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Nearly a month into a federal investigation of unexplained aircraft witnessed nightly in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York, the White House and FBI have minimized concerns about the reports of suspected drones. Federal authorities “have not been able to corroborate any of the reported visual sightings," which number in the hundreds since the middle of November, White House spokesperson John Kirby said Thursday at a press briefing . MORE : Monopoly-themed boutique hotel to be built in Atlantic City "We have no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or a public safety threat, or have a foreign nexus," Kirby said. Federal investigators have used various electronic detection methods to gain a better understanding of the aircraft, which have been reported to appear in clusters during the night. Kirby said state and local law enforcement also have not been able to conclusively explain the sightings, and federal officials believe many of the sightings are routine air traffic. "Upon review of available imagery, it appears that many of the reported sightings are actually manned aircraft that are being operated lawfully," Kirby said, adding the U.S. Coast Guard has not found any evidence that foreign vessels are involved in deploying aircraft. Feds say people are mistaking airplanes for drones In a joint statement, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security echoed many of the remarks that came from the White House on Thursday. "Historically, we have experienced cases of mistaken identity, where reported drones are, in fact, manned aircraft or facilities," the agencies said . "We take seriously the threat that can be posed by unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), which is why law enforcement and other agencies continue to support New Jersey and investigate the reports. To be clear, they have uncovered no such malicious activity or intent at this stage." The statement appears to backtrack from comments made by the FBI's Newark office, which said witnesses had spotted "the cluster of what look to be drones and a possible fixed wing aircraft" at various points along the Raritan River in North Jersey. Kirby said reports about the aircraft highlight "gaps in authorities" that point to the need for Congressional action to boost preparedness against threats that drones could pose to critical infrastructure. During a Wednesday press briefing, the Pentagon said the aircraft seen on the East Coast are not U.S. military drones. Pentagon officials also shot down claims by U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.) that the aircraft are coming from an Iranian ship off the Atlantic coast. Van Drew, who represents much of South Jersey, including the shore, had called for the aircraft to be shot down, a measure only the federal government would have the authority to do. N.J., Pa. politicians demand 'more concrete' info aircraft sightings Some elected officials in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York have grown increasingly alarmed by the lack of answers about the aircraft entering their communities. U.S. Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.), who was sworn into office this week, spent Thursday night in Hunterdon County observing dozens of aircraft in the sky over a two-hour period. He posted videos of the aircraft he saw Friday morning on social media. Last night I went out with local police to spot drone flying over New Jersey, here’s what I saw. We drove to Round Valley Reservoir and the officer pointed to lights moving low over the tree line. Sometimes they were solid white light, others flashed of red and green.THREAD pic.twitter.com/ly7kUUDWDn "This has gone on for weeks. It's hard to understand how with the technology we have we aren't able to track these devices to determine origin and this makes me much more concerned about our capabilities more broadly when it comes to drone detection and counter measures," Kim said. Earlier in the week, Kim joined Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) in sending a letter requesting more help from the FBI, DHS and the Federal Aviation Administration. On Friday, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said he wrote to President Joe Biden seeking increased federal resources for the investigation. "New Jersey residents deserve more more concrete information about these (unmanned aircraft system) sightings and what is causing them," the letter said. "The continued reporting of UAS activity has raised more questions than answers and prompted an outcropping of conspiracy theories across social media and other platforms." Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro spoke briefly about the unidentified aircraft during an unrelated event in Scranton on Friday. He said he's directed Pennsylvania State Police to fly helicopters to observe any unusual activity, adding that the agency has been conducting exercises focused on the aircraft. "I can't speak for the rest of the nation, but we're focused on it here in Pennsylvania. We've been told, again, by our federal partners, it does not pose any kind of national security or personal security risk," Shapiro said. "But you know, as the old saying goes, trust but verify." In New Jersey, state and local lawmakers met Wednesday at New Jersey State Police Headquarters for a law enforcement briefing on New Jersey's probe of drone activity. In a social media post , state Rep. Dawn Fantasia (R-24) recapped the meeting and said it was premature to conclude there are no threats to the public. "We know nothing. PERIOD," Fantasia wrote. "To state that there is no known or credible threat is incredibly misleading, and I informed all officials of that sentiment." Fantasia said reports of suspected drones ranged between four and 180 sightings per night, usually from dusk until 11 p.m. She said many of the aircraft appear large — up to 6 feet in diameter — and seem to avoid detection by traditional methods. In Pennsylvania, where sightings have increased since the start of December, U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-1) said Friday he was concerned about reports of drone activity overseas near a U.S. military base in Ramstein, Germany. Unidentified drones also were spotted late last month above U.S. bases in the United Kingdom, the BBC reported. Fitzpatrick had called Wednesday for more transparency from federal investigators. "(It's) an unacceptable threat to our security," Fitzpatrick said. "Enough is enough. We need answers. We need action. Now."fans were left in awe of Emma Paton as she attended the Game of Throws launch on Monday (November 25). Game of Throws: Inside Darts will premier on Sky at 9pm on Saturday (November 30), with fans set to be handed a behind-the-scenes insight into the sport. And Paton was among a number of familiar faces to walk the red carpet during the launch event. Paton wore a see-through black top paired with some fury black trousers - just hours after hosting the draw for the Paddy Power PDC World Darts Championship draw. Come and join The Daily Star on , the social media site set up by ex-Twitter boss Jack Dorsey. It's now the new go-to place for content after a mass exodus of the Elon Musk-owned Twitter/X. Fear not, we're not leaving , but we are jumping on the bandwagon. So come find our new account on , and see us social better than the rest. You can also learn more about The Daily Star team in what Bluesky calls a . So what are you waiting for?! Let's Paton was joined by fellow Sky Sports host Anna Woolhouse, who also donned a see-through top, pairing it with black leather trousers. Luke Littler, Luke Humphries and Michael van Gerwen were all also snapped on the red carpet. The evening was hosted by Richard Osman, who hosted a Q&A with the stars of the documentary. Want to keep up with all of the latest sport news? Well then sign up for the brilliant Daily Star Off the Ball email newsletter! From darts, boxing and UFC, to snooker, F1 and golf, get it all in your email inbox. Simply , then provide your email address and that's it, job done. You'll receive an email with all of the top football stories. You can also sign up for our Daily Star Football email for all the latest transfer news and breaking stories, Paton is widely popular on social media, where she often shares behind the scenes snaps from the darts, and on Instagram she boasts over 201,000 followers. A former track athlete herself, who used to compete nationally in the 400m, Paton swapped to broadcasting back in 2012 after studying a Master's degree in sports journalism from St Mary's University it Twickenham. Paton joined Sky Sports News as a reporter, before making the huge jump up to presenting. It was from there she went on to get her teeth into some of the biggest sports in the world - initially covering the US Open. However, she has also covered the NFL UK fantasy show.
Jaylon Johnson isn't interested in bright spots with the Bears' skid at 5 gamesAfter Trump’s win, Black women are rethinking their role as America’s reliable political organizers
Stock market today: Wall Street slips at the end of a bumpy weekMike Lauer, an engineer who works for the Aerojet Rocketdyne segment of L3Harris Technologies, found his career inspiration in science fiction, but for the perspective it takes to execute complex space programs, he draws on real-world experience. Growing up, Lauer spent many cold winter nights in the basement of his Sioux Falls, South Dakota, home, creating pictures of iconic space hardware from Hollywood space movies. “That really is what got me into it,” he says. Fast forward to today, and he’s managing production of the RS-25 main engines for NASA’s heavy-lift SLS (Space Launch System), which will launch U.S. astronauts back to the Moon as part of the agency’s Artemis campaign. When the scale and complexity of the undertaking appear daunting, Lauer thinks back to early in his career, when he designed hardware for the International Space Station, now in its third decade on orbit. “It just seemed to me that there’s no way this was going to work, but we just kept building and solving problems and the next thing you know, we’re launching space station parts,” Lauer says. “Having that experience of seeing a program that seemed too big, too complex, and it worked, gives me great hope and confidence that we can do it again with Artemis.” Lauer has family ties to space. His father, Don Lauer, ran the U.S. Geological Survey’s Earth Resources Observation and Science Center in Sioux Falls, a repository for data collected by NASA’s long-running Landsat series of land imaging satellites. Lauer’ father even spent time at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, home to the Agency’s human spaceflight program, exploring the role of astronauts in Earth observation from space. But it was an artist’s fascination with fictional hardware –– that ultimately led Mike Lauer to earn his bachelor and master’s degrees in Aeronautical & Astronautical engineering from Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. “With engineering in general, there’s a connection with art,” Lauer says. “We create these things that have an artistic aesthetic to them, which is really cool.” Cool is a word Lauer, a licensed pilot, deploys frequently in describing his career journey, understandably so. For example, he once participated in a space station assembly rehearsal with veteran astronaut Jerry Ross at Johnson’s Neutral Buoyancy Facility, a giant pool used to help train astronauts for spacewalks. “I’m in this spacesuit and Jerry Ross is in this spacesuit and we’re plugging in elements of the space station,” Lauer says, almost in disbelief. “Oh my gosh!” While serving as Aerojet Rocketdyne’s lead engineer on the Multi Mission Radioisotope Thermo-electric Generator program, Lauer visited the U.S. Department of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory to observe the loading of Plutonium 238 nuclear fuel into the device, which continues to power NASA’s car-sized Curiosity rover on the Martian surface. “Super cool,” he says. For his next move, Lauer figured that, being at Aerojet Rocketdyne (now L3Harris), builder of the engines on NASA’s legendary Saturn V Moon rocket, he should get into the propulsion side of the business. He began on the J-2X, a modified version of the Saturn V’s second stage engine that NASA had planned at one point to use on the SLS. Working from 1960s era drawings, Lauer and his team created a modern, easier-to-produce design with more power that had a successful series of hot-fire tests before being replaced in favor of a different upper stage design. Now, as RS-25 program director, Lauer works on another engine, this one originally designed for NASA’s now-retired Space Shuttle, updating and redesigning key components to meet new requirements and reduce production costs. The SLS flew its first mission without a crew, but upcoming flights will have astronauts aboard, which gives Lauer a huge sense of pride and responsibility. “I’m awed and inspired by what we’re doing,” he says. “Really cool.” Also really cool: Lauer serves as a volunteer pilot for the Civil Air Patrol, supporting the U.S. Air Force on search and rescue, disaster relief, and fire damage assessment missions. That keeps him busy on many weekends when he’s not refereeing youth soccer. Aside from that, Lauer most looks forward to the day four NASA astronauts are safely aboard their recovery ship at the successful conclusion of the first human moon landing in more than five decades. Read other I am Artemis features.
Yet another billionaire is clambering to get into President-elect Donald Trump’s hyper-rich inner circle, the MAGA chief has claimed. Trump, who will take the hot seat on Jan. 20, 2025, has seen his popularity surge among Silicon Valley types after he was endorsed by the world’s richest man, Elon Musk . The number two, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos , soon made a beeline for the big man too, after he was spotted dining with Musk and Trump at Mar-a-Lago earlier this month. Now Bill Gates wants a slice, according to Trump. Writing on Truth Social, Trump said the former CEO of Microsoft— whom Forbes says is the 16th richest in the world— personally asked for an audience with him. In a somewhat incoherent post, he said: “Where are you? When are you coming to the ‘Center of the Universe,’ Mar-a-Lago. Bill Gates asked to come, tonight. We miss you and x! New Year’s Eve is going to be AMAZING!!! DJT.” Tom Cruise ’s first movie project after wrapping up the Mission: Impossible franchise next year with The Final Reckoning has been revealed. And it could land him back in the Oscar conversation. Warner Bros. announced Friday that Cruise will star in an untitled film from two-time Academy Award-winning director Alejandro G. Iñárritu ( Birdman , The Revenant ), set to be released on Oct. 2, 2026. The logline reads: “The most powerful man in the world embarks on a frantic mission to prove he is humanity’s savior before the disaster he’s unleashed destroys everything.” Sandra Hüller, John Goodman, Michael Stuhlbarg, Jesse Plemons, Sophie Wilde, and Riz Ahmed are among the other actors in the cast. The project is Iñárritu‘s first English-language film since 2015’s The Revenant , which won Leonardo DiCaprio his first Oscar for Best Actor. Cruise has been nominated for three acting Oscars over the course of his long career—for Born on the Fourth of July , Jerry Maguire , and Magnolia —but has never received a trophy at the ceremony. After all the chaos of the holiday season, you and your loved one deserve a little one-on-one time. For 2025, make the resolution to create unforgettable date nights with The Fantasy Box . The subscription box comes with everything you need to spice up your love life, like step-by-step scenarios for role-playing, lingerie, accessories, lube, and props. Each box has a unique theme and there are over 30 different themed fantasies to pick. The Ride ‘Em Cowgirl scenario brings you to the wild west. She is a flirty cowgirl in sexy denim shorts and cow print pasties, while he is a charming bartender with a paddle. Perhaps you’re intrigued by the idea of exploring a more dominant and submissive dynamic. In the D is for Discipline box , she is the Mistress with drip candles and he is her toy in a satin blindfold and bondage collar. The Fantasy Box has created a quick quiz you can take to uncover you and your partner’s fantasies. After taking the quiz, you’ll be recommended three boxes. From there, you can buy any box you want directly. Don’t forget to use the code NEWYEAR at checkout to save $50 on your order. If you and your partner love it, try subscribing monthly or bi-monthly for only $99 the first month. Monthly subscriptions renew at $129 per box; bi-monthly at $139 per box. You’ll receive a new themed box, enjoy free shipping, and get up to 20% off at The Fantasy Box’s shop. Free Shipping Free Shipping If you buy something from this post, we may earn a small commission. Entire stalls were engulfed by flames at the Bryant Park holiday market in Manhattan on Friday morning, videos show. A cause for the blaze is yet to be determined, but a spokesperson for FDNY told Gothamist it’s under investigation. The fire broke out around 9:30 a.m. and nobody was injured, the spokesperson said, adding that the fire was between “six feet wide by 40 feet long” at its peak. Clips of the flames quickly went viral on social media and the market has been closed indefinitely. New York City Emergency Management advised people to avoid the area and warned there will be traffic delays while a probe is completed. It’s the second time this season a holiday market has gone up in flames in the city, coming a week-and-a-half after a fire ignited a swath of Herald Square’s festive shopping corridor. Eighteen shops—and their merchandise, ranging from shirts to glass ornaments—were reportedly razed by that blaze. Bryant Park Christmas Village is on fire 🔥 #whatisnewyork pic.twitter.com/031iZ2D6He Kevin O’Leary , of Shark Tank fame, says half of Canada is “interested” in merging with the U.S.—a longshot arrangement that topped Donald Trump ’s wishlist this Christmas. “Canadians over the holidays—the last two days—have been talking about this,” O’Leary told Fox Business. “They want to hear more.” The 70-year-old Montreal native said he’s headed to Mar-a-Lago to start a conversation that, at the least, may lead to his homeland and the U.S. striking a partnership agreement akin to the European Union. “So secure [the northern territories], give a common currency, figure out taxes across the board, get everything trading both ways, create a new, almost EU-like passport—I like this idea and at least half of Canadians are interested,” he said. O’Leary acknowledged there’d be “a lot of issues” with a merger, but suggested now’s the time to get a deal done with Trump returning to office as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s power is waning. O’Leary may not be the best barometer for what the average Canadian thinks, however. The businessman, worth an estimated $400 million , has ditched the great white north for sunny Miami Beach . He was also soundly rejected by voters when he ran for the leadership of the Canadian Conservative Party in 2017 and won just one percent of the vote. Scouted selects products independently. If you purchase something from our posts, we may earn a small commission. If you’re looking to revamp your at-home fitness lineup ahead of 2025 and don’t have hours to commit to exercising each day, allow us to introduce you to the CAROL Bike . The science-backed and AI-powered fitness bike is engineered to give you maximum results in the shortest time possible—and by the shortest time, we mean as little as five minutes. In fact, according to the brand, the CAROL bike is “proven to deliver double the health and fitness benefits in 90 percent less time compared to regular cardio.” Free Returns | Free Shipping Not only is it a huge time-saver, but the CAROL Bike is also designed to be personalized to the rider’s individual fitness levels, goals, and preferences, making the workouts easy to follow, time-efficient, and super effective. CAROL’s AI and Reduced Exertion HIIT (REHIT) technology optimizes the workout to your ability and fitness level, so every second matters. The personalized, optimal resistance levels are automatically adjusted as you work out—at exactly the right time—making the most efficient workouts easy to follow. “ CAROL Bike is designed to maximize training efficiency, with the shortest, most effective workouts, backed by science. And new rider-inspired features that give riders more flexibility to exercise their way,” says Ulrich Dempfle, CEO & Co-Founder at CAROL. You can try the CAROL Bike for yourself risk-free for 100 days, and the brand offers free shipping (7-10 business days) in the U.S. Elon Musk has further stoked the flames of the MAGA H1-B civil war after he agreed with a post that called Americans too “retarded” to exclusively fill the U.S. tech workforce. The eye-popping endorsement came after a pro-Musk account on X summed up the right-wing divide on visas to skilled workers as such: “So basically the right split into two factions, tech right and right right, and the tech right is like ‘hey we need h-1b visa people to do the jobs,’ and the right right was like ‘no you need to hire Americans,’ and the tech right is like “but you guys are retarded,” and the right right is like ‘well you don’t train us,’ and the tech right is like ‘you can’t outtrain being retarded,’ and while all this was going on we learned some people *really* don’t like Indians.” Musk, a 53-year-old South African who’s recently enjoyed a spot inside the “America First” Trump’s inner circle, apparently thought that assessment was a fair one. He responded, “That pretty much sums it up. This was eye-opening.” Trump is yet to weigh in on the latest right-wing divide that pits his longtime loyalists against his new tech bro faction. That pretty much sums it up. This was eye-opening. Several aviation experts said they believe that a Russian defense system caused the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash that killed 38 people on Christmas Day, according to the Associated Press. The flight was headed from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Russia, but diverted course amid bad weather before crash landing near Aktau, Kazakhstan. The incident left 29 survivors, all of whom are injured, the AP reported. With investigations underway in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia, officials in those countries have urged against speculation about the crash’s cause. Russia’s aviation authority has suggested, nevertheless, that a bird strike could have played a role. But aviation experts seem to disagree. Mark Zee, founder of the aviation safety organization OPSGroup, told the AP that based on images of the plane, he is “90-99%” sure it was struck by a missile. Independent Russian military expert Yan Matveyev agreed that the plane’s tail appeared to have been struck by shrapnel from a missile like the ones used by Russia’s defense system. Meanwhile, the UK aviation security firm Osprey Solutions reportedly cautioned its clients that “Azerbaijan Airlines flight was likely shot down by a Russian military air-defense system.” The man suspected of lighting a woman on fire in a Brooklyn subway car faces life without parole after he was charged with murder . Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, 33, has been indicted on charges of murder in the first and second degree and arson, according to Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. The horrific scene unfolded on an early morning F train stopped at the Coney Island-Stillwell Ave. stop in south Brooklyn on Dec. 22. Zapeta is accused of igniting the woman’s clothes and “fanning the flames” with a shirt. “These are significant counts. Murder in the first degree carries the possibility of life without parole. It’s the most serious statute in New York state law and my office is very confident about the evidence in the case and to hold Zapeta accountable for his dastardly deeds,” Gonzalez said. Zapeta, an undocumented immigrant from Guatemala, is scheduled to be arraigned Jan. 7. Chaos descended in South Korea ‘s parliament again after the man tasked with succeeding the country’s recently impeached president was also given the boot. Acting president, formerly the Prime Minister, Han Duck-soo, was brought in two weeks after parliament voted to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol after his failed bid to impose martial law on the country. But Han was accused Friday of dragging his heels in pushing through the Yoon impeachment after he refused to appoint three judges to fill vacancies in the Constitutional Court that would vote on Yoon’s future. As a result, 192 lawmakers voted for Han’s impeachment. However, it was the decision to lower the threshold of required votes from 200 for Yoon’s removal to just 151 that caused lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party to swarm National Assembly speaker Woo Won-shik. “Invalid!” and “Abuse of power!” were among the angry chants. The majority of the parliament in South Korea is from the opposition Democratic Party. Yoon is from the right-wing People Power Party, while Han is an independent. Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok has taken the reigns... for now. South Korea's parliament voted to impeach acting president Han Duck-soo, prompting chaos as ruling party lawmakers protested the speaker’s decision to allow only 150 votes to pass the bill against Han, which meant no ruling party lawmakers’ votes were needed. pic.twitter.com/BgX9D8vrwh Scouted selects products independently. If you purchase something from our posts, we may earn a small commission. 2025 is quickly approaching, and there’s no better way to celebrate the new year than with 2024’s cocktail du jour—the espresso martini. It’s the perfect way to toast 2025 with sophistication, flavor, and an energy boost. Think you can’t make the buzzy beverage at home because you’re not a bartender? Think again. You can create this beloved cocktail effortlessly with just a cocktail shaker, fresh espresso, vodka, coffee beans, and Mr Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur . It all starts in the land Down Under—Australia. Mr Black sources its ingredients, including 100 percent specialty-grade Arabica coffee, from local farmers and cooperatives. The liqueur is then slowly brewed with purified cold water to preserve its delicate, complex flavors. The result? A bittersweet masterpiece with bold flavor, balanced sweetness, and a lasting coffee kick. Its rich, coffee-forward taste is a crowd-pleaser, and the sleek bottle design adds a touch of elegance to any bar cart. Making an espresso martini is simple. Combine Mr Black , vodka, and freshly brewed espresso in a shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously until cold. Then, strain the mixture into a martini glass and finish with three coffee beans as a garnish. Skip the champagne toast this year and ensure you stay awake for the countdown to 2025 with a Mr Black espresso martini. The 92-year-old mother of a murder victim whose death spurred the conviction—later overturned—of a member of the Kennedy family, died Tuesday of complications from the flu, her son said. Dorthy Moxley fought nearly 50 years for justice after her teenage daughter, Martha, was found dead across the street from the family home of Michael Skakel, a cousin of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Skakel was convicted of Martha’s murder in 2002 and freed in 2013 after a judge said he hadn’t received adequate representation. The Connecticut Supreme Court reinstated the conviction in 2016, only to order him freed two years later. A second trial never occurred, in part because some witnesses had died. “It was just incredible how much support we got from people that we knew and people that we didn’t know,” Moxley’s son, John, told the Associated Press . “My mother was always grateful and chose to focus on the communal spirit, if you will, rather than the law. My mother always said she believed in angels and the angels really came out to support her, to support us.” John added: “She was able to take that spirit of support and knowing how important it was to share that with others. And that gave her a lot of joy, knowing that she could help somebody else.” Kim Kardashian , who parlayed nepo-baby roots , a viral sex tape , and reality stardom into billionaire status has come close to admitting that rarest of things: failure. The 43-year-old mother of four is no longer helping manage SKKY Partners, the private equity firm she founded with a dealmaking hotshot in 2022. Instead, Axios reports, she will be a “senior operating adviser,” according to new documents filed with the Securities Exchange Commission. When she and Jay Sammons, who had worked for the Carlyle Group set up the fund, they said they wanted to raise $1 billion for investments. But Axios' analysis showed that its latest total raised is a fraction of that, at $121 million, and that so far it has done just one deal, for a hot sauce maker called Truff. Kardashian has not commented publicly on her loss of private equity executive status, while her mother, momager Kris Jenner, has been dropped from the filing documents entirely. Few celebrities have cracked private equity investing status; among those who have are Ryan Reynolds and Ashton Kutcher. Kardashian can console herself that the success of her Skims brand means her billionaire status is secure; earlier this month she opened a “flagship” store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, replacing a Versace store.
Students who left high school without a diploma because they didn’t pass their MCAS exams will get a second chance under new state guidance issued this week. The retroactive guidance, released Dec. 11 by the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, says former students “must be afforded a process” to earn their “competency determination” based on their successful completion of required classwork, not their MCAS scores. “District processes must allow former students who satisfactorily completed the relevant coursework to earn a CD,” the guidance stated. The guidance only applies to students who met all local graduation requirements but did not earn their competency determination because of the three 10th-grade MCAS tests previously required for a diploma. State education officials have said about 700 students a year don’t graduate solely because of MCAS. In November, voters passed Question 2 , which eliminated the requirement that public school students must achieve certain scores on their 10th-grade English language arts, math and science MCAS tests to achieve a diploma. MCAS tests will still be administered as usual and the state will continue to collect the same data. In the two months since the election, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has been tasked with issuing guidance for school districts moving forward. Now that voters have had their say, advocates and opponents of Question 2 want the state to create a new statewide graduation requirement so that all public school students are held to core standards no matter where they’re enrolled. Until then, districts must develop their own competency determinations. That process, DESE says, should be aligned with the new statute language created by Question 2; be approved by the governing board of the district, shared with all students, families/guardians, and district stakeholders' and be publicly available in multiple languages. Districts should certify that students have “satisfactorily completed coursework aligned with state academic standards and curriculum frameworks in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and at least one Science discipline (Biology, Introductory Physics, Chemistry, or Technology/Engineering),” the agency said. In regards to former students, that means school districts will also have to develop their own processes for determining that students previously met the “competency determination” outside of their MCAS scores. MORE ON MCAS
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — Jaylon Johnson wasn't all that interested in discussing any bright spots or reasons to have hope for the Chicago Bears. The star cornerback made his feelings clear. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
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. 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.” 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. 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. 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. 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. John Leicester, Yesica Brumec and Bela Szandelszky in Paris contributed. Associated Press religion coverage receives support through The AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
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