SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks took a bumpy path to sole possession of first place in the NFC West. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks took a bumpy path to sole possession of first place in the NFC West. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks took a bumpy path to sole possession of first place in the NFC West. Sunday’s 26-21 win over the Jets featured several special teams miscues, including a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by New York. On the flip side, the Seahawks got their second pick-6 in as many weeks and just enough production by Geno Smith and the offense. The Seahawks’ uneven performance was characteristic of a season in which they started 3-0, then lost five of six before winning another three in a row to take command of their underachieving division. Seattle (7-5) leads Arizona by one game, with a matchup against the Cardinals looming next weekend. Zach Charbonnet gave Seattle its first lead of the day on an 8-yard touchdown run with 5:37 to go, and the Seahawks’ defense capped another strong outing with a game-sealing stop on fourth down. After a sack by Leonard Williams gave the Jets a fourth-and-15 at the 34-yard line, Aaron Rodgers threw a desperation pass to Garrett Wilson that fell incomplete, giving Seattle the ball with 33 seconds left. What’s working Williams is on a tear. After losing out on NFC defensive player of the week honors last week to teammate Coby Bryant despite 2 1/2 sacks and four quarterback hits, “Big Cat” had an even better game. Williams finished with two sacks, three tackles for loss, a 92-yard interception return for a touchdown that was the longest pick-6 in NFL history by a defensive lineman, and a blocked extra point. The touchdown was the first of Williams’ career. He became the first player since 1982 with multiple sacks, an interception return for a touchdown and a blocked kick in a game. Maybe this week the league will agree he was the NFC’s best defender. What needs help The special teams could not have been much worse in the first half. The Seahawks fumbled three kickoffs, losing two, and allowed Kene Nwangwu’s 99-yard kickoff return for a TD. Dee Williams fumbled on a kickoff in the first quarter to give New York the ball at the 27-yard line, and four plays later, Rodgers hit Isaiah Davis for a touchdown to give the Jets a 14-0 lead. Laviska Shenault Jr. muffed two kicks and fumbled at the Seattle 38-yard line in the second quarter. Seattle also had an extra point blocked. Stock up Smith led his third game-winning drive of the season and his 11th since he became Seattle’s starting quarterback in 2022. Facing the team that drafted him in 2013, Smith went 20 of 31 for 206 yards and a touchdown. For the first time in five weeks, he was not intercepted. The Seahawks trailed by 14 points on two occasions, but Smith brought Seattle back while avoiding the untimely picks that dogged him recently. He threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Barner in the second quarter, and led the Seahawks on a go-ahead nine-play, 71-yard touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter. Stock down Coach Mike Macdonald and his staff have to address the problem with their kick returners, Shenault and Dee Williams. Two lost fumbles and several muffs could have easily cost Seattle the game. Injuries WR DK Metcalf left the game briefly with a knee issue but returned. ... P Michael Dickson was unavailable in the fourth quarter because of back spasms. Key number 38 — The Seahawks decided to go for it on fourth-and-6 at their own 33-yard line with 9:34 left in the game. A primary reason was that Dickson was unavailable to punt because of back spasms. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. The Jets were flagged for having 12 men on the field after sending a punt returner out, which gave Seattle fourth-and-1 at the 38. The Seahawks got a first down after Jets cornerback Quantez Stiggers was flagged for pass interference on Metcalf, and eight players later, Charbonnet scored to put Seattle ahead. Without going for it on fourth down from their own 38, the Seahawks likely would’ve lost. Up next The Seahawks will seek a season sweep of the Cardinals. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Advertisement Advertisement
Broncos can wipe away back-to-back heartbreakers and make playoffs by beating Kansas City ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Losses to the Chargers and Bengals with a playoff berth on the line show Sean Payton made a miscalculation when he agreed to flex the Denver Broncos' Week 16 game to a Thursday night. Arnie Stapleton, The Associated Press Dec 29, 2024 11:08 AM Dec 29, 2024 11:35 AM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton walks off the field following an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Cincinnati, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Losses to the Chargers and Bengals with a playoff berth on the line show Sean Payton made a miscalculation when he agreed to flex the Denver Broncos' Week 16 game to a Thursday night. The NFL needed the Broncos' approval to replace the Cincinnati-Cleveland game with the Broncos-Chargers game because Denver had already played on a Thursday night on the road. He eagerly agreed to the switch, figuring the team's fanbase always travels well to SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and the Broncos would be the more rested team at Cincinnati. But after an emotional comeback win over the Colts, the Broncos (9-7) lost to the Chargers in part because Payton got away from the run even though it helped them score touchdowns on their first three drives — and he had written “Run It!!” in marker on top of his play sheet. And they lost to the Bengals 30-24 in overtime on Saturday after Payton decided against going for 2 and the win when Marvin Mims Jr. hauled in a highlight-reel touchdown grab between two defenders with 8 seconds left in regulation. “We knew a tie for us was just as beneficial as a win,” Payton explained. “We felt like we had the momentum at that point.” Holding up two fingers, rookie QB Bo Nix lobbied for the 2-point try to no avail. “We discussed it all. We had plenty of time, plenty of time, plenty of time,” Payton said. "And the decision we made was the right one.” Well ... An extra point assured Joe Burrow would get the ball back, and the Broncos hadn't forced a single punt all game, something Payton acknowledged afterward that he wasn't aware of, and they hadn't stopped the Bengals since twice holding them on fourth down in the first half. They finally forced a punt in overtime, but the Broncos went three-and-out, something they did again after Bengals kicker Cade York doinked a 33-yard field-goal attempt off the left upright on Cincinnati's second possession. With the Bengals out of timeouts, all the Broncos needed was a first down and they'd be playoff-bound for the first time since 2015, but Bo Nix misfired to tight end Adam Trautman on third-and-long, so the Broncos punted and Burrow led the Bengals (8-8) on their game-winning touchdown drive. “I thought we could move the ball in overtime,” Nix said, “but we didn't.” The Broncos could render all of it moot with a win in Week 18 against Kansas City with the Chiefs (15-1) expected to rely heavily on backups as they rest up for the playoffs as the AFC's top seed. But Denver's defense has been dismal since November, giving up the most yards in the league, and another letdown against the Chiefs would give the Broncos their biggest collapse in two decades. “This is what we do it for — meaningful games here,” Payton said. "I think it’s important that you embrace it, and it is exciting. There’s nothing worse than playing games in the last part of the season where there’s nothing at stake. So I think it’s something we’ll all be excited about.” What’s working Denver's pass rush. The Broncos sacked Burrow seven times, giving them a league-high 58 for the season. Zach Allen had a career-best 3 1/2 of them and Dondrea Tillman's sack gives the Broncos six players without at least five sacks this season. What needs help Riley Moss led the Broncos with 14 tackles but he had a tough return to action after missing a month with a sprained MCL. Burrow targeted him over and over, including on the game-winning touchdown throw to Tee Higgins, who caught three TD passes. “Riley could have been healthy for the last eight weeks. Whoever’s opposite Pat, they’re going to go that direction, right?" Payton said. (Higgins) is a good player. A real good player. It wasn’t anything that we didn’t expect. In other words, that happens when you’re teammates with Pat.” Stock up WR Marvin Mims Jr. had a breakout performance with eight catches for 103 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns, a 51-yarder and the 25-yard catch on fourth down in the closing seconds while sandwiched between two veteran defenders. Stock down Denver's defense. Even with Moss back, which allowed DC Vance Joseph to go back to relying more on man coverage, the Broncos defense continued to struggle since the calendar turned to December. Injuries The Broncos came out healthy although superstar CB Patrick Surtain II was limping on the game's final snaps. Key number 5 — Number of NFL rookie QBs to throw for at least 3,000 yards and 25 touchdowns with Nix joining Justin Herbert, Baker Mayfield, Russell Wilson and Peyton Manning. What’s next It's all or nothing next week when a win over the Chiefs would send Denver to the playoffs. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL Arnie Stapleton, 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 Football (NFL) Brock Purdy's production takes a big drop for the 49ers in a trying season Dec 29, 2024 9:59 AM NFL Inactive Report Dec 29, 2024 8:45 AM Cardinals' Trey McBride reaches milestones, but deflection off helmet leads to loss Dec 28, 2024 10:23 PMSocial Development Minister, UN Officials Discuss Cooperation
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Losses to the Chargers and Bengals with a playoff berth on the line show Sean Payton made a miscalculation when he agreed to flex the Denver Broncos' Week 16 game to a Thursday night. The NFL needed the Broncos' approval to replace the Cincinnati-Cleveland game with the Broncos-Chargers game because Denver had already played on a Thursday night on the road. He eagerly agreed to the switch, figuring the team's fanbase always travels well to SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and the Broncos would be the more rested team at Cincinnati. But after an emotional comeback win over the Colts, the Broncos (9-7) lost to the Chargers in part because Payton got away from the run even though it helped them score touchdowns on their first three drives — and he had written “Run It!!” in marker on top of his play sheet. People are also reading... Lincoln native purchases Michael Jordan's iconic Chicago mansion for $9.5 million Here's a list of Lincoln restaurants open on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day Inside Matt Rhule's 'pretty insane gesture' of getting former Huskers to the Pinstripe Bowl Teenage brother charged as adult in Christmas Eve shooting death Man killed by brother in Lincoln apartment complex shooting, police say Nebraska's Matt Rhule: 'Total overhaul' of special teams coming after Pinstripe Bowl disaster Honor walk pays tribute to Lincoln man who made organ donation Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen sustained fractured ribs, lacerated spleen in fall from horse 'Multiple wins for me': Lincoln North Star rallies from double-digit deficit hours after coach's son is born Sound waves: What others are saying about Nebraska's bowl win vs. Boston College Transfer tracker: The latest on the Nebraska football roster Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen hospitalized at UNMC after falling from horse Isaiah Neyor reportedly changes plans, now aiming to transfer for seventh season How a young Matt Rhule found a passion for football in baseball-crazed New York Amie Just: Playing with a heavy heart, Rahmir Johnson delivers an MVP performance And they lost to the Bengals 30-24 in overtime on Saturday after Payton decided against going for 2 and the win when Marvin Mims Jr. hauled in a highlight-reel touchdown grab between two defenders with 8 seconds left in regulation. “We knew a tie for us was just as beneficial as a win,” Payton explained. “We felt like we had the momentum at that point.” Holding up two fingers, rookie QB Bo Nix lobbied for the 2-point try to no avail. “We discussed it all. We had plenty of time, plenty of time, plenty of time,” Payton said. "And the decision we made was the right one.” Well ... An extra point assured Joe Burrow would get the ball back, and the Broncos hadn't forced a single punt all game, something Payton acknowledged afterward that he wasn't aware of, and they hadn't stopped the Bengals since twice holding them on fourth down in the first half. They finally forced a punt in overtime, but the Broncos went three-and-out, something they did again after Bengals kicker Cade York doinked a 33-yard field-goal attempt off the left upright on Cincinnati's second possession. With the Bengals out of timeouts, all the Broncos needed was a first down and they'd be playoff-bound for the first time since 2015, but Bo Nix misfired to tight end Adam Trautman on third-and-long, so the Broncos punted and Burrow led the Bengals (8-8) on their game-winning touchdown drive. “I thought we could move the ball in overtime,” Nix said, “but we didn't.” The Broncos could render all of it moot with a win in Week 18 against Kansas City with the Chiefs (15-1) expected to rely heavily on backups as they rest up for the playoffs as the AFC's top seed. But Denver's defense has been dismal since November, giving up the most yards in the league, and another letdown against the Chiefs would give the Broncos their biggest collapse in two decades. “This is what we do it for — meaningful games here,” Payton said. "I think it’s important that you embrace it, and it is exciting. There’s nothing worse than playing games in the last part of the season where there’s nothing at stake. So I think it’s something we’ll all be excited about.” What’s working Denver's pass rush. The Broncos sacked Burrow seven times, giving them a league-high 58 for the season. Zach Allen had a career-best 3 1/2 of them and Dondrea Tillman's sack gives the Broncos six players without at least five sacks this season. What needs help Riley Moss led the Broncos with 14 tackles but he had a tough return to action after missing a month with a sprained MCL. Burrow targeted him over and over, including on the game-winning touchdown throw to Tee Higgins, who caught three TD passes. “Riley could have been healthy for the last eight weeks. Whoever’s opposite Pat, they’re going to go that direction, right?" Payton said. (Higgins) is a good player. A real good player. It wasn’t anything that we didn’t expect. In other words, that happens when you’re teammates with Pat.” Stock up WR Marvin Mims Jr. had a breakout performance with eight catches for 103 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns, a 51-yarder and the 25-yard catch on fourth down in the closing seconds while sandwiched between two veteran defenders. Stock down Denver's defense. Even with Moss back, which allowed DC Vance Joseph to go back to relying more on man coverage, the Broncos defense continued to struggle since the calendar turned to December. Injuries The Broncos came out healthy although superstar CB Patrick Surtain II was limping on the game's final snaps. Key number 5 — Number of NFL rookie QBs to throw for at least 3,000 yards and 25 touchdowns with Nix joining Justin Herbert, Baker Mayfield, Russell Wilson and Peyton Manning. What’s next It's all or nothing next week when a win over the Chiefs would send Denver to the playoffs. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLSouth Korea lifts president's martial law decree after lawmakers vote against it SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s government has lifted the martial law he imposed during a tense night of political drama in which troops surrounded parliament and lawmakers voted to reject military rule. Yoon said early Wednesday that his government withdrew military personnel following a bipartisan parliamentary vote rejecting martial law, and the measure was formally lifted during a Cabinet meeting around 4:30 a.m. Yoon declared martial law late Tuesday, vowing to eliminate “anti-state” forces as he struggles against an opposition that controls the country’s parliament and that he accuses of sympathizing with communist North Korea. Less than three hours later, parliament voted to lift the declaration. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
ASX set to drop after ‘Magnificent Seven’ weigh down US marketSEOUL, South Korea — The South Korean government early Wednesday lifted the martial law imposed by President Yoon Suk Yeol during a tense night of political drama in which troops surrounded parliament and lawmakers voted to reject military rule. Police and military personnel were seen leaving the grounds of parliament following the bipartisan vote, and the declaration was formally lifted around 4:30 a.m. during a Cabinet meeting. Yoon, who appeared likely to be impeached over his actions, imposed martial law late Tuesday, vowing to eliminate “anti-state” forces as he struggles against an opposition that controls parliament and that he accuses of sympathizing with communist North Korea. Less than three hours later, parliament acted, with National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik declaring that the martial law was “invalid” and that lawmakers would “protect democracy with the people.” In all, martial law was in effect for about six hours. The president’s surprising move harkened back to an era of authoritarian leaders that the country has not seen since the 1980s, and it was immediately denounced by the opposition and the leader of Yoon’s own party. Lee Jae-myung , leader of the liberal Democratic Party, which holds the majority in the 300-seat parliament, said the party’s lawmakers would remain in the Assembly’s main hall until Yoon formally lifted his order. Woo applauded how troops quickly left the Assembly after the vote. “Even with our unfortunate memories of military coups, our citizens have surely observed the events of today and saw the maturity of our military,” Woo said. While announcing his plan to lift martial law, Yoon continued to criticize parliament’s attempts to impeach key government officials and senior prosecutors. He said lawmakers had engaged in “unscrupulous acts of legislative and budgetary manipulation that are paralyzing the functions of the state.” Jo Seung-lae, a Democratic lawmaker, claimed that security camera footage following Yoon’s declaration showed that troops moved in a way that suggested they were trying to arrest Lee, Woo and even Han Dong-hoon, the leader of Yoon’s People Power Party. Officials from Yoon’s office and the Defense Ministry did not respond to requests for comment early Wednesday. Seemingly hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the Assembly, waving banners and calling for Yoon’s impeachment. Some protesters scuffled with troops ahead of the lawmakers’ vote, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or major property damage. At least one window was broken as troops attempted to enter the Assembly building. One woman tried unsuccessfully to pull a rifle away from one of the soldiers, while shouting “Aren’t you embarrassed?” Under South Korea’s constitution, the president can declare martial law during “wartime, war-like situations or other comparable national emergency states” that require the use of military force to maintain peace and order. It was questionable whether South Korea is currently in such a state. When martial law is declared, “special measures” can be employed to restrict the freedom of press, freedom of assembly and other rights, as well as the power of courts. The constitution also states that the president must oblige when the National Assembly demands the lifting of martial law with a majority vote. Following Yoon’s announcement, South Korea’s military proclaimed that parliament and other political gatherings that could cause “social confusion” would be suspended, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency said. The military said anyone who violates the decree could be arrested without a warrant. In Washington, the White House said the U.S. was “seriously concerned” by the events in Seoul. A spokesperson for the National Security Council said President Joe Biden’s administration was not notified in advance of the martial law announcement and was in contact with the South Korean government. Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said there was no effect on the more than 27,000 U.S. service members based in South Korea. They are not confined to base or under any type of curfew, Ryder said. The South Korean military also said that the country’s striking doctors should return to work within 48 hours, Yonhap said. Thousands of doctors have been striking for months over government plans to expand the number of students at medical schools. Soon after martial law was declared, the parliament speaker called on his YouTube channel for all lawmakers to gather at the National Assembly. He urged military and law enforcement personnel to “remain calm and hold their positions. All 190 lawmakers who participated in the vote supported the lifting of martial law. At one point, television footage showed police officers blocking the entrance of the National Assembly and helmeted soldiers carrying rifles in front of the building. An Associated Press photographer saw at least three helicopters, likely from the military, that landed inside the Assembly grounds, while two or three helicopters circled above the site. The leader of Yoon’s conservative People Power Party called the decision to impose martial law “wrong.” Lee, who narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 presidential election, said Yoon’s announcement was “illegal and unconstitutional.” Yoon said during a televised speech that martial law would help “rebuild and protect” the country from “falling into the depths of national ruin.” He said he would “eradicate pro-North Korean forces and protect the constitutional democratic order.” “I will eliminate anti-state forces as quickly as possible and normalize the country,” he said, while asking the people to believe in him and tolerate “some inconveniences.” Yoon — whose approval rating dipped in recent months — has struggled to push his agenda against an opposition-controlled parliament since taking office in 2022. Yoon’s party has been locked in an impasse with the liberal opposition over next year’s budget bill. The opposition has also attempted to pass motions to impeach three top prosecutors, including the chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, in what the conservatives have called a vendetta against their criminal investigations of Lee, who has been seen as the favorite for the next presidential election in 2027 in opinion polls. During his televised announcement, Yoon also described the opposition as “shameless pro-North Korean anti-state forces who are plundering the freedom and happiness of our citizens,” but he did not elaborate. Yoon has taken a hard line on North Korea over its nuclear ambitions, departing from the policies of his liberal predecessor, Moon Jae-in, who pursued inter-Korean engagement. Yoon has also dismissed calls for independent investigations into scandals involving his wife and top officials, drawing quick, strong rebukes from his political rivals. Yoon’s move was the first declaration of martial law since the country’s democratization in 1987. The country’s last previous martial law was in October 1979, following the assassination of former military dictator Park Chung-hee. Sydney Seiler, Korean chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, argued that the move was symbolic for Yoon to express his frustration with the opposition-controlled parliament. “He has nothing to lose,” said Seiler, comparing Yoon’s move to the Hail Mary pass in American football, where he hoped for a slim chance of success. Now Yoon faces likely impeachment, a scenario that was also possible before he made the bold move, Seiler said. Natalia Slavney, research analyst at the Stimson Center’s 38 North website that focuses on Korean affairs, said Yoon’s imposition of martial law was “a serious backslide of democracy” that followed a “worrying trend of abuse” since he took office in 2022. South Korea “has a robust history of political pluralism and is no stranger to mass protests and swift impeachments,” Slavney said, citing the example of former President Park Geun-hye, the country’s first female president, who was ousted from office and imprisoned for bribery and other crimes in 2017 . Associated Press writers Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea, and Matt Lee, Didi Tang and Tara Copp in Washington contributed to this report.
Welcome to the online version of From the Politics Desk , an evening newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team’s latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail. In today's edition, our reporters go through President Joe Biden's pardon of his son — and the part that's particularly rankling fellow Democrats. Plus, senior politics editor Mark Murray looks at three big polling trends that defined 2024. Sign up to receive this newsletter in your inbox every weekday here. Some Democrats bristle at Biden's pardon justification By Carol E. Lee, Sarah Fitzpatrick, Gary Grumbach and Dareh Gregorian It’s not just that President Joe Biden pardoned his son Hunter . It’s how he did it that’s upsetting some fellow Democrats. The president issued a “full and unconditional pardon” for any offenses Hunter Biden has “committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 1, 2014 through December 1, 2024,” according to a White House statement issued Sunday night. The pardon comes after Biden repeatedly said he would not use his executive authority to pardon his son or commute his son’s sentence. And in his statement, Biden said he was granting the pardon because his son had been “selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted.” That, as Democratic Rep. Greg Stanton of Arizona told NBC News’ “Meet the Press Now” on Monday, plays against years of core Democratic Party policy positioning — and into the way President-elect Donald Trump and his allies have described his investigations and prosecutions. “I’m pretty angry because it’s going to be incredibly important that political leaders of both parties stand up for the independence of the Department of Justice, stand up to these attacks suggesting that the Department of Justice has become politicized and needs to be dismantled or the FBI needs to be dismantled,” Stanton said. (See more from Stanton below.) Trump, in response to Biden’s action, raised the issue of the defendants and people convicted of violence at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, when he was pushing to overturn the 2020 election results. “Does the Pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 Hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years? Such an abuse and miscarriage of Justice!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Special counsel David Weiss’s office on Monday appeared to push back on Biden’s claim that its prosecutions of Hunter Biden were politically motivated, calling such allegations “baseless.” In a court filing challenging Hunter Biden’s request to have his California tax and fraud indictment dismissed in light of his father’s pardon, Weiss noted that a number of judges had already rejected the younger Biden’s claims of vindictive prosecution. While a handful of members of Congress have spoken out about the pardon so far, one notable group has been silent — those Democrats seen as early possibilities to run for president in 2028. Watch this space going forward. Three big takeaways from the 2024 polls By Mark Murray Beyond signaling that the 2024 presidential election was competitive and uncertain, the polls nailed the political atmospherics that shaped the contest — and could continue to shape politics going forward. Here are some of the biggest lessons we learned. Most broadly, the polls accurately described an electorate that mostly saw the nation headed in the wrong direction, with an incumbent president, Joe Biden, whose approval rating was stuck in the low 40s — a historical danger zone for the party controlling the White House. As it turns out, the NBC News Exit Poll found 73% of voters saying they were angry or dissatisfied with the country’s direction, and only 40% approved of Biden’s job performance. Additionally, the polls foretold many of the key demographic trends that ended up defining the 2024 election, including Trump’s gains with Latino voters. The NBC News/Telemundo/CNBC Latino poll was among the surveys showing those Trump gains well before the election. Many polls also caught on early to Biden’s and Democrats’ relative struggles with young voters, particularly some men, compared with other recent elections. But the polls, including the NBC News survey , erred in overstating the size of the gender gap when it came to Harris’ support among female voters and Trump’s backing among men. According to the exit poll , Harris won female voters by 8 points, and Trump won men by 13 points — a 21-point gender gap that was consistent with recent presidential elections. That was smaller than the 30-point-plus gender gap that the NBC News poll had been showing. The big thing to keep in mind with the gender gap: For a look at how and where it’s widening, combine it with education and race instead. Harris won white women with college degrees by 16 points, and Trump won white men without college degrees by 40 points — a whopping 56-point gap in the margin between those two different groups. Read more here → That’s all from the Politics Desk for now. If you have feedback — likes or dislikes — email us at politicsnewsletter@nbcuni.com And if you’re a fan, please share with everyone and anyone. They can sign up here .Opposition Leader Peter Dutton recently admitted he was holding something back. Dutton was in Sydney earlier this month, standing alongside Liberal northern beaches candidates who hope to win back the teal-held seats of Warringah and Mackellar, and he was asked if his party’s nuclear policy costings were being held back to avoid scrutiny over Christmas. “Nope,” came the blunt answer, he was just letting the government kick another own goal. “There’ll be plenty of time to scrutinise. We’re not releasing it on the day of the election,” Dutton said. “Part of the reason that there’s been a delay is we’ve gone to announce it a few times, to be honest, and the government’s latest disaster has happened on that day where we’ve decided that we’ll let people concentrate on how bad the Albanese government is.” Dutton knows when to hold back and when to let rip for a ready headline, but his aversion to detail could prove a liability next year when he has to persuade the voters he’s prime ministerial material. In 2024, if the polls are any guide, Dutton is in with a real chance to win the next election, forging forward as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese loses ground. This month’s Resolve Political Monitor showed the Coalition’s primary vote fell by one percentage point to 38, Labor’s fell by three percentage points to 27 per cent and 35 per cent of voters nominated another party. This would almost certainly deliver a hung parliament on election day, with either side potentially able to cobble together minority government. Dutton needs to win 21 seats to claim 76 seats and govern in majority – a huge mountain to climb – but a 70-seat minority Coalition government is possible, supported by a clutch of independent MPs – including but not limited to Dai Le, Helen Haines, Rebekha Sharkie, Andrew Gee, Bob Katter and Allegra Spender. Dutton has been mostly gaffe-free (it’s hard to imagine him repeating his 2015 “joke” about Pacific Islanders being hit by climate change) and on message. He speaks in short, declarative sentences and quickly stamps out spot fires, such as when he quashed the abortion debate last month just as high-profile conservative Jacinta Nampijinpa Price said late-term terminations should be on the agenda. “I support a woman’s right to choose,” he said in a rare phone call to ABC’s Radio National. “I’ve been in very difficult circumstances where, as a detective working in the sex offenders squad, I’ve dealt with women in domestic relationships who have been raped; it’s a very, very difficult situation. Ultimately, that’s a choice and a decision for that individual to make, and that’s the position I support.” Jenny Ware, a NSW moderate Liberal MP and the only current Liberal MP who chose to speak on the record for this piece, is not a natural ally of Dutton but she praises him for the job he has done, “particularly in the last nine months as Labor has gone odd on tangents”. “Peter has called out antisemitism in Australia, at universities et cetera. He is now representing the quiet majority of Australians on this and other issues,” she says. “A year ago, even if people weren’t happy with Albanese, they were saying Dutton isn’t ready. But the dial has shifted to Peter being electable and I think that all of the attacks Labor has launched on him haven’t worked.” History proved Dutton right when he chose to oppose the Voice to Parliament in 2023, but he demonstrated political judgment again at the start of January 2024, when he quickly dropped his broken promises attack on the changes to stage 3 tax cuts after it became clear that most voters didn’t care about discarded election pledges if they got more money in their pockets. The opposition leader has savaged Labor on its handling of immigration policy following the High Court’s NZYQ decision and prosecuted the case for reduced migration, linking the issue to housing shortages successfully, too. On the number one issue concerning most voters, the cost of living, he has mauled Labor while offering scant detail about how he would fix it. He picks his moments on when to lob culture war hand grenades, too, cannily tossing them at big corporates, such as accusing Woolworths of peddling a “woke agenda” on Australia Day, or starting an argument about which flags should be displayed behind a prime minister, pulling focus for 24 hours and then walking away. But for a former cop with a strongman persona, Dutton doesn’t like scrutiny and he doesn’t always front up. While he gives friendly interviews with commercial radio hosts, appearances on the ABC and long-form newspaper interviews are strictly rationed. When he does front up at a press conference it’s more often than not in a far-flung outer suburban seat or in a regional town, far from metropolitan newsrooms. Tracked down at these remote locations, he has proved brittle, taking a belligerent approach to questions asked by young reporters, especially if they happen to work for the ABC. The long-awaited launch of his nuclear power policy costings last week was a case in point: it was released at a small press conference in Brisbane with subject-matter-expert reporters thousands of kilometres away in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne. The contrast with Bowen and Albanese fronting up in Canberra in 2021 with their climate change policy costings was stark. As the election approaches, there are more questions to be answered on the detail of what exactly a Coalition government would do on tax, industrial relations, health and education. The seven Coalition MPs who spoke to this masthead on background to inform this piece are dreaming of, at worst, a minority Labor government and some are even canvassing a return to government after one term. Dutton has enjoyed an unusual period of stability for a first-term opposition leader, assisted by the loss of Josh Frydenberg and many other Liberal moderates in May 2022 and the high number of conservative MPs and Queenslanders in the party room (usually but not always the same thing). But as one of those seven anonymous Liberal MPs points out, Dutton “read the riot act on abortion to the party room, for example, and that was important. And he has read the room on [Australia’s commitment to] net zero. He is holding the line, despite what the Nationals might want. “He has done an amazing job holding the government to account but he has to present enough of an alternative. His shadow front bench ... Is everyone ready? I don’t think so.” As the MP put it: “Policy is where Peter goes from an A+ to a B” and the loss of senior moderates Simon Birmingham and Paul Fletcher – both experienced policy wonks – makes it harder. A veteran MP who asked not to be named, says Dutton has performed better than his mentor Tony Abbott and in a more difficult environment, as Albanese’s team is not divided like the Labor government of the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd years. “Abbott’s approach was just ‘kill, kill, kill’ belligerence, and he had a fractured government to work with. He [Dutton] is not small or big target, he’s smart target, he picks his issues. The discipline with which he has shaped discussion of policies he wants to talk about and the sequence in which he has launched them shows very shrewd judgment,” the veteran says. has been Dutton’s biggest policy gamble to date and, while the announcement strategy managed to minimise scrutiny on the numbers, both in recent days, perhaps deliberately, by claiming the nuclear plan will lower power bills by 44 per cent, despite the costings explicitly stating they had not modelled electricity price impacts. Labor believes this rhetorical overreach creates an opening for attack; the Coalition believes voters’ eyes will glaze over the fight on detail and bets a “he said, she said” fight will be a scoreless draw, which suits Dutton fine. Although polling shows Dutton’s charge to the Lodge could come unstuck if he attempts to skate through on a “trust us, we will fix it” vibe because voters, at this stage, aren’t desperate to defenestrate the government. Professor of politics at ANU Ian McAllister, co-director of the university’s long-running Australian Election Study, says Dutton has been effective in 2024 and has room to be more expansive on policy in 2025. “He has established himself, he has no obvious challengers, he is in a good position to make quite dramatic policy changes if he wins the election. For example, on nuclear energy he has a degree of flexibility. To do it he will need some sort of bipartisanship, so for example Dutton could propose an independent inquiry, some sort of assembly or even a referendum on it if he wins the election,” McAllister says. Dutton has proven in 2024 that he is a worthy opposition leader. But he hasn’t yet shown how he would operate as a prime minister. He has just a few months to close the deal with voters.
Elevai Labs Inc. Announces Withdrawal of Offer to Exchange and Plans to ReassessHOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 3, 2024-- Crescent Energy Company (“Crescent” or the “Company”) (NYSE: CRGY) today announced the commencement of an underwritten public offering of 18,000,000 shares of its Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Class A common stock”), pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”) filed previously with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The Company intends to use the net proceeds it receives from the offering to fund a portion of the cash consideration for its recently announced acquisition of Ridgemar (Eagle Ford) LLC (the “Ridgemar Acquisition”), which is expected to close in the first quarter of 2025, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. The Ridgemar Acquisition is not contingent upon the completion of this offering and this offering is not contingent upon the completion of the Ridgemar Acquisition. If the Ridgemar Acquisition is not completed, the proceeds of this offering will be used to reduce the borrowings outstanding under our revolving credit facility or for general corporate purposes. The Company expects to grant the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 2,700,000 shares of Class A common stock at the public offering price, less the underwriting discounts and commissions. Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, KKR Capital Markets LLC, Raymond James & Associates, Inc. and Evercore Group L.L.C. are serving as joint book-running managers for the offering. The offering is subject to market and other conditions, and there can be no assurance as to whether or when the offering may be completed, or as to the actual size or terms of the offering. The proposed offering will be made only by means of a prospectus and a prospectus supplement. Copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus relating to the offering and final prospectus supplement, when available, may be obtained from: Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, 90 South 7th Street, 5th Floor, Minneapolis, MN 55402, at 800-645-3751 (option #5) or email a request to WFScustomerservice@wellsfargo.com , KKR Capital Markets LLC, 30 Hudson Yards, New York, New York 10001 or by telephone at (212) 750-8300, Raymond James & Associates, Inc., 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL 33716, by telephone at (800) 248-8863 or by email at prospectus@raymondjames.com , or Evercore Group L.L.C., Attention: Equity Capital Markets, 55 East 52nd Street, 35th Floor, New York, New York 10055, by telephone at 888-474-0200 or by email at ecm.prospectus@evercore.com , or by accessing the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov . The offering is being conducted pursuant to the Registration Statement, previously filed with the SEC on March 6, 2024 that became effective upon filing, and corresponding prospectus. A preliminary prospectus supplement thereto has been filed with the SEC. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the shares of Class A common stock or any other securities, nor shall there be any sale of such shares of Class A common stock or any other securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction. About Crescent Energy Company Crescent Energy Company is a U.S. energy company with a portfolio of assets concentrated in Texas and the Rockies. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This communication contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. These forward-looking statements include any statements regarding the proposed offering of Class A common stock and the Ridgemar Acquisition. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as “may,” “expect,” “estimate,” “project,” “plan,” “believe,” “intend,” “achievable,” “anticipate,” “will,” “continue,” “potential,” “should,” “could,” and similar terms and phrases. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, they do involve certain assumptions, risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including, but not limited to, those set forth in the Company’s filings with the SEC, including the Registration Statement and the prospectus supplement relating to this offering, its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 and its subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, under the caption “Risk Factors,” as may be updated from time to time in the Company’s periodic filings with the SEC. Any forward-looking statement in this press release speaks only as of the date of this release. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by any applicable securities laws. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241203973333/en/ IR@crescentenergyco.com KEYWORD: TEXAS UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: UTILITIES ENERGY SOURCE: Crescent Energy Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/03/2024 04:23 PM/DISC: 12/03/2024 04:23 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241203973333/en
Antetokounmpo raises his game to help Bucks make quick turnaround from poor start
NEWLY ELECTED LABOUR TD Marie Sherlock has said her party would not enter into a coalition with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael on its own. Sherlock said there would only be a basis for negotiation if “we’re with other small parties also”. Speaking tonight on RTÉ’s Upfront with Katie Hannon, Sherlock said that Labour “has been very clear since before this election” that “in order to affect the change that is so desperately needed, that we can only do so on the basis of strength in numbers”. “We can’t do with just 11 TDs, we need to have the other smaller parties working as a common block.” Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael will have 86 TDs in the next Dáil, just two short of the 88 needed for a majority. Yesterday, Labour leader Ivana Bacik said her party’s priority is to build a platform “on the left” before speaking to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael about going into government. Bacik said she would speak to the Social Democrats and the Green Party first, but did not rule out going into government with the two bigger parties. The Social Democrats, like Labour, have 11 TDs while Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman is the sole Green TD in the next Dáil. And speaking today on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Bacik said she was “serious about delivering change” but that she wanted to “ensure there is a critical mass of centre-left and Green TDs” before entering into government formation talks. When asked if Labour was prepared to negotiate on its own, Bacik said: “No, not at this stage, we are absolutely not willing to do that.” “We want to ensure there is the largest number of TDs who share our vision and values,” said Bacik. “I really want us to be very serious about entering talks on a common platform on the left, and then seeing whether we can shape the policies of the next government in a centre-left direction.” Bacik meanwhile said she was “mindful of how the Greens have suffered through going into government” but added that it was “not healthy for democracy for parties to be content to sit in perpetual opposition”. Elsewhere, Labour’s Alan Kelly today said “there’s no point in standing on the sidelines, you’ve got to consider going on the pitch and playing”. Kelly has been a member of Labour’s Parliamentary Party since 2007 and said he will offer his “guidance and advice in relation to how we should negotiate”. “Ivana has been very clear, we will talk to like-minded people and parties first, and then we will go from there, but we will have red line issues and conditions as regards any coalition talks.”AP Sports SummaryBrief at 2:38 p.m. EST