jili park.com President-elect Donald Trump will return to power next year with a raft of technological tools at his disposal that would help deliver his campaign promise of cracking down on immigration — among them, surveillance and artificial intelligence technology that the Biden administration already uses to help make crucial decisions in tracking, detaining and ultimately deporting immigrants lacking permanent legal status. While immigration officials have used the tech for years, an October letter from the Department of Homeland Security obtained exclusively by The Associated Press details how those tools — some of them powered by AI — help make life-altering decisions for immigrants, including whether they should be detained or surveilled. One algorithm, for example, ranks immigrants with a “Hurricane Score,” ranging from 1-5, to assess whether someone will “abscond” from the agency's supervision. The letter, sent by DHS Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer Eric Hysen to the immigrant rights group Just Futures Law, revealed that the score calculates the potential risk that an immigrant — with a pending case — will fail to check in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. The algorithm relies on several factors, he said, including an immigrant’s number of violations and length of time in the program, and whether the person has a travel document. Hysen wrote that ICE officers consider the score, among other information, when making decisions about an immigrant’s case. “The Hurricane Score does not make decisions on detention, deportation, or surveillance; instead, it is used to inform human decision-making,” Hysen wrote. Also included in the government’s tool kit is a mobile app called SmartLINK that uses facial matching and can track an immigrant’s specific location. Nearly 200,000 people without legal status who are in removal proceedings are enrolled in the Alternatives to Detention program, under which certain immigrants can live in the U.S. while their immigration cases are pending. In exchange, SmartLINK and GPS trackers used by ICE rigorously surveil them and their movements. The phone application draws on facial matching technology and geolocation data, which has been used before to find and arrest those using the app. Just Futures Law wrote to Hysen earlier this year, questioning the fairness of using an algorithm to assess whether someone is a flight risk and raising concerns over how much data SmartLINK collects. Such AI systems, which score or screen people, are used widely but remain largely unregulated even though some have been found to discriminate on race, gender or other protected traits. DHS said in an email that it is committed to ensuring that its use of AI is transparent and safeguards privacy and civil rights while avoiding biases. The agency said it is working to implement the Biden administration’s requirements on using AI , but Hysen said in his letter that security officials may waive those requirements for certain uses. Trump has publicly vowed to repeal Biden's AI policy when he returns to the White House in January. “DHS uses AI to assist our personnel in their work, but DHS does not use the outputs of AI systems as the sole basis for any law enforcement action or denial of benefits,” a spokesperson for DHS told the AP. Trump has not revealed how he plans to carry out his promised deportation of an estimated 11 million people living in the country illegally. Although he has proposed invoking wartime powers, as well as military involvement, the plan would face major logistical challenges — such as where to keep those who have been detained and how to find people spread across the country — that AI-powered surveillance tools could potentially address. Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for Trump, did not answer questions about how they plan to use DHS’ tech, but said in a statement that “President Trump will marshal every federal and state power necessary to institute the largest deportation operation” in American history. Over 100 civil society groups sent a letter on Friday urging the Office of Management and Budget to require DHS to comply with the Biden administration’s guidelines. OMB did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Just Futures Law’s executive director, Paromita Shah, said if immigrants are scored as flight risks, they are more likely to remain in detention, "limiting their ability to prepare a defense in their case in immigration court, which is already difficult enough as it is.” SmartLINK, part of the Intensive Supervision Appearance Program, is run by BI Inc., a subsidiary of the private prison company The GEO Group. The GEO Group also contracts with ICE to run detention centers. ICE is tight-lipped about how it uses SmartLINK’s location feature to find and arrest immigrants. Still, public records show that during Trump’s first term in 2018, Manassas, Virginia-based employees of BI Inc. relayed immigrants’ GPS locations to federal authorities, who then arrested over 40 people. In a report last year to address privacy issues and concerns, DHS said that the mobile app includes security features that “prohibit access to information on the participant’s mobile device, with the exception of location data points when the app is open.” But the report notes that there remains a risk that data collected from people "may be misused for unauthorized persistent monitoring.” Such information could also be stored in other ICE and DHS databases and used for other DHS mission purposes, the report said. On investor calls earlier this month, private prison companies were clear-eyed about the opportunities ahead. The GEO Group’s executive chairman George Christopher Zoley said that he expects the incoming Trump administration to “take a much more aggressive approach regarding border security as well as interior enforcement and to request additional funding from Congress to achieve these goals.” “In GEO’s ISAP program, we can scale up from the present 182,500 participants to several hundreds of thousands, or even millions of participants,” Zoley said. That same day, the head of another private prison company told investors he would be watching closely to see how the new administration may change immigrant monitoring programs. “It’s an opportunity for multiple vendors to engage ICE about the program going forward and think about creative and innovative solutions to not only get better outcomes, but also scale up the program as necessary,” Damon Hininger, CEO of the private prison company CoreCivic Inc. said on an earnings call. GEO did not respond to requests for comment. In a statement, CoreCivic said that it has played “a valued but limited role in America’s immigration system” for both Democrats and Republicans for over 40 years.Century-old department store Nordstrom has agreed to be acquired and taken private by Nordstrom family members and a Mexican retail group in a $6.25 billion deal with the industry being squeezed by discount chains and other competition. Public companies are under a lot more scrutiny and if private, Nordstrom may have more leeway in reviving a department store chain that has been attempting to reinvigorate sales for years. Nordstrom shareholders will receive $24.25 in cash for each share of Nordstrom common stock, or about $4 billion in all, representing a 42% premium on the company's stock as of March 18, when reports of a potential transaction was reported by the media. The acquiring group will also pick up more than $2 billion in Nordstrom debt. The traditional department stores have suffered in the face of withering competition from giants like Walmart and Target, as well as a host of fast-fashion bands and Amazon.com. Nordstrom rivals Macy's and Kohl's have been pressured by major investors to make huge changes in order to return more profit to shareholders. RELATED: Inside the empty flagship Nordstrom in San Francisco, closing after more than 3 decades Sales at Nordstrom have essentially flatlined over the past decade or so and it announced last year that it was closing all of its Canadian stores and cutting 2,500 jobs as it winds down operations in the country. Nordstrom first announced plans to expand to Canada in 2012 and opened its first store in Calgary at CF Chinook Centre in September 2014. The offer announced Monday tops the previous $23-per-share bid that the Nordstrom family and Mexican retail group, El Puerto de Liverpool, made in September. The board also plans to authorize a special dividend of up to 25 cents per share, based on Nordstrom's cash on hand immediately prior to and contingent on the close of the transaction. The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2025, at which time the company's shares will no longer trade publicly. "While a change in ownership does not automatically remedy all of the problems with the department store operation, it will allow the family and their backers to take a long-term view of the business and make necessary investments and changes away from the short-term scrutiny of public markets," wrote Neil Saunders, Managing Director of GlobalData, in a note to clients. Nordstrom's board of directors unanimously approved the the proposed transaction, with members Erik and Pete Nordstrom, part of the Nordstrom family taking over the company - recusing themselves from that vote. Following the close of the transaction, the Nordstrom family will have a majority ownership stake in the company. Erik and Pete Nordstrom are the fourth-generation leadership at the Seattle retailer, which was founded in 1901 as a shoe store. Erik is the company's chief executive and Peter is president. After opening 23 new stores so far this year, the company now operates a combined 381 Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack stores in the U.S. Nordstrom shares fell about 1.5% Monday, but they are up 34% this year on rumors of a family takeover. The company's stock is still down considerably from post-pandemic highs above $40 per share. In May of this year, Bruce Nordstrom, a retail executive who helped expand his family's Pacific Northwest department store chain into an upscale national brand, died at age 90. He was one of several Nordstrom family members who in 2017 made a push to take the company private, proposing to buy out the 70% of the department store's stock they didn't already own. Those talks failed in 2018 but earlier this year, his sons started another series of buyout negotiations, leading to Monday's announcement.Sira Thienou scores 16 points, No. 18 Ole Miss women coast to 89-24 win over Alabama State

NAPLES, Fla. -- Narin An handled the windy conditions with a hot putter on Thursday, making four straight birdies around the turn and finishing with an 8-under 64 for a one-shot lead in the CME Group Tour Championship. At stake for the 60-player field is a $4 million prize to the winner, the largest single-day payoff in women's golf. Nelly Korda already has won more than that during her sterling season of seven wins. Now she faces an eight-shot deficit over the next three days at Tiburon Golf Club if she wants to end her year in fitting fashion. Korda, coming off a victory last week, couldn't make amends for her three bogeys and had to settle for an even-par 72. She has come from behind in four of her victories, and still has 54 holes ahead of her. But it has made the task that much tougher. Everything felt easy for An, a 28-year-old from South Korea who has never won on the LPGA and has never cracked the top 10 in any of the 16 majors she has played. “Today my putt really good,” An said. “The speed was good and the shape was good. I just try to focus a little bit more.” She had a one-shot lead over Angel Yin, who shot 30 on the back nine, including an eagle on the par-5 17th hole that most players can easily reach in two. Former U.S. Women's Open champion Allisen Corpuz and Marina Alex were at 66, with Lydia Ko leading the group at 67. Despite the wind so typical along the Gulf Coast of Florida, 27 players — nearly half the field — shot in the 60s. “It's a good head start for the big ol' prize we get at the end of the week,” Yin said. Whoever wins this week is assured of breaking the 17-year-old LPGA record for most money earned in season. The record was set by Lorena Ochoa in 2007 at $4,364,994, back when the total prize money was about half of what it is now. Ochoa earned $1 million for winning the Tour Championship in 2007. The opening round followed a big night of awards for the LPGA Tour, where Korda officially picked up her first award as player of the year, which she clinched earlier this month . Ko was recognized for her big year, highlighted by an Olympic gold medal that put her into the LPGA Hall of Fame. She regained plenty of focus for the opening round on a course where she won just two years ago. “The course isn't easy,” Ko said. “I set a goal of shooting 3 under today, and somebody shot 8 under. I was like, ‘OK, maybe I need to make a few more birdies.’ It's a course that can get away from you as much as you can shoot some low scores, so I’m just trying to stick to my game plan and go from there.” Also in the group at 67 was Albane Valenzuela of Switzerland, already celebrating a big year with her debut in the Solheim Cup and her first appearance in the Tour Championship. She made a late run at her first LPGA title last week at Pelican Golf Club, and kept up her form. And she can see the finish line, which is appealing. “I everyone is looking at that $4 million price tag,” Valenzuela said. “I try not to look too much at the result. I feel like in the past I’ve always been stuck on results, and ultimately all I can do is control my own round, my own energy, my own commitment. “It's the last week of the year. It’s kind of the bonus week. No matter what, everyone is having a paycheck.” ___ AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golfSOCIAL MEDIA How do you remove children from the harms of social media? Politically the answer appears simple in Australia, but practically the solution could be far more difficult. The Australian government's plan to ban children from social media platforms including X, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram until their 16th birthdays is politically popular. The leaders of all eight Australian states and mainland territories unanimously backed the plan, though Tasmania, the smallest state, would have preferred the threshold were set at 14. But vocal experts in the fields of technology and child welfare responded with alarm. More than 140 of them signed an open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemning the 16-year age limit as "too blunt an instrument to address risks effectively." The Australian Parliament has now passed the ban, and the platforms have one year to work out how to implement it. Leo Puglisi, a 17-year-old Melbourne student who founded the online streaming service 6 News Australia at the age of 11, laments that lawmakers imposing the ban lack the youth's perspective on social media. "With respect to the government and prime minister, they didn't grow up in the social media age, they're not growing up in the social media age, and what a lot of people are failing to understand here is that, like it or not, social media is a part of people's daily lives," Puglisi said. "It's part of their communities, it's part of work, it's part of entertainment, it's where they watch content — young people aren't listening to the radio or reading newspapers or watching free-to-air TV — and so it can't be ignored. The reality is this ban, if implemented, is just kicking the can down the road for when a young person goes on social media," he added. Puglisi is applauded for his work online. He was a finalist in his home state Victoria's nomination for the Young Australian of the Year award, which will be announced in January. His nomination bid credits his platform with "fostering a new generation of informed, critical thinkers." One of the proposal's supporters, cyber safety campaigner Sonya Ryan, knows how dangerous social media can be for children. Her 15-year-old daughter Carly was murdered in 2007 in South Australia state by a 50-year-old pedophile who pretended to be a teenager online. In a grim milestone of the digital age, Carly was the first person in Australia to be killed by an online predator. "Kids are being exposed to harmful pornography, they're being fed misinformation, there are body image issues, there's sextortion, online predators, bullying. There are so many different harms for them to try and manage and kids just don't have the skills or the life experience to be able to manage those well," Ryan said. "The result of that is we're losing our kids," she said. "Not only what happened to Carly, predatory behavior, but also we're seeing an alarming rise in suicide of young people." Ryan is part of a group advising the government on a national strategy to prevent and respond to child sexual abuse in Australia. She wholeheartedly supports Australia setting the social media age limit at 16. "We're not going to get this perfect," she said. "We have to make sure that there are mechanisms in place to deal with what we already have, which is an anxious generation and an addicted generation of children to social media." Tama Leaver, professor of internet studies at Curtin University, fears the government will make the platforms hold the users' identification data instead. The government already said the onus will be on the platforms, rather than on children or their parents, to ensure everyone meets the age limit. "The worst possible outcome seems to be the one that the government may be inadvertently pushing towards, which would be that the social media platforms themselves would end up being the identity arbiter," Leaver said. "They would be the holder of identity documents which would be absolutely terrible because they have a fairly poor track record so far of holding on to personal data well," he added. The platforms will have a year once the legislation becomes law to work out how the ban can be implemented. Ryan, who divides her time between Adelaide in South Australia and Fort Worth, Texas, said privacy concerns should not stand in the way of removing children from social media. "What is the cost if we don't? If we don't put the safety of our children ahead of profit and privacy?" she asked.headphones available on the market will offer you the finest audio quality, whether in the gym, walking on the street, or running in the park, without compromising your safety, since your ears are always open to what’s happening in the surroundings. The ‘Vision’ Bone Conduction Headset is starkly different from the possible applications for which the technology is being used. It is designed not for music but for the autonomy of the visually impaired. The interesting new concept are designed to help the visually impaired lead a slightly more independent life. This device steps up as a companion that interacts with the wearer and serves as a guardian, providing the psychological comfort necessary for independent movement. “Vision is not just an assistive device, but a companion that supports visually impaired individuals in becoming independent and maintaining their self-esteem,” the designers note. Designers: Of course, with the evolution of technology, numerous types of assistive devices have been developed for the convenience of the visually challenged. The designers believe many of these devices are cumbersome and inconvenient to use. That along with inadequate safety infrastructure makes independent navigation difficult, which maybe a pair of bone conduction headsets can provide a slight improvement towards. The minimalist pair of headphones is designed keeping in mind the high reliance of the visually impaired on their sense of touch. It integrates object recognition cameras with conversational AI technology to facilitate the open-ear bone conduction headset to identify objects and obstacles simultaneously conveying audible information for the user’s convenience. By leveraging conversational AI technology to provide real-time feedback of the things picked by the mounted cameras on the way, and talking to the user about it all along the distance may actually help the users just like a human assistant would guide them through a busy street maybe. So the Vision is not just a navigation assistant, it is an interactive companion to have close to the ear, guiding all along the way. Bone conduction technology allows the headset to sit close, but outside the ears, leaving the ears open to acquire ambient noises. On the design front, it features a dial and earcups with controls written in Braille. The former allows the user to adjust the size or rotate the headphones in the desired direction. The push of a tiny grove in its center resets the Vision to its original position. Excitingly the device comes draped in high-visibility colors, making them easy for anyone with partial blindness to locate. To further user convenience, it’s integrated with a magnetic charging slot, so that the person doesn’t have to struggle with precise alignment for insertion as is the case with charging ports available in our devices.

James O. HarmsBy ALI SWENSON and BARARA ORTUTAY Bluesky has seen its user base soar since the U.S. presidential election, boosted by people seeking refuge from Elon Musk’s X, which they view as increasingly leaning too far to the right given its owner’s support of President-elect Donald Trump, or wanting an alternative to Meta’s Threads and its algorithms. Related Articles Supreme Court will hear arguments over the law that could ban TikTok in the US if it’s not sold What does Big Tech hope to gain from warming up to Trump? Tech consultant found guilty of second-degree murder in stabbing death of Cash App founder Bob Lee Tech review: Earbuds and phones for those on your holiday list Nearly half of US teens are online ‘constantly,’ Pew report finds The platform grew out of the company then known as Twitter, championed by its former CEO Jack Dorsey. Its decentralized approach to social networking was eventually intended to replace Twitter’s core mechanic . That’s unlikely now that the two companies have parted ways. But Bluesky’s growth trajectory — with a user base that has more than doubled since October — could make it a serious competitor to other social platforms. But with growth comes growing pains. It’s not just human users who’ve been flocking to Bluesky but also bots, including those designed to create partisan division or direct users to junk websites. The skyrocketing user base — now surpassing 25 million — is the biggest test yet for a relatively young platform that has branded itself as a social media alternative free of the problems plaguing its competitors. According to research firm Similarweb, Bluesky added 7.6 million monthly active app users on iOS and Android in November, an increase of 295.4% since October. It also saw 56.2 million desktop and mobile web visits, in the same period, up 189% from October. Besides the U.S. elections, Bluesky also got a boost when X was briefly banned in Brazil . “They got this spike in attention, they’ve crossed the threshold where it is now worth it for people to flood the platform with spam,” said Laura Edelson, an assistant professor of computer science at Northeastern University and a member of Issue One’s Council for Responsible Social Media. “But they don’t have the cash flow, they don’t have the established team that a larger platform would, so they have to do it all very, very quickly.” To manage growth for its tiny staff, Bluesky started as an invitation-only space until it opened to the public in February. That period gave the site time to build out moderation tools and other distinctive features to attract new users , such as “starter packs” that provide lists of topically curated feeds. Meta recently announced that it is testing a similar feature. Compared to the bigger players like Meta’s platforms or X, Bluesky has a “quite different” value system, said Claire Wardle, a professor at Cornell University and an expert in misinformation. This includes giving users more control over their experience. “The first generation of social media platforms connected the world, but ended up consolidating power in the hands of a few corporations and their leaders,” Bluesky said on its blog in March. “Our online experience doesn’t have to depend on billionaires unilaterally making decisions over what we see. On an open social network like Bluesky, you can shape your experience for yourself.” Because of this mindset, Bluesky has achieved a scrappy underdog status that has attracted users who’ve grown tired of the big players. “People had this idea that it was going to be a different type of social network,” Wardle said. “But the truth is, when you get lots of people in a place and there are eyeballs, it means that it’s in other people’s interests to use bots to create, you know, information that aligns with their perspective.” Little data has emerged to help quantify the rise in impersonator accounts, artificial intelligence-fueled networks and other potentially harmful content on Bluesky. But in recent weeks, users have begun reporting large numbers of apparent AI bots following them, posting plagiarized articles or making seemingly automated divisive comments in replies. Lion Cassens, a Bluesky user and doctoral candidate in the Netherlands, found one such network by accident — a group of German-language accounts with similar bios and AI-generated profile pictures posting in replies to three German newspapers. “I noticed some weird replies under a news post by the German newspaper ‘Die Ziet,’” he said in an email to The Associated Press. “I have a lot of trust in the moderation mechanism on Bluesky, especially compared to Twitter since the layoffs and due to Musk’s more radical stance on freedom of speech. But AI bots are a big challenge, as they will only improve. I hope social media can keep up with that.” Cassens said the bots’ messages have been relatively innocuous so far, but he was concerned about how they could be repurposed in the future to mislead. There are also signs that foreign disinformation narratives have made their way to Bluesky. The disinformation research group Alethea pointed to one low-traction post sharing a false claim about ABC News that had circulated on Russian Telegram channels. Copycat accounts are another challenge. In late November, Alexios Mantzarlis, director of the Security, Trust and Safety Initiative at Cornell Tech, found that of the top 100 most followed named individuals on Bluesky, 44% had at least one duplicate account posing as them. Two weeks later, Mantzarlis said Bluesky had removed around two-thirds of the duplicate accounts he’d initially detected — a sign the site was aware of the issue and attempting to address it. Bluesky posted earlier this month that it had quadrupled its moderation team to keep up with its growing user base. The company also announced it had introduced a new system to detect impersonation and was working to improve its Community Guidelines to provide more detail on what’s allowed. Because of the way the site is built, users also have the option to subscribe to third-party “Labelers” that outsource content moderation by tagging accounts with warnings and context. The company didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment for this story. Even as its challenges aren’t yet at the scale other platforms face, Bluesky is at a “crossroads,” said Edward Perez, a board member at the nonpartisan nonprofit OSET Institute, who previously led Twitter’s civic integrity team. “Whether BlueSky likes it or not, it is being pulled into the real world,” Perez said, noting that it needs to quickly prioritize threats and work to mitigate them if it hopes to continue to grow. That said, disinformation and bots won’t be Bluesky’s only challenges in the months and years to come. As a text-based social network, its entire premise is falling out of favor with younger generations. A recent Pew Research Center poll found that only 17% of American teenagers used X, for instance, down from 23% in 2022. For teens and young adults, TikTok, Instagram and other visual-focused platforms are the places to be. Political polarization is also going against Bluesky ever reaching the size of TikTok, Instagram or even X. “Bluesky is not trying to be all things to all people,” Wardle said, adding that, likely, the days of a Facebook or Instagram emerging where they’re “trying to keep everybody happy” are over. Social platforms are increasingly splintered along political lines and when they aren’t — see Meta’s platforms — the companies behind them are actively working to de-emphasize political content and news. The Associated Press receives support from several private foundations to enhance its explanatory coverage of elections and democracy. See more about AP’s democracy initiative here . The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Democrats, Republicans Press Mayor Eric Adams, Gov. Kathy Hochul to Suspend New York Sanctuary State LawSira Thienou scores 16 points, No. 18 Ole Miss women coast to 89-24 win over Alabama StateAttorneys want the US Supreme Court to say Mississippi’s felony voting ban is cruel and unusual

LUBBOCK, Texas — Chance McMillian scored 22 points, Darrion Williams added 20 and Texas Tech defeated DePaul 76-62 on Wednesday night in the Big 12-Big East Battle. Texas Tech (7-1) opened the second half with a 21-7 run. After leading by one point at halftime, the Red Raiders led 59-44 at the under 12 time out. A 3-pointer by David Skrogman had DePaul within nine points with about 4 1/2 minutes remaining, but McMillian hit back-to-back jumpers and Texas Tech closed out the win on a 9-4 run. Jacob Meyer made 4 of 5 3-pointers and scored 14 points and JJ Traynor 11 for DePaul, which entered the game undefeated through seven games. The Red Raiders scored the game's first 14 points and led 17-2. The Blue Demons rallied with five 3-pointers and tied the score at 21. Texas Tech went on another run to go up 31-23 before three more 3s — Meyer made two — helped DePaul take its first lead at 34-33 with 2 1/2 minutes left in the half. McMillian scored the last four points of the half for Texas Tech, including a buzzer-beating jumper for a 38-37 lead. DePaul made 9 of 21 3s before half. Texas Tech shot 50% from the field in each half but just 5 of 17 3s. The Red Raiders made 13 of 17 free throws. DePaul shot 42%. The Blue Demons finished 11 for 35 from deep.LPGA, USGA to require players to be assigned female at birth or transition before puberty

International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) Shares Down 0.8% – What’s Next?Gophers football players are preparing to play Wisconsin for Paul Bunyan’s Axe on Friday, but three key pieces peered beyond the blinders to shore up their commitment to Minnesota on Monday. Quarterback Max Brosmer and offensive lineman Quinn Carroll — two sixth-year seniors — said they will play in the Gophers’ to-be-determined bowl game, bucking a growing trend of players skipping postseason games to prepare for shots in the NFL. Brosmer, a transfer from FCS-level New Hampshire, said he will “definitely” suit up. “It’s another opportunity for us to play as a team,” said Brosmer, who threw for 2,426 yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions in 11 games this season. “It’s a compilation of what you have worked on all season.” Carroll said he respects higher-level prospects who might opt out and protect their draft stock, but he wants to get back to a “standard” of players not skipping the games. “My goal ever since I came here was to be the leader, be the standard all the time, and I don’t want it to become a standard that we don’t play in the bowl game if we have NFL aspirations,” said Carroll, who has played three seasons at Minnesota after three years at Notre Dame. “Obviously it’s different for guys who are maybe touted a little bit higher or think it will be better off for them to start working on the next step, whether that is combine training or what have you. But that is one opportunity that I’m blessed with to play with the guys and I’m going to take full advantage of it.” Left tackle Aireontae Ersery is a prime candidate of a Gophers player who might want to safeguard a higher draft stock and limit injury exposure by sitting out the bowl game. The possible first- or second-round pick has not said what he might do. For example, former U center, John Michael Schmitz opted out of the Pinstripe Bowl in 2022; he was drafted in the second round by the New York Giants. Meanwhile, Gophers fifth-year defensive lineman Jalen Logan-Redding said he will return to Minnesota for 2025, instead of trying his luck in the NFL. “Coming back next year is definitely going to be the best for me and being able to maximize all my opportunities and exhaust eligibility,” Logan-Redding said. Logan-Redding said he talked with fellow D-lineman Deven Eastern, who has one more year remaining, about pairing up in 2025. “We talk a lot about it,” Logan-Redding said. “... We are excited for it, honestly. Not only continuing to build the D-line, but just continuing to build on the experience that we already have. We’ve seen the amount of destruction that we can create when we are focused. Me, Dev and, of course, (Anthony Smith). He would be pissed if I didn’t shout him out.” Smith, who has two more years of eligibility, has been one of the U’s best players in the last month. He has 23 total pressures and five sacks, including one sack in each of the last three weeks.

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission. Have a DC Comics fan in your life? Welcome; you’ve come to the right place. Since 1934, DC Comics has been one of the largest comic book companies in the world, creating some of the most iconic superheroes in history, including Superman, Batman , and Wonder Woman. Recently, there has been a resurgence in this fandom, thanks to the release of popular movies like Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, The Flash, and Blue Beetle. In other words, now everyone wants to join the Justice League . During the holidays , we know how hard it can be to find the right gift , and we also know how challenging it can be to find a present for someone who has very specific interests. That’s why our experts compiled a list of the 15 best gifts for DC Comics enthusiasts. So whether they’re a Superman or more of a Harley Quinn, we have something for every DC fan. $67.85 $79.99 15% off $84.99 Let’s get one thing straight: LEGO sets are for every and any age (I’ve gifted one to my 27-year-old brother for the past ten holidays). Not only are they versatile — they can be used as decor for your office, bookcase, or displayed on your coffee table — but they also make a great activity for date night, game night, and everything in-between. This LEGO Batman set allows you to construct Batman’s HQ right in the comfort of your own home. It has six mini figurines, 581 pieces, and even comes with additional accessories like a city map, welding gear, and the Bat Mobile. $59.00 Loungefly is known for creating high-quality bags and accessories based on popular fandoms (they have products from every multiverse including Disney and Wicked ). Featuring DC’s The Flash, this red and gold mini backpack has the popular superhero front and center (but don’t blink, you might miss him), padded shoulder straps for all-day comfort, and multiple inside and external pockets to hold all of your stuff. $22.99 Get your favorite DC fan ready for the release of the new Superman film (hitting theaters July 2025) with this official movie t-shirt. With a classic, easy fit, and lightweight cotton material, it can be paired with their favorite worn-in jeans, some stretchy joggers, or perhaps, some thick-rimmed black glasses. $42.16 If you want a gift that will blow their socks (or cape off), you need to snag this limited-edition vinyl record while you still can. And trust me, it’s selling out faster than The Flash. With over 75 years of recordings from DC’s most popular comics — Wonder Woman, Batman, Superman, and more — it features tracks from television shows, movies, video games, and radio broadcasts. Plus, it comes with a fan poster and a four-page booklet, which at this point is just an added bonus. $25.87 $36.95 30% off With scents of Bergamot, Cedar, and Musk, this homesick candle will transport you right to downtown Metropolis (just make sure you leave before Lex Luthor arrives). Made with a premium cotton wick and natural soy wax blend, it has a burn time between 60 and 80 hours, so it will stay lit while you watch all eight Superman movies. $149.00 You know what they say: mallets are a girl’s best friend ( or were they diamonds? ). It doesn’t matter because this Harley Quinn-themed necklace has both. Designed in collaboration with GLD and Warner Bros., this pendant comes in 14k white gold, is plated with individual CZ stones, and has multiple different lengths to choose from. $20 $40.00 50% off From Aquaman to Wonder Woman, the DC Comics Encyclopedia is a complete A to Z guide of everyone’s favorite superheroes. With a foreword by celebrated comic artist Jim Lee, it has profiles of more than 1,200 characters, original never-before-seen art, and ground-breaking facts that you have to read to believe. $29.99 This wouldn’t be a list of the best gifts for DC fans without including Funko Pop! These tiny figurines started back in 1998 but shot to mainstream popularity in the last decade or so thanks to their appearance at Comic-Con. This Batman and The Joker 2-pack makes the perfect collectible item, stocking stuffer, or Secret Santa gift, and for only $9.89, what’s not to love? $395.00 Make her feel like the Wonder Woman she is with this special perfume collaboration between House Of Sillage and Warner Bros. Celebrating the super heroine’s 80th anniversary, this luxury item has notes of bergamot, jasmine, and vanilla. It comes in a striking 2.5-oz bottle and will help bring out her inner warrior. $32.00 Of course, you can never go wrong with a framed superhero print. Showcasing Batman and his sidekick, Robin, this retro piece of art is made with vintage dictionary text — unique to your specific order, so no two prints are the same. It has a matte and luster finish, two frame color options, and, most importantly, fast shipping. $78.91 $112.72 30% off Even superheroes need their rest, too. Created with 100% premium cotton, this woven blanket will keep you cozy and comfortable as you drift away with thoughts of Gotham City in your head. Use it as a comforter, living room decor, or even as your go-to throw for your next Batman binge-sesh. With size options ranging from 52×37 inches and 60×80 inches, it’s great for kids, adults, and everyone else on your list. $9.98 This gift is for the DC fan who wants to dress in superhero style but with a little more subtlety — à la Clark Kent. Available in a six-pack, these crew socks have the distinct emblems of DC’s celebrated characters, are made with 98% polyester material (which will help wick moisture away from your feet), and have a soft-to-the-touch feel. $85.00 So, while your DC super-fan may not have a cape, cowl, briefs, or boots, these Batman pajamas are the next best thing. Designed by Intimissimi, a purveyor of comfortable nightwear for men and women, these themed pajamas are made with 100% cotton, have an easy, relaxed fit, and are so comfortable that they’ll feel extra grateful they don’t have to patrol the streets at night. $14.99 Take Wonder Woman with you on your next adventure with this portable coffee mug . With a capacity of 18 fluid ounces, a secure, leak-proof lid, and dishwasher-safe approval, you’ll get the caffeine boost you need to feel just like Diana Prince. $64.99 This cerulean blue tie is one of my favorite gifts for DC Fans because it allows you to rep your favorite superhero (in this case, Superman) without being too literal. Made with 100% silk and featuring different scenes from the age-old comic, you can wear it to a special event, your next big meeting, or while covering a shift at the Daily Planet Newspaper .