by Mutual of America Capital Management LLC