ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Senate Republicans recommended on Friday that the state write laws banning transgender girls and women from participating in high school and college sports, setting the stage for action in the 2025 legislative session. The vote by a committee that was studying the issue is hardly a surprise. Lt. Gov. Burt Jones — a possible Republican contender for governor in 2026 — announced almost identical goals at the panel's first meeting in August . It’s an issue that’s already been addressed in Georgia. Legislators in 2022 empowered the Georgia High School Association to regulate transgender students' participation in sports. The association, which regulates sports and activities for all public schools and some private schools, then banned transgender boys and girls from playing on the school sports teams matching their gender identity. Jones and others argue that doesn't go far enough and that lawmakers themselves need to act. It's a sign Republicans believe there is more political gain in fears about transgender women playing women’s sports or using women’s bathrooms. At least 26 mostly Republican states have passed laws or rules to restrict transgender girls from participating high school sports and, in some cases, transgender women from college sports , according to the Movement Advancement Project, a gay rights group. In Georgia, additional action appears more likely now after House Speaker Jon Burns and Gov. Brian Kemp, both Republicans, have voiced support for further legislation. Jeff Graham, executive director of the LGBTQ+ advocacy group Georgia Equality, said his group is playing defense, concerned about the possibility of other bills that could further restrict gender-affirming care or ban transgender people from using public bathrooms that match their gender identity. “We’re expecting that it’ll be at least what we saw in 2023 and 2024, with the number of bills and more than likely laws,” Graham told reporters Friday. But Burns, from Newington, has said he's not interested in other bills dealing with transgender people besides those dealing with girls' and women's sports. Republican State Sen. Greg Dolezal, of Cumming, who led the Senate study committee, said Friday that he, too, is not interested in a broader bill regulating bathroom usage, although his committee recommended that schools that host sporting events require athletes to use locker rooms based on their assigned sex at birth. Dolezal said senators would seek to write legislation that regulated public schools and colleges, as well as private institutions that compete against public schools and colleges. The committee also recommends that people be able to sue or file grievances if schools break the rules, and that state money be withheld from schools that break the rules. Supporters of more action have focused on the 2022 NCAA women’s swimming championships at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, where Lia Thomas, a transgender woman, swam for the University of Pennsylvania and won the 500-meter freestyle . The NCAA has since revised its policy on transgender women’s participation, saying it will follow the rules of respective athletics federations. World Aquatics, the swimming governing body, banned transgender women who have been through male puberty from competing in women’s races. That means Thomas wouldn’t be allowed to swim in NCAA events today. “My basic contention that this is a solution in search of a problem remains,” Graham said. He said he fears that many people who oppose laws that seek to restrict transgender people will be afraid to testify and lobby at the Georgia Capitol, citing assault charges against a man accused of shaking U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace in a Capitol office building in Washington, D.C. Dolezal repeatedly tried to turn down the emotional temperature of the issue on Friday. “I think that there’s a group of people that wants to be respected and I think that they deserve respect,” Dolezal told reporters. “But I also think that you can be respectful, but also recognize that in the sporting arena, fairness and competition is important.”

* Wall Street stocks end close to flat, Europe ends down * Oil prices settle higher, * Dollar rises against yen, falls against the Euro By Sinéad Carew and Harry Robertson NEW YORK/LONDON Dec 13 - MSCI's global equity gauge fell on Friday while bond yields climbed as investors waited for clues about the future path for interest rates from next week's U.S. Federal Reserve meeting. In U.S. Treasuries, benchmark 10-year yields rose to a three-week high and were on track for their fifth-straight daily gain as investors bet that Fed Chair Jerome Powell will signal a pause in policy easing after a widely expected 25-basis-point rate cut next Wednesday. The U.S. central bank is grappling with inflation staying stubbornly above its 2% annual target. Data released on Thursday showed higher-than-expected U.S. producer prices in November. Friday's data showed U.S. import prices barely rose in November as increases in food and fuel costs were partially offset by decreases elsewhere, thanks to a strong dollar. "The market is assuming that Powell cuts next week and then pauses. I think that's the right assumption because we're seeing a tension between the inflationary data and the labor-market data," said Matt Rowe, head of portfolio management and cross-asset strategies at Nomura Capital Management. While bets on a December rate cut are almost unanimous, CME Group's Fedwatch tool implies just two cuts in 2025. “They have to take into account that in an economy where inflation is showing itself at this point to be sticky, and you're very highly likely going to get further fiscal stimulus, deregulation, and some aspect of tariffs coming through, there's just no way you can validate why you keep cutting in that instance,” said Tom Fitzpatrick, head of global market insights at R.J. O'Brien in New York. While a rally in chipmaker Broadcom provided a big boost for Wall Street, only the Nasdaq managed a small gain. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 86.06 points, or 0.20%, to 43,828.06, the S&P 500 fell 0.16 point, or 0.00%, to 6,051.09 and the Nasdaq Composite rose 23.88 points, or 0.12%, to 19,926.72. Weekly results were also a mixed bag with the S&P 500 falling 0.64% and the Nasdaq rising 0.34% while the Dow fell 1.82%. MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe fell 2.27 points, or 0.26%, to 866.14. Europe's STOXX 600 index closed down 0.53% earlier, breaking a three-week winning streak, as investors sought clarity on Europe's rate policy amid concerns about economic growth and a potential trade war. The yield on benchmark U.S. 10-year notes rose 7.5 basis points to 4.399%, from 4.324% late on Thursday. The 30-year bond yield rose 5.7 basis points to 4.6052%. The 2-year note yield, which typically moves in step with interest rate expectations for the Federal Reserve, rose 5.9 basis points to 4.245%, from 4.186% late on Thursday. In currencies, the dollar index eyed its biggest weekly gain in a month on the prospect of slower U.S. rate cuts. On the day, the index, which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies, fell 0.02% to 106.94. The euro rose 0.32% to $1.0501, clawing back some recent losses in the wake of the European Central Bank's rate cut on Thursday. Against the Japanese yen, the dollar strengthened 0.66% to 153.62, having risen all week as traders scaled back bets on a Bank of Japan rate hike next week. Sterling weakened 0.4% to $1.2619 after a surprise contraction in UK economic activity. In energy markets, oil prices settled at a three-week high on expectations more sanctions on Russia and Iran could tighten supplies and that lower U.S. and European interest rates could boost fuel demand. U.S. crude settled up 1.8%, or $1.27 at $71.29 a barrel and Brent settled at $74.49 per barrel, up 1.5% or $1.08 on the day. In precious metals, spot gold fell 1.2% to $2,649.04 an ounce. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.California residents on edge as high surf and flooding threats persist on Christmas Eve

LOVE Island star Tasha Ghouri faced a tough night on Strictly Come Dancing as the judges delivered brutal feedback following a blunder. Tasha landed in the dance-off last week, and tonight her semi-final Salsa routine failed to impress the judges. The reality TV beauty, 25, delivered a high-energy performance to Girls Aloud’s hit Something New, but left the judges wincing. The star, who has wowed audiences with her moves all season, appeared visibly upset after the routine didn’t go as planned. Judge and former pro Anton Du Beke didn’t hold back, telling her: "It's got to be absolutely seamless, and it wasn't. "There were transitions there that were a bit stumbly. We are talking about the semi-final here" while head judge Shirley Ballas added: "There was a tiny thing, your transitions in your lift." READ MORE ON STRICTLY Craig Revel Horwood added: "You need to dance out of every transition smoothly and out of it. That didn't really happen tonight." Motsi Mabusetold her: "That beginning was insane, out of this world. I understand what the other judges are talking about but we are talking about levels of lifts here." Viewers took to social media to defend the star, with many praising her dance. Tasha's semi-final opener won her 35 points. Most read in TV She managed to pull it back for her second dance, and was awarded a perfect score for her waltz to Aretha Franklin's romantic ballad You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman. However, after finding herself in the dreaded dance-off last week some were worried it wouldn't be enough. They also accused the judges of picking holes in her performance while awarding high scores for her fellow contestants. One fan tweeted: "Worried though since her Salsa got no 10’s... just hoping if she’s in the dance-off it’s against Pete rather than JB (won’t be Chris or Sarah). PLEASE VOTE FOR TASHA!" Another said: "I’m still mad about Tasha’s salsa score because worse dances this season has got 10s, but you’re telling me that didnt... do me a favour." A third said: "If Tasha’s salsa was a 9, Chris’ Charleston was a 6, blind or not it doesn’t matter, they’re all judged equally (apparently)." Tasha will now rely on the public vote to secure her place in the grand finale.

Giants release quarterback Daniel Jones just days after benching him EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The Daniel Jones era in New York is over. The Giants quarterback was granted his release by the team just days after the franchise said it was benching him in favor of third-stringer Tommy DeVito. New York president John Mara said Jones approached the team about releasing him and the club obliged. Mara added he was “disappointed” at the quick dissolution of a once-promising relationship between Jones and the team. Giants coach Brian Daboll benched Jones in favor of DeVito following a loss to the Panthers in Germany that dropped New York's record to 2-8. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.The man who ended Nadal's career helps the Netherlands beat Germany to reach the Davis Cup final