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By MIKE CATALINI CHATHAM, N.J. (AP) — That buzzing coming out of New Jersey? It’s unclear if it’s drones or something else, but for sure the nighttime sightings are producing tons of talk, a raft of conspiracy theories and craned necks looking skyward. Cropping up on local news and social media sites around Thanksgiving, the saga of the drones reported over New Jersey has reached incredible heights. This week seems to have begun a new, higher-profile chapter: Lawmakers are demanding (but so far not getting) explanations from federal and state authorities about what’s behind them. Gov. Phil Murphy wrote to President Joe Biden asking for answers. New Jersey’s new senator, Andy Kim, spent Thursday night on a drone hunt in rural northern New Jersey, and posted about it on X. But perhaps the most fantastic development is the dizzying proliferation of conspiracies — none of which has been confirmed or suggested by federal and state officials who say they’re looking into what’s happening. It has become shorthand to refer to the flying machines as drones, but there are questions about whether what people are seeing are unmanned aircraft or something else. Some theorize the drones came from an Iranian mothership. Others think they are the Secret Service making sure President-elect Donald Trump’s Bedminster property is secure. Others worry about China. The deep state. And on. In the face of uncertainty, people have done what they do in 2024: Create a social media group. The Facebook page, New Jersey Mystery Drones — let’s solve it , has nearly 44,000 members, up from 39,000 late Thursday. People are posting their photo and video sightings, and the online commenters take it from there. One video shows a whitish light flying in a darkened sky, and one commenter concludes it’s otherworldly. “Straight up orbs,” the person says. Others weigh in to say it’s a plane or maybe a satellite. Another group called for hunting the drones literally, shooting them down like turkeys. (Do not shoot at anything in the sky, experts warn.) Trisha Bushey, 48, of Lebanon Township, New Jersey, lives near Round Valley Reservoir where there have been numerous sightings. She said she first posted photos online last month wondering what the objects were and became convinced they were drones when she saw how they moved and when her son showed her on a flight tracking site that no planes were around. Now she’s glued to the Mystery Drones page, she said. “I find myself — instead of Christmas shopping or cleaning my house — checking it,” she said. She doesn’t buy what the governor said, that the drones aren’t a risk to public safety. Murphy told Biden on Friday that residents need answers. The federal Homeland Security Department and FBI also said in a joint statement they have no evidence that the sightings pose “a national security or public safety threat or have a foreign nexus.” “How can you say it’s not posing a threat if you don’t know what it is?” she said. “I think that’s why so many people are uneasy.” Then there’s the notion that people could misunderstand what they’re seeing. William Austin is the president of Warren County Community College, which has a drone technology degree program, and is coincidentally located in one of the sighting hotspots. Austin says he has looked at videos of purported drones and that airplanes are being misidentified as drones. He cited an optical effect called parallax, which is the apparent shift of an object when viewed from different perspectives. Austin encouraged people to download flight and drone tracker apps so they can better understand what they’re looking at. Nonetheless, people continue to come up with their own theories. “It represents the United States of America in 2024,” Austin said. “We’ve lost trust in our institutions, and we need it.” Federal officials echo Austin’s view that many of the sightings are piloted aircraft such as planes and helicopters being mistaken for drones, according to lawmakers and Murphy. That’s not really convincing for many, though, who are homing in on the sightings beyond just New Jersey and the East Coast, where others have reported seeing the objects. For Seph Divine, 34, another member of the drone hunting group who lives in Eugene, Oregon, it feels as if it’s up to citizen sleuths to solve the mystery. He said he tries to be a voice of reason, encouraging people to fact check their information, while also asking probing questions. “My main goal is I don’t want people to be caught up in the hysteria and I also want people to not just ignore it at the same time,” he said. “Whether or not it’s foreign military or some secret access program or something otherworldly, whatever it is, all I’m saying is it’s alarming that this is happening so suddenly and so consistently for hours at a time,” he added. Associated Press reporter Hallie Golden in Seattle contributed to this report.

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Senate Republicans recommended on Friday that the state write laws banning transgender girls and women from participating in high school and college sports, setting the stage for action in the 2025 legislative session. The vote by a committee that was studying the issue is hardly a surprise. Lt. Gov. Burt Jones — a possible Republican contender for governor in 2026 — announced almost identical goals at the panel's first meeting in August . It’s an issue that’s already been addressed in Georgia. Legislators in 2022 empowered the Georgia High School Association to regulate transgender students' participation in sports. The association, which regulates sports and activities for all public schools and some private schools, then banned transgender boys and girls from playing on the school sports teams matching their gender identity. Jones and others argue that doesn't go far enough and that lawmakers themselves need to act. It's a sign Republicans believe there is more political gain in fears about transgender women playing women’s sports or using women’s bathrooms. At least 26 mostly Republican states have passed laws or rules to restrict transgender girls from participating high school sports and, in some cases, transgender women from college sports , according to the Movement Advancement Project, a gay rights group. In Georgia, additional action appears more likely now after House Speaker Jon Burns and Gov. Brian Kemp, both Republicans, have voiced support for further legislation. Jeff Graham, executive director of the LGBTQ+ advocacy group Georgia Equality, said his group is playing defense, concerned about the possibility of other bills that could further restrict gender-affirming care or ban transgender people from using public bathrooms that match their gender identity. “We’re expecting that it’ll be at least what we saw in 2023 and 2024, with the number of bills and more than likely laws,” Graham told reporters Friday. But Burns, from Newington, has said he's not interested in other bills dealing with transgender people besides those dealing with girls' and women's sports. Republican State Sen. Greg Dolezal, of Cumming, who led the Senate study committee, said Friday that he, too, is not interested in a broader bill regulating bathroom usage, although his committee recommended that schools that host sporting events require athletes to use locker rooms based on their assigned sex at birth. Dolezal said senators would seek to write legislation that regulated public schools and colleges, as well as private institutions that compete against public schools and colleges. The committee also recommends that people be able to sue or file grievances if schools break the rules, and that state money be withheld from schools that break the rules. Supporters of more action have focused on the 2022 NCAA women’s swimming championships at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, where Lia Thomas, a transgender woman, swam for the University of Pennsylvania and won the 500-meter freestyle . The NCAA has since revised its policy on transgender women’s participation, saying it will follow the rules of respective athletics federations. World Aquatics, the swimming governing body, banned transgender women who have been through male puberty from competing in women’s races. That means Thomas wouldn’t be allowed to swim in NCAA events today. “My basic contention that this is a solution in search of a problem remains,” Graham said. He said he fears that many people who oppose laws that seek to restrict transgender people will be afraid to testify and lobby at the Georgia Capitol, citing assault charges against a man accused of shaking U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace in a Capitol office building in Washington, D.C. Dolezal repeatedly tried to turn down the emotional temperature of the issue on Friday. “I think that there’s a group of people that wants to be respected and I think that they deserve respect,” Dolezal told reporters. “But I also think that you can be respectful, but also recognize that in the sporting arena, fairness and competition is important.”

Within 20 minutes of the doors opening to VIPs for the first day of Art Basel Miami Beach on the morning on December 4, collector Komal Shah had already bought a painting by Vivien Zhang. Standing with Zhang’s dealer, Pilar Corrias, Shah noted it would be only her first purchase of the day. She had been sent previews by other galleries, and “I have some things I’m very attached to already”. As hordes of collectors seeped through security into the fair’s aisles throughout the day, it seemed a similarly acquisitive sentiment – not seen in the art market for almost two years – was back. “ People sat on the sidelines for 18 months,” said art adviser Candace Worth. “They watched their stock portfolio go up, they’ve got some cash. They’re ready to buy.”Serbian List Set To Appeal Kosovar Election Commission's Decision Barring It From February Election

President-elect Donald Trump has chosen health economist Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates, to lead the National Institutes of Health, the nation's leading medical research agency. Trump, in a statement Tuesday evening, said Bhattacharya, a 56-year-old physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, will work in cooperation with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., his pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, "to direct the Nation’s Medical Research, and to make important discoveries that will improve Health, and save lives.” “Together, Jay and RFK Jr. will restore the NIH to a Gold Standard of Medical Research as they examine the underlying causes of, and solutions to, America’s biggest Health challenges, including our Crisis of Chronic Illness and Disease," he wrote. The decision to choose Bhattacharya for the post is yet another reminder of the ongoing impact of the COVID pandemic on the politics on public health. Bhattacharya was one of three authors of the Great Barrington Declaration, an October 2020 open letter maintaining that lockdowns were causing irreparable harm. The document — which came before the availability of COVID-19 vaccines and during the first Trump administration — promoted “herd immunity,” the idea that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. Protection should focus instead on people at higher risk, the document said. “I think the lockdowns were the single biggest public health mistake,” Bhattacharya said in March 2021 during a panel discussion convened by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. The Great Barrington Declaration was embraced by some in the first Trump administration, even as it was widely denounced by disease experts. Then- NIH director Dr. Francis Collins called it dangerous and “not mainstream science.” His nomination would need to be approved by the Senate. Trump on Tuesday also announced that Jim O’Neill, a former HHS official, will serve as deputy secretary of the sprawling agency. Trump said O’Neill “will oversee all operations and improve Management, Transparency, and Accountability to, Make America Healthy Again,” the president-elect announced. O’Neill is the only one of Trump’s health picks so far who brings previous experience working inside the bureaucracy to the job. Trump’s previous choices to lead public health agencies — including Kennedy, Dr. Mehmet Oz for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator and Dr. Marty Makary for Food and Drug Administration commissioner — have all been Washington outsiders who are vowing to shake up the agencies. Bhattacharya, who faced restrictions on social media platforms because of his views, was also a plaintiff in Murthy v. Missouri, a Supreme Court case contending that federal officials improperly suppressed conservative views on social media as part of their efforts to combat misinformation. The Supreme Court sided with the Biden administration in that case. After Elon Musk acquired Twitter in 2022, he invited Bhattacharya to the company's headquarters to learn more about how his views had been restricted on the platform, which Musk renamed X. More recently, Bhattacharya has posted on X about scientists leaving the site and joining the alternative site Bluesky, mocking Bluesky as "their own little echo chamber.” Bhattacharya has argued that vaccine mandates that barred unvaccinated people from activities and workplaces undermined Americans' trust in the public health system. He is a former research fellow at the Hoover Institution and an economist at the RAND Corporation. The National Institutes of Health falls under HHS, which Trump has nominated Kennedy to oversee. The NIH's $48 billion budget funds medical research on vaccines, cancer and other diseases through competitive grants to researchers at institutions across the nation. The agency also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at NIH labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Among advances that were supported by NIH money are a medication for opioid addiction, a vaccine to prevent cervical cancer, many new cancer drugs and the speedy development of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. ___ Associated Press writers Jill Colvin and Amanda Seitz contributed to this report.

AP News Summary at 5:17 p.m. ESTDIY Home Improvement Market in Europe to Grow by USD 48.33 Billion (2024-2028), Driven by Rising DIY Project Interest, with AI Redefining Market Landscape - TechnavioThe 250 delegates at the recent Human Resource Management Association of Jamaica (HRMAJ) 44th annual leadership conference agreed that members had a significant role to play in Jamaica realising its goals under Vision 2030. This included developing a thriving work place, so as to achieve each employee’s fullest potential and a secure, just and cohesive society, in order for the Jamaican economy to be prosperous. The conference, held on November 14 and 15 at the AC Marriott Hotel in Kingston, focused on helping leaders and human resource management practitioners to better understand that their contribution is critical to organisational and national development. The two-day conference was under the theme “HR Revolution: Navigating The Future...2030 and Beyond.” Among the key topics covered were the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI); diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI); work-life integration; work place flexibility, as well human-centric and adaptive leadership in navigating current and future complexities of a rapidly evolving work force. Attendees benefitted from future-focused discussions on emerging human resource trends and practices; expected challenges; strategies and opportunities to review real-world examples and success stories from local and international organisations. “HRMAJ is committed to elevating the ‘people profession’, which has expanded beyond what we typically once knew as the HR functions,” said HRMAJ President Dr Cassida Jones Johnson, Independent Executive Consultant with over 20 years’ experience in strategic human resource, talent management, people engagement and executive coaching. “With other roles emerging in preparation for the future workplace, which has been changing in definition, the significance of upskilling and reskilling in the field in preparation for the role and impact of AI provide opportunities to transition administrative functions and areas such as culture, engagement and human-centric leadership at the forefront of all organisations,” she continued. “In fact, our 44th conference has raised the anchor for navigating the seas ahead, with opportunities to collaborate with other associations across the region and in developed countries.” Conference Chair Dr Lois Parkes, Leadership Development Institutional Specialist for the Caribbean Centre for Development Administration, noted: “Conference 44 was a huge success, as it created the platform for deep discussions on critical human resource and leadership policy challenges affecting both the private and public sectors. Going forward, HRMAJ will continue to provide an avenue for further dialogue, policy guidance and capacity building to empower work organisations to address these challenges head on.” To encourage work-life balance, the delegates were treated to representations of Jamaica’s rich cultural heritage of film and comedy through the showing of the six winning films of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) Short Film Competition 2024, the Laugh Lab and open mic with comedians Elias Fennell and Christopher ‘Johnny’ Daley. There was also a wellness component by fitness advocate Shani McGraham-Shirley, who conducted exercise sessions. The conference was supported by such sponsors as Caribbeanjobs.com; Securys (Jamaica) Limited; HEART/NSTA Trust; Management Institute for National Development (MIND); National Housing Trust (NHT) and John Galt Insurance Brokers Limited. Exhibitors included: Dale Carnegie Training; Jamaica Stock Exchange e-Campus; Bioregeneration Integrated Medical Centre; Allied Insurance Brokers & GK Mutual Funds; Mona School of Business; Gift Tech Limited; University of Technology Jamaica (UTECH), Return on Investment Consulting (ROIC) Limited; Orbit360 & Roar Unleashed and Caribbean HR Solutions. Through advocacy, policy guidance and world-class training in many areas of human resource and leadership to build capacity, competencies and credibility for people professionals and emerging leaders, HRMAJ remains committed to promoting organisational growth, enhancing human capital development and increasing workforce productivity. The association may be reached through website www.hrmaj.org.

Something to look forward to: Dual monitors are quite common in desktop setups these days, but enjoying the same experience on the go has rarely been an option. However, a new product from Minisforum – a portable monitor that unfolds into two screens – could change that. The MDSA156 is a unique portable monitor that unfolds to reveal two 15.6-inch 1080p IPS displays connected by a 315-degree hinge. The bottom screen includes a built-in kickstand, allowing you to prop it up in various orientations and angles to suit your needs. Weighing just 2.2 pounds, it's impressively lightweight for a dual-screen setup. With dual USB-C ports and an HDMI input, the MDSA156 easily connects to laptops, tablets, or even smartphones, providing a quick and convenient way to expand your screen real estate on the go. The monitor also features stereo speakers and consumes up to 30 watts of power, though actual power usage is typically lower than the advertised maximum. Minisforum highlights a variety of use cases, including office work, business meetings, stock analysis, gaming, travel, and online courses. Promotional graphics showcase versatile configurations, such as vertically stacking the dual screens to mimic a larger monitor, angling them apart for easier sharing between two users, or folding them completely flat for single-screen use when needed. Additionally, the company emphasizes that the monitor's unique design promotes ergonomic comfort, reducing neck strain during prolonged use and supporting a more natural posture for reading and typing. The package does come with some compromises. The 250-nit peak brightness and limited 45 percent NTSC color gamut (equivalent to roughly 100 percent sRGB) make it less suitable for professional photo or video editing or other color-critical work. That said, at $231, the MDSA156 offers an affordable price point for a unique dual-screen form factor. While it may not replace a full desktop monitor setup, it's an ingenious solution for digital nomads looking to boost productivity and multitasking without adding significant bulk to their gear. However, if your workflow involves graphically intensive tasks and requires high color accuracy, you might consider alternatives like the Edge 4K OLED Ultralight Portable Magnetic Monitor. This model boasts 100 percent DCI-P3 color gamut coverage, 10-bit color support, and a peak brightness of 400 nits, making it ideal for professional-grade work.

WASHINGTON (AP) — American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide Tuesday because of a technical problem just as the Christmas travel season kicked into overdrive and winter weather threatened more potential problems for those planning to fly or drive. Government regulators cleared American flights to get airborne about an hour after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a national ground stop for the airline. The order, which prevented planes from taking off, was issued at the airline's request. The airline said in an email that the problem was caused by trouble with vendor technology that maintains its flight operating system. Dennis Tajer, a spokesperson for the Allied Pilots Association, a union representing American Airlines pilots, said the airline told pilots at 7 a.m. Eastern that there was an outage affecting the system known as FOS. It handles different types of airline operations, including dispatch, flight planning, passenger boarding, as well as an airplane's weight and balance data, he said. Some components of FOS have gone down in the past, but a systemwide outage is rare, Tajer said. Hours after the ground stop was lifted, Tajer said the union had not heard about any “chaos out there beyond just the normal heavy travel day.” He said officials were watching for any cascading effects, such as staffing problems. Flights were delayed across American's major hubs, with only 37% leaving on time, according to Cirium, an aviation analytics company. Out of the 3,901 domestic and international American Airlines flights scheduled for Tuesday, 19 were canceled. Cirium noted that the vast majority of flights were departing within two hours of their scheduled departure time. A similar percentage — 36% — were arriving at their destinations as scheduled. Meanwhile, the flight-tracking site FlightAware reported that 3,712 flights entering or leaving the U.S., or serving domestic destinations, were delayed Tuesday, with 55 flights canceled. It did not show any flights from American Airlines. Cirium said Dallas-Fort Worth, New York’s Kennedy Airport and Charlotte, North Carolina, saw the greatest number of delays. Washington, Chicago and Miami experienced considerably fewer delays. Amid the travel problems, significant rain and snow were expected in the Pacific Northwest at least into Christmas Day. Showers and thunderstorms were developing in the South. Freezing rain was reported in the Mid-Atlantic region near Baltimore and Washington, and snow fell in New York. Because the holiday travel period lasts weeks, airports and airlines typically have smaller peak days than they do during the rush around Thanksgiving, but the grind of one hectic day followed by another takes a toll on flight crews. And any hiccups — a winter storm or a computer outage — can snowball into massive disruptions. That is how Southwest Airlines stranded 2 million travelers in December 2022, and Delta Air Lines suffered a smaller but significant meltdown after a worldwide technology outage in July caused by a faulty software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike. Many flights during the holidays are sold out, which makes cancellations even more disruptive than during slower periods. That is especially true for smaller budget airlines that have fewer flights and fewer options for rebooking passengers. Only the largest airlines, including American, Delta and United, have “interline agreements” that let them put stranded customers on another carrier’s flights. This will be the first holiday season since a Transportation Department rule took effect that requires airlines to give customers an automatic cash refund for a canceled or significantly delayed flight. Most air travelers were already eligible for refunds, but they often had to request them. Passengers still can ask to get rebooked, which is often a better option than a refund during peak travel periods. That’s because finding a last-minute flight on another airline tends to be expensive. An American spokesperson said Tuesday was not a peak travel day for the airline — with about 2,000 fewer flights than the busiest days — so the airline had somewhat of a buffer to manage the delays. The groundings happened as millions of travelers were expected to fly over the next 10 days. The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen 40 million passengers through Jan. 2. Airlines expect to have their busiest days on Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Many flights during the holidays are sold out, which makes cancellations more disruptive than during slower periods. Even with just a brief outage, the cancellations have a cascading effect that can take days to clear up. About 90% of Americans traveling far from home over the holidays will be in cars, according to AAA. “Airline travel is just really high right now, but most people do drive to their destinations, and that is true for every holiday,” AAA spokesperson Aixa Diaz said. Gasoline prices are similar to last year. The nationwide average Thursday was $3.04 a gallon, down from $3.13 a year ago, according to AAA. Charging an electric vehicle averages just under 35 cents per per kilowatt hour, but varies by state. Transportation-data firm INRIX says travel times on the nation’s highways could be up to 30% longer than normal over the holidays, with Sunday expected to see the heaviest traffic. Boston, New York City, Seattle and Washington are the metropolitan areas primed for the greatest delays, according to the company. —— Associated Press writers David Koenig, Mae Anderson and Mike Pesoli contributed to this report.

GlobalFoundries confirms $1.5 billion award from the US Chips and Science ActLaced Bakes Launches the Dank Decadence Cookie Cake: The Ultimate Luxury Treat That DeliversOWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Asked if there was any special meaning to playing on Christmas for a second straight season, Lamar Jackson paused for several seconds before answering. That said it all. “I mean, it is,” he finally replied, trying to be diplomatic. “That means we're good, but at the same time, I do want to celebrate at home sometimes with my family now. I don't want to be playing on Christmas all the time — not all the time.” That sentiment seemed common among the Baltimore Ravens players this week as they prepared for their second consecutive Christmas road game. Jackson and his teammates will face the Houston Texans on Wednesday. Earlier in the day, the Kansas City Chiefs play at Pittsburgh. Games on Christmas aren't new to the NFL. The Miami Dolphins famously beat the Chiefs in a playoff game on Dec. 25, 1971 — a double-overtime classic that still holds the record for the NFL's longest game. In 2020, New Orleans running back Alvin Kamara tied an NFL record with six touchdowns in a game when the Saints beat Minnesota on Christmas. Lately, however, the league has been much more aggressive about scheduling games on Christmas. There were three last year on a Monday, and this week there are two. The four teams in action this Wednesday all played this past Saturday, giving them a little more time to prepare. But each is still wrapping up a stretch of three games in 11 games. And for Baltimore and Kansas City — the teams spending the holiday on the road — this means a bit of a scramble to find time to celebrate with loved ones. “Santa hasn’t come yet, but as far as my family, we traded gifts (over the weekend),” Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes said. “(His wife) Brittany’s a champ because I’m not there to help build the toys my family got, and the kids have opened up every single one of them.” The Chiefs are playing on Christmas for a second year in a row, although they were at home last season. Baltimore tackle Ronnie Stanley said there is an offensive line Christmas party planned for Friday at center Tyler Linderbaum's house. Jackson’s plan is to celebrate on Thursday. “I already celebrated Christmas with my family this past week," Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton said. "It’s more about the thought of calling people Christmas morning and just going out there and being able to go out in front of my whole family and do what I love. That’s how I’ll celebrate.” The Ravens also have celebrated a bit as a group already. “We actually had a team dinner last night here, which was really neat. And our chefs were incredible (with) what they put out there, so that was fun,” coach John Harbaugh said Monday. "And we are going to have the ability for family members from the Houston area to come over for the team snack after we do a walkthrough (Tuesday) night.” Don't expect Christmas games to go away any time soon. Netflix agreed to a three-year contract in May to carry Christmas Day games. Playing on the holiday certainly gives teams a chance to be in the spotlight, although the Chiefs and Ravens already get plenty of that. The Ravens-Texans game features a halftime performance by Beyoncé. “Wasn't there a time when somebody was out peeking outside the locker room door during the Super Bowl or something like that? Was there some story on that?” Harbaugh said. “He got in trouble for it? There will be big trouble. I like Beyoncé, though. I can't say I'm a huge Beyoncé fan, but I think I like her.” (Harbaugh was referring to Bengals kicker Evan McPherson during the Super Bowl in 2022 when he watched Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar perform at halftime in Los Angeles.) Jackson, seemingly unaware of Harbaugh's attempt to lay down the law about the halftime show, arrived at the microphone immediately after the coach. “I'm going to go out there and watch,” the star quarterback said. “First time seeing Beyoncé perform, and it's at our game — that's dope. I'm going to go out and watch. Sorry Harbaugh, sorry fellas.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Penn State has been campaigning — hard — for Tyler Warren to get national nods from the John Mackey Award, the Paul Hornung Award and maybe even the Heisman Trophy. One of those things came through Tuesday. Warren was added as a finalist for the Mackey Award, given to the nation’s best tight end. He was honored alongside Michigan’s Colston Loveland and Bowling Green’s Harold Fannin Jr. After debating entering the NFL Draft after last season, Warren sure seems to have made the right decision. He leads Penn State with 75 receptions for 910 yards and five touchdowns. He’s also rushed 18 times for 157 yards and four scores. Oh yeah, he’s also thrown a few passes, one for a touchdown, and punted against Minnesota. The Virginia native holds Penn State single-season records for tight end receptions and receiving yards, while he holds the most receiving yards for a tight end in their career and is tied for the most receiving touchdowns by a tight end. He made the game-clinching catch against Minnesota this weekend on a later fourth-and-1, a play in which he could’ve scored easily to break another record. But he went down to run the clock out, a show of his commitment to winning above all else. “It’s the best thing to do in terms of managing that situation and winning the game and not having to kickoff again, ending on our terms,” James Franklin said Monday. “So just really, really cool play and not surprising that Tyler Warren is going to put the team first. I’m a big believer in that. The more you give to others and pour into others, it comes back to you ten times. Tyler Warren is a perfect example of that.” Warren is also a Paul Hornung Award finalist for college football’s most versatile player. Fannin has made a great case for the award himself, and Bowling Green has pushed as hard if not harder than Penn State to make it happen. Falcons strategic communications staff have been sending press releases about Fannin since Oct. 9. He has 92 receptions for 1,295 yards and nine touchdowns this season. Like Warren, Fannin has rushed some, too. He has six rushes for 51 yards and a score. Loveland will probably be the odd man out in this race. He has 56 receptions for 582 yards and five touchdowns. CARTER NAMED BEDNARIK AWARD FINALIST Junior defensive end Abdul Carter is back on national awards lists. Penn State’s star pass rusher was named a finalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award on Tuesday, given annually to the nation’s best defensive player and presented by the Maxwell Football Club. Carter was joined as a finalist by Colorado cornerback Travis Hunter and Ohio State safety Caleb Downs. Carter, already a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (defensive player of the year), has 48 total tackles, eight sacks, 17.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles this season. His 17.5 tackles for loss are third-best in the country and best in the Big Ten, while his eight sacks are tied for 20th in the country and fourth in the conference. He’s made a significant impact in his first season since switching from linebacker to defensive end, earning Pro Football Focus’s 10th best defensive grade among edge rushers at 86.9. His pass-rushing grade is slightly better at 90.7, ranking fourth-best in the nation. The Philadelphia native is also a semifinalist for the Lombardi Trophy (best lineman) and the Lott IMPACT Trophy. Hunter is the betting favorite to win the Heisman this year, largely thanks to the fact that he plays both corner and wide receiver for the Buffaloes. He has 30 tackles, three interceptions, nine pass breakups and a forced fumble this season. Downs has 50 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, a half of a sack and three pass breakups this season for the Buckeyes.Topline Special Counsel Jack Smith dropped the federal government’s two criminal cases against President-elect Donald Trump on Monday due to his impending inauguration—but there’s still a chance the federal government could try to revive the cases in the future after Trump leaves office, though it would have to overcome some legal hurdles. Key Facts Crucial Quote Smith’s motions to dismiss Trump’s cases “could be an effort to keep the cases alive in the long term,” former U.S. attorney Barbara McQuade wrote in an op-ed for MSNBC Tuesday, noting that by insisting the cases be dismissed without prejudice, the special counsel “blocks Trump’s attorney general from dismissing the cases for all time.” “It may be that a future attorney general ... will lack the appetite to resuscitate the cases against Trump in 2029,” McQuade added. “But Smith has done all he can to preserve that possibility.” What To Watch For It will be years before it’ll be clear whether a second round of Trump indictments will actually happen. The charges would probably be contingent on a Democratic president replacing Trump when he leaves office, as a GOP successor would be unlikely to try and punish Trump. Even if Democrats took back the White House in 2032 or 2036, it would then be too late under the statute of limitations to bring charges, even excluding the time when Trump was in office. It’s also still too early to say whether indicting Trump again would be a priority for the federal government by the time he leaves office, given Trump’s advanced age and the fact he will not be eligible to run for president for a third term. He will be 82 years old when he leaves office in January 2029. Can Trump Pardon Himself? Another potential step Trump could try to take to shield himself from future legal liability would be to pardon himself while he’s in office, though it’s a legal grey area whether he would be allowed to do so. The Justice Department said in a 1974 memo during Richard Nixon’s presidency presidents are not allowed to pardon themselves, citing the “fundamental rule that no one may be a judge in his own case.” That memo isn’t legally binding, however, and since Nixon resigned and was pardoned by Gerald Ford rather than trying to pardon himself, the issue hasn’t been tested in practice. If Trump tried to pardon himself, the issue would likely become tied up in court and ultimately be left to the Supreme Court to decide. What About Trump’s State Cases? While his federal cases have been dropped, Trump’s two other criminal cases in state court are still pending—at least for now. Trump has already been found guilty on 34 felony counts in New York for falsifying business records, but his sentencing has been delayed while Judge Juan Merchan determines whether to grant Trump’s request to throw the verdict out altogether in light of his election. Even if Merchan denies Trump’s request and keeps the case alive, it’s unlikely Trump will be sentenced before Inauguration Day, and prosecutors said they believe it would be appropriate for Trump’s sentencing to wait until after he leaves office. Trump has also been charged in Georgia state court for trying to overturn the 2020 election. That case has not yet gone to trial and remains pending , though Trump’s lawyers are expected to try and have it thrown out based on him being elected president. If the court keeps the case alive, the proceedings are expected to be paused until Trump leaves office. Key Background Trump was indicted in the two federal cases last year, becoming the first sitting or former president to ever be federally charged. While the cases were supposed to go to trial earlier this year—with the election case slated for trial in March and the documents case in May—Trump managed to successfully delay the cases past Election Day, ultimately killing them. The election case was paused for months while the Supreme Court deliberated whether Trump should be immune from prosecution, ultimately ruling in July to shield him from some criminal charges—a major hurdle that would likely pose issues even if Trump is charged again after leaving office. While Smith argued the charges could go forward even in light of the Supreme Court’s decision, it was already too late for the case to go to trial by Election Day. Cannon dismissed the documents case in July after already indefinitely postponing the trial date, as the Trump-appointed judge slow-walked rulings leading up to the trial. Smith then appealed the case to the 11th Circuit, but there was not enough time for it to issue any ruling on whether the charges should be revived before Trump’s election. Tangent While Smith dropped the government’s charges against Trump in the documents case, he did not end separate cases against Trump aides Walter Nauta and Carlos deOliveira, who were charged with helping Trump conceal classified documents. Those cases are still continuing on at least for now, with Smith arguing in a new filing Tuesday the charges should be revived after Cannon dismissed them. It’s unlikely the cases will continue on for much longer, though, as Trump’s appointees at the Justice Department are likely to drop the charges after he takes office. Trump allies who were charged alongside the ex-president in the Georgia 2020 election case—including Rudy Giuliani and former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows—will also still have to face prosecution and likely go to trial while Trump’s in office, however, even if his own trial gets delayed or dropped entirely. He will not be able to have his allies’ charges dropped or pardon them, given the case is in state court and not federal court. Further ReadingIran's government on Tuesday said it had lifted a ban on access to WhatsApp and Google Play after more than two years, the official IRNA news agency reported. The report said the country's Supreme Council of Cyber Space made the decision in a meeting led by reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian, who has vowed to remove restrictions on social media. Iran's telecommunication minister Sattar Heshemi in a post on X called the decision a "first step" in removing restrictions and said "the path will continue'' — indicating the possibility of unblocking other services. Many people reached by The Associated Press across the capital, Tehran, and other cities said they had access to the services on computers but not yet on mobile phones. WhatsApp has been the third most popular messaging platform in Iran after Instagram and Telegram. The ban on WhatsApp and Google Play was put in place in 2022 during mass protests against the government over the death of a woman held by the country's morality police for allegedly violating the strictly enforced dress code. The protests calmed in 2023 after a crackdown by police and security forces that led to the death of hundreds of people and the imprisonment of thousands. Iran has blocked access to various social media platforms over the years but many people in the country use proxies and VPNs to access them. (This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Senate Republicans recommended on Friday that the state write laws banning transgender girls and women from participating in high school and college sports, setting the stage for action in the 2025 legislative session. The vote by a committee that was studying the issue is hardly a surprise. Lt. Gov. Burt Jones — a possible Republican contender for governor in 2026 — announced almost identical goals at the panel's first meeting in August . It’s an issue that’s already been addressed in Georgia. Legislators in 2022 empowered the Georgia High School Association to regulate transgender students' participation in sports. The association, which regulates sports and activities for all public schools and some private schools, then banned transgender boys and girls from playing on the school sports teams matching their gender identity. Jones and others argue that doesn't go far enough and that lawmakers themselves need to act. It's a sign Republicans believe there is more political gain in fears about transgender women playing women’s sports or using women’s bathrooms. At least 26 mostly Republican states have passed laws or rules to restrict transgender girls from participating high school sports and, in some cases, transgender women from college sports , according to the Movement Advancement Project, a gay rights group. In Georgia, additional action appears more likely now after House Speaker Jon Burns and Gov. Brian Kemp, both Republicans, have voiced support for further legislation. Jeff Graham, executive director of the LGBTQ+ advocacy group Georgia Equality, said his group is playing defense, concerned about the possibility of other bills that could further restrict gender-affirming care or ban transgender people from using public bathrooms that match their gender identity. “We’re expecting that it’ll be at least what we saw in 2023 and 2024, with the number of bills and more than likely laws,” Graham told reporters Friday. But Burns, from Newington, has said he's not interested in other bills dealing with transgender people besides those dealing with girls' and women's sports. Republican State Sen. Greg Dolezal, of Cumming, who led the Senate study committee, said Friday that he, too, is not interested in a broader bill regulating bathroom usage, although his committee recommended that schools that host sporting events require athletes to use locker rooms based on their assigned sex at birth. Dolezal said senators would seek to write legislation that regulated public schools and colleges, as well as private institutions that compete against public schools and colleges. The committee also recommends that people be able to sue or file grievances if schools break the rules, and that state money be withheld from schools that break the rules. Supporters of more action have focused on the 2022 NCAA women’s swimming championships at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, where Lia Thomas, a transgender woman, swam for the University of Pennsylvania and won the 500-meter freestyle . The NCAA has since revised its policy on transgender women’s participation, saying it will follow the rules of respective athletics federations. World Aquatics, the swimming governing body, banned transgender women who have been through male puberty from competing in women’s races. That means Thomas wouldn’t be allowed to swim in NCAA events today. “My basic contention that this is a solution in search of a problem remains,” Graham said. He said he fears that many people who oppose laws that seek to restrict transgender people will be afraid to testify and lobby at the Georgia Capitol, citing assault charges against a man accused of shaking U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace in a Capitol office building in Washington, D.C. Dolezal repeatedly tried to turn down the emotional temperature of the issue on Friday. “I think that there’s a group of people that wants to be respected and I think that they deserve respect,” Dolezal told reporters. “But I also think that you can be respectful, but also recognize that in the sporting arena, fairness and competition is important.”World Series vision that got Nathan Eovaldi to the Rangers is the same one that got him to re-sign DALLAS (AP) — The championship vision that led Nathan Eovaldi to sign with Texas as a free agent two years ago is the same one that brought him back to the Rangers. A World Series title in his first season was followed by a losing record this year. Stephen Hawkins, The Associated Press Dec 13, 2024 3:13 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message FILE - Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi delivers against the Cleveland Guardians during the first inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Phil Long, File) DALLAS (AP) — The championship vision that led Nathan Eovaldi to sign with Texas as a free agent two years ago is the same one that brought him back to the Rangers. A World Series title in his first season was followed by a losing record this year. “I believe in the guys in the group that we have. We were able to do it in ‘23. I don’t feel a lot has changed,” Eovaldi said Friday, a day after finalizing a $75 million, three-year contract . “We had a down year last year, but I've said it before, you learn a lot from losing seasons.” Eovaldi had declined a $20 million player option to become a free agent again and reached an agreement during the winter meetings in Dallas. Texas also acquired slugging corner infielder Jake Burger in a swap with Miami. Burger had fallen asleep before getting a call late Tuesday night that he had been traded to Texas, where his family is planning to move after the October birth of a daughter with Down syndrome. “The other city that is really good other than Nashville in terms of children's hospital and resources for her Downs is in Dallas," Burger said. “Not just from the baseball spectrum, from the life aspect as well ... I feel like it was meant to be, and we couldn’t be more more excited about that.” In the Nashville area, Burger lives close to Rangers manager Bruce Bochy, whom he plans to visit with soon. His former Marlins manager, Skip Schumaker , was hired last month by the Rangers as a senior adviser for baseball operations, and Luis Urueta, Miami’s bench coach the past two seasons, recently joined Bochy’s on-field coaching staff for 2025. Burger and Rangers pitcher Dane Dunning were once roommates in the Chicago White Sox organization. Burger hit .250 with 29 home runs and 76 RBIs in 137 games for the Marlins last season, when he started 59 games at third base and 50 starts at first. He was with the White Sox in Texas when he got traded to Miami on Aug. 1, 2023, and four days later hit his first homer with the Marlins at Globe Life Field. When the Rangers made the title run in 2023, Eovaldi was 5-0 with a 2.95 ERA in six postseason starts. He was the winning pitcher in their World Series-clinching Game 5 at Arizona. He was also part of Boston’s 2018 title. Eovaldi was 12-8 this year with a 3.80 ERA in 29 starts, the last seven scoreless innings in the regular-season finale. He is 24-13 with a 3.72 ERA in 54 starts for Texas the past two seasons. The new deal for the Texas native, who who turns 35 in February, includes a $12 million signing bonus, half payable on Nov. 15, 2026, and the rest on Jan. 15, 2028, and salaries of $18 million next season, $25 million in 2026 and $20 million in 2027. He gets a full no-trade provision. After being welcomed back by Chris Young, the team's president of baseball operations, the pitcher said he never felt like he really left. The Rangers stayed in contact throughout the process after he declined his option Nov. 4. “Kind of listening to the market and everything, I’m extremely happy to be back. I’m glad we were we were able to make it all work out,” Eovaldi said. “We had a lot of teams reach out right away and we were in contact with most them across the league. Ultimately we were able to make it back here.” ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb Stephen Hawkins, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Baseball Cubs acquire All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker in trade with the Astros Dec 13, 2024 3:12 PM Toronto Blue Jays officially sign reliever Garcia to two-year, US$15M deal Dec 13, 2024 3:07 PM Yankees get closer Devin Williams from Brewers for Nestor Cortes, Caleb Durbin Dec 13, 2024 2:43 PMWhat's the Difference Between 48v and 51.2v Golf Cart Batteries

Finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema and education minister Harjot Singh Bains on Monday held meetings with four employee organisations of the education department to discuss the various demands, including regularisation of services. During the meetings held here, Cheema directed the formation of a committee comprising officials from the education department, personnel department, and finance department. This committee will examine the demand for regularisation of services raised by three employee organisations, namely AIE kachhe adhiypak union, IERT Vishesh Adhiyapak Union, and Sarva (Samagra) Shiksha Abhiyan/mid-day meal daftri karmchari union. Cheema assured the union leaders that the committee will consider their demands and submit its report soon. He also directed the officials to study the financial demands raised by the unions. Regarding the demands of the Computer Teachers Union, the FM asked the education department officials to consider the demands of these teachers recruited under the Punjab Information and Communication Technology Education Society (PICTES) and take appropriate action.The Pittsburgh Steelers are looking to get back into the win-column on Christmas Day as they be will hosting the Kansas City Chiefs. This certainly won't be an easy game as Pittsburgh will look to be just the second team during the 2024 season to take down the back-to-back Super Bowl champions. The Steelers desperately need a win after losing two games in a row, and if the organization still has hopes for winning the AFC North, the Steelers will need to find a way to win their final two games of the regular season, and that starts with Kansas City. The Chiefs are clearly one of the best teams in the NFL, although they haven't been dominating teams in 2024. Most of the Chiefs' wins have come in tight, one-score games that are usually decided near the end of the contest. Many NFL fans have accused the NFL of helping the Chiefs win some of these close games. The team has certainly gotten some favorable calls from the officials throughout the year. The person that will be in charge of the officiating at Acrisure Stadium on Wednesday is Craig Wrolstad, and his crew has shown some trends in how they call games. Wrolstad and his crew have not officiated a game involving either the Chiefs or the Steelers during the 2024 season, but the crew still has some tendencies. Aside from pre-snap penalties, the crew is a bit trigger-happy when it comes to throwing the flag for offensive holding. They have thrown the flag for offensive holding 35 times during the 2024 season. For context, their next closest penalty type has only been called on 19 occasions. This is obviously bad news for second-year tackle Broderick Jones , who has had his fair share of issues with being penalized during the 2024 season. Jones is the second-most penalized player on the Steelers, and he is by far the most penalized offensive lineman. He has been called for holding five times , while no other offensive lineman on the Steelers has more than four penalties total. There was a time when it looked like Jones' future in Pittsburgh may have been a little rocky. Rookie tackle Troy Fautanu took Jones' starting job in Week 2 and played well. Fautanu went down with a knee injury during practice the following week, and Jones has been back as the starter ever since. During that Week 2 game started by Fautanu, Jones took his place for one possession and single-handedly killed all of Pittsburgh's momentum. Jones had three penalties on one possession, two holding calls and one false start, and these penalties killed what should have been a scoring drive. He was also called twice for holding later in the year against the Baltimore Ravens. For the most part, Jones has been solid at right tackle as of late, and hopefully that continues on Wednesday. Pittsburgh won't be able to afford to lose much yardage due to penalties. Steelers Should Benefit From Officiating Tendencies On The Other Side Of The Ball While this officiating crew having an affinity for holding calls may hurt the Steelers' offense, it should help the Pittsburgh defense. Pittsburgh's edge-rushing group is arguably the best in the league, and TJ Watt , Alex Highsmith , Nick Herbig , and Preston Smith will all have the ability to draw some penalties. In addition to the edge rushers for the Steelers being elite, the Chiefs have some issues at both tackle spots. Starting right tackle Jawaan Taylor is questionable to play, and starting left tackle DJ Humphries has already been ruled out of the game. Pittsburgh will likely be squaring off against a backup right tackle and Joe Thuney, a natural guard, at left tackle. Are you worried about the officiating on Christmas Day? This article first appeared on SteelerNation.com and was syndicated with permission.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Rams have claimed cornerback Emmanuel Forbes off waivers from Washington. The Rams (6-6) announced the move Monday. They waived undrafted rookie defensive back Charles Woods to make room on the roster. Forbes was the 16th overall draft pick in 2023, but the Commanders released him Saturday in yet another latest flop for their first-round selections under former coach Ron Rivera. Forbes started 10 games as a rookie, but the Mississippi State product got benched during the season — and his playing time dwindled to almost nothing under new coach Dan Quinn this season. Forbes was considered undersized to be an elite NFL defensive back before Washington used a first-round pick on him, and his play did little to discourage that perception. But the Rams are taking a flier on Forbes to help their mediocre pass defense. Darious Williams, a member of the Rams’ Super Bowl championship team who returned to Los Angeles this season as a free agent, has been their best cover corner, but he struggled in Sunday’s victory over New Orleans. Third-year pro Cobie Durant has started all 12 games this season with one interception. RELATED COVERAGE 49ers are nearing rock bottom following a blowout loss and the injury to McCaffrey Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers are in good position for the playoffs but need to improve on offense The Vikings are showing their worth at 10-2 by winning the games that don’t go smoothly Los Angeles already traded Tre’Davious White, its other major offseason signing at cornerback, after the former Pro Bowler failed to perform. The Rams shipped White to Baltimore for a seventh-round pick swap last month. Woods has played in nine games for the Rams, appearing mostly on special teams. Los Angeles hosts Buffalo on Sunday. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFLCharges dismissed against Karen Read backer who scattered rubber ducks, fake $100 bills

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