LONDON, Nov 26 (Reuters) - KfW (KFW.UL) will provide a 24 billion euro ($25 billion) loan to help develop a future hydrogen network in Germany, the state lender told Reuters, at a time when companies have warned that the technology will take longer than expected to take off. Germany is betting on hydrogen, which can be used in part to replace natural gas, as it seeks to decarbonise the economy and find ways to absorb intermittent renewable supplies into the power grid. A core 9,040-kilometer network for hydrogen, to be built by 2032, is an essential part of the planned shift to the fuel. While existing natural gas pipelines will make up 60% of the network -- connecting ports, industry, storage facilities and power plants -- their operators and owners will still have to shoulder billions of euros in investments to either retrofit lines for hydrogen or build new ones. In order to keep user fees for the network at an acceptable level, KfW will compensate operators via a so-called amortisation account, with plans to have the costs paid back by 2055, KfW said. As revenue from network fees increase in the future, surplus income will be redirected to the amortization account, facilitating gradual repayment of the loan, KfW added. If the amortization account is not balanced by the planned end of the hydrogen ramp-up in 2055, the federal government will assume 76% of the risk with the remaining 24% to be borne by the core network operators. KfW's announcement comes amid growing scepticism among German companies about whether Berlin's plans to rely more heavily on hydrogen to cut emissions are realistic and affordable. In September, Norway's Equinor (EQNR.OL) , opens new tab scrapped plans to export hydrogen to Germany, citing high costs and insufficient demand. Earlier this month, German state-owned utility Uniper (UN0k.DE) , opens new tab warned it was likely to slow down a planned 8 billion-euro investment in cleaner fuels amid slower than expected demand for hydrogen from industry. ($1 = 0.9514 euros) Sign up here. Reporting by Christoph Steitz; Writing by Riham Alkousaa; Editing by Bernadette Baum Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab

ORCHARD PARK — The Los Angeles Rams equipment staff probably didn’t have to use extra rinse for Matthew Stafford’s jersey. Stafford entered Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills having been hit more times than any quarterback in the NFL this season. The Bills managed to hit him three times, pressure him five times and generated zero sacks. The Bills have expended a lot of capital — financially and in the draft — on their defensive line, and in return, the scheme asks them to produce an awful lot. . . In eight games the Bills have at least two sacks, they have allowed 299.4 yards and have 18 turnovers, compared to games with one sack or fewer, they have 383 yards and six takeaways. Because the Bills primarily use four pass rushers to apply pressure on quarterbacks, games in which they don’t get pressure are usually rough days for the defense. “They set the table,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said. “The line of scrimmage has to be set usually by the defensive line, but also not just them. In this case, it’s linebackers, safeties, corners, it takes all 11. So I think there’s been some really good moments, and I think there’s some things for sure that need to be better.” The #Bills and #Sabres had a forgettable weekend. @billhoppe.bsky.social and I get into Allen's historic game, McDermott's tough day and postgame comments, the Sabres' skid and Kevyn Adams's press conference. fireside.fm/episode/sMvb... The player taking the brunt of the blame along the defensive line is Ed Oliver. After signing a $68.5 million extension last season, Oliver had a breakout year with career-highs of 14 tackles for a loss and 9 1⁄2 sacks, but this season he’s got just two tackles for a loss and one sack. Against the run, Oliver’s numbers can be deceiving. On the field for 21 running plays against the Rams, Oliver was double-teamed 13 times and the Rams averaged just 2.2 yards per carry. On the eight plays he wasn’t doubled, the Rams ran away from him five times and all three runs in his direction were stopped for no gain. “Sometimes what gets hidden in some of that is some of the factors that freed somebody else up,” McDermott said. “Could be him moving the quarterback off the spot and Greg (Rousseau) gets a sack. So there’s some things hidden in there. But overall, I think, there’s some things that he can do better, and then collectively we can do better as a whole.” Oliver though has a tendency to become frustrated when opponents run away from and he can become overly aggressive. At times, Oliver has overrun a play and it leaves a gaping hole for the offense, much like when Derrick Henry ran for 87 yards on the first defensive play against the Ravens. “I go back to the times, even when I was coaching the safeties here, you get really impatient,” Bills defensive coordinator Bobby Babich said. “The ball is not showing up. You just keep doing your job at a high level, and the ball will show up. So that's the message to all our guys all the time. And if Ed just does that, does his job at a high level, when the ball shows up, make a play that'll be productive football.” Oliver’s play in passing situations, however, is much different. He has eight quarterback hits after posting 44 in the previous three seasons combined, but he is not alone among defensive linemen. The Bills do not have a player who commands extra attention in pass-rush situations. It’s among the reasons Leonard Floyd was the first player in McDermott’s tenure to record double-digit sacks last season. Rousseau has some issues similar to Oliver. Rousseau is tied for third in the NFL in tackles for a loss (15), third in hurries (15) and eighth in quarterback knockdowns (12), but he has just 6 1⁄2 sacks. Bills coaches and players have minimized sack numbers because they pride themselves on collapsing the pocket or moving the pocket so the quarterback makes an uncomfortable throw. But in lacking a player with a quick first step as a rusher, the Bills can be exposed when quarterbacks get the ball out quickly or they can’t win one-on-one. Fifty-three percent of passing yards allowed have come when the ball is released 2.5 seconds or less and they have generated just one sack and four turnovers in 215 dropbacks. That’s compared to 28 sacks and 12 turnovers on 238 dropbacks of over 2.5 seconds. “I’m not pressing any panic button,” Bills defensive tackle DaQuan Jones said. “I’m confident. It’s going to start this week in practice. I’m not worried about taking a step back or being in a hole or anything like that.” NOTES: Due to driving bans in Orchard Park and the surrounding towns, the Bills conducted meetings virtually Thursday.Henry Schein Inc. stock underperforms Tuesday when compared to competitors

Brett Yormark has an issue with College Football Playoff selection committee. And while it might be just nit-picking at this point, his case points up how an expanded playoff hasn't necessarily lessened the outcry. The Big 12 commissioner spoke to CBS Sports this week about his concern that his highest-ranked team, BYU (No. 14 in the CFP Rankings), is one spot behind a team it beat earlier in the season, No. 13 SMU . That goes back to the old transitive property of poll voting that basically posits "If Team A beat Team B, it must be ranked ahead of Team B." Not this week. Despite an 18-15 BYU win at SMU on Sept. 6, the Mustangs are one spot ahead of the Cougars. Complicating things is Boise State being No. 12. If the CFP started tomorrow, the Broncos would have a first-round bye ahead of the Big 12 champion. "A little puzzled," Yormark said Thursday. "If the metrics are all about strength of schedule and body of work and head-to-head, I don't see some of the consistencies that should be. "BYU being below a team they beat earlier in the year, on the road, with identical records is a little surprising to me," he said. Three other Big 12 teams are ranked in that top 25 this week: No. 16 Colorado , No. 21 Arizona State and No. 22 Iowa State . The Sun Devils debuted this week after upsetting Kansas State ; the Wildcats dropped out. "Having Colorado No. 16 when they've won seven of eight. In this new world of the transfer portal, those preseason polls don't mean much because of the turnover and roster management," Yormark continued. "You don't know what you really have until you get a few weeks into the season ... It's certainly playing out at Colorado. It's certainly playing out with Arizona State and their momentum." Both teams are 8-2, among 18 teams in the Power Four with at least that many wins. BYU has played two teams that were in the rankings at one time (SMU and Kansas State). It will play a third Saturday at Arizona State. SMU will end the regular season having played only two ranked teams (BYU and Louisville ). Boise's best "win" might be a loss, a narrow 34-27 decision at the hands of No. 1 Oregon on Sept 7. The Broncos outgained the Ducks that day. According to several metrics, BYU seems to have the most difficult schedule of the three. But when it lost, that meant every team in the Big 12 had lost at least one game. Only the Big Ten has any undefeated conference teams left (Oregon and Indiana ). While all of this may seem like typical campaigning, it's rare for a Power Four commissioner to enter the discussion. But the stakes have risen. The makeup of the 12-team playoff has created a new kind of flashpoint. The top four ranked conference champions on Dec. 8 will receive first-round byes. The next highest-ranked conference champion will be guaranteed a spot in the field as well. Right now, those five conference champions would be Oregon, Texas , Miami , Boise State and BYU. Because it is currently behind Boise, BYU would be playing a first-round game. The SEC and Big Ten are expected to load the field with up to four teams each. The ACC and Big 12 are each hoping for a second team in the field. If No. 6 Notre Dame , 9-1, qualifies, it would take a spot as well. "If we keep winning, we'll certainly be in the conversation for [a second spot]," Yormark said. "Don't look at the logo on the helmet, look at the résumé," he added. "I'll continue to use that line. Maybe I'll even trademark it." Earlier this year, the SEC and Big Ten lobbied for automatic qualifier spots beginning in 2026. That idea died but is expected to be brought up again after the season when the commissioners take up the subject. "I said so publicly, you don't want an artificial championship," Yormark said, providing a preview of those discussions. "I think you have to earn your way in. No free passes." What rankled the commissioner is BYU dropping six spots from No. 8 to No. 14 after a four-point loss at home to Kansas . That was the largest drop of any team in this week's rankings. Kansas State dropped out after being ranked 16th. CBS Sports was able to obtain exclusively a portion of the strength of schedule information used by the committee. The Big 12 is tied with the SEC for most wins against teams with records above .500 with 36 each. Here are those standings for the remainder of FBS ... 3. ACC (35) 4. Big Ten (32) 5 . Sun Belt (24) 6. MAC (18) 7. American (11) 8. Conference USA (10) 9. Mountain West (8) 10. Independents (7) 11. Pac-12 ( Oregon State , Washington State , 4) That information comes from SportsSource analytics, an industry-leading firm out of Atlanta and favored by the CFP. SportsSource recently expanded to player evaluation and recruiting information. Its database is so vast that athletic directors use the company's research to evaluate coaching candidates. Its information is not available to the public. Its "football data services" range from $12,500 to $50,000 for a subscription. "They all have limitations," SportsSource co-founder Drew Borland said of strength of schedule components. "I've probably researched 30 of them in-depth. As much as they are models and mathematical, there is a fair amount of subjectivity you have to put in building the model." The Big 12 has pointed out that the Mountain West is eighth among the nine FBS conferences in schedule strength calculated by the NCAA. The MWC's opponents have a combined .489 winning percentage. The Big 12 is second behind the SEC with a .582 winning percentage. The Big 12 continues to make its case. Committee members Gary Pinkel, the former Missouri coach, and journalist Kelly Whiteside have been assigned to evaluate Big 12 games and report back to the committee as a whole. Each FBS conference is assigned committee members who track its play during the season. It was a day of commissioners weighing in. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey posted on Twitter a graphic that showed six of his teams leading the country, all in the top 33 schedule strength. The next highest-ranked team? BYU.Austin and Pausha are back and dive straight into injuries plaguing the league, with an emphasis on the Pelicans—who are missing a staggering eight players due to injuries (1:44). Then, they revisit a previous statement that Nikola Jokic will go down as one of the Top 10 players to ever play, and discuss where Denver ranks among contenders and why Jamal Murray is key to the Nuggets’ success in the post (8:00). Then, they raise the alarms for the 76ers after news of the tense team meeting was leaked (31:25). They talk through the lack of leadership on the team and where they need to improve, and Austin shares why Chris Paul will go down as his favorite leader to play alongside (40:06). Later, they hit on Shedeur Sanders playing for his father, Deion Sanders, and compare it to what it was like with Austin playing for his dad on the Clippers (47:45). Then, they quickly hit on Dalton Knecht and his stellar play lately for the Lakers (51:52). Hosts: Austin Rivers and Pausha Haghighi Producer: Erika Cervantes Additional Production Support: Ben Cruz Social: Keith Fujimoto Subscribe: Spotify The NBA, Ranked

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DENVER (AP) — Travis Hunter made a pair of proclamations Thursday: He’s for sure entering the NFL draft after this season, but not until he sees Colorado all the way through the College Football Playoff — if the Buffaloes make it there. The first was already a given for the draft-eligible junior who plays both receiver and cornerback. The second is a risk-reward play for a projected high first-round pick who averages around 120 snaps a game. In years past, it took two extra postseason wins to capture a national title. Now, it could take up to four additional contests. That’s more of a chance to shine, but also more chance for an injury. “I don’t think nobody will opt out because you’re showing NFL teams that you’re more focused on something else, other than the team goal,” Hunter said of the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff. “So I don’t think players are going to opt out of the playoffs.” Hunter and quarterback Shedeur Sanders chatted Thursday in a set of Zoom calls about turning around the program at Colorado (from 4-8 last season to bowl eligibility), chasing a Big 12 title, turning pro — Hunter acknowledged he will “for sure” — and, of course, the Heisman race, where Hunter is currently the odds-on favorite in an award each wants to see the other win. “He’s deserving of it, and if it’s between me and him, I want him to get it,” said Sanders, whose 16th-ranked Buffaloes (8-2, 6-1 Big 12, No. 16 CFP ) travel to Arrowhead Stadium to face Kansas (4-6, 3-4) this weekend. “He does a lot of amazing things that have never been done before.” Countered Hunter: “I know he wants me to win it, but I also want him to win as bad as I want to win it.” Hunter is a generational talent shining on both sides of the ball. As a receiver, he has 74 catches for 911 yards and nine touchdowns. On defense, he has picked off three passes, even though teams are reluctant to throw his direction. Like he did in high school and now in college, he believes he can do both on the next level. But he understands the trepidation of the NFL team that picks him. “They don’t want their top pick to go down too early," Hunter said. “I like when people tell me I can’t do it, because they just motivate me to continue to do what I want to do.” Sanders is turning in a stellar season as well with 27 touchdown passes, one away from tying Sefo Liufau for the most in a single season in program history. He's projected to be one of the first QBs off the draft board. The future certainly looks bright at Colorado thanks to the legacies Sanders and Hunter under coach Deion Sanders. But that's a point to ponder later. “I can’t think too much forward past Saturday,” Shedeur Sanders cracked. “The main thing is winning the Big 12 championship. That’s the main thing we’re focused on." Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballCaleb Love holds faith despite early-season slide with Arizona Wildcats

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Bison Video Blog: The fallout from the loss in Vermillion and an early-look at the playoff bracketWASHINGTON − After spending a night in the lap of luxury in a 5-star hotel frequented by presidents, two Minnesota-born turkeys named Peach and Blossom trotted their stuff at the White House for President Joe Biden on the Monday of Thanksgiving Week. Their snow-white plumage matched the backdrop: The South Portico, the semi-circular columned structure that is part of the executive residence overlooking the South Lawn. The duo was the latest in a long line of lucky birds to be pardoned by the commander-in-chief of the United States in an annual Thanksgiving tradition dating back to 1989. “Peach is making a last-minute plea here,” Biden joked, marking his last pardon of fowl as president. He went on to observe that the two turkeys were named after the Delaware State Flower, the peach blossom. Delaware has a long history of growing peaches, with peach pie being the state’s official dessert, the president, a former longtime senator from The First State said. The “peach blossom flower also symbolizes resilience, which is quite frankly fitting for today,” he said to laughter from the assembled guests including the members of his Cabinet, the White House staff and their families. The almost 17-week-old turkeys were raised on a farm by John Zimmerman, chairman of the National Turkey Federation. The farmer was joined by his 9-year-old son Grant at the ceremony. It is a tradition for the chair of the NTF to provide the turkeys. While the tradition of the official turkey presentation from the poultry industry began in 1947 when President Harry Truman was president, they were frequently gobbled up. Truman himself is believed to have said the turkey would “come in handy" for Christmas dinner. While others, including President John F. Kennedy , are known to have spared the gifted turkeys from ending up on the Thanksgiving table, the first official “pardon” was issued by President George H. W. Bush, spurring the celebrated annual tradition. After introducing the two feathered guests, Biden proceeded to reveal their hobbies and offered a glimpse into their outlook on life. Peach, who weighs about 42 pounds, loves to eat tater tot-topped hotdish (Minnesotan casserole), cross-country skiing and lives by the motto: keep calm and gobble on. Meanwhile, Blossom’s favorite snack is cheese curds, he loves to watch boxing and dreams of visiting all 10,000 Minnesota lakes. His mantra? “No fowl play, just Minnesota nice!” Biden congratulated the birds on taking on the “arduous” 1,100 mile trip to the White House over 16.5 hours — 1,100 miles listening to their favorite music. “Which apparently includes a song, ‘Livin’ on Prayer’,” he said referring to the Bon Jovi hit and drawing laughter. “Well fellas, your prayer is gonna be answered today based on your temperament and commitment to being productive members of society. I hereby pardon Peach and Blossom.” The birds, who spent Sunday night at the famed Willard InterContinental, will have quit their recently acquired luxury-living habit cold turkey. They will soon be returning to live a modest life at Farmamerica, an agricultural interpretive center in Waseca, Minnesota. They just might cry fowl. Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy is a White House Correspondent for USA TODAY. You can follow her on X @SwapnaVenugopal

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