On the afternoon of Oct. 12, 2017, a nurse at Kaiser Permanente called the Monterey Police Department to report that a patient had come in for a sexual assault exam. The woman, the nurse told police, said she had been sexually assaulted four days earlier while at a Republican women’s conference at the Hyatt Regency Hotel and Spa in the coastal California resort town. The alleged assailant — though his name wouldn’t be revealed immediately — was a popular Fox News Channel host and the keynote speaker at the conference. The woman, identified only as Jane Doe in police reports, told the nurse she wasn’t sure she wanted to involve authorities and didn’t want to disclose the person’s name at that point. She had been suffering from nightmares and bouts of sobbing after returning home from the conference, but had little memory of the sexual encounter. She feared she had been drugged. The woman, who has not been identified publicly, could not be reached for comment by The Times. The nurse referred the woman to an emergency room for a sexual assault forensic exam. But the nurse’s call — made as a mandated reporter — triggered a law enforcement probe that included interviews with hotel staff, a review of surveillance video, discussions with several of the woman’s associates and a conversation with the alleged perpetrator, Pete Hegseth, who assured police the encounter had been consensual. No charges were ever filed. Monterey County Dist. Atty. Jeannine M. Pacioni said no charges were supported by proof beyond a reasonable doubt. The two parties eventually reached a private settlement, after which Doe signed a nondisclosure agreement. The story seemed to end there — until Donald Trump nominated Hegseth to be Defense secretary. Now that night in Monterey has become the centerpiece in what could be one of the most contentious confirmation fights in years. In recent days, a police report on the incident and other details have offered a clearer picture about the allegations. But much remains unknown, including why local prosecutors decided not to file charges against Hegseth. Shortly after the president-elect’s announcement of Hegseth’s nomination, a friend of the woman wrote a memo to Trump’s transition team saying that Hegseth had raped the then-30-year-old conservative group staffer in his hotel room in the early morning hours following a banquet dinner at the California Federation of Republican Women conference. In response, Hegseth confirmed the financial settlement, saying through his lawyer that he had agreed to pay the woman to protect his job at Fox. But he vehemently denied committing assault. The woman, Hegseth’s lawyer said in a statement, “was the aggressor in initiating sexual activity.” Hegseth had been “visibly intoxicated” at the after-party in the hotel bar, the lawyer said, and the woman had “led him by the arm to his hotel room.” “The matter was fully investigated, and I was completely cleared, and that’s where I’m gonna leave it,” Hegseth told reporters at the Capitol on Thursday. Revelations of the incident have set off a firestorm, both in Washington and among the members of the California Federation of Republican Women. The federation, which is a nonprofit advocacy group, is an organization comprised mostly of retirees. Its members gather for luncheons, conferences and fundraisers to hear Republican politicians speak about conservative issues. Many in the group were horrified that a beloved conservative Republican Cabinet pick could be hurt by allegations. “This thing is so f— bogus,” one of the organization’s officers yelled before hanging up on a Times reporter who called for comment. This week, the Monterey Police Department released a redacted 22-page report detailing its investigation, including accounts of the recollections of Doe and Hegseth, along with several other attendees. Though police reports are typically not public in California, the document had been released because Hegseth had previously asked for a copy. The police report offers the most complete picture yet of what occurred at the Monterey hotel on Oct. 7 and 8. On the second day of the three-day gathering, Doe took a break in her hotel room where she was staying with her husband and at least one of her small children before the banquet dinner and keynote speech — the last major scheduled event of the conference — began at 6 p.m., according to text messages and sources with knowledge of the event. Forty-five minutes later she texted with her husband from the banquet. The conversation turned to Hegseth. “Our ladies are freaking drooling over him,” she wrote. She sent a photo of Hegseth standing at a podium holding a microphone and gesturing with his hand as he spoke. “He doesn’t look even remotely familiar,” she said. “But apparently all the women know who he is.” She continued: “He wears a ring on his pointer finger. It creeps me out.” She lamented that the event was taking so long. After the banquet, the woman went to an after-party in another federation member’s hotel suite, where she had a glass of champagne. Hegseth was there too. A federation member who was there told police later that the woman “did not seem intoxicated, but had a buzz” at the event. Around midnight, Doe, Hegseth and a second woman walked toward Knuckles, the sports bar in the hotel. Inside the bar, which has since closed, televisions and football helmets lined the walls. She texted her husband an update, saying that she was headed to the bar with a group of ladies. “Omg I have so much to tell you. This Pete dude is a ... toooool,” she wrote. While they were drinking at the bar, Hegseth allegedly put his hand on another woman’s knee. She told police that she made it clear it was “not acceptable,” but he still invited her to his room. She declined, according to the report. The same woman tried to get Doe’s attention so she could act as a “crotch blocker” to deter Hegseth’s sexual advances, according to the report. Doe told police that her memory started to get “fuzzy” while she was at the bar. Around 1:30 a.m., Doe argued with Hegseth near the hotel pool about his behavior with women at the conference. He responded that he was a “nice guy,” according to the report. She later told investigators that Hegseth would rub women on their legs and she thought his actions were inappropriate. A hotel employee who had been working that night told an investigator that guests had called the front desk to complain about two people causing a disturbance by the swimming pool about 1:30 a.m. The employee said that when he approached Hegseth and Doe, Hegseth cursed at him and said that he “had freedom of speech.” The woman intervened and said that “they were Republicans and apologized for Hegseth’s actions,” the report states. The staffer said the woman was “standing on her own and very coherent,” while Hegseth was “very intoxicated,” according to the report. Doe placed her hand and arm on Hegseth’s back and escorted him toward the building where his room was, the employee told police. Hegseth later told an investigator he didn’t remember being chastised by the pool. In the early morning hours, Doe’s husband sent her a text message: “Holy smokes lady...I don’t remember the last time you were socializing at nearly 2:00 a.m.” She responded, “Hahaha I know. I gotta make sure that to” — ending midsentence — and then stopped texting. Her husband wrote back: “Doing ok? My love? Worried about you.” Around 2 a.m. her husband went looking for Doe at Knuckles but no one was there, he told investigators. Doe next recalled being in a hotel room alone with Hegseth. She had her phone in her hand and Hegseth asked her who she was texting before taking her phone, she told police. She tried to leave the room, according to the report, but Hegseth blocked the door. She remembered saying “no” a lot, she told police. Her next memory, she told police, was lying on a bed or couch with Hegseth’s dog tags hovering over her face. She said he ejaculated on her stomach, threw a towel at her and said to “clean it up” before asking her whether she was OK, according to the report. Hegseth recalled the situation differently in an interview with authorities. He told police that Doe led him to his hotel room, where things progressed between the two of them, according to the report. There was “always” conversation and “always” consensual contact between himself and Doe, he told police. Hegseth recalled Doe displaying “early signs of regret” after the incident and said she would tell her husband she fell asleep on a couch in someone else’s room, according to the report. Around 4 a.m., Doe returned to her hotel room and explained to her husband that she “must have fallen asleep.” She told police she didn’t start remembering what happened between her and Hegseth until she returned home the next day.
Biden says healthy women help US prosperity as he highlights White House initiative on their health
LONDON, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Arsenal's set piece-inspired victory over Manchester United on Wednesday showed the Gunners' ability to score goals in different ways and their sheer will to win after a difficult spell, boss Mikel Arteta said. Jurrien Timber and William Saliba both scored from corners in a 2-0 win, which was Arsenal's fourth on the bounce in all competitions, following a draw and back-to-back defeats before the international break. Even with first-choice centre back Gabriel out injured, Arsenal still posed a constant threat from corners and could have scored more than the two goals they managed from a succession of dangerous set pieces. Arteta, who briefly chuckled after being asked yet another question about their proficiency from dead balls, said this element of Arsenal's game was about being a more complete team. "We want to be very dangerous and very effective from every angle and every phase of play and we work on all of that," he told reporters. "Today we could have scored from open play like we did against West Ham, against Sporting, so the team really has that belief that from every angle we have the mentality to (cause) threat to the opponent and to try to score." Arsenal's victory also came as leaders Liverpool dropped two points in a draw at Newcastle United, meaning Arsenal cut the gap to seven points to the top. Arteta insisted he did not allow the changing score in Liverpool's match to affect his approach to Arsenal's game, but said his team's response to setbacks earlier in the season showed a positive mentality. "The will to win is there," he said. "We tried our best to do that. It's true that we went through a lot in that period, (with) the schedule and the position that we played. A lot of things and you have to react. "It's about trying to do it next. Today, now we've won four in a row -- it doesn't matter, we have to go to Fulham and be better than them." Sign up here. Reporting by Sam TobinEditing by Toby Davis Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tabHALIFAX - Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston named an expanded 21-member cabinet Thursday during a ceremony in downtown Halifax that excluded reporters in a departure from a long-standing tradition of open coverage. In an address that was livestreamed, Houston said his newly re-elected government would continue to deal with issues that matter to Nova Scotians, including health care, housing and affordability. “This term will also be very focused on growing our economy and continuing to lower taxes,” the premier said. “We have to grow our economy to be better able to support the services that Nova Scotians have a right to expect.” Before the election, in which the Tories won 43 of the legislature’s 55 seats, Houston led a 17-member cabinet. The government allowed only one television outlet to have a pool camera at the ceremony held at the Halifax Convention Centre, citing “limited capacity” inside the building that occupies a full city block. Journalists who tried to enter Thursday were turned away by building security. Houston was asked by reporters as he arrived why the media were not being given access to the new cabinet members. “It’s all live streamed ... It’s a really exciting day, you guys have lots of access, and you guys know that,” he said. Reporters were allowed to attend the swearing-in ceremony held at the same venue after the Tories were first elected in 2021, although it was during the COVID-19 pandemic and they were placed in a separate room to monitor the event before interviewing ministers. In the new cabinet, Houston will be joined by veterans John Lohr, who becomes finance minister, Becky Druhan, who moves from education to justice, and Michelle Thompson, who continues as minister of health. There are five new members, including political newcomer Leah Martin as minister of Communications Nova Scotia and L’ nu affairs and Fred Tilley, a former Liberal who crossed the floor just before the Nov. 26 election and becomes minister of public works. The other new ministers are Dave Ritcey in the tourism portfolio, Nolan Young, who is minister of labour, and Scott Armstrong as minister of opportunities and social development — formerly the Department of Community Services. In another departmental change, veteran minister Colton LeBlanc will head the new Department of Growth and Development, which was formerly known as economic development and will now also oversee housing. Composed of 14 men and seven women, the cabinet will see Barbara Adams return as minister of seniors and long-term care and serve as deputy premier. Tim Halman retains the environment portfolio and Tory Rushton stays on in natural resources, while Kim Masland moves from public works to the Department of Emergency Management. The former community services minister, Brendan Maguire, takes over education and also assumes the duties of advanced education from Brian Wong, who was dropped from cabinet along with Susan Corkum-Greek, the former minister of economic development. Alex Marland, a political scientist at Acadia University, said the government could have found room for reporters had it wanted to. “This isn’t a new government, so there are some experienced hands who at a minimum could have been made available,” Marland said. He added that in general, there are governments that feel the need to control their message, and that also tend to be cautious with newer ministers who lack media training. “If this is a pattern and it persists, that’s going to be a problem for the Houston government,” he said. “But if this is a one off and by January things are a little different because people have gone through media training, then a lot of it will be forgotten.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 12, 2024. — With files from Lyndsay Armstrong
LEHI, Utah--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 4, 2024-- Gabb , the leading provider of safe tech for kids, celebrated their 2nd “Kid CEO for the Day” by handing the reins of the company to 9-year-old Nova Evenson, an aspiring leader from Naples, Florida, who has used Gabb technology to build connections with others. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241204205495/en/ Nova Evenson, of Naples, FL, serving as Gabb's Kid CEO for the Day. Source: Gabb During her time as CEO, Nova led the monthly companywide meeting where the department leads shared with Nova Gabb’s 2024 reports for her approval. She also led meetings with Gabb executives, product brainstorming sessions, and discussions on safe tech for kids. Because she loves step tracking with her Gabb Watch, she challenged the team to increase their daily steps through “walking meetings.” Nova pitched a campaign to collect everyone’s favorite text messages from their families and friends. This idea was inspired by a treasured text message from her grandfather, who recently passed away. The day also included a service project fulfilling gift wishes and providing free safe tech for the nonprofit Utah Parent Center’s holiday program for kids with disabilities facing financial challenges. “It was so wonderful,” said Nova about her day as CEO. “I wasn’t expecting anything like that. The people made it so great.” Nova and her mom, Angel, and dad, Eric, shared with the company how the Gabb Watch 3 she got for Christmas last year has helped her stay connected after her family moved and how it gave them peace of mind after a particularly challenging bullying situation. “Seeing an entire organization rally around my daughter and all children and place what’s best for them at the forefront means everything to me as a mom,” said Angel Evenson. “We get one shot at this parenting thing, and knowing we have organizations and people helping us do the best we can is comforting. I’ve never felt more surrounded by like-minded people than I did yesterday.” Gabb also celebrated Nova with a special playlist on Gabb Music+ titled Boss Beats . The special edition playlist not only featured a walk-on song but also a collection of inspiring, uplifting and empowering songs from across the family-friendly Gabb Music streaming catalog. “Our Gabb CEO for the Day reminds us all that the heart of our company is safe connections,” said Gabb CEO Nate Randle. “Nova’s Gabb Watch connects her with her family and provides support during tough challenges, but she is the hero of her story. She has exemplified bravery and great leadership. She has left a lasting impact on our Gabb team.” About Gabb Gabb® is safe tech for kids. Founded in 2018, Gabb is a rapidly growing tech company focused on keeping families Safely ConnectedTM by providing safephones, safewatches, apps, and software for kids and teens. Gabb’s flexible, safe technology meets kids and teens where they are, allowing them to focus on their personal development and growth without the risks associated with social media and other harmful digital influences. Discover more at gabb.com . Gabb Kid CEO Photo https://gabb.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Gabb-CEO-for-Day.png Broll https://youtu.be/0felIfimw2U View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241204205495/en/ CONTACT: Brandon Jeppson brandon.jeppson@gabb.com KEYWORD: UTAH FLORIDA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: WEARABLES/MOBILE TECHNOLOGY SECURITY PARENTING OTHER TECHNOLOGY CHILDREN TELECOMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE FAMILY INTERNET HARDWARE CONSUMER CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SOCIAL MEDIA TECHNOLOGY MOBILE/WIRELESS ONLINE PRIVACY COMMUNICATIONS APPS/APPLICATIONS SOURCE: Gabb Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/04/2024 06:25 PM/DISC: 12/04/2024 06:25 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241204205495/enPresident-elect Donald Trump will return to power next year with a raft of technological tools at his disposal that would help deliver his campaign promise of cracking down on immigration — among them, surveillance and artificial intelligence technology that the Biden administration already uses to help make crucial decisions in tracking, detaining and ultimately deporting immigrants lacking permanent legal status. While immigration officials have used the tech for years, an October letter from the Department of Homeland Security obtained exclusively by The Associated Press details how those tools — some of them powered by AI — help make life-altering decisions for immigrants, including whether they should be detained or surveilled. One algorithm, for example, ranks immigrants with a “Hurricane Score,” ranging from 1-5, to assess whether someone will “abscond” from the agency's supervision. The letter, sent by DHS Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer Eric Hysen to the immigrant rights group Just Futures Law, revealed that the score calculates the potential risk that an immigrant — with a pending case — will fail to check in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. The algorithm relies on several factors, he said, including an immigrant’s number of violations and length of time in the program, and whether the person has a travel document. Hysen wrote that ICE officers consider the score, among other information, when making decisions about an immigrant’s case. “The Hurricane Score does not make decisions on detention, deportation, or surveillance; instead, it is used to inform human decision-making,” Hysen wrote. Also included in the government’s tool kit is a mobile app called SmartLINK that uses facial matching and can track an immigrant’s specific location. Nearly 200,000 people without legal status who are in removal proceedings are enrolled in the Alternatives to Detention program, under which certain immigrants can live in the U.S. while their immigration cases are pending. In exchange, SmartLINK and GPS trackers used by ICE rigorously surveil them and their movements. The phone application draws on facial matching technology and geolocation data, which has been used before to find and arrest those using the app. Just Futures Law wrote to Hysen earlier this year, questioning the fairness of using an algorithm to assess whether someone is a flight risk and raising concerns over how much data SmartLINK collects. Such AI systems, which score or screen people, are used widely but remain largely unregulated even though some have been found to discriminate on race, gender or other protected traits. DHS said in an email that it is committed to ensuring that its use of AI is transparent and safeguards privacy and civil rights while avoiding biases. The agency said it is working to implement the Biden administration’s requirements on using AI , but Hysen said in his letter that security officials may waive those requirements for certain uses. Trump has publicly vowed to repeal Biden's AI policy when he returns to the White House in January. “DHS uses AI to assist our personnel in their work, but DHS does not use the outputs of AI systems as the sole basis for any law enforcement action or denial of benefits,” a spokesperson for DHS told the AP. Trump has not revealed how he plans to carry out his promised deportation of an estimated 11 million people living in the country illegally. Although he has proposed invoking wartime powers, as well as military involvement, the plan would face major logistical challenges — such as where to keep those who have been detained and how to find people spread across the country — that AI-powered surveillance tools could potentially address. Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for Trump, did not answer questions about how they plan to use DHS’ tech, but said in a statement that “President Trump will marshal every federal and state power necessary to institute the largest deportation operation” in American history. Over 100 civil society groups sent a letter on Friday urging the Office of Management and Budget to require DHS to comply with the Biden administration’s guidelines. OMB did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Just Futures Law’s executive director, Paromita Shah, said if immigrants are scored as flight risks, they are more likely to remain in detention, "limiting their ability to prepare a defense in their case in immigration court, which is already difficult enough as it is.” SmartLINK, part of the Intensive Supervision Appearance Program, is run by BI Inc., a subsidiary of the private prison company The GEO Group. The GEO Group also contracts with ICE to run detention centers. ICE is tight-lipped about how it uses SmartLINK’s location feature to find and arrest immigrants. Still, public records show that during Trump’s first term in 2018, Manassas, Virginia-based employees of BI Inc. relayed immigrants’ GPS locations to federal authorities, who then arrested over 40 people. In a report last year to address privacy issues and concerns, DHS said that the mobile app includes security features that “prohibit access to information on the participant’s mobile device, with the exception of location data points when the app is open.” But the report notes that there remains a risk that data collected from people "may be misused for unauthorized persistent monitoring.” Such information could also be stored in other ICE and DHS databases and used for other DHS mission purposes, the report said. On investor calls earlier this month, private prison companies were clear-eyed about the opportunities ahead. The GEO Group’s executive chairman George Christopher Zoley said that he expects the incoming Trump administration to “take a much more aggressive approach regarding border security as well as interior enforcement and to request additional funding from Congress to achieve these goals.” “In GEO’s ISAP program, we can scale up from the present 182,500 participants to several hundreds of thousands, or even millions of participants,” Zoley said. That same day, the head of another private prison company told investors he would be watching closely to see how the new administration may change immigrant monitoring programs. “It’s an opportunity for multiple vendors to engage ICE about the program going forward and think about creative and innovative solutions to not only get better outcomes, but also scale up the program as necessary,” Damon Hininger, CEO of the private prison company CoreCivic Inc. said on an earnings call. GEO did not respond to requests for comment. In a statement, CoreCivic said that it has played “a valued but limited role in America’s immigration system” for both Democrats and Republicans for over 40 years.
NoneProtecting rookie quarterback Bo Nix is paramount for the Denver Broncos , and the club is ensuring they can continue doing so. On Thursday, the team announced it signed left tackle Garett Bolles to a four-year extension. According to Spotrac , the contract is worth $82M with $42M guaranteed. Here to stay! OFFICIAL: We've signed @gbolles72 to a four-year contract extension. » https://t.co/b4hwnTrJ62 pic.twitter.com/mRuVHWw9en Before the extension became official, Bolles posted on his X account , "It's been a great eight years! Thanks for everything! And ... I'm not leaving. The show goes on!" Since Denver selected Bolles with pick No. 20 in the 2017 NFL Draft, he has started 112 games for the club and earned a second-team All-Pro nod in 2020. Bolles, 32, is flourishing again this season. He has only allowed one sack on 513 pass-block snaps in 13 games, via Pro Football Focus . He has also posted an 88.7 passing-blocking grade, the fourth-best mark at his position. Signing Bolles keeps the Broncos O-line intact. Except for center Luke Wattenberg, all its starters are under contract through 2026. That seems wise, as the unit has allowed 19 sacks, tied for the third fewest in the league. Nix's exceptional pass protection has pushed him into the Offensive Rookie of the Year conversation. Per Pro Football Reference , he has been pressured on 18.2 percent of his dropbacks, 27th among 34 eligible quarterbacks. The Broncos (8-5) are second in the AFC West and could make the postseason for the first time in eight years. NFL.com projects that their playoff probability will increase from 72 to 89 percent if they beat the Indianapolis Colts in Sunday's home game. Even if it misses the playoffs, Denver should feel optimistic about its future. The Broncos have a promising QB in Nix, who's tied for the league's 11th-most passing TDs (17 in 13 games). They also have an O-line that should give him plenty of time to throw.Jonah Goldberg: What if most Americans aren't bitterly divided?No. 16 Cincinnati tests efficient offense vs. Alabama State
Ruben Amorim impressed with Arsenal’s corners after first defeat as Man Utd bossProspect Capital's COO Eliasek buys $23,595 in stock
"That mother***ker excellent, dawg" - Allen Iverson preached why LeBron James should be everybody's idolSurveillance tech advances by Biden could aid in Trump's promised crackdown on immigration
AP Sports SummaryBrief at 4:45 p.m. EST
Lawmakers will begin on Friday a rare and landmark debate on the Constitution to mark the 75th year of its adoption against the backdrop of a bitter political face-off between the government and the Opposition that has jammed Parliament and embroiled even the vice-president with the INDIA bloc demanding his removal. The Constitution debate will take place in the Lok Sabha on December 13 and 14, and in the Rajya Sabha on December 16 and 17. The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress have traded allegations over the last week over alleged links of the opposition party to US billionaire George Soros and bribery charges against the Adani Group. The ongoing commotion is likely to steer narratives during the debate. Some lawmakers from the ruling and Opposition sides didn’t rule out the possibility of the debate on the Constitution turning into an all-out verbal war between the two sides. Defence minister Rajnath Singh , the most experienced minister of the National Democratic Alliance — will open the debate in the Lok Sabha on Friday. The discussions will continue on Saturday and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will reply to the debate in the Lower House. Union home minister Amit Shah is likely to initiate the debate in the Rajya Sabha on December 16, said people aware of developments. The Congress might field both Rahul Gandhi and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi as speakers during the debate in the Lok Sabha. BJP, Congress issue whips Both the BJP and the Congress have issued a three line whip for all its Lok Sabha members to be present in the House on December 13 and 14. “All BJP members in Lok Sabha are hereby informed that the 75th Anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of India will be taken up in the Lok Sabha on Friday, the 13th of December and Saturday, the 14th of December 2024. All members of the BJP in Lok Sabha are, therefore, requested to be positively present in the House throughout both days i.e. Friday, the 13th of December and Saturday, the 14th of December 2024 and support the government’s stand,” the official statement of the BJP said. The Congress called a meeting of its parliamentary strategy group on Thursday evening to discuss the plan for the debate. After Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha , Rahul Gandhi , met Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday to end the deadlock in the Lower House, the proceedings were largely smooth and the amendments to the disaster management act was cleared after a marathon debate. BJP target Congress over George Soros issue But day before the debate, BJP’s Nishikant Dubey again targeted the Congress on the George Soros issue, alleging that the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) is backed by the Soros Foundation and the US, and that Rahul Gandhi’s US trips were funded by the Global Knowledge Initiative,a think tank that got funding from Soros. Dubey’s statements were seen as a trailer of a section of the BJP’s line of attack during the Constitution debate. Dubey alleged that OCCRP’s goal is to disrupt Parliament’s functioning. “There is a French organisation named Mediapart that issued a report on the OCCRP, Organized Crime and Corruption Project, and the Soros. Foundation. The Soros foundation and the US are the ones who are helping the OCCRP. OCCRP’s work is, how to bond the Parliament of India. And not allowing Parliament to run,” he said. Mediapart, however, accused the BJP of “instrumentalising” its report to “serve its political agenda” and “press freedom”. The BJP MP raised serious allegations about the Congress’s connections with the American billionaire. He also asked whether the party’s leadership had any relationship with Open Society Foundation’s vice president Salil Shetty, who had participated in the Bharat Jodo Yatra in 2022. “I want to ask the Congress, what is your connection with Salil Shetty of Open Society Foundation? He has also participated in Bharat Jodo Yatra. Has he funded the Congress Yatra?” he questioned. In the Upper House, BJP president and Union health minister JP Nadda led the Treasury bench’s onslaught against the Opposition over the latter’s attempt to bring a notice seeking Dhankhar’s removal. “At a press conference on Wednesday, Khargeji criticised the chairman. This is objectionable and condemnable. It sets a wrong precedent. This needs to be condemned by one and all,” Nadda said. In an apparent reference to Rahul Gandhi, Nadda alleged that a senior Congress leader was seen making a video of the Chairman’s mimicry in the recent past and said, “The Congress has no interest in democracy and no respect for parliamentary practices.” “What is the relationship between George Soros and Sonia Gandhi? The country wants to know. Soros gives billions of dollars of investment to destabilise the country,” Nadda added. This triggered a further uproar at a time when former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi was also in the House. The aggressive stance of the BJP, particularly in the Rajya Sabha, raised doubts if the debate on the Constitution can be completed without disruptions and protests. Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien rejected both the BJP and Congress’s narratives, and said, “We are very clear that we must use Parliament to hold the government accountable on people’s issues such as unemployment, inflation, Manipur situation.” O’Brien is a part of a growing tribe of leaders who are trying to push new narratives beyond the cacophony over Adani and Soros. Samajwadi Party leader Dimple Yadav has already declared that her party was not getting into the two issues.NEW YORK (AP) — Free agent pitchers Luis Gabriel Moreno and Alejandro Crisostomo were suspended for 80 games each by Major League Baseball on Friday following positive tests for performance-enhancing substances under the minor league drug program. Moreno tested positive for Nandrolone, and Crisostomo tested positive for Boldenone and Nandrolone, the commissioner’s office said. A 26-year-old right-hander, Moreno was released by the New York Mets’ Class A Brooklyn Cyclones on Tuesday. He was 5-1 with a 5.33 ERA in 12 relief appearances this season for Brooklyn after spending 2016-23 in the San Francisco Giants organization. Crisostomo, a 24-year-old right-hander, was released by Minnesota on Aug. 24 after going 0-1 with a 7.13 ERA this year with the Florida Complex League Twins. He signed with Boston in 2017, spent 2018 in the Dominican Summer League with the Red Sox, then signed with Minnesota and spent 2023 with the Twins DSL team. Nineteen players have been suspended this year for positive drug tests, including eight under the minor league program and nine under the new program for minor league players assigned outside the United States and Canada. Two players have been suspended this year under the major league drug program. Noelvi Marté , a 22-year-old infielder who is the Cincinnati Reds’ top prospect, missed the first 80 games following a positive test for boldenone. Toronto Blue Jays infielder Orelvis Martínez was suspended for 80 games on June 23 following a positive test for the performance-enhancing drug clomiphene, an announcement made two days after his major league debut . AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlbUS says South Korea's Yoon badly misjudged martial law declaration
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