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ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — In a season that began with many questions and lowered expectations , it was apt watching Bills quarterback Josh Allen join coach Sean McDermott lay on the cold, wet sideline to make snow angels in celebrating Buffalo’s earliest clinching of a division title in team history. That Allen took part was no surprise. The newly engaged 28-year-old has maintained the happy-go-lucky approach he brought with him to Buffalo as a raw-talented athlete in 2018, while gradually blossoming into one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks. For McDermott, it was a pleasant surprise to see the usually reserved eight-year coach finally let his hair down — figuratively, because the few jokes he does make are usually about being bald. With his latest do-it-all three-TD outing — one rushing, one receiving and, the coup de grace, being credited with receiving his own pass for a score off a lateral from Amari Cooper — in a 35-10 win over San Francisco on Sunday night , Allen continued making his strongest NFL MVP case. What’s also becoming apparent is how much McDermott deserves consideration for coach of the year honors. Without the two, the Bills (10-2) wouldn’t be in this position in becoming just the eighth NFL team — and first since Indianapolis in 2009 — to clinch a division title with at least five games remaining in their schedule. It’s reflective of how the two have grown together in what, on the outside, could be perceived as an odd couple relationship between an offensive-minded, swashbuckling quarterback and a defensive-minded coach, too often knocked for being too conservative. Perhaps, it’s Allen’s boyish nature that has brought out the risk-taker in McDermott, who has carried over the aggressive approach he takes to defense by placing trust in his quarterback. It’s become apparent in everything the Bills have accomplished so far in having at least 10 wins through 12 games for just the fifth time in team history, and first since 1991, when Buffalo was led by eventual Hall of Famers in coach Marv Levy and quarterback Jim Kelly. Buffalo has won seven straight since consecutive losses to Baltimore and Houston. And the Bills have scored 30 or more points in six straight outings, matching the team record set in 2004. Allen is doing more with less on an offense that was supposed to be hampered following the offseason departures of receivers Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis and center Mitch Morse. The Bills are more balanced in leaning on their running attack, while Allen has also curtailed his turnover-prone ways. He's lost two fumbles and thrown just five interceptions after being picked off a career-worst 18 times last season. Meantime, McDermott has taken a different approach to fourth down situations. The Bills have converted 13 of 15 fourth down attempts after going 9 of 16 last season and 7 of 13 in 2022. The most fourth down attempts during McDermott’s tenure came in 2021, when Buffalo converted just 11 of 22. This is but an example of the bond the quarterback and coach have built in a shared objective of overcoming past playoff failures. Clinching a division title is but one step, with the Bills now focused on catching the Kansas City Chiefs (11-1), whom they’ve beaten already , for the AFC’s top seed. In calling it the team’s next goal, McDermott went off script from his usual game-at-a-time message by noting the importance of celebrating a division-clinching win, if only for one day. “Being 50 years old and 20-plus years in this league, I’ve learned to try and enjoy the moments,” McDermott said. “And this is a moment, right?” It certainly was. What’s working Turnover differential. Buffalo’s defense forced three fumbles, including one at its goal line, while the offense didn’t commit a giveaway. The Bills upped their league-leading turnover differential entering Monday to plus-17. What needs help Run defense. Though the conditions were snowy and slick, the Bills allowed 119 yards rushing in the first half before the 49ers were forced to start passing the ball once the score became lopsided. Buffalo particularly struggled in stopping Christian McCaffrey, who had 53 yards on seven carries before leaving the game with a potential season-ending knee injury . Stock up LB Matt Milano was in on five tackles while playing 37 of 48 defensive snaps in his first outing in nearly 14 months after being sidelined by a broken right leg and torn left biceps. Stock down CB Kaiir Elam, the 2022 first-round pick was a healthy inactive for a second straight outing, and still having difficulty finding a regular role. Injuries None reported. Key number 9-0 — The Bills' home record going back to last season, marking their second-longest run in team history. Next steps Hit the road for two outings, starting with a trip to face the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl John Wawrow, The Associated Press

Romanians are casting ballots on Sunday in the first round of a presidential election that could pit a far-right nationalist against the incumbent leftist prime minister in the runoff. Thirteen candidates are vying for the presidency in the European Union and NATO member country, and the vote is expected to go to a second round on Dec. 8. Polls opened at 7.00 a.m. local time (0500GMT) and will close at 9.00 p.m. (1900GMT). Romanians abroad have been able to vote since Friday. By 8 p.m. local time (1800GMT), 9.2 million people — about 51% of eligible voters — had cast ballots, according to the Central Election Bureau. The final vote could see George Simion, the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, or AUR, face off against incumbent Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, backed by Romania’s largest party, the Social Democratic Party or PSD. The presidential role carries a five-year term and has significant decision-making powers in areas such as national security, foreign policy, and judicial appointments. Romania will also hold parliamentary elections on Dec. 1 that will determine the country’s next government and prime minister. Simion, 38, is a vocal supporter of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and has long been a controversial figure. He campaigned for reunification with Moldova, which this year renewed a five-year ban on him from entering the country over security concerns, and he is banned for the same reason from entering neighbouring Ukraine. “I would like that in the next five to ten years, for Romanians to be really proud to be Romanians, to promote Romanian culture, Romanian products,” he told reporters on Wednesday in the capital, Bucharest. “As a Romanian president, I will promote Romanian interests. In most cases, Romanian interests coincide with partner interests.” Ecaterina Nawadia, a 20-year-old architecture student, said she voted for the first time in a national election on Sunday and hopes young people turn out in high numbers. “Since the (1989) revolution, we didn’t have a really good president,” she said. “I hope most of the people my age went to vote ... because the leading candidate is not the best option.” Cristian Andrei, a political consultant based in Bucharest, says Sunday’s vote will be “a tight race” in which the diaspora will likely play a key role in which candidates make it to the runoff. “We are at a point where Romania can easily divert or slip toward a populist regime because (voter) dissatisfaction is pretty large among a lot of people from all social strata,” he told The Associated Press. “And the temptation for any regime, any leader — will be to go on a populist road.” He added that Romania’s large budget deficit, high inflation, and an economic slowdown could push more mainstream candidates to shift toward populist stances amid widespread dissatisfaction. Ciolacu told the AP that if he is elected, one of his biggest goals is “to convince Romanians that it is worth staying at home or returning” to Romania, which has a massive diaspora spread throughout EU countries. “Romania has a huge chance to become a developed economy in the next 10 years, where honest work is fairly rewarded and people have the security of a better life,” he said. “But for this, we need balance and responsibility ... I am running for the Presidency of Romania because we need a change.” Other key candidates include Elena Lasconi of the Save Romania Union party, or USR former NATO deputy general secretary Mircea Geoana, who is running independently and Nicolae Ciuca, a former army general and head of the center-right National Liberal Party, which is currently in a tense coalition with the PSD. Geoana, a former foreign minister and ambassador to the United States, told the AP that he believes his international experience qualifies him above the other candidates. “I think I bring a lot of competence and experience and connections in this complicated world,” he said. Lasconi, a former journalist and the leader of the USR said she sees corruption as one of the biggest problems Romania faces and that she supports increased defence spending and continued aid to Ukraine. Romania has been a staunch ally of war-torn Ukraine since Russia launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022. But Simion of the AUR party said he opposes Romania — which has sent a Patriot missile system to Ukraine — contributing further military aid and that he hopes Trump can “stop the war.” In 2020, the AUR party went from relative obscurity to gaining 9% in a parliamentary vote, allowing it to enter parliament. Opponents have long accused Simion and AUR of being extremists, charges he denies. “We are sort of a Trumpist party in this new wave of patriotic political parties in Europe,” Simion said.

Human rights court rules against Venezuela in 2013 election caseEthan Taylor scores 21 as Air Force takes down Mercyhurst 82-48A longstanding vendor market won’t return to downtown Katy in 2025. What happened Katy Market Day , a semi-monthly market showcasing local vendors, food and drinks, had its last event Dec. 7 after a 30-year run, market co-founder and local business owner Betsy Proctor said. The market’s end comes after her application to close downtown streets for her 2025 markets wasn’t considered on Katy City Council's agenda, Proctor said. The market ran monthly from March to November, with a special Christmas event in December. “Basically what they're saying is they're not going to put my request to close the streets on the agenda; therefore, I can't have the market,” she said. The details The change is reportedly due to city staff wanting to to limit downtown events to only be those managed by the city, Proctor claims. This comes following the city’s multimillion-dollar effort to improve downtown Katy and attract tourism. Katy city officials didn’t respond to requests for comment or questions about Katy Market Day. To allow her event to continue, Proctor claimed city officials made an offer this summer to take over ownership of Katy Market Day in 2026. The contract included: $15,000 to be paid to Proctor Proctor must give the city access to the vendor list Proctor would co-run the market through 2025 to aid in the transition The city would take over management of the market in 2026 with the trade name, logo and social media accounts Proctor said she declined the contract, effectively ending the opportunity for the event to continue. “It wasn't functional; I couldn't function under what they wanted me to do and then hand them everything at the end of the year,” she said of the contract. The backstory Proctor said Katy Market Day began roughly 30 years ago in a downtown parking lot, growing over time to a point where she began requesting the city close multiple streets to increase safety for the pedestrian shoppers. The market was founded with the goal of bringing more traffic to downtown Katy to support local businesses, including the antique shop she runs with her husband, called Limited Edition Art & Antiques, Proctor said. “The reason I did the market to begin with was because downtown Katy, where my shop is, was completely dead. Nobody even knew we existed,” she said. “The market was basically done to attract attention into town.” Proctor said Katy Market Day began roughly 30 years ago in a downtown parking lot, growing over time to a point where she began requesting the city close multiple streets to increase safety for the pedestrian shoppers. (Courtesy Katy Market Day) Community reaction Some community members pushed back against news about the market. A Change.org petition that aimed to keep the event in downtown Katy under its current management has gained more than 2,200 signatures. According to Change.org, 65% of signatures come from ZIP codes 77494, 77493 and 77449 in the Katy area. Zooming out The city of Katy has completed more than $7.67 million of improvements to downtown Katy in an effort to revitalize the area, said Kaci Maris, Katy’s tourism and marketing event coordinator. “The point of everything that we’re doing is to bring people to the downtown area,” she said. “Not only do we want our locals finding us and seeing all that we have to offer downtown but coming back, and then ... the word getting out to everybody else in surrounding areas about what it is that we've got going on downtown.” Projects in the town square, between Avenues B and C, have included: Green space Landscaping Murals A removable stage for events Additionally, a project to relocate geese sculptures to the corner of Avenue C and Second Street will begin in 2025, Maris said. Another $952,370 project will build the new permanent interactive exhibit at the future Katy Visitor Center, located at 5718 Second St., Community Impact reported . Maris said the center should open in 2025. Looking ahead Maris declined to comment on whether Katy staff plan to launch a city-run market in the future. However, she said her team has various events planned for 2025 to continue attracting visitors to downtown, such as monthly themed events in the square and some future changes to the annual Katy Rice Harvest Festival . Despite Katy Market Day’s departure, Proctor said her goal is still to continue supporting Katy’s businesses with smaller events, such as ladies’ night and a sidewalk art walk. She said she hopes shoppers support the city of Katy’s future events. “I really sincerely hope that the city is successful and their events are successful, because that helps all of us [downtown businesses],” she said.