Month: September 2023

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Sport

Supply – 49ers’ Nick Bosa is highest-paid defensive participant

Source - 49ers' Nick Bosa is highest-paid defensive player

  • Nick Wagoner, ESPN Staff WriterSep 6, 2023, 03:51 PM ET

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      Nick Wagoner is an NFL reporter at ESPN. Nick has covered the San Francisco 49ers and the NFL at ESPN since 2016, having previously covered the St. Louis Rams for 12 years, including three years (2013 to 2015) at ESPN. In his 10 years with the company, Nick has led ESPN’s coverage of the Niners’ 2019 Super Bowl run, Colin Kaepernick’s protest, the Rams making Michael Sam the first openly gay player drafted to the NFL, Sam’s subsequent pursuit of a roster spot and the team’s relocation and stadium saga. You can follow Nick via Twitter @nwagoner

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers and defensive end Nick Bosa have agreed to a five-year, $170 million extension that will make him the highest-paid defensive player in history, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Wednesday.

The extension includes $122.5 million guaranteed, the source told ESPN.

Among defensive players, the $34 million annual payout surpasses the $31.7 million average belonging to Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald and the $122.5 million in guarantees easily surpasses the $102 million mark set by Bosa’s brother, Joey, with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2020.

It also comes before the Sept. 10 regular-season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, meaning Nick Bosa could be available for that game.

That the Niners and Bosa eventually struck a deal is no surprise. That it took 43 days after the team opened training camp was.

San Francisco has made a habit of re-signing some of its big-name players either just before camp or soon after it opens. It followed a similar blueprint with tight end George Kittle in 2020, linebacker Fred Warner in 2021 and receiver Deebo Samuel in 2022.

However, Bosa’s deal, the largest of that group, proved more complicated.

Coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch never expressed any doubt that a deal would get done and were adamant that trading Bosa was never an option.

For his part, Bosa, who generally prefers to do his offseason work with brother Joey in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, showed up at the team’s June minicamp and reiterated his belief that his payday would come as long as he remained patient.

“I think I’ll get what I deserve,” Bosa said June 6.

Clearly, it took a bit longer than even Bosa, 25, was expecting, but the Niners now have the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year under contract.

In 2022, Bosa posted his best season, earning his first All-Pro nod and a third Pro Bowl berth for his league-leading 18.5 sacks, 51 tackles, 2 forced fumbles and 58 quarterback pressures (third in the NFL). That dominant performance came two years after he had suffered a torn ACL in his left knee in Week 2 of the 2020 season.

But that injury is well in Bosa’s past, as he has posted a combined 34 sacks over the past two seasons.

The new contract also gives Nick a little bit of family bragging rights as he surpassed the five-year, $135 million deal between Joey and the Chargers.

Categories
Entertainment

Joseline Hernandez Reveals How A lot Earned On ‘LHHATL’

Joseline Hernandez Reveals How Much Earned On 'LHHATL'

Joseline Hernandez is opening up about her time on ‘Love and Hip Atlanta’ and sharing how much money she earned during her years on the show. According to KIRO 7, the reality star appeared on the series between 2012 and 2017.

RELATED: Joseline Hernandez Talks Returning To ‘Love & Hip Hop’ And Her ‘Negative’ Portrayal On Reality TV

The Reality Star Speaks On Feeling That “Love & Hip Hop Atlanta” Would “Change” Her Life

Hernandez recently sat down for an exclusive interview with TV producer and YouTuber Carlos King, which was published Tuesday. During the episode, the 36-year-old reflected on her early days on the reality show. Additionally, she explained that she knew joining the cast would “change” her life when she received her first paycheck.

“It was my first check, so I was very emotional because I had never had a real job in my life,” Hernandez explained. “The only job I had was being a stripper.”

Hernandez explained that she had “never” experienced cashing a paycheck or “clocking” in. As the conversation continued, Hernandez reflected on telling the world she would become a “national superstar,” to which King confirmed.

“You manifested this life for you,” King told Hernandez. “And people felt like, ‘B***h, please…’ and here you are, you are one!”

Joseline Hernandez Shares How Her Pay On ‘LHHATL’ Skyrocketed Over The Years

Later in the conversation, Hernandez transparently revealed how much money she earned over her multiple seasons on the show.

“Within the first week, I went from making like $1,500 per episode to making $11,000 per episode — in a week,” Hernandez explained. “I didn’t ask for them to bump me up, they bumped me up.”

Additionally, she explained that at the start of the show’s second season, she was making $15,000 per episode.

“And then, like, by the end of second season, I went up to like $20,000 (an episode) … they just kept bumping me up,” she continued. “They was just throwing money at me, they was like, ‘We don’t want her not to come to work,’ so I didn’t have to have no lawyer come and renegotiate the contract or anything, they would just bump me up. They did that for years.”

Ultimately, Hernandez shared that on her final season of ‘Love & Hip Hop Atlanta’ she earned $50,000 per episode. Before concluding her statements, she explained that if she goes to film a show now, she can earn around $1.5 million to $2 million.

Looking back, the 36-year-old even added that she may have been the highest-earning cast member on the show between 2012-2017. Furthermore, Hernandez even asserted that she is the “number one reality TV star paid right now.”

Also, be sure to tune into Joseline Hernandez’s ‘Stepping Into The Shade Room’ episode below!

Categories
Health

Moderna says new Covid vaccine efficient in opposition to BA.2.86 variant

Moderna says new Covid vaccine effective against BA.2.86 variant

Artur Widak | Nurphoto | Getty Images

Moderna‘s new Covid vaccine produced a strong immune response against BA.2.86, a highly mutated omicron variant that health officials are watching closely, according to clinical trial data the biotech company released Wednesday. 

The updated shot produced an 8.7-fold increase in protective antibodies against BA.2.86, which has been detected in small numbers nationwide. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention previously said the strain, also known as “Pirola,” may be more capable of escaping antibodies from earlier infections and vaccinations, but new research also suggests that the variant may be less immune-evasive than feared.

Moderna is the first out of the companies producing updated Covid jabs to release data on how its shot fares against BA.2.86. Moderna, Pfizer and Novavax are slated to roll out new vaccines targeting another omicron strain called XBB.1.5 within weeks, pending potential approvals from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Moderna’s trial results suggest that the company’s jab will still be effective against newer variants of the virus as XBB.1.5 declines nationwide. Last month, Moderna also released clinical trial data suggesting that its new shot provides protection against the now-dominant EG.5, or “Eris,” variant and another rapidly spreading strain called FL.1.5.1. 

“Taken together with our previously communicated results showing a similarly effective response against EG.5 and FL.1.5.1 variants, these data confirm that our updated COVID-19 vaccine will continue to be an important tool for protection as we head into the fall vaccination season,” said Moderna President Stephen Hoge in a statement.

New vaccines are set to arrive as Eris and other Covid variants fuel a rise in cases and hospitalizations across the country.

Covid hospitalizations jumped 18.8% during the week ending Aug. 19, and 87% over the past month, according to the latest data from the CDC. But those metrics remain below levels seen when a surge strained hospitals last summer.

Eris accounted for 21.5% of all cases in the U.S. as of Saturday, while FL.1.5.1 accounted for 14.5%, according to the latest data from the CDC. 

Last week, the CDC indicated BA.2.86 has been found in four U.S. states, but it’s still so rare that it’s not listed as a standalone strain on the CDC’s variant tracker.

Categories
Science

A New Telescope Might Detect Decaying Darkish Matter within the Early Universe

A New Telescope Could Detect Decaying Dark Matter in the Early Universe

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the Universe. By far. More than 90% of the atoms in the Universe are hydrogen. Ten times the number of helium atoms, and a hundred times more than all other elements combined. It’s everywhere, from the water in our oceans to the earliest regions of the Cosmic Dawn. Fortunately for astronomers, all this neutral hydrogen can emit a faint emission line of radio light.

It’s known as the H I hydrogen line, or the 21-centimeter line. Hydrogen consists of a single electron bound to a single proton. When the spins of these two are aligned in the same way, hydrogen has a slightly higher energy than when the spins are oppositely directed. So the electron can undergo a spin flip and release a bit of energy as a photon of light. The hydrogen doesn’t need to be superheated or ionized to do this. It can happen spontaneously. So wherever there are clouds of hydrogen, you can be sure it’s emitting 21-centimeter radio light.

Spin-flip decay for neutral hydrogen. Credit: Wikipedia user Tiltec

Since the emission line has a very specific wavelength, we can use it to measure the relative motion or cosmological redshift of hydrogen. One of the first uses of this trick was to measure the motion of hydrogen in the Milky Way and other nearby galaxies, which allowed Vera Rubin to discover dark matter. Now a new study shows how the 21-centimeter line might give us the first evidence of dark matter particles.

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The study focuses on the Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array (HERA), which is a radio telescope in South Africa particularly suited for observing hydrogen in the early Universe. When it comes online, HERA will map the large-scale structure of hydrogen during the cosmic dark ages and cosmic dawn period, which is the time between the fading of the primeval fireball of the Big Bang and the appearance of the first stars and galaxies. During this period the cosmos was filled with dark matter and warm clouds of hydrogen gas.

How WIMPs might decay. Credit: GAO Linqing and LIN Sujie

If dark matter is truly neutral, and only interacts with matter and light gravitationally, then the 21-centimeter light is basically the only light emitted during this period. But the most popular model for dark matter involves particles known as WIMPs. Neutral dark matter particles are much heavier than regular matter particles such as protons and electrons. In some dark matter particles, these WIMPs occasionally decay into regular matter, creating a burst of energetic positrons and electrons, or protons and anti-protons. If that’s the case, then these energetic decay particles would interact with the 21-centimeter light.

HERA would further constrain dark matter lifetimes. Credit: Facchinetti, et al

Based on observations of the cosmic microwave background and other studies, we know that WIMPs would have a very long decay half-life. We’ve seen no evidence of dark matter decay so far, which means either WIMPs don’t exist or their half-life is much more than a trillion years. This new study shows that even if WIMPs had a half-life a thousand times longer, HERA would be able to detect its effect on the early 21-centimeter line. And it would have enough data to do that within 1,000 hours of observation.

Even if HERA doesn’t detect any evidence of dark matter decay, it would still be a large step forward. Its constraints on dark matter half-life would be strong enough to rule out some WIMP models and winnow the range of models.

Reference: Facchinetti, Gaétan, et al. “21cm signal sensitivity to dark matter decay.” arXiv preprint arXiv:2308.16656 (2023).

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Categories
Entertainment

Zendaya, Tom Holland’s Love Is On Prime After Date Evening at Beyoncé Tour

Zendaya feeds Tom Holland ice cream and makes them the coolest couple

Zendaya and Tom Holland had a ***flawless night out at Beyoncé‘s Renaissance World Tour. 

The Spider-Man costars attended the singer’s Sept. 4 Los Angeles show at SoFi Stadium, where they were spotted walking through the venue hand in hand and rocking out to hits like “Cuff It” and “ENERGY.”

And fashion lovers will fall crazy in love with the couple’s outfits: Zendaya wore a sparkly silver blazer over a matching crop top and shorts while Tom sported a black leather jacket over a Beyoncé T-shirt and dark pants.

If seeing them at the show is giving you deja vu, it may be because Zendaya and Tom were seen belting out the lyrics to “Love on Top” at Beyoncé’s concert in Warsaw, Poland in June.

Of course, this should come as no surprise to their fans as the Euphoria actress has noted several times she’s part of the Bey Hive—even giving a nod to the Grammy winner at the 2021 BET Awards with a similar Versace gown—and has gone to her concerts in the past.

Categories
Sport

ESPN 2023 school soccer Energy Rankings after Week 1

ESPN 2023 college football Power Rankings after Week 1

Coach Deion Sanders said his Colorado Buffaloes were coming in 2023, and now they’ve arrived in our Power Rankings.

The Buffaloes’ 45-42 victory in Week 1 at No. 17 TCU, the national runner-up in the 2022 season, made believers out of ESPN’s writers. Colorado, which had only one win last season, went from unranked to No. 21. Now the Buffaloes get another chance to prove themselves, this time against Big Ten foe — and former Big 12 rival — Nebraska in their home opener.

The most impressive win of the week, though, belonged to Coach Prime’s alma mater. Florida State scored 31 consecutive points against No. 5 LSU on Sunday, and ESPN voters rewarded that effort by moving them from preseason No. 7 in the power rankings all the way up to No. 2.

Five consecutive days of football ended with a stunning upset as Duke took down No. 9 Clemson.

A look at the Power Rankings after the first full week of college football.

Ho-hum. Another dominant defense, another deep running game, another Brock Bowers touchdown. What else did you expect from the back-to-back champs? Yeah, quarterback Stetson Bennett is finally gone, but Carson Beck looked solid in his debut as a starter against Tennessee Martin, completing 21 of 31 passes for 294 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions. All told, Georgia racked up 559 yards of offense, which should be plenty against one of the weakest schedules in the SEC this season. Ball State is up next in the quest to three-peat, followed by a home game against South Carolina. — Alex Scarborough

Up next: vs. Ball State (Noon ET, SEC Network)

It is hard to remember the last time the Seminoles completely dismantled an opponent the way they did LSU in the second half of a 45-24 victory on Sunday night. It may very well have been during the 2013 national championship season, and this just happens to be its 10-year anniversary. After a slow start, Florida State scored 31 unanswered second-half points to turn a close game into a rout. Quarterback Jordan Travis settled down after a shaky first half and scored five total touchdowns — one rushing, four passing. But the star of the game was transfer receiver Keon Coleman, who arrived from Michigan State in the offseason. LSU could not cover Coleman, and he made the plays that counted most. With three touchdown receptions and 122 yards, he was an exclamation point to start a season that began with high expectations, and those expectations have skyrocketed even higher. — Andrea Adelson

Up next: vs. Southern Miss (8:30 p.m. ET, ACC Network)

​​​No coach Jim Harbaugh, no offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore, no problem. With both serving suspensions, defensive coordinator Jesse Minter was the acting head coach against East Carolina and helped lead Michigan to its first win of the season. The offense, surprisingly, was led by the passing game and quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who threw for 280 yards and three passing touchdowns in three quarters of work. Running back Blake Corum had a rushing touchdown, but it was receiver Roman Wilson who put up the most points, catching three McCarthy touchdowns. Michigan’s defense held East Carolina scoreless until a field goal on the final play of the game. — Tom VanHaaren

Up next: vs. UNLV (3:30 p.m. ET, CBS)

Jalen Milroe was nearly perfect against Middle Tennessee, accounting for 242 total yards (194 passing, 48 rushing), four touchdowns (three passing, two rushing) and no turnovers. But was that enough to secure the starting job at quarterback? It might be a week too soon to say considering the caliber of competition. Next week against Texas will be the real litmus test about whether Milroe can handle the pressure and fit the ball into tight windows. But setting the QB battle aside, Crimson Tide fans can feel good about the receivers, particularly Isaiah Bond, and the defense, which consistently created pressure on the passing game. — Scarborough

Up next: vs. Texas (7 p.m. ET, ESPN)

After taking care of business in Week 0 against San Jose State, the Trojans handled Nevada at home with even greater ease by a score of 59-14. Aside from a 72-yard pass that led to the Wolfpack’s first score of the game and a 77-yard pass that resulted in the other, the USC defense looked much-improved against a subpar offense that struggled to get anything going. Caleb Williams produced yet another flawless performance, throwing for 324 yards on 24 pass attempts. He had five touchdowns, while adding a healthy dose of his patented scrambling highlights, and didn’t have to play beyond the first drive of the third quarter. — Paolo Uggetti

Up next: vs. Stanford (10:30 p.m. ET, Fox)

It wasn’t exactly pretty, nor was it a memorable debut for rookie starting quarterback Kyle McCord, but Ohio State earned a Big Ten road win at Indiana. The Buckeyes are going to have to improve quickly if they want to remain a CFP contender. McCord completed 20 of 33 pass attempts for 239 yards and one interception. It wasn’t the kind of offensive performance Ohio State fans are used to, as the Buckeyes had the second-highest-scoring offense in the FBS last year and have averaged at least 41 points every season since Ryan Day succeeded Urban Meyer in 2019. Against IU, which had the worst defense in the Big Ten last year, Ohio State settled for three field goals and was 2-of-12 on third downs. It was also a quiet day for the Buckeyes’ superstars, as receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. had just two catches for 18 yards. — Heather Dinich

Up next: vs. Youngstown State (Noon ET, Big Ten Network)

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Why Gilmore, Acho are concerned about Ohio State after Week 1

Rod Gilmore and Sam Acho explain their worries about Ohio State after a 23-3 win over Indiana.

Coach James Franklin’s reluctance to name a starting quarterback couldn’t calm the excitement around Drew Allar, who predictably took the field first against West Virginia and played well. Penn State’s most decorated quarterback recruit since Christian Hackenberg (2013), Allar opened the season with 325 pass yards and three touchdowns, completing 21 of 29 attempts with no interceptions. He became the first PSU quarterback since Daryll Clark in 2009 to reach 300 passing yards and three touchdowns in an opener. Penn State’s offense took a while to get going, though, recording only 14 points through the first 36-plus minutes. The Nittany Lions missed two field goal attempts and didn’t really get their running game going consistently. Allar gives Penn State a different element in the passing game, as coordinator Mike Yurcich can stretch the field more with wideout KeAndre Lambert-Smith and others. — Adam Rittenberg

Up next: vs. Delaware (Noon ET, Peacock)

Turn on a Washington game and chances are you’ll see quarterback Michael Penix finding a wide-open receiver time and time again. The offensive scheme of coach Kalen Deboer and coordinator Ryan Grubb makes the Huskies’ ability to move the ball seem almost effortless at time. In the Huskies’ dominant 56-19 win against Boise State, Penix passed for 450 yards and five touchdowns without a pick to get his Heisman Trophy campaign off to a strong start. As expected, arguably the nation’s top trio of receivers — Rome Odunze (7 catches, 132 yards, 1 TD), Ja’Lynn Polk (3 catches, 101 yards, 1 TD) and Jalen McMillan (8 catches, 95 yards, 2 TD) — were equally impressive. — Kyle Bonagura

Up next: vs. Tulsa (5 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network)

Tennessee was a four-touchdown favorite in its season opener against Virginia, and even though the Vols were guilty of a few missteps in the first half, they were never threatened in a blowout victory in Nashville. Joe Milton III was solid at quarterback with 201 passing yards, two passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in three quarters, and the Vols racked up 499 yards of total offense. But the story of the game for Tennessee was its defense. The Cavaliers took over on Tennessee’s side of the 50 three times in the first half, but all Tennessee’s defense would allow was a single field goal, which set the tone for the rest of the game. — Chris Low

Up next: vs. Austin Peay (5 p.m. ET, ESPN+)

The Utes began their defense of two straight Pac-12 titles by avenging their season-opening loss to Florida from last year. Utah won despite several injuries, most notably quarterback Cam Rising, who couldn’t play as he continues to recover from an ACL surgery. His absence allowed coach Kyle Whittingham’s team to show off its depth at the position as well as their strong defensive identity on their way to a 24-13 win. Although the Utes and the Gators were only separated by 13 points, Utah dominated the matchup thanks to the work of Bryson Barnes (12-of-18, 159 passing yards and two touchdowns) and Nate Johnson (six carries, 45 yards and a touchdown), who split reps at quarterback and found success in the air and the ground respectively. Utah’s defense didn’t allow a score until early in the fourth quarter. — Uggetti

Up next: at Baylor (Noon ET, ESPN)

Texas eventually rolled past Rice 37-10. The Longhorns scored only one touchdown on their first seven drives, settling for field goals and turning the ball over on downs twice, but a 21-0 third quarter turned an odd 16-3 game into a laugher. Quinn Ewers completed 19 of 30 passes for 260 yards and touchdowns to three different receivers, and the running back trio of Jaydon Blue, Jonathon Brooks and Cedric Baxter ground out 145 yards on 27 carries. The UT defense sacked Rice’s JT Daniels only once but hurried him constantly, picked off two passes and broke up four more. In all, kicker Bert Auburn made a few too many appearances, and the Longhorns were a pretty mediocre 6-for-15 on third downs, but this one was still easy. — Bill Connelly

Up next: at Alabama (7 p.m. ET, ESPN)

The Ducks became the first FBS team since — surprise? — UNLV in 2015 to score 80 points in a game during their 81-7 win against Portland State. The Ducks had more than 300 yards rushing (348) and 300 yards passing (381) in the same game for the first time since 2017 and played essentially their entire eligible roster. Considering the considerable talent gap, there’s probably not much that can be learned, but it was a nice way to welcome back college football in Eugene, where expectations are high. — Bonagura

Up next: at Texas Tech (7 p.m. ET, Fox)

Playing just a week after a game in Ireland, Notre Dame got through a predictably sluggish first quarter to pull away from Tennessee State. Quarterbacks Sam Hartman and Steve Angeli combined for 324 passing yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. The Irish had 221 rushing yards, led by Audric Estime’s 116, and continued to receive stifling play from their defense. Notre Dame has held its first two opponents without a touchdown for the first time since 1975. The Irish had 28 points in the second quarter, the team’s highest total in a quarter since tallying 31 in the fourth against Wisconsin in 2021. Notre Dame’s scoring margin of 98-6 marks its highest point differential (92) through the first two games of a season since 1932, when it outscored Haskell and Drake by 135. — Rittenberg

Up next: At NC State (Noon ET, ABC)

The biggest story in the Tar Heels’ 31-17 victory over South Carolina was not quarterback Drake Maye. It was their defensive performance, and in particular their physicality and aggressiveness up front that raised eyebrows. A season ago, North Carolina struggled through poor defensive performances, and one of the biggest question marks about this team headed into the season was how much that defense would improve. We got an early answer in Week 1. After getting only 17 total sacks last season, North Carolina had a whopping nine on Saturday — in addition to 16 tackles for loss. That was its highest sack total in the past 25 seasons. Linebacker Kaimon Rucker was particularly impressive with two sacks, 5.5 tackles for loss and eight total tackles and was named the Walter Camp National FBS Defensive Player of the Week. — Adelson

Up next: vs. Appalachian State (5:15 p.m. ET, ACC Network)

A week after San Jose State put up 28 on USC, Oregon State’s trip to SJSU figured to serve as a measuring stick game. After losing some key players from the Pac-12’s best defense in 2022, how would this re-worked unit compare to USC? Pretty darn well. The Beavers’ starting group allowed just 10 points — looking every part as good as the one that led the team to a 10-win season a year ago — and, perhaps more importantly, were joined by a proficient offense as quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei turned in a sparkling debut. A San Jose State touchdown in the closing seconds only made the Beavers’ 42-17 win less of a blowout. It’s just one game, but the combination of improved offense with no regression on defense is the formula OSU was looking for to contend in the conference. — Bonagura

Up next: UC Davis (9 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network)

You want your FCS games to be as forgettable as possible. In that regard, Saturday night against Southeast Missouri State was a total success for Kansas State. Granted, quarterback Will Howard made history by becoming just the sixth player in Big 12 history to record passing, rushing and receiving touchdowns in the same game — some might end up remembering that — and Avery Johnson, Howard’s four-star freshman backup, was dynamic in a small sample. But the Wildcats erupted for 28 second-quarter points and cruised to a 45-0 victory. Running back DJ Giddens rushed for 128 yards, receiver RJ Garcia II and tight end Ben Sinnott each topped 100 receiving yards, linebacker Austin Moore recorded a trio of tackles for loss, and now it’s on to a tricker game. — Connelly

Up next: vs. Troy (Noon ET, FS1)

The offense clearly needs some work after a lousy effort against Florida State, particularly in the red zone. And while quarterback Jayden Daniels showed once again he’s a big play waiting to happen running the football, he’s yet to prove he can consistently push the ball downfield in the passing game. But perhaps more troubling was the play of the secondary, which flat out got exposed by Keon Coleman, Johnny Wilson & Co. Getting Maason Smith back at tackle and pairing him alongside Mekhi Wingo should help when it comes to pressuring the quarterback, but the DBs have to step up. Grambling offers a good opportunity to regroup this Saturday, but don’t sleep on a trip to Mississippi State the following week, where quarterback Will Rogers won’t be afraid to put the ball in the air. — Scarborough

Up next: vs. Grambling (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+)

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Ryan Clark not happy after LSU’s loss to FSU

Ryan Clark weighs in on LSU’s season-opening loss to Florida State and what the Tigers need to do to improve.

Lane Kiffin waited all preseason to name a starting quarterback, which must have motivated Jaxson Dart. He started Saturday’s opener by completing his first 11 passes and finished the game with 334 passing yards and four touchdowns — all four going to Tre Harris — as the Rebels steamrolled FCS foe Mercer 73-7 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Harris, a transfer from Louisiana Tech, set an Ole Miss single-game record with four touchdown receptions. Spencer Sanders, an Oklahoma State transfer, took over for Dart at quarterback in the third quarter and also threw two touchdown passes, as the Rebels piled up 667 yards of total offense. Jordan Watkins’ 70-yard punt return for a touchdown put the Rebels ahead 45-7 a few minutes into the third quarter and was their first punt return for a touchdown in 10 years. — Low

Up next: at Tulane (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

The Blue Devils were one of the most improved teams in college football last season, but not many gave them a chance against Clemson. After all, they had lost their previous five meetings to the Tigers by an average of 31 points. But coach Mike Elko has done a masterful job since taking over Duke a year ago — and his team outcoached and outplayed Clemson in a 28-7 victory Monday night, a stunning victory in every facet. Quarterback Riley Leonard outplayed Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, with 273 total yards and a score. It was Duke’s first win over an AP Top 10 team since Sept. 30, 1989, when Steve Spurrier was the head coach. The team they beat? Clemson. Spurrier and members of the 1989 team happened to be at the game, watching yet another historic moment in Duke football history. — Adelson

Up next: vs. Lafayette (6 p.m. ET, ESPN+)

After a frustrating 6-7 debut season, Brent Venables and his Sooners were looking for a bright start to 2023. Safe to say, beating Arkansas State 73-0 probably qualifies as “bright.” Dillon Gabriel (who only had to play in the first half) and backup Jackson Arnold completed a combined 30 of 33 passes for 422 yards and three touchdowns as OU scored on every drive of the first three quarters. Nineteen different Sooners got a touch, and eight scored a touchdown. ASU, meanwhile, couldn’t top 200 total yards until the final drive of the game. This was always going to be a blowout, but it was a particularly resounding one. One assumes OU will find more resistance against SMU next week, but you couldn’t ask for a better start to a rebound year. — Connelly

Up next: vs. SMU (6 p.m. ET, ESPN+)

The team of the offseason opened its season in record-setting fashion to beat TCU 45-42 on the road. Coach Deion Sanders was the story coming in, but his son Shedeur owned the spotlight by passing for 510 yards – a Colorado single-game record – and four touchdowns, while completing 38 passes. Travis Hunter, the other headliner in Deion Sanders’ massive group of newcomers, had an interception and 119 receiving yards while logging a staggering 129 snaps in his Buffaloes debut. Colorado had four 100-yard receivers for the first time and snapped a streak of 24 consecutive losses as an underdog of 21 points or more. The defense needs work after surrendering 541 yards, but Colorado appears much better than many of the bleak preseason forecasts, of which Sanders and his players have “got receipts.” — Rittenberg

Up next: vs. Nebraska (Noon ET, Fox)

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Sam Acho: Shedeur Sanders was MVP of Colorado’s win over TCU

Sam Acho has a lot of praise for Shedeur Sanders after Colorado’s win over TCU.

The head coach Jimbo Fisher-offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino pairing got off to a high-flying start in a 52-10 blowout of New Mexico, giving the Aggies hope last season’s woes that led to a 5-7 season are gone. The Aggies scored on their first five possessions and sophomore QB Conner Weigman had a career-high five touchdown passes, three to Noah Thomas and two to Evan Stewart, who had 8 catches for 115 yards. Since Weigman took over as the Aggies’ starter last October, he has thrown 12 TDs with zero interceptions — that’s the most touchdowns without an interception in the FBS during that span. The defense dominated as expected, allowing 91 yards and just 2.8 yards per carry. Another new face, Boston College transfer Josh DeBerry, made an instant impact with 10 tackles, a sack and an interception. — Dave Wilson

Up next: at Miami (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)

The Badgers’ new-look offense looked flat in the first half. Quarterback Tanner Mordecai threw an interception and Wisconsin held just a four-point lead over Buffalo. It was a different story in the second half, however, as the Badgers showed flashes of the offense new coach Luke Fickell and offensive coordinator Phil Longo are hoping to build. Running back Chez Mellusi ripped off an 89-yard touchdown run and finished the game with 157 yards and two total touchdowns. Braelon Allen also got in on the scoring with two rushing touchdowns and 141 yards of his own. — VanHaaren

Up next: at Washington State (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC)

Picking up where they left off in last January’s Cotton Bowl Classic upset of USC, quarterback Michael Pratt was nearly flawless and Tulane began the season with a bang. Pratt completed 14 of 15 passes for 294 yards and four touchdowns (three in the first half). Pratt’s second career four-touchdown game tied him with Patrick Ramsey for the Green Wave’s career passing touchdown record (72). Pratt connected with Jha’Quan Jackson (three receptions for 106 yards) for touchdown passes of 47 and 48 yards, helping highlight an offense that racked up 436 total yards. — Blake Baumgartner

Up next: vs. Ole Miss (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

This was supposed to be the start of a new era for the Tigers. Dabo Swinney fired Brandon Streeter as offensive coordinator and brought in the hottest name on the market, Garrett Riley. QB DJ Uiagalelei, who shouldered much of the blame for Clemson’s offensive struggles in 2021 and 2022, transferred to Oregon State, and the keys to the offense were handed to Cade Klubnik. And Monday was to be the grand unveiling. Instead, it was more of the same. Klubnik struggled mightily, the receivers were rarely open and mistakes abounded. Four trips into the red zone resulted in zero points, and turnovers handed Duke several prime opportunities. If 2023 was supposed to be a rebirth, Monday sure looked a lot more like a step backwards. — David Hale

Up next: vs. Charleston Southern (2:15 p.m. ET, ACC Network)

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Duke fans storm the field after historic upset of No. 9 Clemson

Duke fans rush the field to celebrate a monumental upset of No. 9 Clemson.

Categories
Health

Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy weight reduction drug launches within the UK

Novo Nordisk's Wegovy weight loss drug launches in the UK

Packages of the weight-loss drug Wegovy from the pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk lie on the sales counter in a Danish pharmacy.

Stefan Trumpf | Picture Alliance | Getty Images

Novo Nordisk launched its Wegovy weight loss injection in the U.K. on Monday, advancing the drug’s rollout in Europe despite ongoing supply constraints.

The Danish pharmaceutical giant said that the weekly injection would be available initially “through a controlled and limited launch,” with only certain patients eligible to receive the drug on the country’s National Health Service.

To qualify for treatment, patients must be on the NHS’s weight management service, have at least one weight-related condition and have a body mass index of 35, according to recommendations outlined by the National Institute for Care and Excellence.

The drug will also be available privately through a “registered healthcare professional,” Novo Nordisk said in a statement, without adding further detail.

Novo Nordisk declined to disclose the final price agreed with NHS England for the drug, but said that NICE, the U.K. drug cost-effectiveness watchdog, had described it as a “cost-effective use of NHS resources.” It added that the cost in the private market will be “determined by licensed prescribers.”

In the U.S., Wegovy has a list price of $1,350 for a monthly dose, while in Europe it retails for around 170 to 300 euros ($190-$330) per month.

British insurance company Aviva, which provides private health insurance to around 1.1 million Brits, on Monday said that Wegovy would not be covered under its policy, according to Reuters.

‘Closely monitoring’ supply issues

Wegovy’s U.K. expansion comes just over a month after the drug launched in Germany — its third European market at the time, after Denmark and Norway.

Surging demand for the weight loss drug, as well as a series of clinical studies which point to its wider health benefits, have shot the company’s shares to record highs. On Friday, it briefly unseated French luxury goods behemoth LVMH to become Europe’s most valuable company.

Supply constraints continue to weigh heavy on the drug’s rollout, with CEO Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen telling a Reuters Newsmakers event last month that it could be “some years” before the company can satisfy all consumers.

In the U.K., Novo Nordisk said that “a proportion” of available supply would be allocated specifically for NHS treatment, and that the company would work with healthcare professional to ensure that “patients with the highest unmet medical need” are prioritized.

“We are closely monitoring Wegovy demand and are working with regulators and providers to ensure people living with obesity can have access to and remain on treatment,” it added.

The company has also limited provisions in other markets. In May, it cut the U.S. supply of starter doses to ensure continuity for existing patients, while in Germany it advised doctors to “prescribe responsibly,” limiting prescriptions to patients with medical needs.

Categories
Technology

Apple and Microsoft deny EU ‘gatekeeper’ standing for iMessage, Bing

Apple and Microsoft deny EU 'gatekeeper' status for iMessage, Bing

Apple and Microsoft are pressing the EU to omit iMessage and Bing, respectively, from a list of “gatekeepers” subject to new regulatory requirements. Their reasoning? The services, claim the companies, simply aren’t popular enough.

The dispute stems from the EU’s new Digital Markets Act, a landmark law designed to constrain the power of big tech. A key aim of the rules is to prevent digital giants from squashing smaller rivals by boxing users into closed services.

The targets of the policies are the so-called gatekeepers — companies that provide “core platform services” prone to unfair business practices, such as social networks or search engines.

To be designated as gatekeepers, businesses need either a market cap of at least €75bn or an annual turnover of €7.5bn. They must also provide certain services such as browsers, messengers or social media, which have at least 45 million monthly end users in the EU and 10,000 annual business users.

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Companies that meet the criteria will face various new obligations, such as making their services interoperate with competing apps. Violators risk fines of up to 20% of their global revenue.

The first list of these gatekeepers is due to be published on Wednesday. Brussels is still considering including Apple’s iMessage chat app and Microsoft’s Bing search engine, the Financial Times reports. The two tech giants contend that their services aren’t popular enough to justify inclusion.

Microsoft argues that Bing shouldn’t be subject to the same requirements as the much larger Google Search, the Financial Times said, citing two people with direct knowledge of the issue.

Supporters of the company note that Bing has a market share of just 3%. If Microsoft is forced to offer access to rival search engines, the outcome may merely boost Google’s existing search monopoly.

Apple, meanwhile, says that iMessage simply doesn’t have enough EU users to be classified as a gatekeeper. As a result, the company argues that the messenger shouldn’t face the same requirements as Meta’s WhatsApp.

The outcome of their lobbying may emerge this week. If the services are designated as gatekeepers, the companies will have six months to meet the obligations.

Categories
Science

Farms that Create Habitat Key to Meals Safety and Biodiversity • Watts Up With That?

The Green Energy Future Is Arriving Faster Than You Think — Or Not • Watts Up With That?

Peer-Reviewed Publication

STANFORD UNIVERSITY

It seems intuitive that forests would provide better habitat for forest-dwelling wildlife than farms. Yet, in one of the longest-running studies of tropical wildlife populations in the world, Stanford researchers found that over 18 years, smaller farms with varying crop types – interspersed with patches or ribbons of forest – sustain many forest-dependent bird populations in Costa Rica, even as populations decline in forests.

In a paper published Sept. 4 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Nicholas Hendershot and colleagues compared trends in specific bird populations across three landscape types in Costa Rica: forests, diversified farms, and intensive agriculture. The steepest declines were found in forests, then in intensive agriculture (and the species succeeding in intensive agriculture were often invasive). But on diversified farms, a significant subset of bird species typically found in forests, including some of conservation concern, actually increased over time.

“Birds are kind of a proxy we use to track the health of ecosystems. And the birds we’re seeing today aren’t the same as we saw 18 to 20 years ago. This paper really documents this pattern,” said Hendershot, a postdoctoral fellow at the time of this research in Stanford’s Department of Biology in the School of Humanities and Sciences (H&S), the Stanford Center for Conservation Biology (CCB), and the Stanford-based Natural Capital Project (NatCap).

Food security at stake

While this research implies that diversified farming could be key for biodiversity, the relationship goes both ways: biodiversity is key for food security. In this case, that means having a variety of types of birds feeding on insects and helping to pollinate crops.

“Identity does seem to matter a lot for pest control and other ecosystem services birds provide. These species are not interchangeable,” said Hendershot.

“We need a constant stream of pollinators servicing farms. About three-quarters of the world’s crops require pollinators to some extent, and that 75% is our most nutritious food – think of all the vitamins and minerals packed into fruits, nuts, and veggies,” explained Gretchen Daily, faculty director of NatCap and CCB, Bing Professor of Environmental Science in H&S, and a senior author on the paper. “We need a constant stream of birds, bats, and other wildlife to help control pests: they suppress the vast majority naturally. And we need to start building flood protection, water purification, carbon storage, and many other vital benefits back into agricultural landscapes, way beyond what can be achieved in protected areas alone.”

Daily also noted that, in terms of food production, diversified farms are not necessarily lower yielding than intensive agriculture. “This is a recent assumption that is being overturned,” she said.

Beyond protected areas

It has become increasingly apparent around the world that while protected areas remain critical, they are too few and far between to provide the ecosystem services people and nature need to thrive. Working landscapes are crucial now for preserving biodiversity and its benefits. “People, including scientists, had the idea that farmland would not support a meaningful amount of biodiversity,” said Daily. In this case, not only are diversified farms themselves providing habitat, they connect otherwise fragmented forested areas.

Over time, Hendershot said, “I have moved away from the ‘fortress conservation’ model, which focused more on creating protected areas separate from human activities, and see more and more how much potential there is outside of forests. The forests are key – we need them, of course. But in addition to that, I’m always surprised by how important how you manage a farm is for biodiversity.”

“We believe the findings of our research are new to science, but in a sense, it merely confirms what Indigenous communities around the world have already known for a long time, which is that humans can and should have reciprocal relationships with the rest of the local ecological community they are part of,” said Tadashi Fukami, a professor of biology in H&S and of Earth system science in the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability and a co-author of the paper.

Incentivizing farmers

In the 1980s and 90s, deforestation was occurring in Costa Rica at the fastest rate ever seen on a country scale. Then, they turned it around – becoming a renowned model of success. By setting up the world’s first countrywide payment for ecosystem services (PES) program, Costa Rica reversed this trend: today, forests cover almost 60% of its land, up from 40% in 1987.

The country currently aims to double the amount of protected forest in just a few years. In its existing PES program, any landowner can receive money for reforesting even small parts of their land. Now, the government is also working toward a new PES program to incentivize farmers to adopt best management practices.

This study will help inform Costa Rican policymakers in understanding the benefits provided over time by different farming practices. Said Daily, “We need to recognize the vital work many farmers are doing that supports biodiversity.”

Nicholas Hendershot was a postdoctoral researcher with the Center for Conservation Biology at Stanford and is now a forest ecologist with The Nature Conservancy-California. Gretchen Daily is also a senior fellow in the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. Other co-authors on the paper are Alejandra Echeverri, a senior scientist at the Natural Capital Project, Luke Frishkoff of the University of Texas at Arlington, and prominent Costa Rican ornithologist Jim Zook.

Hendershot’s work was supported by the Gerhard Casper and John P. Morgridge Stanford Graduate Fellowship, the OTS Emerging Challenges in Tropical Science Fellowship, and the Winslow Foundation. Funding for data collection from 1999-2017 was generously provided to Daily by the LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust, the Moore Family Foundation, and the Winslow Foundation.

JOURNAL

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

DOI

10.1073/pnas.2303937120 

ARTICLE TITLE

Diversified farms bolster forest-bird populations despite ongoing declines in tropical forests

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

5-Sep-2023

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Categories
Health

Walgreens CEO Roz Brewer steps down

Walgreens CEO Roz Brewer steps down

Rosalind “Roz” Brewer

Jason Redmond | Afp | Getty Images

Walgreens Boots Alliance said Friday that Roz Brewer had stepped down as the company’s chief executive as it leans deeper into its strategy to become a health-care company instead of a drugstore.

She also left the company’s board, effective Thursday. The decision was mutual, according to a news release.

Shares of Walgreens fell about 7% Friday.

Ginger Graham, the lead independent director and a health-care industry veteran, will work as interim chief while the company searches for a successor. Graham is a veteran of the health-care industry.

Brewer has agreed to continue advising the company until it selects a permanent CEO. She didn’t immediately return requests for comment.

“Our Board and leadership team will intensify our focus on creating value for our customers and our shareholders while we advance the search for a successor with deep healthcare experience to lead in today’s dynamic environment,” said Stefano Pessina, Walgreens’ executive chairman.

Brewer and Walgreens were in a rough patch leading up to Friday’s announcement. Walgreens shares are down more than 32% this year as of Thursday’s close, as the company has struggled with a drop in demand for Covid testing and vaccines. It’s also seen front-end retail sales for items like toothpaste and shampoo consistently fall as consumers go to competitors like Walmart and Amazon for those everyday necessities, which can be ordered online and delivered within a couple of days.

In June, the company reported fiscal third-quarter earnings that missed Wall Street expectations for the first time since July 2020. It also slashed its profit guidance for the year.

However, Covid cases are back on the rise, and could prove to be a boon for pharmacy sales. The next Covid boosters are slated to start rolling out in mid-September.

For consumers who may not be interested in another Covid booster, they could still turn to Walgreens for its typical over-the-counter cold and flu products. During its fiscal first quarter ended Nov. 30, an early cold and flu season boosted demand for cough and cold medicine and helped Walgreens offset its losses from a slowdown in vaccine demand.

A retail veteran in a health-care world

A veteran of Walmart and Starbucks, Brewer had led Walgreens since March 2021. During her brief tenure, which included a sizable stretch of the Covid pandemic, the company had pursued a transition that would position Walgreens more as a health-care company than a pharmacy chain.

Walgreens recently acquired Summit Health and primary-care provider VillageMD, which has opened hundreds of clinics, including some that are adjacent to Walgreens stores.

It also struck a deal with CareCentrix, which coordinates home care for patients after they’re discharged from the hospital, and Shields Health Solutions, a specialty pharmacy company.

Competitor CVS Health has also been leaning into a health-care strategy. In February, it announced plans to acquire Oak Street Health for about $9.5 billion in cash so it can add primary care to its portfolio of health offerings. Meanwhile, Rite Aid has focused on expanding its pharmacy presence and is now reportedly preparing a bankruptcy filing.

Yet as Walgreens leans deeper into its aspirations to become a health-care provider and away from its identity as a drugstore chain, Brewer’s skill set wasn’t as aligned with the company’s goals. Before her tenure with Walgreens, she served as Starbucks’ operating chief and group president, and previously ran Walmart’s Sam’s Club as its CEO. She’d spent about a decade with Walmart in a series of executive positions.

“The retail side of the business, where Ms. Brewer has much more experience, is simply not an area that Walgreens wants to pursue as a major growth opportunity,” retail analyst and GlobalData managing director Neil Saunders said in an emailed statement.

“All of this must come as a disappointment to Ms. Brewer, but it also means that a different sort of experience is needed to lead the business. It is notable that the interim CEO, Ginger Graham, has a much deeper background in the healthcare and pharma industries,” he added.

Brewer’s last foray into the health world ended in the early 2000s when she was an executive at the Kimberly-Clark, a global health and hygiene products company, where she worked for more than two decades.

“I am confident that WBA is on track to be a leading consumer-centric healthcare company, serving thousands of communities across the country, especially those that need access to healthcare the most,” Brewer said in Friday’s announcement.

Pessina thanked Brewer for her high-stakes work during the Covid pandemic. She joined the company right around the time Covid vaccines were becoming available for the general public and the rollout’s early days were often marked by tension, chaos and disorder.

“She furthered our consumer facing capabilities while supporting the culture of community and team-member engagement in difficult times,” said Pessina.

Brewer led the team that created Walgreens’ vaccine scheduling system and developed a plan to drive vaccine equity, the company said.

Despite Brewer’s many accomplishments, Pessina called Graham “the ideal person” to serve as the company’s interim CEO, considering her leadership experience across multiple segments of the health-care industry.

Graham has been on Walgreens’ board since 2010. Last October, she was named the lead independent director. She started her career at Eli Lilly and has been on the boards of multiple health-care companies. She was also CEO of Amylin Pharmaceuticals.