What happened Greg Schiano gave Illinois a second chance at a game winner on Saturday afternoon at SHI Stadium. Then the Rutgers’ coach’s decision to ice Illini kicker Ethan Moczulski backfired spectacularly. Moczulski had missed the 57-yard field goal as the timeout was called. Given one last opportunity, Luke Altmyer connected with Pat Bryant (again) for a 40-yard touchdown to give Illinois an improbable Big Ten road win. What it means Turns out this Illinois team has some real late-game chops. Saturday’s dramatic come-from-behind victory against Rutgers was simply the latest to go with a pair of overtime wins (Nebraska and Purdue) and another fourth-quarter rally (Kansas). Give Altmyer a 2-minute drill, and the Illini quarterback has shown he can deliver. Bret Bielema’s primary purpose was to build a consistent winner in Champaign. A win like Saturday’s is a clear step in that direction. What’s next Bowl eligibility was secured more than a month ago. Illinois is simply building toward as good of a postseason berth as possible with an 8-3 record going into next weekend’s regular season finale against Northwestern at Wrigley Field. So more than the hat is on the line. Three losses is likely one too many for the Illini to secure a spot in the College Football Playoff, but a trip to Orlando for the Citrus Bowl isn’t a terrible consolation. Especially given the program’s history. What was said “He’s still not on the Bileniikoff (Award), so if we can have a write-in campaign. Holy Jesus? He’s literally one of the best receivers in the country, and we can’t get him on the Biletnikoff. Biletnikoff, please here me. Just a really, really intelligent player. Pat is so aware of his surroundings. That last play, I thought he was going to the sidelines, and then he saw that corner and took off and knew he could get there.” — Bielema after Bryant’s game winner

Percentages: FG .368, FT .857. 3-Point Goals: 14-32, .438 (Taylor 5-13, Cato 3-5, Fagbemi 3-7, Fox 2-3, Evbagharu 1-1, Seixas 0-3). Team Rebounds: 2. Team Turnovers: None. Blocked Shots: 3 (Cato 2, Fox). Turnovers: 8 (Evbagharu 2, Fagbemi 2, Seixas 2, Cato, Taylor). Steals: 3 (Etim, Fagbemi, Fox). Technical Fouls: None. Percentages: FG .475, FT .800. 3-Point Goals: 13-32, .406 (Terry 5-10, George 4-10, O'Brien 2-6, Mustaf 1-2, Powell 1-2, Onwuchekwa 0-1, Souare 0-1). Team Rebounds: 2. Team Turnovers: None. Blocked Shots: 1 (Terry). Turnovers: 5 (Powell 2, George, Mustaf, Onwuchekwa). Steals: 7 (Terry 3, Mustaf 2, George, Powell). Technical Fouls: None. A_3,414 (8,600).

Woolworths strike drags into its 13th day as warehouse workers hope for an end to standoff

The global political landscape is currently dominated by four key events: The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, The Israel-Hamas conflict, end of the Assad regime in Syria and the implications of Donald Trump’s potential victory in the 2024 US Presidential elections. These interconnected crises are reshaping international relations, with each issue having profound implications for global peace, security, and political alliances. The recent toppling of the Assad regime also has its own significance because after all it was a five-decade-old regime which was backed by Russia and Iran. However, suddenly we saw that both the states stepped back from there and in a week rebels captured Damascus and announced their authority over the entire country. West and Israel are calling it a positive effort by the rebels toward peace and stability. Iran has also given a statement in which authorities have stated that they respect the will of Syria and its people and are looking forward to working collectively in the future. Donald Trump also gave a statement in an X post that the USA must stay out of the entire scenario which is taking place in Syria as he emphasized on letting both parties decide their future while the USA remains neutral. Escalation and Diplomacy Challenges: Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the conflict has evolved into a protracted war with significant consequences. While the battlefield has witnessed fluctuating territorial changes, with Ukraine making significant gains in the north and south, Russia continues to hold a strong position in eastern and southern Ukraine. The West, led by the USA and the European Union, has maintained strong support for Ukraine, providing military aid, economic sanctions on Russia, and political backing. The possibility of a negotiated peace remains uncertain, as both sides have entrenched positions, and Russia’s demands including Ukraine’s neutral status and demilitarization are seen as non-negotiable by Kyiv. The international community remains divided, with countries like China and India calling for peaceful resolution while maintaining economic ties with Russia, further complicating global diplomatic efforts. A Deepening Humanitarian Crisis: The Israel-Hamas war has escalated dramatically since October 2023, following a brutal Hamas-led attack on Israel that led to widespread casualties. The violence has drawn in numerous countries, and the humanitarian toll is catastrophic. While Israel maintains that it has the right to defend itself, international calls for a ceasefire and humanitarian assistance have been mounting. The USA has stood by Israel, pledging continued military aid and political support, but the Biden Administration has also been pressured to take a more balanced approach due to the growing public outcry over the humanitarian disaster. The conflict has exacerbated divisions in the Arab world, with some nations supporting Palestine and others maintaining ties with Israel. As the 2024 US Presidential election resulted in the victory of Donald Trump, who secured the presidency once again, the international scenario is more likely to be shifted dramatically, especially concerning the Russia-Ukraine war and the Middle East. Trump’s “America First” policy, which centered on reducing US involvement in global conflicts and focusing on domestic interests, would likely lead to a reevaluation of US support for Ukraine. During his previous presidency, Trump questioned the extent of US aid to NATO allies and was often critical of foreign entanglements. A return to office could signal a reduction in military support for Ukraine, potentially weakening its position in the face of Russian aggression. This shift would have significant consequences for NATO, as European countries might need to take on more responsibility in supporting Ukraine, potentially leading to more regional tensions. On the Middle East front, Trump’s presidency was marked by strong support for Israel, especially with the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab nations. A second Trump term would likely intensify US-Israel relations, while potentially undermining efforts to mediate peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Trump’s foreign policy could also take a more isolationist turn, with more focus on diplomacy and less on military intervention in regions deemed critical to US interests. The international situation in late 2024 presents a volatile combination of conflicts and shifting alliances. The Russia-Ukraine war continues to dominate Europe’s security concerns, with little indication of a peaceful resolution in the near future. In the Middle East, the Israel-Hamas conflict shows no sign of de-escalating, with the humanitarian crisis threatening to destabilize the region further. Also, the recent sudden toppling of the Assad family has opened up a new platform as it is early to say where all of this will take turn either stability or another chaos. Meanwhile, the return of Donald Trump to the US presidency may lead to significant changes in US foreign policy, particularly with regard to its support for Ukraine, Israel and involvement of the USA in the Middle East. These events are interconnected by the complex interplay of power, diplomacy, and humanitarian concerns. The world stands at a precarious crossroads, and the actions taken by global powers in the coming months will determine whether a more stable international order is achievable or if tensions will continue to escalate. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );

You’ve thought of a hilarious joke, wrapped it in precisely casual internet slang, and slapped it in blocky white font over a poignant picture. You post it and sit back to watch the likes roll in, but they never come. Meanwhile, other memes are taking off. They’re launching careers in comedy and becoming the not-so-secret weapon of presidential campaigns. Billionaires are investing in meme farms and someone calling themself “Roaring Kitty” has become a millionaire on the back of meme stocks. Internet memes are undeniably a cultural and political force to be reckoned with and as their influence has grown a burgeoning field of research has sprung up to understand them. For this Giz Asks, we asked several experts: Why do some memes go viral and is it possible to predict that virality? Professor at Indiana University studying online abusive behavior and co-author of the paper “Dissecting the Meme Magic: Understanding Indicators of Virality in Image Memes.” Professor of communications studies at Northwestern University and author of the upcoming book All Your Meme Are Belong To Us: Internet Cultures in the Global South . Chair of the Department of Communication at the College of Charleston, whose internet culture research examines everything from funny GIFS to large-scale propaganda campaigns. Professor of literature and creative writing at Dartmouth University and creator of the first college course on the rise of meme culture.