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Trump nominates Paul Atkins to head Securities and Exchange Commission
Hegseth meets with moderate Sen. Collins as he lobbies for key votes in the SenateHarry Kane becomes the fastest player to score 50 goals in the BundesligaDistrict college football roundup: Clutch defensive play leads Slippery Rock to playoff win
NoneThiruvananthapuram: The International Independent Music Festival (IIMF) is set to conclude on a high note on Sunday with a lineup of spectacular performances at the Kerala Arts and Crafts Village, Kovalam. The closing day promises an eclectic mix of music featuring Afrodelic from Lithuania, the Bengaluru-based women's collective Wild Wild Women , and Indian bands, including The Yellow Diary, Parikrama , Asal Kolaar, and 43 Miles. Headlining the festival is Afrodelic, which is celebrated for its innovative fusion of African rhythms with contemporary electronic beats and ambient soundscapes. By blending traditional Malian melodies and instrumentation with modern music, Afrodelic offers a deeply immersive experience that showcases the power of cross-cultural collaboration. Wild Wild Women, founded in 2017, is dedicated to empowering women through music, art, and storytelling. With performances that blend poetry, acting, and music, the collective raises awareness about social issues while providing a platform for creative self-expression. Delhi-based rock veterans Parikrama, known for their iconic fusion of classical Indian instruments like the tabla and violin with classic rock elements, will captivate audiences with their performances. Mumbai's The Yellow Diary, a band with a decades-long legacy, and Asal Kolaar, led by singer-rapper Vasanth Kumar, will bring their unique styles to the festival, adding further diversity to the lineup. Maharashtra Jharkhand Maharashtra Alliance View i Party View Seats: 288 L + W Majority: 145 BJP+ 229 MVA 47 OTH 12 Leads + Wins : 288 / 288 BJP+ WON Jharkhand Alliance View i Party View Seats: 81 Results Majority: 41 INDIA 56 NDA 24 OTH 1 Results : 81 / 81 INDIA WON Source: PValue The IIMF has brought together a vibrant array of artists, genres, and cultures, transforming Kovalam into a hub of global independent music. Music enthusiasts are in for a treat as the festival wraps up with this star-studded lineup, marking the culmination of a week-long journey of artistic brilliance.No. 7 Mercer stages 4th-quarter comeback to top No. 10 Rhode Island 17-10, advances to FCS semifinal“There’s no place like home,” and Dorothy Gale’s ruby slippers are set to have a new one in three days. The ruby slippers from “The Wizard of Oz” are being auctioned off for $1.15 million, nearly two decades after they were stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in Minnesota. The sparkly pair of heels are currently bidding at $1.15 million, with the next minimum bid at $1.2 million, according to Heritage Auctions . There are three days remaining in the auction, which will conclude on Dec. 7. Judy Garland’s character, Dorothy Gale, wore the iconic red slippers in the 1939 movie “The Wizard of Oz.” Michael Shaw purchased the slippers in 1970 , but former mobster Terry Jon Martin stole them in 2005 while they were on loan at the Judy Garland Museum. The FBI found the shoes in 2018 in Minneapolis while investigating “a scheme to defraud and extort the Markel Corporation, the owner of the slippers,” according to a press release from the agency. RECOMMENDED • lehighvalleylive .com Nordstrom has this cozy UGG slipper on sale for only $75 in a massive Cyber Monday deal Dec. 2, 2024, 12:15 p.m. UGG has these 8 Black Friday deals still in stock, with up to 30% off the Ultra Mini Platform Dec. 4, 2024, 2:45 p.m. The Shaw slippers are a match to the sequin and rhinestone pair that are currently on display in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History . Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com . Katherine Rodriguez can be reached at krodriguez@njadvancemedia.com . Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips .
Rarely does a college basketball game provide such stark contrast between the sport's haves and have-nots as when Jackson State faces No. 9 Kentucky on Friday in Lexington, Ky. While Kentucky claims eight NCAA Tournament crowns and the most wins in college basketball history, Jackson State has never won an NCAA Tournament game and enters the matchup looking for its first win of the season. Impressive tradition and current record aside, Kentucky (4-0) returned no scholarship players from last season's team that was knocked off by Oakland in the NCAA Tournament. New coach Mark Pope and his essentially all-new Wildcats are off to a promising start. Through four games, Kentucky is averaging 94.3 points per game, and with 11.5 3-pointers made per game, the team is on pace to set a school record from long distance. The Wildcats boast six double-figure scorers with transfer guards Otega Oweh (from Oklahoma, 15.0 ppg) and Koby Brea (from Dayton, 14.5 ppg) leading the team. The Wildcats defeated Duke 77-72 on Nov. 12 but showed few signs of an emotional letdown in Tuesday's 97-68 win over a Lipscomb team picked to win the Atlantic Sun Conference in the preseason. Kentucky drained a dozen 3-pointers while outrebounding their visitors 43-28. Guard Jaxson Robinson, held to a single point by Duke, dropped 20 points to lead the Kentucky attack. Afterward, Pope praised his team's focus, saying, "The last game was over and it was kind of on to, ‘How do we get better?' That's the only thing we talk about." Lipscomb coach Lennie Acuff also delivered a ringing endorsement, calling Kentucky "the best offensive Power Four team we've played in my six years at Lipscomb." Jackson State (0-5) and third-year coach Mo Williams are looking for something positive to build upon. Not only are the Tigers winless, but they have lost each game by nine or more points. Sophomore guard Jayme Mitchell Jr. (13.8 ppg) is the leading scorer, but the team shoots just 35.8 percent while allowing opponents to shoot 52.3 percent. The Tigers played on Wednesday at Western Kentucky, where they lost 79-62. Reserve Tamarion Hoover had a breakout game with 18 points to lead Jackson State, but the host Hilltoppers canned 14 3-point shots and outrebounded the Tigers 42-35 to grab the win. Earlier, Williams, who played against Kentucky while a student at Alabama, admitted the difficulties of a challenging nonconference schedule for his team. "Our goal is not to win 13 nonconference games," Williams said. "We're already at a disadvantage in that regard. We use these games to get us ready for conference play and for March Madness." Jackson State has not made the NCAA Tournament since 2007. The Tigers had a perfect regular-season record (11-0) in the Southwestern Athletic Conference in 2020-21 but lost in the league tournament. Kentucky has never played Jackson State before, but the game is being billed as part of a Unity Series of matchups in which Kentucky hosts members of the SWAC to raise awareness of Historical Black Colleges and Universities and provide funds for those schools. Past Unity Series opponents have been Southern in December 2021 and Florida A&M in December 2022. --Field Level MediaElection pledges sharpened into six-point plan for change
Harry Kane becomes the fastest player to score 50 goals in the BundesligaNoneLisa Simpson once said during an episode of “The Simpsons:” What could be more exciting than the savage ballet that is pro football? On Monday night, the entire Simpsons universe gets to experience it in a way not many could have imagined. The prime-time matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys will also take place at Springfield’s Atoms Stadium as part of “The Simpsons Funday Football” alternate broadcast. The altcast will be streamed on ESPN+, Disney+, and NFL+ (on mobile devices). ESPN and ABC have the main broadcast, while ESPN2 will carry the final “ManningCast” of the regular season. The replay will be available on Disney+ for 30 days. Globally, more than 145 countries will have access to either live or on replay. “We’re such huge football fans, and the Simpsons audience and the football audience, I feel, are like the same audience of just American families and football. And the Simpsons are so much a part of the DNA of the American family and culture that for us to, like, mush them together in this crazy video game, it’s so fun,” said Matt Selman, executive producer of “The Simpsons.” While the game is the focal point, the alternate broadcast, in some ways, will resemble a three-hour episode of “The Simpsons.” It starts with Homer eating too many hot dogs and having a dream while watching football. Homer joins the Cowboys in the dream while Bart teams up with the Bengals. Lisa and Marge will be sideline reporters. “That’s the beginning of the story, and the story continues through the entire game until Homer wakes up from his dream at the end of the game. It is like a complete story, and the NFL game will happen in between. It’s just going to be an amazing presentation with tons of surprises,” said Michael “Spike” Szykowny, ESPN’s VP of edit and animation. This is the second year ESPN has done an alternate broadcast for an NFL game. It used the characters from “Toy Story” for last year’s Sunday morning game from London between the Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars. “The Simpsons” has featured many sports-themed episodes during its 35 seasons. Even though “Homer at the Bat” remains the consensus favorite sports episode for many Simpsons fans, there have been football ones such as “Bart Star” and “Lisa The Greek.” There also was a Super Bowl-themed one after Fox’s broadcast of Super Bowl 33 between Denver and Atlanta in 1999. Even though “The Simpsons” remains a staple on Fox’s prime-time schedule, it is part of the Disney family after their acquisition of 20th Century Fox in 2019. All 35 seasons are on Disney+. The show’s creators have worked with ESPN and the NFL to make sure the look and sound is definitely Simpsonsesque. The theme song is a mash-up of “The Simpsons” opening and “Monday Night Football’s” iconic “Heavy Action.” There have also been pre-recorded skits and bits to use during the broadcast featuring Simpson’s legendary voices Hank Azaria, Nancy Cartwright, Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, and Yeardley Smith. The telecast will be entirely animated, with the players’ movements in sync with what is happening in real-time on the field. That is done through player-tracking data enabled by the NFL’s Next Gen Stats system and Sony’s Beyond Sports Technology. While Next Gen Stats tracks where players are on the field with a tracking chip in the shoulder pads, there is skeletal data tracking and limb tracking data — which uses 29 points per player — to get closer to the player’s movements. The other data tracking will allow Beyond Sports and Disney to add special characters to the game. For example, there might be a play where Lisa catches the ball and goes 30 yards instead of Cincinnati’s Tee Higgins. “Lisa is much smaller than the rest of the players. So, in real life, the ball would go over her head, but now, with data processing, we can take the ball and make it go exactly into her hands. So for the viewer, it still looks believable, and it all makes sense,” said Beyond Sports co-founder Nicolaas Westerhof. The other major challenge is making “The Simpsons” two-dimensional cartoon characters into 3-D simulations. Szykowny and his team worked to make that a reality over the past couple of months. “That’s a big leap of faith for them to say, hey, we trust you to make our characters 3-D and work with it. Our ESPN creative studio team has done a wonderful job,” Szykowny said. Lisa, Krusty, Nelson, Milhouse and Ralph will be with Bart and the Bengals; while Carl, Barney, Lenny and Moe join up with with Homer and the Cowboys. The broadcast will also feature ESPN personalities Stephen A. Smith, Peyton Manning and Eli Manning. ESPN’s Drew Carter, Mina Kimes and Dan Orlovsky will call the game from Bristol, Connecticut, and also be animated. They will wear Meta Quest Pro headsets to experience the game from Springfield using VR technology. For Kimes, being part of the broadcast and being an animated Simpsons character is a dream come true. She is a massive fan of the show and has a framed photo of Lisa Simpson — who she said is a personal hero and icon — as part of her backdrop when she makes appearances on ESPN NFL shows from her home in Los Angeles. “I didn’t have any input, and I didn’t see anything beforehand, so I wasn’t sure if it would look like me, but it kind of does, which is very funny,” said Kimes, who drew Simpsons characters when she was a kid. “To see the actual staff turn me into one was a dream.” Even though the Bengals (4-8) and Cowboys (5-7) have struggled this season, Selman thinks both teams have personalities that appeal to “The Simpsons” universe. “We were just so lucky also that the Cowboys are sort of like a Homer Simpson-type team, American team, and Mike McCarthy might be a Homer-type guy, one might imagine,” he said. ”And then you have Joe Burrow on the other side who is a cool young, spiky-haired, blonde bad boy -- he’s like Bart. And that fits our character archetypes so perfectly. “If Homer is mad at Bart and has a hot dog dream while watching ’Monday Night Football’, and then it’s basically McCarthy versus Burrow, Homer versus Bart, and that’s the simple father versus son strangling — Homer strangling Bart dynamic that has been part of the show for 35 years. I don’t know if that would have worked as well if it was like Titans versus Jacksonville. We would have found something. We would have made it work.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Xcel Energy Using AI Technology to Detect Wildfires in Texas PanhandleNEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes got back to climbing on Wednesday after the latest update on inflation appeared to clear the way for more help for the economy from the Federal Reserve . The S&P 500 rose 0.8% to break its first two-day losing streak in nearly a month and finished just short of its all-time high. Big Tech stocks led the way, which drove the Nasdaq composite up 1.8% to top the 20,000 level for the first time. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, meanwhile, lagged the market with a dip of 99 points, or 0.2%. Stocks got a boost as expectations built that Wednesday’s inflation data will allow the Fed to deliver another cut to interest rates at its meeting next week. Traders are betting on a nearly 99% probability of that, according to data from CME Group, up from 89% a day before. If they’re correct, it would be a third straight cut by the Fed after it began lowering rates in September from a two-decade high. It’s hoping to support a slowing job market after getting inflation nearly all the way down to its 2% target. Lower rates would give a boost to the economy and to prices for investments, but they could also provide more fuel for inflation. “The data have given the Fed the ‘all clear’ for next week, and today’s inflation data keep a January cut in active discussion,” according to Ellen Zentner, chief economic strategist for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. Expectations for a series of cuts to rates by the Fed have been one of the main reasons the S&P 500 has set an all-time high 57 times this year , with the latest coming last week. The biggest boosts for the index on Wednesday came from Nvidia and other Big Tech stocks. Their massive growth has made them Wall Street’s biggest stars for years, though other kinds of stocks have recently been catching up somewhat amid hopes for the broader U.S. economy. Tesla jumped 5.9% to finish above $420 at $424.77. It’s a level that Elon Musk made famous in a 2018 tweet when he said he had secured funding to take Tesla private at $420 per share . Stitch Fix soared 44.3% after the company that sends clothes to your door reported a smaller loss for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It also gave financial forecasts for the current quarter that were better than expected, including for revenue. GE Vernova rallied 5% for one of the biggest gains in the S&P 500. The energy company that spun out of General Electric said it would pay a 25 cent dividend every three months, and it approved a plan to send up to another $6 billion to its shareholders by buying back its own stock. On the losing end of Wall Street, Dave & Buster’s Entertainment tumbled 20.1% after reporting a worse loss for the latest quarter than expected. It also said CEO Chris Morris has resigned, and the board has been working with an executive-search firm for the last few months to find its next permanent leader. Albertsons fell 1.5% after filing a lawsuit against Kroger, saying it didn’t do enough for their proposed $24.6 billion merger agreement to win regulatory clearance. Albertsons said it’s seeking billions of dollars in damages from Kroger, whose stock rose 1%. A day earlier, judges in separate cases in Oregon and Washington nixed the supermarket giants’ merger. The grocers contended a combination could have helped them compete with big retailers like Walmart, Costco and Amazon, but critics said it would hurt competition. After terminating the merger agreement with Kroger, Albertsons said it plans to boost its dividend 25% and increased the size of its program to buy back its own stock. Macy’s slipped 0.8% after cutting some of its financial forecasts for the full year of 2024, including for how much profit it expects to make off each $1 of revenue. All told, the S&P 500 rose 49.28 points to 6,084.19. The Dow dipped 99.27 to 44,148.56, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 347.65 to 20,034.89. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.27% from 4.23% late Tuesday. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks expectations for the Fed, edged up to 4.15% from 4.14%. In stock markets abroad, indexes rose across much of Europe and Asia. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was an outlier and slipped 0.8% as Chinese leaders convened an annual planning meeting in Beijing that is expected to set economic policies and growth targets for the coming year. South Korea’s Kospi rose 1%, up for a second straight day as it climbs back following last week’s political turmoil where its president briefly declared martial law. AP Writers Matt Ott and Zimo Zhong contributed.
DALLAS (AP) — Juan Soto gets free use of a luxury suite and up to four premium tickets behind home plate for regular-season and postseason New York Mets home games as part of his record $765 million, 15-year contract that was finalized Wednesday. The Mets also agreed to provide personal team security for the All-Star outfielder and his family at the team’s expense for all spring training and regular-season home and road games, according to details of the agreement obtained by The Associated Press. Major League Baseball teams usually provide security for player families in seating areas at ballparks. New York also agreed to assist Soto's family for in-season travel arrangements, guaranteed Soto will have uniform No. 22 and included eight types of award bonuses. Soto's suite will be valued at the Mets' prevailing prices, presumably for tax purposes, and after 2025 he can by each Jan. 15 modify or give up his suite selection for the upcoming season. He can request the premium tickets, to be used by family members, no later than 72 hours before the scheduled game time. The Yankees had refused to offer Soto a free suite. “Some high-end players that make a lot of money for us, if they want suites they buy them ... whether it's CC (Sabathia), whether it’s (Aaron) Judge, whether it’s (Gerrit) Cole, whether it’s any of these guys," general manager Brian Cashman said. "We've gone through a process on previous negotiations where asks might have happened and this is what we did and we’re going to honor those, so no regrets there." Cashman said the Yankees have a shared suite for player families and a family room with babysitting. Soto gets a $75 million signing bonus, payable within 60 days of the agreement’s approval by the commissioner’s office. The deal for the 26-year-old, which tops Shohei Ohtani's $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers, was reached Sunday pending a physical that took place Tuesday. Soto receives salaries of $46,875,000 each in 2025 and 2026, $42.5 million in 2027, $46,875,000 apiece in 2028 and 2029 and $46 million in each of the final 10 seasons. Soto has a contingent right to opt out of the agreement within three days of the end of the 2029 World Series to become a free agent again, but the Mets have the an option to negate the opt-out provision by increasing the yearly salaries for 2030-39 by $4 million annually to $50 million and raising the total value to $805 million. If the club exercises its option to negate the opt-out provision, Soto can make his opt-out decision by the fifth day after the World Series. He has a full no-trade provision and gets a hotel suite on road trips. Soto would receive a $500,000 bonus for winning his first Most Valuable Player award and $1 million for each MVP award. He would get $350,000 for finishing second in the voting and $150,000 for finishing third through fifth. Soto was third in the AL voting this year. He would earn $100,000 for each All-Star selection and Gold Glove, $350,000 for World Series MVP and $150,000 for League Championship Series MVP. Soto would get $100,000 for selection to the All-MLB first or second team, $150,000 for Silver Slugger and $100,000 for the Hank Aaron Award. Award bonuses are to be paid by the Jan. 31 after the season in which the bonus is earned. AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Around 10:25 PM on December 3, 2024 (KST), South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol appeared on national television and declared “martial law” for the first time since 1979. For the next six hours, Koreans remained awake and alert through the night, watching the chaos unfold and bracing for the worst . It was at 4:30 AM on December 4, 2024 (KST), soon after 190 of the 190 attending National Assembly members voted to block martial law , when President Yoon accepted the parliament’s decision, withdrew the military forces, and presided over a Cabinet meeting to approve the resolution to revoke martial law. President Yoon Suk Yeol Withdraws Emergency Martial Law Considering the current political landscape in Korea, where the Democratic and other parties —referred to as the yadang or the “opposition party” as a whole—hold a whopping majority of 190 out of the 300 seats in the National Assembly, it might have been “a losing battle from the start,” according to Money Today . So then, why did President Yoon declare martial law and what is going to happen next? When declaring martial law, President Yoon cited “pro-North, anti-state forces” as the problem and claimed he will “rebuild and defend the free Republic of Korea” from such forces “plundering the freedom and happiness of the people.” Dear citizens. I hereby declare martial law to protect the free Republic of Korea from the threats posed by the North Korean communist forces and to eradicate the shameless pro-North, anti-state forces that are plundering the freedom and happiness of our people. This measure is taken to uphold the order of our free constitutional system. Through this martial law, I will rebuild and defend the free Republic of Korea, which is teetering on the brink of ruin. To this end, I pledge to thoroughly eliminate the anti-state forces that have persistently engaged in destructive acts against our nation. This is an unavoidable step to safeguard the freedom and security of our people, ensure the sustainability of our nation against subversive threats, and pass on a proper country to future generations. I will work swiftly to eradicate these anti-state forces and restore normalcy to the nation. While this declaration of martial law may cause inconvenience to law-abiding citizens who uphold the values of the Constitution, I will do my utmost to minimize these disruptions. This measure is essential for ensuring the enduring continuity of the free Republic of Korea. It does not alter our commitment to contributing to and upholding our responsibilities in the international community. As your President, I earnestly appeal to you. I place my trust solely in you, the people, and I will dedicate my entire being to defending the free Republic of Korea. Please believe in me. Thank you. — President Yoon Suk Yeol Who are the “pro-North, anti-state forces,” tough? According to BBC Korea , President Yoon has taken on a much tougher stance on North Korea compared to previous presidents, and he has often referred to the opposition party as “pro-North” without providing specific evidence. BBC Korea also pointed out that since April 2024, when the opposition party secured a sweeping victory in the general elections, President Yoon has been “in a de facto ‘lame-duck’ state.” So, when Yoon expressed dissatisfaction toward the opposition party again in his statement addressing the nation as he lifted martial law, the motivation became rather clear. I urge the National Assembly to immediately cease the reckless acts of paralyzing state functions through repeated impeachments, legislative manipulation, and budget obstruction. — President Yoon Suk Yeol President Yoon’s administration has been unable to pass any of its desired legislation—which he called “legislative manipulation.” In addition, as of Late November 2024, the opposition party proposed a bill to significantly cut the government’s budget—a type of legislation the president cannot veto. This, he referred to as “budget obstruction.” Most importantly, as President Yoon’s approval rating plummeted amid his multiple corruption scandals—including the one surrounding the First Lady and her Dior bag, the opposition party pursued fierce impeachment proceedings against President Yoon’s line of prosecutors, Cabinet members, and other key personnel for failing to investigate the scandals. In other words, based on the statements and previous struggles that his administration was facing, BBC Korea reported that “President Yoon had taken this extreme measure in response to a series of political failures.” Experts suggest that President Yoon was driven into a situation where he had no choice but to invoke martial law, a form of military governance, as a tactic to defend against political attacks. — BBC Korea Now that his “extreme measure” has fallen apart, what will happen to President Yoon? Money Today noted that, although President Yoon accepted the National Assembly’s demand to lift martial law, the aftermath of his declaration is expected to be unfathomable. Meet Ahn Gwi Ryeong, The Badass Woman Who Took On An Armed Korean Soldier The opposition party has since claimed that President Yoon’s declaration of martial law should be subject to charges of “rebellion,” an act of armed resistance against the authority of the state. According to Article 60 of the South Korean Constitution, the president is not subject to criminal prosecution during their term except in cases of rebellion or treason. Therefore, if the charge of rebellion is applied to President Yoon, even a sitting president could face prosecution and punishment. For rebellion, the penalty can include the death sentence, life imprisonment, or imprisonment for more than five years. Even if such a charge is not applied, it is highly likely President Yoon will face impeachment proceedings. As of December 4, 2024, the “Yoon Suk Yeol Impeachment Coalition of National Assembly Members” announced plans to initiate a motion for impeachment against President Yoon. According to The JoongAng , the Impeachment Coalition held a press conference at the National Assembly on the same day and stated, “President Yoon has opened the door to impeachment himself,” adding, “Now, impeachment of President Yoon has become something that must be done.” We will push forward with the impeachment motion and prepare for what comes after impeachment swiftly. Due to the reckless declaration of martial law, the Yoon administration is now over. The president and those around him have clearly shown how unconstitutional and anti-democratic they are. — Yoon Suk Yeol Impeachment Coalition of National Assembly Members What's Happening In Korea Meet Ahn Gwi Ryeong, The Badass Woman Who Took On An Armed Korean Soldier President Yoon Suk Yeol Withdraws Emergency Martial Law South Korean National Assembly Votes To Block President’s “Emergency Martial Law” South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol Declares “Emergency Martial Law” View All (387)Manchin, Sinema prevent Democrats from locking in majority on labor board through 2026
Juan Soto gets free luxury suite and up to 4 premium tickets for home games in $765M Mets dealWASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats failed Wednesday to confirm a Democratic member of the National Labor Relations Board after independent Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema opposed the nomination, thwarting their hopes of locking in a majority at the federal agency for the first two years of President-elect Donald Trump's term. A vote to move ahead with the nomination of Lauren McFarren, who currently chairs the NLRB, failed 49-50. Had she been confirmed to another five-year term, it would have cemented a Democratic majority on the agency's board for the first two years of the incoming Trump administration. Now, Trump will likely be able to nominate McFarren's replacement. The NLRB oversees labor disputes, supervises union elections and has the power to investigate unfair labor practices . The partisan breakdown of the NLRB’s leadership is fiercely contested by businesses and labor groups, as the majority on the board sets the agenda and determines how readily the agency uses its power to investigate and enforce labor laws. “It is deeply disappointing, a direct attack on working people, and incredibly troubling that this highly qualified nominee — with a proven track record of protecting worker rights — did not have the votes," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement. The rejection of McFarren was yet another blow to Senate Democrats and President Joe Biden from Manchin and Sinema, who served as major brakes — and at times outright obstacles — to much of their legislative agenda the first two years of Biden's term. Manchin left the Democratic Party in May, while Sinema withdrew from the party in 2022. Both chose not to run for another Senate term and will be leaving the Congress in January. Some congressional Republicans praised Manchin and Sinema for preventing the confirmation. “This NLRB seat should be filled by President Trump and the new incoming Senate. Not a historically unpopular president and a Senate Democrat Majority that has lost its mandate to govern,” Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, said in a statement after the vote. “Big Labor knows the days of having the federal government do its bidding are numbered,” Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., wrote in a statement. Foxx, who chairs the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, said that the incoming Trump administration would focus on “enacting a truly pro-worker agenda.” Business groups also praised the rejection of McFarren. Kristen Swearingen, a vice president at Associated Builders and Contractors, a trade group, called McFarren's policies “harmful” and said the process to nominate her was “flawed.” “Under McFerran’s leadership, the NLRB has issued decisions and expanded interpretations of the National Labor Relations Act that have been rejected by the business community, Congress and federal courts," argued Swearingen. Labor unions decried the vote. Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO, the nation's largest consortium of labor unions, said the senators who rejected McFarren's nomination “voted against the working people of this country” and warned that the incoming Trump administration would direct the NLRB to side with management over workers. “Make no mistake: This vote had nothing to do with stopping Chair McFerran’s renomination and everything to do with reversing generations of progress workers have made toward building a fairer and more just economy," Shuler said. Democratic lawmakers, like Schumer, took a dim view of the vote. Some directed their anger directly at Manchin and Sinema. “Shortchanging workers is a bad way to leave,” Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., wrote on social media .
Alexander: Is diminished USC-UCLA game another reminder of what we’ve lost?US News Today Live Updates: In today’s dynamic landscape, staying updated on the latest developments across the United States is essential. US News delivers the most impactful and current stories from coast to coast, covering a broad spectrum of topics, including politics, economic trends, healthcare, social issues, and cultural shifts. From significant government actions and economic shifts to breakthroughs in technology and the latest social debates, we provide real-time updates and thoughtful analysis to keep you informed. Our goal is to keep you connected to the stories that shape American life, ensuring you’re always in the know on the news that matters. US News Today Live: Donald Trump says US should avoid Syria: ‘This is a mess, but not our fight, let it play out’ US News Today Live: Ariana Grande's powerful response to body shaming critics—The Wicked star's message will leave you speechless
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