JQJO — General news · Page 22

Lawyers for Sean “Diddy” Combs moved to fast-track his appeal, arguing his 50-month prison term should be sharply reduced, according to court papers filed Wednesday. Defense attorney Alexandra Shapiro said prosecutors agreed to an expedited schedule with arguments before a judge in April. A New York City federal jury in early July convicted Combs on two counts of interstate prostitution and acquitted him of racketeering and sex trafficking. He pleaded not guilty and maintains his innocence. Combs has served 14 months; his release is listed as May 8, 2028.

After a 10-3 Week 8, the columnist posts Week 9 straight-up and against-the-spread picks with confidence scores, leaning chalk and citing injuries, matchups and recent form. Highlights include Baltimore with Lamar Jackson back at Miami; Detroit over Minnesota; Green Bay big over Carolina; Chargers over Tennessee on the ground; New England over Atlanta; injury-thinned 49ers still over the Giants; Indianapolis over Pittsburgh; Denver edging Houston; Rams to roll past New Orleans; Buffalo over Kansas City; and Seattle over Washington. Arizona-Dallas hinges on whether the Cowboys turn it into a track meet.

The Federal Reserve cut its benchmark rate by a quarter point to about 3.9%, the second reduction this year, aiming to support growth and hiring amid still-elevated inflation. Chair Jerome Powell warned another cut in December is far from assured, citing a government shutdown that has stalled key data and sharp divisions among policymakers. Stocks slipped after his remarks. Two officials dissented — one favoring no change, another seeking a larger cut — and the Fed said it will halt the runoff of its securities holdings on Dec. 1, a shift that could modestly ease longer-term borrowing costs.

Why some spiders decorate their webs remains unsettled, but a new study adds a fresh clue. Modeling the wasp spider’s ornate stabilimenta, researchers including Gabriele Greco found that a central, blob-like patch could reroute otherwise lost vibrations across the web, potentially improving signal reach to the spider. The effect appeared only when vibrations began tangential to the spiral threads. Outside experts said the approach revives an old idea but warned the circular models may miss real-world asymmetry. Field tests are planned; the paradox endures.

On The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Colin Farrell recalled Tom Cruise 'was not happy' with him during Steven Spielberg’s Minority Report. Amid substance abuse struggles, he partied the night before his May 31 birthday despite a 6 a.m. call and arrived disheveled. After asking for beers and cigarettes, he kept botching an opening line about pre-crime, requiring 46 takes. 'Tom…was not very happy,' he said, noting he entered rehab two years later. The film, where Farrell is assigned to bring in Cruise’s character, became a critical hit, grossing $358 million worldwide.

According to multiple reports, the Jets are sending cornerback Michael Carter to the Eagles for wide receiver John Metchie, with a 2027 sixth-round pick going to the Jets and a 2027 seventh-rounder going back to the Eagles. Carter, a 2021 fifth-rounder who has mostly played the slot, has 14 tackles this season; his arrival could open outside snaps for Cooper DeJean. Metchie, acquired from the Texans in August, had four catches for 18 yards in seven games; he previously posted 40 catches for 412 yards and a touchdown with Houston.

A jury convicted former Sangamon County deputy Sean Grayson of second-degree murder for the July 2024 shooting of Sonya Massey, who had called 911 about a possible intruder at her Springfield home. Jurors, instructed not to consider lower charges, viewed bodycam video from Grayson's partner showing Grayson threatening to shoot before firing three times; prosecutors said Massey's last words were I'm sorry. The defense argued he feared a boiling-water attack. Massey's family attorneys called the verdict a measure of justice. Sentencing is set for Jan. 29, 2026; penalties range from probation to 4 to 20 years.

Public Enemy released the video for The Hits Just Keep On Comin’, the first visual from June’s Black Sky Over The Projects: Apartment 2025, directed by Rhiannon Rae Ellis. It opens with 1960 footage of Ruby Bridges; actress Safara-Cree Stiggers, as a young Bridges, leads into a room of televisions where Chuck D and Flavor Flav trade bars over a guitar loop. Olympian Ashleigh Johnson embodies Prince, Tommie Smith, Serena Williams, and Amanda Gorman; a John Lewis clip precedes her smashing a TV marked “hate.” Chuck urges to “DO” something, while Flav calls the video a lesson and warning.

Character Technologies will end open‑ended chats between teens and Character.AI’s bots by November 25, citing lawsuits, regulator questions and recent reporting. Until then, teen users face a two‑hour chat cap; under‑18s will still be able to create videos, stories and streams with characters. The company is adding age verification and planning an independent, non‑profit–run AI Safety Lab, while pointing to existing self‑harm resources and alerts. The shift comes amid broader scrutiny of AI’s impact on young people, as OpenAI and Meta roll out teen safeguards.

The Bengals are uncertain whether quarterback Joe Flacco will play Sunday against the Bears after an AC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Coach Zac Taylor called him day to day. Flacco briefly visited the locker room after a sack by Jets edge rusher Will McDonald but returned without missing a snap and said postgame he thought he’d be OK. If he can’t go, Cincinnati would turn to Jake Browning, whose three earlier starts ended in blowout losses.