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New York Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said Aaron Rodgers “absolutely” will remain the team's starting quarterback and start Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks. Rodgers, who turns 41 next Monday, has been hampered at times during the Jets' 3-8 start by various injuries to his left leg, including a sore knee, sprained ankle and balky hamstring. Ulbrich said Monday the quarterback came back from the team's bye-week break ready to go. “All I can say, and you'd have to ask Aaron if he's fully healthy, but he's better off today than he's been as of late,” Ulbrich said. "So he's definitely feeling healthier than he has probably for the past month. A healthy Aaron Rodgers is the Aaron Rodgers we all love. “So, I'm excited about what that looks like.” NFL Network reported on Sunday that Rodgers, who missed all but four snaps last season with a torn left Achilles tendon , has declined having medical scans on his injured leg so he can continue to play. “I have not been informed of that, either way,” Ulbrich said. Rodgers suffered what NFL Network reported was a “significant” hamstring injury against Denver in Week 4. He then sprained his left ankle against Minnesota in London a week later. The four-time MVP has not been able to consistently move around during games as he has in the past, when extending plays and making things happen on the run became such a big part of his game. Rodgers said leading into New York's 28-27 loss to Indianapolis last Sunday that it was the healthiest he felt in a while. But he struggled against the Colts, finishing 22 of 29 for 184 yards after a brutally slow start during which he went 9 of 13 for just 76 yards. The Athletic reported last week that owner Woody Johnson broached the idea during a meeting with the coaching staff of having the banged-up Rodgers sit after the Jets' loss to Denver in Week 4. With Rodgers' struggles and perhaps compromised health the past few games, a hot debate on social media and sports talk shows during the past week has been whether the quarterback should take a seat in favor of Tyrod Taylor. But when asked if there has been any talk of shutting down Rodgers, Ulbrich replied flatly: “There has not.” In a follow-up question, the interim coach was asked if Rodgers will, in fact, be the Jets' starting quarterback at home Sunday against the Seahawks. “Absolutely,” Ulbrich said. He added that he didn't feel the need to sit down with Rodgers and address all the reports and chatter outside the facility. “No, I feel like we are on the same page,” the coach said. Last week, Ulbrich said he and his staff would take “a deep dive” into what the team could do better after losing seven of its past eight and being on the verge of missing the postseason for the 14th consecutive year. Ulbrich opted not to make any changes to the coaching responsibilities of his staff and he will continue to run the defense as the coordinator. He also said there would not be any personnel changes coming out of the bye, barring injuries. “But definitely, we created a really clear vision of where we need to improve and found some things,” Ulbrich said. “Obviously, you find the things that you’re not doing well, you need to improve upon them, but then also found some some things that I think we can really build upon. So I was excited in both ways.” Johnson fired general manager Joe Douglas last Tuesday, six weeks after he also dismissed coach Robert Saleh. On Monday, the team announced it would be assisted by The 33rd Team , a football media, analytics and consulting group founded by former Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum, in its searches for a general manager and coach. Ulbrich insisted that isn't creating an awkward situation for him, in particular, as he and his staff focus on the present while the organization begins planning for the future. “In all honesty, it’s not at all,” Ulbrich said. “My singular focus is just finishing the season off the right way, playing a brand of football we’re all proud of, myself included. And that starts with Seattle.” Injuries LB C.J. Mosley said he's “progressing” in his return from a herniated disk in his neck, but is still uncertain about his availability for Sunday. Mosley said Monday was the first time he put on a helmet since the injury occurred during pregame warmups against New England on Oct. 27. ... Ulbrich said the team is still evaluating LT Tyron Smith, who missed the game against Indianapolis with a neck ailment. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Dennis Waszak Jr., The Associated Press

A judge on Monday rejected a request to block a San Jose State women's volleyball team member from playing in a conference tournament on grounds that she is transgender. The ruling by U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Kato Crews in Denver will allow the player, who has played all season, to compete in the Mountain West Conference women's championship opening this week in Las Vegas. The ruling comes in a lawsuit filed by nine current players against the Mountain West Conference challenging the league's policies for allowing transgender players to participate. The players argued that letting her compete was a safety risk and unfair. While some media have reported those and other details, neither San Jose State nor the forfeiting teams have confirmed the school has a trans woman volleyball player. The Associated Press is withholding the player's name because she has not commented publicly on her gender identity. School officials also have declined an interview request with the player. Crews' ruling referred to the athlete as an "alleged transgender" player and noted that no defendant disputed that the San Jose State roster includes a transgender woman player. San Jose State will "continue to support its student-athletes and reject discrimination in all forms," the university said in a statement, confirming that all its student-athletes are eligible to participate under NCAA and conference rules. "We are gratified that the Court rejected an eleventh-hour attempt to change those rules. Our team looks forward to competing in the Mountain West volleyball tournament this week." The conference did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. The players filed a notice for emergency appeal with the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Crews said the players who filed the complaint could have sought relief much earlier, noting the individual universities had acknowledged that not playing their games against San Jose State this season would result in a loss in league standings. He also refused a request to re-seed the tournament without the forfeited losses. The judge said injunctions are meant to preserve the status quo. The conference policy regarding forfeiting for refusing to play against a team with a transgender player had been in effect since 2022 and the San Jose State player has been on the roster since 2022 -– making that the status quo. The player competed at the college level three previous seasons, including two for San Jose State, drawing little attention. This season's awareness of her reported identity led to an uproar among some players, pundits, parents and politicians in a major election year. Crews' ruling also said injunctions are meant to prevent harm, but in this case, he argued, the harm has already occurred. The games have been forfeited, the tournament has been seeded, the teams have made travel plans and the participants have confirmed they're playing. The tournament starts Wednesday and continues Friday and Saturday. Colorado State is seeded first and San Jose State, second. The teams split their regular-season matches and both get byes into Friday's semifinals. San Jose State will play the winner of Wednesday's match between Utah State and Boise State — teams that both forfeited matches to SJSU during the regular season. Boise State associate athletic director Chris Kutz declined to comment on whether the Broncos would play SJSU if they won their first-round tournament game. Utah State officials did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment. The conference tournament winner gets an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. San Jose State coach Todd Kress, whose team has not competed in the national tournament since 2001, has said his team has been getting "messages of hate" and that has taken a toll on his players. Several teams refused to play against San Jose State during the season, earning losses in the official conference standings. Boise State and Wyoming each had two forfeits while Utah State and Nevada both had one. Southern Utah, a member of the Western Athletic Conference, was first to cancel against San Jose State this year. Nevada's players stated they "refuse to participate in any match that advances injustice against female athletes," without elaborating. Nevada did not qualify for the conference tournament. The nine current players and others now suing the Mountain West Conference, the California State University Board of Trustees and others include San Jose State senior setter and co-captain Brooke Slusser. The teammate Slusser says is transgender hits the volleyball with more force than others on the team, raising fear during practices of suffering concussions from a head hit, the complaint says. The Independent Council on Women's Sports is funding a separate lawsuit against the NCAA for allowing transgender women to compete in women's sports. Both lawsuits claim the landmark 1972 federal antidiscrimination law known as Title IX prohibits transgender women in women's sports. Title IX prohibits sexual discrimination in federally funded education; Slusser is a plaintiff in both lawsuits. Several circuit courts have used a U.S. Supreme Court ruling to conclude that discriminating against someone based on their transgender status or sexual orientation is sex-based discrimination, Crews wrote. That means case law does not prove the "likelihood of success" needed to grant an injunction. An NCAA policy that subjects transgender participation to the rules of sports governing bodies took effect this academic year. USA Volleyball says a trans woman must suppress testosterone for 12 months before competing. The NCAA has not flagged any issues with San Jose State. The Republican governors of Idaho, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming have made public statements in support of the team cancellations, citing fairness in women's sports. President-elect Donald Trump likewise has spoken out against allowing transgender women to compete in women's sports. Crews was a magistrate judge in Colorado's U.S. District Court for more than five years before President Joe Biden appointed him as a federal judge in January. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Port Sultan Qaboos welcomed over 431,000 tourists in 2023

TORONTO — Canada's main stock index moved lower Monday, weighed down by energy stocks as the price of oil fell, while U.S. stock markets rose. The S&P/TSX composite index closed down 33.93 points at 25,410.35, while the Dow Jones led the way with an almost one-per-cent gain. “The themes of the last couple of weeks are familiar again today,” said Steve Locke, chief investment officer for fixed income and multi-asset strategies at Mackenzie Investments. Specific sectors that investors think could benefit from president-elect Trump’s promised policies have been leading the way, said Locke, such as financials, industrials and health care. In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 440.06 points at 44,736.57. The S&P 500 index was up 18.03 points at 5,987.37, while the Nasdaq composite was up 51.19 points at 19,054.84. Amid the transition period before Trump becomes president, Locke said investors are eyeing pieces of information that could help illuminate what’s to come, in the form of nominations. The latest announcement was Scott Bessent, a hedge fund manager, for Treasury Secretary. “The markets reacted positively to his announcement,” said Locke. “I think the candidate here ... is someone that the market feels a little bit more comfortable with in the context of gradual imposition of tariffs and things like that.” U.S. Treasury yields eased on Monday, after climbing post-election. Yields were on the rise after the election as markets priced in fewer rate cuts in the coming year, said Locke, in anticipation of Trump’s pro-growth policies. However, though the election has been top of mind for investors, the U.S. Federal Reserve has a lot of economic data coming down the pipeline before its last interest rate decision this year, said Locke, including data this week on the housing market, consumer confidence, and manufacturing. “It’ll be a little bit of a mixture this week, we think, but nothing that probably changes the direction of the Fed here too much as we think about the expectations for policy rate changes in the upcoming meeting in December,” he said. Markets are currently split on whether the central bank will hold steady or announce another quarter-percentage-point cut, said Locke. Oil prices fell Monday, which Locke said was likely tied to talk of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah. The Canadian dollar traded for 71.53 cents US compared with 71.54 cents US on Friday. The January crude oil contract was down US$2.30 at US$68.94 per barrel and the January natural gas contract was up 16 cents at US$3.44 per mmBTU. The December gold contract was down US$93.70 at US$2,618.50 an ounce and the March copper contract was up three cents at US$4.16 a pound. — With files from The Associated Press This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 25, 2024. Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD) Rosa Saba, The Canadian Pressearnings have become quite the event for investors. Given the company's growth over the past two years, observers are curious about what each quarterly result will bring. Nvidia's rise has been a significant driving force behind the growth of the broader stock market, so continued success is key for every investor. The (ended Oct. 27) didn't disappoint, and I think there's a key figure here that could excite investors all over again. Demand for Nvidia's GPUs has never been higher Nvidia's primary product is the graphics processing unit (GPU), which is often deployed in situations where extreme computing capacity is required. Its ability to process multiple calculations in parallel sets it apart from other computational devices and makes it a clear choice for workloads that require massive amounts of computing power, like training an model. Demand for its GPUs has skyrocketed ever since the AI arms race kicked off, and Nvidia has benefitted more than any other company in the market. This was on full display in Q3, as revenue rose 94% year over year to $35 billion, significantly beating management's own expectations. They expected $32.5 billion in Q3, which would have been 80% growth. This is an unbelievable metric to focus on, but the future also looks bright. For Q4, management expects $37.5 billion, indicating 70% growth. Although that's starting to trend down, it still is an incredible figure. Management has a consistent history of beating revenue expectations, so the real figure is likely a bit higher than that. I wouldn't be surprised if Nvidia continues to deliver strong guidance beats like that throughout 2025, as it has many tailwinds blowing in its favour. 2025 is looking like another strong year for Nvidia One risk with Nvidia is that a significant chunk of its revenue is concentrated among a few customers. Four customers, unnamed by Nvidia, made up around 40% of Nvidia's total revenue in Q3. If these clients stop spending, it could spell disaster for Nvidia. However, it's not hard to figure out who these companies be, and they all indicate that spending will only increase throughout 2025. One candidate for these mystery clients is , which indicated that there would be "significant capital expenditures growth in 2025." This spending mostly pertains to increased computing capacity, benefiting Nvidia. Other likely large clients, like and , have also indicated that AI-related computing expenses will rise in 2025. As of right now, this concentration isn't a problem for Nvidia; it's a boost. Another tailwind for Nvidia in 2025 is the launch of its Blackwell architecture. The performance boost of this new product versus the existing Hopper architecture is incredible. Blackwell provides four times the performance as Hopper, as it only requires 64 Blackwell GPUs to run a benchmark test versus 256 Hopper GPUs. Blackwell production is in full swing and continues to ramp up. Management stated that demand greatly exceeds supply, and revenue is already exceeding expectations. These are two huge tailwinds for Nvidia and present a pretty good case for buying the stock, at least on the growth side. However, the stock is still quite expensive overall, and investors need to familiarise themselves with this risk. Nvidia stock trades for 51 . data by That's not a cheap figure by any means, and it projects multiple years of strong earnings growth into the stock price. If Nvidia keeps growing at its current pace, the price you pay today isn't that expensive. But if it sees struggles toward the end of 2025, it could become an issue. It all boils down to how far along you think the AI buildout is. If it has run its course, then Nvidia isn't a buy. But it can still make for a viable investment if it's just getting started. There are plenty of indications that we're just scratching the surface of what's possible with AI, which will drive more spending with Nvidia, especially as Blackwell architecture rolls out. While I think Nvidia won't have a repeat of its 2024 performance in 2025, I still think there's enough of a case here for Nvidia to continue to beat the markets moving forward.

SANTA CLARA – George Kittle will charge Monday night onto the only home field he’s known as one of the NFL’s marquee players, the 49ers’ crowd will go wild, and the stage will be set, yet again. The show goes on, even if the 49ers (6-9) are ending their NFC Championship reign and perhaps passing the torch to Levi’s Stadium’s final visitors this season , the Detroit Lions (13-2). Kittle is 33 yards shy of his fourth 1,000-yard season, in an eight-year career that will garner him more All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors. “I’m just very excited I got to spend eight years with the San Francisco 49ers, hopefully will continue to play here, because it’s a storied franchise,” Kittle said Friday when asked about his place among NFL all-time time ends. This won’t be his farewell game, right? Look, he isn’t saying that, and he said to wait until the offseason to publicly ask him about his contract, which runs through 2025 at a $14.4 million salary — a few million shy of Travis Kelce’s market-leading price among tight ends. After Christian McCaffrey and Trent Williams leveraged their elite play into extensions prior to this season, it’s obvious Kittle can and should do the same, for a franchise indebted to his production, leadership and standard-setting ways as a seven-time captain. “Dude, he’s been great to me regardless of the circumstances of winning or losing,” Brock Purdy said. “He sees something in me that’s pretty good. And he’s just been nothing but great encouragement to me. He’s real to me, about what I can do and where I can get better. He’s real and that’s why I love him.” For all the anticipation of Purdy’s blockbuster extension that can come as soon as the season ends, Kittle can strong-arm the 49ers’ brass into a deal more than any other player, all due respect to pending free agents Dre Greenlaw, Charvarius Ward, Aaron Banks, and Talanoa Hufanga. “More than anything, he’s a guy that’s going to do anything for you when you step on the field. Off the field he’s got your back,” Purdy added. “And for our team, man, we’ve been in some tough situations this year and that dude has been one of the dudes that comes to work every single day.” Kittle’s work this game likely will be to help block amid a patchwork offensive line with three new starters. That role is not taken lightly by Kittle, nor is his more renowned efforts as one of the franchise’s all-time best receivers. “Hopefully I can eventually catch T.O.,” said Kittle, whose 528 receptions and 7,241 yards rank third in 49ers’ receiving history behind only Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens. “I don’t think I’ll ever catch Jerry Rice on anything but that’s totally fine, I’m OK with that. I don’t think I want to play that long.” Kittle trails Owens by 64 catches and 1,331 yards for the No. 2 spots behind Rice (1,281 catches, 19,247 yards). He is the only tight end in 49ers history to reach the 1,000-yard mark, doing so in 2018, ’19, ’23, and, with 33 more yards, this season. The only other tight ends in NFL history with four 1,000-yard seasons: Kelce (seven), Tony Gonzalez (four), Rob Gronkowski (four), and, Jason Witten (four). “I’ll look back on that whenever I’m done playing,” said Kittle, noting his longevity is “until the wheels fall off or until my wife tells me to stop playing.” This season, he leads the 49ers with 68 catches, 967 yards and eight touchdowns. His perennial goal: 75 catches, 1,000 yards, 10 touchdowns. “I’d rather be winning football games but to have that (1,000-yard milestone) as a cherry on top is awesome,” Kittle said. “The more seasons you can stack up like that, the more fun things you can do down the road.” It’s a road that leads to Canton, Ohio and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Disclaimer: Kittle wrote a foreword for Cam Inman’s recently published book “The Franchise: San Francisco 49ers”. ©2024 MediaNews Group, Inc. Visit at mercurynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.CHERRY HILL, N.J., Nov. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Real Good Food Company, Inc. (Nasdaq: RGF) ("Real Good Foods” or the "Company”), a leading health and wellness frozen and refrigerated foods company, announced today that, on November 20, 2024, the Listing Qualifications Staff of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC ("Nasdaq”) notified the Company that the Company's failure to timely file its Form 10-Q with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC”), for the period ended September 30, 2024, serves as an additional basis for the delisting of the Company's securities from Nasdaq, per Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1). The Company previously presented its plan to file all delinquent periodic reports with the SEC, including the Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2024, and requested an extension to do so at a hearing before the Nasdaq Hearings Panel (the "Panel”). The Panel has not yet issued its decision following the hearing. Despite the efforts described above, there can be no assurance that the Company will ultimately regain compliance with all applicable requirements for continued listing or that the Panel will grant the Company a further extension. About Real Good Food Company Real Good Foods (Nasdaq: RGF) is a leading health and wellness frozen and refrigerated foods company, providing a better way to enjoy your favorite foods. The Company's mission is to provide "Real Food You Feel Good About Eating”, making delicious, nutritious foods that are low in sugar, low in carbohydrates and high in protein. The Real Good Foods family of products includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks - available in over 16,000 stores nationwide with additional direct-to-consumer options. To learn more, please visit our website at realgoodfoods.com or join us on social media @realgoodfoods - where we maintain some of the largest followings in the frozen food industry today. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which statements are subject to considerable risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements include all statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release, including statements regarding the timing of the filing of Company's late periodic reports and amendments to prior periodic reports, the Company's plan to request a hearing to appeal its delisting determination by Nasdaq, and the Company's plan to request various extension periods to regain compliance with the Listing Rule. The Company has attempted to identify forward-looking statements by using words such as "anticipate,” "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "predict," "project," "should," "will," or "would," and similar expressions or the negative of these expressions. Forward-looking statements represent management's current expectations and predictions about trends affecting the Company's business and industry and are based on information available as of the time such statements are made. Although the Company does not make forward-looking statements unless it believes it has a reasonable basis for doing so, it cannot guarantee their accuracy or completeness. Forward-looking statements involve numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause its actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements predicted, assumed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Some of the risks and uncertainties that may cause its actual results to materially differ from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, including the risk of further delays in the filing of the Company's late periodic reports and restated financial statements in amendments to prior periodic reports, the discovery of additional information regarding the error identified in the Company's previously issued consolidated financial statements, the scope of the anticipated restatement of previously issued financial statements as a result of the error, the remediation by management and the Company's independent registered public accounting firm of the identified material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting, the Panel's determination following the Company's appeal of its delisting decision, the Panel's decision whether or not to grant the Company various extension periods following the submission of a hearing request to regain compliance with the Listing Rule, the Company's ability to regain compliance with the Listing Rule and other continued listing standards and other risk factors described in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 and other documents filed with or furnished to the SEC by the Company from time to time. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release the result of any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect the impact of events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this press release. Investor Relations Contact The Real Good Food Company 3 Executive Campus, Suite 155 Cherry Hill, NJ 08002 [email protected]

The Fine Gael leader was asked about the controversy in the first question posed during the second and final TV leaders’ debate of Ireland’s General Election campaign. Mr Harris apologised over the weekend for his handling of the discussion with Charlotte Fallon while canvassing in Kanturk in Co Cork on Friday evening. The Taoiseach was accused of dismissing concerns that Ms Fallon raised about Government support for the disability sector during the exchange filmed by RTE in a supermarket. Mr Harris rang Ms Fallon on Saturday and said he unreservedly apologised for the way he treated her, however focus has since shifted to Fine Gael’s interactions with the national broadcaster about the social media video. At the outset of Tuesday’s TV debate, co-host Miriam O’Callaghan directly asked the Fine Gael leader whether a member of his party contacted RTE to ask for the clip to be taken down. “I have no knowledge of that whatsoever, because this clip was entirely appropriate,” said Mr Harris. “It was a very important moment on the campaign. “And RTE and indeed many media outlets have been with me throughout the campaign, covering many interactions that I’ve had with many, many people right across this country.” The Taoiseach said the approach by his team member was part of the “normal contact that happens between party politics and broadcasters on a daily basis”. Mr Harris’s partner-in-government in the last coalition, Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin, said he was not aware of the approach to RTE by Fine Gael. “I didn’t realise this had happened,” he said. “I think Simon has given his explanation to it. I’m not sure it’s as normal or as usual. I just get on with it every day. But, again, I think, you know, I’m not au fait with the details behind all of this, or the background to it. “The video didn’t come down, and it was seen by many, many people. “And I think it illustrates that out there, there are a lot of people suffering in our society. “Notwithstanding the progress we’ve made as a country, a lot of people are facing a lot of individual challenges, and our job as public representatives and as leaders in travelling the country is to listen to people, hear their cases, to understand the challenges that they are going through in their lives. “And when we go about in election campaigns, we have to open up ourselves to criticism and to people calling us to account.” Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald had earlier in the day described reports of the Fine Gael approach to RTE as “chilling”. However, at the start of the debate, she was asked about a media-focused issue related to her own party, namely the controversial manifesto proposal for an independent expert review of RTE’s objectivity in its coverage of the war in Gaza and other international conflicts. Mr Harris previously branded the proposal a “dog whistle to conspiracy theorists” while Mr Martin said it was a “dangerous departure”. Ms McDonald defended the idea during the RTE Prime Time debate on Tuesday. “Politics and politicians should not try to influence editorial decisions or try and have clips taken down because they are inconvenient to them,” she said. “There has to be distance, there has to be objectivity. But I would say I am struck by the very defensive reaction from some to this (the review proposal). “The BBC, for example, a peer review looked at their coverage on migration. Politicians didn’t put their hands on it, and rightly so. “I think in a world where we have to rely on quality information, especially from the national broadcaster, which is in receipt of very substantial public funding, that has to be the gold standard of reliability. I think peer reviews like that are healthy.”Blackbaud CFO Anthony Boor sells $848,536 in stock

Middle East latest: Israeli raid and airstrikes in West Bank kill at least 8 PalestiniansThe states that saw the most active attacks against election certification two years ago certified the results of this year’s races without controversy this week, prompting the Arizona secretary of state to proclaim that “election denialism” is a thing of the past. Others said they weren’t so sure. Certification proceeded normally this year in part because Donald Trump won the presidential race, quieting his supporters after he had spent the campaign making unsubstantiated claims that he could lose only through widespread cheating . The statewide certification votes Tuesday in Nevada and New Mexico follow a vote Monday to certify the results in Arizona. In all three states, the certification process was tumultuous during the 2022 midterms when Democrats won most statewide offices. Those controversies followed attempts by Trump and his allies to halt or challenge certification in Michigan, Georgia and other battleground states in 2020, disrupting what until then had been a routine administrative process. This year, some who have been the most vocal in questioning the integrity of elections have instead been celebrating Trump’s victory. “The results are being accepted in the manner that they are, in part, because those who have been eroding trust or casting doubt on the integrity of U.S. elections have a result they feel good about,” said David Levine, a former local election official in Idaho who now advises on election administration issues. “Hopefully we can get back to a place where Americans can feel confident in the results even if it’s one they disagree with.” On Tuesday, Nevada and New Mexico certified their statewide results with little discussion. During Monday’s certification in Arizona, Secretary of State Adrian Fontes reflected on the lack of controversy this year. “I think the age of election denialism, for all intents and purposes, is dead,” he said. Sitting next to Fontes, state Attorney General Kris Mayes, a fellow Democrat, said she was more skeptical. Her Republican opponent in 2022 spent two years challenging his loss . “Do I think election denialism is dead? No, I don’t,” she said. “We’ll see over the next couple of election cycles what happens, but I don’t think we’re there yet.” Public confidence in elections has dropped since Trump challenged his loss in 2020 and made false claims of widespread fraud, particularly among Republicans . Some Republicans began targeting the certification process, when local and state boards certify the results after local election officials provide them with the final tally of votes. A firestorm erupted in Georgia over the summer when the state election board, with a new pro-Trump majority, attempted to politicize the certification process with changes later blocked by the courts. While certification battles did not surface after the Nov. 5 election , a vocal segment within the Republican Party remains deeply skeptical of election processes, particularly of the availability of mail ballots and the use of ballot scanners to tally votes. During a forum Monday on the social platform X led by the group Cause of America, the group's director expressed doubt about voting equipment. Shawn Smith, who also is a retired Air Force colonel, argued the certification process suppresses legitimate concerns and goes against “the sovereignty of the people.” Although not as widespread as four years ago, this sentiment did surface sporadically at the local level this month. In Washoe County, Nevada, which includes Reno and voted narrowly for Vice President Kamala Harris, the vote to certify the results was 3-1 with one abstention. Commissioner Jeanne Herman has consistently voted against certification and did not make a public comment about her vote this year. Commissioner Mike Clark, a staunch Trump supporter who had also previously voted against certification, said he would abstain and left before the vote. “I am not an election denier and clearly the person I wanted to win, won this state,” Clark said before leaving the meeting. “However, that does not mean that all the protocols were followed and that we can truly certify the election.” Such skepticism, whether in Nevada or elsewhere, leaves the door open to certification disputes during future elections. The questioning of election results isn't limited to Republicans. Even though Harris quickly conceded after losing all seven presidential battleground states , online posts among her supporters continue to raise concerns about her loss. One Reddit community that has amassed 23,000 members features a steady drumbeat of Democrats scrutinizing a result they can’t believe is real. Some posting in the group have issued calls to contact Harris and her running mate to ask them to demand a recount or otherwise object to the outcome. Among the battlegrounds, Michigan was among those where Trump and his allies pressed to halt certification of the 2020 election for Democrat Joe Biden amid false claims of fraud and manipulation. Two Republican members of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers who initially opposed certification eventually relented. The state board of canvassers eventually voted to certify, even after one Republican member abstained. This year, the state board voted unanimously on Nov. 22 in favor of certifying and praised the state’s election workers. In Georgia, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger certified his state’s results on Nov. 22. Four years ago, the Republican state official was facing immense pressure from Trump and his allies to investigate their unsubstantiated claims of fraud. Also certifying results Tuesday, and doing so unanimously, was the state Board of Elections in North Carolina. It was the only presidential battleground state won by Trump in 2020 — and the only one where he and his allies didn't make claims of fraud. ___ Cassidy reported from Atlanta. Associated Press writers Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Ken Ritter in Las Vegas, Scott Sonner in Reno, Nevada, and Ali Swenson in New York contributed to this report. Christina A. Cassidy, The Associated Press1. James: Percival Everett, Doubleday, $28 2. Intermezzo: Sally Rooney, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, $29 3. The Grey Wolf: Louise Penny, Minotaur Books, $30 4. The God of the Woods: Liz Moore, Riverhead Books, $30 5. Tell Me Everything: Elizabeth Strout, Random House, $30 6. Small Things Like These: Claire Keegan, Grove Press, $20 7. Playground: Richard Powers, W. W. Norton & Company, $29.99 8. The Women: Kristin Hannah, St. Martin’s Press, $30 9. All Fours: Miranda July, Riverhead Books, $29 10. The Life Impossible: Matt Haig, Viking, $30 11. Somewhere Beyond the Sea: TJ Klune, Tor Books, $28.99 12. The Wedding People: Alison Espach, Henry Holt and Co., $28.99 13. The Blue Hour: Paula Hawkins, Mariner Books, $30 14. The Mighty Red: Louise Erdrich, Harper, $32 15. Creation Lake: Rachel Kushner, Scribner, $29.99 1. The Message: Ta-Nehisi Coates, One World, $30 2. Revenge of the Tipping Point — Overstories, Superspreaders, and the Rise of Social Engineering: Malcolm Gladwell, Little, Brown and Company, $32 3. Be Ready When the Luck Happens — A Memoir: Ina Garten, Crown, $34 4. Patriot — A Memoir: Alexei Navalny, Knopf, $35 5. Nexus — A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI Yuval Noah Harari, Random House, $35 6. What I Ate in One Year: (and related thoughts), Debut: Stanley Tucci, Gallery Books, $35 7. What the Chicken Knows — A New Appreciation of the World’s Most Familiar Bird: Sy Montgomery, Atria Books, $22.99 8. Framed: Astonishing True Stories of Wrongful Convictions, Debut: John Grisham, Jim McCloskey, Doubleday, $30 9. Didion and Babitz: Lili Anolik, Scribner, $29.99 10. On Freedom: Timothy Snyder, Crown, $32 11. The Creative Act: A Way of Being: Rick Rubin, Penguin Press, $32 12. Into the Uncut Grass: Trevor Noah, Sabina Hahn (Illus.), One World, $26 13. Vanishing Treasures — A Bestiary of Extraordinary Endangered Creatures: Katherine Rundell, Doubleday, $26 14. The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War: Erik Larson, Crown, $35 15. Melania: Melania Trump, Skyhorse, $40 The Indie Bestseller list includes the sales week ending last week, based on reporting from hundreds of independents across the United States, including the Hudson Valley. For the Indie bookstore nearest you, visit indiebound.org.

Penn State kicks off Sunshine Slam by cruising past FordhamA squadron of fighter jets that belong to the District of Columbia Air National Guard will transfer to the Maryland National Guard, Gov. Wes Moore and other Maryland leaders said Monday night. Transferring the 121st Fighter Squadron, which operates out of Joint Base Andrews in Prince George’s County, will allow the state to maintain a flying mission as the Air Force phases out its aircraft at Martin State Airport in Middle River. The agreement marks the completion of Maryland officials’ three major priorities during a whirlwind few weeks of federal budget negotiations. Full federal funding for the Francis Scott Key Bridge rebuild and a commitment from the Commanders to not completely abandon their Landover stadium if they move back to Washington, D.C. were also on that shortlist — though the fate of each of them was unclear as negotiations repeatedly derailed last week. Bridge funding was ultimately included in the last-minute compromise that avoided a government shutdown. A measure that would have guaranteed the squadron transfer was in an earlier version but removed, as was a provision to allow D.C. to build a new stadium at the site of the deteriorating RFK stadium, which the city was pushing for in its effort to lure the Commanders from Maryland to their previous home. The Senate passed a separate bill allowing the RFK site change while Moore secured a direct agreement with the Commanders that promises the organization will demolish the existing stadium and help redevelop the site if they relocate. The Air Force squadron switch was handled administratively, with the secretary of the Air Force directing the transfer, according to Moore’s office. “In partnership with our congressional delegation and federal partners, we have advocated vigorously to maintain Maryland’s flying mission, both in the interest of national security and to continue the proud tradition that Maryland plays in defending our country,” Moore said in a statement. “This outcome is good for Maryland, good for our service members, and good for our national security.” The announcement did not include details about how the transfer could change operations for the 121st squadron, how many aircraft and staff are involved or when the transfer might happen. Divesting the A-10 “Warthog” attack aircraft in the 104th Fighter Squadron in Maryland is scheduled for Sept. 30, 2025 and a cybersecurity mission had been planned in its place. Maryland Air National Guard Brig. Gen. Drew E. Dougherty said in a statement the “transition is the first step in delivering a path where we can maintain our highly experienced pilots and maintainers, positions that are critically manned across the total force, while still keeping Maryland at the forefront of cyber operations.” U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat, called it a “win-win scenario” that preserves Maryland’s flying mission and the work of the 121st squadron. “We worked to secure this re-designation because it will provide stability at Joint Base Andrews, while simultaneously improving the current manning shortfalls of pilots and maintainers across the National Capitol Region,” Van Hollen said. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Janesch at sjanesch@baltsun.com, (443) 790-1734 and on X as @samjanesch.

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DENVER — So you're the most valuable player of that annual Thanksgiving Day backyard flag football game. Or played tackle football on any level. Or ran track. Or dabbled in basketball. Or toyed with any sport, really. Well, this may be just for you: USA Football is holding talent identification camps all over the country to find that next flag football star. It's "America's Got Talent" meets "American Idol," with the stage being the field and the grand prize a chance to compete for a spot on a national team. Because it's never too early to start planning for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, where flag football will make its Summer Games debut. Know this, though — it's not an easy team to make. The men's and women's national team rosters are at "Dream Team" status given the men's side has captured six of the last seven world championships and the women three in a row. To remain on top, the sport's national governing body is scouring every football field, park, track, basketball court and gym to find hidden talent to cultivate. USA Football has organized camps and tryouts from coast to coast for anyone ages 11 to 23. There are more than a dozen sites set up so far, ranging from Dallas (Sunday) to Chicago (Dec. 14) to Tampa (March 29) to Los Angeles (TBD) and the Boston area (April 27), where it will be held at Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots. The organization has already partnered with the NFL on flag football initiatives and programs. The numbers have been through the roof, with engagement on social media platforms increasing by 86% since flag football was announced as an Olympic invitational sport in October 2023. The participation of boys and girls ages 6 to 17 in flag football last year peaked at more than 1.6 million, according to USA Football research. "We pride ourselves on elevating the gold standard across the sport," said Eric Mayes, the managing director of the high performance and national teams for USA Football. "We want to be the best in the world — and stay the best in the world." Flag football was one of five new sports added to the LA28 program. The already soaring profile of American football only figures to be enhanced by an Olympic appearance. Imagine, say, a few familiar faces take the field, too. Perhaps even NFL stars such as Tyreek Hill or Patrick Mahomes, maybe even past pro football greats donning a flag belt for a country to which they may have ties. Soon after flag football's inclusion, there was chatter of NFL players possibly joining in on the fun. Of course, there are logistical issues to tackle before their inclusion at the LA Olympics, which open July 14, 2028. Among them, training camp, because the Olympics will be right in the middle of it. The big question is this: Will owners permit high-priced players to duck out for a gold-medal pursuit? No decisions have yet been made on the status of NFL players for the Olympics. For now, it's simply about growing the game. There are currently 13 states that sanction girls flag football as a high school varsity sport. Just recently, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles helped pave the way to get it adopted in Pennsylvania. Around the world, it's catching on, too. The women's team from Japan took third at the recent word championships, while one of the best players on the planet is Mexico quarterback Diana Flores. "Could flag football globally become the new soccer? That's something to aspire to," said Stephanie Kwok, the NFL's vice president of flag football. This type of flag football though, isn't your Thanksgiving Day game with family and friends. There's a learning curve. And given the small roster sizes, versatility is essential. Most national team members need to be a version of Colorado's two-way standout and Heisman hopeful Travis Hunter. Forget bump-and-run coverage, too, because there's no contact. None. That took some adjusting for Mike Daniels, a defensive back out of West Virginia who earned a rookie minicamp invitation with the Cleveland Browns in 2017. "If a receiver is running around, I'm thinking, 'OK, I can kind of bump him here and there and nudge him,'" Daniels explained. "They're like, 'No, you can't.' I'm just like, 'So I'm supposed to let this guy just run?!' I really rebelled at the idea at first. But you learn." The competition for an Olympic roster spot is going to be fierce because only 10 players are expected to make a squad. The best 10 will earn it, too, as credentials such as college All-American or NFL All-Pro take a backseat. "I would actually love" seeing NFL players try out, said Daniels, who's also a personal trainer in Miami. "I'm not going to let you just waltz in here, thinking, 'I played NFL football for five years. I'm popular. I have a huge name.' I'm still better than you and I'm going to prove it — until you prove otherwise." Around the house, Bruce Mapp constantly swivels his hips when turning a hallway corner or if his daughter tries to reach for a hug. It's his way of working on avoiding a "defender" trying to snare the flag. That approach has earned the receiver out of Coastal Carolina four gold medals with USA Football. The 31-year-old fully plans on going for more gold in Los Angeles. "You grow up watching Usain Bolt (win gold) and the 'Redeem Team' led by Kobe Bryant win a gold medal, you're always thinking, 'That's insane.' Obviously, you couldn't do it in your sport, because I played football," said Mapp, who owns a food truck in the Dallas area. "With the Olympics approaching, that (gold medal) is what my mind is set on." It's a common thought, which is why everything — including talent camps — starts now. "Everybody thinks, 'Yeah, the U.S. just wins,'" Daniels said. "But we work hard all the time. We don't just walk in. We don't just get off the bus thinking, 'We're going to beat people.'" Get local news delivered to your inbox!