www.jili 711.com OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — In some sports, playing three games in 11 days would be considered a lull in the schedule. Football is different — although this type of stretch is becoming more common in the NFL. “I just kind of put myself in a basketball perspective. Those guys play back to back, so I guess there’s a little merit behind us quote-unquote complaining about it, but they are playing 82 games,” Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton said. “MLB players are playing 162 games, and we have 17, and we’re trying to fight them to go to 18 right now. I think it’s good in a sense that we’ll see who is most prepared down the stretch, and it’s really challenging for teams — everybody that’s involved.” The Ravens are one of the five teams that are about to go through a three-game, 11-day stretch. The Ravens, Chiefs, Steelers and Texans are playing Sunday, the following Saturday and then the Wednesday after that on Christmas. Chicago has a game this coming Monday night, then plays the following Sunday before a Thursday game on Dec. 26. Before this season, 21 teams in the Super Bowl era had played three games in 11 days, according to Sportradar. In 2024 there are nine stretches like that on the schedule. In addition to the five teams above, four others have already gone through a three-game, 11-day period. The Jets, Seahawks, Saints and Cowboys all had Monday-Sunday-Thursday runs like the Bears are about to face. The Jets and Cowboys managed to go 2-1 during those stretches, but the Seahawks and Saints went 0-3. “Try to win the first one, rest, try to get your body back how it should be,” Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson said. “If it’s not 100 percent, try to get it close as possible — just get ready to play football. That’s all.” For Baltimore, the easiest game of the three is in theory the first. As of Thursday afternoon, the Ravens were favored by 16 points at the New York Giants this weekend, according to BetMGM Sportsbook — but Baltimore has already lost to last-place teams like the Raiders and Browns this season. So the Ravens need to be careful not to overlook the lowly Giants. After the trip to New Jersey, Baltimore returns home to face Pittsburgh in a game that figures to be vital to the Ravens’ AFC North title hopes. Then there’s a road game against AFC South-leading Houston on Christmas. “The big picture is, ‘All hands on deck.’ We’re focused toward playing our best game so far on Sunday,” coach John Harbaugh said. “We’re going to need to do that, and that’s what we’re training and preparing to do. We have a plan for the three-game stretch, and that plan starts with Sunday.” The Ravens played on Christmas last year too, but that was on a Monday, so it wasn’t that big a change in the schedule. If there’s one factor in Baltimore’s favor this season, it’s that the Ravens had their open date last week — immediately before their rugged three-game stretch. But that meant Baltimore was among the last teams to have a week off. And the Ravens started earlier than almost anyone else, having been part of the NFL’s opening game against Kansas City. “We reported to camp earlier than everybody else for that Thursday night game, and I think KC had their bye a little while ago,” Hamilton said. “I guess we had the longest stretch, continuous, of anybody else. It’s just going to be that much better at the end of it all, when we do what we need to do, and we can look back on that and say, ‘We did that, and we came out and won these three games.’” ___ AP NFL:

Exciting news for all fans of the highly anticipated action-adventure game "Black Myth: Wukong"! The developers have recently announced a new update that promises to bring even more thrilling content and gameplay elements to the already impressive title.

The Deep Blue S09 is positioned as a flagship model in the Deep Blue lineup, catering to drivers who crave a perfect combination of power, comfort, and style. As an all-new model set to hit the market in 2025, the S09 embodies the brand's commitment to excellence and showcases the latest advancements in automotive engineering.One of the key objectives of "Reading on the Island" is to foster a sense of community and camaraderie among readers. Through interactive discussions, creative workshops, and collaborative storytelling sessions, participants have the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and share their love for literature. By creating a supportive and inclusive environment, the program encourages participants to break free from their comfort zones, challenge their assumptions, and embrace new ideas.

After a thrilling double-overtime win over Fresno State, California Baptist makes the nearly 2,500-mile trip to Orlando to face Central Florida on Sunday. The Lancers (5-3) capped their time at the Acrisure Holiday Invitational in Palm Springs, Calif., with an 86-81 victory over the Bulldogs on Wednesday. That followed a last-second, 79-77 loss to SMU the day before. Dominique Daniels Jr. played 45 minutes against Fresno State and led California Baptist with 29 points. He paces the Lancers with 20.3 points per game, while Kendal Coleman averages 15.1 points and is shooting 59.7 percent form the floor. However, coach Rick Croy's team has struggled from 3-point range, shooting just 30.7 percent entering its first true road game this season. UCF (5-2) is coming off of an 84-76 win over Milwaukee last Wednesday despite being outrebounded 41-31. The Knights were helped by the heroics of senior guard Darius Johnson, who had 28 points as he shot a career-best 8-for-10 from beyond the arc. "Darius was terrific," UCF coach Johnny Dawkins said. "He's so comfortable in his leadership role now, he's leading our team and running the show, and our new players are becoming more comfortable playing with him. He's been a rock for us this season, and you love to see it out of a senior point guard." "I had an extraordinary night shooting the ball from three," Johnson said. "I rarely think that would happen again, but it's great. I know my teammates are going to have nights like that as well." Johnson is among the nation's leaders in minutes per game (36.6) and is shooting a team-high 50 percent from 3-point range (23 of 46). He, along with his fellow guard Jordan Ivy-Curry, are each averaging 16.9 points to lead UCF. The Knights opened the season with an impressive win over Texas A&M, now No. 20 in the AP poll, but lost both games at last weekend's Greenbrier Tip-Off, including a triple-overtime defeat against LSU on Sunday. UCF has not reached the NCAA Tournament since 2018-19. This will be the first meeting between the Knights and the Lancers, who will each have time off afterwards. UCF won't play until Dec. 8 against Tarleton State, while California Baptist is idle until its Dec. 11 game at San Diego State. --Field Level Media

11. **Divisive Rhetoric:** Governor Larragus has been known to engage in divisive rhetoric, pitting communities against each other and sowing discord. His words have inflamed tensions and undermined social cohesion.

Vidarbha Powers BJP’s Historic Maharashtra VictoryAmidst the favorable policy backdrop and improving economic fundamentals, market participants are increasingly optimistic about the outlook for stock index futures. The prevailing sentiment suggests that the positive momentum in the financial markets is likely to be sustained in the near term, barring any unforeseen shocks or disruptions.

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China okays mega dam in Tibet's high seismic zoneKosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti said an explosion late Friday night that damaged a key water canal was a “terrorist act” and accused groups aligned with Serbia of having been behind it — an accusation Serbia called baseless. Kosovo’s interior minister, Xhelal Svecla, announced the arrest of eight people linked to the explosion and said police seized a large cache of weapons and military equipment during the operation. He said the searches were carried out at 10 locations in northern Kosovo. The searches “to the confiscation of arms, explosives, hundreds of uniforms, and other military gear, which will serve as evidence in criminal proceedings,” he said during a press conference on Saturday evening. The blast in the Zubin Potok municipality of northern Kosovo damaged a canal that carries drinking water to several regions as well as cooling water for the country’s thermal power plants. The incident raised concerns about potential disruptions to essential services, including water and electricity. Local media showed photographs of water leaking from the reinforced canal. “The attack was carried out by professionals, and we believe it comes from groups orchestrated by and directed by Serbia,” Kurti said in the Kosovan capital of Pristina at an emergency press conference after midnight. Kurti said Serbian operatives have the “capacity to carry out such attacks using large quantities of explosives,” without offering specific evidence. Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric fired back against “premature accusations” in a lengthy post on X, saying the blast may have been “a deliberate diversion” orchestrated by Kosovo’s government. He offered financial and technical support to help repair the canal, which is vital to Serb-populated municipalities of Kosovo. Aleksandr Vucic, Serbia’s president, said in Belgrade on Saturday that his country had nothing to do with the incident “and Pristina knows that.” Kosovo’s National Security Council convened an emergency meeting to approve additional security measures for critical infrastructure. Jeff Hovenier, U.S. ambassador to the Balkan nation, and other diplomatic missions, including France and the EU, also condemned what they called an attack. The U.S. is closely monitoring the situation and supports a full investigation, Hovenier said. The incident follows a series of grenade attacks in northern Kosovo targeting police stations and government buildings. Serbian List, the political party in Kosovo that represents the minority Serb population and is backed by Belgrade, also condemned the explosion, calling it a threat to the water supply of Serb residents in northern Kosovo. ©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Steve Millar’s top 10 boys basketball teams and 25 players to watch in the Southland for the 2024-25 seasonDuring the keynote presentation, the representatives from Natural Beauty Group delved into the company's journey towards achieving full-scale digital transformation across all channels. They highlighted the importance of integrating AI technologies into their operations to gain deeper insights into customer behaviors, personalize marketing campaigns, and streamline business processes. By leveraging AI-driven analytics and machine learning algorithms, Natural Beauty Group has been able to optimize its marketing strategies, predict consumer trends, and deliver tailored recommendations to customers, ultimately boosting customer engagement and retention.

TEHRAN – Iran’s post-revolution military strategy has focused on two key pillars: strengthening its indigenous defense capabilities and supporting like-minded actors challenging Western imperialism. The development of missile and drone technology, fueled by sanctions restricting arms imports, reflects the former. The latter is evident in Tehran's backing of the "Axis of Resistance," a network sometimes referred to as "forward defense" by Western analysts. Jacob Nagel and Mark Dubowitz, writing for the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), a Washington think tank with a pro-Israel policy and alleged involvement in assisting the U.S. with anti-Iran sanctions, have published an article outlining methods to “defeat” Iran. The article has a clear bias toward Israel and fails to address facts on the ground. The core idea of the piece is based on advice to Israel to shift its supposed policy of “survival” to an offensive one. The article frames Israel’s genocidal actions in West Asia as “self-defense” and urges even more violence from the regime. Israel’s war on Gaza and Lebanon has claimed tens of thousands of lives. Yet, the article echoes Israeli claims that the Resistance Axis is responsible for the devastating situation in the region. The reality is this: since Israel's creation in 1948, a pattern of land grabs, oppression, and killings has persisted. The current situation was not shaped in a vacuum. Nagel and Dubowitz celebrate Israel's supposed victories against Hezbollah, Hamas, and other Resistance groups, yet these groups remain active. Hezbollah has maintained its military capabilities despite the assassination of late leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and other top Lebanese commanders. The group continued to target deep inside occupied Palestine until the last moments before a ceasefire came into effect on Wednesday, and its military arsenal remains largely intact. In the Gaza front, Israel has no “day after” plan, and occupying the territory and building settlements is not a viable option for Tel Aviv due to several reasons including global pressure. Also appointing the Palestinian Authority as a governing body for Gaza is not practical. The Palestinian Authority lacks popular support and is unlikely to be able to govern Gaza without Hamas's involvement. The article backs the idea of attacking Iranian nuclear sites as the newly elected president of the U.S. strongly supports Israel. Despite the questionable capability of Israel to destroy Iranian sites, any attack on these facilities will completely wipe out the possibility of diplomacy in this field. Possible attacks coupled with more economic pressure on Iran will only hasten the process of militarization of the country’s nuclear program. As seen over the years, more economic pressure on Iran will only raise the levels of uranium enrichment in the country keeping it away from the negotiating table. Also, U.S. direct involvement in any anti-Iran strike will make Washington’s military bases and personnel in the region a legitimate target. Regional countries as seen in the Iranian retaliation against Israel are trying their best to skirt the Tehran-Tel Aviv confrontation. Iran has chosen the path of diplomacy with its Arab neighbors mainly Saudi Arabia through China’s mediation. It seems that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in its modernization drive, has incorporated an assessment of the risks associated with potential conflict with Iran and its allies, including the targeting of Saudi oil infrastructure. This approach towards de-escalation appears to be emulated by other Persian Gulf states. China, meanwhile, appears to be pursuing not only economic objectives in the region but also aims to provide an alternative to U.S. influence in West Asia. Furthermore, any major crisis will disrupt oil exports from the region, a factor which more than any other global actor affects China. The authors then propose targeting Iranian nuclear scientists and military officials, a tactic employed by the U.S. and Israel in the past decades with very limited success. Despite such assassinations, Iran quickly replaced personnel, and its nuclear program and broader confrontation with the West continued unabated. One of the major remedies that the authors offer Israel in the face of Iran is support for anti-Tehran groups including terrorists, separatists, and foreign-based opposition groups. Nagel and Dubowitz urge Western nations to support “Iranian people” in facing the state. However, since the Islamic Revolution in Iran, the U.S. and its allies have been supporting these groups but to no avail. In recent years several protests have taken place in Iran with direct and indirect support of the collective West. However, none have resulted in the West’s desired “regime change”. That’s because the groups Western countries are continuously backing have no credibility among Iranian citizens due to direct allegiance to global powers. The “maximum pressure” policy on Tehran by the states who want to stand with the “people of Iran” has also failed to push citizens to confront the government. All the prescriptions in the article have been tested and repeatedly failed in recent decades.

As the season progresses, all eyes will be on the Shanxi Team to see how they fare in their quest for success. With a renewed commitment to excellence and a focus on key areas of improvement, the team is ready to take on any challenges that come their way. By encouraging Liu Chuanxing to play with greater intensity, enhancing the team's defense and rebounding skills, and fostering a culture of continuous growth and improvement, the Shanxi Team is on track to achieve their goals and establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with on the basketball court.Furthermore, the official response emphasized Alibaba Cloud's commitment to transparency and accountability in handling the aftermath of the incident. The company assured customers that data security protocols were in place to prevent any breaches or leaks as a result of the fire, and that contingency plans were being executed to restore services to normalcy as soon as possible.In the face of external pressures and challenges, China will remain steadfast in its commitment to upholding national sovereignty and safeguarding its core interests. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs's response serves as a clear message to the international community that China will not waver in its determination to protect its territorial integrity and promote peace and stability in the region.