The defensive celebrations by the Vikings used to be appointment television.

With former safety Cam Bynum serving as the ringleader in front of the camera after an interception or a fumble recovery, it genuinely started to feel as if the Vikings forced turnovers solely so they could perform whatever dance routine they had been practicing behind the scenes.

The choreography put together by Bynum paid homage to some of his favorite movies — “The Parent Trap,” “White Chicks” — with fellow safety Josh Metellus often being the person to help get the party going.

Maybe it’s a coincidence that the Vikings finished last season tied for the league lead with 33 takeaways. It’s not like the their defensive celebrations actually led to them forcing more turnovers, right?

There’s reason to believe it at least played a role in the success the Vikings had in that realm. There was a distinct energy that Bynum brought off the field that seemed to carry over on the field to some degree. He was the ultimate vibes guy who had a way of bringing out the best in everybody around him.

He was also a very good player that seemed to unlock some of the stuff defensive coordinator Brian Flores likes to do on that side of the ball.

“He’s definitely going to be missed,” Metellus said after Bynum signed a four-year, $60 million contract with the Indianapolis Colts in free agency. “We can’t get those reps back.”

That assessment couldn’t be more spot on when seeing how the Vikings have performed without him. Not only are they missing the joy that Bynum radiated throughout the locker room; more important, they are missing the impact he always made in practices and games.

After forcing so many turnovers last season, the Vikings have yet to reach double digits this season.

More than half of the nine turnovers they have forced came in one game against the Cincinnati Bengals (5) when backup quarterback Jake Browning looked like he still thought he was playing for the Vikings.

“I don’t think anybody on our side of the ball saw this coming,” linebacker Blake Cashman said. “This defense is built on disruption and creating takeaways.”

It’s common to hear Metellus talk about being “more greedy” in their approach when it comes to turnovers. A tipped ball isn’t good enough; not when it could have been an interception. A sack isn’t good enough; not when it could have been a forced fumble.

“We talk about it every day,” Flores said. “There’s obviously a major emphasis on it.”

Now it’s true that there’s an element of luck involved. It’s an oddly shaped ball that often leads to funny bounces. That was on display against the Chicago Bears when quarterback Caleb Williams bobbled an exchange and the Vikings failed to pounce on it.

To explain away the lack of turnovers as a lack of luck, however, wouldn’t be right, and solving it isn’t as simple as the Vikings telling themselves that the tide is going to turn. They have to continue to operate with a sense of intentionality on a daily basis.

“We’ll continue to emphasize it,” Flores said. “I think people say they come in bunches at times; I don’t necessarily believe in that. We’ve just got to continue to work at it.”

As somebody who spends a lot of time on that area of the game, special teams coordinator Matt Daniels highlighted the importance of the defense getting the offense behind schedule when it comes to turnovers. That inherently forces the opposing team to take more chances in an attempt to get back on track.

“We talk a lot about, ‘How can we create negative plays?’ ” Daniels said. “We want to make it something where they have to absorb risk.”

As the Vikings struggled to turn the ball over, it can’t be ignored that Bynum is flourishing with the Colts. He has recorded a pair of interceptions, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery this season while starting every game for a group in contention for the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

In the process, the Colts have become widely recognized for their defensive celebrations, taking the crown that once belonged to the Vikings.

Minnesota Vikings safety Camryn Bynum (24) does a backflip as he celebrates with teamamtes after an interception by Vikings safety Josh Metellus (44) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

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WASHINGTON (AP) — A veteran FBI employee training to become a special agent was fired last month for displaying at his workspace an LGBTQ+ flag, which had previously flown outside a field office, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court.

David Maltinsky had worked at the FBI for 16 years and was nearly finished with special agent training in Quantico, Virginia, when he was called into a meeting last month with FBI officials, given a letter from Director Kash Patel and told he was being “summarily dismissed” over the inappropriate display of political signage, Maltinsky’s lawsuit said.

The suit, filed Wednesday in U.S. District court in Washington, said Maltinsky had been a decorated intelligence specialist working in the Los Angeles field office and most recently was pursuing a longtime dream of becoming a special agent.

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In June 2021, the Los Angeles field office displayed a “Progress Pride” flag, which consists of a rainbow-colored horizontal stripes and a chevron with black, brown, pink, light blue, and white colors. It’s meant to represent people of color, as well as the LGBTQ+ community. Maltinsky was given that flag after it had come down and was then displayed at his Los Angeles field office workstation with the support and permission of his supervisors, according to the lawsuit.

In April, he began training at the FBI Academy to become a special agent and had successfully completed 16 of the 19 weeks of training at the time of his firing, the lawsuit stated.

Maltinsky said in the suit he helped lead diversity initiatives during his time at the bureau as well. President Donald Trump issued an executive order in January ending all diversity, equity and inclusion programs within the government.

The suit names Patel, the FBI, Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Justice Department as defendants.

The FBI declined to comment. A message seeking comment on behalf of the Justice Department wasn’t immediately returned Wednesday.

Among other things, Maltinsky is seeking reinstatement to his position along with an order declaring that the defendants violated his First Amendment rights to speech and Fifth Amendment rights to equal protection under the law.

Maltinsky’s attorney Christopher M. Mattei called the firing an unlawful attack.

“This case is about far more than one man’s career — it’s about whether the government can punish Americans simply for saying who they are,” Mattei said in a statement.

Other lawsuits challenging the bureau’s personnel moves have been filed since President Donald Trump’s second term began. In September, three high-ranking FBI officials said in a lawsuit they were fired in a “campaign of retribution” carried out by a director who knew better but caved to political pressure from the Trump administration.

By JONEL ALECCIA, Associated Press

As cases of potentially deadly botulism in babies who drank ByHeart infant formula continue to grow, state officials say they are still finding the recalled product on some store shelves.

Investigators in at least three states found ByHeart formula for sale a week after the New York-based company recalled all products nationwide, officials told The Associated Press.

At least 31 babies in 15 states who drank ByHeart formula have been hospitalized and treated for infantile botulism since August, federal health officials said Wednesday. They range in age from about 2 weeks to about 6 months, with the most recent case reported on Nov. 13.

No deaths have been reported.

Stephen Dexter holds a container of ByHeart baby formula, which was recently recalled by ByHeart, in Flagstaff, Ariz., on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Cheyanne Mumphrey)

In Oregon, nine of more than 150 stores checked still had the formula on shelves this week, a state agriculture official said. In Minnesota, investigators conducted 119 checks between Nov. 13 and Nov. 17 and removed recalled products from sale at four sites, an agriculture department official said. An Arizona health official also said they found the product available.

Businesses and consumers should remain alert, Minnesota officials said in a statement. “No affected product should be sold or consumed,” they wrote.

Investigators with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration conducted inspections at ByHeart manufacturing plants in Allerton, Iowa, and Portland, Oregon. No results from the inspections have been reported.

ByHeart officials said they voluntarily recalled their products “in close cooperation” with the FDA, “despite the fact that no unopened ByHeart product has tested positive” for the spores or toxin that cause infant botulism.

California officials previously confirmed the type of bacteria that can lead to illness was confirmed in an open can of ByHeart formula fed to a baby who developed botulism.

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Infant botulism, which can cause paralysis and death, is caused by a type of bacteria that forms spores that germinate in a baby’s gut and produce a toxin.

Symptoms can take up to 30 days to develop and include constipation, poor feeding, a weak cry, drooping eyelids or a flat facial expression. Babies can develop weakness in their limbs and head and may feel “floppy.” They can have trouble swallowing or breathing.

ByHeart had been manufacturing about 200,000 cans of formula per month. It was sold online or at retail stores such as Target and Walmart. A Walmart spokesperson said the company swiftly issued a restriction that prevented sale of the formula, removed the product from stores and notified consumers who had bought it. Customers can visit any store for a refund of the formula, which sold for about $42 per can.

Federal and state health officials are concerned that some parents and caregivers may still have ByHeart products in their homes. They are advising consumers to stop using the product — including formula in cans and any singe-serve sticks. They also suggest marking it “DO NOT USE” and keeping it for at least a month in case a baby develops symptoms. In that case, the formula would need to be tested.

The California health department operates the Infant Botulism Treatment and Prevention Program, which tracks cases and distributes treatment for the disease. Officials there have launched a public hotline at 833-398-2022, which is staffed with health officials from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.

The hotline has fielded hundreds of calls from parents and caregivers to date, officials said. It is being operated in addition to a longstanding hotline for doctors to discuss suspected infant botulism cases.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

St. Anthony police arrested a man and woman on Wednesday morning following reports of damaged door locks filled with super glue and expanding foam at the Starbucks coffee shop on Silver Lake Road.

Workers attempting to open the Starbucks contacted police around 6:30 a.m. and said they were unable to get doors open, according to a statement from the police department. The employees said they had interacted with a man and a woman in a nearby vehicle who they believed were part of a group readying to demonstrate outside the coffee shop.

Starbucks workers at that location, as well as dozens of other sites across the country, have been on strike since Nov. 13. The striking workers are demanding higher wages, more work hours, an end to what they say is understaffing and the resolution of alleged retaliatory firings and discipline for union actions. Starbucks has said the company already offers the best wage and benefit package in retail.

The pair drove off when police approached them, but they were quickly stopped and arrested on suspicion of felony damage to property based on evidence collected at the scene and during the stop, police said. They were transported to the Ramsey County Adult Detention Center and formal charges are pending.

Shortly afterward, police were called back to Starbucks because a large group of demonstrators were blocking the drive-through lane. The group was advised to move off private property.

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