online games to play Jaland Lowe flirted with a triple-double as Pitt improved to 6-0 with a 74-63 win over LSU on Friday afternoon at the Greenbrier Tip-Off in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. Lowe finished with a game-high 22 points to go along with eight rebounds and six assists for the Panthers, who have won their first six games of a season for the first time since the 2018-19 campaign. It would have been the second straight triple-double for Lowe, who had 11 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists against VMI Monday. Ishmael Leggett chipped in 21 points and Cameron Corhen supplied 14, helping Pitt outshoot the Tigers (4-1) 44.4 percent to 37.3 percent overall. Vyctorius Miller and Jalen Reed recorded 14 points apiece for LSU, with Reed also snatching seven boards. Cam Carter contributed 11 points. Pitt took control in the first four-plus minutes of the second half, opening the period on a 13-0 run to build a 40-28 lead. The Tigers were held scoreless following the break until Carter converted a layup with 13:13 to go. It was still a 12-point game after Zack Austin hit a pair of free throws with 12:50 remaining, but LSU then rallied. Corey Chest, Reed and Jordan Sears each had a bucket down low for the Tigers during an 8-1 spurt that made it 43-38. However, Lowe stemmed the tide, answering with back-to-back 3-pointers to put the Panthers up 49-38 with 9:31 left. Miller did everything he could to keep LSU in contention, scoring eight points in a span of 1 minute, 23 seconds, with his four-point play getting the Tigers within 56-52 with 6:03 to play. But Pitt never let LSU get the upper hand, and it led by at least six for the final 5:05 of the contest. The Tigers had a 28-27 edge at intermission after ending the first half on an 8-2 run. LSU overcame a quick start by the Panthers, who raced out to a 12-6 advantage and led by as many as eight in the first 20 minutes of action. --Field Level Media

Buccaneers looking to beat NFC South-rival Panthers and bolster hopes for a playoff berth

A Virginia zoo is celebrating the arrival of an adorable newborn pygmy hippo who made her debut just before Christmas. The baby hippo, a girl who has not yet been named, was born to parents Iris and Corwin at Metro Richmond Zoo on Dec. 9. She's their third female calf in under five years. The zoo said Iris was all smiles on Christmas morning. "Most people don't get a hippopotamus for Christmas at all, so we feel lucky to have received two over the years," the zoo said. Iris and Corwin's previous calf was born on Dec. 6, 2022. Iris delivered her latest newborn after a seven-month gestation, zoo officials said. She gave birth in an indoor pool. "The baby's natural instincts kicked in and she started moving around in the water immediately," the zoo said on its website. The mom and newborn are currently being kept in an enclosure that is not on exhibit to give them privacy while they bond. "Iris is an experienced mother and very protective of her calf," the zoo said. "The calf is nursing and growing quickly." The new pygmy hippo was weighed when she was 5 days old and came in at a healthy 15 pounds, the zoo said. She could grow to weigh up to 600 pounds. Her birth will help preserve the species, which is endangered. Fewer than 2,500 mature pygmy hippos remain in the wild, according to the zoo. The species is native to the swamps and rivers of West Africa, where it's threatened by poaching and loss of habitat. Pygmy hippos do not live in groups, so after they grew up, Iris' two previous calves were moved to other zoological facilities "to live with future mates and continue contributing to the conservation of their species," the zoo said. The species is nocturnal, and the zoo says they can live up to 55 years. Earlier this year, a newborn baby hippo in Thailand named Moo Deng became a global sensation when a zookeeper started sharing her cutest moments on social media. Aliza Chasan is a Digital Content Producer for "60 Minutes" and CBSNews.com. She has previously written for outlets including PIX11 News, The New York Daily News, Inside Edition and DNAinfo. Aliza covers trending news, often focusing on crime and politics.

Billionaire Elon Musk called Canada’s prime minister an “insufferable tool” on his social media platform today. Musk’s comments were in response to Justin Trudeau likening Kamala Harris’s defeat in the U.S. presidential election to an attack on women’s rights and progress. This afternoon, Trudeau met with provincial and territorial premiers to discuss Canada’s approach to negotiations with the U.S. Canada is facing a threat of a 25 per cent tariff hike from incoming president Donald Trump, who defeated Harris in the November election. Earlier this week, Trump taunted Trudeau on social media, referring to the prime minister as the governor of what he called the “Great State of Canada.” The post was an apparent reference to a joke Trump cracked at his dinner with Trudeau at his Mar-a-Lago estate nearly two weeks ago, where the president-elect teased that Canada could join the U.S. as its 51st state. Speaking on Tuesday night at an event hosted by the Equal Voice Foundation — an organization dedicated to improving gender representation in Canadian politics — Trudeau said there are regressive forces fighting against women’s progress. “It shouldn’t be that way. It wasn’t supposed to be that way. We were supposed to be on a steady, if difficult sometimes, march towards progress,” Trudeau said, adding he is a proud feminist and will always be an ally. “And yet, just a few weeks ago, the United States voted for a second time to not elect its first woman president. Everywhere, women’s rights and women’s progress is under attack. Overtly, and subtly.” In a post on X on Wednesday, Musk responded to a clip of Trudeau’s remarks, saying, “He’s such an insufferable tool. Won’t be in power for much longer.”Maharashtra: DCM Eknath Shinde Meets PM Modi In Delhi, Clarifies Visit Is Not Politically Motivated; VIDEORemembering Manmohan Singh: Architect of Modern India's Economy

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday that "several" wounded North Korean soldiers died after being captured by Ukrainian forces, as he accused Russia of throwing them into battle with "minimal protection". Ukraine and its western allies say North Korea has sent thousands of soldiers to support Russia's army, in what is seen as a major escalation in the nearly three-year war following Moscow's 2022 invasion. "Today there were reports about several soldiers from North Korea. Our soldiers managed to take them prisoner. But they were very seriously wounded and could not be resuscitated," Zelensky said in an evening address posted on social media. South Korea's spy agency said earlier on Friday that a North Korean soldier who was captured while fighting in Russia's war against Ukraine had died of his wounds. Zelensky did not specify how many North Koreans had died after being captured by Ukrainian troops. Zelensky had earlier said that nearly 3,000 North Korean soldiers had been "killed or wounded" so far as they joined Russia's forces in combat in its western Kursk border region, where Ukraine mounted a shock incursion in August. South Korea's intelligence service had previously put the number of killed or wounded North Koreans at 1,000, saying the high casualty rate could be down to an unfamiliar battlefield environment and their lack of capability to counter drone attacks. The White House on Friday confirmed the South Korean estimates, saying that Pyongyang's troops were being sent to their deaths in futile attacks by generals who see them as "expendable". "We also have reports of North Korean soldiers taking their own lives rather than surrendering to Ukrainian forces, likely out of fear of reprisal against their families in North Korea in the event that they're captured," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters. North Korea and Russia have strengthened their military ties since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. A landmark defence pact between Pyongyang and Moscow signed in June came into force this month, with Russian President Vladimir Putin hailing it as a "breakthrough document". North Korean state media said Friday that Putin sent a New Year's message to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, saying: "The bilateral ties between our two countries have been elevated after our talks in June in Pyongyang." Seoul's military believes that North Korea was seeking to modernise its conventional warfare capabilities through combat experience gained in the Russia-Ukraine war. NATO chief Mark Rutte had also said that Moscow was providing support to Pyongyang's missile and nuclear programmes in exchange for the troops. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Monday that Pyongyang is reportedly "preparing for the rotation or additional deployment of soldiers" and supplying "240mm rocket launchers and 170mm self-propelled artillery" to the Russian army. Pyongyang's involvement in Russia's war against Ukraine had prompted warnings from Seoul. South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol, currently suspended, said in November that Seoul was "not ruling out the possibility of providing weapons" to Kyiv, which would mark a major shift to a long-standing policy barring the sale of weapons to countries in active conflict. hs/bjt/mlm/gv/rlp

Begun, the OLED monitor price wars have! We’re already seeing tons of deals on gaming displays for Black Friday, and OLED upgrades have recently smashed through a $500 price floor. This 27-inch AOC 1440p OLED monitor is the cheapest one we’ve seen yet, with . That’s a whopping $200 off its regular price, making it less than half of what you’d pay for a similar monitor just a little while ago. Though AOC is generally a budget brand, this Agon Pro AG276QZD isn’t skimping. It’s a 27-inch monitor with the “sweet spot” QHD (2560×1440) resolution that’s popular with PC gamers right now. And with its 240Hz refresh rate, 0.03ms response time, and Nvidia G-Sync compatibility, it’s more than fast enough for intense online multiplayer games. The screen gives you DisplayPort and double HDMI inputs, plus two USB-A ports, a headphone port, a little RGB bling around the back, and VESA mounting if you want to add a monitor arm. The included stand is pretty good, with a vertical option and an angled base if you like to contort your gaming keyboard into weird spots. The only thing missing here is USB-C for easy laptop connections, but at this price that’s a justified sacrifice. Newegg is offering free shipping and labeling this as a “Black Friday Deal,” so presumably it’ll stick around for the next week. The price might stay the same, but Newegg’s stock might go quickly... so if you’re ready to buy! If this isn’t quite what you’re looking for, then check out our dedicated ! Michael is a 10-year veteran of technology journalism, covering everything from Apple to ZTE. On PCWorld he's the resident keyboard nut, always using a new one for a review and building a new mechanical board or expanding his desktop "battlestation" in his off hours. Michael's previous bylines include Android Police, Digital Trends, Wired, Lifehacker, and How-To Geek, and he's covered events like CES and Mobile World Congress live. Michael lives in Pennsylvania where he's always looking forward to his next kayaking trip.

US expected to send £1 billion in weapons to Ukraine before Trump takes officeAP News Summary at 6:01 p.m. ESTMaharashtra: DCM Eknath Shinde Meets PM Modi In Delhi, Clarifies Visit Is Not Politically Motivated; VIDEO

Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy, on Sunday advocated the use of advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), in India, stating that technologies essentially reduce the gap between the well-to-do and the not-so-well people as it is a great leveller. “Technology is about reducing cost. It’s about increasing revenues. It’s about increasing profitability. So technology has a lot of value. Technology also does something that most people don’t realise. Technology is a great leveller... That’s what financial inclusion has done. What you have experienced. So my personal view is there are areas where we cannot do without AI,” Murthy said during the ICC Centenary Celebration here. He said AI can be useful in areas like autonomous cars, precision operations, disease detection and hazardous operations, among others, where human beings may be exposed to high risk. Murthy stressed on working hard for nation building and earning respect. “I urge the youngsters to understand that we have great responsibility to fulfill the pledge of our founding fathers (of the nation). We have greater responsibility as enunciated by scriptures. We have to show fairness and justice to create opportunities for the less fortunate one. That is why we have to work hard,” he said. “The true measure of success in any organisation is its longevity. This is why I have such deep respect for those corporations in India that have stood the test of time and continue to grow...I humbly request that we embrace compassionate capitalism. Compassionate capitalism combines the best aspects of free-market capitalism with the compassion found in liberalism and socialism. By doing so, we can create a model for the world—an India that stands as a shining example of how capitalism can succeed while still uplifting the most vulnerable members of society,” he pointed out. Comments

Lin-Manuel Miranda Open to the Idea of a Hamilton Movie: ‘Holla At Me’ By says he’s ready to make a movie, but is waiting for the right director and idea to come to him first. Speaking to Variety this month, Miranda said he was open to the idea of turning his wildly successful Broadway play into a movie, similar to projects like , , and others. However, he isn’t rushing to do so. What did Lin-Manuel Miranda say about a Hamilton movie? “I’ve always said I’m open to it, if I hear a director with a great take,” said Miranda. “I already have an amazing production of the one we made on Broadway [which debuted on Disney+ in 2020],” he continued. “I’m really happy that exists and that we’re able to share it with the world. But if someone’s got an idea, holla at me.” Sign-up today for access to Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ Originally released in 2015, Hamilton is a musical biographical that tells the story of Alexander Hamilton, and his rise into one of the most influential people in the founding of the United States. At the time of its release, Hamilton become a cultural phenomenon, winning 11 Tony Awards, the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and spawning off countless productions. Miranda starred in the production, with many of his co-stars breaking into superstardom after their appearance in the play, including Leslie Odom Jr., Phillipa Soo, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Christopher Jackson, Daveed Diggs, Anthony Ramos, and more. In 2020, a filmed version of the Broadway production was released on Disney+. Miranda is no stranger to film adaptations of his musicals, with Warner Bros. Discovery releasing a movie version of his hit 2005 musical In the Heights in 2021. (Source: ) Anthony Nash has been writing about games and the gaming industry for nearly a decade. When he’s not writing about games, he’s usually playing them. You can find him on Twitter talking about games or sports at @_anthonynash. Share article

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T-cell Malignancies Market Dynamics: Key Insights on Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia, Peripheral T-cell Lymphoma, Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma, Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma, and Adult T-cell Leukemia/Lymphoma | DelveInsightCHICAGO (AP) — Cairo Santos had a field goal blocked — again. DeAndre Carter muffed a punt in the second half. And those were just the special teams mistakes for the struggling Chicago Bears. Santos' blocked field goal and Carter's turnover were part of another sloppy performance for Chicago in its fifth consecutive loss. The pair of miscues helped set up two of Minnesota's three touchdowns in a 30-27 overtime victory . The Bears (4-7) closed out a miserable three-game homestand after they won their first three games of the season at Soldier Field. They were in position to beat Green Bay last weekend before Santos' 46-yard field goal attempt was blocked on the final play of the Packers' 20-19 win . “It’s tough. ... When things just aren’t going your way, you gotta put your head down and just keep going to work,” tight end Cole Kmet said. “It’s not easy to do but that’s kind of where we’re at.” Chicago and Minnesota were tied at 7 when Caleb Williams threw incomplete on third-and-4 at the Vikings 30 early in the second quarter. Bears coach Matt Eberflus sent Santos out for a 48-yard attempt, but it was knocked down by defensive lineman Jerry Tillery. “I think it was the penetration with the trajectory of the ball,” Santos said. “Had the ball started 3 or 4 inches to the right of both those guys' hands, I think it still goes in through the uprights.” Brian Asamoah returned the blocked kick 22 yards to set the Vikings up with good field position. Sam Darnold then capped a six-play, 53-yard drive with a 5-yard TD pass to Jalen Nailor for a 14-7 lead with 6:29 left in the first half. It was the third blocked field goal for Santos this year, the most for Chicago in a single season since it also had three blocked in 2012. Santos also had a 43-yard try blocked in the fourth quarter of a 35-16 victory over Jacksonville on Oct. 13. The Bears became the first NFL team to allow three blocked field goals in a season since the Browns and Ravens each had three blocked in 2022. “Whenever that happens two games in a row we’ve got to make sure we take a hard look in terms of the protection, the technique and who we have in there,” Eberflus said. “So it's going to be a big thing to look at.” Chicago trailed 17-10 when it forced a Minnesota punt midway through the third quarter. Carter warned his teammates to get out of the way, but it hit the ground and bounced off the inside of his right leg before it was recovered by Bo Richter at the Bears 15. The Vikings turned the mental error into Aaron Jones' 2-yard touchdown run and a 24-10 lead. “Gotta get out of the way of the ball. That’s on me,” Carter said. “I let the team down today. Game shouldn’t have been in the situation it was in. I felt bad for the guys.” Santos and Carter both played a role in a late rally for Chicago. Carter had a 55-yard kickoff return, and Santos got an onside kick to work before making a tying 48-yarder on the final play of regulation. But the Bears stalled on the first possession of overtime, and Darnold drove the Vikings downfield to set up Parker Romo's winning 29-yard field goal. “We're losing in the most unreal situations,” Bears receiver DJ Moore said. “Now it's like the luck's got to go in our favor at some point.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

An estimated 18 million Americans are invested in cryptocurrency, according to the Federal Reserve. And the United States just elected a pro-crypto president. Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin have become a trendy digital asset. Supporters claim that crypto subverts capitalism because it bypasses traditional bankers. Crypto can offer quick riches along with an air of high-tech sophistication. Early adopters reaped enormous rewards, many becoming millionaires and billionaires. Currently, there are about 100,000 crypto millionaires. Cryptocurrency wealth, furthermore, has built Fairshake, the largest crypto lobbying group in the U.S. During the recent election, it claims it helped elect 253 pro-crypto candidates. But is cryptocurrency a good ethical investment? As a business professor who studies technology and its consequences, I've identified three ethical harms associated with cryptocurrency that might give investors pause. The three harms The first harm is excessive energy use, most notably by Bitcoin, the first decentralized cryptocurrency. Bitcoins are created, or "mined," by tens of thousands of computers in massive data centers, contributing significantly to carbon emissions and environmental degradation. Bitcoin mining, which represents the lion's share of crypto energy consumption, uses as much as 0.9% of global demand for electricity – similar to the annual energy needs of Australia. Second, unregulated and anonymous crypto is the payment system of choice for criminals behind fraud, tax evasion, human trafficking and ransomware – the latter costing victims an estimated $1 billion in extorted cryptocurrency payments. Until about a decade ago, these bad actors generally moved and laundered money through cash and shell companies. But around 2015, many transitioned to cryptocurrency, a much less troublesome form of handling dirty money anonymously. A bank cannot hold or transfer money anonymously. By law, a bank is passively complicit in money laundering if it isn't enforcing know-your-customer measures to restrict bad actors, such as money launderers. In the case of a crypto coin, however, legal and ethical accountability cannot be transferred to a bank – there is no bank. So, who is complicit? Anyone in the crypto ecosystem may be viewed as ethically complicit in enabling illicit activities. I believe these first two harms are the most ethically troublesome. The first one harms the Earth and the second undermines global systems of trust – the interplay of institutions that underpin economic activity and social order. Cryptocurrency's third problem is its predatory culture. A predatory system, especially without regulatory oversight, takes advantage of small investors. And some cryptos have enriched their founders while taking advantage of investors' lack of knowledge about the virtual currency. Some cryptocurrencies, especially the smaller coins and initial coin offerings, have characteristics of Ponzi schemes. The now defunct Bitconnect, for example, promised large profits to investors who exchanged their Bitcoins for Bitconnect tokens. New investor money paid out "profits" to the first layer of investors with money from later investors. Ultimately, Satish Kumbhani, the Bitconnect founder, was indicted by a federal grand jury, and as of 2024 his whereabouts are unknown. Pernicious myth Besides cryptocurrency's ethical harms, a pernicious myth surrounds the digital coin. It is the myth of inclusion, that cryptocurrency has the power to benefit society's disadvantaged, especially the unbanked. The global poor who don't have bank accounts, and who could use cryptocurrency for international money transfers to family back home, do not necessarily benefit from crypto's advantages. That's because of the need to pay fees when converting and transferring, say, dollars to crypto and then from crypto to the local currency of the person receiving the money transfer. In reality, the distribution of crypto assets is highly concentrated among the wealthy. A 2021 study found that just 0.01% of Bitcoin holders control 27% of its value. Democratizing finance is often framed as a movement to break the dominance of traditional financial institutions – private banks and government central banks. However, this narrative has not played out. Instead, a new elite has emerged: cryptocurrency's creators, early backers and maintainers, who tweak the crypto's software code and influence its future direction. This group holds disproportionate control, including over the crypto coin's governance. All of this replicates the concentration of power that crypto was meant to dismantle. A bit more ethical? To be fair, the crypto community hasn't ignored the criticism, including calls for more environmental awareness. In early 2021, members of the community founded the Crypto Climate Accord. The group enlisted some 250 crypto firms to reduce environmental harm. The following year, Ethereum, with its Ether coin, took the most significant step. It reduced its energy consumption by over 99% by migrating to a coin mining mechanism called "proof-of-stake," which doesn't require miners to solve complex, energy-guzzling puzzles to validate transactions. This was a brave move. However, Bitcoin, the largest cryptocurrency, hasn't followed Ethereum's lead. Bitcoin stands out because its energy consumption surpasses any other crypto coin. To address cryptocurrency's other harms, some regulatory bodies began controlling the crypto market in 2023. The European Union, United Kingdom and United States began attempting to curb illegal activities and protect investors. In January 2024, U.S. regulators permitted exchange-traded funds, which are popular investment funds, to invest in crypto. This move was meant to help small investors trade in a safer marketplace. But normalizing crypto trading can create perverse ethical repercussions. For example, the most successful 2023 "ethical" fund, Nikko Ark Positive Change Innovation Fund, prospered with a 68% return because it made a bet on crypto. Its manager rationalized this investment by repeating the myth that cryptocurrency allows "provision of financial services to the underbanked." Where does all this leave the ethical investor? Investors, I believe, have two clear ethical choices on cryptocurrency: They can divest from Bitcoin or, at the very least, invest in other cryptocurrencies that minimize harms, especially harms that jeopardize the environment. But even so-called ethical investments come with hidden ethical issues. Many ethical investors invest in so-called ESG funds that stress social or environmental impact. Some of these ESG funds may avoid shares in petroleum companies while investing directly or indirectly in crypto. This doesn't seem ethically consistent. While cryptocurrency offers exciting opportunities and the potential for high returns, its environmental impact, association with illegal activities and predatory nature all present significant ethical challenges. (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

The large package of aid includes a significant amount of munitions, including for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems and the Hawk air defence system. It also will provide Stinger missiles and 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds, officials said. The officials, who said they expect the announcement to be made on Monday, spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public. The new aid comes as Russia launched a barrage of attacks against Ukraine’s power facilities in recent days, although Ukraine has said it intercepted a significant number of the missiles and drones. Russian and Ukrainian forces are also still in a bitter battle around the Russian border region of Kursk, where Moscow has sent thousands of North Korean troops to help reclaim territory taken by Ukraine. Earlier this month, senior defence officials acknowledged that the US Defence Department may not be able to send all of the remaining 5.6 billion dollars (£4.5 billion) in Pentagon weapons and equipment stocks passed by Congress for Ukraine before President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in. Mr Trump has talked about getting some type of negotiated settlement between Ukraine and Russia, and spoken about his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Many US and European leaders are concerned that it might result in a poor deal for Ukraine and they worry that he will not provide Ukraine with all the weapons funding approved by Congress. The aid in the new package is in presidential drawdown authority, which allows the Pentagon to take weapons off the shelves and send them quickly to Ukraine. This latest assistance would reduce the remaining amount to about 4.35 billion dollars (£3.46 billion). Officials have said they hope that an influx of aid will help strengthen Ukraine’s hand, should Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky decide it is time to negotiate. One senior defence official said that while the US will continue to provide weapons to Ukraine until January 20, there may well be funds remaining that will be available for the incoming Trump administration to spend. According to the Pentagon, there is also about 1.2 billion dollars (£0.9 billion) remaining in longer-term funding through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which is used to pay for weapons contracts that would not be delivered for a year or more. Officials have said the administration anticipates releasing all of that money before the end of the calendar year. If the new package is included, the US will have provided more than 64 billion dollars (£50.8 billion) in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022.Daniel Pauliukonis' big first half sparks Benet past Bloom