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Tech billionaire Elon Musk spent at least $270 million to help Donald Trump win the US presidency, according to new federal filings, making him the country’s biggest political donor. As SpaceX and Tesla CEO Mr Musk is the world’s richest person and was an ardent supporter of Trump’s White House campaign – funnelling money into door knocking operations and speaking at his rallies. His financial backing, which has earned him a cost-cutting advisory role in Trump’s incoming government, surpassed spending by any single political donor since at least 2010, according to data from non-profit OpenSecrets. Elon Musk’s enormous donation has made history. Picture: Jim WATSON / AFP The Washington Post reported that Musk spent more this election cycle than Trump backer Tim Mellon, who gave nearly $200 million and was previously the Republican’s top donor. Mr Musk donated $238 million to America PAC, a political action committee that he founded to support Trump, filings late Thursday with the Federal Election Commission showed. An additional $20 million went to the RBG PAC, a group that used advertising to soften Trump’s hardline reputation on the key voter issue of abortion. President-elect Donald Trump. Picture: AP Photo/Evan Vucci Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. Picture: RYAN COLLERD / AFP But controversially, the group’s website said Mr Trump and the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg agree on the abortion issue, which was slammed by Ms Ginsburg’s granddaughter Clara Spara, who told The New York Times that the message was “nothing short of appalling.” Mr Musk’s election effort including bankrolling a controversial multimillion-dollar cheque giveaway which some saw as brazen promotion for Mr Trump. He also appeared on stage with Mr Trump at rallies – at some points upstaging him with his high-energy antics. Mr Musk has been an ever-present sidekick for Trump since his election victory in November, inviting him to watch a rocket launch in Texas by his SpaceX company. Mr Musk now calls himself Mr Trump’s ‘first buddy’. Picture: Brandon Bell/Getty Images/AFP Trump has selected the South African-born tycoon and fellow ally Vivek Ramaswamy to head the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, through which the pair have promised to deliver billions of dollars of cuts in federal spending. However, with Mr Musk’s businesses all having varying degrees of interactions with US and foreign governments, his new position also raises concerns about conflict of interest. The president-elect has nominated several people close to Mr Musk for roles in his administration, including investor David Sacks as the so-called AI and crypto tsar. Meanwhile, billionaire astronaut Jared Isaacman, who has collaborated with Musk’s SpaceX, was named the head of US space agency NASA. Mr Musk, co-chair of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), carries his son "X" on his shoulders. Picture: ROBERTO SCHMIDT / AFP) According to NBC, two sources have told the broadcaster that Mr Musk’s “near-constant presence” at Mar-a-Lago since Election Day is beginning to wear thin on Trump’s inner circle and the presidential transition team. He has reportedly been at Mar-a-Lago “at all hours, sitting with Trump,” and joining several calls and meetings. “He’s behaving as if he’s a co-president and making sure everyone knows it,” one of the people said of Mr Musk. “And he’s sure taking lots of credit for the president’s victory. “He’s trying to make President Trump feel indebted to him. And the president is indebted to no one,” this person added. More Coverage ‘Avengers’: Trump entourage divides internet Brielle Burns Donald Trump is turning on Elon Musk Benedict Brook Originally published as Musk makes history with $270m move Read related topics: Donald Trump Innovation Don't miss out on the headlines from Innovation. Followed categories will be added to My News. Join the conversation Add your comment to this story To join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? Register Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout More related stories Mining Big miner issues blunt warning to Aussies A leading mining figure has delivered a dark speech warning that Australians will need to “do more, move faster and work harder” to maintain prosperity. Read more Technology Huge AI washer, dryer even takes a phone call It’s the AI powered washing machine and dryer that will take a phone call, turn your TV off and even automatically open its door so your clothes don’t get smelly. But it comes with a hefty price tag. Read more"For our part, we are open to an honest dialogue based on mutual respect and appreciation of interests, whether the new American administration will take advantage of this chance is a big question," said Ryabkov, in an interview for Komsomol Pravda. Answering the question whether there are political forces in the United States of America that are interested in cooperation with Russia, he stated that there are practically no "friends of Moscow" among the American political class, whose representatives see the Russian Federation as an existential threat. "In conditions where anti-Russian hysteria has become widespread in the United States, anyone who sympathizes with the Russians immediately finds himself marginalized. Donald Trump himself and his entourage are sending mixed signals in attacking the current administration, adhering to the principles of 'America first' and 'peace through strength', which do not fit into our national interests," Ryabkov pointed out. He pointed out that neglecting the other party's security interests can be a "two-way street", and the West's attempts to harm Russia "push us to look for security vulnerabilities among our enemies". Russia could respond with both reciprocal and asymmetric measures if Western countries do not heed its warnings, Ryabkov said. "We have long since moved away from drawing some speculative red lines. After a series of aggressive actions by the West, we have switched to a different mode, by sending adversaries strict warnings about the concrete consequences of their steps that pose a threat to us. If they do not hear us, we switch to practical measures reaction," warned Ryabkov. As he stated, among the current warning signals is the test launch of the newest medium-range hypersonic weapon system "Oreshnik" at one of the legitimate military targets in Ukraine. "At the same time, this step is not only an indication of a possible form of reaction to the acutely escalating actions of the United States and NATO in the context of the Ukrainian crisis, but also a demonstration of Russia's potential response to the deployment of American medium- and short-range missiles in various regions of the world," Ryabkov concluded. Podeli:

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Caracas, December 5, 2024 ( ) — Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez is in China on an official visit to “review and strengthen” the cooperation map established last year when the countries elevated their relationship to an Upon her arrival in Beijing on Wednesday, Rodríguez stated that the allies nations will revise cooperation agreements in “multiple strategic areas,” including politics, energy, economy, finance and technology. “We will strengthen our framework for cooperation as well as ties of complementarity and mutual development in different areas to continue solidifying a historical relationship and deep friendship that reached in 2024,” Rodríguez on social media. Rodríguez went on to add that China and Venezuela have a “shared vision” regarding a new multipolar world “where the sovereignty and self-determination of the peoples of the Global South are respected.” She remarked that the BRICS organization would play a key role in advancing multipolarity. On Thursday, the Venezuelan vice president met with her Chinese counterpart Han Zheng, with both officials reportedly committing to achieve “greater progress” in bilateral relations. According to the , Han said China is eager to fully implement the “all-weather strategic partnership” reached last year as well as “strengthen practical cooperation.” For her part, Rodríguez reiterated Venezuela’s respect for the one-China principle and emphasized the need to strengthen multilateral coordination to “oppose unilateral illegal sanctions, safeguard national security and development, and international fairness and justice.” In recent years, Venezuela and China have deepened their strategic political and economic ties as both governments aim to counteract Western hegemony and unilateral coercive measures. Since 2017, the Caribbean nation has faced severe hardships caused by the US-led economic blockade which has particularly targeted the crucial . In September 2023, Presidents Nicolás Maduro and Xi Jinping the countries’ relations to an “all-weather strategic partnership” and signed 31 agreements to boost collaboration in areas such as oil, scientific development, healthcare, and space exploration. The new level of bilateral partnership was considered historic with Venezuela being the first Latin American country to enter the “all-weather” category reserved by Beijing for its closest allies. The upgrade reflects China’s growing role as Venezuela’s primary trading partner in Asia, particularly in crude oil purchases. On the eve of her trip to China, Vice President Rodríguez the country’s 2025 budget proposal to the National Assembly (AN), estimated at USD $22.7 billion. The figure represents an increase of nearly 11 percent from this year’s $20.5 billion budget and nearly doubles the $11.6 billion allocated in 2023. It still stands at around a fifth of the government’s $118 billion budget for 2015. Rodríguez attributed the recent sustained increase to “consistent ” since 2021, citing an 8.5 percent GDP growth in the first three quarters of 2024 as measured by Venezuela’s Central Bank. The Caribbean nation is set for a fourth consecutive year of economic improvement, though GDP remains below 30 percent of its high mark in 2014. “This budget reflects the victorious resilience of the Venezuelan economy amid adversity and economic suffocation that have targeted our workers and production processes,” she told lawmakers on Tuesday. “In these challenging conditions, Venezuela is now one of the fastest-growing countries in Latin America.” The vice president detailed that 77.6 percent of next year’s budget will be dedicated to social investment, focusing on education, healthcare, security, science and technology, public infrastructure, and housing. The spending plan incorporates input gathered from thousands of popular assemblies held across the country. Rodríguez also highlighted that the budget includes a special fund for chosen and managed directly by the Venezuelan people through communal circuits, as well as an additional allocation for the Essequibo region. According to , tax revenues are expected to contribute $5.25 billion to the budget, financing 28 percent of total spending. Venezuelan authorities have praised tax collection, which has more than doubled year-on-year in 2024. In contrast, Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA will cover 53 percent of expenditures, amounting to $10.1 billion, down from an estimated $11.9 billion this year. The remainder of the country’s annual financing will come from mining, loans, and debt issuances. On Thursday, Parliament President Jorge Rodríguez that the 2025 budget proposal had been approved by the legislature and sent to the Maduro government for its promulgation.A majority of the Texas State Board of Education gave final approval Friday to a state-authored curriculum under intense scrutiny in recent months for its heavy inclusion of biblical teachings. Eight of the 15 board members voted to approve Bluebonnet Learning, the elementary school curriculum proposed by the Texas Education Agency earlier this year. The curriculum will become available in the spring, with schools that choose to adopt the materials expected to begin using them at the start of the 2025-26 school year. The curriculum was designed with a cross-disciplinary approach that uses reading and language arts lessons to advance or cement concepts in other disciplines, such as history and social studies. Critics, which included religious studies scholars, say the curriculum’s lessons allude to Christianity more than any other religion, which they say could lead to the bullying and isolation of non-Christian students, undermine church-state separation and grant the state far-reaching control over how children learn about religion. They also questioned the accuracy of some lessons. The curriculum’s defenders say that references to Christianity will provide students with a better understanding of the country’s history. Texas school districts have the freedom to choose their own lesson plans, so the choice to adopt the materials will remain with them. But the state will offer an incentive of $60 per student to districts that adopt the lessons, which could appeal to some as schools struggle financially after several years without a significant raise in state funding. Three Republicans — Evelyn Brooks, Patricia Hardy and Pam Little — joined the board’s four Democrats in opposition to the materials. Leslie Recine — a Republican whom Gov. Greg Abbott appointed to temporarily fill the State Board of Education’s District 13 seat vacated by former member Aicha Davis, a Democrat who ran successfully for a Texas House seat earlier this year — voted for the curriculum. Abbott handpicked Recine, who was the deciding vote on the materials, to fill the seat through the end of the year days before the general election, bypassing Democrat Tiffany Clark. A majority of District 13 residents voted this election for Clark to represent them on the board next year. She ran unopposed. Board members who expressed support for the curriculum said during the week they believed the materials would help students improve their reading and understanding of the world. Members also said politics in no way influenced their vote and that they supported the materials because they believed it would best serve Texas children. “In my view, these stories are on the education side and are establishing cultural literacy,” Houston Republican Will Hickman said. “And there's religious concepts like the Good Samaritan and the Golden Rule and Moses that all students should be exposed to.” The proposed curriculum prompts teachers to relay the story of The Good Samaritan — a parable about loving everyone, including your enemies — to kindergarteners as an example of what it means to follow the Golden Rule. The story comes from the Bible, the lesson explains, and “was told by a man named Jesus” as part of his Sermon on the Mount, which included the phrase, “Do unto others as you would have done unto you.” Many other religions have their own version of the Golden Rule. Brooks, one of the Republicans who opposed the materials, noted this week that the Texas Education Agency is not a textbook publishing company and said treating it like such has created an uneven playing field for companies in the textbook industry. Brooks also said she has yet to see evidence showing the curriculum would improve student learning and that she was opposed to the state using Texas schoolchildren as “experiments.” Hardy, a Fort Worth Republican who also opposed the materials, said she did so without regard for the religious references. She expressed concern about the curriculum’s age appropriateness and her belief that it does not align with state standards on reading and other subjects. Little, a Fairview Republican, expressed concern on Friday that the state would have no way to see its “return on investment” with the materials, considering schools have wide latitude to adopt lessons as they see fit — meaning districts could pair Bluebonnet Learning with other learning materials, making the effectiveness of Bluebonnet as a standalone curriculum unclear. Little said on social media earlier in the week that she supports “the teaching of biblical values in education” but criticized the curriculum for some of its teaching methods, which she said leave “little time for students to practice reading and develop critical skills like fluency and comprehension.” Meanwhile, some of the Democrats who voted against the curriculum said they worried the materials would inappropriately force Christianity on public school children. Others cited concerns about Texas violating the Establishment Clause, which prohibits states from endorsing a particular religion. “If this is the standard for students in Texas, then it needs to be exactly that,” said Staci Childs, a Houston Democrat. “It needs to be high quality, and it needs to be the standard, free of any establishment clause issues, free of any lies, and it needs to be accurate.” The state had until late Wednesday to submit revisions in response to concerns raised by board members and the general public before the official vote took place Friday. Democratic members said Friday, however, that their concerns still remained. Childs, who is also an attorney, said she believes if someone were to sue the state for a violation of the Establishment Clause, they would likely succeed. San Antonio Democrat Marisa B. Pérez-Diaz said she found value in the materials but that the Christian bias kept her from supporting it. Rebecca Bell-Metereau, a San Marcos Democrat, said that although the curriculum attempts to reference faith traditions other than Christianity, she doesn't feel the state did so in a meaningful way. “It seems to me like it is trying to place a Band-Aid on a gaping wound,” Bell-Metereau said. In a statement Friday, Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath said the approval of Bluebonnet Learning “means that an important, optional new resource will be available for students, teachers and schools.” “These materials were developed using the best evidence on how to teach reading and math with extensive feedback from teachers and parents to construct a product that is effective, engaging and grade-level appropriate,” Morath said. “Bluebonnet Learning provides Texas teachers with textbooks and instructional materials that are of the highest quality, aligned to our state’s standards and foundational for student success.” Abbott called the State Board of Education’s approval of the materials “a critical step forward to bring students back to the basics of education and provide the best education in the nation.” In contrast, the approval drew immediate criticism from both national and local organizations. Americans United for Separation of Church and State said in a statement that “Texas’ new Bible-infused elementary curriculum is part of the nationwide effort by Christian Nationalists to impose their religious beliefs on public school students.” The Texas American Federation of Teachers blasted the state for infusing school lessons with “Bible-based references more appropriate for Sunday Schools than public schools.” “We can anticipate what will come next, whether that’s the erasure of contributions of marginalized populations in social studies or the minimization of climate change in science,” the union said. Meanwhile, conservative organizations like the Texas Public Policy Foundation, which helped develop the materials, applauded education officials for taking “the next big step toward dramatically improving the quality of education in Texas.” “Teachers will be able to spend more of their time doing the critical job of teaching and evaluating students, rather than spending their nights and weekends searching for lesson plans,” said Greg Sindelar, the organization’s CEO. “And parents will get to follow along as their children learn thanks to the online resources that come with the lessons.” More than 100 Texans signed up Monday to speak for and against the state-authored curriculum. Courtnie Bagley, education director for the Texas Public Policy Foundation, told board members that the Texas Education Agency has made every effort to respond to concerns from the public. She said rejecting the lessons would give other materials not owned by the state an unfair advantage. “It would create a double standard, as Bluebonnet Learning has been held to a different and more stringent review process than other materials under consideration,” Bagley said. Opponents argued that revisions did not go far enough, and some questioned whether the state’s intentions with crafting a curriculum that leans heavily on Christianity are political. “I am a Christian, and I do believe that religion is a part of our culture, but our nation does not have a religion. We're unique in that,” said Mary Lowe, co-founder of Families Engaged for an Effective Education. “So I do not think that our school districts should imply or try to overtly impress to young impressionable children that the state does have a state religion.” Education officials say references to Christianity will provide students with a better understanding of the country’s history, while other supporters have stated their belief that the use of religious references does not violate the U.S. Constitution’s Establishment Clause. Legal experts note that recent rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority have eroded decades of precedent and made it unclear what state actions constitute a violation of the Establishment Clause. State leaders also say the materials cover a broad range of faiths and only make references to religion when appropriate. Education Commissioner Mike Morath has said the materials are based on extensive cognitive science research and will help improve student outcomes. Of 10 people appointed to an advisory panel by the Texas Education Agency to ensure the materials are accurate, age-appropriate and free from bias, at least half of the members have a history of faith-based advocacy. The Texas Tribune recently reported how parents, historians and educators have criticized the ways the materials address America’s history of racism, slavery and civil rights. In public input submitted in response to the curriculum and in interviews with the Tribune, they have said the materials strip key historical figures of their complexities and flaws while omitting certain context they say would offer children a more accurate understanding of the country’s past and present. Bell-Metereau and other Texans referenced the Tribune’s reporting during public testimony on Monday. In response to those concerns, the Texas Education Agency has said the lessons will provide students with “a strong foundation” to understand more complex concepts as they reach later grades. State officials have also said those materials are written in an age-appropriate manner. Disclosure: Texas Public Policy Foundation has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

SFA’s volleyball season came to an end Friday night when it lost at home to Arkansas State in the second round of the NIVC in five sets with scores of 25-19, 17-25, 16-25, 25-16, 15-12 “I’m very pleased with the growth that occurred this season,” Ladyjacks head volleyball coach Debbie Humphreys said. “From where we started to where we are now, there’s no comparison. They’ve overcome a lot of adversity and just kept fighting and fighting and fighting and doing good things. We were just shorthanded tonight.” The Ladyjacks’ season ends with a final record of 25-9 while Arkansas State advances to 28-5. The first point of the match went to SFA and the Ladyjacks continued to add to their lead. Harley Krause slammed it down for a kill to make the score 7-1 and forced Arkansas State to call the game’s first timeout. The Red Wolves claimed their second point before Kyanna Creecy added a kill. SFA extended its run to 7-0 and its lead to 11-2. A kill from Jordan Henderson was followed by a point by Arkansas State. That led to the Red Wolves cutting their deficit to 14-10, forcing SFA to call timeout. SFA scored the first two points coming out of the timeout, one of which came on a kill from Jones. Moments later, a block at the net by Arkansas State’s Daedrianna Cail made it a four-point game yet again. Katherine Holtman and Jones each added a point to give SFA a 20-14 lead as the Red Wolves called timeout. Haley Glunz scored Arkansas State’s second straight point after the timeout. Henderson responded by sending the ball over to the Red Wolves’ side of the net for a point but Arkansas State brought SFA’s lead down to three. Henderson and Jones each added a point before Arkansas State hit the ball out of bounds, putting the Ladyjacks just one point away from claiming the first set before coming away with the final point to take the 25-19 win in the opening set. Creecy slammed it down for a kill to give SFA a 1-0 lead in the second set. Arkansas State tied it up before the Ladyjacks jumped back on top with a 4-1 lead. The Red Wolves, however, found themselves tied with the Ladyjacks at 4. A block from Caroline Kahle broke the tie. That was followed by a pair of aces from Cambry Saul. Moments later, the same thing happened on the other end when Sarah Martinez recorded an ace, making the score 10-8. Devyn Lewis recorded a kill to put Arkansas State within one point. The Ladyjacks were unable to send the ball back over on an attempt that led to an 11-11 tie and an SFA timeout. A block at the net from Abby Harris gave the Red Wolves a 12-11 lead before SFA tied it back up. Krause threw it down to give the lead back to the Ladyjacks. The two teams went back and forth, exchanging points as neither team was able to gain a lead larger than two points until Arkansas State jumped out on top 19-16. That lead turned into 21-16 as SFA called a timeout. A hit went out of bounds in favor of SFA but the Red Wolves put it on cruise control and sealed up the 25-17 win in set two. The two teams were sending the back and forth in set three, keeping it off the ground before Holtman slammed down a kill to tie it up at 4-4. The Red Wolves jumped back into the driver’s seat and increased the distance between them and the Ladyjacks. SFA chipped away at Arkansas State’s lead but was unable to cut it down to under four. A kill from Henderson made the score 20-15. The score was 24-16 before Cail scored the final point of the set to help her team win 25-16 in the third set and jump out to a 2-1 lead in the match. Arkansas State started off set four with a seven that sailed out of bounds to give SFA the first point of the night. The Red Wolves tied it at 1-1 before Creecy’s kill put the Ladyjacks back on top. SFA extended its lead to 5-2 but Arkansas State soon tied it up at 5-5. A block by Creecy and an ace from Natalie Guerrero spread SFA’s lead to 13-9 and forced Arkansas State to call a timeout. The Ladyjacks’ momentum continued after the timeout. Another ace from Guerrero gave the Ladyjacks a 17-9 lead. Krause served another ace to make the score 19-12. The Red Wolves called a timeout after falling behind 21-13. Moments later, Jones’ point put SFA just one point away from forcing a fifth set. Arkansas State scored the next point but a battle at the net was won by the Ladyjacks who won set four to force set five. The Ladyjacks claimed the first point of set five and took an early 2-1 lead. A block from Cail tied it up and led the Red Wolves taking a 3-2 lead. Holtman tied it back up at 3-3 and Cail slammed it down for another kill. Arkansas State jumped to a 6-3 lead and forced SFA to call a timeout. Arkansas State extended its lead to 9-4 but SFA scored the next two points to cut its deficit to 9-6. Creecy’s block at the net cut SFA’s deficit to 11-10. Seconds later, Arkansas State hit the ball out of bounds and the game was knotted up at 11. The next two points went to Arkansas State as SFA called timeout trailing 13-11. The next point put Arkansas one point away from winning the match but a serve into the net made the score 14-12. The ball bounced on SFA’s side of the net, ending the Ladyjacks’ season with a 15-12 loss in the fifth set. Jones led SFA in kills with 14. Krause and Kahle were next with nine apiece and each had six digs. Creecy had eight kills and Henderson had seven. Holtman had five kills. Kahle also had 12 digs. Jayden Flynn led the team in assists with 26 and added 10 digs while Saul 16 assists to go along with five digs. Guerrero had a team-high 16 digs. Cail led Arkansas State with 14 digs while Whitlock had 11 to go along with 19 digs. Martinez led her team in digs with 20. Erin Madigan recorded 33 assists. “Arkansas State is a very, very good team,” Humphreys said. “I’m looking at the stat sheet for the first time and it’s a wash with what the two of us accomplished. We blocked the same number of balls. We hit about the same. Our service errors got a little out of control and that’s really the difference in the match.” Friday’s loss was in the second round as the Ladyjacks defeated Jackson State in the opening round in a three-game sweep with scores of 25-18, 25-12, 25-14.Celebrity Caitlyn Jenner is appearing to eye another run for California governor. Jenner, a longtime supporter of President-elect Donald Trump, asked her followers on social media platform X whether she should run for governor in 2026 after Gov. Gavin Newsom’s term is done. She lost her long-shot bid for the governorship during the 2021 California gubernatorial recall election, where voters ultimately chose not to recall Newsom. "Should we do it again? Have been getting a lot of calls with a lot of strong opinions. Newscum is out in 2026," she said on X. Should we do it again? Have been getting a lot of calls with a lot of strong opinions. Newscum is out in 2026. https://t.co/ssSpQmVEka This comes as speculation has been swirling over what Vice President Kamala Harris’s future holds after her definitive loss to Trump earlier this month. She is reportedly “instructing advisers and allies to keep her options open” and that she doesn’t plan to step away from politics, according to reporting from Politico . “... Whether for a possible 2028 presidential run, or even to run for governor in her home state of California in two years. As Harris has repeated in phone calls, ‘I am staying in the fight,’” per the report. Jenner, a Republican, went on to troll Harris later on Monday, saying that she would defeat her in a hypothetical matchup for the California governorship. “Of I ran, and it was ultimately against Harris, I would destroy her,” Jenner wrote on X. If I ran, and it was ultimately against Harris, I would destroy her. https://t.co/uvex57pMn1 Despite Jenner expressing confidence that she would beat Harris, the former Olympian got just 1 percent of the votes in the 2021 recall election in the deep-blue state of California. When one social media user noted that Jenner lost already, Jenner said that recall elections are different than general elections. “Recalls are quite different. Times are also quite different. But ofc point taken,” she said on X. Neither Jenner or Harris has committed to running for the 2026 gubernatorial race. Since the end of the 2024 election, Harris has remained out of the spotlight and has been spending time with family in Hawaii. Stories by Lauren Sforza MAGA celebrates Trump’s latest legal victory After failed AG bid, Matt Gaetz has a new side hustle — to get your money NEW POLL: What Americans are saying about Trump cabinet picks Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com .

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LOS ANGELES — At the University of Texas, Jordan Whittington was a special teams ace, playing on punt and punt return as well as kickoff and kickoff return units. In his rookie season with the Rams, the receiver is settling into a more specialized role as one of the team’s primary kick returners. In Sunday’s win over the New Orleans Saints , Whittington provided a spark for the Rams (6-6). He returned three kicks for a total of 100 yards, a season-high for the team. His longest went for 43 yards to the Rams 44, setting the offense up for the go-ahead, eight-play touchdown drive. “Obviously, it’s an 11-man game the way we play it,” special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn said. “To be able to set the blocks up, stay connected, and be able to have the vision to hit that ... he’s full speed, one cut and go and that’s exciting to see. Explosives are fun. We have to try to figure out a way to create even more of those.” Whittington saw an expanded role early in the season as Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua dealt with injuries. But as they returned, his role in the offense decreased. But special teams are still allowing him a way to contribute as he averages 28.2 yards per return this season. “He’s a violent runner. He has good vision, contact-balance, ball security, a little bit of everything that you’re looking for in a returner, especially in the kick return guy,” Blackburn said. “He’s a little bit bigger size-wise (6-foot-1 and 202 pounds) and physicality. Those are the things that he adds for us.” NOTES Rams outside linebacker Jared Verse tweaked his ankle in practice Thursday, head coach Sean McVay said, leading to his limited participation. The rookie, who leads the team with 11 tackles for loss, will be listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills (10-2) but is still expected to play. “Just being smart with him,” McVay said. Left tackle Alaric Jackson (foot) was limited at practice Friday for the second straight day after being held out of practice Wednesday. He will be listed as questionable for the Bills game, McVay said, but is also expected to play. The Rams will wait at least another week to activate TE Tyler Higbee (knee) off the physically unable to perform (PUP) list as he continues to recover from surgery to repair a torn ACL last winter. “Maybe this Thursday against the 49ers,” McVay said. “For him to even be out there at this point is a real credit to him. ... We always kinda knew we wanted to give him close to that full allotment of time before he ended up getting him back out there.” Cornerback Emmanuel Forbes, who was claimed off waivers from Washington on Monday, will be left inactive for Sunday’s game against the Bills as he continues to acclimate to his new team, McVay said.

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