AP

By Associated Press The Atlanta Falcons drafting of Michael Penix Jr. just six weeks after signing Kirk Cousins to a $180 million contract doesn’t seem like that much of a head-scratcher anymore. Penix, the eighth overall pick in this year’s draft, was supposed to serve as Cousins’ understudy for a year or two, a plan

By Associated Press OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Asked if there was any special meaning to playing on Christmas for a second straight season, Lamar Jackson paused for several seconds before answering. That said it all. “I mean, it is,” he finally replied, trying to be diplomatic. “That means we’re good, but at the same time,

By Associated Press PITTSBURGH — Mike Tomlin wasn’t in the mood to get into a semantic argument. Yes, the Kansas City Chiefs have played a ton of close games this season. Yet the idea that two-time defending Super Bowl champions are somehow more gettable than they’ve been? That’s a nonstarter for the longtime Pittsburgh Steelers

By Associated Press O’FALLON, Mo. — A Missouri judge ruled Friday that the state’s Republican governor, not a local Democratic official, has the power to fill a vacancy in the prosecutor’s office for the state’s most populous county. A spokesperson said St. Louis County would appeal St. Louis Circuit Judge Brian May’s decision siding with

By Associated Press BAN NAM KHEM, Thailand — The 20-year-old freshman student was still asleep that Sunday morning at the family’s house on the Andaman Sea coast of southern Thailand when her mom, sensing something wasn’t right, woke her up saying they needed to leave right away. The day is forever seared in Neungduangjai Sritrakarn’s

By Associated Press NEW YORK — The Federal Reserve’s third interest rate cut of the year will likely have consequences for debt, savings, auto loans, mortgages and other forms of borrowing by consumers and businesses. But with inflation pressures still elevated and with concern that President-elect Donald Trump’s policies could fuel inflation, the Fed indicated

By Associated Press TOKYO — Survivors of the U.S. atomic bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki said receiving a Nobel Peace Prize has given them a fresh incentive to campaign for nuclear disarmament ahead of the 80th anniversary of the 1945 attacks. “I felt like I needed to work even harder on what I had done

By Associated Press Of all the movie protagonists you might have seen this year, none is quite like Marianne Jean-Baptiste’s Pansy in Mike Leigh’s “Hard Truths.” Pansy, a middle-aged woman in contemporary London, is foul-tempered from beginning to end. She spends her days in evident pain that she unleashes upon all those around her, including

By Metro Creative The holiday season doubles as cookie season. Indeed, there’s no shortage of baking opportunities in December. Various cookies make the rounds, and if you are tasked with bringing cookies to a function, you might be interested in something a little different. “Santa’s Whiskers” likely get their name from the coconut on these

By Associated Press HOUSTON — Houston Texans receiver Tank Dell will miss the remainder of the season after dislocating a knee and tearing an ACL in a loss to Kansas City on Saturday. Coach DeMeco Ryans revealed the details of the injury Monday before announcing that Dell would have season-ending surgery for a second straight

By Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani is keeping elite company. The Japanese superstar caps 2024 by winning The Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year for the third time, tying him with basketball great Michael Jordan. He trails only four-time winners Lance Armstrong, Tiger Woods and LeBron James. “I’m very honored,” Ohtani said

By Associated Press No. 2 Georgia is resting its national championship hopes on backup quarterback Gunner Stockton following Carson Beck’s season-ending elbow surgery on Monday. Coach Kirby Smart said Monday that Georgia is preparing Stockton to start in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1 in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against No. 3 Notre Dame.

By Associated Press MAGDEBURG, Germany | Mourners laid flowers near the scene of the deadly Christmas market attack on Monday as investigators puzzled over the motive of the suspect and his previous encounters with authorities were scrutinized, while fears swirled that the rampage could deepen divisions in German society. The Johanniskirche, a church a short

By Associated Press UNITED NATIONS | The U.N. organization assisting in investigating the most serious crimes in Syria said Monday the country’s new authorities were “very receptive” to its request for cooperation during a just-concluded visit to Damascus, and it is preparing to deploy. The visit led by Robert Petit, head of the International, Impartial

By Associated Press Harris Dickinson was nervous to approach Nicole Kidman. This would not necessarily be notable under normal circumstances, but the English actor had already been cast to star opposite her in the erotic drama “Babygirl,” as the intern who initiates an affair with Kidman’s buttoned-up CEO. They’d had a zoom with the writer-director

By Associated Press “A Complete Unknown” certainly lives up to its title. You are hardly closer to understanding the soul of Bob Dylan after watching more than two hours of this moody look at America’s most enigmatic troubadour. But that’s not the point of James Mangold’s biopic: It’s not who Dylan is but what he

By Associated Press The long-awaited second season of “Squid Game” on Netflix and singing superstar Andrea Bocelli’s Christmas TV special are some of the new television, films and music headed to a device near you. Also among the streaming offerings worth your time as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: the British coming-of-age tale

By Associated Press Aaron Rodgers is still contemplating his playing future. The star quarterback knows if he returns to the field, it might be out of hands whether it’s with the New York Jets. The 41-year-old Rodgers said last week that he’ll take some time after this season, his 20th in the NFL, to determine

By Associated Press Lucas Glover held down the 50th spot in the final world ranking of the year, making him one of 10 players who will be added to the invitation list to play in the Masters. The field has eight more players than it did at this time a year ago. The Masters takes

By Associated Press The 49ers, Cowboys and Cardinals are out of the playoff race. The Falcons took control of their hopes with help, and the Colts, Dolphins and Bengals kept slim chances alive. The NFL ‘s playoff picture became clearer Sunday. With two weeks remaining, three of eight division titles are secured, eight teams have

By Associated Press CONCORD, N.H. — Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow might be enough to brighten some homes this holiday season. But others are adorned with thousands of blinking lights synched to blasting music, drawing crowds and bolstering both holiday and community spirit. In a cul-de-sac in Mesa, Arizona, 14 homeowners have been

By Associated Press The Rev. Shannon Blosser sees how his son loves church — the music, the singing, the communion. But the United Methodist pastor said his family hasn’t always felt like 11-year-old Noah, who is autistic, has been welcome. At one point, Blosser’s wife and the couple’s two sons stopped attending in-person services at

By Associated Press NEW YORK — The man accused of fatally shooting the CEO of UnitedHealthcare pleaded not guilty on Monday to state murder and terror charges while his attorney complained that comments coming from New York’s mayor would make it tough to receive a fair trial. Luigi Mangione, 26, was shackled and seated in

By Associated Press Hanukkah, Judaism’s eight-day Festival of Lights, begins this year on Christmas Day, which has only happened four times since 1900. For some rabbis, the intersection of the two religious holidays provides an auspicious occasion for interfaith engagement. “This can be a profound opportunity for learning and collaboration and togetherness,” said Rabbi Josh

By Associated Press PALMYRA, Pa. — It was a radical idea, and for many years she had been resistant. But as Zoey Stapleton, 24, walked down a darkened hiking trail, steps behind her parents, she counted back from three and “took a leap of faith,” revealing to them that she wanted to become a nun.