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10jili cc A tumultuous week on the global stage saw a 7.0 magnitude earthquake off northern California's coast, fortunately without human casualties or major damage. The seismic activity prompted evacuations and a brief tsunami warning, which has since been lifted by authorities. In a dramatic policy shift, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has canceled his trip to South Korea in the wake of political tensions after President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed attempt to institute martial law. Meanwhile, Russia's Vladimir Putin has installed Alexander Khinshtein as acting governor of the strategically significant Kursk region. On the European front, French President Emmanuel Macron announced an imminent prime ministerial appointment after Michel Barnier's swift exit following a fiscal dispute in parliament. Meanwhile, the political debate continues in Ghana ahead of crucial elections, while Hezbollah allocates substantial financial aid in a post-conflict landscape. (With inputs from agencies.)Freiburg survives late onslaught to beat Wolfsburg in Bundesliga thrillerAs the world enters an era shaped by artificial intelligence (AI), low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are expected to capture just 10% of the economic growth generated by AI technologies. But by forming strategic partnerships and making large-scale infrastructure investments, LMICs can harness these technologies to foster inclusive, sustainable development. Rapidly evolving AI systems have immense potential to revolutionise public-service delivery and alleviate poverty, unlocking economic opportunities for developing economies like Togo. But fully realising the promise of these new tools requires adequate infrastructure, such as a reliable electricity supply and broadband connectivity. Without these foundations, the world’s most advanced technologies will remain out of reach for communities that could benefit from them the most. On November 13-15, Togo’s Ministry of Digital Economy and Transformation organised an international AI conference in Lomé, bringing together government officials, researchers, civil-society leaders, international experts, and students to discuss the potential of emerging technologies to improve public services in the developing world. Togo is a prime example. During the Covid-19 pandemic, we launched Novissi, one of the world’s first fully digital cash-transfer programs. Initially designed to support low-income urban residents, Novissi rapidly expanded to cover rural areas in Togo’s 200 poorest cantons, enabling more than 920,000 informal-sector workers – roughly 25% of the country’s adult population – to enrol. By combining machine learning with mobile-phone metadata, satellite imagery, and phone surveys, the Novissi program ultimately identified and supported more than 150,000 households, demonstrating how data-driven approaches can help governments deliver essential services quickly and equitably. And this is just the beginning. In recent years, we have leveraged data science and digital technologies to improve our emergency response capabilities and make government services more efficient, cost-effective, and responsive to citizens’ needs. Consider the agriculture sector, which employs two-thirds of Togo’s population and accounts for 40% of its GDP. Using satellite imagery and machine-learning tools like Mosaiks, Togolese policymakers can forecast crop yields, anticipate poor harvests, and craft targeted agricultural policies. But the real strength of these technologies is their versatility: a single investment enables policymakers to make evidence-based decisions on a wide range of issues, from electrification to deforestation. By bolstering local ownership, African governments can drive inclusive growth. In Togo, we are working to build a sustainable ecosystem of local expertise through initiatives like the newly launched Togo Data Lab, a collaboration between the Ministry of Digital Economy and Transformation and the Center for Effective Global Action at the University of California, Berkeley. The project joins other prominent African institutions working to position Africa at the forefront of digital development, such as the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences and the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data. In Togo, the Lab will assist the Togolese government in building sustainable data-science capabilities, thereby enabling us to use AI tools like large language models (LLMs) to accelerate progress toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Togolese data scientists trained at the Lab will then collaborate with international experts, thereby ensuring that solutions are driven by local talent. In its first year, the Togo Data Lab will focus on agriculture, training staff to use Mosaiks to measure crop yields more precisely. But we have much higher ambitions. We see the Lab as a scalable platform capable of addressing major challenges in health, education, and climate policy. We imagine a health-care system transformed by data science, with AI tools improving disease surveillance and enabling policymakers to predict outbreaks of preventable illnesses, and classrooms where LLM-assisted tutors handle administrative tasks, freeing teachers to do what they do best: teaching and connecting with students. We have made remarkable progress, but there is much more to be done. For too long, African countries have been sidelined from the digital revolution due to limited technical capacity and inadequate infrastructure. That must change, and now is the time to change it. I urge the international community to join this vital effort. By engaging the private sector and making targeted investments, Africa could become a leader in the global digital economy, not just a participant. Investing in local capacity not only empowers policymakers in developing countries like Togo to make smarter, data-driven decisions. It also lays the groundwork for a vast global network of problem solvers, ready to harness cutting-edge technologies to tackle the world’s biggest challenges. – Project Syndicate Cina Lawson is Minister of Digital Economy and Transformation of Togo Related Story Qatar establishes WEF's Centre for Fourth Industrial Revolution 61 countries to compete in 8th Katara Award for Reciting Holy Qur’an

Social media users are misrepresenting a report released Thursday by the Justice Department inspector general's office, falsely claiming that it's proof the FBI orchestrated the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. The watchdog report examined a number of areas, including whether major intelligence failures preceded the riot and whether the FBI in some way provoked the violence. Claims spreading online focus on the report's finding that 26 FBI informants were in Washington for election-related protests on Jan. 6, including three who had been tasked with traveling to the city to report on others who were potentially planning to attend the events. Although 17 of those informants either entered the Capitol or a restricted area around the building during the riot, none of the 26 total informants were authorized to do so by the bureau, according to the report. Nor were they authorized to otherwise break the law or encourage others to do so. Here's a closer look at the facts. CLAIM: A December 2024 report released by the Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General is proof that the Jan. 6 Capitol riot was a setup by the FBI. THE FACTS: That's false. The report found that no undercover FBI employees were at the riot on Jan. 6 and that none of the bureau's informants were authorized to participate. Informants, also known as confidential human sources, work with the FBI to provide information, but are not on the bureau’s payroll. Undercover agents are employed by the FBI. According to the report, 26 informants were in Washington on Jan. 6 in connection with the day's events. FBI field offices only informed the Washington Field Office or FBI headquarters of five informants that were to be in the field on Jan. 6. Of the total 26 informants, four entered the Capitol during the riot and an additional 13 entered a restricted area around the Capitol. But none were authorized to do so by the FBI, nor were they given permission to break other laws or encourage others to do the same. The remaining nine informants did not engage in any illegal activities. None of the 17 informants who entered the Capitol or surrounding restricted area have been prosecuted, the report says. A footnote states that after reviewing a draft of the report, the U.S. attorney's office in Washington said that it “generally has not charged those individuals whose only crime on January 6, 2021 was to enter restricted grounds surrounding the Capitol, which has resulted in the Office declining to charge hundreds of individuals; and we have treated the CHSs consistent with this approach.” The assistant special agent in charge of the Washington Field Office's counterterrorism division told the inspector general's office that he “denied a request from an FBI office to have an undercover employee engage in investigative activity on January 6.” He, along with then-Washington Field Office Assistant Director in Charge Steven D'Antuono, said that FBI policy prohibits undercover employees at First Amendment-protected events without investigative authority. Many social media users drew false conclusions from the report's findings. “JANUARY 6th WAS A SETUP!" reads one X post that had received more than 11,400 likes and shares as of Friday. “New inspector general report shows that 26 FBI/DOJ confidential sources were in the crowd on January 6th, and some of them went into the Capitol and restricted areas. Is it a coincidence that Wray put in his resignation notice yesterday? TREASON!” The mention of Wray's resignation refers to FBI Director Christopher Wray's announcement Wednesday that he plans to resign at the end of President Joe Biden's term in January. Other users highlighted the fact that there were 26 FBI informants in Washington on Jan. 6, but omitted key information about the findings of the report. These claims echo a fringe conspiracy theory advanced by some Republicans in Congress that the FBI played a role in instigating the events of Jan. 6, 2021, when rioters determined to overturn Republican Donald Trump's 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden stormed the Capitol in a violent clash with police. The report knocks that theory down. Wray called such theories “ludicrous” at a congressional hearing last year. The inspector general's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the false claims about its report. In addition to its findings about the the FBI's involvement on Jan. 6, the report said that the FBI, in an action its now-deputy director described as a “basic step that was missed,” failed to canvass informants across all 56 of its field offices for any relevant intelligence ahead of time. That was a step, the report concluded, “that could have helped the FBI and its law enforcement partners with their preparations in advance of January 6.” However, it did credit the bureau for preparing for the possibility of violence and for trying to identify known “domestic terrorism subjects” who planned to come to Washington that day. The FBI said in a letter responding to the report that it accepts the inspection general’s recommendation “regarding potential process improvements for future events.” — Find AP Fact Checks here: https://apnews.com/APFactCheck .PARIS — Notre Dame Cathedral , its air thick with the smell of incense, hosted its first Mass on Sunday since the catastrophic fire of 2019, a moment that transcended religious significance to become a powerful symbol of Paris’ resilience. Beneath the glow of traditional chandeliers and modern spotlights, which illuminated its intricately carved stonework , the cathedral emerged reborn, its grandeur restored after five years of reconstruction. For Catholics, it marks the revival of the city’s spiritual heart, a place where faith has been nurtured for centuries. For the world, it signals the rebirth of one of global heritage's most famous landmarks. The event was both solemn and historic. Archbishop Laurent Ulrich presided over the morning Mass, including the consecration of a new bronze altar. The liturgy was attended by 2,500 people, including French President Emmanuel Macron — enjoying a brief respite from France's political tumult and economic troubles — clergy, dignitaries and a few lucky members of the general public who stood in long lines to enter. Nearly 170 bishops from France and around the world took part, along with one priest from each of the 113 parishes in the Paris diocese, accompanied by worshippers from these communities. Macron, in line with France’s strict division of state and church, did not take communion. Notre Dame’s journey from ruin to resurrection was defined by extraordinary craftsmanship, nearly $1 billion in global donations and a collective, unyielding determination to rebuild. After the Mass, faithful attendees, priests, nuns, and other guests lingered in the cathedral, their awe evident. Many took pictures and selfies in front of the altar, the baptistery, and vibrant rose windows, their joy mingling with reverence. Others knelt to pray at chapels dedicated to saints, savoring a spiritual intimacy many had not experienced since the fire. Later Sunday, the cathedral opened its doors to members of the public who secured reservations last week for the first fully public Mass. The Associated Press learned that tickets for this service were claimed within 25 minutes, underscoring Notre Dame’s enduring appeal. What’s more extraordinary is that this is taking place in a country with a strong emphasis on secularism and a low rate of church attendance. The public watches on — from a distance Public viewing areas along the Seine on Sunday morning drew hundreds of people who wished to witness the historic moment from afar, although their numbers were likely subdued by rainy and miserably cold weather conditions. Retired engineer Claude Lancrenon, watching from a viewing area, expressed both awe and disappointment. “There is so much security,” he said, gesturing toward the barriers. “Yesterday, that seemed appropriate. But today, I had hoped it would be more open so we could approach the cathedral. I still hope we’ll be able to get closer.” Tight security — akin to that of the Paris Olympic Games — reflected the importance of the occasion, ensuring the safety of dignitaries and the public alike. Nathalie Martino, a retired event organizer visiting Paris, recalled the anguish of watching the cathedral burn. “I cried so much that day,” she said. “And now, here I am. I had to come. It was something I needed to do.” A sacred space reborn Sunday’s Masses follow Saturday evening’s ceremonies in which Ulrich symbolically reopened the cathedral’s massive wooden doors by striking them three times with a crosier crafted from charred beams salvaged from the fire. As the doors swung open, choirs filled the air with song and the cathedral’s great organ — silent since the fire — resounded with majestic melodies. Inside, the restoration reveals a cathedral transformed with now-gleaming limestone walls cleaned of centuries of grime. The restored stained-glass windows project dazzling patterns of color across the nave. “No one alive has seen the cathedral like this,” said the Rev. Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, Notre Dame’s rector. "It is more than restored — it is reborn.” The consecration of the new altar was a pivotal moment in Notre Dame’s return to full liturgical life. The altar houses relics of five saints tied to Paris, including St. Catherine Labouré and St. Charles de Foucauld, continuing a centuries-old tradition of embedding sacred artifacts at the heart of worship spaces. The consecration, involving holy water, chrism oil, incense and prayer, transforms the altar into a sacred centerpiece of the cathedral. That was the most moving moment of the day for Marie Capucine, 37, a consecrated virgin representing her Parisian parish of Saint Germain des Prés at the reopening. She recalled the day the fire raged, and the ‘’communion in prayer all over the world'' for the cathedral to be saved. “That shows that the Church gathers, no matter whether people are believers or not, it says something to the world, something beautiful,” she concluded. A moment of unity The reopening of Notre Dame is also a moment of cultural and national unity. Macron, who vowed to restore the cathedral within five years after the fire, called the project “a jolt of hope” for France, a nation often divided by political crises. The Sunday Masses underscore Notre Dame’s dual role as a place of worship and a symbol of communal resilience. They also ensure that members of the broader Catholic community can partake in the cathedral’s spiritual revival. Challenges overcome The path to restoration was fraught with challenges. Lead contamination forced work to pause, and the COVID-19 pandemic added delays. Yet the project, overseen by architect Philippe Villeneuve, has been hailed as a triumph of human ingenuity and collective resolve. Cutting-edge fire prevention systems, including thermal cameras and a misting system, have been installed to safeguard the cathedral’s future. Villeneuve described the effort as “restoring not just a building but the soul of a nation,” emphasizing the personal and national significance of the work. A sacred future and an ‘octave’ With its spire once again piercing the Parisian sky, Notre Dame is poised to reclaim its role as a global beacon of faith and art. The cathedral, which previously welcomed 12 million annual visitors, is expected to draw 15 million in its new chapter. This monumental revival is not confined to a single day. Ulrich has announced an “octave” of celebrations — eight days of special religious services, each with its own theme, running through Dec. 15. These daily liturgies, open to diverse groups from local parishioners to international pilgrims, emphasize Notre Dame’s role as a unifying spiritual hub. Stay Informed: Subscribe to Our Newsletter Today

Giants release quarterback Daniel Jones just days after benching him EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The Daniel Jones era in New York is over. The Giants quarterback was granted his release by the team just days after the franchise said it was benching him in favor of third-stringer Tommy DeVito. New York president John Mara said Jones approached the team about releasing him and the club obliged. Mara added he was “disappointed” at the quick dissolution of a once-promising relationship between Jones and the team. Giants coach Brian Daboll benched Jones in favor of DeVito following a loss to the Panthers in Germany that dropped New York's record to 2-8. Conor McGregor must pay $250K to woman who says he raped her, civil jury rules LONDON (AP) — A civil jury in Ireland has awarded more than $250,000 to a woman who says she was raped by mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor in a Dublin hotel penthouse after a night of heavy partying. The jury on Friday awarded Nikita Hand in her lawsuit that claimed McGregor “brutally raped and battered” her in 2018. The lawsuit says the assault left her heavily bruised and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. McGregor testified that he never forced her to do anything and that Hand fabricated her allegations after the two had consensual sex. McGregor says he will appeal the verdict. Week 16 game between Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers flexed to Thursday night spot The Los Angeles Chargers have played their way into another prime time appearance. Justin Herbert and company have had their Dec. 22 game against the Denver Broncos flexed to Thursday night, Dec. 19. Friday’s announcement makes this the first time a game has been flexed to the Thursday night spot. The league amended its policy last season where Thursday night games in Weeks 13 through 17 could be flexed with at least 28 days notice prior to the game. The matchup of AFC West division rivals bumps the game between the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals to Sunday afternoon. NBA memo to players urges increased vigilance regarding home security following break-ins MIAMI (AP) — The NBA is urging its players to take additional precautions to secure their homes following reports of recent high-profile burglaries of dwellings owned by Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis and Kansas City Chiefs teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. In a memo sent to team officials, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, the NBA revealed that the FBI has connected some burglaries to “transnational South American Theft Groups” that are “reportedly well-organized, sophisticated rings that incorporate advanced techniques and technologies, including pre-surveillance, drones, and signal jamming devices.” Red Bull brings wrong rear wing to Las Vegas in mistake that could stall Verstappen's title chances LAS VEGAS (AP) — Max Verstappen is suddenly in jeopardy of being denied a fourth consecutive Formula 1 title Saturday night. Red Bull apparently brought the wrong rear wing to Las Vegas and GPS data showed its two cars to be significantly slower on the straights than both McLaren and Mercedes, which led both practice sessions. Red Bull says it doesn’t have a replacement rear wing in Las Vegas to fix the issue and little chance of getting two flown in from England ahead of the race. Caitlin Clark to join Cincinnati bid for 16th National Women's Soccer League team WNBA star Caitlin Clark has joined Cincinnati’s bid for an expansion National Women’s Soccer League team. Major League Soccer franchise FC Cincinnati is heading the group vying to bring a women’s pro team to the city. The club issued a statement confirming Clark had joined the bid group. NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman has said the league plans to announce the league’s 16th team by the end of the year. The league's 15th team will begin play in 2026 in Boston. Aaron Judge won't be bothered if Juan Soto gets bigger contract from Yankees than his $360M deal NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge won’t be bothered if Juan Soto gets a bigger deal from the New York Yankees than the captain’s $360 million, nine-year contract. Speaking a day after he was a unanimous winner of his second MVP, Judge says “It ain’t my money” and adds "that’s never been something on my mind about who gets paid the most.” Judge led the major leagues with 58 homers, 144 RBIs and 133 walks while hitting .322. Soto batted .288 with 41 homers, 109 RBIs and 129 walks in his first season with the Yankees, then became a free agent at age 26. In a 'Final Four-type weekend,' two top-6 clashes put women's college basketball focus on West Coast LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two games featuring four powerhouse teams has put the focus in women's college basketball on the West Coast this weekend. JuJu Watkins and No. 3 Southern California host Hannah Hidalgo and No. 6 Notre Dame on Saturday. Top-ranked South Carolina visits Lauren Betts and fifth-ranked UCLA on Sunday. Both games are nationally televised and the arenas are expected to be packed. WNBA scouts will be on hand to check out some of the nation's top talent. Two teams will come away with their first losses of the season. USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb calls it “a Final Four-type weekend.” A documentary featuring Watkins will air on NBC ahead of USC's game, which leads into the Army-Notre Dame football game. Noodles and wine are the secret ingredients for a strange new twist in China's doping saga Blame it on the noodles. That's what one Chinese official suggested when anti-doping leaders were looking for answers for the doping scandal that cast a shadow over this year's Olympic swim meet. Earlier this year, reports that 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive for a banned heart medication emerged. None were sanctioned because Chinese authorities determined the swimmers were contaminated by traces of the drug spread about a hotel kitchen. In a strange twist, the leader of China's anti-doping agency suggested this case could have been similar to one in which criminals were responsible for tainting noodles that were later eaten by another Chinese athlete who also tested positive for the drug. Athletes see climate change as threatening their sports and their health. Some are speaking up BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — Pragnya Mohan has been a professional triathlete for nearly a decade, but summers in her native India are now so hot that she can’t train there anymore. And she worries about a day when heat around the world kills her sport entirely. She was among athletes who spoke at the United Nations climate summit in Azerbaijan about the threat global warming poses to them, to fans and to sport itself. They described how extreme weather is making training and competing difficult or impossible. With billions of fans worldwide, some athletes and leagues are trying to get more people to care, and act, on climate change.London: The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani paid a visit on Tuesday, December 3, to the Palace of Westminster, the seat of the UK Parliament. Addressing both Houses of the UK Parliament, HH the Amir expressed his deep thanks and appreciation to the House of Commons Speaker, Lord Speaker, MPs and the friendly British people for the warm welcome and hospitality accorded to His Highness and the accompanying delegation during the visit. His Highness' speech started with a highlight of the State of Qatar's constitutional system update aligning with the country's traditions and cultural specificity. Moving to the Qatar-UK relations, HH the Amir said they have been growing and seeing multiple partnerships since both countries marked their first-ever interaction with the 1868 Agreement. In this regard, His Highness recalled that during a previous visit Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II commended the bilateral relations as those of two long-standing and trusted friends. The feelings of mutual affection between the two ruling families are manifested in the ties that unite the Qatari and British peoples through education, diplomacy, business, culture and tourism, HH the Amir elaborated. His Highness also spoke about his educational experience at Sherborne School and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst as an opportunity to build long-lasting friendships and fond memories of training and educational sessions, which in turn inspired ongoing cooperation between the two countries. This cooperation has been exemplified in the participation of the Qatar Amiri Air Force in the joint Qatar-UK Typhoon squadron, which helped secure the country's airspace during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, HH the Amir said. His Highness elaborated that a new joint squadron is delivering jet training to Qatari pilots in the new Hawk trainer aircrafts. This visit will facilitate deliberations to boost military, defense and security cooperation by strengthening defense policies, strategies and practices, in terms of equipment and training, His Highness added. Regarding bilateral collaboration on the state level, HH the Amir said both governments have been cooperating for decades to solve many major global challenges - a particularly important unified approach with the global diplomacy on its last legs. His Highness highlighted the State of Qatar's mediation efforts alongside its partners since the first day of the war on the Gaza Strip to stop the violence, release hostages and detainees, and enable a humanitarian aid delivery. In this respect, His Highness said that further work is still needed, especially in the Gaza Strip, which was almost completely destroyed. Yet, His Highness hailed the successes accomplished over the past year. HH the Amir said the two countries share a position to settle the Palestinian issue on the basis of the two-state solution through the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state, regarding the envisioned solution as the path to achieving true peace and coveted prosperity. Regarding the Qatar-UK strategic investment partnership, HH the Amir underscored his keenness to elevate cooperation, noting that Qatari companies have invested over 100 billion Pounds in the British economy and work to pump billions of dollars annually into the tourism sector. His Highness also expressed Qatar's aspiration to increase investment in the areas of infrastructure, science and technology including AI, defense, education and healthcare technology. Commenting on the bilateral education cooperation, HH the Amir said it catalyzes long-run fruitful relations, especially with tens of thousands of Qatari students having graduated and over three thousand others currently studying at universities across the United Kingdom. His Highness also hailed the British universities operating in the State of Qatar and offering their programs to students from Qatar and beyond. In their speeches, Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle and Lord Speaker, Lord McFall of Alcluith welcomed HH the Amir and the accompanying delegation, stressing the strength of Qatari-British relations and expressing their countrys keenness to consolidate these relations across various fields and aspirations to continue close cooperation on regional security and stability. HH the Amir is accompanied by Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani and Their Excellencies members of the official delegation.

Syria's Assad is in Moscow after deal on military bases

Getting smart about car insurance can provide cost savings and peace of mindHouse rejects Democratic efforts to force release of Matt Gaetz ethics reportHall has been dealing with a hyperextension and injured MCL in his left knee that sidelined him last Sunday at Miami. But he was a full participant at practice Friday after sitting out Wednesday and Thursday. Hall was officially listed as questionable on the team's final injury report. “He looks good right now,” interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said. “So it’s promising.” Hall leads the Jets with 692 yards rushing and four touchdown runs, and he also has 401 yards receiving and two scores on 46 catches. A pair of rookies helped New York offset Hall's absence last weekend, with Braelon Allen rushing for 43 yards on 11 carries, and Isaiah Davis getting 40 yards on 10 attempts and scoring his first rushing touchdown. “We’re hopeful and we’ll see how it goes,” Ulbrich said of Hall. The Jets will get star cornerback Sauce Gardner back after he missed a game with a hamstring injury, but New York's secondary appears likely to be without cornerback D.J. Reed because of a groin injury. Reed was listed as doubtful after he didn't practice Thursday or Friday. “It’s been something that’s kind of lingered here and there,” Ulbrich said. “It’s gotten aggravated and then it went away, and then it got aggravated again. So, it’s just dealing with that.” Backup Brandin Echols is out with a shoulder injury, so veteran Isaiah Oliver or rookie Qwan'tez Stiggers could get the start opposite Gardner if Reed can't play. Kendall Sheffield also could be elevated from the practice squad for the second game in a row. Ulbrich said kick returner Kene Nwangwu will be placed on injured reserve after breaking a hand last weekend at Miami. The injury came a week after he was selected the AFC special teams player of the week in his Jets debut, during which he returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown and forced a fumble in a loss to Seattle. “To put him out there with a broken hand, just thought it’d be counterproductive for him and for us as a team, so it unfortunately cuts the season short and what a bright light he was,” Ulbrich said. “What an amazing future I think he has in this league. With saying that, he’s already been a really good player for quite a while, so (it's) unfortunate, but he’ll be back.” Offensive lineman Xavier Newman (groin) is doubtful, while right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker (ankle) and RT Morgan Moses (wrist) are questionable.

Members who served in peace keeping mission in Sarajevo gathering at Canadian War MuseumIndependent Candidate A-Plus Defeats NPP in Gomoa Central ConstituencyWheel of Fortune contestants regularly whiff their bonus puzzles, but the winner of Monday, December 2’s episode was in for a particularly heartbreaking spin. Her additional letter choices added ZERO letters to a tricky puzzle, which was even more shocking since she had the advantage of a Wild Card wedge. The tough break involved Kelsey Sowders, a mom of three and steak/wine savant from Tomball, Texas. After an astounding performance, she proceeded to the coveted bonus round, having racked up $40,398 in cash, a prize trip to Japan, and the elusive Wild Card. This meant she got to pick five additional letters instead of four, which often spells success. Selecting “What are You Doing?” as her category, with the off-side support of her eldest son Grant and husband, Sowders joined Ryan Seacrest center stage. She landed on the star portion of the wheel, and the host assured, “Perhaps it’s good luck.” “I hope so,” Sowders said. The two-word puzzle read as “_EE_N_’ ‘_ _ S_,’ and she chose an additional “MFDA,” and H.” However, Vanna White didn’t move an inch as the letter choices were useless, making the puzzle very difficult. “Oh no!” Sowders exclaimed in disappointment. She went through the five stages of grief, staring in disbelief, blowing a raspberry in frustration, and recollecting herself. Seacrest wished her the best, “You’re doing great so far tonight.” But the cruel twist of fate left Sowder unable to solve the puzzle under the 10-second timer, which ended up being “KEEPING BUSY.” She was close, even able to get the first word, but nowhere near the second. “Oh no!” Sowders exclaimed once more as the full puzzle was displayed. Then, cutting back to the contestant and Seacrest, the second dagger came. The host revealed from his prize card contained $75,000 and she hid her face from it. “I don’t want to see that,” she said as Seacrest winced at the camera. “Don’t worry,” the host told her as she emotionally recovered and told him, “That’s okay.” The game show shared the big miss on YouTube, where fans expressed their shock and empathized with the player’s reaction. “That was a tough one. I didn’t get it either. Props to her for getting the first word right, but that second word was tricky as hell. I’m glad she’s not walking away empty-handed, though. She still won up until that point and nobody can take that from her,” one fan wrote. “Impossible without the right letter choices. Been a few of those this season,” wrote another. “If she would have won, she would have won over $100,000 cash without actually landing on the envelope! That’s really disappointing. Also, the fact that she had 5 letters but didn’t get a single one?! Should I be disappointed or impressed?” asked a third. “Ouch!” wrote a fourth. “You don’t see $75,000 all that often!” Meanwhile , Seacrest had huge shoes to fill replacing the legendary Pat Sajak after four decades for Season 42. His debut month was the strongest ratings month for WoF in the past three years, and viewers were already treated to a viral moment (via a round of sausage) . That said, there have been some questionable host moments according to fans. In September, Seacrest suffered what fans dubbed his “first blooper” , involving a delayed reaction to rewarding a bonus round. Fans also called out the host for ruling against another player before the timer was up. Most controversially, fans recently called out the host for not reminding a player to pick a letter , leading to him losing the game in a misunderstanding and by a mere $147. Another puzzling pattern has emerged, which is that no player has won the bonus round in a full week , many fans blaming the players, not the host. As for Sowders, another contestant recently botched their bonus puzzle in a similar way after choosing poor letters, but in that instance, they didn’t have the boost of the Wild Card wedge. Wheel of Fortune , Weeknights, Check your local listings More Headlines:

WASHINGTON — The House shut down Democrats' efforts Thursday to release the long-awaited ethics report into former Rep. Matt Gaetz, pushing the fate of any resolution to the yearslong investigation of sexual misconduct allegations into further uncertainty. Matt Gaetz talks before President-elect Donald Trump speaks during an America First Policy Institute gala at his Mar-a-Lago estate Nov. 14 in Palm Beach, Fla. The nearly party-line votes came after Democrats had been pressing for the findings to be published even though the Florida Republican left Congress and withdrew as President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general. Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., was the sole Republican to support the effort. Most Republicans have argued that any congressional probe into Gaetz ended when he resigned from the House. Speaker Mike Johnson also requested that the committee not publish its report, saying it would be a terrible precedent to set. While ethics reports have previously been released after a member’s resignation, it is extremely rare. Shortly before the votes took place, Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., who introduced one of the bills to force the release, said that if Republicans reject the release, they will have “succeeded in sweeping credible allegations of sexual misconduct under the rug.” Gaetz has repeatedly denied the claims. Earlier Thursday, the Ethics panel met to discuss the Gaetz report but made no decision, saying in a short statement that the matter is still being discussed. It's unclear now whether the document will ever see the light of day as lawmakers have only a few weeks left before a new session of Congress begins. It's the culmination of weeks of pressure on the Ethics committee's five Republicans and five Democrats who mostly work in secret as they investigate allegations of misconduct against lawmakers. The status of the Gaetz investigation became an open question last month when he abruptly resigned from Congress after Trump's announcement that he wanted his ally in the Cabinet. It is standard practice for the committee to end investigations when members of Congress depart, but the circumstances surrounding Gaetz were unusual, given his potential role in the new administration. Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss., the committee chairman, said Wednesday that there is no longer the same urgency to release the report given that Gaetz has left Congress and stepped aside as Trump's choice to head the Justice Department. “I’ve been steadfast about that. He’s no longer a member. He is no longer going to be confirmed by the Senate because he withdrew his nomination to be the attorney general,” Guest said. The Gaetz report has also caused tensions between lawmakers on the bipartisan committee. Pennsylvania Rep. Susan Wild, the top Democrat on the panel, publicly admonished Guest last month for mischaracterizing a previous meeting to the press. Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing and said last year that the Justice Department’s separate investigation against him into sex trafficking allegations involving underage girls ended without federal charges. His onetime political ally Joel Greenberg, a fellow Republican who served as the tax collector in Florida’s Seminole County, admitted as part of a plea deal with prosecutors in 2021 that he paid women and an underage girl to have sex with him and other men. The men were not identified in court documents when he pleaded guilty. Greenberg was sentenced in late 2022 to 11 years in prison. Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Kash Patel spent several years as a Justice Department prosecutor before catching the Trump administration’s attention as a staffer on Capitol Hill who helped investigate the Russia probe. Patel called for dramatically reducing the agency’s footprint, a perspective that sets him apart from earlier directors who sought additional resources for the bureau. Though the Justice Department in 2021 halted the practice of secretly seizing reporters’ phone records during leak investigations, Patel said he intends to aggressively hunt down government officials who leak information to reporters. Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Trump said Atkins, the CEO of Patomak Partners and a former SEC commissioner, was a “proven leader for common sense regulations.” In the years since leaving the SEC, Atkins has made the case against too much market regulation. “He believes in the promise of robust, innovative capital markets that are responsive to the needs of Investors, & that provide capital to make our Economy the best in the World. He also recognizes that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The commission oversees U.S. securities markets and investments and is currently led by Gary Gensler, who has been leading the U.S. government’s crackdown on the crypto industry. Gensler, who was nominated by President Joe Biden, announced last month that he would be stepping down from his post on the day that Trump is inaugurated — Jan. 20, 2025. Atkins began his career as a lawyer and has a long history working in the financial markets sector, both in government and private practice. In the 1990s, he worked on the staffs of two former SEC chairmen, Richard C. Breeden and Arthur Levitt. Jared Isaacman, 41, is a tech billionaire who bought a series of spaceflights from Elon Musk’s SpaceX and conducted the first private spacewalk . He is the founder and CEO of a card-processing company and has collaborated closely with Musk ever since buying his first chartered SpaceX flight. He took contest winners on that 2021 trip and followed it in September with a mission where he briefly popped out the hatch to test SpaceX’s new spacewalking suits. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. A Republican congressman from Michigan who served from 1993 to 2011, Hoekstra was ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term. “In my Second Term, Pete will help me once again put AMERICA FIRST,” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice. “He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role.” Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump said Wednesday that he will nominate Gen. Keith Kellogg to serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as National Security Advisor to Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence. For the America First Policy Institute, one of several groups formed after Trump left office to help lay the groundwork for the next Republican administration, Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Former Rep. Billy Long represented Missouri in the U.S. House from 2011 to 2023. Since leaving Congress, Trump said, Long “has worked as a Business and Tax advisor, helping Small Businesses navigate the complexities of complying with the IRS Rules and Regulations.” Former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler was appointed in January 2020 by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and then lost a runoff election a year later. She started a conservative voter registration organization and dived into GOP fundraising, becoming one of the top individual donors and bundlers to Trump’s 2024 comeback campaign. Even before nominating her for agriculture secretary, the president-elect already had tapped Loeffler as co-chair of his inaugural committee. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. James Blair, deputy chief of staff Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Marty Makary, Food and Drug Administration Makary is a Johns Hopkins surgeon and author who argued against pandemic lockdowns. He routinely appeared on Fox News during the COVID-19 pandemic and wrote opinion articles questioning masks for children. He cast doubt on vaccine mandates but supported vaccines generally. Makary also cast doubt on whether booster shots worked, which was against federal recommendations on the vaccine. Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, Surgeon General Nesheiwat is a general practitioner who serves as medical director for CityMD, a network of urgent care centers in New York and New Jersey. She has been a contributor to Fox News. Dr. Dave Weldon, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Weldon is a former Florida congressman who recently ran for a Florida state legislative seat and lost; Trump backed Weldon’s opponent. In Congress, Weldon weighed in on one of the nation’s most heated debates of the 1990s over quality of life and a right-to-die and whether Terri Schiavo, who was in a persistent vegetative state after cardiac arrest, should have been allowed to have her feeding tube removed. He sided with the parents who did not want it removed. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Reniya Kelly had 18 points and six assists, Maria Gakdeng added 16 points and nine rebounds, and No. 16 North Carolina beat 14th-ranked Kentucky 72-53 on Thursday night in the SEC/ACC Challenge. North Carolina opened the game on a 14-4 run, capped by Alyssa Ustby’s fifth 3-pointer of the season. The Tar Heels led 36-25 at halftime after holding the Wildcats to 36% shooting. North Carolina only made one field goal in the opening five minutes of the third quarter as Kentucky got as close as seven points. But The Tar Heels made five field goals in the final five minutes to take a 50-39 lead into the fourth. Kentucky’s opening four baskets of the fourth were from 3-point range to get within 60-51 with 5:52 left on Dazia Lawrence’s basket off a nice assist from Georgia Amoore on an inbounds play. North Carlina sealed it by scoring the next six points — all from the free-throw line. Ustby scored 13 points with eight rebounds for North Carolina (8-1). The Tar Heels outscored Kentucky 42-10 in the paint. Lawrence scored 17 points and Amelia Hassett had 13 points and 13 rebounds for Kentucky (7-1). Amoore added 10 points and eight assists and Clara Strack, averaging a team-high 18.3 points per game, was held to four points on 2-of-10 shooting. North Carolina stays at home to play Coppin State on Sunday. Kentucky returns home to face Queens University on Monday. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketballPITTSFIELD — As Shirley Edgerton prepares to accept an award given to just six people in the state, she can’t help but reflect on the women who helped her along the way. Among those women: her grandmother, Lucille Session, who raised her and her siblings with an emphasis on independence and self-advocacy. “I often tell people [my sister and I] had two activities in our lives growing up: to attend church and go to school,” Edgerton laughed. “My grandmother was very focused on improving [our] lives and becoming self-sufficient and strong and independent — that’s who she was.” On Saturday, Edgerton will receive the MassArt Common Good Award , a recognition from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design that honors people who use the arts to “inspire advocacy, education and social transformation,” according to its website. This is the second year for the award, said MassArt President Mary K. Grant — it originated as part of the college’s 150th anniversary celebration in 2023. Edgerton will travel with a group of at least 15 mentors and mentees from the Rites of Passage and Empowerment, or R.O.P.E, program, to the MassArt Design and Media Center in Boston for an awards ceremony at noon Saturday, which is currently expecting over 300 attendees. In lieu of a plaque, Edgerton and the other award winners will receive a sculpture made by MassArt alum Sam Kim. For Edgerton, the recognition extends far beyond herself — she couldn’t impact the lives of young women and girls of color in Pittsfield without her team of fellow mentors, and she wouldn’t be doing the work if it wasn’t for the role models who guided her growing up. “I find it very moving,” Edgerton said. “I take recognitions like this very seriously. For me, it always causes me to think and be grateful for my life and for the fact that there were adults — women in particular — who poured into my life.” It was partly because of her grandmother’s insistence that Edgerton also become involved with the A.M.E. Zion Church in Mount Vernon, N.Y. There, her mentor Shirley Jackson helped her overcome her shyness as a child, and introduced her to travel. Thanks to Jackson’s influence, Edgerton became a youth leader at the church and toured historically Black colleges and universities, or HBCUs, for the first time. She kept in touch with Jackson and Betty Stith, a social worker and another of her mentors, as she began passing on the lessons they taught her to young women in the R.O.P.E. program, which she founded in 2010. “It was those women who constantly taught me and showed me the way and provided opportunities for me,” Edgerton said, noting that many of the program’s activities are based on lessons and experiences from her own life. The R.O.P.E. program takes a holistic approach, she said, embarking on service learning trips to Africa with its young scholars and providing guidance for them to seek a college education. During biweekly meetings, mentees are given lessons on women’s history and the arts, in addition to activities, meant to grow their self-esteem. “For us, this recognition is the fact that we try to make a tremendous difference and provide access and opportunities that some of these young women just would not have,” Edgerton said. “Whether it’s about the arts, whether it’s about higher education, whether it’s that global travel, that’s the impact we have on their lives.” Grant knows Edgerton’s work well — as the former president of the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, she saw Edgerton evolve the program from taking students on college visits via bus to attending vital cultural events and undergoing international travel. The common thread, Grant said, was showing young people everything that was possible for them. “Those are life-changing, confidence-building, really empowering activities that bring together art and education to make a difference in the lives of these young women and in the work that they’re doing,” Grant said. In addition to her time running R.O.P.E., Edgerton is also a co-founder of the Youth Alive program, which engages area youth aged 8 to 18 for music and dance education. She also led diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at the Pittsfield Public Schools until 2023. This year alone, the R.O.P.E. program has helped five women who will be graduating from college, Edgerton said — three of them will graduate from Howard University, one from Tuskegee University and one from Westfield State University. In the same way that she kept in touch with her mentors as she grew up, Edgerton said that she often hears from former students who have begun their adult lives. Those messages, whether they arrive through text messages or impact statements for a Giving Tuesday fundraising effort, are what keeps her going. “It just makes my day — makes my life,” Edgerton said. “Because I’m like, ‘Yeah, I’m serving my purpose. I’m doing what I’m supposed to do on this planet,’ you know?”

Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save NEW YORK — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers formally asked a judge Monday to throw out his hush money criminal conviction , arguing continuing the case would present unconstitutional “disruptions to the institution of the Presidency.“ In a filing made public Tuesday, Trump’s lawyers told Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan that dismissal is warranted because of the “overwhelming national mandate granted to him by the American people on November 5, 2024.” They also cited President Joe Biden’s recent pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, who was convicted of tax and gun charges . People are also reading... The real reason Corvallis' Pastega Lights moved to Linn County City officials admit Corvallis' flag is 'bad.' Will it change? OSU football: Three takeaways from Oregon State's loss at Boise State Prosecutor: Driver on laughing gas caused double fatal in Sweet Home OSU women's basketball: Marotte takes a more aggressive approach on offense Recently made-over park sees this change after Albany got an earful UPDATED: GAPS teacher strike NOT off after talks over returning to the classroom break down Corvallis chemical manufacturer eyes Albany for expansion OSU football: Boise State's pass rush is formidable Strike to end, GAPS reaches tentative deal with Albany teachers A busy day: A series of crashes in Sweet Home OSU football: Preview and prediction for regular-season finale against Boise State Agreement reached (again), GAPS teachers get new contract Philomath moves forward following July Nazi flag controversy More allegations against ex-OSU coach “President Biden asserted that his son was ‘selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted,’ and ‘treated differently,’" Trump’s legal team wrote. The Manhattan district attorney, they claimed, engaged in the type of political theater "that President Biden condemned.” Prosecutors will have until Dec. 9 to respond. They have said they will fight any efforts to dismiss the case but indicated a willingness to delay the sentencing until after Trump’s second term ends in 2029. Former President Donald Trump walks to make comments to members of the news media May 30 after a jury convicted him of felony crimes for falsifying business records in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York. In their filing Monday, Trump's attorneys dismissed the idea of holding off sentencing until Trump is out of office as a “ridiculous suggestion.” Following Trump’s election victory last month, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed his sentencing, previously scheduled for late November, to allow the defense and prosecution to weigh in on the future of the case. He also delayed a decision on Trump’s prior bid to dismiss the case on immunity grounds. Trump has been fighting for months to reverse his conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier. He says they did not and denies wrongdoing. Taking a swipe at Bragg and New York City, as Trump often did throughout the trial, the filing argues that dismissal would also benefit the public by giving him and “the numerous prosecutors assigned to this case a renewed opportunity to put an end to deteriorating conditions in the City and to protect its residents from violent crime.” Clearing Trump, the lawyers added, also would allow him to “to devote all of his energy to protecting the Nation.” The defense filing was signed by Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, who represented Trump during the trial and since were selected by the president-elect to fill senior roles at the Justice Department. A dismissal would erase Trump’s historic conviction, sparing him the cloud of a criminal record and possible prison sentence. Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office. Trump takes office Jan. 20. Merchan hasn’t set a timetable for a decision. Trump team signs agreement to allow Justice to conduct background checks on nominees, staff ZEKE MILLERAssociated Press Merchan could also decide to uphold the verdict and proceed to sentencing, delay the case until Trump leaves office, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump’s parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court or choose some other option. Prosecutors cast the payout as part of a Trump-driven effort to keep voters from hearing salacious stories about him. Trump’s then-lawyer Michael Cohen paid Daniels. Trump later reimbursed him, and Trump’s company logged the reimbursements as legal expenses — concealing what they really were, prosecutors alleged. Trump pledged to appeal the verdict if the case is not dismissed. He and his lawyers said the payments to Cohen were properly categorized as legal expenses for legal work. A month after the verdict, the Supreme Court ruled that ex-presidents can’t be prosecuted for official acts — things they did in the course of running the country — and that prosecutors can’t cite those actions to bolster a case centered on purely personal, unofficial conduct. Trump’s lawyers cited the ruling to argue that the hush money jury got some improper evidence, such as Trump’s presidential financial disclosure form, testimony from some White House aides and social media posts made during his first term. Prosecutors disagreed and said the evidence in question was only “a sliver” of their case. If the verdict stands and the case proceeds to sentencing, Trump’s punishments would range from a fine to probation to up to four years in prison — but it’s unlikely he’d spend any time behind bars for a first-time conviction involving charges in the lowest tier of felonies. Because it is a state case, Trump would not be able to pardon himself once he returns to office. Presidential pardons apply only to federal crimes. PHOTOS: Donald Trump's Election Day 2024 Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump, with Melania Trump and Barron Trump, arrives to speak at an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks as Melania Trump looks on at an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Republican Presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives with former first lady Melania Trump and son Barron Trump at the Palm Beach County Convention Center during an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks as former first lady Melania Trump listens after they voted on Election Day at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks as former first lady Melania Trump listens after they voted on Election Day at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks as former first lady Melania Trump listens after they voted on Election Day at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks after voting on Election Day at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks after voting on Election Day at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks as former first lady Melania Trump listens after they voted on Election Day at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks after voting on Election Day at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump, joined by, from right, Melania Trump and Barron Trump, arrives to speaks at an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives to speak at an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Republican Presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives with =former first lady Melania Trump and son Barron Trump at the Palm Beach County Convention Center during an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump and former first lady Melania Trump walk after voting on Election Day at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks after voting on Election Day at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump visits his campaign headquarters, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump and former first lady Melania Trump walk after voting on Election Day at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email.STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Josh Hubbard scored 14 of his team-high 25 points in the final 10 minutes and Mississippi State pulled away late to post a 91-84 win over a road-weary Prairie View A&M on Sunday afternoon. Prairie View A&M, playing its eighth straight road game after a season-opening win over a non-NCAA opponent, will not play its second home game until it hosts Grambling in the Southwestern Athletic Conference opener January 4. The Panthers have surrendered 100 points or more in three games and opponents have topped 90 points in seven of their eight road losses. Mississippi State (8-1), fresh off a dominating performance in a 90-57 win over No. 18 Pitt in the SEC/ACC Men's Challenge, got all it could handle from the Panthers. The teams were tied at the break at 44-44 and Tanahj Pettway hit from deep to give Prairie View the lead, 65-64 midway through the second half. The Bulldogs responded with a 16-2 run kick-started by a pair of Josh Hubbard layups and a Claudell Harris Jr., 3 and capped by a Hubbard 3 and a Jordan Tillmon layup to take an 80-68 lead with under five minutes to play. Hubbard hit 4 of 10 from beyond the arc and had three assists and a pair of steals. Harris came off the bench to hit 3 of 6 from deep to add 21 points. Shawn Jones Jr. scored 11 points, Michael Nwoko scored 10 points and grabbed 10 boards and RJ Melendez had 10 points. Nick Anderson led the Panthers with 21 points and four assists. Pettway hit 4 of 5 from deep and finished with 20 points while Marcel Bryant added 19 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Software firm Databricks is nearing a deal that could become one of the largest venture capital funding rounds in history, as investors have shown a strong appetite to own a piece of the fast-growing data analytics firm, three sources said on Friday. The round, almost twice oversubscribed, could top $9.5 billion when it is finalized next week, exceeding the company's original goal and higher than what was discussed earlier, the sources told Reuters, cautioning the final number could still go up. The San Francisco-based company, which helps enterprises process and analyze their data, is expected to fetch a valuation of over $60 billion at a price of $92.50 per share. That price is considered a bargain in the eyes of some investors, given that the company's projected revenue for the next fiscal year is $3.8 billion, said the sources, who requested anonymity to discuss private matters. Thrive Capital and returning investors Andreessen Horowitz, Insight Partners, as well as Singaporean sovereign wealth fund GIC are expected to lead this mega round, according to one of the sources. In conjunction with the equity raise, the company is also in talks to raise $4.5 billion in debt financing, including a $2.5 billion term loan from direct lenders, one of the sources added. Bloomberg first reported on the private debt raise. Databricks, founded in 2013, is a data analytics and artificial-intelligence company. It provides a cloud-based platform to help enterprises build and govern data and AI applications. Databricks and Thrive Capital declined to comment. Insight, Andreessen Horowitz and GIC did not immediately respond to request for comment. This high-profile round would mark a jump in valuation for the 11-year-old company that has yet to make a profit. The firm was valued at $43 billion in September. The move would also be a major win for early employees, as the company plans to dedicate the funding to buy back expiring restricted stock units from early employees and cover the associated tax costs. As part of the deal, the company plans to issue preferred shares to investors participating in the round, the sources said. Databricks has benefited from the AI boom by selling more tools that help clients build and deploy AI applications using the growing volume of data they already store with the company. It competes with Snowflake, which commands a market cap of about $56 billion with expected revenue of $3.4 billion in the fiscal year ending in January 2025. The move to raise outsized funding specifically to address the expiring employee options issue, instead of adding to its balance sheet, mirrors a move by payment company Stripe, which raised $6.5 billion last year at a valuation of $50 billion. Such mega deals highlight the amount of funds available in the venture capital system and the appetite for top-notch names. Investors are doubling down on AI companies and supporting firms to remain private longer, enabling rarely seen round sizes such as OpenAI's $6.5 billion raise at a $165 billion valuation and xAI's $6 billion raise. The move signals that Databricks and other top public market candidates are in no rush to go public, despite expectations of a resurgence of venture capital-backed initial public offerings in 2025.Stock market today: Wall Street inches higher to set more records