When the Kansas city Chiefs agreed to a deal that brought veteran wideout DeAndre Hopkins into the AFC West, it remained unclear exactly how much of an asset the 32-year-old pass-catcher would be. Hopkins, who appeared in six contests with the Tennessee Titans this season, totaled 173 yards and one touchdown. Since 2021, the five-time Pro Bowler has been responsible for just one 1,000-yard season.
Can the aging veteran really give the Chiefs that dynamic presence they’ve been looking for at the wide receiver position?
One week after being fully accustomed to Kansas City’s offense, that question has an answer.
Against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 8, during what was his first game with the Chiefs, Hopkins totaled two receptions for 29 yards. As he had been in Kansas City for less than a week, his offensive snaps were limited to 23. However, with more familiarity in his new system entering Week 9, Hopkins’ offensive snap-count rose to 53.
His production skyrocketed as well.
In a Week 9 battle against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Hopkins hauled in eight passes for 86 yards. The first-rounder in the 2013 NFL Draft scored twice, paving the way for his new team to walk away with a 30-24 victory in overtime.
Hopkins was given a grade of 81.8 via Pro Football Focus for his efforts this past week; the 6th-highest grade among all players at his position.
The AFC West has a new top-wideout in the division courtesy of the Chiefs, who brought him in to help make their three-peat aspirations a reality. But will Hopkins be able to continue his success against a strong matchup this upcoming weekend?
An AFC West bout awaits the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 10
Up next on the Chiefs’ schedule is their division rivals, the Denver Broncos. Although Hopkins dominated Tampa Bay a mere handful of days ago, he can’t expect to have the same amount of opportunities in Week 10. The Broncos are a different animal—for more reasons than being an AFC West foe.
Up to this point in the season, Tampa Bay has allowed the fifth-most yardage per contest (377.8) with the fifth-most points scored against them on a weekly basis (28.8). Denver, on the other hand, doesn’t come close to these rankings.
Through nine weeks, the Broncos have given up the eighth-least yardage per game (308.6) while surrendering the 10th-least points on average (20.8).
These rankings closely translate to the passing defenses of both clubs, too.
Only five teams across the NFL allow more passing yards on a week-to-week basis than the Buccaneers (250.8). For Denver, only five teams league-wide are responsible for fewer passing yards per contest (187.1). It should come as no surprise that teams have scored seven more touchdowns through the air against Tampa Bay than they have against the Broncos.
For Hopkins, this will be his true test as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs. Unfortunately for him, first-team All-Pro cornerback Pat Surtain II is ready to have a go at the veteran. Will Hopkins be able to hold his own? Sunday’s AFC West duel will answer that question.
At the recent GitHub Universe, Microsoft announced new capabilities and tools that further integrate Microsoft Azure AI services directly into developer tools like GitHub and VS Code.
These innovations stem from the company’s mission to create AI-enhanced, end-to-end development environments with robust support from the developer community. With new features in GitHub Copilot for Azure and VS Code, developers can now integrate AI within their existing workflows.
In a LinkedIn post, Spencer Reynolds, a Product Designer Leader at Microsoft, commented on the features:
This is part of the Copilot ecosystem, aiming specifically to enable users the ability to interact with Azure, viewing resources, spinning up additional resources, etc.
Among the announcements, GitHub Copilot for Azure offers developers tailored, context-aware guidance directly within GitHub and VS Code. Using the “@azure” command, developers can now access personalized support for managing resources, deploying applications, and troubleshooting. This feature, which expands upon GitHub Copilot’s existing AI chat capabilities, promises to simplify resource provisioning and streamline application deployment through Azure Developer CLI (azd) templates, helping developers focus on core tasks while Copilot handles background processes and cost-management inquiries.
In addition, to cut down development time, Microsoft has introduced AI App Templates for accelerated deployment. These templates enable developers to jumpstart projects with pre-designed frameworks and components across multiple environments, including GitHub Codespaces, VS Code, and Visual Studio. The templates offer flexibility, supporting popular programming languages, models, and frameworks from leading AI tool providers such as Arize, LangChain, and Pinecone. With these tools, developers can easily integrate key security measures, such as Managed Identity and keyless authentication, into their applications, speeding up development while ensuring robust data protection.
Kristen Womack, a Principal Product Manager of Azure Developer CLI, writes in an Azure SDK blog post about AI App Templates:
This collection includes fully working applications complete with app code, AI features, infrastructure as code (IaC), configurable CI/CD pipelines with GitHub Actions, and an application architecture ready to deploy to Azure. It also includes smaller templates that are building blocks hosting just a component you need, like keyless authentication or IaC.
To support AI model experimentation and customization, GitHub Models, now in preview, integrates Azure AI’s extensive model library directly within the GitHub Marketplace. This feature allows developers to compare and experiment with various models for diverse applications, including proprietary and open-source options. Developers can test model performance and functionality in real-time, adjusting and scaling their use from free tiers to enterprise-level production environments with Azure’s secure tokenized infrastructure.
Addressing the often cumbersome process of updating Java runtimes, GitHub Copilot now includes an upgrade assistant specifically for Java. This tool guides developers through each step of runtime upgrades, helping ensure compatibility with frameworks like Spring Boot and JUnit. It leverages AI to resolve potential conflicts, creating an efficient and transparent upgrade experience that minimizes the manual labor typically involved in updating Java applications.
Nick Zhu, a Senior Program Manager at Microsoft, writes in a Microsoft for Java Developers blog post:
In this preview experience, the GitHub Copilot upgrade assistant for Java will analyze your project and work with you to specify things such as parameters like JDK and Maven paths, a feature branch name and more. It will further assess your project for dependencies like Spring Boot and unit test frameworks like JUnit too. You can optionally select to generate a GitHub issue, where a record of the tasks in the proposal and plan will be copied.
Finally, Microsoft has also expanded its capabilities for A/B testing and CI/CD workflows, enabling organizations to evaluate AI applications at scale. With the Azure AI Evaluation SDK and GitHub Actions integration, developers can run continuous performance evaluations and A/B experiments, ensuring that AI models perform optimally in real-world environments. The integration supports coherence and fluency metrics and can provide custom insights for improved decision-making, making it easier for developers to manage and enhance application performance.
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– Rob Van Dam made a surprise appearance on Tuesday’s NXT, held at the iconic former ECW Arena, stepping in to assist Je’Von Evans during his match against Wes Lee. The night took an unexpected turn when Lee launched an attack on RVD backstage before the match. Despite the assault, Van Dam managed to make his way to the ring mid-match, creating enough of a distraction for Evans to capitalize and secure the victory.
After the show, a fan took to social media expressing their wish to see RVD compete, to which the wrestling legend responded, “Me too. But I’ll be back.” This message sparked excitement among fans, hinting at the possibility of more from RVD in the future.
– Mercedes Mone’ says she was born to be the savior of Women’s Wrestling and be known as the best ever
“I was born to be the best. I was born to have this purpose of leading a charge of making sure that women’s wrestling is known and respected and it deserves the respect that it’s given. So just leaning on the standard that I put for myself, I’m here to be the best, to show the world that I’m the best, and I’m here to bring the women along with me!”
CLEVELAND – The AHL’s Cleveland Monsters, top affiliate of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, announced Friday that the Monsters signed forward Roman Ahcan to an AHL contract for the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign. In nine appearances for the Monsters this season, Ahcan registered 7-1-8 with six penalty minutes and a +2 rating while playing on a professional tryout (PTO) contract. Ahcan currently ranks tied for fourth in the AHL in goals this year.
A 5’9″, 170 lb. left-shooting native of Savage, MN, Ahcan, 25, supplied 27-24-51 with 101 penalty minutes in 155 career AHL appearances, all for Cleveland, spanning parts of four seasons from 2021-24. Prior to his professional career, Ahcan supplied 34-40-74 with 243 penalty minutes and a +3 rating in 130 career NCAA appearances for the University of Wisconsin spanning four seasons from 2018-22, helping the Badgers claim the 2020-21 Big Ten Regular Season Championship. Ahcan also notched 15-23-38 with 63 penalty minutes and a +13 rating in 59 appearances for the USHL’s Cedar Rapids RoughRiders during the 2017-18 season.
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
The following results were written by Josh Nason and F4WOnline.com:
Hikaru Shida defeated Viva Van
Shida picked up the win after hitting a Falcon Arrow. This was both her first appearance and win in AEW since a mid-September episode of Rampage.
Undisputed Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) defeated Dark Order (John Silver & Alex Reynolds) and The Infantry (Shawn Dean & Carlie Bravo) (w/ Shane Taylor, Lee Moriarty and Trish Adora) in a three-way
Taven and Bennett got the pin on Reynolds after hitting their double-team finisher. After the match, Brian Cage came out to distract Taven and Bennett which led to Lance Archer attacking both men from behind. The heels dealt out a beatdown and left them both laying. After a few minutes, Roderick Strong then ran out and got the advantage on both guys, leading to Bennett and Taven recovering. The faces then sent the heels packing.
This was Dean & Bravo’s first AEW appearance since a Rampage match this past June. They joined Shane Taylor Promotions on last week’s ROH TV.
Top Flight (w/ Leila Grey and Action Andretti) defeated JD Drake & Beef
Darius and Dante Martin picked up the win after hitting their combo leg sweep/DDT on Beef. All four men were shaking hands afterward when Lio Rush came out and exchanged some words with the Top Flight crew.
Lio Rush defeated Komander (w/ Alex Abrahantes)
This was a rematch from their late-October bout that Komander won. This was fine, but the crowd had mainly left by the time this started which didn’t help. There were lots of near falls near the end, but the end came when Rush hit his rope-assisted stunner and frog splash to get the win. Afterward, Rush shook Komander’s hand and showed respect.
Afterward, Taven and Bennett (both New England locals with Taven hailing originally from Derry which is 15 minutes away from Manchester) came back out to send the crowd home happy.
Pre-show dark matches:
Satnam Singh (w/ Jay Lethal) defeated Colt Cabana Nyla Rose defeated Lydia Ring of Honor (pre-show):
MongoDB (MDB) closed at $290.04 in the latest trading session, marking a -1.39% move from the prior day. The stock fell short of the S&P 500, which registered a gain of 0.38% for the day. Elsewhere, the Dow gained 0.59%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq added 0.09%.
Shares of the database platform have appreciated by 0.49% over the course of the past month, underperforming the Computer and Technology sector’s gain of 7.11% and the S&P 500’s gain of 4.9%.
Market participants will be closely following the financial results of MongoDB in its upcoming release. It is anticipated that the company will report an EPS of $0.69, marking a 28.13% fall compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Meanwhile, our latest consensus estimate is calling for revenue of $495.23 million, up 14.39% from the prior-year quarter.
MDB’s full-year Zacks Consensus Estimates are calling for earnings of $2.43 per share and revenue of $1.93 billion. These results would represent year-over-year changes of -27.03% and +14.48%, respectively.
Investors should also note any recent changes to analyst estimates for MongoDB. These latest adjustments often mirror the shifting dynamics of short-term business patterns. With this in mind, we can consider positive estimate revisions a sign of optimism about the company’s business outlook.
Research indicates that these estimate revisions are directly correlated with near-term share price momentum. To take advantage of this, we’ve established the Zacks Rank, an exclusive model that considers these estimated changes and delivers an operational rating system.
Ranging from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), the Zacks Rank system has a proven, outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks returning an average of +25% annually since 1988. Over the past month, there’s been a 2% rise in the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. MongoDB is holding a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) right now.
Investors should also note MongoDB’s current valuation metrics, including its Forward P/E ratio of 121.15. This denotes a premium relative to the industry’s average Forward P/E of 32.57.
We can also see that MDB currently has a PEG ratio of 11.65. This metric is used similarly to the famous P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also takes into account the stock’s expected earnings growth rate. MDB’s industry had an average PEG ratio of 2.5 as of yesterday’s close.
The Internet – Software industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector. Currently, this industry holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 59, positioning it in the top 24% of all 250+ industries.
In a pivotal moment for both legal and football landscapes, Benjamin Mendy recently secured a significant win against Manchester City in an employment tribunal. This decision has raised critical questions about football contracts, player rights, and the responsibilities of clubs during ongoing criminal proceedings. Mendy, who sought compensation for unpaid wages, successfully argued that City unlawfully withheld payments from 2021 to 2023, following his suspension and the criminal allegations against him.
Mendy’s Claims and City’s Response
Mendy’s employment tribunal focused on City’s decision to stop his wages after charges of multiple counts of rape and one of sexual assault emerged. Cleared of all charges in 2023, Mendy argued that the club’s choice to cut off his salary violated contractual obligations. As Mendy shared, the loss of income left him in financial distress, claiming he “very nearly went bankrupt” and struggled to “pay child support,” relying on teammates’ financial support.
Photo: IMAGO
Manchester City, however, contended that Mendy’s suspension was justifiable due to his alleged “self-destructive” lifestyle, as Judge Joanne Dunlop’s ruling highlighted. The club insisted that Mendy’s behaviour created “full impediments,” preventing him from fulfilling his contract.
Legal Grounds for the Ruling
Judge Dunlop’s decision, which awarded Mendy £8.5 million of his £11 million claim, stemmed from the absence of specific terms in Mendy’s contract allowing City to halt payments during an FA suspension or amid court-imposed bail conditions. The judgment deemed Mendy “ready and willing” to work for most of the time City withheld his wages, with the only exceptions being his custodial periods.
As sports lawyer Nick De Marco KC, representing Mendy, argued, there was “nothing in his contract” that justified City’s decision to stop payment. Judge Dunlop emphasized this point, noting, “In those circumstances, and absent any authorisation in the contract for the employer to withhold pay, he was entitled to be paid.”
This verdict illustrates a legal principle that clubs must be cautious in navigating player suspensions, especially in situations where allegations are unproven. It highlights that employment contracts need precise language if clubs wish to withhold salaries during similar circumstances.
Wider Implications for Football Contracts
This ruling has potential consequences for football clubs beyond Manchester City. Dan Chapman, a partner at Leathes Prior, explained to The Athletic, “Clubs are already aware there are very, very limited circumstances in which they can not pay a player… the unusual feature of the case isn’t the outcome, it’s the fact City didn’t pay Mendy.” This case could prompt other clubs to re-evaluate their contracts, especially if the FA can impose suspensions that prevent players from participating without a criminal conviction.
Chapman suggested that clubs, especially those lower in the league hierarchy, may feel vulnerable if faced with suspending players based on criminal accusations without a final conviction. The FA might be pressured to consider covering wages during suspensions, particularly when players maintain their innocence.
Furthermore, the ruling may instigate a broader industry discussion regarding contractual updates to account for such scenarios. As it stands, however, the Players’ Association (PFA) is unlikely to support any amendments that reduce protections for players.
City’s Options Moving Forward
Manchester City’s next steps remain uncertain. While some speculate that the club may appeal the tribunal’s decision, Chapman noted that any successful appeal would require a solid legal basis, which may be difficult to establish given the specific findings in Mendy’s favor. Without substantial grounds, any appeal could face challenges.
City’s silence on the ruling leaves open questions on whether it will alter its contracts in the future to prevent similar disputes. As clubs and players reflect on this outcome, legal experts believe that this case may shape how teams handle suspended players and unpaid wages in future scenarios.
Our View – EPL Index Analysis
From a Manchester City fan’s perspective, the Mendy tribunal outcome evokes mixed reactions. While his legal victory highlights the complexities of balancing player rights with club responsibilities, fans might feel City has acted within reason given Mendy’s lifestyle choices and legal troubles. This decision might seem unfair for supporters, who may perceive the club’s stance as one rooted in accountability, only for City to now face financial consequences.
Moreover, this ruling stirs deeper concerns over the financial risks clubs face when players encounter legal issues, regardless of guilt or innocence. If the FA can suspend players during protracted criminal proceedings, should they share the financial burden? Fans may ponder if the club was justified in its approach, aiming to protect its values amid serious accusations. For Manchester City, Mendy’s case reveals the intricate balancing act of ensuring legal, moral, and financial obligations align—an issue that many supporters will follow closely as the sport evolves in handling complex player situations.
The DeKalb County Jail, which currently houses over 1,900 prisoners is sealing all cell windows, citing prisoner safety, health concerns about winter approaching, and stopping the flow of contraband items.
Broken cell windows throughout the facility, reportedly damaged by people inside, will now be sealed with metal panels.
Just the Facts: Sheriff Melody Maddox cited “deliberate inmate vandalism” as the reason for the move. Damaged windows have raised concerns about both security and inmate health as temperatures drop. The Sheriff’s Office announced that:
• All broken cell windows will be covered with impenetrable metal panels to shield cells from the cold and prevent further breaches.
• Any additional damage to cell windows will result in similar coverings to prevent further issues.
• Upgraded, tamper-resistant, and energy-efficient lighting is being installed in cells to improve the facility’s lighting and security.
The Details: Sheriff Maddox said the situation poses serious risks, as open windows compromise the facility’s ability to heat the cells effectively, putting those inside at risk.
Additionally, broken windows have reportedly been used to bring contraband—such as cigarettes, drugs, and cellphones—into the jail, further fueling security concerns. By sealing damaged windows, the jail hopes to curb the flow of prohibited items and improve heating efficiency as temperatures continue to drop.
In Context: This action comes as the DeKalb County Jail, a facility over 30 years old, faces mounting challenges due to outdated infrastructure and increasing maintenance needs. Security concerns linked to contraband smuggling have been ongoing, as other jails across the region also contend with similar issues linked to window damage and aging facilities.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist with 25-years experience in journalism. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is the publisher of The Georgia Sun and a fifth-generation Georgian.
TechCrunch was proud to host MongoDB at Disrupt 2024in San Francisco. Here’s an overview of their AI Stage session.
The next generation of business applications will have AI as a user — powering AI agents for customer services, recommendations for online shoppers, anomaly detection for business analysts, etc. This means that businesses must re-architect their applications to be AI-native. To effectively deploy and leverage AI in these applications, businesses need to optimize for data accuracy and bring together structured and unstructured data. This AI Stage talk with Steve Jones and Will Shulman covered how Capgemini and MongoDB are helping accelerate this next generation of data-powered application.
Speakers
Steve Jones, EVP, Data Driven Business and GenAI, Capgemini
Botswana President Duma Boko Set to Legalize Undocumented Zimbabweans By Granting Them Temporary Work and Residence Permits
In a groundbreaking move, Botswana’s newly elected president, Duma Boko, has announced plans to provide temporary work and residence permits to undocumented Zimbabweans in the country.
Duma Boko, who recently made history by unseating Botswana’s ruling party of 58 years, shared his vision for the policy change during an interview with the BBC Africa Daily podcast.
The initiative is intended to address both the challenges and opportunities posed by Zimbabweans living in Botswana, many of whom have fled economic hardships in their home country.
Aiming to Formalize Zimbabwean Presence in Botswana
President Boko, 54, emphasized the need for an organized system to legalize the presence of Zimbabweans.
He acknowledged that while many Zimbabweans work in low-wage roles, such as domestic and farm labour, their undocumented status limits their access to basic amenities and often drives them to live outside the law.
“They come in and are undocumented. Then their access to amenities is limited, if it is available at all, and what they then do is they live outside the law and they commit crimes – and this brings resentment.
So what we need to do is to formalise, have a proper arrangement that recognises that people from Zimbabwe are already here,” President Duma Boko said.
Botswana President Duma Boko Set to Legalize Undocumented Zimbabweans (Image Credit: The Habari Network)
President Boko highlighted how a lot of Zimbabwean migrants in Botswana take on jobs that local citizens often find undesirable.
“A lot of these workers from Zimbabwe perform tasks that the citizen finds unattractive… they do jobs that would otherwise not get done, and so there’s no conflict there,” Duma Boko said
Economic Integration and Skills Development
Boko’s plan aims to not only address labour shortages but also foster skills development among local citizens. He highlighted the opportunity for Batswana to learn essential skills, such as welding and plumbing, from Zimbabwean workers.
“In any and every construction site in Botswana, the majority of people with those skills are from Zimbabwe, so we need to do a twin programme of allowing them to come in and we utilise the skills that they have, and in the process of utilising these skills we also engage in some sort of skills transfer,” he said.
Boko further explained that blocking skilled workers from entering Botswana would hinder the country’s growth, particularly in industries where there are skill shortages.
“We can’t stop people with skills from coming in when we don’t have the skills ourselves – we need to develop these skills and it takes time, so in the interregnum, we need to have them come in properly, come in legally and be rewarded appropriately for the skills that they bring,” he added.
