A Judge on Wednesday dismissed the Georgia election interference case against President Donald Trump and others after the prosecutor who took over the case said he would not pursue the charges, ending the last effort to punish the President in the courts for his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss. Pete Skandalakis, the Executive Director of the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia, took over the case last month from Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who was removed over an “appearance of impropriety” created by a romantic relationship with the special prosecutor she chose to lead the case. After Skandalakis’ filing, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee issued a one-paragraph order dismissing the case in its entirety. The latest criminal case against Trump to unravel The abandonment of the Georgia case is the latest reflection of how Trump has emerged largely unscathed from a spate of prosecutions that once threatened to imperil his political career and personal liberty. Former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith, who had charged Trump with conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 election and hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, dropped both cases after Trump won the White House last year. Smith cited longstanding Justice Department policy against the indictment of a sitting President. And though Trump was convicted of felony charges in New York in connection with hush money payments during the 2016 election, he was sentenced in January to an unconditional discharge, leaving his conviction intact but sparing him any punishment. It was unlikely that legal action against Trump could have moved forward while he is President. Fourteen other defendants still faced charges, including former New York Mayor and Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani and former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows. Steve Sadow, Trump’s lead attorney in Georgia, applauded the case’s dismissal: “The political persecution of President Trump by disqualified DA Fani Willis is finally over. This case should never have been brought. A fair and impartial prosecutor has put an end to this lawfare.” The Associated Press has reached out to a spokesperson for Willis seeking comment on the dismissal. “The strongest and most prosecutable case against those seeking to overturn the 2020 Presidential election results and prevent the certification of those votes was the one investigated and indicted by Special Counsel Jack Smith,” Skandalakis wrote in his court filing Wednesday. He added that the criminal conduct alleged in the Georgia indictment “was conceived in Washington, D. C., not the State of Georgia. The federal government is the appropriate venue for this prosecution, not the State of Georgia.” Why a new prosecutor took over the Georgia case After the Georgia Supreme Court in September declined to hear Willis’ appeal of her disqualification, it fell to the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council to find a new prosecutor. Skandalakis said last month that he reached out to several prosecutors, but they all declined to take the case. McAfee set a Nov. 14 deadline for the appointment of a new prosecutor, so Skandalakis chose to appoint himself rather than let the case be dismissed right away. He said Willis’ office only recently delivered the case file 101 boxes and an eight-terabyte hard drive and he hadn’t had a chance to review everything yet. Citing the public’s “legitimate interest in the outcome of this case,” he said he wanted to assess the evidence and decide on appropriate next steps. Skandalakis, who has led the small, nonpartisan council since 2018, said in a court filing last month that he will get no extra pay for the case but that Fulton County will reimburse expenses. He previously spent about 25 years as the elected Republican District Attorney for the Coweta Judicial Circuit, southwest of Atlanta. How the Georgia case fell apart Willis announced the sprawling indictment against Trump and 18 others in August 2023, using the state’s anti-racketeering law to allege a wide-ranging conspiracy to illegally overturn Trump’s narrow loss to Democrat Joe Biden in Georgia. Defense attorneys sought Willis’ removal after one revealed in January 2024 that Willis had a romantic relationship with Nathan Wade, the special prosecutor she hired to lead the case. The defense attorneys alleged a conflict of interest and said Willis profited from the case when Wade used his earnings to pay for vacations the pair took. During an extraordinary hearing the following month, Willis and Wade testified about the intimate details of their relationship. They said the romance didn’t begin until after Wade was hired and that they split the costs for vacations and other outings. The Judge rebuked Willis for a “tremendous lapse in judgment” but found no disqualifying conflict of interest, ruling she could stay on the case if Wade resigned, which he did hours later. Defense attorneys appealed, and the Georgia Court of Appeals removed Willis from the case in December 2024, citing an “appearance of impropriety.” The state Supreme Court declined to hear Willis’ appeal. ___ Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
https://floridapolitics.com/archives/767421-new-prosecutor-wont-pursue-charges-against-donald-trump-others-in-georgia-election-interference-case/
Manuel M. Bandarra Jr.
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready. Manuel M. Bandarra Jr., age 96, of Elizabethton, Tennessee, passed away on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, at the Johnson City Medical Center. Manuel was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, a son of the late Manuel Medeiros Bandarra Sr. and Diamantina Teixiera Bandarra. In addition to his parents, Manuel was also preceded in death by his beloved wife, Donna T. Bandarra, in 2013; a brother, George Bandarra; and a sister, Agnes Bandarra. Manuel retired from Holston Defense as a purchasing manager and was a United States Army veteran, having served in the Korean War. He was a member of St. Elizabeth Catholic Church, where he served as church treasurer and was a member of the Knights of Columbus and was very active in church activities. Manuel truly had a servant’s heart and was very involved in helping his community. He was a member of the Elizabethton City Planning Commission for more than 30 years, a member of the Elks Lodge and a volunteer at the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center. He and his wife were world travelers and loved visiting places worldwide and sharing their time and new experiences together. He loved his family and his lifelong friends and will be missed and cherished in their hearts. Those left to cherish Manuel’s memory include his sons, Larry Lee Bandarra and wife, Racheal, of Elizabethton, and Michael T. Bandarra and wife, Lynn, of Alexandria, Virginia; his beloved grandson, Michael Scott Bandarra; and several nieces, nephews and grandnephews also survive. The family will receive friends between the hours of 5 and 6 p. m. on Monday, December 1, 2025, at Tetrick Funeral Home of Elizabethton. The funeral Mass for Manuel Bandarra will be conducted at 1 p. m. on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church with Father Jesus Guerrero officiating. Music will be under the direction of the church. The committal and entombment will follow the funeral Mass at Happy Valley Memorial Park Mausoleum of Peace. Active pallbearers will be selected from family and friends. The family would like to express their sincere appreciation to Mr. Bandarra’s neighbors on McClellan Circle and also to Lorie Tilson and her family for their kindness and support during his illness. Those who prefer memorials in lieu of flowers may make donations in memory of Manuel to the Alzheimer’s Association, 2319 Browns Mill Road, Johnson City, TN 37604, or by visiting their website at www. alzfdn. org. Words of sympathy may be shared with the family by visiting our website at www. tetrickfuneralhome. com. Tetrick Funeral Home of Elizabethton is honored to serve the family of Manuel M. Bandarra Jr. Office phone: 423-542-2232.
https://elizabethton.com/2025/11/26/manuel-m-bandarra-jr/
Clip of Robert Irwin Aged 11 Goes Viral After Dancing With the Stars Win
Robert Irwin has won the Australian version of Dancing With the Stars (DWTS)-and fans are feeling nostalgic. The 21-year-old conservationist, who has followed in the footsteps of his late father, the “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin, joined the reality competition in April of this year, and was an instant fan-favorite hit. Now, after weeks of competition, Irwin and his professional dance partner Witney Carson have clinched the Mirror Ball-10 years after his sister, Bindi Irwin, won the same competition. The Irwin siblings have been in the spotlight since they were children, thanks to their father’s status as a national treasure, with countless fans worldwide. And fans are now nostalgically recalling a much-younger Robert Irwin, as a video from 10 years ago has gone viral again. In April, after joining the DWTS cast, Irwin posted a video to his TikTok account @robertirwin, of him in the studio with his older sister while she was taking part in the show-where he was asked if he would ever take part himself. And the then-11-year-old had an instant answer: “Definitely! I would love to, that would be so much fun.” His sister then pointed out that Irwin “has some really cool moves”-which he then showed off, describing it as “the sprinkler” as he put a hand behind his head, one had in front of him, and moved from side to side like a sprinkler. The clip, which you can see here, then changed to Robert at a DWTS press conference, a giant snake draped around his shoulders, as he recalled the iconic interview with “little Robert” with a “bowl cut.” He remembered thinking: “One day, that’s going to be me. And now that dream is a reality, and I am over the moon.” The video has close to 200, 000 likes, as users flooded the comments with support, one writing fondly: “Robert has always been an old soul.” Another wrote: “You two are great supports of each other. Lovely to see,” while one said: “His dad is smiling so hard.” And, on the final day of the series on November 25, Irwin posted another video, which you can see here-this one with the 10-year-old video combined with his own time on DWTS, showing off his dance moves, with the caption: “Dreams can come true.” This video proved even more popular, with a whopping 1. 2 million likes, as one commenter wrote: “I’m crying, you did it,” and another called it “well deserved. He is the perfect Mirrorball champion,” another said, and as one put it: “I know his dad is so proud of him.”.
https://www.newsweek.com/entertainment/clip-robert-irwin-aged-11-viral-dancing-with-the-stars-win-11110858
Taiwan puts $40 billion toward buying U.S. arms, building defense dome
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te announced a $40 billion budget for arms purchases on Wednesday. The plans include building an air defense system with high-level detection and interception capabilities called Taiwan Dome, as the U. S. pressures the island to increase its defense spending. According to the leader, this budget will be allocated over eight years, from 2026 to 2033, and comes after Lai already pledged to raise defense spending to 5% of the island’s GDP, as part of his strategy amid China’s threats of invasion. “China’s threats to Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific region are escalating,” Lai said on Wednesday. “Recently, various types of military intrusions, maritime gray zones and disinformation campaigns have been occurring in Japan, the Philippines and around the Taiwan Strait, causing deep unease and distress to all parties in the region. Taiwan, as the most important and most critical part of the first island chain, must demonstrate our determination and take on a greater responsibility in self-defense,” he said, referring to the string of islands stretching from Japan’s East China Sea through the Philippines in the Pacific Ocean. Last week, Japan said that it scrambled aircraft after detecting a suspected Chinese drone near its southern island of Yonaguni, which is close to Taiwan. Currently, Taiwan has set an increase in its defense budget to 3. 3% of its GDP for 2026, allocating $949. 5 billion Taiwan dollars ($31. 18 billion). President Donald Trump has demanded Taiwan raise its defense spending to as much as 10% of GDP, a proportion well above what the U. S. or any of its major allies spend. The U. S. State Department on Wednesday said it welcomes Taiwan’s budget announcement and “supports Taiwan’s acquisition of critical defense capabilities, commensurate with the threat it faces.” It also said it welcomes commitments by Lai’s administration to increase defense spending to at least 5% of GDP by 2030, “which demonstrates resolve to strengthen Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities.” Taiwan, a self-ruled island, is claimed by China. In recent years, China has deployed warplanes, navfy ships and drones toward the island on a daily basis in military exercises as part of its efforts to exert pressure. Wellington Koo, Taiwan’s defense minister, said Wednesday the $40 billion is an upper limit for the special budget and that it will be used to buy precision-strike missiles and work toward the joint development and procurement between Taiwan and the U. S. of equipment and systems. Lai also said his government would focus on finding ways to increase its defense against Beijing’s “psychological warfare” as China attempts to “weaken our unity.” He said the government will monitor and increase public awareness of China’s interference attempts during major events and elections.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/taiwan-40-billion-budget-weapons-purchases-us-defense-spending/
GoPro MAX2 Hits Its Lowest Price as Amazon Ignores the Margin on This Newly Released Action Camera for Black Friday
Winter is fast approaching, and with it comes prime season for skiing and snowboarding. As you start booking lift tickets and planning weekend getaways, it’s worth thinking about how you’ll capture those exhilarating runs down the mountain. If you’ve been searching for the right camera to document your adventures, the GoPro MAX2 might be exactly what you need. Even better, it’s currently available at a 20% discount for Black Friday-its first major price drop-cutting $100 off the usual price and bringing it down to just $400 for a short time. See at Amazon Durable and Ready for Anything GoPro is practically synonymous with action cameras, and for good reason. The brand helped popularize compact, mountable cameras capable of surviving punishing outdoor conditions. The MAX2 continues that tradition with a rugged, waterproof design that can withstand depths of up to 33 feet (10 meters). Whether you’re diving below the surface, carving through fresh powder, or tearing down muddy trails on your bike, this camera is built to go wherever the action is. The GoPro MAX2 has a remarkably smooth image stabilization. Normally, point-of-view footage from rough terrain like rocky paths or uneven snow comes out shaky and hard to watch. GoPro solves this problem with advanced in-camera stabilization and software correction, minimizing jitter and keeping your footage smooth without significantly cropping the frame. The result is clean, steady video that looks far more polished than what most handheld devices can produce. Exceptional Image Quality The GoPro MAX2 offers impressive visual clarity, capturing true 8K video packed with fine detail. Despite its small size, the camera delivers professional-grade results. It even supports full 360-degree recording, allowing you to capture your surroundings in every direction. This is perfect for skiing, biking, or any high-speed sport where the environment becomes part of the experience. To complement the visuals, the GoPro MAX2 incorporates six microphones positioned to record audio from all angles. This spatial sound input adds depth and realism to your footage, making playback feel more immersive. The camera also includes object tracking technology, ensuring your subject remains in focus even as distances shift rapidly during fast-paced activities. Thanks to HDR support, the GoPro MAX2 performs well in nearly any lighting condition. Whether you’re filming in the dim shade of a forest trail or under bright afternoon sun glinting off fresh snow, the camera can balance highlights and shadows to maintain natural, accurate detail. It also doubles as a capable still-photo camera, capturing 29-megapixel images. If you prefer pulling stills from video, the GoPro Quik app makes it simple to extract high-quality photos from your favorite recorded moments. Effortless Footage Management Accessing and storing your content is straightforward. Once you’re back indoors, just connect the camera to your Wi-Fi. While it recharges, it can automatically upload all your footage to the cloud, ensuring everything is backed up without any extra work on your part. The GoPro MAX2’s first-ever discount for Black Friday makes now an excellent time to pick one up. With 20% off its regular $500 price tag, you can score this powerful, adventure-ready camera for only $400-an offer that won’t last long.
https://kotaku.com/this-gopro-max2-action-camera-sees-its-first-ever-price-drop-ahead-of-black-friday-2000647419
Mets Projected to Sign 215-Strikeout Workhorse by MLB Execs
Arguably, no other team has more work cut out for itself this offseason than the New York Mets. Coming off an epic collapse from mid-June through the end of September, the Mets know they need to completely revamp their pitching staff. The need will only be magnified if fourth-year starter Kodai Senga gets traded, which the Mets have been telling teams they’re willing to do. President of baseball operations David Stearns hasn’t often been one to splurge on long-term contracts for pitchers, but this offseason, several of his peers think that’s exactly what he’ll do. On Wednesday, ESPN ran a survey of 16 executives from around Major League Baseball gauging opinions on this year’s free agency outcomes. The Mets received six of those executives’ votes to sign San Diego Padres right-hander Dylan Cease, the most of any team. The executives also reasoned that the Mets and Toronto Blue Jays were the likeliest big-market teams to shell out lucrative starting pitching deals. “The Blue Jays showed up as possibilities for each pitcher, as executives believe they will add to their team after making the World Series and coming so close to winning it all this past season,” wrote ESPN’s Jesse Rogers. “The Mets weren’t far behind in the voting, considering their starting staff was a mess late in the year and they relied on rookies down the stretch.” Four executives also predicted that the Mets would sign Houston Astros two-time All-Star Framber Valdez, one vote behind the Blue Jays in first place. Cease would be helpful to the Mets even if he has another down year, because he eats innings and racks up strikeouts. He’s the only pitcher in the sport to strike out 200 batters in each of the last five seasons, and no other pitcher has even done it in the last three, for that matter. However, we’ve also seen a tendency from Cease to put himself in Cy Young conversations every other year, and doing so in the upcoming season would fit into that pattern. If he signed with the Mets and gave them an ERA in the low threes or better, New York would immediately be a top wild card contender at a minimum.
https://www.newsweek.com/sports/mlb/mets-projected-to-sign-215-strikeout-workhorse-by-mlb-execs-11113011
Thanksgiving turkey recipe 2025: Cook your bird in under an hour
By Tan Vinh, The Seattle Times SEATTLE Teriyaki chicken is a quick and cheap lunch that’s synonymous with Seattle. One acclaimed local chef, Taichi Kitamura of Eastlake’s Sushi Kappo Tamura, makes a compelling case for elevating that humble poultry dish into a fancy Thanksgiving feast. Teriyaki chicken is only made with dark meat. That rule also applies to turkey teriyaki, since the breast meat will dry out, the chef said. Kitamura offered us a pan-fried turkey breast recipe, too, with a sake-and-butter sauce. He typically fries the turkey breast while the rest of the meat roasts in the oven. All told, the entire turkey was cooked and ready to be eaten in less than an hour. We asked for both recipes and printed them below. Enjoy! Thanksgiving turkey teriyaki Ingredients 2 turkey thighs, deboned 2 turkey wings 2 cups soy sauce 2 cups sake 1 1/4 cups sugar 2 cups water 2 cups hot water 1/3 cup of whiskey (optional) Steps 1. Break down the turkey by chopping it down the middle, cutting off the hindquarters (thighs and drumsticks) and separating the thighs from the drumsticks. 2. Turn the bird over and cut off the breast from the rib cage and then chop the wings that are attached to the breasts. (A turkey has the same anatomy as a chicken, so if you’re more of a visual learner, head to YouTube for step-by-step instructions on breaking down a bird.) 3. Then comes the deboning. Detach the bone by trimming the edge of the meat where it meets the bone. The rest is less labor-intensive. (No need to debone the wings, since they cook faster.) 4. Score the meat with the tip of the knife. 5. For the marinade: In a large mixing bowl, add the hot water and sugar; whisk until all the sugar is dissolved. 6. Add soy sauce, sake, whiskey and water. Let the teriyaki sauce cool before marinating the meat. 7. Marinate the turkey for 12-16 hours in fridge. 8. On Thanksgiving Day, remove the turkey from the marinade. Towel it dry. 9. Lay the meat on a flat rack/grid over a pan, skin side up. A rack or grid over the pan helps keep the turkey from getting soggy from all the fat drippings. The rack helps crisp up the skin, too. 10. Roast the turkey in an oven (preferably a convection oven) preheated to 475 degrees until the temperature of the thickest part of the meat reaches 165 degrees. If using a conventional oven, heat the oven to 450 degrees. 11. Depending on the size of your turkey and your oven, you may need to use two trays or cook in batches. 12. Cut into 3/4-inch slices and serve. Pan-fried turkey breast Ingredients 2 turkey breasts, deboned 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1 stick of butter, cut into 8 pieces 1 1/4 cups sake 1/2 cup soy sauce Salt and black pepper to taste 3 bay leaves 2 tablespoons lemon juice Steps 1. Butterfly the breast meat to an even width of about an inch thick or less. 2. Score the skin with the tip of the knife. 3. Season with salt and pepper. 4. In a large frying pan or skillet, heat vegetable oil. 5. Place the turkey skin side down on medium-high heat, cooking until the skin is golden-brown. 6. The turkey will be too large to cook on one skillet, so cook each breast separately or use two skillets. 7. Turn the turkey and cook the meat until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Remove from the pan. 8. Deglaze the pan with sake. Add the bay leaves, soy sauce, lemon juice and butter. Add the juice from the cooked turkey if there is any. Stir vigorously with a spoon to emulsify. 9. Cut the turkey into 3/4-inch strips. Place on a platter. 10. Pour the sauce over the turkey and serve. ©2025 The Seattle Times. Visit seattletimes. com.
https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2025/11/26/thanksgiving-turkey-under-an-hour/
Seven Ministries donates to Manna House
Pastor Katrina Deason accepts a donation to Manna House from Seven Ministries board member Chris Reid and CEO Gary Gilliard. Photo provided.
https://coastalcourier.com/news/seven-ministries-donates-to-manna-house/
“Best outcome from Physical: Asia” – Fans react to Jang Eun-sil & Enkh Orgil Baatarkhuu’s ‘Good Goodbye’ trend amid Team Korea-Mongolia finale rift
On Tuesday, November 25, the two Physical: Asia contestants, Team Korea’s Jang Eun-sil and Team Mongolia’s Enkh Orgil Baatarkhuu, released their Good Goodbye challenge, a currently viral trend in Sout.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/us/k-pop/news-best-outcome-physical-asia-fans-react-jang-eun-sil-enkh-orgil-baatarkhuu-s-good-goodbye-trend-amid-team-korea-mongolia-finale-rift
RPG maestro Josh Sawyer admits “there’s a lot to criticize” in D&D 4e, but not because it’s “like an MMO” or other reasons “parroted” by folks “with little direct knowledge”
Although the Dungeons & Dragons’ controversial 4th edition holds a bit of an awkward place within tabletop RPG stans’ hearts, not everyone thinks it’s deserving of all the flak it’s caught since its 2008 launch but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to criticize. Joshua Eric “Josh” Sawyer, who is best known for his work on RPG gems like Fallout: New Vegas and Pillars of Eternity, made an online post implying that sourcing feedback for D&D 4e that wasn’t just “parroted” criticism and was instead genuine, player experience-based assessments was basically impossible. In response, somebody said 4e “ain’t really all that” and while Sawyer doesn’t necessarily disagree, he expands on his own opinion. “There’s a lot to criticize in 4e, from how classes and races were split up to bad MMs to having a boring armor system (again), but that’s not usually what people complained about,” the genre maestro explains. “They parroted dumb complaints with little direct knowledge, and for it they should be pursued by hounds across the moor.” He follows up with a quip poking fun at one of these complaints the comparisons likening 4e to an MMO. There’s a lot to criticize in 4E, from how classes and races were split up to bad MMs to having a boring armor system (again), but that’s not usually what people complained about. They parroted dumb complaints with little direct knowledge, and for it they should be pursued by hounds across the moor. @jesawyer. bsky. social (@jesawyer. bsky. social. bsky. social) 2025-11-26T14: 18: 37. 737Z “‘It’s like an MMO,'” writes Sawyer, adding sarcastically, “Totally, dude.” For anyone less familiar with 4e or the MMO comparisons, fans’ comments provide a bit of insight. As one reads, “I think most of those complaints were driven by how it aesthetically copied a lot from Warcraft in particular” with “it” meaning D&D 4e. You can also look at threads elsewhere, like Reddit, that see players detail why such comparisons blew up. From the roles of classes to ability cooldowns, there are plenty of reasons, apparently but Sawyer does make a solid point himself. It’s difficult to separate evidence-backed criticism from the “popular” opinion, so to speak. This rings especially true nowadays, as the rise of content creation on platforms like YouTube, Twitch, and social media allows for the spread of inflammatory or less-than-reputable takes at rates like never before. As a longtime D&D enjoyer myself, however, I can definitely see both sides here. So much of this is subjective, after all, and boils down to what you think as a player yourself. That can be said for any edition, too not just 4e.
https://www.gamesradar.com/tabletop-gaming/rpg-maestro-josh-sawyer-admits-theres-a-lot-to-criticize-in-d-and-d-4e-but-not-because-its-like-an-mmo-or-other-reasons-parroted-by-folks-with-little-direct-knowledge/