Kobe Sanders, Nevada beat Oklahoma St. for fifth place in CharlestonWhat did you Google in 2024? From the elections to Copa América, here's what search trends showKeir Starmer has promised “zero tolerance” for benefits cheats as Labour seeks to tame the UK’s ballooning welfare bill. The prime minister warned those who try to “take advantage of state generosity will feel the force of the law” and that ministers would even “take cash straight from the banks of fraudsters”. His vow came as ministers prepare to unveil “tough” changes to the welfare system later this week. Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall said on Sunday that young people who repeatedly refuse to take up jobs or training would lose their benefits. In a piece for the Mail on Sunday, the Labour leader pledged the public would see “sweeping changes. Because make no mistake, we will get to grips with the bulging benefits bill blighting our society.” Labour has said it will stick by a Tory commitment to slash the cost of the welfare bill by £3 billion over five years, although Sir Keir also promised not to “call people shirkers or go down the road of division” - a dig at previous Conservative governments. Ms Kendall is to set out her plans in detail later this week, but on Sunday wanted of “tough” action ahead as she said that if young people “repeatedly refuse to take up the training or work responsibilities, there will be sanctions on their benefits”. Asked if this meant losing those benefits, she told Sky News’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips: “Yes.” Benefits claimants had a "responsibility" to engage with training or employment programmes, she added. She also said she believed "many millions" of disabled people and those with long-term health conditions want to work. Figures suggest more than 4 million people will be claiming long-term sickness support by the end of the decade. But Sir Keir came under fire from Diane Abbott , who accused the prime minister of “peddling... benefit scrounger mythology”. In response to his article, the veteran Labour MP tweeted that it was: “Sad that Starmer is peddling the benefit scrounger mythology.” Ms Abbott’s criticism was backed by the ex-Labour MP Rosie Duffield, who quit the party at the end of September, who asked: “Where’s the Labour government that was elected?” Ms Kendall’s proposals are designed to "get Britain working" and are expected to include work coaches in mental health clinics as well as a "youth guarantee", designed to ensure that all 18 to 21-year-olds are either working or studying. The reasons for the increased number of claims are "complex" and that Britain is "an older and also sicker nation", she said. "I think there are a combination of factors here," she said. "I do think we are seeing an increase in the number of people with mental health problems, both self-diagnosed - I think it’s good that stigma has been reduced - but also diagnosed by doctors. "We’re also seeing more people in their 50s and above, often women, with bad knees, hips, joints. We’ve got a real problem with our health service." Asked whether she believes "normal feelings" are being "over-medicalised", Ms Kendall told the BBC: "I genuinely believe there’s not one simple thing. You know, the last government said people were too bluesy to work. "I mean, I don’t know who they were speaking to. There is a genuine problem with mental health in this country." James Taylor, from the disability equality charity Scope, said: “We agree disabled people should have the same chances and opportunities to work as everyone else. Personalised and comprehensive employment support could be transformative for so many disabled people. But the government must fund it well and commission the right organisations to deliver it.” He also warned: “Pressing ahead with the previous government’s planned cut to disability benefits will leave disabled people financially worse off and further from work. Over the years we have seen the repeated tightening of sanctions and conditionality ramp up misery, which has done little to improve the number of disabled people in work. “We’d urge the Secretary of State to take a fresh approach to supporting disabled people into work. By spending time listening to their experiences, and understanding the barriers they face that a focus on overall budgets and sanctions won’t solve.” A Conservative Party spokesman said: “Labour’s hollow promises on welfare reform will fool no-one. When the last Conservative government introduced messages to tackle the growing benefits bill, Labour opposed them every step of the way. At the Budget, instead of following in our footsteps and taking difficult decisions on welfare to fund public services, Rachel Reeves instead reached straight for the tax lever. “This new government has no clue what is needed to get people off benefits and back into work.”
LOS ANGELES (AP) — After struggling to run the ball consistently all season, the Los Angeles Rams finally made some progress on the ground in New Orleans. Kyren Williams and rookie Blake Corum carried the Rams (6-6) to a 21-14 win that kept them squarely in the playoff race for another week. Los Angeles racked up a season-high 156 yards rushing against the Saints, with Williams going for 104 yards and a touchdown while Corum added 42 yards on a season high-tying eight carries. The game was the inverse of most afternoons this season for the Rams, who came into the week averaging fewer than 100 yards rushing per game. The running game was sturdy and productive, while Matthew Stafford and his receivers struggled to get into a rhythm at the Superdome. Coach Sean McVay always prefers to use his run game to set up the pass, and it finally worked for once this season. “I thought Kyren ran really well," McVay said. “I thought Corum ran really well. I thought our offensive line set the line of scrimmage in the run game. We really started slow in the pass game, but I thought Matthew was excellent in the second half. We were able to get some different things off of those run actions going, and that ended up being the difference in the game.” Not coincidentally, the Rams' running game worked well on the Sunday when the offensive line finally had a starting five uncompromised by injuries or suspension for the first time all season. Right tackle Rob Havenstein returned from an ankle injury, making the group whole around rookie center Beaux Limmer, who has beaten out high-priced free agent Jonah Jackson for a starting job. The Rams still had yet another slow start in a season full of them. They ran only three plays in the entire first quarter, and they were held scoreless in the first half when their other two drives resulted in a turnover on downs and a punt. But Los Angeles rebounded with an 11-play scoring drive to open the second half featuring seven runs by Williams. He eventually moved up to fifth in the NFL with 926 yards rushing despite averaging just 4.2 yards per carry — nearly a yard less than he had last season, and the lowest average among the league's top 10 rushers this season. The Rams have thrived without a strong rushing attack before: They averaged just 99.0 yards per game on the ground, ranking 25th in the NFL, during their Super Bowl championship season in 2021-22. But McVay prefers his first option to be a strong running attack, which he had during his first three seasons in charge with Todd Gurley in the backfield and Andrew Whitworth at left tackle. “Anytime the guys up front are moving them, and (Williams) is making great reads and moves on the second level, then that is a fun feeling for the offense," Stafford said. “It’s great when you can hand the ball off and get big creases. We converted when we needed to in short-yardage stuff. I thought our guys did a really great job up front, and Kyren ran it great.” The Rams have struggled in the red zone all season, but they scored touchdowns on all three trips in New Orleans. They did it by committing to the run game up the middle, setting up TD passes on the outside to Demarcus Robinson and Puka Nacua. Alvin Kamara racked up 112 yards rushing in the latest strong game by an opposing running back. Los Angeles is 28th in the league against the run, allowing 144.2 yards rushing per game — including 194 per game over the past three weeks. Rookie edge rusher Jared Verse had another outstanding game, racking up five tackles, three quarterback hits and numerous big plays that don't show up on stat sheets. He capped the performance by hitting Derek Carr from behind and forcing an incompletion from the Los Angeles 9 on New Orleans' final play. Cornerback Darious Williams gave up a touchdown pass to Marquez Valdes-Scantling and the ensuing 2-point conversion pass to Dante Pettis early in the fourth quarter, capping a second straight rough week for the free-agent signee. Williams is the Rams' best cornerback, but they haven't had an above-average shutdown pass defender since trading Jalen Ramsey. Robinson injured his hand during the game. 17 — Cooper Kupp's yards receiving. That's his lowest total in a game in which he didn't get injured since Oct. 18, 2020. Kupp had only six targets, few downfield routes and curiously scant chances to make big plays. The Rams are home underdogs this week against powerhouse Buffalo, followed by a Thursday night game at San Francisco. Getting even one win out of these two matchups will be difficult, but probably necessary to keep pace with Seattle and Arizona in the NFC West. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFLOn the surface, Boeing ( BA 4.10% ) looks as though it has all the ingredients of a potential millionaire-maker investment. The aircraft market is growing, competition is minimal, and government contracts are plentiful. But despite its many advantages, this aerospace leader has lost 60% of its value in half a decade. Has that decline created a buying opportunity for this once-stellar business, or should it be viewed as a warning to investors to stay far away? A spectacular economic moat The phrase " economic moat " -- popularized by investing legend Warren Buffett -- refers to certain types of durable competitive advantages a company can possess that make it difficult for potential rivals to make inroads against it. Boeing's moat is as deep as they come. In the large passenger aircraft market, it competes in a duopoly with European rival Airbus , with a market share of around 40% for large passenger aircraft (compared to Airbus's 60%). It also plays a notable role in U.S. defense contracting, supplying weapons systems like the iconic Apache helicopter. Investors shouldn't expect the duopoly to end anytime soon. The large passenger jet manufacturing industry has an incredibly high barrier to entry because of the capital investments require d, intense regulatory oversight, and the business relationships between manufacturers and major airlines that may be unwilling to experiment with new suppliers . Over the very long term, a Chinese rival like COMAC could leverage lower labor costs and support from the Beijing government to claw its way into the industry. But the International Bureau of Aviation (IBA) expects the upstart to capture only around 1% of the opportunity by 2030. With industry disruption potentially decades away, Boeing's biggest threat might be itself. Could cost-cutting turn things around? In the third quarter, Boeing's revenue dipped by around 1% year over year to $17.8 billion, with results dragged down by its commercial airplane segment, where sales dropped by 5% to $7.44 billion. This core business was grappling with a host of problems, including a seven-week labor strike by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) that ended this month. The new contract stipulates a 38% pay rise for workers over the next four years , along with more generous retirement benefits, putting even more pressure on this loss-making business. For context, Boeing's commercial Airplane segment generated a third-quarter operating loss of $4 billion, so higher labor costs are likely the last thing shareholders want to see right now. Just weeks after the new IAM contract, federal filings revealed Boeing will lay off 2,200 workers across the U.S. This move will likely be the first salvo in its plan to cut 10% of its global workforce (17,000 jobs) announced during the strike in October. As a mature and slow-growing company, aggressive cost-cutting will help Boeing to maximize long-term shareholder value. More importantly, the company will have to increase production volume to take advantage of economies of scale. But this might be easier said than done because Boeing is already struggling with quality control issues according to the FAA. Stay far away from Boeing In the best-case scenario, Boeing will successfully cut costs and streamline its way into operating profitability while avoiding future labor-related disruptions in its production lines. But even if the company manages to pull this off, it will have to reckon with the $53.2 billion mountain of long-term debt on its balance sheet. Retiring those liabilities will drain its cash flow, limiting potential investor returns. In the third quarter alone, Boeing's interest expenses totaled around $2 billion. And as an aircraft maker, it also faces massive outflows for research and development (about $3 billion in the first three quarters of this year alone). I t will be difficult to cut that development spending without putting the company at risk of falling behind technologically. With all this in mind, Boeing looks to be far from a potential millionaire-maker stock . Instead, it will likely underperform the S&P 500 for the foreseeable future.
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Pope Francis has led a ceremony in St Peter's Basilica to install 21 new Catholic cardinals with what appears to be a bruised chin. The Vatican said it would not comment on the matter. or signup to continue reading Francis, who turns 88 this month, appeared otherwise on good form, leading a ritual-filled ceremony on Saturday to elevate churchmen from 17 countries to the College of Cardinals, the elite group that will one day elect his successor. A purplish blotch could be seen on the right side of the pope's face, around his lower chin and upper neck. The Vatican's press office said it would not comment on what had happened. Francis, pope since 2013, has suffered occasional bouts of ill health in recent years, and now uses a wheelchair due to knee and back pain. Cardinals are the highest-ranking officials in the 1.4-billion-member Catholic Church beside the pope. At the pontiff's death or resignation, cardinals under the age of 80 are tasked with entering a conclave and choosing the next pope. Francis has now installed about 80 per cent of the prelates who will elect the next pope, increasing the likelihood that the next pontiff might share his vision for a Church that is more inclusive and engaged with the wider world. Francis, originally from Argentina and the first pope from the Americas, has focused on strengthening geographic diversity among the cardinals. At least 67 countries now have cardinals who can vote in a conclave, according to Vatican statistics, compared to fewer than 50 when Francis was elected. The newest appointees come from countries including Peru, Argentina, Japan, the Philippines, Algeria, India and Serbia. In his homily for Saturday's service, Francis said the new cardinals "come from different backgrounds and cultures", urging them to be "witnesses of fraternity, artisans of communion and builders of unity". Archbishop Ignace Bessi Dogbo, one of the new cardinals, praised the pope's efforts to boost geographical diversity. "Having cardinals from every part of the world truly translates the universality of the Church," Bessi Dogbo, from Abidjan in the Ivory Coast, told Reuters. Italy remains the country with the most cardinals, counting 17 under the age of 80. Four of those were installed on Saturday, including the archbishops of Turin, a northern business hub, and Naples, the country's third-largest city. Among the other new cardinals, one is a Belgian friar serving as archbishop of the Tehran-Isfahan archdiocese in Iran. Another is a Ukrainian Greek Catholic ministering in Australia. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. 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Advertisement AdvertisementAIIMS New Delhi, IIT Delhi, and University College London (UCL) have collaborated to develop advanced solutions in medical technology. The partnership, announced on November 22, 2024, aims to address global health challenges through joint research, innovation, and expertise-sharing. This collaboration will focus on cutting-edge areas like diagnostics, imaging, medical devices, artificial intelligence, and digital health. Speaking about the initiative, Professor Alok Thakar, Head of the Centre for Medical Innovation and Entrepreneurship at AIIMS, said, "By combining our expertise in medical science, engineering, and global policy, we are creating a platform for MedTech innovation. Together, we aim to enhance patient care and set new benchmarks in medical technology." Professor Rangan Banerjee, director of IIT Delhi, emphasised the importance of affordable healthcare innovations, saying, "Science, engineering, and medicine research can significantly improve lives. Our partnership is poised to deliver cost-effective medical technologies." The partnership will include student and staff exchanges, joint research programmes, collaborative degrees, and knowledge-sharing through workshops and publications. Dr Michael Spence, UCL's President and Provost, said, "At UCL we recognise the difference that international collaboration can make to solving pressing global challenges and we know the power that bringing together different disciplines can have". As part of the MoU signing, the delegation visited mPRAGATI, IIT Delhi's medical technology development centre. Professor Naresh Bhatnagar, IIT Delhi's Dean of R&D, highlighted the collaboration's global impact: "Today's medical science relies heavily on technology. Together, we aim to benefit people not just in India and the UK but globally." The partnership marks a significant step in strengthening ties between these institutions, comprising expertise in engineering, medicine, and global policy to drive innovation in healthcare. Track Education News , Exam updates , Campus , Study Abroad related news live on NDTV.com
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HUMBOLDT, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee man was convicted Thursday of killing two men and wounding a third in a shooting at a high school basketball game three years ago. Jadon Hardiman, 21, was found guilty in Gibson County of charges including second-degree murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault and weapons offenses, district attorney Frederick Agee said in a statement. He faces up to 76 years in prison at sentencing in April. Hardiman, of Jackson, attended a basketball game between Humboldt and North Side high schools on Nov. 30, 2021. Then 18, Hardiman entered the Humboldt gymnasium's crowded concession area and pulled a semi-automatic .40 caliber handgun, prosecutors said. He fired three shots at Justin Pankey, a 21-year-old former Humboldt basketball player. Pankey was hit one time and died within seconds, Agee said. A second bullet hit Xavier Clifton, a former North Side student and basketball player, who was standing in the concession line. Clifton was shot in the neck and paralyzed. He died in March 2022. A third shot struck another man in the back of the head. He survived. “Many people were placed in fear of imminent bodily injury by Hardiman’s shooting, as shown by video footage of their fleeing into the gym, into bathrooms, and other areas of the school,” Agee said. Hardiman ran away and drove to Jackson, disposing of the murder weapon along the way, the district attorney said. The U.S. Marshals Service contacted his family, and he was arrested the next day. Agee said the shooting "frightened every adult, student, and child present, who were only there to support their team and enjoy a good game.” Hardiman's lawyer did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
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Rico Carty, who won the 1970 NL batting title when he hit a major league-best .366 for the Atlanta Braves, has died. He was 85. Major League Baseball , the players' association and the Braves paid tribute to Carty on social media on Sunday. No further details on Carty's death were provided. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
What did you Google in 2024? From the elections to Copa América, here's what search trends showSamsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Leaks: Prominent industry insider Evan Blass has unveiled yet another exciting leak, this time showcasing the Italian poster for the 2025 Galaxy Unpacked event. Following his earlier revelations of the Galaxy S25 Ultra and S25 Plus images, this poster sheds light on some key details. First and foremost, the event date has been confirmed. The earlier rumoured date of January 22 is accurate. Now, onto the more captivating aspects of the poster. ALSO READ | Google Doodle Today: Google Celebrates December's Final Half Moon By Releasing Interactive Game, Here's How To Play Four Smartphones To Be Unveiled At Samsung Galaxy Unpacked Event? It prominently displays four smartphones, which is a significant revelation. While the Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim has been in the rumour mill for some time, its appearance alongside the other S25 models is unexpected. This could suggest that the Galaxy S25 Slim will only be officially announced during the event, with its release slated for a later date. Its inclusion on the poster might simply indicate its presence at the event, rather than an immediate launch. All four phones showcased in the poster prominently feature rounded edges. Earlier reports indicated that Samsung is transitioning the Galaxy S25 Ultra from its previous sharp-edged design to a more rounded corner aesthetic. While the Ultra isn’t as curved as the other models in the lineup—as observed in leaked footage of the Galaxy S25 Ultra—the change is still quite noticeable. On the poster, the Ultra appears to be the phone positioned in the top left corner. Another interesting detail is the arrangement of the phones. The lighting shining through the gaps between the devices appears to form the Galaxy AI logo. This subtle design choice aligns with expectations that Galaxy AI will be a major highlight of the event. Samsung has reportedly transformed Bixby into a robust Large Language Model (LLM) AI, potentially outpacing Apple in delivering the advanced AI features it has previously teased.Political Turmoil in South Korea: Former Defence Minister Arrested Amid Martial Law Controversy