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Boise State-UNLV set for Mountain West title game after computer breaks three-way tie for first

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:08:09 GMT

UNLV will host Boise State in the Mountain West Conference championship game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Saturday after a computer ranking was used to break a three-way tie for first place.Boise State, UNLV and San Jose State each finished the regular season 6-2 in conference play. Because all three teams did not face each other and no team was included in the latest College Football Playoff rankings, the tie was broken by an average of four computer rankings from Anderson & Hester, Colley Matrix, Massey and Wolfe.San Jose State beat UNLV 37-31 on the road Saturday for its sixth straight win after a 1-5 start, but the computer rankings listed UNLV first among the three teams tied for first, allowing the Rebels to host the championship game. Boise State was second and San Jose State third.“It’s unfortunate. I think we were one of the top two teams in the league,” SJSU athletic director Jeff Konya told The Associated Press. “I’m sure the other institutions and...

Billups scores 23, Jackson 22 to lead VCU past Penn State to get 86-74 win in ESPN tourney

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:08:09 GMT

KISSIMMEE, Fla (AP) — Alphonzo Billups III scored a career-high 23 points, Zeb Jackson added 22 and VCU turned back Penn State 86-74 in the seventh-place game at the ESPN Events Invitational on Sunday.The Rams went 7 of 11 from 3-point range and 9 of 11 from the foul line in the second half to secure the win. Billups hit all five of his shots, including four 3-pointers, scoring 14 points after the break.Max Shulga made all 10 of his free throws and scored 19 points for the Rams (4-3) and Toibu Lawal added 11. Michael Belle had nine rebounds and Jackson seven with six assists.With Billups making a career best fives 3s with just one miss, VCU was 8 of 15 behind the arc and shot 54% overall.Ace Baldwin Jr. scored 17 points with five assists for the Nittany Lions (4-3), who arrived at the tournament undefeated but lost three times by double figures. Qudus Wahab added 14 points and D’Marco Dunn 11. Dunn was 3 for 3 from distance and scored all 11 points in the first half but Penn S...

Unbeaten Nice beats Toulouse 1-0 to stay one point behind French league leader PSG

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:08:09 GMT

PARIS (AP) — Striker Terem Moffi’s second-half goal was enough to give unbeaten Nice a 1-0 home win against Toulouse on Sunday and keep it one point behind French league leader Paris Saint-Germain.Moffi collected a pass from midfielder Morgan Sanson near the penalty spot in the 54th minute and finished confidently.Nice has built its success on a stout defense which has conceded just four goals in 13 games. Monaco is five points behind Nice in third place. Star striker Kylian Mbappé scored his league-leading 14th goal as PSG beat Monaco 5-2 on Friday in an error-strewn match.OTHER MATCHESRennes beat fifth-place Reims 3-1 to move up to midtable, thanks to goals from forward Amine Gouiri, attacking midfielder Benjamin Bourigeaud and central defender Arthur Theate.Brest won 3-1 at Montpellier to go seventh, while midfielder Ablie Jallow scored a late penalty to help ninth-place Metz win 3-2 at struggling Lorient.Also, Nantes drew 0-0 with Le Havre.Later Sunday, Lyon will try to mo...

Tens of thousands march against antisemitism in London including UK ex-Prime Minister Boris Johnson

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:08:09 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Tens of thousands of people including former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson gathered in London on Sunday for a march against antisemitism, a day after large crowds turned out for a pro-Palestinian rally.Johnson was joined by U.K. Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis and other senior government officials at the march to express solidarity with the Jewish community. Organizers billed it as the largest gathering against antisemitism in London for almost a century. Marchers waved Israeli flags and Union Jacks, and held placards reading “Never Again Is Now” and “Zero Tolerance for Antisemites.”Sunday’s march was organized amid concerns about rising tensions sparked by the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.“Anything which is associated with the Jewish religion now feel that they’re under attack and they have to look after themselves, have their own security,” said Malcolm Canning, 75, from London. “I never thought this would get to this stage in this country. And it’s very...

F1 champion Max Verstappen’s record-extending 19th win underlines his relentless drive

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:08:09 GMT

Although Max Verstappen clinched his third straight Formula One title almost two months ago at the Qatar GP there was never any chance of him easing up.He’s won every race since and capped off an outstanding year with a record-extending 19th victory of the season at the Abu Dhabi GP on Sunday.“I think that is just something how I grew up, I just can’t come into a race weekend not giving my all,” Verstappen said. “I would just get annoyed with myself and then I know people around me get annoyed with me. My mindset didn’t change after winning the championship. I come to the race weekends and always try to do the best I can, and winning is great. Why would I not want to win?”To round off a remarkable season, he also passed the landmark of 1,000 laps led in a season.“I knew it was on the cards going into the race,” said Verstappen, who moved onto 54 wins overall and into third on the all-time list.Verstappen finished ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Mercedes driver George Ru...

The Week … Rishi and the King go to Dubai

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:08:09 GMT

Listen on Spotify Apple Music Amazon Music Sky News On this episode, after a government U-turn on measures to help Britain get to Net Zero, Rishi Sunak and the King both head to Dubai for COP28. Jack and Sam analyse the tone the prime minister may strike.They explore the potential fallout from Matt Hancock’s upcoming appearance in front of the COVID inquiry — what might we learn from his turn in the chair? Legal migration stats have caused jitters in the Tory party — how will new Home Secretary James Cleverly respond this week? Plus — what does Rishi Sunak want out of this week’s investment summit?Email with your thoughts and r...

Fragile Gaza truce appears to hold as Hamas releases more hostages

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:08:09 GMT

The fragile cease-fire between Israel and Hamas appeared to hold on Sunday as the militant group freed 17 more hostages in exchange for 39 Palestinian prisoners released from Israel jails, in a third set of releases under a four-day truce.The released hostages included 14 Israelis and and three foreign nationals, including the first American detainee to be freed from Gaza. Some hostages were handed over directly to Israel, while others left through Egypt, the Associated Press reported.Negotiations are continuing toward extending the four-day pause in fighting as more humanitarian aid trucks headed into Gaza on Sunday, including to northern areas of the enclave.“We are making every effort to return our hostages, and we will return them all,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.The prime minister’s office earlier Sunday received a list of the names of the hostages set to be freed and informed the families, Israeli media reported on Sunday. According to ...

Israel-linked tanker seized off Yemen

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:08:09 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Attackers seized a tanker linked to Israel off the coast of Yemen on Sunday, authorities said. While no group immediately claimed responsibility, it comes as at least two other maritime attacks in recent days have been linked to the Israel-Hamas war.The attackers seized the Liberian-flagged Central Park, managed by Zodiac Maritime, in the Gulf of Aden, the company and private intelligence firm Ambrey said. An American defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, also confirmed to The Associated Press that the attack took place.Zodiac called the seizure “a suspected piracy incident.”“Our priority is the safety of our 22 crew onboard,” Zodiac said in a statement. “The Turkish-captained vessel has a multinational crew consisting of a crew of Russian, Vietnamese, Bulgarian, Indian, Georgian and Filipino nationals. The vessel is carrying a full cargo of phosphoric acid.”Zodiac descr...

‘Felons galore:’ Santos expects ouster from Congress

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:08:09 GMT

NEW YORK  — Rep. George Santos said he expects to be expelled from Congress following a scathing report by the House Ethics Committee that found substantial evidence of lawbreaking by the New York Republican.In a defiant speech sprinkled with taunts and obscenities aimed at his congressional colleagues, Santos insisted he was “not going anywhere.” But he acknowledged that his time as a member of Congress, at least, may soon be coming to an end.“I know I’m going to get expelled when this expulsion resolution goes to the floor,” he said Friday night during a conversation on X Spaces. “I’ve done the math over and over, and it doesn’t look really good.”The comments came one week after the Republican chairman of the House Ethics Committee, Michael Guest, introduced a resolution to expel Santos once the body returns from Thanksgiving break.While Santos has survived two expulsion votes, many of his colleagues who formerly opposed the ef...

3 men of Palestinian descent shot, injured near University of Vermont

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:08:09 GMT

Three young men of Palestinian descent who were in Burlington for a Thanksgiving holiday gathering were shot and injured — one seriously — near the University of Vermont, police said Sunday. Authorities said the attack may have been a hate crime.The shootings occurred at about 6:25 p.m. Saturday near the UVM campus, according to Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad. He said police are searching for the shooter.Two of the men are in stable condition and the other suffered “much more serious injuries,” Murad said in a news release Sunday. The three, all age 20, were visiting the home of one of the victim’s relatives and were walking when they were confronted by a white man with a handgun.“Without speaking, he discharged at least four rounds from the pistol and is believed to have fled,” Murad said in a news release. “All three victims were struck, two in their torsos and one in the lower extremities.”Murad said all three men are of Palestinian descent. Two are U.S. citizens and one is a ...