FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Drake Maye’s arrival in New England coincided with a wholesale reset for the Patriots franchise following the departure of coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Mac Jones this past offseason. In his eight starts since assuming the reins from veteran Jacoby Brissett, the rookie quarterback has provided encouraging examples of what the Patriots’ revamped front office saw in selecting him third overall in the draft last April. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a weekFRISCO, Texas (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys are shutting down CeeDee Lamb with two games remaining after their 2023 All-Pro receiver spent the second half of the season dealing with a sprained right shoulder. The team said Thursday that additional exams revealed enough damage to keep Lamb off the field Sunday at Philadelphia and in the final game at home against Washington. The team said surgery was not expected to be required. Dallas was eliminated from playoff contention a few hours before last weekend's 26-24 victory over Tampa Bay . The decision on Lamb means the Cowboys will finish the regular season with at least five former Pro Bowlers on injured reserve. Among the others are quarterback Dak Prescott, who was limited to eight games before a season-ending hamstring tear, and right guard Zack Martin. The seven-time All-Pro made it through 10 games before deciding on season-ending ankle surgery. Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence didn't playing after Week 4 because of a foot injury, and cornerback Trevon Diggs battled a variety of injuries while playing 11 games before a knee injury ended his season. Lamb initially injured his right shoulder when it hit the turf hard twice in a 27-21 loss at Atlanta on Nov. 3. He kept playing and had at least 100 yards in each of his last two games — both victories — before getting shut down. The 25-year-old Lamb sat out the entire offseason and preseason in a contract dispute after getting career highs in catches (an NFL-best 135), yards receiving (club-record 1,749) and touchdowns (12) in 2023. The holdout finally ended with a $136 million, four-year extension in late August, but neither the Cowboys nor their star receiver could get that production going again this season. Dallas (7-8) is missing the playoffs for the first time since 2020, Lamb's rookie year. Lamb finishes the season with 101 catches for 1,194 yards and six TDs. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFLPhotos: Remembering former President Jimmy Carterjili golden bank 。

As it celebrates its 20th birthday, online video game "World of Warcraft" has demonstrated a rare longevity thanks to its loyal following and constant evolutions. "It is inspiring to be able to work on this rare game that has touched so many lives, and to also feel the burden of carrying that forward," Ion Hazzikostas, the current director of the game, told AFP at the Gamescom trade show in Germany in August. As an early fan of "WoW" he joined California-based Blizzard, the American developer of the title, in 2008 before climbing the ranks. Although it was not the first massively multiplayer online role-playing game (a genre known as MMORPG) when it was released in 2004, "World of Warcraft" was an instant success, quickly attracting several million players worldwide. It benefited from the popularity of the Warcraft brand, a saga of real-time strategy games launched ten years earlier by Blizzard, which was bought by Microsoft in 2023. In the game, two factions face off in a fantasy universe populated by orcs and elves where thousands of players can connect and cooperate simultaneously, in exchange for a monthly subscription of $15 a month. It was the social aspect of the experience, still in its infancy at the time, that appealed to players. "It was a precursor," said Olivier Servais, a specialist in online communities. "Blizzard focused on guilds and communities on a human scale, bringing together between 30 and 200 players." In these groups, "people flirt, they confide about their daily lives", weddings and funerals are organised, and the game becomes "a pretext to socialise", he said. "WoW" was born the same year as Facebook, and comprised key elements such as online interactions and communities that would help create today's globalised social networks. "It was many people's first real exposure and connection to people in a digital virtual environment. And that was part of the magic, and that's a hard thing to replicate," Hazzikostas said. Since then, other popular games such as "Fortnite" or "League of Legends" have adopted similar codes. At its peak in the 2010s, "World of Warcraft" claimed more than 10 million active accounts, though the number could be higher because many people often share one account, in Asia, in particular. Blizzard no longer reveals the number of accounts, but "WoW" remains popular across the world. "We are not resting on our laurels, or coasting gently off into the sunset," Hazzikostas said. Its 10th extension, "The War Within", was released in August with new domains to explore and other changes. "Twenty years later, it remains a monument but in a gaming market that has completely changed," Servais said. Hazzikostas said Blizzard is "trying new ambitious things to shake up what we've done and keep that vibrant". "I don't see an end point to 'World of Warcraft' on the horizon today," he said, drawing parallels with franchises such as Marvel or "Star Wars."

The New York Jets are turning to one of their former general managers to help them find their next GM and head coach. The franchise announced Monday that The 33rd Team, a football media, analytics and consulting group founded by former Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum, will assist team owner Woody Johnson in the searches. Tannenbaum and Rick Spielman, former GM of the Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings, will be The 33rd Team's primary representatives in helping find replacements for former coach Robert Saleh and GM Joe Douglas. The 33rd Team was founded in 2019 by Tannenbaum as a media and technology company. In their announcement, the Jets said The 33rd Team will help identify and vet GM and coach candidates and coordinate interviews. Douglas was fired last Tuesday , the latest shakeup for a franchise that had Super Bowl aspirations with a healthy Aaron Rodgers at quarterback but has limped to a 3-8 start and appears likely to miss the playoffs for a 14th consecutive year. Phil Savage, a senior football adviser with the Jets since 2019, will serve as the interim general manager for the rest of the season. The firing of Douglas came exactly six weeks after Johnson fired Saleh as coach on Oct. 8 after the Jets were 2-3 to open the season. New York has since gone 1-5 under defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, who was tabbed as the interim coach. The Jets are coming off their bye-week break and will host the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. The franchise has plenty of questions to answer over the next several months, including decisions on their next general manager and coach — and the future of Rodgers. The four-time NFL MVP turns 41 next week, has dealt with leg issues all season and is off to the worst statistical start of his career. Tannenbaum and Spielman will help the Jets find the people to help Johnson and brother Christopher make those key decisions. Story continues below video Johnson took a similar approach in 2015, the last time the Jets hired a general manager and coach in the offseason. Former NFL GMs Charley Casserly and Ron Wolf worked as consultants for the team, which hired Mike Maccagnan as GM and Todd Bowles as coach. Tannenbaum, currently an analyst for ESPN, has first-hand familiarity with Johnson and the franchise. He worked in the Jets' front office for nine years before being promoted to general manager and serving in that role from 2006 to 2012. Tannenbaum helped build the 2009 and 2010 Jets teams that went to the AFC championship game in consecutive seasons under coach Rex Ryan. Ryan, who last coached the Jets in 2014 and also is currently an analyst for ESPN, recently has been lobbying on air for a return to New York's sideline. Tannenbaum also was Miami’s executive vice president of football operations from 2015 to 2018. Spielman served as the Vikings’ general manager from 2012 to 2021 after working as the team’s vice president of player personnel for six years. He was also the Dolphins’ GM in 2004 and served as an adviser last year for the Washington Commanders in their GM and coaching searches. This story has been corrected to show that Spielman was formerly GM of the Minnesota Vikings instead of the Detroit Lions. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLNovember 25, 2024 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlightedthe following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: fact-checked trusted source proofread by Nagoya University Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are everywhere in modern life, from smartphones to home lighting. But today's LEDs have a major limitation: when you try to make them brighter by increasing their power, they become less efficient. A team of researchers at Nagoya University in Japan has now found a way to make LEDs brighter while maintaining their efficiency. Their research promises to reduce the cost and environmental impact of LED production while improving performance in applications such as visible light communication and virtual reality (VR) glasses. The study appears in the journal Laser & Photonics Review . "The innovation of this work is a better understanding of the effects of polarization, an intrinsic property of the gallium nitride/indium gallium nitride (GaN/InGaN) layer structure that is needed for light generation," lead researcher Markus Pristovsek said. InGaN LEDs represent the most efficient light source globally, although they typically operate at low power levels. To obtain brighter light, it is necessary to increase their power. However, an increase in power supplied to the LED results in a decrease in its efficiency, a phenomenon known as efficiency droop. One way to overcome efficiency droop is to increase the area of the LED, which gives you more light, but it also means that you need a larger chip. As a result, you get fewer LEDs from a wafer—the thin, flat piece of semiconductor material made from InGaN that serves as the base for the fabrication of LED devices. The result is higher production costs and greater environmental impact. Researchers can reduce the efficiency droop by tilting the InGaN layers and cutting the wafer into different orientations, which alter the resulting crystal's properties. The most important property altered in this manner is known as "polarization." Despite tilted orientations with low polarization being researched for over 15 years, InGaN LEDs made using these orientations have consistently exhibited less than half the efficiency of standard high-polarization LEDs. The study by Pristovsek and Nan Hu at the Center for Integrated Research of Future Electronics (CIRFE) at Nagoya University found that a lower polarization is helpful only if it points in the same direction as that of standard LEDs. Using their findings, they grew LEDs on a cheap sapphire substrate in the so-called (101̅3) orientation, an orientation with lower polarization but in a direction similar to that of standard LEDs. These (101̅3) LEDs show greater efficiency at higher power . This finding suggests innovative ways for manufacturers to develop next-generation LED technologies, such as more efficient and brighter micro-LED displays for mobile devices and large-screen TVs. Higher current density capability could also enable new applications in automotive and specialty industrial lighting, while faster switching speeds could find applications in visible-light communication technologies and VR glasses. "Future research is unlikely to find a better orientation, particularly on the cost-efficient sapphire substrates, because only two tilted directions can be fit to it," Pristovsek said. "However, there are other ways to make (101̅3) LEDs with fewer defects on sapphire and maybe even silicon. But the other orientations achieved on sapphire or silicon so far are worse, because they are either inherently rough, they increase the amount of polarization, or they have the wrong sign of polarization ." More information: Markus Pristovsek et al, How to Make Semi‐Polar InGaN Light Emitting Diodes with High Internal Quantum Efficiency: The Importance of the Internal Field, Laser & Photonics Reviews (2024). DOI: 10.1002/lpor.202400529 Provided by Nagoya University

German politicians criticise Elon Musk for backing AfD ahead of election

GALWAY , Ireland , Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The board of directors of Medtronic plc (NYSE: MDT) on Thursday, December 5, 2024, approved the company's cash dividend for the third quarter of fiscal year 2025 of $0 .70 per ordinary share. This quarterly declaration is consistent with the dividend increase announcement made by the company in May 2024. Medtronic is a constituent of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats index, having increased its annual dividend payment for the past 47 consecutive years. The dividend is payable on January 10, 2025 , to shareholders of record at the close of business on December 27, 2024 . About Medtronic Bold thinking. Bolder actions. We are Medtronic . Medtronic plc , headquartered in Galway , Ireland , is the leading global healthcare technology company that boldly attacks the most challenging health problems facing humanity by searching out and finding solutions. Our Mission — to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life — unites a global team of 95,000+ passionate people across more than 150 countries. Our technologies and therapies treat 70 health conditions and include cardiac devices, surgical robotics, insulin pumps, surgical tools, patient monitoring systems, and more. Powered by our diverse knowledge, insatiable curiosity, and desire to help all those who need it, we deliver innovative technologies that transform the lives of two people every second, every hour, every day. Expect more from us as we empower insight-driven care, experiences that put people first, and better outcomes for our world. In everything we do, we are engineering the extraordinary. For more information on Medtronic , visit www.Medtronic.com and follow Medtronic on LinkedIn . Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic's periodic reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results. Contacts: Erika Winkels Ryan Weispfenning Public Relations Investor Relations +1-763-526-8478 +1-763-505-4626 View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/medtronic-announces-cash-dividend-for-third-quarter-of-fiscal-year-2025-302324330.html SOURCE Medtronic plcJazz Corner: Alternate Jazz Masterpieces – Part 1

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has called Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev for the second time in two days to continue discussions about the crash of the Azerbaijan Airlines plane. Source: Kremlin-aligned Russian news agency RIA Novosti , citing Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov; Azerbaijani president's press service Details: Peskov stated that Putin and Aliyev held a phone conversation on Sunday, 29 December, continuing their discussions about issues related to the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash. The Azerbaijani president's press service confirmed that it was Putin who initiated the call to Aliyev. Quote from Azerbaijani president's press service: "During the phone conversation, the heads of state continued discussions on issues related to the crash of the passenger plane of the Closed Joint-Stock Company Azerbaijan Hava Yollari." Background: Support UP or become our patron !The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has berated former Rivers State Governor, Celestine Omehia, and the ex-National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Uche Secondus, over their recent remarks during the commissioning of projects in Rivers State. Wike, speaking at the Ahoada East and Ahoada West PDP end-of-year thanksgiving held in Ochigba, Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State on Thursday, criticised Omehia for questioning his contributions to the state as FCT Minister. He also dismissed Secondus’ comments, accusing him of hypocrisy, and alleged that Secondus once tried to impose his cousin as governor of Rivers State. Reacting to Omehia’s remarks during the project inauguration, Wike said, “I overheard one, Celestine Omehia, saying they should ask me what I have done for Rivers State as Minister. Let me educate him: I am not a minister of Rivers State; I am the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. “When I was Minister of Education, I brought a Faculty of Law to the University of Port Harcourt, provided grants to Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, and renovated Federal Government College, Port Harcourt, among others. These are tangible contributions he should focus on, not unfounded allegations.” Wike also fired back at Secondus, who allegedly labeled him an “enemy of the state.” He accused Secondus of working against Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s emergence and questioned his newfound alliance with the governor. Related News Yuletide: Wike urges residents to obey God’s commandments FCT doctors issue Wike ultimatum, threaten "deadliest shutdown" Rivers community hails Fubara on education “Secondus wanted his cousin, Tele Ikuru, to be governor. He was against Fubara. Today, he claims to be the governor’s friend while calling me an enemy. The records are clear; I removed Secondus as PDP chairman because of his actions,” Wike said. Highlighting the political appointments secured for Rivers State under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, Wike declared, “There is no governor in Rivers’ history that has attracted more political appointments than me. By the grace of Mr. President, Rivers State has the highest number of appointees in Tinubu’s government.” Wike said most completed projects, including the Ring Road, were initiated during his tenure as governor. “I awarded and paid 50% for the projects being commissioned today. The essence was to ensure continuity, but I’m disappointed to see some projects canceled,” Wike added. The event host and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Prince Chibudum Nwuche, commended Wike for his contributions to Rivers State and Abuja. “Wike has proven that his achievements in Rivers were no fluke. Abuja is now being transformed into a world-class city under his leadership,” Nwuche said.GALWAY , Ireland , Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The board of directors of Medtronic plc (NYSE: MDT) on Thursday, December 5, 2024, approved the company's cash dividend for the third quarter of fiscal year 2025 of $0 .70 per ordinary share. This quarterly declaration is consistent with the dividend increase announcement made by the company in May 2024. Medtronic is a constituent of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats index, having increased its annual dividend payment for the past 47 consecutive years. The dividend is payable on January 10, 2025 , to shareholders of record at the close of business on December 27, 2024 . About Medtronic Bold thinking. Bolder actions. We are Medtronic . Medtronic plc , headquartered in Galway , Ireland , is the leading global healthcare technology company that boldly attacks the most challenging health problems facing humanity by searching out and finding solutions. Our Mission — to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life — unites a global team of 95,000+ passionate people across more than 150 countries. Our technologies and therapies treat 70 health conditions and include cardiac devices, surgical robotics, insulin pumps, surgical tools, patient monitoring systems, and more. Powered by our diverse knowledge, insatiable curiosity, and desire to help all those who need it, we deliver innovative technologies that transform the lives of two people every second, every hour, every day. Expect more from us as we empower insight-driven care, experiences that put people first, and better outcomes for our world. In everything we do, we are engineering the extraordinary. For more information on Medtronic , visit www.Medtronic.com and follow Medtronic on LinkedIn . Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic's periodic reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results. Contacts: Erika Winkels Ryan Weispfenning Public Relations Investor Relations +1-763-526-8478 +1-763-505-4626 View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/medtronic-announces-cash-dividend-for-third-quarter-of-fiscal-year-2025-302324330.html SOURCE Medtronic plc