President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday nominated Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in-law Jared Kushner, as the US ambassador to France, in the latest of several controversial picks. Kushner "is a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker, who will be a strong advocate representing our Country & its interests," Trump said on his Truth Social website, adding that Jared "worked closely with me in the White House." The choice is in keeping with Trump's pattern, so far, of selecting people, often wealthy, who are close to his family or of proven loyalty. Kushner is a multimillionaire real estate executive and former attorney; his son was a senior adviser during Trump's first term. Trump did not mention, however, that the elder Kushner once served jail time -- a two-year sentence, most of it served in a federal prison. Kushner, who is now 70, pleaded guilty in 2004 to 18 counts of tax evasion, witness tampering and making illegal campaign contributions. The case, which was prosecuted by then US attorney Chris Christie, included sordid details, to which Kushner admitted: that he had hired a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law, a man cooperating in a campaign finance inquiry, and then videotaped the encounter and sent it to the man's wife, Kushner's sister, to dissuade her from testifying against him. Christie, who worked on Trump's first presidential transition team and then opposed him in this year's Republican primary contests, later said Kushner had committed a "loathsome" and "disgusting crime." In 2020, Trump issued a pardon to Kushner, whose conviction had resulted in him being disbarred in three states. Nominees for key ambassadorships are often business associates of a president-elect, or major political donors. But it is rare, if not unprecedented, to name a convicted felon. The first two men to fill the prestigious Paris post were famed inventor and statesman Benjamin Franklin and a future president, Thomas Jefferson. If confirmed, Kushner would succeed Denise Bauer, a former ambassador to Belgium who was a major Democratic fundraiser and donor. md/bbk/md49ers’ Isaac Guerendo gets his shot at lead runner in decimated backfield
Tarleton St. 61, Hofstra 59CLEVLEAND (AP) — Shane Bieber's comeback with Cleveland has double meaning. And deeper meaning. The former Cy Young winner re-signed with the Guardians on Wednesday, a reunion that seemed unlikely when he became a free agent following last season. However, the 29-year-old Bieber decided to stick with the AL Central champions after making just two starts in 2024 before undergoing Tommy John surgery. There were other offers. None of them matched what he already had in Cleveland. “It's the relationships,” Bieber said on a Zoom call. "The development staff. The coaching staff. My teammates. Having continuity and familiarity in those realms I feel like can prove beneficial not only to me but my family and everybody really involved. "That was big for me to feel confident in my rehab where I’m at right now. Nobody knows me as well as Cleveland does and vice versa, so I’m happy to be continuing with them." Bieber agreed last week to a one-year, $14 million contract . The deal includes a $16 million player option for 2026. Not long ago, it seemed as if Bieber, who is 62-32 with a 3.22 ERA in 132 starts over seven seasons for Cleveland, was determined to continue his career elsewhere. He had turned down previous long-term offers in the past from the Guardians, and it was expected he would sign with another contender, likely on the West Coast. But the California native has a special connection with the Guardians, who selected him in the fourth round of the 2016 draft. And while a setback, the injury and surgery helped Bieber realize that he was already in the perfect place. “I had plenty of great meetings and beneficial and progressive meetings with other ball clubs,” he said. "Everybody handled everything first class all the way, and I’ve got great things to say about plenty of other organizations. “Ultimately, Cleveland made the call and I was happy to receive it and come to terms and so I’m happy with where I’m at. My family’s ecstatic. It was very clearly the right decision for not only myself, my family, and we’re excited to continue it.” Bieber, who won the AL Cy Young in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, threw only 12 innings last season before lingering issues with his elbow forced him to have surgery. He is expected to join Cleveland's rotation at some point in 2025. He's throwing three days a week at 90 feet and encouraged by his progress. As for when he'll take the mound in a game, that's currently unknown. “I’m pushing, pushing, pushing.” he said. “I feel great. I haven’t skipped a beat. When I ask for a (return) date, they don’t even give me a date. So there’s a long way to go.” A two-time All-Star, Bieber burst onto the national stage in 2019 when he was named MVP of the midsummer event in Cleveland. He has the highest strikeout ratio per nine innings (10.2) and third-highest winning percentage (.660) in the franchise's 124-year history. Bieber is one of just three Cleveland pitchers to start five season openers, joining Stan Coveleski (1917-21) and Corey Kluber (2015-19). While Bieber had some elbow issues in the past, he didn't appear to be struggling before being shut down. He struck out 11 in six scoreless innings against Oakland on March 28, and followed that up with six more shutout innings at Seattle on April 2. Days later, and with his season officially over, Bieber became emotional during a news conference at Progressive Field. He knew that in the short-term his life would be different and baseball, as he had always known it, would be on the backburner. Bieber said it took a while before he “digested” his new reality. He coped by immersing himself in his recovery, and Bieber found joy in watching his teammates storm through an unexpected season to a division title. Although it may not have been the same because he wasn't contributing on the field the way he always had, the hardships may have given Bieber something he needed. “It’s provided a lot of perspective,” he said. “It was a hard season this year for me and my family, but it was a great one. We’re expecting a baby and it was a season full of growth and I’m very excited to continue that into 2025.” ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB Tom Withers, The Associated Press
Dortmund's Nico Schlotterbeck taken off on stretcher with ankle injury in loss to Barcelona
It's possible there were more hostile places on earth on Wednesday evening than Pittodrie; windier, rainier, colder, noisier. But frankly, we doubt it. Aberdeen versus Celtic, the meeting of the top two teams in the Premiership, was, in effect, the Battle in the Blizzard, the Match in the Monsoon, a game played in foul conditions and yet a night that never stopped having a grisly fascination. Reo Hatate won it with a sumptuous finish that was in stark contrast to the awfulness of the weather, a gorgeous thing on a grind of a night. Celtic won and deserved to - character as much as class sealed it - but Aberdeen were no pushovers. They're on a winless run now but none of their supporters should worry all that much. The heart is beating strongly in these boys. They weren't good enough on Wednesday but they'll be plenty good enough on days to come. From the moment when Cameron Carter-Vickers was ironically cheered by the Red Shed after successfully completing a backpass to his goalkeeper - something he failed to do a week ago against Club Brugge - to the lusty tackle Kevin Nisbet put in when ransacking Alex Valle, this was tumultuous stuff. Only a minute had been played and skin and hair was flying. Steady rain and regular aggro. On the radio gantry, the great Willie Miller smiled, wistfully. An old school scrap. Toe to toe. Where else would you rather be? Some might tell you the most beautiful sound in the world is birds chirping, leaves rustling, a fire crackling. On evenings like this, it was a touch more fundamental. An Aberdeen tackle - legal or otherwise - brought a cacophony. Sweet music. A couple of minutes in, Kyogo Furuhashi went haring away into space deep in the Aberdeen half, the inexperienced goalkeeper Ross Doohan his only obstacle to a possible opener. Total commitment from both men meant a brutal collision. Kyogo, blameless, clashed with Doohan's head and it was worrying. The goalkeeper stayed down awhile. Replays showed the extent of the dunt. Kyogo, touchingly, stayed with him all the time. You thought Doohan’s day was done but he picked himself up and carried on. In the days of Dimitar Mitov, Doohan's time on the pitch has been limited, but he was good on Wednesday night. Durable after the Kyogo incident and inspired at times later on when Celtic started to pile on the pressure. The Dons dug in. They weren't all that threatening in attack, they didn’t cause Kasper Schmeichel a whole pile of trouble until the closing minutes when they were chasing like madmen, but they were dogged against the champions, they made a fight of it against an attacking force that put six on them the last time they played. Celtic always suggested that a goal was coming. Towards the end of the first half they had a series of corners, vicious deliveries whipped in from the beach end. Paulo Bernardo scored directly from one of them, but it was correctly ruled out when Daizen Maeda was seen to have backed into Doohan. Alistair Johnston was a few feet away from connecting with another, a touch probably being enough to break the deadlock. The jostling amid all this was intense. No quarter asked, no quarter given. It wasn't pretty, but given the lousy conditions and the bearpit nature of the contest, it was compelling. Celtic are a domestic machine. It's easy for them when the sun shines and their game is connected and the stars are all aligned. They nearly always win. Other questions were asked here. A baying home crowd, vile weather, a belligerent opponent. And they won again. Formidable and unstoppable. The clues were coming. In the 71st minute they pushed Aberdeen back, almost into the front rows of the Red Shed. Johnston had a shot blocked, then another, then Hatate had a shot saved by Doohan, then Doohan saved from Adam Idah, a flying stop away to his right that made you wonder for a second if the deadlock could be broken, if Aberdeen's resistance could, in fact, hold. Or better. Leighton Clarkson was in space in front of Celtic's goal, but pulled his shot and the moment passed. Teams who miss chances tend to regret them when it's Celtic down the other end. Two minutes after Clarkson missed, Hatate scored. It was Greg Taylor, the full-back on as a substitute for Valle, who played it into Hatate. Taylor doesn't have Valle's glamorous Barcelona back story, but he continues to be an invaluable operator in Celtic's unrelenting nature. He chipped it into Hatate and then a thing of beauty broke out for the first time on the night. Hatate chested it, let it fall and calmly hit it on the half-volley. One fluid movement, one classy goal. It was enough, just. Aberdeen came back at them, Sokler lashing one over when he had Schmeichel in his sights. The grunt put in by Carter-Vickers in trying to close him down was the sign of a player battling to the last. Celtic won and their lead at the top now looks insurmountable at seven points, plus a game in hand. Let's be honest, the league is done. It was clear nobody was realistically going to catch this Celtic team before Wednesday and, after Hatate's star turn, it's all but certain nobody is catching them now.CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina coach Shane Beamer has no doubt about where his surging, 16th-ranked Gamecocks belong in the postseason — chasing a national championship. “It's hard for me to say we're not one of the 12 best teams in the country,” a giddy Beamer said Saturday after watching his team pull off another late miracle, courtesy of quarterback LaNorris Sellers, to defeat No. 12 Clemson 17-14. Sellers scored his second touchdown , this one from 20 yards out with 1:08 to play, for South Carolina's sixth straight victory, four of them in that run coming over ranked opponents. Are you paying attention, College Football Playoff selectors? “If the committee's job is to pick the 12 best teams, you tell me,” Beamer said. It would be hard to pick against the Gamecocks (9-3, 5-3 SEC; No. 15 CFP) with Sellers, a confident, poised freshman, playing as well as he is. He finished with 166 yards rushing and 164 yards passing. Two games ago, he set career bests with 353 yards passing and five TD throws in twice rallying the Gamecocks from fourth-quarter deficits to defeat Missouri 34-30. This time, Sellers shrugged off his interception near Clemson's goal with less than 11 minutes left to lead his team to a field goal and then his game winner. Sellers spun away from defender Peter Woods in the backfield, broke through the line and cut left to reach the end zone. Sellers hears defenders get angry when they get their hands on but can't bring down the speedy, 6-foot-3 passer in his first year since taking over for Spencer Rattler. How does he do it? “I don't really know,” Sellers said. Beamer had an answer to that one, too. “He's a competitor, he's a warrior,” Beamer said. “He doesn't get too high or too low. He's out there having fun.” The Gamecocks hope to have more fun in a week so, confident they'll hear their name called among the expanded field of 12 that will play for a national crown. They know, too, they'll have Sellers leading the way. “He's a magician, man,” Gamecocks linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. said. “LeMagic, LeComeback, whatever you want to call him.” Clemson (9-3, 7-1 ACC, No. 12) had a final chance and drove to the South Carolina 18 with 16 seconds left — well within reach of a tying field goal — when Cade Klubnik was intercepted by Knight to end things. The Gamecocks were 3-3 after losing at Alabama in mid-October and then pulled off their longest winning streak since 2012. The Tigers also were hoping to play their way into the CFP's 12-team field. But their offense had too many costly mistakes and their defense could not corral Sellers. “He's a great player and made great players,” Clemson linebacker Barrett Carter said. Still, there could be postseason hope for Clemson, which will cross its fingers and pray Syracuse can pull off an upset over No. 8 Miami later Saturday that would get the Tigers into the Atlantic Coast Conference title game next week against SMU. Both teams came in on highs, the Tigers having won three straight and the Gamecocks five in a row, including three consecutive over ranked opponents Texas A&M, Vanderbilt and Missouri. But neither team found its offensive rhythm in the opening half. Sellers was sacked by T.J. Parker and turned the ball over as Parker recovered with South Carolina inside the Clemson 20. The Tigers drove to the South Carolina 11 and turned down a chip-shot field goal to go for it on fourth-and-1. But Mafah was stopped way short by Jalon Kilgore and Knight. Klubnik had scoring runs of 13 and 18 yards for the Tigers. South Carolina: What a run by the Gamecocks, who before the season were picked 13th in the SEC and now may find themselves part of the national championship playoff field. Clemson: The Tigers lost to both ranked SEC opponents they faced this season, first to No. 1 Georgia to start the year and then to rival South Carolina. Tigers coach Dabo Swinney was proud of his team's regular season but knew the loss might leave it short of getting back to the playoff. “We could've had a great year,” he said. "We got better this season, a lot of positives to build on. “But this one is tough. It's tough. It hurts,” he continued. Shane Beamer knew what a big week it was when he got a voicemail from his old boss, former South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier. “Beamer, you're doing great,” said Spurrier, who coached the Gamecocks from 2005-2014. “This might be the biggest game in the history of South Carolina.” South Carolina and Clemson both await their postseason games. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Happy Birthday for Friday, Dec. 13, 2024: You are a private person who likes to help others. You are hardworking, imaginative and an excellent problem-solver. This is a year of service for you, perhaps service to family. Therefore, take good care of yourself so you can be a resource to others. Friends and family will help you. The stars show the kind of day you’ll have: 5-Dynamic; 4-Positive; 3-Average; 2-So-so; 1-Difficult ARIES (March 21-April 19)  After the moon alert today, you’ll have lots of mental energy to get things done. Furthermore, in negotiations with others you’ll be proactive, confident and courageous. Your decision-making instincts will be excellent. It’s a good day to learn something new. Tonight: Happy conversations. TAURUS (April 20-May 20)  Wait until after the moon alert is over to make financial decisions today. These decisions might concern purchasing something or figuring out a way to boost your earnings. Either way, you will be energetic, but you might be impulsive. Make sure you don’t do something you regret later. Tonight: Check your belongings. GEMINI (May 21-June 20)  After that moon alert is over today, the moon moves into your sign, which will make you more emotional than usual. However, it will also slightly boost your good luck! That means today is a good day to ask the universe for a favor. It’s also a great day for a short trip. Tonight: You win! CANCER (June 21-July 22)  You’re happy you’re working alone today, especially after the moon alert is over. Nevertheless, you will still be active pulling strings behind the scenes. Be patient with delays, mistakes and mixed-up communications at work, because Mercury is in retrograde. Tonight: Enjoy solitude. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)  Conversations with friends and members of groups will be dynamic today, especially after the moon alert. Relations with partners and spouses are smooth and supportive. Nevertheless, minor disputes with old flames and situations about sports, kids and social outings might occur. (Ouch.) Tonight: Friendships. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)  After the moon alert today, you’re high-viz! People will notice you more than usual. In fact, some will know personal details about your private life. (Does this require some damage control?) Fortunately, relations with co-workers are positive. In fact, a work-related romance could begin. (Be patient with family.) Tonight: You’re admired. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)  Avoid important decisions this morning during the moon alert today. Afterward, you want to get outta Dodge. You need a change of scenery. In discussions with others, you will be persuasive in stating your views. Pay attention to everything you do to avoid accidents. Easy does it. Tonight: Explore! SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)  Postpone financial decisions today until after the moon alert is over. Discussions about shared property, taxes and insurance issues will be energetic. However, they also might benefit home and family. Meanwhile, avoid disputes that might arise. (It was ever thus.) Tonight: Check your finances. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)  Be prepared to go more than halfway when dealing with others today, because after the moon alert today, the moon will be opposite your sign. (That’s just how things work.) Discussions with partners and friends will be lively and friendly, as long as you are cooperative. Tonight: Listen. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)  You have strong opinions today when it comes to your health and wellness. You might even share these ideas with others. Because you have a lot of energy, use today to resolve minor issues with co-workers. Take a look at your routine to see how you might improve it. Nurture yourself. Tonight: Work. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)  This is a playful and creative day! Anyone involved in creative projects can be productive today. In fact, after the moon alert is over, you’ll be gung-ho talking to family members, especially parents. You’re excited about something, but it might be a secret. Tonight: Socialize. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)  Today holds mixed messages for you. In one way, you’re out there flying your colors. No question. And yet, after the moon alert is over today, you might want to hide at home (with good food and drink). Do whatever makes you feel happy. Tonight: Cocoon. — King Features Syndicate Get local news delivered to your inbox!Pete Hegseth's mother says The New York Times made 'threats' by asking her to comment on a story
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