Early returns positive as Timberwolves make a push to run in transitionFinal regular-season games loom large in determining conference championship matchups

Call to exempt listed firms from tax on mergersParticipation in study abroad programs at the University of Colorado Boulder is reaching record-breaking levels, with annual participation up 13% year over year. Subscribe to continue reading this article. Already subscribed? To login in, click here.LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Austin Seibert missed his second extra point of the game with 21 seconds left after Washington’s Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin connected on an 86-yard touchdown, Dallas’ Juanyeh Thomas returned the ensuing onside kick attempt for a touchdown, and the Cowboys pulled out a 34-26 victory Sunday that extended the Commanders’ skid to three games. Seibert, who missed the previous two games with a right hip injury, was wide left on the point-after attempt following a low snap. Thomas then took the kick back 43 yards as the Cowboys (4-7) ended their losing streak at five in improbable fashion. Part of that was the play of backup Cooper Rush, who threw for 247 yards and two TDs in his third start in place of starter Dak Prescott. Part was also the defense forcing two turnovers, as Chauncey Golston ripped the ball out of Brian Robinson Jr.’s hands for what was called an interception of Daniels in the second quarter, and Donovan Wilson stripped John Bates midway through the fourth. KaVonte Turpin provided the fireworks with a spinning, 99-yard kickoff return TD seconds after Daniels found Zach Ertz in the end zone and scored on a 2-point conversion to cut the deficit to three with 3:02 left. In the final three minutes alone, the Commanders (7-5) scored 10 points and allowed Thomas' TD. All that after the score was 10-9 through three quarters before madness ensued. Washington's playoff hopes that looked solid not long ago are now in serious jeopardy after losing to Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Dallas. Before the scoring outburst late, much of this defeat had to do with Daniels and the offense not being able to find any kind of a rhythm. The Cowboys did, despite playing without their two best offensive linemen, top cornerback and starting tight end. Rush's 6-yard pass to Jalen Tolbert was Dallas' first third-quarter TD of the season, and his 22-yarder to Luke Schoonmaker came after Wilson's forced fumble. Daniels finished 25 of 38 for 274 yards, including his second interception of the game on a failed Hail Mary as the clock expired. Rico Dowdle ran 19 times for 86 yards to spring the upset for the Cowboys, who were 10 1/2-point underdogs on BetMGM Sportsbook. Injuries Cowboys: LG Tyler Smith was inactive with ankle and knee injuries. ... RG Zack Martin (ankle), CB Trevon Diggs (groin/knee) and TE Jake Ferguson (concussion) were ruled out prior to game day and did not travel for the game. Commanders: RB Austin Ekeler was injured on a kickoff return in the final seconds. ... Robinson left with an ankle injury in the first half, returned and then left again. ... RT Andrew Wylie was concussed in the third quarter and did not return. ... C Tyler Biadasz was evaluated for a concussion in the fourth. ... (hamstring) missed a third consecutive game at the trade deadline from New Orleans. Up next Cowboys: Host the New York Giants on Thursday in the traditional Thanksgiving Day game in Dallas. Commanders: Host the Tennessee Titans next Sunday in Washington’s final game before its late bye week. ___ AP NFL: Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press

Maharashtra Election Results Live Updates: How The Maharashtra Battle Shaped Up The 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections were not just Mahayuti (BJP, Shinde Sena, NCP (Ajit Pawar) versus Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) (Congress, Sena UBT, NCP – Sharad Pawar). For the two national parties, the BJP and Congress, their prestige is at stake. For regional partners such as Eknath Shinde, Uddhav Thackeray, Ajit and Sharad Pawar, it is a matter of political survival. And for Maharashtra’s voters, it was about picking between the same ideologies (Sena and NCP), based on which national party they were in alliance with. Maharashtra Election Results Live Updates: Which Party Contested How Many Assembly Seats? The Mahayuti seat-sharing worked out this way – the BJP contested 149 seats, Shinde Sena 81, and NCP (Ajit Pawar) 59. The Congress fielded 101 candidates, Shiv Sena (UBT) 95, and NCP (SP) 86 in the MVA. Smaller parties such as the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) contested 237 candidates and All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) contested 17. Maharashtra Election Results Live Updates: Tough Five Years For Maharashtra Maharashtra saw political upheavals over the past five years. While the BJP claimed they had the mandate, the Shiv Sena and NCP split up to join them after MVA’s 2.5-year rule. Eknath Shinde called MVA “unnatural alliance as per Bal Thackeray’s ideology”, while Ajit Pawar said the NCP split was for development. While the MVA alleged CBI-ED threats behind the splits, BJP blamed it on their “internal family fight”. Maharashtra, meanwhile, got multiple swearing-ins, constant political changes, drama and delayed civic elections. Maharashtra Election Results Live Updates: The 2019 Meet A Talking Point In 2024 Amid the breakdown in talks with the Sena, BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis joined hands with Ajit Pawar for the 2019 infamous swearing-in. Within hours, Ajit Pawar went back to the NCP fold, lifting the President’s rule and leading to the MVA government formation. Five years later, too, the meeting, the attendees and what transpired (whether Sharad Pawar was in on Ajit’s rebellion), remained the talking point amid the poll buzz. Maharashtra Election Results Live Updates: Previous Elections In Maharashtra This Year Earlier this year, in the Lok Sabha elections held in June, Maharashtra had seen 61.39% voting. The exit polls had predicted a 32-35 seat win for the BJP-led Mahayuti. But the results came as a shocker. The Mahayuti won 17 seats – BJP (9), Shinde Sena (7), NCP (Ajit Pawar) (1) – against the Mahayuti’s 30 – Congress winning 13 seats, Sena UBT 9, and NCP (Sharad Pawar) 8. Maharashtra Election Results Live Updates: 2019 Maharashtra Assembly Election Scoreboard In the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, the BJP had won 105 seats, Shiv Sena 56, NCP 54, Congress 44, Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) 3, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) 2, Samajwadi Party (SP) 2, CPIM and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena 1. While the BJP-Sena were in an alliance, it broke over the CM post, giving birth to the MVA with Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP and Uddhav Thackeray as the CM.

Participation in study abroad programs at the University of Colorado Boulder is reaching record-breaking levels, with annual participation up 13% year over year.

NoneEuropean markets head for mixed open with all eyes on French confidence vote

Michael Bublé is set to host the 2025 Juno Awards in Vancouver. The organization also announced Sum 41 will be this year's Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * Michael Bublé is set to host the 2025 Juno Awards in Vancouver. The organization also announced Sum 41 will be this year's Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Michael Bublé is set to host the 2025 Juno Awards in Vancouver. The organization also announced Sum 41 will be this year’s Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee. More coming. Advertisement

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has described 2024 as the most challenging for workers in the country. Joe Ajaero, the NLC President, said this at the 2024 “Harmattan School” on Monday in Abuja, with theme “Trade unions and the Quest for a New Social Contract”. The Harmattan School, an annual event organised by the NLC, serves as a platform for capacity-building, knowledge sharing, and strategic planning. He said that 2024 for workers in the country was filled with harrowing hardship. “I welcome you a year that we have witnessed one of the greatest turbulence in our history as a movement. “It was a period where we were invaded, ransacked, and subjected to the highest level of threats, intimidation,” he said. Ajaero charged workers participating in the harmattan school to actively engage in the training which according to him, was aimed at preparing workers for the engagement and negotiation for the new social contract. According to him, this year’s harmattan school affords the opportunity to dissect all that has happened to the NLC during the year, assess their dynamics, and initiate actionable steps to make ourselves stronger and better. “We believe that in those events, we have emerged stronger, more resilient and better position to deliver on the expectations of Nigerian workers and people,” he said. He said that those events were attempts to weaken and undermine the capacity of the NLC as a movement to deliver on the job to its primary and secondary constituencies. “The articulation and protection of workers rights is our primary responsibility, and anything we do that does not approximate to that amounts to failure. “We are, therefore, left with no other choice than to focus with greater determination and zeal on this mission of making our working places and our nation, to yield better results,,’”he said. Dr Vanessa Phala, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Country Director to Nigeria, charged trade unions to unite and engage governments to find solutions to some of the harrowing challenges workers were grappling with. She said that the ILO expected a new social contract based on rebuilding trust in institutions. “It must be inclusive, and it must protect and ensure participation of all those that are involved. “We know that inspite of the newly negotiated minimum wage that was approved, the rising cost of goods and services is really not making it to have the impact that we want to see. “I charge the conversation in the harmattan school to focus on identifying the kind of social contract that will take Nigeria forward,” she said. She said that the concept of social contract was important, adding that it gives opportunity to take stock. “I expect that the conclusion of this school will identify the priorities of the NLC and how it will engage on policy discussions with the leadership of the country,”she said. NANZayn Malik CANCELS Newcastle show at the last minute leaving fans devastated as he apologises for letting concert-goers downGREG COTE’S NFL WEEK 17 CHRISTMAS & THURSDAY PICKS CHIEFS (14-1) at STEELERS (10-5) Line: KC by 2 1/12. Cote’s pick: KC, 24-18. TV: 1 p.m. Wednesday, Netflix. [Playoff impact: KC has clinched division but not yet No. 1 seed. PIT has clinched playoffs but not yet division.] Chiefs sew up top AFC seed with a win in Wednesday’s early game or a loss by Buffalo on Sunday. Both teams are playing on three days’ rest, so will quality of play suffer? Weather shouldn’t be a factor; expected in the 30s, like a K.C. summer for this timer of year. Patrick Mahomes is 14-1 on TDs/INTs in three career games against Pittsburgh and Chiefs are 4-0 winning and covering when favored by three or less this year. If you’re still doubting K-City, that’s on you. RAVENS (10-5) at TEXANS (9-6) Line: BAL by 5 1/2. Cote’s pick: BAL, 27-20. TV: 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Netflix. [Playoff impact: BAL has clinched playoffs but not yet division. HOU has clinched division.] Wednesday’s late game is another three days’ rest affair for both, so anything goes. A possible playoff preview based on seeding, but BAL has chance to take lead in AFC North with a win. Ravens WR Zay Flowers is iffy, but C.J. Stroud will be missing top target Tank Dell — a huge loss. Lamar Jackson has been good all season, and better lately. HOU getting this many points at home tempts, but I’ll unwrap L-Jack on Christmas and call it a gift. SEAHAWKS (8-7) at BEARS (4-11) Line: SEA by 3 1/2. Cote’s pick: SEA, 23-16. TV: 8:15 p.m. Thursday, Prime Video. [Playoff impact: SEA is alive but has not yet clinched. CHI is eliminated.] Let’s not pretend Thursday prime time is delivering a great matcup, although Seattle still has a shot at NFC West title with a win. Seahawks are better on road (5-1) than Chitown is at home. Bears offense has stalled and the coaching change hasn’t helped. Seattle needs to get its run game working, but Geno Smith with playoff stakes in play should be enough to outscore the toothless Bears. (Betting lines courtesy ESPNBet as of Tuesday afternoon.) ©2024 Miami Herald. Visit at miamiherald.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.None