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Stock market today: Wall Street wavers at the start of a holiday-shortened weekJennison Associates LLC purchased a new stake in Agilysys, Inc. ( NASDAQ:AGYS – Free Report ) in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm purchased 6,326 shares of the software maker’s stock, valued at approximately $689,000. A number of other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in AGYS. CWM LLC lifted its stake in Agilysys by 390.2% in the second quarter. CWM LLC now owns 250 shares of the software maker’s stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 199 shares during the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its stake in shares of Agilysys by 162.1% in the 2nd quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 249 shares of the software maker’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 154 shares during the last quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC bought a new stake in Agilysys in the second quarter worth $32,000. NBC Securities Inc. acquired a new position in Agilysys during the third quarter worth $46,000. Finally, Exchange Traded Concepts LLC raised its holdings in Agilysys by 76.2% during the third quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 474 shares of the software maker’s stock valued at $52,000 after buying an additional 205 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 88.00% of the company’s stock. Insider Activity In other Agilysys news, CEO Ramesh Srinivasan sold 10,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $109.77, for a total value of $1,097,700.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 778,367 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $85,441,345.59. The trade was a 1.27 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link . Also, CFO William David Wood III sold 588 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $100.86, for a total transaction of $59,305.68. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 49,479 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,990,451.94. The trade was a 1.17 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 42,023 shares of company stock worth $4,548,979. Company insiders own 19.30% of the company’s stock. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Read Our Latest Research Report on Agilysys Agilysys Stock Performance NASDAQ AGYS opened at $137.48 on Friday. The company’s fifty day moving average is $112.71 and its two-hundred day moving average is $105.81. Agilysys, Inc. has a 52-week low of $73.52 and a 52-week high of $138.19. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a current ratio of 1.13 and a quick ratio of 1.07. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 39.17 and a beta of 0.85. Agilysys ( NASDAQ:AGYS – Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Monday, October 28th. The software maker reported $0.34 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.30 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $68.30 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $67.54 million. Agilysys had a return on equity of 10.53% and a net margin of 37.54%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 16.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.25 earnings per share. Equities research analysts forecast that Agilysys, Inc. will post 0.81 EPS for the current year. About Agilysys ( Free Report ) Agilysys, Inc operates as a developer and marketer of software-enabled solutions and services to the hospitality industry in North America, Europe, the Asia-Pacific, and India. It offers software solutions fully integrated with third party hardware and operating systems; cloud applications, support, and maintenance; subscription and maintenance; and professional services. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AGYS? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Agilysys, Inc. ( NASDAQ:AGYS – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Agilysys Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Agilysys and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Malik Nabers says calling the Giants 'soft' was wrong but he doesn't regret speaking out
How Trump’s bet on voters electing him managed to silence some of his legal woes
Apart from the resounding victory by the NPP, the most significant election outcome is the remarkable change in the voting pattern of the Tamils in the North, the East, and the Central province not to mention Colombo that brought defeat to most of the Tamil political stalwarts like Sithatharan, Sumanthiran, Palani Thigambaram, Mano Ganeshan et al. This is the first time that such a change has happened in a general election where usually the ethnic political parties hold sway over minority votes. It is of vital importance for everybody including Tamil politicians, the present government, international community, hegemonic powers, ultra-nationalists and separatists to understand and correctly interpret this change in the Tamil political fabric. The decisive factor that was apparent in the pre-election period was the need for a change which manifested in a weaker form at the presidential election that brought in a new president with 42% of the national vote with the majority of Tamils voting against the NPP candidate. In less than two months the whole picture had changed and a majority of Tamils who did not vote for the NPP at the presidential election took the unprecedented step of going against their own ethnic parties and voted for the NPP. Although it appears to be a sudden change of attitude obviously such changes on such a wide scale cannot happen overnight. The need for a system change must have been slowly and steadily growing in the minds of Tamils over a period of time, like it had in the Sinhalese. The latter was obviously weary of suffering under the governments of the two major political parties since independence. The former however had hitherto been loyal to their ethnic parties who pursued divisive communal politics appealing to the ultra-nationalist sentiments of the Tamils. What was the reason for the Tamils to change in this manner? Presidential election may have shown the Tamils that the Sinhalese had decided to bring about a radical change. This would have been the cue for them to come out into the open and demonstrate the change that has been slowly taking place in their minds. The change that appeared to have taken place in less than two months was probably catalyzed in this manner. Tamils suffered during the thirty-year war. It is probable that the new generation of Tamils have realised the futility of war and confrontation and decided to chart a different course and deviate from the main sociopolitical stream from the time of independence though there were times of convergence and cooperation albeit of short duration. Independence and universal franchise have driven a wedge between Sinhala and Tamil leaders which was rather unfortunate for they were together in the struggle for Independence. Tamil politicians enjoyed parity of political power and suddenly they realized that their privileged position was in danger due to universal franchise which would make them a minority in the parliament. They could not reconcile with the fact that they were representatives of a minority community. What is most unfortunate is that they could not see the opportunities that were there for them to play a vital role in the development of the whole country. The mistake the Tamil leaders committed at that time was to abandon the opportunity that was available to jointly participate in the central government and contribute to the development of not only the Tamils but also the whole country and instead choose the narrow parochial path of communal politics. This blunder has continued to plague the country and even caused the birth of terrorism and a bloody war. These historical mistakes must have dawned on the new generation of Tamils who, like the Sinhalese want a change in their lives which could come with economic development rather than ultra-nationalist dogma. Further they may have realized the fact that Tamil ultra-nationalism was flawed, unjust, parochial and does not belong in the modern world. Communal barriers have to be breached to achieve connectivity, interaction and networking which are capable of opening new vistas in the modern electronic era. All communities who have made Sri Lanka their home must unite and develop their country. The absence of this unity may have been one of the reasons for the country to lag behind in economic development and finally end up being bankrupt which would have affected all communities alike. In this regard the Tamils have taken the first step and it is now up to the other communities to suitably respond. The government must know that the Tamils have significantly contributed to their massive victory. The government must understand what these Tamils who have rejected their own political parties and leaders want. They, too, like the Sinhalese are affected by economic mismanagement and poverty. Their problems are same as those of the Sinhalese majority. All communities are in the same boat. Tamils have realised this truth and would want urgent attention to their immediate needs. Their nutrition, health and education should receive immediate and sufficient attention. Tamils have abandoned their own parties and embraced the governing party expecting urgent redress to their burning problems. There is a lesson for the international community as well, especially for the imperialist western powers. The latter had made use of the lack of unity among the communities to destabilise the country in pursuance of their geo-political ambitions in the Indian Ocean region. The LTTE was a tool in their hands, and after the demise of its leader, other separatists moved in to fill the vacuum. The western powers must realise the futility of such policies in view of the radical changes taking place within the mind-set of the Tamils. Tamils may no longer see the Sinhalese as their oppressors and the Sinhalese may not harbour the fear that Tamils are demanding a separate country. It is hoped that the time may come when the Tamils realise that the whole country belongs to all communities and it is their duty to participate in the development of the whole and not just the North and parts of the East. True Tamil national leaders may emerge who would want to share power at the centre rather than at the periphery and contribute to the governing of the whole country. It is hoped that this is the end of divisive communal politics and the beginning of a new era of unity and prosperity. N. A. de S. Amaratunga
BOSTON (AP) — Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis is slated make his season debut Monday night against the Los Angeles Clippers following offseason ankle surgery. The 7-foot-2 Latvian center was upgraded from probable to available about an 90 minutes before tipoff, though Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said how much he'd play was to be determined. Veteran center Al Horford, who has started 14 of the Celtics 17 games this season, is out Monday with an illness. Fellow big man Luke Kornet is also sitting out as he continues to deal with hamstring tightness. “He has worked hard, he's in good shape. We'll put him in position to be healthy and be successful and do what's best for the team,” Mazzulla said. “He's been pretty consistent, just based on his work ethic and what he's done to get to this point.” Porzingis had surgery to fix a tear in the tissue that holds the ankle tendons in place. The issue limited him to seven playoff games during the Celtics' NBA championship run last season. Boston is 14-3 this season, but has missed his presence on the inside, with teams routinely outscoring the defending champions in the paint. Mazzulla acknowledged that how Porzingis plays on the offensive end, particularly how he operates sometimes out of the high and low post, will force some adjustment from how the team has played this season without him on the floor. “I think last year we had an opportunity to see how teams were guarding him,” Mazzulla said. "That'll take a little bit of time to figure out what the coverages are, just get used to that spacing. That'll take some time. ... Then we'll figure out how we go from there." The original window for Porzingis' return following surgery was five to six months. But Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said before the season that they didn't want to hold to a specific timeline because of the uniqueness of the injury. Porzingis injured his ankle in Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks and missed the next two games. He returned for Game 5, contributing five points and one rebound in 16 minutes as the Celtics beat Dallas 106-88 to clinch their record 18th title. Porzingis averaged 20 points and seven rebounds in 57 games for last season. He signed a $60 million, two-year extension with Boston in the summer of 2023 after the Celtics acquired him in a trade with Washington. AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nbaGlancy Prongay & Murray LLP Reminds Investors of Looming Deadline in the Class Action Lawsuit Against TMC the metals company Inc. (TMC)The best Thunderbolt dock I’ve ever tested is on sale for 38% off
AKRON, Ohio (AP) — Tony Osburn's 23 points helped Omaha defeat Lamar 65-59 at the Akron Basketball Classic in Akron, Ohio on Sunday. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * AKRON, Ohio (AP) — Tony Osburn's 23 points helped Omaha defeat Lamar 65-59 at the Akron Basketball Classic in Akron, Ohio on Sunday. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? AKRON, Ohio (AP) — Tony Osburn’s 23 points helped Omaha defeat Lamar 65-59 at the Akron Basketball Classic in Akron, Ohio on Sunday. Osburn shot 7 of 13 from the field, including 5 for 9 from 3-point range, and went 4 for 4 from the line for the Mavericks (3-5). Ja’Sean Glover added 14 points while going 4 of 9 from the floor, including 3 for 5 from 3-point range, and 3 for 5 from the line while they also had five rebounds. Marquel Sutton had 13 points and shot 4 of 14 from the field and 4 for 4 from the line. The Mavericks ended a five-game losing streak with the victory. The Cardinals (1-5) were led in scoring by Alexis Marmolejos, who finished with 15 points and four assists. Cody Pennebaker added 11 points and six rebounds for Lamar. Andrew Holifield finished with nine points, three steals and four blocks. NEXT UP Both teams play on Saturday. Omaha hosts Abilene Christian and Lamar hosts Our Lady of the Lake. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. AdvertisementIndia’s governance challenges demand urgent reforms to modernise its bureaucracy. The country’s economic story, which is marked by significant strides in growth and innovation, is juxtaposed with enduring issues of income inequality, underinvestment in critical sectors, and bureaucratic inefficiency. Central to this narrative is the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), which has for long held sway over the nation’s governance. However, persistent challenges within the IAS and the wider bureaucracy have highlighted the urgent need for administrative reforms to unlock India’s true economic potential. The legacy and challenges of the IAS The IAS, often called India’s “steel frame”, traces its origins to the colonial Indian Civil Service (ICS). Post-Independence, it became the backbone of India’s administrative machinery, with officers occupying pivotal roles in governance. Yet, this legacy has not been without its cracks. Political interference, lack of specialisation, and outdated personnel practices have gradually eroded its effectiveness. One of the pressing issues is the politicisation of the IAS. Frequent transfers, suspensions, and promotions influenced by political loyalty rather than merit, have undermined morale and professionalism. Officers often struggle to develop domain expertise due to frequent rotations across departments, preventing them from becoming effective policy specialists in an increasingly complex governance landscape. Corruption and inefficiency plague the bureaucracy further. According to the World Bank’s measure of government effectiveness, India ranks only moderately, reflecting the poor quality of policy implementation and administrative independence. Without reform, these systemic inefficiencies threaten to stymie India’s economic growth and governance objectives. Executive-led governance in India, characterised by centralised decision-making, has yielded mixed results. While it has facilitated rapid economic reforms and infrastructure development, it has also led to bottlenecks in policy implementation and a lack of accountability. The centralised power structure often sidelines bureaucrats’ insights and expertise, reducing their ability to act as effective policy executors. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the government has attempted to address some of these shortcomings by curbing politicised transfers and introducing measures to enhance bureaucratic accountability. However, critics argue that centralising power in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) risks undermining the autonomy of senior bureaucrats, leading to further disempowerment of the IAS. The need for administrative reforms in India is not new. Since Independence, over 50 commissions and committees have been tasked with reimagining the country’s administrative apparatus. The First Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) in 1966 and subsequent commissions, have consistently emphasised the need for specialisation, accountability, and merit-based promotions within the bureaucracy. The Second ARC, set up in 2005, laid out a blueprint for administrative reforms. It included recommendations for lowering the permissible age of entry into the civil services, introducing performance-based promotions and lateral entry, and establishing safeguards against arbitrary transfers. However, many of these recommendations remain unimplemented, stalled by bureaucratic inertia and political resistance. Government’s push for reform Recognising the limitations of the IAS-centric administrative model, the Modi government has sought to diversify governance by introducing lateral entry into senior bureaucratic positions. This move is aimed at bringing domain experts from the private sector and other government services into key policymaking roles, infusing fresh perspectives and specialised knowledge. Since 2018, the central government has pursued lateral recruitment to bring individuals with specialised knowledge and domain expertise into specific assignments. By 2023, this initiative saw the appointment of 57 officers, many of whom were drawn from the private sector, reflecting a deliberate effort to infuse fresh talent and perspectives into governance. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) recently advertised 45 posts for lateral entry, including positions for Joint Secretaries and Directors across various ministries. This shift has disrupted the IAS’s traditional dominance, with only 33% of Joint Secretaries at the Centre now belonging to the IAS, compared to near-total dominance a decade ago. However, the lateral entry initiative has faced resistance. Critics, including retired civil servants, argue that it could undermine incumbent morale and distort promotion incentives. Opposition parties have also voiced concern about the lack of reservation provisions for marginalised groups in these appointments. The Modi government’s recent U-turn on lateral entry appointments, reportedly due to political pressure from political allies, underscores the contentious nature of this reform. The U.S.’s proposed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), under U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, offers an intriguing model for reforming India’s administrative apparatus. DOGE aims to streamline government operations, reduce inefficiency, and eliminate redundant agencies, all while leveraging the expertise of leaders such as Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. DOGE’s focus on cutting wasteful expenditures and introducing accountability mechanisms resonates with the challenges faced by the Indian bureaucracy. A similar advisory body in India could help identify inefficiencies within the civil service, promote data-driven decision-making, and develop metrics to assess bureaucratic performance. A time-bound commission, such as the DOGE’s expiration date tied to the U.S. semi-quincentennial, could also ensure that reform initiatives remain focused and actionable. Challenges to reform Reforming India’s bureaucracy is no small task. Despite its flaws, the IAS remains deeply entrenched in the country’s governance structure. Proposals for lateral entry, performance-based promotions, and specialised training often face resistance from within the service, where seniority-based progression and generalist approaches are deeply institutionalised. Political interference further complicates reform efforts. Proposals such as the Civil Services Standards, Performance, and Accountability Bill (2010), which sought to protect bureaucrats from arbitrary transfers, have languished in legislative limbo. Even judicial interventions, such as the Supreme Court of India’s directive to establish civil services boards in 2013, have had limited impact due to lack of enforcement. A multifaceted approach to administrative reform is vital to address the challenges of India’s bureaucracy. Recruitment must prioritise merit and domain expertise, with promotions tied to measurable performance rather than seniority. Protecting bureaucrats from politically motivated transfers and fostering specialisation in policymaking roles would enhance accountability and efficiency. Further, the government should invest in a robust data infrastructure to track bureaucratic performance, enabling informed decisions on placements, promotions, and policy implementation. Reform is essential for India’s economic aspirations and ensuring governance effectively serves its people. Vinod Bhanu is the Director of the Centre for Legislative Research and Advocacy, New Delhi Published - December 24, 2024 12:16 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit India / government / civil and public service / economy (general) / history / politics / corruption & bribery / Prime Minister Narendra Modi / USA / laws / judiciary (system of justice)By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER WASHINGTON (AP) — One year after the Jan. 6, 2021 , U.S. Capitol attack, Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Justice Department was committed to holding accountable all perpetrators “at any level” for “the assault on our democracy.” That bold declaration won’t apply to at least one person: Donald Trump. Special counsel Jack Smith’s move on Monday to abandon the federal election interference case against Trump means jurors will likely never decide whether the president-elect is criminally responsible for his attempts to cling to power after losing the 2020 campaign. The decision to walk away from the election charges and the separate classified documents case against Trump marks an abrupt end of the Justice Department’s unprecedented legal effort that once threatened his liberty but appears only to have galvanized his supporters. The abandonment of the cases accusing Trump of endangering American democracy and national security does away with the most serious legal threats he was facing as he returns to the White House. It was the culmination of a monthslong defense effort to delay the proceedings at every step and use the criminal allegations to Trump’s political advantage, putting the final word in the hands of voters instead of jurors. “We always knew that the rich and powerful had an advantage, but I don’t think we would have ever believed that somebody could walk away from everything,” said Stephen Saltzburg, a George Washington University law professor and former Justice Department official. “If there ever was a Teflon defendant, that’s Donald Trump.” While prosecutors left the door open to the possibility that federal charges could be re-filed against Trump after he leaves office, that seems unlikely. Meanwhile, Trump’s presidential victory has thrown into question the future of the two state criminal cases against him in New York and Georgia. Trump was supposed to be sentenced on Tuesday after his conviction on 34 felony counts in his New York hush money case , but it’s possible the sentencing could be delayed until after Trump leaves office, and the defense is pushing to dismiss the case altogether. Smith’s team stressed that their decision to abandon the federal cases was not a reflection of the merit of the charges, but an acknowledgement that they could not move forward under longstanding Justice Department policy that says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. Trump’s presidential victory set “at odds two fundamental and compelling national interests: On the one hand, the Constitution’s requirement that the President must not be unduly encumbered in fulfilling his weighty responsibilities . . . and on the other hand, the Nation’s commitment to the rule of law,” prosecutors wrote in court papers. The move just weeks after Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris underscores the immense personal stake Trump had in the campaign in which he turned his legal woes into a political rallying cry. Trump accused prosecutors of bringing the charges in a bid to keep him out of the White House, and he promised revenge on his perceived enemies if he won a second term. “If Donald J. Trump had lost an election, he may very well have spent the rest of his life in prison,” Vice President-elect JD Vance, wrote in a social media post on Monday. “These prosecutions were always political. Now it’s time to ensure what happened to President Trump never happens in this country again.” After the Jan. 6 attack by Trump supporters that left more than 100 police officers injured, Republican leader Mitch McConnell and several other Republicans who voted to acquit Trump during his Senate impeachment trial said it was up to the justice system to hold Trump accountable. The Jan. 6 case brought last year in Washington alleged an increasingly desperate criminal conspiracy to subvert the will of voters after Trump’s 2020 loss, accusing Trump of using the angry mob of supporters that attacked the Capitol as “a tool” in his campaign to pressure then-Vice President Mike Pence and obstruct the certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s victory. Hundreds of Jan. 6 rioters — many of whom have said they felt called to Washington by Trump — have pleaded guilty or been convicted by juries of federal charges at the same courthouse where Trump was supposed to stand trial last year. As the trial date neared, officials at the courthouse that sits within view of the Capitol were busy making plans for the crush of reporters expected to cover the historic case. But Trump’s argument that he enjoyed absolute immunity from prosecution quickly tied up the case in appeals all the way up to the Supreme Court. The high court ruled in July that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution , and sent the case back to the trial court to decide which allegations could move forward. But the case was dismissed before the trial court could get a chance to do so. Related Articles National Politics | How Trump’s deportations could cost California ‘hundreds of billions of dollars’ National Politics | Auto industry’s shift toward EVs is expected to go on despite Trump threat to kill tax credits National Politics | CDC chief urges focus on health threats as agency confronts political changes National Politics | Trump’s latest tariff plan aims at multiple countries. What does it mean for the US? National Politics | Trump won about 2.5M more votes than in 2020, some in unexpected places The other indictment brought in Florida accused Trump of improperly storing at his Mar-a-Lago estate sensitive documents on nuclear capabilities, enlisting aides and lawyers to help him hide records demanded by investigators and cavalierly showing off a Pentagon “plan of attack” and classified map. But U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the case in July on grounds that Smith was illegally appointed . Smith appealed to the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, but abandoned that appeal on Monday. Smith’s team said it would continue its fight in the appeals court to revive charges against Trump’s two co-defendants because “no principle of temporary immunity applies to them.” In New York, jurors spent weeks last spring hearing evidence in a state case alleging a Trump scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor who said the two had sex. New York prosecutors recently expressed openness to delaying sentencing until after Trump’s second term, while Trump’s lawyers are fighting to have the conviction dismissed altogether. In Georgia, a trial while Trump is in office seems unlikely in a state case charging him and more than a dozen others with conspiring to overturn his 2020 election loss in the state. The case has been on hold since an appeals court agreed to review whether to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis over her romantic relationship with the special prosecutor she had hired to lead the case. Associated Press reporter Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed.
Chennai Super Kings Squad for IPL 2025: Vijay Shankar Sold to CSK for INR 1.2 Crore at Indian Premier League Auction
No. 22 Xavier unbeaten but looking for more effort vs. South CarolinaPHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jalen Hurts may sit out a potential NFC East clincher against Dallas because of the lingering effects of a concussion . The Eagles could also just rest Hurts to play it safe -- even if he’s medically cleared ahead of Sunday’s game -- and protect their franchise QB from additional injury over the final two games. Eagles coach Nick Sirianni kept quiet this week on which QB will start Sunday, in large part, of course, because of the head injury suffered by Hurts in last week’s loss to Washington that forced him into the concussion protocol . The issue was complicated by backup Kenny Pickett’s rib injury suffered in relief of Hurts in his first real game competition in nearly a year. Tanner McKee, the third-string QB, could move into a backup role — or maybe even get the start against the Cowboys. Philadelphia's starting quarterback situation has surged past Saquon Barkley's chase at Eric Dickerson's season rushing record as the most intriguing talking point in the final two games. The Eagles (12-3) appear certain to win the division title — they're two games ahead of Washington (10-5) — and a No. 2 seed in the conference no matter the quarterback headed into the playoffs. Even with an unsettled QB spot, the Eagles are are still 71⁄2-point home favorites to beat division rival Dallas, per BetMGM Sportsbook. Sirianni appreciated that quarterback depth has been a strength for the Eagles. “We feel good about that room,” he said. So why risk Hurts against the Cowboys? There's little reason to make Hurts play only a week after absorbing a pair of blows to the head and the extra week off — maybe two if the finale against the Giants is truly meaningless — could add to his recovery time ahead of a home playoff game. The Eagles were burned in a similar situation last season when Hurts and star wide receiver A.J. Brown were both injured in the final game against the Giants with little at stake. With both players hampered by unnecessary injuries, the Eagles were dumped the next week by Tampa Bay in the NFC wild-card playoff game. The Eagles have options if Hurts is inactive. Pickett was 14 of 24 for 143 yards in relief, throwing a touchdown pass to Brown and an interception. Pickett, a first-round pick out of Pitt in 2022, went 14-10 as a starter for the Steelers before he was traded to the Eagles in the offseason. McKee was the Eagles’ 2023 sixth-round pick out of Stanford. The 6-foot-6, 231-pound quarterback has yet to take a snap in a regular-season game. He's mostly used in practice on the scout team or in developmental periods — at best, he'll stay late after practice to get some reps in with the top receivers. “Every week, every opportunity, it's knowing it could be my shot, my chance,” McKee said. He could finally get that shot against Dallas. With the Cowboys out of playoff contention, the questions persist for coach Mike McCarthy about bypassing Cooper Rush for a look at Trey Lance before both QBs hit free agency. McCarthy’s answer hasn’t wavered: Rush gives Dallas the best chance to win. Rush is 4-3 since Dak Prescott’s season-ending hamstring tear after going 5-1 over two previous stints as an injury replacement. That’s 9-4 total. Half the losses came in both of Rush’s starts against Eagles – the last of five games filling in during the 2022 season and the first game this season. “The mindset is to win,” McCarthy said. “We’re going to Philadelphia to win the game.” Barkley leads the NFL with 1,838 yards rushing for the season through 15 games. He still needs two big outings in the final games of the season against Dallas and the New York Giants to top Dickerson and his 2,105 yards for the Los Angeles Rams in 1984. Barkley is 268 yards away from passing Dickerson for the season mark and 162 shy from becoming the ninth player in NFL history with 2,000 yards rushing in a season. He ran for only 66 yards in the first game this season against Dallas. Dallas ranks 28th in the NFL in rushing defense, surrendering 135.9 yards per contest. Philadelphia, behind Barkley’s stellar play, tops the league at 187.9 yards per game on the ground. The Eagles have already have set a team record for yards rushing in a season with 2,818, and they are within four rushing touchdowns of tying the club’s single-season mark of 32, set in 2022. Barkley needs four more rushing touchdowns to tie LeSean McCoy’s Eagles record, set in 2011 and just 33 yards from scrimmage to break McCoy’s mark of 2,146 set in 2013. Star Dallas edge rusher Micah Parsons needs half a sack to reach double digits in each of his first four seasons despite missing four games with a high ankle sprain, the first injury absence of his career. The 2021 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year would be the fifth player to reach 10 sacks in each of his first four seasons. The other four — Claude Humphrey, Reggie White, Derrick Thomas and Dwight Freeney - are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. AP Pro Football Writer Schuyler Dixon contributed from Arlington, Texas. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
After his team's 102-89 home win on Wednesday night over Purdue Fort Wayne, Penn State coach Mike Rhoades challenged his team's fan base to show up and make more noise. "Sweat with us," he said at one point. At 5-0, the Nittany Lions haven't had to sweat much to get off to a fast start. They might not have to expend much perspiration to make it 6-0 on Monday when they meet Fordham in a semifinal matchup at the Sunshine Slam tournament in Daytona Beach, Fla. Penn State hasn't played a strong schedule so far, but the team has been impressive. It's averaging 98.2 points per game and 13.8 steals per game, both of which ranked second in Division I through Saturday's play. The Nittany Lions were seventh per kenpom.com in turnover rate, forcing 25.3 per 100 possessions. Point guard Ace Baldwin Jr. is leading the charge, scoring 16.4 points and dishing out 7.8 assists while chipping in 2.6 steals. Zach Hicks has nearly doubled his scoring average from 8.4 last season to 15.8 this season, while Northern Illinois transfer Yanic Konan Niederhauser has beefed up the interior, tallying 12.2 points and 7.2 rebounds. Meanwhile, Fordham (3-3) is coming off a 73-71 home loss Friday night against Drexel in New York. The Rams blew a seven-point lead early in the second half and missed a chance to force overtime when leading scorer Jackie Johnson III missed a layup as time expired. Johnson, a UNLV transfer, is averaging 19 points per game and is making nearly 48 percent of his shots as one of three Rams with double-figure scoring averages. Jahmere Tripp scores at an 11.0 clip while Japhet Medor is contributed 10.5, but Fordham is struggling to make shots, canning only 41.5 percent from the field. The Rams were picked for a 14th-place finish in the Atlantic 10 despite returning more scoring than any team in the league except for VCU. Third-year coach Keith Urgo thinks his team can defy low external expectations. "We're experienced and I think we're poised to have a tremendous year," he said. --Field Level Media
University of Phoenix Supports Arizona Diamondbacks® Annual Winter Classic CelebrationCaitlin Clark effect hasn't reversed the decades-long decline in girls basketball participation
Jurors will likely never decide whether the president-elect is criminally responsible for his attempts to cling to power after losing the 2020 campaign.CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Detroit guard Cade Cunningham left Thursday night’s game in Charlotte in the final minute of regulation due to a left hip injury and did not play in overtime as the Pistons fell to the Hornets. Cunningham fell hard to the floor after getting fouled by Grant Williams with 48 seconds left in the game. He made both free throws to briefly give the Pistons the lead before leaving, and the Pistons lost 123-121. Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff offered no update on Cunningham’s status after the game. Cunningham finished with 27 points and 10 assists for the Pistons, who lost their second straight game to a Hornets team that got a career-high 38 points from Brandon Miller and 35 from LaMelo Ball.-- Shares Facebook Twitter Reddit Email For many Americans, ‘tis the season of giving gifts , stuffing stockings and racking up more credit card debt . Roughly 36% of Americans took on new credit card debt during the 2024 holiday season , accruing an average of $1,181, according to a survey conducted by LendingTree. That debt wasn’t on anyone’s wish lists — just 44% of those shoppers intended to take on new debt this season, the survey found. Holiday debt wasn’t distributed equally. Shoppers earning six-figure annual salaries took on the most debt, the survey found, at an average of $1,429, while those earning between $30,000 and $49,000 annually accrued an average of $909 in debt this holiday season. Related Were you bad with money this year? You're not alone Overall, consumer prices were up during this year’s holiday shopping season compared to 2023. The Consumer Price Index, which measures the average price shoppers pay for a basket of frequently bought items, was up 2.7% year-over-year, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics released in November. Shoppers this year racked up more debt than they did in 2023. Last year, Americans accrued an average of $1,028 in new credit card debt during the holidays, per the LendingTree survey. Americans’ collective credit card debt has ballooned in recent years. At the beginning of the year, U.S. shoppers owed more than $1 trillion in credit card debt, per CNBC . The average American was carrying $6,501 in credit card debt at the time. That didn’t stop shoppers from shelling out this holiday season. Spending at retail stores was up 3.8% year-over-year from Nov. 1 through Christmas Eve, with 10% of it occurring in the last five days of that period. In-store sales were up 2.9%, while online sales rose 6.7%. Read more about personal finance Ozempic could curb our shopping sprees. That doesn't mean we need to go there How AI scaled up shopping scams this year Cap on credit card fees rejected MORE FROM Cara Michelle Smith Advertisement:
Nuvo Group Enters into Agreement for Sale of Pregnancy Support BusinessBrighton were booed off after their winless run was stretched to six Premier League games by a frustrating goalless draw against away-day strugglers Brentford. Albion dominated for large periods on a foggy evening at the Amex Stadium and hit the woodwork inside four minutes through Julio Enciso. Bees goalkeeper Mark Flekken also made a string of important saves before being forced off injured in the 36th minute, albeit his replacement Hakon Valdimarsson was rarely tested on his Premier League debut. Brentford, who remain without a top-flight away win this term, had an early Yoane Wissa finish ruled out for offside following VAR intervention but barely threatened, despite an improved second-half showing. The Seagulls remain 10th ahead of Monday’s trip to Aston Villa, with Thomas Frank’s visitors a position and two points below moving towards their New Year’s Day showdown with Arsenal. Brighton have plummeted from second place to mid-table amid a poor run of form which has increased scrutiny on head coach Fabian Hurzeler. Seagulls chief executive Paul Barber called for perspective from fans in his programme notes after revealing he revealed emails “full of doom and gloom” following the recent 3-1 home defeat to rivals Crystal Palace. Enciso, one of two players recalled by Hurzeler following Saturday’s 1-1 draw at West Ham, almost gave Albion a dream start. A poor pass from Bees goalkeeper Flekken was intercepted by Carlos Baleba and, following a neat layoff from Joao Pedro, Paraguay forward Enciso curled against the right post. Brentford arrived in Sussex with the worst away record in the division, having previously taken a solitary point from 24 available this term. Flekken saved well from Baleba and then collected a tame header from the unmarked Enciso before the away side thought they had snatched a 13th-minute lead. After being slipped in by Mads Roerslev at the end of a swift counter-attack, Wissa thumped high into the net beyond Seagulls keeper Bart Verbruggen only to be ruled marginally offside. Flekken made further saves from Brajan Gruda and Matt O’Riley before hurting himself keeping out a deflected Kaoru Mitoma cross and being replaced by 23-year-old Iceland international Valdimarsson. Brentford remained on the back foot and, aside from Wissa’s disallowed effort, offered little going forward in a one-sided opening period which somehow ended level. Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke produced a crucial block to deny Wissa as the west London club began the second half brightly before Christian Norgaard’s ambitious effort deflected wide amid groans from increasingly restless home fans. Hurzeler responded with a triple change, introducing Yasin Ayari, Simon Adingra and Yankuba Minteh in place of O’Riley, Gruda and Mitoma. Albion forward Pedro then escaped punishment in the 76th minute after swinging an arm at Bees substitute Yehor Yarmoliuk without making contact before defender Ben Mee became the second visiting player to depart injured. The introduction of Solly March in the 88th minute for his first appearance since suffering a serious knee injury in October last year briefly lifted the mood on the terraces. But, following a frantic five minutes of added time, some Seagulls supporters vented their displeasure at full-time as their club’s wait for victory goes on.
SAN FRANCISCO — The parents of a former OpenAI researcher known for recently blowing the whistle on the company’s business practices are questioning the circumstances of their son’s death last month. In an interview this week, Suchir Balaji’s mother and father expressed confusion and shock over his sudden passing, expressing doubt their son could have died by suicide, as determined by the county medical examiner. The family hired an expert to perform an independent autopsy but has yet to release the report’s findings. “We’re demanding a thorough investigation — that’s our call,” said Balaji’s mother, Poornima Ramarao. San Francisco police found Balaji dead in his Lower Haight apartment on Nov. 26, less than a week after his 26th birthday. The San Francisco Medical Examiner’s Office later told this news agency his death was ruled a suicide, though a final autopsy report has yet to be released while the office completes toxicology tests. Earlier this month, San Francisco police officials said there is “currently, no evidence of foul play.” Balaji’s death sent shockwaves throughout Silicon Valley and the artificial intelligence industry. He garnered a national spotlight in late October when he accused his former employer, OpenAI, of breaking federal copyright law by siphoning data from across the internet to train its blockbuster chatbot, ChatGPT. His concerns backed up allegations aired in recent years by authors, screenwriters and computer programmers who say OpenAI stole their content without permission, in violation of U.S. “fair use” laws governing how people can use previously published work. Media companies have been among those to sue the company, including The Mercury News and seven of its affiliated newspapers, and, separately, The New York Times. In an interview with The New York Times published in October 2024, Balaji described his decision to leave the generative artificial intelligence company in August while suggesting that its data collection practices are “not a sustainable model for the internet ecosystem as a whole. “If you believe what I believe, you have to just leave the company,” he told the newspaper. By Nov. 18, Balaji had been named in court filings as someone who had “unique and relevant documents” that would support the case against OpenAI. He was among at least 12 people — many of them past or present OpenAI employees — to be named by the newspaper in court filings as having material helpful to their case. His death a week later has left Balaji’s parents reeling. In an interview at their Alameda County home this week, his mother said her only child “was an amazing human being, from childhood.” “No one believes that he could do that,” Ramarao said about his taking his own life. OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment but in a statement to Business Insider said it was “devastated” to learn of Balaji’s death and said they had been in touch with his parents “to offer our full support during this difficult time.” “Our priority is to continue to do everything we can to assist them,” the company’s statement read. “We first became aware of his concerns when The New York Times published his comments and we have no record of any further interaction with him. “We respect his, and others’, right to share views freely,” the statement added. “Our hearts go out to Suchir’s loved ones, and we extend our deepest condolences to all who are mourning his loss.” Related Articles National News | Most Americans blame insurance profits and denials alongside the killer in UHC CEO death, poll finds National News | Another jackpot surpasses $1 billion. Is this the new normal? National News | Man indicted in burning death of woman inside a New York City subway train, prosecutors say National News | Powerful thunderstorms threaten Texas and Louisiana, delaying holiday travel National News | Landlords beware: Rent-shamers are calling out overpriced listings online Born in Florida and raised in the Bay Area, Balaji was a prodigy from an early age, his mother told this news agency. He spoke her name at 3 months old; at 18-months he would ask “me to light a lamp to cheer me up” and could recognize words at 20 months, she said. Balaji appeared to have a knack for technology, math and computing, taking home trophies and earning renown, including in the 2016 United States of America Computing Olympiad. In 2020, he went to work for OpenAI — viewing the company’s then-commitment to operating as a nonprofit as admirable, his mother said. His opinion of the company soured in 2022 while he was assigned to gather data from the internet for the company’s GPT-4 program, the New York Times reported. The program analyzed text from nearly the entire internet to train its artificial intelligence program, the outlet reported. Ramarao said she wasn’t aware of her son’s decision to go public with his concerns about OpenAI until the paper ran his interview. While she immediately harbored anxiety about his decision — going so far as to implore him to speak with a copyright attorney — Ramarao also expressed pride in her son’s bravery. ‘He kept assuring me, ‘Mom, I’m not doing anything wrong — go see the article. I’m just saying, my opinion, there’s nothing wrong in it,” said Ramarao, herself a former employee of Microsoft who worked on its Azure cloud computing program. “I supported him. I didn’t criticize him. I told him, ‘I’m proud of you, because you have your own opinions and you know what’s right, what’s wrong.’ He was very ethical.” After leaving the company, Balaji settled on plans to create a nonprofit, one centering on the machine learning and neurosciences fields, Ramarao said. He had already spoken to at least one venture capitalist for seed funding, she said. “I’m asking, like, ”How will you manage your living?’ ” Ramarao said. She recalled how her son repeatedly tried to assuage any concerns about his finances, suggesting that “money is not important to me — I want to offer a service to humanity.” Balaji also appeared to be keeping a busy schedule. He turned 26 while on a backpacking trip in the Catalina Islands with several friends from high school. Such trips were commonplace for him — in April he went with several friends to Patagonia and South America. Balaji last spoke to his parents on Nov. 22, a 10-minute phone call that centered around his recent trip and that ended with his talking about getting dinner. “He was very happy,” Ramarao said. “He had a blast. He had one of the best times of his life.” Ramarao remembers calling her son shortly after noon on Nov. 23 but said it rang once and went to voicemail. Figuring that he was busy with friends, she didn’t try visiting his apartment until Nov. 25, when she knocked but got no answer. She said she called authorities that evening but was allegedly told by a police dispatch center that little could be done that day. She followed up Nov. 26, and San Francisco police later found Balaji’s body inside his apartment. Ramarao said she wasn’t told of her son’s death until a stretcher appeared in front of Balaji’s apartment. She was not allowed inside until the following day. “I can never forget that tragedy,” Ramarao said. “My heart broke.” Ramarao questioned authorities’ investigation of her son’s death, claiming that San Francisco police closed their case and turned it over to the county medical examiner’s office within an hour of discovering Balaji’s body. Ramarao said she and her husband have since commissioned a second autopsy of Balaji’s body. She declined to release any documents from that examination. Her attorney, Phil Kearney, declined to comment on the results of the family’s independent autopsy. Last week, San Francisco police spokesman Evan Sernoffsky referred questions about the case to the medical examiner’s office. David Serrano Sewell, executive director of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, declined to comment. Sitting on her living room couch, Ramarao shook her head and expressed frustration at authorities’ investigative efforts so far. “As grieving parents, we have the right to know what happened to our son,” Ramarao said. “He was so happy. He was so brave.” If you or someone you know is struggling with feelings of depression or suicidal thoughts, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers free, round-the-clock support, information and resources for help. Call or text the lifeline at 988, or see the 988lifeline.org website, where chat is available.No. 23 Texas A&M aims to hand Oregon first loss at Players Era
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