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By JILL COLVIN and STEPHEN GROVES WASHINGTON (AP) — After several weeks working mostly behind closed doors, Vice President-elect JD Vance returned to Capitol Hill this week in a new, more visible role: Helping Donald Trump try to get his most contentious Cabinet picks to confirmation in the Senate, where Vance has served for the last two years. Vance arrived at the Capitol on Wednesday with former Rep. Matt Gaetz and spent the morning sitting in on meetings between Trump’s choice for attorney general and key Republicans, including members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The effort was for naught: Gaetz announced a day later that he was withdrawing his name amid scrutiny over sex trafficking allegations and the reality that he was unlikely to be confirmed. Thursday morning Vance was back, this time accompanying Pete Hegseth, the “Fox & Friends Weekend” host whom Trump has tapped to be the next secretary of defense. Hegseth also has faced allegations of sexual assault that he denies. Vance is expected to accompany other nominees for meetings in coming weeks as he tries to leverage the two years he has spent in the Senate to help push through Trump’s picks. Vice President-elect JD Vance, still a Republican senator from Ohio, walks from a private meeting with President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., center, and Vice President-elect JD Vance, left, walk out of a meeting with Republican Senate Judiciary Committee members, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, departs the chamber at the Capitol in Washington, March 15, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, center speaks during a Senate Banking Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, right, speaks with Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, before testifying at a hearing, March 9, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, arrives for a classified briefing on China, at the Capitol in Washington, Feb. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, arrives for a vote on Capitol Hill, Sept. 12, 2023 in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance R-Ohio speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Feb. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File) Vice President-elect JD Vance, still a Republican senator from Ohio, walks from a private meeting with President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) The role of introducing nominees around Capitol Hill is an unusual one for a vice president-elect. Usually the job goes to a former senator who has close relationships on the Hill, or a more junior aide. But this time the role fits Vance, said Marc Short, who served as Trump’s first director of legislative affairs as well as chief of staff to Trump’s first vice president, Mike Pence, who spent more than a decade in Congress and led the former president’s transition ahead of his first term. ”JD probably has a lot of current allies in the Senate and so it makes sense to have him utilized in that capacity,” Short said. Unlike the first Trump transition, which played out before cameras at Trump Tower in New York and at the president-elect’s golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, this one has largely happened behind closed doors in Palm Beach, Florida. There, a small group of officials and aides meet daily at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort to run through possible contenders and interview job candidates. The group includes Elon Musk, the billionaire who has spent so much time at the club that Trump has joked he can’t get rid of him. Vance has been a constant presence, even as he’s kept a lower profile. The Ohio senator has spent much of the last two weeks in Palm Beach, according to people familiar with his plans, playing an active role in the transition, on which he serves as honorary chair. Vance has been staying at a cottage on the property of the gilded club, where rooms are adorned with cherubs, oriental rugs and intricate golden inlays. It’s a world away from the famously hardscrabble upbringing that Vance documented in the memoir that made him famous, “Hillbilly Elegy.” His young children have also joined him at Mar-a-Lago, at times. Vance was photographed in shorts and a polo shirt playing with his kids on the seawall of the property with a large palm frond, a U.S. Secret Service robotic security dog in the distance. On the rare days when he is not in Palm Beach, Vance has been joining the sessions remotely via Zoom. Though he has taken a break from TV interviews after months of constant appearances, Vance has been active in the meetings, which began immediately after the election and include interviews and as well as presentations on candidates’ pluses and minuses. Among those interviewed: Contenders to replace FBI Director Christopher Wray , as Vance wrote in a since-deleted social media post. Defending himself from criticism that he’d missed a Senate vote in which one of President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees was confirmed, Vance wrote that he was meeting at the time “with President Trump to interview multiple positions for our government, including for FBI Director.” “I tend to think it’s more important to get an FBI director who will dismantle the deep state than it is for Republicans to lose a vote 49-46 rather than 49-45,” Vance added on X. “But that’s just me.” While Vance did not come in to the transition with a list of people he wanted to see in specific roles, he and his friend, Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., who is also a member of the transition team, were eager to see former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. find roles in the administration. Trump ended up selecting Gabbard as the next director of national intelligence , a powerful position that sits atop the nation’s spy agencies and acts as the president’s top intelligence adviser. And he chose Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services , a massive agency that oversees everything from drug and food safety to Medicare and Medicaid. Vance was also a big booster of Tom Homan, the former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, who will serve as Trump’s “border czar.” In another sign of Vance’s influence, James Braid, a top aide to the senator, is expected to serve as Trump’s legislative affairs director. Allies say it’s too early to discuss what portfolio Vance might take on in the White House. While he gravitates to issues like trade, immigration and tech policy, Vance sees his role as doing whatever Trump needs. Vance was spotted days after the election giving his son’s Boy Scout troop a tour of the Capitol and was there the day of leadership elections. He returned in earnest this week, first with Gaetz — arguably Trump’s most divisive pick — and then Hegseth, who has was been accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 2017, according to an investigative report made public this week. Hegseth told police at the time that the encounter had been consensual and denied any wrongdoing. Vance hosted Hegseth in his Senate office as GOP senators, including those who sit on the Senate Armed Services Committee, filtered in to meet with the nominee for defense secretary. While a president’s nominees usually visit individual senators’ offices, meeting them on their own turf, the freshman senator — who is accompanied everywhere by a large Secret Service detail that makes moving around more unwieldy — instead brought Gaetz to a room in the Capitol on Wednesday and Hegseth to his office on Thursday. Senators came to them. Vance made it to votes Wednesday and Thursday, but missed others on Thursday afternoon. Vance is expected to continue to leverage his relationships in the Senate after Trump takes office. But many Republicans there have longer relationships with Trump himself. Sen. Kevin Cramer, a North Dakota Republican, said that Trump was often the first person to call him back when he was trying to reach high-level White House officials during Trump’s first term. “He has the most active Rolodex of just about anybody I’ve ever known,” Cramer said, adding that Vance would make a good addition. “They’ll divide names up by who has the most persuasion here,” Cramer said, but added, “Whoever his liaison is will not work as hard at it as he will.” Cramer was complimentary of the Ohio senator, saying he was “pleasant” and ” interesting” to be around. ′′He doesn’t have the long relationships,” he said. “But we all like people that have done what we’ve done. I mean, that’s sort of a natural kinship, just probably not as personally tied.” Under the Constitution, Vance will also have a role presiding over the Senate and breaking tie votes. But he’s not likely to be needed for that as often as was Kamala Harris, who broke a record number of ties for Democrats as vice president, since Republicans will have a bigger cushion in the chamber next year. Colvin reported from New York. Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.
Nick Kyrgios has described Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek’s positive doping tests as “disgusting” ahead of his return to tennis. The controversial Australian has played only one match in more than two years because of injury but that has not stopped him being an outspoken presence on social media during a difficult few months for the sport. First it was announced in August that Sinner had failed two doping tests in March but was cleared of fault, while in November Swiatek was handed a one-month ban for a failed test caused by contaminated medication. Feels good getting these consecutive days training in the bank man.... Wrist re construction and back out here... blessed..................Without failing any drug tests 🙂↕️🙏🏽 be proud kygs doing it the right way 😩😂 pic.twitter.com/J8l21lnTdI Kyrgios has been particularly vociferous in his criticism of Sinner, who could yet face a ban after the World Anti-Doping Agency appealed the finding of no fault or negligence in his case. At a press conference ahead of the Brisbane International, Kyrgios told reporters: “I have to be outspoken about it because I don’t think there’s enough people that are speaking about it. I think people are trying to sweep it under the rug. “I just think that it’s been handled horrifically in our sport. Two world number ones both getting done for doping is disgusting for our sport. It’s a horrible look. “The tennis integrity right now – and everyone knows it, but no one wants to speak about it – it’s awful. It’s actually awful. And it’s not OK.” Kyrgios initially underwent knee surgery in January 2023, returning to action in June of that year, but he played only one match before pulling out of Wimbledon due to a torn ligament in his right wrist. He has not played a competitive match since, and it appeared doubtful that he would be able to return, but the 29-year-old will make his comeback in Brisbane this week. Kyrgios will take on France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in singles, while he will also team up with Novak Djokovic in a blockbuster doubles pairing. “It’s good to be back,” said Kyrgios. “I honestly never thought I’d be back playing at this level. Even entering an event like this, preparing, doing all the right things. “I’m really excited to just go out there and play, just play tennis. I saw Novak in the gym, playing doubles with him, a lot to be excited about that I’m able to get out there and compete again.” Asked whether he could get back to the same level that saw him reach the Wimbledon final in 2022, Kyrgios said: “I still believe I can, whether or not that’s factual or not. There was another player who was like, ‘You have to be realistic’. That’s not how I am. I always back my ability.” The new tennis season is already under way, with the United Cup team event beginning on Friday. Great Britain, who are weakened by the absence of Jack Draper through injury, begin their campaign against Argentina in Sydney on Monday before facing hosts Australia on Wednesday. That could pit Katie Boulter against fiance Alex De Minaur, with the pair having announced their engagement last week. “Obviously some incredible news from our side, but I think we kind of wanted it to die down a little bit before matches started,” said Boulter of the timing. “My private life is out in the public a little bit at the moment. But, in terms of the stuff that I’m doing on the court, I’ll be doing the best I can every single day to stay in my own little bubble.” Billy Harris has taken Draper’s place, with the British number one facing a race against time to be fit for the Australian Open because of a hip problem. Emma Raducanu is the sixth seed at the ASB Classic in Auckland and will begin her season with a match against Robin Montgomery, while Cameron Norrie takes on another American, Learner Tien, at the Hong Kong Open.Rockfire Resources plc ( LON:ROCK – Get Free Report )’s stock price fell 8.9% during trading on Saturday . The company traded as low as GBX 0.16 ($0.00) and last traded at GBX 0.16 ($0.00). 40,381,969 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 91% from the average session volume of 21,155,254 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 0.18 ($0.00). Rockfire Resources Stock Performance The stock has a market cap of £5.07 million, a PE ratio of -2.20 and a beta of 0.38. The company has a 50 day moving average of GBX 0.13 and a two-hundred day moving average of GBX 0.15. Rockfire Resources Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) Rockfire Resources plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the mineral exploration in Australia. The company explores for gold, silver, copper, zinc, lead, and molybdenum deposits. It holds five exploration permits for minerals in Queensland; and an exploration and exploitation license in Greece. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Rockfire Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Rockfire Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
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Jimmy Carter, former U.S. president and peace activist, dies at 100The NCAA doesn't actually call it National Signing Day anymore because it isn't just one day. College football's modern version of this annual rite of passage, conducted mostly by fax machine not long ago, is the early signing period. And it begins Wednesday. This is when most of the best high school football recruits in the country will make their college choice official. The dynamic, of course, changed in recent years with the huge emphasis placed on the transfer portal and the introduction of name, image and likeness benefits for players. But there's an excitement to the end of another recruiting cycle, with commitments and recruiting flips serving as another method to take stock of where programs stand as the College Football Playoff and college football's offseason calendar collide. There's a slew of top prospects set to announce decisions on Wednesday, as well as potential movement by top prospects who re-opened their recruitment late this year . Here's what to know about the start of the early signing period in college football: RECRUITING CALENDAR EXPLAINED: Why was college football early signing day moved up? When is early national signing day? There is not a singular National Signing Day in college football anymore. The three-day early signing period will run from Wednesday, Dec. 4 through Friday, Dec. 6, one day before the Power Four conferences hold their league championship games. It's more than two weeks earlier this year when compared to 2023. There had been widespread criticism from college coaches about how condensed the sport's calendar had become with the early signing period, the opening of the transfer portal, and bowl prep occurring simultaneously in December. College football recruiting dates 2024-25 Here's a look at the key college football recruiting dates for the 2024-2025 offseason: Top 2025 football recruits: Undecided players Here's a look at some of the top 2025 uncommitted football prospects planning to announce their college plans during the early signing period, according to 247 Sports and Rivals . *Star ratings based on 247 Sports Composite rankings Top recruits who could flip *Star ratings based on 247 Sports Composite rankings College football recruiting rankings *247 Sports' 2025 team rankings as of Dec. 3Drought, fires and deforestation battered Amazon rainforest in 2024 BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — 2024 was a brutal year for the Amazon rainforest, with rampant wildfires and extreme drought ravaging large parts of a biome that’s a critical counterweight to climate change. Steven Grattan, The Associated Press Dec 28, 2024 6:35 AM Dec 28, 2024 6:50 AM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message FILE - Fishermen push a boat in the Aleixo Lake amid a drought in Manaus, Amazonas state, Brazil, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Edmar Barros, File) BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — 2024 was a brutal year for the Amazon rainforest, with rampant wildfires and extreme drought ravaging large parts of a biome that’s a critical counterweight to climate change. A warming climate fed drought that in turn fed the worst year for fires since 2005. And those fires contributed to deforestation, with authorities suspecting some fires were set to more easily clear land to run cattle. The Amazon is twice the size of India and sprawls across eight countries and one territory, storing vast amounts of carbon dioxide that would otherwise warm the planet. It has about 20% of the world’s fresh water and astounding biodiversity, including 16,000 known tree species. But governments have historically viewed it as an area to be exploited, with little regard for sustainability or the rights of its Indigenous peoples, and experts say exploitation by individuals and organized crime is rising at alarming rates. “The fires and drought experienced in 2024 across the Amazon rainforest could be ominous indicators that we are reaching the long-feared ecological tipping point,” said Andrew Miller, advocacy director at Amazon Watch, an organization that works to protect the rainforest. “Humanity’s window of opportunity to reverse this trend is shrinking, but still open.” There were some bright spots. The level of Amazonian forest loss fell in both Brazil and Colombia. And nations gathered for the annual United Nations conference on biodiversity agreed to give Indigenous peoples more say in nature conservation decisions. “If the Amazon rainforest is to avoid the tipping point, Indigenous people will have been a determinant factor," Miller said. Wildfires and extreme drought Forest loss in Brazil’s Amazon — home to the largest swath of this rainforest — dropped 30.6% compared to the previous year, the lowest level of destruction in nine years. The improvement under leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva contrasted with deforestation that hit a 15-year high under Lula's predecessor, far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro, who prioritized agribusiness expansion over forest protection and weakened environmental agencies. In July, Colombia reported historic lows in deforestation in 2023, driven by a drop in environmental destruction. The country's environment minister Susana Muhamad warned that 2024's figures may not be as promising as a significant rise in deforestation had already been recorded by July due to dry weather caused by El Nino, a weather phenomenon that warms the central Pacific. Illegal economies continue to drive deforestation in the Andean nation. “It’s impossible to overlook the threat posed by organized crime and the economies they control to Amazon conservation,” said Bram Ebus, a consultant for Crisis Group in Latin America. “Illegal gold mining is expanding rapidly, driven by soaring global prices, and the revenues of illicit economies often surpass state budgets allocated to combat them.” In Brazil, large swaths of the rainforest were draped in smoke in August from fires raging across the Amazon, Cerrado savannah, Pantanal wetland and the state of Sao Paulo. Fires are traditionally used for deforestation and for managing pastures, and those man-made blazes were largely responsible for igniting the wildfires. For a second year, the Amazon River fell to desperate lows , leading some countries to declare a state of emergency and distribute food and water to struggling residents. The situation was most critical in Brazil, where one of the Amazon River's main tributaries dropped to its lowest level ever recorded. Cesar Ipenza, an environmental lawyer who lives in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon, said he believes people are becoming increasingly aware of the Amazon's fundamental role “for the survival of society as a whole." But, like Miller, he worries about a “point of no return of Amazon destruction.” It was the worst year for Amazon fires since 2005, according to nonprofit Rainforest Foundation US. Between January and October, an area larger than the state of Iowa — 37.42 million acres, or about 15.1 million hectares of Brazil’s Amazon — burned. Bolivia had a record number of fires in the first ten months of the year. “Forest fires have become a constant, especially in the summer months and require particular attention from the authorities who don't how to deal with or respond to them,” Ipenza said. Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Guyana also saw a surge in fires this year. Indigenous voices and rights made headway in 2024 The United Nations conference on biodiversity — this year known as COP16 — was hosted by Colombia. The meetings put the Amazon in the spotlight and a historic agreement was made to give Indigenous groups more of a voice on nature conservation decisions , a development that builds on a growing movement to recognize Indigenous people's role in protecting land and combating climate change. Both Ebus and Miller saw promise in the appointment of Martin von Hildebrand as the new secretary general for the Amazon Treaty Cooperation Organization, announced during COP16. “As an expert on Amazon communities, he will need to align governments for joint conservation efforts. If the political will is there, international backers will step forward to finance new strategies to protect the world’s largest tropical rainforest,” Ebus said. Ebus said Amazon countries need to cooperate more, whether in law enforcement, deploying joint emergency teams to combat forest fires, or providing health care in remote Amazon borderlands. But they need help from the wider world, he said. “The well-being of the Amazon is a shared global responsibility, as consumer demand worldwide fuels the trade in commodities that finance violence and environmental destruction,” he said. Next year marks a critical moment for the Amazon, as Belém do Pará in northern Brazil hosts the first United Nations COP in the region that will focus on climate. “Leaders from Amazon countries have a chance to showcase strategies and demand tangible support," Ebus said. ___ The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org . Steven Grattan, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Weather News Drought, fires and deforestation battered Amazon rainforest in 2024 Dec 28, 2024 6:30 AM After cold, snowy Christmas, temperatures to rise across southern Quebec for new year Dec 27, 2024 12:27 PM Warnings lifted for B.C. on Boxing Day while North Shore avalanche danger is high Dec 26, 2024 2:46 PM
Vance takes on a more visible transition role, working to boost Trump’s most contentious picksNEWS BRIEF In an effort to convince consumers that it’s safe to answer their phones, root of trust provider SecureG has partnered with CTIA, a trade association that represents the wireless communications industry, on an initiative intended to deliver a secure branded call experience for businesses. Branded Calling ID (BCID) is an industry-led, standards-based Rich Call Data project to create a secure, interoperable ecosystem in which businesses can embed information like their logos and reason for calling when they reach out to consumers by phone. BCID digital signatures are secured by SecureG’s public key infrastructure (PKI) solutions. "No one wants to answer their phone because of all the spam and scams, and it is only getting worse now that AI-generated voices can impersonate people and businesses," said Todd Warble, CTO of SecureG, in a statement. BCID has a secure-by-design foundation that enables consumers to trust the authenticity of the brands and intentions of the caller, Warble said. To secure the caller’s brand identity, SecureG provides high-assurance operations of the CTIA Secure Telephone Identity Certification Authority (CTIA STI-CA), Intermediate Certification Authority, and the Certificate Repository. The SecureG trust anchors, secured in hardened concrete bunkers, give BDIC the ability to authenticate participants to sign calls. The BCID system is designed to work across networks and mobile phones, and enterprise customers only pay for branded calls that are confirmed delivered. BCID allows businesses to brand their calls while preventing scammers and spammers from gaining access to NCID signing certificate. BCID is designed to work seamlessly across networks and mobile phones, so enterprise businesses can deliver trusted, branded calls to their consumers. The initiative is aimed at reducing the risk of fraud and spam calls from bad actors who impersonate real businesses. A recent survey found that three-quarters of respondents would answer a call if the caller was authenticated by a name, logo or reason for the call, the company said in a statement. BCID mitigates the risk of consumers being harmed by fraud and bad actors by vetting to deliver a trusted, branded call experience for consumers. Jennifer Lawinski is a writer and editor with more than 20 years experience in media, covering a wide range of topics including business, news, culture, science, technology and cybersecurity. After earning a Master's degree in Journalism from Boston University, she started her career as a beat reporter for The Daily News of Newburyport. She has since written for a variety of publications including CNN, Fox News, Tech Target, CRN, CIO Insight, MSN News and Live Science. She lives in Brooklyn with her partner and two cats.
Thirman Milner, Hartford Mayor Who Broke Race Barrier, Dies at 91Denver Broncos star cornerback Riley Moss appears to have sustained a knee injury in today's matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders, per Parker Gabriel. He has apparently left the medical tent and has made his way to the locker room under his own power, but the severity of the situation is currently unclear. He is currently being reported as questionable to return in the second half. Riley Moss is out of the blue medical tent and walking to the locker room with #Broncos training staff. More News: Broncos Quietly Sign Star LB to $60 Million Extension, Leading to Browning Trade Moss was forced to leave the game after helping tackle tight end Brock Bowers. He was assisted off the field and briefly examined in the blue medical tent before being escorted to the locker room just before halftime. The Broncos report that Moss is dealing with a knee injury and is listed as questionable to return. In Moss's absence, Levi Wallace took over as the No. 2 outside cornerback, lined up across from Pat Surtain, while Ja'Quan McMillian continued to handle duties in the slot. With Kris Abrams-Draine inactive, the Broncos' remaining backup cornerbacks for the matchup against the Raiders are Tremon Smith and Damarri Mathis. Moss was drafted by the Broncos in the third round (83rd overall) 2023 NFL Draft. The CB was a standout defensive player at Iowa and earned First-team All-Big Ten honors in 2022. His strong performance, particularly in coverage and creating turnovers, made him one of the top cornerback prospects heading into the draft. Moss was selected by the Broncos in the third round, 83rd overall, and played 14 games in his rookie year. Before exiting the game, Moss recorded four tackles and a pass breakup. He has become a key contributor to the Broncos' secondary this season, with a total of seven pass breakups and one interception heading into Week 12. More News: Broncos HC Shades Panthers After Being Accused of Running Up the Score It is currently unknown how Moss's injury status might affect the Broncos in the coming weeks, but they are already making headlines for the future. The team agreed to move their Week 16 road game against the Los Angeles Chargers from Sunday to Thursday night. This decision will make the Broncos the first team in 98 years to play two road Thursday night games following a Sunday contest, according to the Associated Press. The last team to do so was the 1926 Los Angeles Buccaneers, who split their Thursday games and finished the season with a 6-3-1 record. While the NFL typically avoids scheduling two short-week road games for the same team in a season, Denver had the option to decline the flex. However, despite the potential challenges, the Broncos—who won their first Thursday night game of the season in Week 7 against the Saints—agreed to the schedule change. For more on the NFL , head to Newsweek Sports .
Jimmy Carter, the 39th U.S. president who led the nation from 1977 to 1981, has died at the age of 100. The Carter Center announced Sunday that his father died at his home in Plains, Georgia, surrounded by family. His death comes about a year after his wife of 77 years, Rosalynn, passed away. Despite receiving hospice care at the time, he attended the memorials for Rosalynn while sitting in a wheelchair, covered by a blanket. He was also wheeled outside on Oct. 1 to watch a military flyover in celebration of his 100th birthday. The Carter Center said in February 2023 that the former president and his family decided he would no longer seek medical treatment following several short hospital stays for an undisclosed illness. Carter became the longest-living president in 2019, surpassing George H.W. Bush, who died at age 94 in 2018. Carter also had a long post-presidency, living 43 years following his White House departure. RELATED STORY: Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter: A love story for the ages Before becoming president Carter began his adult life in the military, getting a degree at the U.S. Naval Academy, and rose to the rank of lieutenant. He then studied reactor technology and nuclear physics at Union College and served as senior officer of the pre-commissioning crew on a nuclear submarine. Following the death of his father, Carter returned to Georgia to tend to his family's farm and related businesses. During this time, he became a community leader by serving on local boards. He used this experience to elevate him to his first elected office in 1962 in the Georgia Senate. After losing his first gubernatorial election in 1966, he won his second bid in 1970, becoming the state’s 76th governor. As a relative unknown nationally, Carter used the nation’s sour sentiment toward politics to win the Democratic nomination. He then bested sitting president Gerald Ford in November 1976 to win the presidency. Carter battles high inflation, energy crisis With the public eager for a change following the Watergate era, Carter took a more hands-on approach to governing. This, however, meant he became the public face of a number of issues facing the U.S. in the late 1970s, most notably America’s energy crisis. He signed the Department of Energy Organization Act, creating the first new cabinet role in government in over a decade. Carter advocated for alternative energy sources and even installed solar panels on the White House roof. During this time, the public rebuked attempts to ration energy. Amid rising energy costs, inflation soared nearly 9% annually during Carter's presidency. This led to a recession before the 1980 election. Carter also encountered the Iran Hostage Crisis in the final year of his presidency when 52 American citizens were captured. An attempt to rescue the Americans failed in April 1980, resulting in the death of eight service members. With compounding crises, Carter lost in a landslide to Ronald Reagan in 1980 as he could only win six states. Carter’s impact after leaving the White House Carter returned to Georgia and opened the Carter Center, which is focused on national and international issues of public policy – namely conflict resolution. Carter and the Center have been involved in a number of international disputes, including in Syria, Israel, Mali and Sudan. The group has also worked to independently monitor elections and prevent elections from becoming violent. Carter and his wife were the most visible advocates for Habitat for Humanity. The organization that helps build and restore homes for low- and middle-income families has benefited from the Carters’ passion for the organization. Habitat for Humanity estimates Carter has worked alongside 104,000 volunteers in 14 countries to build 4,390 houses. “Like other Habitat volunteers, I have learned that our greatest blessings come when we are able to improve the lives of others, and this is especially true when those others are desperately poor or in need,” Carter said in a Q&A on the Habitat for Humanity website. Carter also continued teaching Sunday school at Maranatha Baptist Church in his hometown well into his 90s. Attendees would line up for hours, coming from all parts of the U.S., to attend Carter’s classes. Carter is survived by his four children.
The Federal Reserve’s second consecutive key rate cut could mean more than just lower borrowing costs for the average consumer — state and local governments stand to benefit, too. Lower interest rates may bring changes for housing development, tax revenue, debt refinancing and bread-and-butter projects like roads, water and sewer, state and local government officials told States Newsroom. The Fed’s cut earlier this month followed an aggressive rate-hiking campaign to beat down inflation, and it came years after the last time the U.S. central bank lowered interest rates. Key borrowing rates now stand at 4.5-4.75%, and inflation has cooled to 2.7%. Economists expect another rate cut in December. “On average, the lower the interest rates are expected to help stock market returns if historical trends hold,” said Liz Farmer, who focuses on budgets, fiscal distress, tax policy and pensions at The Pew Charitable Trusts. “So generally, you would expect a more positive effect on your average pension portfolio that has a good amount invested in equities.” This change means states and localities will have lower borrowing costs, which will make it easier to make big long-term changes in infrastructure, to see higher sales tax collections as a result of more spending, and it is likely to result in better pension performance in an environment where stocks tend to respond to lower rates, fiscal policy experts at Pew say. In 2021 and 2022, states had record high revenue growth due in part to federal pandemic aid and the impact of the federal aid on workers and businesses, according to Pew. But that kind of growth was unsustainable. Recently, nearly all states have entered into a slower revenue growth environment, said Brian Sigritz, director of state fiscal studies at the National Association of State Budget Officers, a professional membership group for budget and finance officers. More than three dozen states had a fall in revenue in fiscal year 2023, Pew’s analysis found. At least five states experienced budget shortfalls in fiscal year 2024, the think tank explained. “States overall are remaining in a strong fiscal position. It’s just that we’re starting to see slower growth compared to what we did see for those a couple of years after the start of the pandemic,” he said. “That was really a unique set of circumstances where we had the additional federal aid provided by all the different Covid relief bills and at the same time where state revenue growth was growing so strongly, and that led to very strong growth in tax collections.” Sigritz said that states, which have to almost entirely use borrowing for infrastructure and capital projects, will benefit from lower borrowing costs as a result of the Fed rate cuts. David Schmiedicke, finance director for the city of Madison, Wisconsin’s finance department, said he’s hopeful that the lower cost of borrowing will reduce the cost of public infrastructure when seeking construction bids. “We’re seeing a lot of development, even with the higher rates. Madison is an attractive place to live. People from around the country are moving here,” he said. Rebecca Fleury, the city manager for Battle Creek, Michigan, said interest rates affect key services the public relies on, including fire departments. “[Interest rates] have an impact on our ability as a city of 52,000 to provide the full services that we do. Every little bit impacts us, because we have to buy fire trucks,” she said.“If there’s a decrease in one of our three largest revenue sources, we feel it.” But there are both pluses and minuses to the cut in the federal funds rate, Schmiedicke said, as it brings down the interest income states receive. “It probably will reduce the amount of investment income the city receives on its cash balances. We saw that go up dramatically in 2022 and 2023, so that’ll probably come down as the Fed cuts rates,” Schmiedicke said. Different tax policies also change how states and localities experience the Fed rate cuts. H.D. Palmer, deputy director for external affairs and principal spokesman on fiscal and financial issues for California Gov. Gavin Newsom, said that the lower interest rates are overall positive for the nation’s largest state because of the concentration of technology firms there, its progressive tax rate, and the taxing of capital gains and stock options as personal income. “When the markets are doing well, those types of firms that are concentrated in California do well and in consequence, our revenues do well,” Palmer said. The Alabama Department of Finance told States Newsroom that it is closely following the Fed’s actions as it “closely follows all actions that could impact our citizens and the State’s revenues.” But the state agency said it may take some time to see any of the effects of recent rate cuts. “While recent changes in the federal funds rate may lead to increased state revenues, absent a significant change in the rate, the impact on revenues and expenditures would not likely be seen immediately. We will continue to monitor and assess all economic indicators to ensure steady, sustainable, conservative growth for the benefit of all Alabamians,” the department said in a statement. Schmiedicke said Wisconsin is very reliant on property taxes because although state law allows a statewide sales tax and counties can impose a 0.5% sales tax, cities other than Milwaukee have not been able to do so. The state also has strict limits on property tax increases. “We could see more development in the city and that could definitely help with our overall property tax base, as well as if it results in more travel and room taxes,” he said. As states and localities wrestle with how to provide more affordable housing, with nearly half of renters having to spend more than 30% of their income on housing, lower interest rates could help spur more building. Fleury said the costs of loans and labor and materials has been “astronomical,” making it hard for developers to build. Although she said Battle Creek would love to take advantage of Low Income Housing Tax Credits, it’s challenging to fund projects. “I think that a lower interest rate could really help us get farther along in our housing plans,” she said “If you can’t get your project to pencil within what they’re able to fund or finance, we just never make the list.” Despite lower interest rates creating a better environment for affordable rent and homes, states will likely continue to spend a lot of energy on housing programs, Sigritz said. Governors’ budget proposals and state of the state speeches have prioritized affordable housing more and more in the past few years, he said, and he expects this to continue. “Housing affordability is not an issue that’s going to go away overnight, and there’s still a need for more housing,” Sigritz said. “It takes a while to build additional housing even in the lower-interest environment.”
College football fans didn't love a foul pole obstructing the Fenway Bowl broadcast viewNick Kyrgios has described Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek’s positive doping tests as “disgusting” ahead of his return to tennis. The controversial Australian has played only one match in more than two years because of injury but that has not stopped him being an outspoken presence on social media during a difficult few months for the sport. First it was announced in August that Sinner had failed two doping tests in March but was cleared of fault, while in November Swiatek was handed a one-month ban for a failed test caused by contaminated medication. Feels good getting these consecutive days training in the bank man.... Wrist re construction and back out here... blessed..................Without failing any drug tests 🙂↕️🙏🏽 be proud kygs doing it the right way 😩😂 pic.twitter.com/J8l21lnTdI — Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) December 5, 2024 Kyrgios has been particularly vociferous in his criticism of Sinner, who could yet face a ban after the World Anti-Doping Agency appealed the finding of no fault or negligence in his case. At a press conference ahead of the Brisbane International, Kyrgios told reporters: “I have to be outspoken about it because I don’t think there’s enough people that are speaking about it. I think people are trying to sweep it under the rug. “I just think that it’s been handled horrifically in our sport. Two world number ones both getting done for doping is disgusting for our sport. It’s a horrible look. “The tennis integrity right now – and everyone knows it, but no one wants to speak about it – it’s awful. It’s actually awful. And it’s not OK.” Kyrgios initially underwent knee surgery in January 2023, returning to action in June of that year, but he played only one match before pulling out of Wimbledon due to a torn ligament in his right wrist. He has not played a competitive match since, and it appeared doubtful that he would be able to return, but the 29-year-old will make his comeback in Brisbane this week. Kyrgios will take on France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in singles, while he will also team up with Novak Djokovic in a blockbuster doubles pairing. “It’s good to be back,” said Kyrgios. “I honestly never thought I’d be back playing at this level. Even entering an event like this, preparing, doing all the right things. A post shared by Nick Kyrgios (@k1ngkyrg1os) “I’m really excited to just go out there and play, just play tennis. I saw Novak in the gym, playing doubles with him, a lot to be excited about that I’m able to get out there and compete again.” Asked whether he could get back to the same level that saw him reach the Wimbledon final in 2022, Kyrgios said: “I still believe I can, whether or not that’s factual or not. There was another player who was like, ‘You have to be realistic’. That’s not how I am. I always back my ability.” The new tennis season is already under way, with the United Cup team event beginning on Friday. Great Britain, who are weakened by the absence of Jack Draper through injury, begin their campaign against Argentina in Sydney on Monday before facing hosts Australia on Wednesday. That could pit Katie Boulter against fiance Alex De Minaur, with the pair having announced their engagement last week. A post shared by Katie Boulter (@katiecboulter) “Obviously some incredible news from our side, but I think we kind of wanted it to die down a little bit before matches started,” said Boulter of the timing. “My private life is out in the public a little bit at the moment. But, in terms of the stuff that I’m doing on the court, I’ll be doing the best I can every single day to stay in my own little bubble.” Billy Harris has taken Draper’s place, with the British number one facing a race against time to be fit for the Australian Open because of a hip problem. Emma Raducanu is the sixth seed at the ASB Classic in Auckland and will begin her season with a match against Robin Montgomery, while Cameron Norrie takes on another American, Learner Tien, at the Hong Kong Open.
(The Center Square) – Momentum is with the emerging electric vehicle industry even with many question marks surrounding energy policy as the Trump administration takes office in January, observers of the industry say. “At the local and state level, there's an incredible amount of energy and action taking place to support transportation electrification,” Ben Prochazka, executive director of the Electrification Coalition, told The Center Square. With Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors, playing a significant role in President-elect Donald Trump’s election and chosen with Vivek Ramaswamy to head his new Department of Government Efficiency, it is also unlikely that the electric vehicle industry will be neglected nationally. “The hope is that Elon Musk has influence in the new administration, which does look to be the case,” said Prochazka. “Hopefully, that means there’s a great recognition around the economic benefits that exist.” It remains to be seen how electric vehicle incentive or tax credit programs – different than mandates – might be affected by Trump’s moves to cut spending. Mainstream outlets have already proclaimed that Trump has an "anti-EV agenda," as a group of automakers urged him to retain a national $7,500 consumer tax credit for electric vehicle purchases. On the other hand, Prochazka said tariffs and the deregulation of the domestic automotive industry could play a positive role in the electric vehicle industry, depending on how they are "established." “With any new administration, there's always going to be question marks about what the prevailing winds are,” explained Prochazka, whose nonpartisan, nonprofit coalition engages in policy development, advocacy campaigns and consumer education. "E verything has the potential to be reevaluated and then changed." Willett Kempton is in the University of Delaware's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and has research interests in offshore wind power, electric vehicles and public environmental beliefs and values. He agrees with Prochazka that a lot is still up in the air about Trump’s policy approach to the electric vehicle industry. Certain policies could potentially " slow down" growth domestically, he said. Yet, that wouldn't permanently stop growth. “National governments can slow this growth by policy changes, but that doesn’t change the cost advantages nor the long-term trends,” Kempton told The Center Square. In the past, Republicans generally have been notably skeptical about electric vehicles and especially mandates for them, preferring those powered by fossil fuels. Reliability is among the key drivers of the party's choice when it comes to opposition of the broader green agenda of Democrats. Musk’s involvement has the potential to change that skepticism. Prochazka said he is hopeful for that, emphasizing that his organization believes that electric vehicles should not be a partisan issue. “The last election ultimately created more partisan views on electrification,” he said. “We are working really hard to make sure it's clear that transportation electrification is not a red or a blue issue, but it's really about what's better for the country, especially when you look at it through the lens of global competition. We need to maintain our automotive leadership.” For Prochazka, growing the eclectic vehicle industry is an issue of both “national and economic security.” “The automotive sector is a trillion dollar a year industry that has millions and millions of jobs that are a part of the U.S. automotive sector," he said. "So, as the world goes electric, we need to compete so that we can not only maintain our current market share, but hopefully grow it. There’s a global race to electrification.” There are nearly 2.5 million electric vehicles registered throughout the nation, with the highest percentage of those in California. Even then, only 2.5% of the vehicles in California are electric vehicles and only 6.8% of the vehicles sold nationwide in 2024 were electric. Kempton and Prochazka say the transition to electric vehicles will be inevitable and that America should be the nation leading it. “The shift to electric vehicles is worldwide and there are so many advantages to EVs that this will proceed,” Kempton said. “In most territories, clean energy is already the lowest-cost electricity source and largest amount of new generation being installed. These are driven by market forces and producer projections of where the most future growth will be. So, I would not call these ‘movements’ but rather markets or growth trends and adoption of new technologies.” Only 38% of United States adults say they would even consider buying an electric vehicle. Prochazka said he believes that will continue to change, both as there are nationally moves to protect the economic interests of the United States and as more people get familiar with electric vehicles. “We need to also make sure the U.S. is moving as quickly as possible, so that we can compete with the sort of global efforts to electrify,” he said. “Most people have not gotten behind the wheel and have not plugged one in. I think it’s something that people really just need to try, because then they'll realize this is a much better vehicle. It's just about getting people behind the wheel.”
49ers claim RB Israel Abanikanda off waivers from Jets
A designated disability minister will be appointed to each Government department to “champion disability inclusion and accessibility”, the Government has announced. Work and pensions minister Sir Stephen Timms said the move aims to drive “real improvements” for disabled people, whom the ministers will be encouraged to engage with on a regular basis. He told the Commons: “I am very pleased to be able to announce today the appointment of new lead ministers for disability in each Government department, they will represent the interests of disabled people, champion disability inclusion and accessibility within their departments. “I’m going to chair regular meetings with them and will encourage them to engage directly with disabled people and their representative organisations, as they take forward their departmental priorities. “And I look forward to this new group of lead ministers for disability together driving real improvements across Government for disabled people.” This came during an adjournment debate on International Day of Persons with Disabilities, where Liberal Democrat MP Steve Darling raised concerns about “floating bus stops”, which have a cycle lane between the stop and the pavement. Intervening, the MP for Torbay, who is registered blind, said: “The Government needs to ban floating bus stops.” Sir Stephen said: “I do think this issue about floating bus stops is an important issue which we need to work across Government to reflect on.” Labour MP Debbie Abrahams, who led the debate, had earlier criticised the lack of accessibility for disabled people on trains. The Oldham East and Saddleworth MP said: “Our train network does not have level access, and we heard Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson from the other place make this plea back in the summer, absolutely outrageous what she was put through. “But I was absolutely shocked to find, when I had a presentation of the TransPennine route upgrade, that the rolling stock yet to be commissioned is not going to provide that level access. “It’s absolute nonsense, it’s not even in the design of that procurement, so we must do better than this.” We do not moderate comments, but we expect readers to adhere to certain rules in the interests of open and accountable debate.Washington : President Joe Biden faces a backlash from Democrats angry over his decision to pardon his son – a move that blunts their line of attack on Donald Trump, the first convicted criminal to be re-elected president. Two days after Biden’s decision to spare Hunter Biden from the prospect of jail, the federal judge overseeing Hunter’s gun convictions terminated any further court proceedings in the case on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST). The judge overseeing the tax evasion case that Hunter was due to be sentenced for in California is soon expected to do the same. President Joe Biden embraces his son Hunter Biden at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August. Credit: NYT Biden decided to pardon his 52-year-old son on Sunday – the same day that Trump announced he had tapped MAGA loyalist Kash Patel to be the next director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Patel is a far-right extremist and former federal prosecutor who has previously said he wants to “annihilate the deep state”, which he believes is made up of senior bureaucrats, journalists, big tech and Democratic Party elected officials. “We’re going to come after the people in the media who lied about American citizens and who helped Joe Biden rig presidential elections,” he once told Steve Bannon’s War Room podcast while pushing unproven claims of voter fraud. “We’re going to come after you, whether it’s criminally or civilly, we’ll figure that out.” Kash Patel has little of the law enforcement and management experience typical of FBI directors. Credit: AP As demoralised Democrats attempt to rebuild following Kamala Harris’ crushing election defeat, some in the party are fuming over the presidential pardon, which comes after Biden and his aides spent months saying he would adhere to the jury’s verdict and not grant such clemency. Michigan Democrat senator Gary Peters described it as an “improper use of power”, noting that “a president’s family and allies shouldn’t get special treatment”. Colorado Democrat senator Michael Bennett agreed, telling CNN: “It just gives the American people a sense that there’s one system for the rich and powerful and another system for everybody else.” And Virginia senator Tim Kaine had a similar sentiment, saying in a statement: “President Biden made a promise to not take this step, and I do not believe in breaking promises. We all need to follow the rule of law, even – especially – when it’s hard for us personally.” The internal dissent that Biden faces comes weeks before the US president leaves office after a political career spanning half a century. But the sweeping nature of the pardon – which covers not only the tax and gun convictions that Hunter faced but also any potential criminal activities that he “may have committed or taken part in” starting from January 2014 through to Sunday – has exposed the president to claims that he is abusing a justice system he long denied was being “weaponised”. The beginning date is significant as it is a few months before Hunter joined the board of the Ukrainian gas company Burisma Holdings – a position in which Republicans have accused him of violating foreign lobbying laws. They have also used Hunter’s business dealings as a political cudgel against his father, who was then vice president under Barack Obama. “Enough is enough,” Biden said on Sunday as he announced the pardon before leaving on his final presidential overseas trip to Angola. Donald Trump supporters storm the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. Credit: AP Trump immediately responded by hinting at potential clemency for rioters who attacked the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. His list of past pardons also includes his former national security adviser Michael Flynn (who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI during the Russian interference investigation of Trump); Paul Manafort (convicted of tax and bank fraud as part of the Russia investigation) and former White House strategist Steve Bannon (charged with defrauding donors in a campaign to fund Trump’s border wall). Trump’s lawyers this week formally asked a judge to throw out his hush money criminal conviction, arguing continuing the case would present unconstitutional “disruptions to the institution of the presidency.” They also cited Biden’s pardon of his son in the filing. “President Biden asserted that his son was ‘selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted,’ and ‘treated differently,’” Trump’s legal team wrote. The Manhattan district attorney, they claimed, had engaged in the type of political theatre “that President Biden condemned.” The backlash over Biden’s pardon comes as Trump rounds out his new cabinet with loyalists who will help him carry out his second-term agenda. Among them is Fox News presenter Peter Hegseth, who has spent the past two days meeting senators on Capitol Hill amid fresh claims that he was forced out of leadership roles in two military veterans organisations following allegations of financial mismanagement, aggressive drunkenness and sexist behaviour. The 44-year-old military veteran was an unconventional choice for the top Pentagon job, as he has never led a large government agency. Now, concerns about his qualifications have been overshadowed by allegations related to his personal conduct. The latest reports – which were made by a whistleblower in The New Yorker – come after California police released a complaint by a woman who claims she was raped by Hegseth during a Republican fundraiser in 2017. He insists, however, that the incident was consensual, and in relation to the latest claims, told reporters through an adviser that the claims were “outlandish”. His lawyer declined to comment. However, the Trump team continues to stand by its picks, with senior adviser Jason Miller telling Fox News on Tuesday that they were feeling “very good about the nominees”. Others include Russian sympathiser and former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence, vaccine sceptic Robert F. Kennedy for secretary of health, and former Florida attorney-general Pam Bondi for federal attorney-general. Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for the weekly What in the World newsletter here .