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LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga was injured and substituted off in the second half of his team's 2-0 loss to Liverpool in the Champions League on Wednesday. The France international pulled up sharply as he chased the ball and fell to ground, holding the back of his left leg after appearing to hurt his hamstring. He was briefly treated by Madrid's medical staff before instructions were sent to the bench to bring on a replacement and Dani Ceballos came on as a substitute in the 57th minute at Anfield. Camavinga was able to walk off the field but limped as he made his way to the locker room. The 22-year-old Camavinga sustained knee injuries last season that ruled him out for long periods of the campaign. The loss left Madrid in danger of being eliminated at the first phase of the new-look Champions League. The defending champion is 24th in the standings, which is the last playoff spot for the round of 16, with the top eight advancing automatically. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerIndiana coach Mike Woodson is happy that his team has won three straight games but concerned that it's committing too many turnovers. Limiting miscues is at the top of his wish list for Monday night's Big Ten Conference opener against visiting Minnesota in Bloomington, Ind. While the Hoosiers (7-2) shot 53.8 percent and dominated Miami (Ohio) 46-29 on the glass during a 76-57 win at home Friday night, they also had more turnovers (16) than assists (15). Having played for Bob Knight at Indiana, Woodson is fanatical about his team executing its offense without making mistakes. "We were taking chances on passes that weren't there," Woodson said. "We have to fix it. If we start Big Ten play like that, it puts you in a hole." In between careless mistakes, the Hoosiers got a huge game out of Oumar Ballo, the Arizona transfer who had 14 points, 18 rebounds and six assists. It was his 35th career double-double but his first at Indiana. Ballo (12.7 points per game, 9.3 rebounds) is one of four players averaging double figures for the Hoosiers. They're led by Malik Reneau, who's hitting for 15.4 ppg on 58.9 percent shooting. While Indiana tries to fine-tune its game, the Golden Gophers (6-4, 0-1 Big Ten) aim to get to the .500 mark in conference play after absorbing a 90-72 beating Wednesday night against visiting Michigan State. There was good news for Minnesota in that game. Mike Mitchell Jr. returned to the lineup after missing seven games with a high ankle sprain and drilled 5 of 9 3-pointers in a 17-point performance. Mitchell's shooting should aid an attack that ranks 311th in Division I in 3-point percentage at 29.7 percent as of Sunday. "He's a difference-maker in terms of being able to space the floor," Gophers coach Ben Johnson said of Mitchell. "He provides offensive firepower and a guy who can make shots and take pressure off our offense." Dawson Garcia leads the team at 19 ppg, while Lu'Cye Patterson and Mitchell are scoring 10 ppg. The Hoosiers own a 109-69 lead in the all-time series. --Field Level MediaThere's more to Christmas than Santa Claus! Find out which festive helper is most like you in this tinsel-tastic personality quiz! Santa Claus might be the one in charge of of all the presents - but he's not the only one to make Christmas happen! Christmas needs a whole team of talented festive workers - but which one is most like you? Take this quiz and let's find out! You're the main guy himself - Santa Claus! You're the face of Christmas and it's your job to make sure everyone gets what they want. Christmas is a very stressful time for you, and you're always very busy. But once it's over you can put your feet up! Would you rather be a different member of Santa's squad? Take this quiz again and see who you get next time! You're Santa's wife - Mrs Claus! You don't get much credit, but your famous husband wouldn't get very far without your help and useful advice. He might be the face of Christmas - but he'd be a in a right mess without you! You're loads of fun to be around and live and breathe the Christmas spirit. Would you rather be a different member of Santa's squad? Take this quiz again and see who you get next time! You're Donner - one of Santa's favourite reindeer! You're a hard-working creature that loves to help out at Christmas time, which is usefl because Santa wouldn't get very far without you! Onec Christmas is over you love playing outside and chilling out with your friends (until Christmas rolls back round again)! Would you rather be a different member of Santa's squad? Take this quiz again and see who you get next time! You're Bunion - one of Santa's most reliable elves! As an elf you absolutley love Christmas, but it can be pretty stressful as you have so much work to do. Once Santa has left to drop off all the presents you've been making though - it's party time! Would you rather be a different member of Santa's squad? Take this quiz again and see who you get next time!
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By DAVID A. LIEB Artificial intelligence. Abortion. Guns. Marijuana. Minimum wages. Name a hot topic, and chances are good there’s a new law about it taking effect in 2025 in one state or another. Many of the laws launching in January are a result of legislation passed this year. Others stem from ballot measures approved by voters. Some face legal challenges. Here’s a look at some of the most notable state laws taking effect: California, home to Hollywood and some of the largest technology companies, is seeking to rein in the artificial intelligence industry and put some parameters around social media stars. New laws seek to prevent the use of digital replicas of Hollywood actors and performers without permission and allow the estates of dead performers to sue over unauthorized AI use. Parents who profit from social media posts featuring their children will be required to set aside some earnings for their young influencers. A new law also allows children to sue their parents for failing to do so. New social media restrictions in several states face court challenges. Related Articles National Politics | Trump has pressed for voting changes. GOP majorities in Congress will try to make that happen National Politics | Exhausted by political news? TV ratings and new poll say you’re not alone National Politics | Fate of Trump’s Cabinet picks unclear as Republicans prepare to take power in Senate National Politics | Trump vows to pursue executions after Biden commutes most of federal death row National Politics | Elon Musk’s preschool is the next step in his anti-woke education dreams A Florida law bans children under 14 from having social media accounts and requires parental consent for ages 14 and 15. But enforcement is being delayed because of a lawsuit filed by two associations for online companies, with a hearing scheduled for late February. A new Tennessee law also requires parental consent for minors to open accounts on social media. NetChoice, an industry group for online businesses, is challenging the law. Another new state law requires porn websites to verify that visitors are at least 18 years old. But the Free Speech Coalition, a trade association for the adult entertainment industry, has filed a challenge. Several new California measures aimed at combating political deepfakes are also being challenged, including one requiring large social media platforms to remove deceptive content related to elections and another allowing any individual to sue for damages over the use of AI to create fabricated images or videos in political ads . In a first nationally, California will start enforcing a law prohibiting school districts from adopting policies that require staff to notify parents if their children change their gender identification . The law was a priority for Democratic lawmakers who wanted to halt such policies passed by several districts. Many states have passed laws limiting or protecting abortion rights since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a nationwide right to the procedure in 2022. One of the latest is the Democratic-led state of Delaware. A law there will require the state employee health plan and Medicaid plans for lower-income residents to cover abortions with no deductible , copayments or other cost-sharing requirements. A new Minnesota law prohibits guns with “binary triggers” that allow for more rapid fire, causing a weapon to fire one round when the trigger is pulled and another when it is released. In Delaware, a law adds colleges and universities to a list of school zones where guns are prohibited, with exceptions for those working in their official capacity such as law officers and commissioned security guards. Kentucky is becoming the latest state to let people use marijuana for medical purposes . To apply for a state medical cannabis card, people must get written certification from a medical provider of a qualifying condition, such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, epilepsy, chronic nausea or post-traumatic stress disorder. Nearly four-fifths of U.S. states have now legalized medical marijuana. Minimum wage workers in more than 20 states are due to receive raises in January. The highest minimum wages will be in Washington, California and Connecticut, all of which will top $16 an hour after modest increases. The largest increases are scheduled in Delaware, where the minimum wage will rise by $1.75 to $15 an hour, and in Nebraska, where a ballot measure approved by voters in 2022 will add $1.50 to the current minimum of $12 an hour. Twenty other states still follow the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. In Oregon, using drugs on public transit will be considered a misdemeanor crime of interfering with public transportation. While the measure worked its way through the legislature, multiple transportation officials said drug use on buses and trains, and at transit stops and stations, was making passengers and drivers feel less safe. In Missouri, law enforcement officers have spent the past 16 months issuing warnings to motorists that handheld cellphone use is illegal. Starting with the new year, penalties will kick in: a $150 fine for the first violation, progressing to $500 for third and subsequent offenses and up to 15 years imprisonment if a driver using a cellphone cause an injury or death. But police must notice a primary violation, such as speeding or weaving across lanes, to cite motorists for violating the cellphone law. Montana is the only state that hasn’t banned texting while driving , according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Tenants in Arizona will no longer have to pay tax on their monthly rent , thanks to the repeal of a law that had allowed cities and towns to impose such taxes. While a victory for renters, the new law is a financial loss for governments. An analysis by Arizona’s nonpartisan Joint Legislative Budget Committee estimated that $230 million would be lost in municipal tax revenue during the first full fiscal year of implementation. Meanwhile Alabama will offer tax credits to businesses that help employees with child care costs. Kansas is eliminating its 2% sales tax on groceries. It also is cutting individual income taxes by dropping the top tax rate, increasing a credit for child care expenses and exempting all Social Security income from taxes, among other things. Taxpayers are expected to save about $320 million a year going forward. An Oklahoma law expands voting privileges to people who have been convicted of felonies but had their sentences discharged or commuted, including commutations for crimes that have been reclassified from felonies to misdemeanors. Former state Sen. George Young, an Oklahoma City Democrat, carried the bill in the Senate. “I think it’s very important that people who have gone through trials and tribulations in their life, that we have a system that brings them back and allows them to participate as contributing citizens,” Young said. Associated Press writers Trân Nguyễn in Sacramento, California; Kate Payne in Tallahassee, Florida; Jonathan Mattise in Nashville, Tennessee; Randall Chase in Dover, Delaware; Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis; Bruce Schreiner in Frankfort, Kentucky; Claire Rush in Portland, Oregon; Summer Ballentine in Jefferson City, Missouri; Gabriel Sandoval in Phoenix; Kim Chandler in Montgomery, Alabama; John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas; and Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City contributed.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Saquon Barkley knew the Eagles season rushing record could be his on Sunday with the type of stellar performance that has become the standard during his first season in Philadelphia. As for the exact moment Barkley hit the milestone, he wasn't sure — until the “MVP!” chants echoed throughout the Linc after a 9-yard run in the fourth quarter . “The records are great, they put a smile on your face,” Barkley said, “but the season is far from over.” Needing 109 yards to break LeSean McCoy's record, Barkley rushed for 124 yards and pushed his season total to 1,623 in a 22-16 victory over Carolina . Barkley needed just 13 games to pass McCoy, who rushed for 1,607 yards in 2013. He also overtook Wilbert Montgomery, who had 1,512 yards in 1978. “I never wrote the goal down to break it,” Barkley said. “You're always aware of it. That's how I train. That's how I operate in the offseason. I want to be great.” Barkley also maintained his pace to break Eric Dickerson’s NFL single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards, set in 1984 with the Los Angeles Rams. “That would be extremely cool to do,” Barkley said. “If it happens, it happens, and not with the mindset of, I'm scared to go try to do it. Whatever it takes to win football games.” Barkley is averaging 124.8 yards per game. At that pace and with one more game to play than Dickerson, he would become the top single-season rusher in NFL history. He needs 483 yards yards over the final four games to top Dickerson’s 40-year-old record. He averaged 6.2 yards on 20 carries against the Panthers to help the Eagles win their ninth straight game. McCoy, who was inducted into the team's Hall of Fame this season, remains the franchise’s rushing leader with 6,792 yards. Referencing his old uniform number, McCoy congratulated Barkley on social media with “a lot of love, coming from 2-5." “Being a fan of Shady's growing up, and seeing the spectacular things he was able to do with the ball in his hand, to be able to have my name mentioned with him definitely means a lot,” Barkley said. Barkley left the New York Giants in the offseason and signed a three-year deal worth $26 million guaranteed to join the Eagles, who made him the highest-paid running back in franchise history. The 27-year-old has been worth every dollar. Barkley is among the favorites for league MVP, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen was the only player with better MVP odds entering Sunday. Barkley has a franchise-record nine 100-yard rushing games in a season. Although he was held out of the end zone Sunday, he began the day leading the league with four rushing touchdowns of 25-plus yards. Barkley, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft, topped 1,000 yards three times in his six seasons with the Giants. He finished with 1,312 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in 2022 and rushed for 1,307 yards and 11 scores as a rookie. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman, who had been unwilling to spend on elite running backs, pounced on Barkley and the decision was celebrated as a success in Philly from the first game of the season. Barkley rushed for two scores and caught a TD pass in the opener against Green Bay. His three touchdowns were the most by an Eagles player in his debut since Terrell Owens in 2004. Barkley only soared in production and popularity from there, his highlight reel stamped by a reverse leap over the head of a Jacksonville defender last month. He's since vaulted over every running back ahead of him on the Eagles rushing list — and has a chance at NFL history. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL
New 2025 laws hit hot topics from AI in movies to rapid-fire gunsENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — John Elway says any remorse over in the 2018 NFL draft is quickly dissipating with rookie suggesting the Denver Broncos have finally found their next franchise quarterback. Elway said Nix, the sixth passer selected in April's draft, is an ideal fit in Denver with coach Sean Payton navigating his transition to the pros and Vance Joseph's defense serving as a pressure release valve for the former Oregon QB. “We’ve seen the progression of Bo in continuing to get better and better each week and Sean giving him more each week and trusting him more and more to where last week we saw his best game of the year,” Elway said in a nod to Nix's in a rout of Atlanta. For that performance, Nix earned his second straight NFL Rookie of the Week honor along with the AFC Offensive Player of the Week award. “I think the sky’s the limit," Elway said, “and that’s just going to continue to get better and better.” In a wide-ranging interview with The Associated Press, Elway also touted former coach Mike Shanahan's Hall of Fame credentials, spoke about the future of University of Colorado star and Heisman favorite Travis Hunter and discussed his ongoing bout with a chronic hand condition. Elway spent the last half of his decade as the Broncos’ GM in a futile search for a worthy successor to Peyton Manning, a pursuit that continued as he transitioned into a two-year consultant role that ended after the 2022 season. “You have all these young quarterbacks and you look at the ones that make it and the ones that don’t and it’s so important to have the right system and a coach that really knows how to tutelage quarterbacks, and Sean’s really good at that,” Elway said. “I think the combination of Bo’s maturity, having started 61 games in college, his athletic ability and his knowledge of the game has been such a tremendous help for him,'" Elway added. “But also Vance Joseph’s done a heck of a job on the defensive side to where all that pressure’s not being put on Bo and the offense to score all the time.” Payton and his staff have methodically expanded Nix’s repertoire and incorporated his speed into their blueprints. Elway lauded them for “what they’re doing offensively and how they’re breaking Bo into the NFL because it’s a huge jump and I think patience is something that goes a long way in the NFL when it comes down to quarterbacks.” Elway said he hopes to sit down with Nix at some point when things slow down for the rookie. Nix, whose six wins are one more than Elway had as a rookie, said he looks forward to meeting the man who won two Super Bowls during his Hall of Fame playing career and another from the front office. “He’s a legend not only here for this organization, but for the entire NFL," Nix said, adding, "most guys, they would love to have a chat with John Elway, just pick his brain. It’s just awesome that I’m even in that situation.” Hall of Fame Orange Crush linebacker Randy Gradishar joined Elway in the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year, something Elway called “way, way overdue.” Elway suggested it's also long past time for the Hall to honor Shanahan, who won back-to-back Super Bowls in Denver with Elway at QB and whose footprint you see every weekend in the NFL because of his expansive coaching tree. Sanders & Hunter Elway called University of Colorado stars Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders “both great athletes." He said he really hopes Sanders gets drafted by a team that will bring him along like the Broncos have done with Nix and he sees Hunter being able to play both ways in the pros but not full time. Elway said he thinks Hunter will be primarily a corner in the NFL but with significant contributions on offense: “He's great at both. He's got great instincts, and that's what you need at corner." Hand condition It's been five years since Elway announced he was dealing with Dupuytren’s contracture, a chronic condition that typically appears after age 40 and causes one or more fingers to permanently bend toward the palm. Elway's ring fingers on both hands were originally affected and he said now the middle finger on his right hand is starting to pull forward. So, he’ll get another injection of a drug called Xiaflex, which is the only FDA-approved non-surgical treatment, one that he's endorsing in an awareness campaign for the chronic condition that affects 17 million Americans. The condition can make it difficult to do everyday tasks such as shaking hands or picking up a coffee mug. Elway said what bothered him most was “I couldn't pick up a football and I could not imagine not being able to put my hand around a football." ___ AP NFL: Arnie Stapleton, The Associated Press
Polly Toynbee’s piece misses the central point about the housing crisis ( In Kent, Labour has a fight on its hands – and a make-or-break test for its housing revolution, 19 November ). It is a crisis of affordability, not supply, brought about by the over-financialisation of the stock through a decade and a half of interest rates close to zero. Prices rose from three or four times average earnings to more than nine times as investors shifted cash from deposits to bricks and mortar. No arbitrary housing targets will ever correct that because simple arithmetic is against it, never mind that developers won’t increase supply to the point where they have to drop prices. And the threat of rescinding unbuilt planning consents would see material starts, so that forfeiture would leave a mess for early buyers to live with, and someone else to sort out. Before automatic sacrifice of green space, shorter-term measures are needed, such as requiring holiday lets to have planning consent, to counter the commandeering of dwellings to turn into private profit streams – something that has decimated the rental market in some areas. Inherited property wealth, which has snowballed with market bloating and widened social division, should be a separate tax category. And, although higher council tax rates on non-principal residences have begun to bite, long‐term empty property should attract accelerated rates. New-builds, meanwhile – and Toynbee doesn’t mention this – should focus on social housing. John Worrall Cromer, Norfolk The irrefutable evidence of the past 30 or more years is that the price of a home goes up and up regardless of the amount supplied – the housing market that responds to supply by reducing prices is a myth. The MP Kevin McKenna is quoted as saying that developers “will only get permission to build if they raise the percentage of affordable housing and keep their community pledges”. The government may be able to extract such a pledge in exchange for granting permission, but no planning condition can prevent a developer from subsequently claiming looming impoverishment and applying for its social or affordable housing contribution to be reduced or removed altogether. This will continue to be the case until the government abolishes the viability test , which is the rotten core of the current system. The test virtually guarantees a 20% profit margin on every development, regardless of what is sacrificed in order to achieve it. In the meantime, unneeded executive homes will continue to be the majority of what’s built, despite being unaffordable, and the country’s shrinking carbon budget for getting to net zero by 2050 will continue to be frittered away to maintain the flow of money from developers to the main political parties. Ian Tysh Green party councillor with planning and environment portfolio at Wealden district council Reading Polly Toynbee’s article, I was struck by the delightful artist’s impression online of the proposed Highsted Park development in Swale, Kent. And not a car in sight! I do hope, if and when it is built, you find room for a photograph showing it again. This time, no doubt, complete with cars everywhere, including on the pavements. Sam Gibson Ravensthorpe, Northampton Hidden in the vast swaths of nimbyism are real concerns about the lack of infrastructure that is needed for new developments. Where I live, they plan to increase the village population by 20%. This is typical of hundreds of villages facing this sort of expansion, and yet nothing is being done to expand local sewage treatment, cycle lanes, doctor’s surgeries, schools, road junctions ... all of which are over capacity already. I would welcome new housing in our village if it meant that Southern Water would stop dumping raw sewage into Chichester harbour . Asking for local infrastructure to expand with the population is not nimbyism. Andrew Gould Bosham, West Sussex Do you have a photograph you’d like to share with Guardian readers? If so, please click here to upload it. A selection will be published in our Readers’ best photographs galleries and in the print edition on Saturdays.Eastern states were considered backward earlier, I view them as India’s growth engine: PM Modi
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An animal-rescue pilot died in a crash. 2 dogs aboard are recoveringSANTA CLARA – Practicing behind a patchwork line is not how Brock Purdy dreamed of spending his 25th birthday Friday, never mind that he just gifted 49ers linemen a caravan of trucks and sports-utility vehicles on two-year leases. The 49ers are poised to field their most inexperienced offensive line in at least coach Kyle Shanahan’s eight seasons. Monday night’s chore for whoever blocks: protect Purdy and clear lanes for ball carriers Isaac Guerendo and Deebo Samuel against the NFC-leading Detroit Lions at Levi’s Stadium. Injuries have so thoroughly depleted the Niners (6-9) that 3-of-5 spots could feature linemen making their 49ers’ starting debuts. The only healthy starters are center Jake Brendel and right guard Dominick Puni, who might have to shift to other spots to provide for the best five-man look. Left tackle Trent Williams and his backup, Jaylon More, both went this week on injured reserve, which is where left guard Aaron Banks is expected to land before Monday night’s 5:15 p.m. kickoff. Right tackle Colton McKivitz did not practice Thursday, after being limited by a knee issue, and versatile backup Spencer Burford has been out with a calf injury he sustained as the sub at left tackle in Sunday’s loss at Miami. Offensive linemen Ben Bartch and Jon Feliciano are on injured reserve. Nick Zakelj is expected to make the first start of his career, most likely at left guard. “I know it’s just an amazing opportunity to have,” Zakelj said. “I can’t wait to go grasp it and go out there, fly off the ball and let it loose.” Charlie Heck, poached Wednesday off the Arizona Cardinals’ practice squad, made 21 career starts for the Houston Texans from 2020-23, and Thursday acquisition Matt Hennessy made 22 starts as the Atlanta Falcons’ 2020-22 center. No other linemen have starting experience, including Zakelj, Austen Pleasants, Sebastian Gutierrez, Isaac Alarcon and undrafted rookie center Drake Nugent. If McKivitz is healthy, he’s an option to move to left tackle, where he made spot starts at left tackle in 2021 and ’22 in place of Williams. Burford, unbeknownst until last game, had practiced as the No. 3 left tackle most of the season. LYNCH’S STATE OF FRANCHISE General manager John Lynch, speaking for the first time since Sunday’s official elimination from the playoffs, is in the investigation process of examining the 49ers’ 2024 woes and potential cures. “I can’t believe we’re here, but we are. We have to accept that. We have to learn from that,” Lynch said on KNBR 680-AM. “We can’t just chalk it up to, ‘There were a lot of injuries.’ The team we’re playing, Detroit, they had a lot of injuries but they found a way. We have to look at the root, and we have been looking at the root causes. We’ll fix it.” One obvious issue is the 49ers’ inability to close out games, something that’s carried over from past playoff defeats to this season’s four NFC West defeats. Lynch noted that the absences of All-Pros Williams and Christian McCaffrey factors into that. “But we can’t chalk it up to just that. We have to go deeper,” Lynch said. “There are ways we could have gotten it done. When you have division opponents (down) multiple scores, you have to put people away, and that’s what we didn’t do this year. We have to own that. We have to get to the bottom of why exactly that happened, with every decision we make.” HEALTH CENTER Fullback Kyle Juszczyk did not practice because of illness. Juszczyk has played every game this season after taking a pay cut in the spring. He is aiming for his ninth straight Pro Bowl invitation. Running back Isaac Guerendo participated in a second straight practice and looks on track to make his third career start; he did not play in Sunday’s loss at Miami because of hamstring and foot injuries. Running back David Montgomery (knee) was the only player on the Lions’ active roster not to practice. Cornerback Terrion Arnold (illness) was limited after missing Thursday’s session. Full participants were guard Graham Glasgow (knee), wide receiver Kalif Raymond (foot) and linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin (neck). GAMEDAY GUIDE Levi’s Stadium parking lots are to open at 1:45 p.m. Stadium gates open 30 minutes later for club- and suite-ticket holders, with entry for all others starting at 3:15 p.m. Halftime entertainment will feature MIMS and Freedom Williams (from the C+C Music Factory). Tony Lindsay will perform the national anthem.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s allies on Capitol Hill rallied around Pete Hegseth , Trump’s Pentagon pick, on Thursday even as new details surfaced about allegations that he had sexually assaulted a woman in 2017. The GOP embrace of Hegseth came as another controversial Trump nominee, Matt Gaetz, withdrew from consideration for attorney general. Gaetz said it was clear he had become a “distraction" amid pressure on the House to release an ethics report about allegations of his own sexual misconduct. An attorney for two women has said that his clients told House Ethics Committee investigators that Gaetz paid them for sex on multiple occasions beginning in 2017, when Gaetz was a Florida congressman. People are also reading... Recap: Here's how Joey Graziadei will win 'Dancing with the Stars' At the courthouse, Nov. 16, 2024 Zitel bound over to district court in death of child Kidnapping in Nebraska prompted police chase that ended with 3 dead on I-29 in Missouri Beatrice native's latest film gets special engagement in hometown BPS mini-marts offer help They fell in love with Beatrice. So they opened a store in downtown. Chamberlain among seven inducted into Nebraska Baseball HOF Inmate cited for damaging video system Just Askin': Dana Holgorsen noncommittal on future, ranking a big week for Nebraska Athletics Beatrice High School first-quarter honor roll Micheal J's to reopen Former Daily Sun publisher Thomas dies Historical society appoints board members, elects officers At the courthouse, Nov. 9, 2024 Fresh questions over the two nominees' pasts, and their treatment of women, arose with Republicans under pressure from Trump and his allies to quickly confirm his Cabinet. At the same time, his transition has so far balked at the vetting and background checks that have traditionally been required. While few Republican senators have publicly criticized any of Trump's nominees, it became clear after Gaetz's withdrawal that many had been harboring private concerns about him. Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin, who served with Gaetz in the House, said it was a “positive move.” Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker said it was a “positive development.” Maine Sen. Susan Collins said Gaetz “put country first and I am pleased with his decision.” After meeting with Hegseth, though, Republicans rallied around him. “I think he’s going to be in pretty good shape,” said Wicker, who is expected to chair the Senate Armed Services Committee in the next Congress. Republican senators' careful words, and their early reluctance to publicly question Trump's picks, illustrated not only their fear of retribution from the incoming president but also some of their hopes that the confirmation process can proceed normally, with proper vetting and background checks that could potentially disqualify problematic nominees earlier. Gaetz withdrew after meeting with senators on Wednesday. Sen. Thom Tillis said Gaetz was “in a pressure cooker” when he decided to withdraw, but suggested that it would have little bearing on Trump’s other nominees. “Transactions — one at a time,” he said. As the Hegseth nomination proceeds, Republicans also appear to be betting that they won't face much backlash for publicly setting aside the allegations of sexual misconduct — especially after Trump won election after being found liable for sexual abuse last year. Hegseth held a round of private meetings alongside incoming Vice President JD Vance on Thursday in an attempt to shore up support and told reporters afterward: “The matter was fully investigated and I was completely cleared, and that’s where I’m gonna leave it.” A 22-page police report report made public late Wednesday offered the first detailed account of the allegations against him. A woman told police that she was sexually assaulted in 2017 by Hegseth after he took her phone, blocked the door to a California hotel room and refused to let her leave. The report cited police interviews with the alleged victim, a nurse who treated her, a hotel staffer, another woman at the event and Hegseth. Hegseth’s lawyer, Timothy Palatore, said the incident was “fully investigated and police found the allegations to be false.” Hegseth paid the woman in 2023 as part of a confidential settlement to head off the threat of what he described as a baseless lawsuit, Palatore has said. Wicker played down the allegations against Hegseth, a former Fox News host, saying that “since no charges were brought from the authorities, we only have press reports.” Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., said after his meeting with Hegseth that he "shared with him the fact that I was saddened by the attacks that are coming his way.” Hagerty dismissed the allegations as “a he-said, she-said thing” and called it a “shame” that they were being raised at all. The senator said attention should instead be focused on the Defense Department that Hegseth would head. It's one of the most complex parts of the federal government with more than 3 million employees, including military service members and civilians. Sexual assault has been a persistent problem in the military, though Pentagon officials have been cautiously optimistic they are seeing a decline in reported sexual assaults among active-duty service members and the military academies. Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, who will be the No. 2 Republican in the Senate next year, said after his meeting with Hegseth that the nominee is a strong candidate who “pledged that the Pentagon will focus on strength and hard power – not the current administration’s woke political agenda.” Senate Republicans are under pressure to hold hearings once they take office in January and confirm nominees as soon as Trump is inaugurated, despite questions about whether Trump’s choices will be properly screened or if some, like Hegseth, have enough experience for the job. Senate Armed Services Chairman Jack Reed, who will be the top Democrat on the panel next year, said the reports on Hegseth “emphasized the need for a thorough investigation by the FBI on the background of all the nominees.” It takes a simple majority to approve Cabinet nominations, meaning that if Democrats all opposed a nominee, four Republican senators would also have to defect for any Trump choice to be defeated. Trump has made clear he’s willing to put maximum pressure on Senate Republicans to give him the nominees he wants – even suggesting at one point that they allow him to just appoint his nominees with no Senate votes. But senators insist, for now, that they are not giving up their constitutional power to have a say. “The president has the right to make the nominations that he sees fit, but the Senate also has a responsibility for advice and consent,” said Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota. In the case of Gaetz, he said, “I think there was advice offered rather than consent.” Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.Tech Giants Stumble! Tesla, Nvidia, and Microsoft Hit Hard.
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