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Former US President Jimmy Carter dies at 100, Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports
Father of British ex-soldier, 22, who was 'captured by Putin's forces while fighting for Ukraine on Russia soil' says he's terrified he'll be tortured in captivity after he was paraded on TV
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Republican senators pushed back on Sunday against criticism from Democrats that Tulsi Gabbard, Donald Trump's pick to lead U.S. intelligence services, is “compromised” by her comments supportive of Russia and secret meetings, as a congresswoman, with Syria’s president, a close ally of the Kremlin and Iran. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, a veteran of combat missions in Iraq, said she had concerns about Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's choice to be director of national intelligence. “I think she’s compromised," Duckworth said on CNN’s “State of the Union," citing Gabbard's 2017 trip to Syria, where she held talks with Syrian President Bashar Assad. Gabbard was a Democratic House member from Hawaii at the time. “The U.S. intelligence community has identified her as having troubling relationships with America’s foes. And so my worry is that she couldn’t pass a background check,” Duckworth said. Gabbard, who said last month she is joining the Republican party, has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades. She was deployed to Iraq and Kuwait and, according to the Hawaii National Guard, received a Combat Medical Badge in 2005 for “participation in combat operations under enemy hostile fire in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III." Get the latest breaking news as it happens. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy . Duckworth's comments drew immediate backlash from Republicans. “For her to say ridiculous and outright dangerous words like that is wrong," Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Oklahoma, said on CNN, challenging Duckworth to retract her words. “That’s the most dangerous thing she could say — is that a United States lieutenant colonel in the United States Army is compromised and is an asset of Russia.” Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally at Lee's Family Forum, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Henderson, Nev. Credit: AP/Evan Vucci In recent days, other Democrats have accused Gabbard without evidence of being a “Russian asset.” Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, has claimed, without offering details, that Gabbard is in Russian President Vladimir “Putin’s pocket.” Mullin and others say the criticism from Democrats is rooted in the fact that Gabbard left their party and has become a Trump ally. Democrats say they worry that Gabbard's selection as national intelligence chief endangers ties with allies and gives Russia a win. Rep. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat just elected to the Senate, said he would not describe Gabbard as a Russian asset, but said she had “very questionable judgment.” “The problem is if our foreign allies don’t trust the head of our intelligence agencies, they’ll stop sharing information with us,” Schiff said on NBC's “Meet the Press.” Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., speaks during a press event on Capitol Hill, Feb. 27, 2024, in Washington. Credit: AP/Mark Schiefelbein Gabbard in 2022 endorsed one of Russia’s justifications for invading Ukraine: the existence of dozens of U.S.-funded biolabs working on some of the world’s nastiest pathogens. The labs are part of an international effort to control outbreaks and stop bioweapons, but Moscow claimed Ukraine was using them to create deadly bioweapons. Gabbard said she just voiced concerns about protecting the labs. Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Missouri, said he thought it was “totally ridiculous” that Gabbard was being cast as a Russian asset for having different political views. “It’s insulting. It’s a slur, quite frankly. There’s no evidence that she’s a asset of another country,” he said on NBC. Sen. James Lankford, another Oklahoma Republican, acknowledged having “lots of questions” for Gabbard as the Senate considers her nomination to lead the intelligence services. Lankford said on NBC that he wants to ask Gabbard about her meeting with Assad and some of her past comments about Russia. “We want to know what the purpose was and what the direction for that was. As a member of Congress, we want to get a chance to talk about past comments that she’s made and get them into full context,” Lankford said.
AP Top 25: Alabama, Mississippi out of top 10 and Miami, SMU are in; Oregon remains unanimous No. 1 Alabama and Mississippi tumbled out of the top 10 of The Associated Press college football poll and Miami and SMU moved in following a chaotic weekend in the SEC. Oregon is No. 1 for the sixth straight week and Ohio State, Texas and Penn State held their places behind the Ducks. The shuffling begins at No. 5, where Notre Dame returned for the first time since Week 2 after beating Army for its ninth straight win. No. 6 Georgia and No. 7 Tennessee each moved up two spots. Miami, SMU and Indiana round out the top 10. Jannik Sinner leads Italy past the Netherlands for its second consecutive Davis Cup title MALAGA, Spain (AP) — Jannik Sinner clinched Italy's second consecutive Davis Cup title and capped his breakthrough season at the top of tennis by beating Tallon Griekspoor 7-6 (2), 6-2 for a 2-0 win over the Netherlands in the final of the team competition in Malaga, Spain. Matteo Berrettini won Sunday's opening singles match 6-4, 6-2 against Botic van de Zandschulp. The Italians are the first country to win the Davis Cup twice in a row since the Czech Republic in 2012 and 2013. The No. 1-ranked Sinner stretched his unbeaten streak in singles to 14 matches and 26 sets. Netherlands reached the Davis Cup final for the first time. Chuck Woolery, smooth-talking game show host of 'Love Connection' and 'Scrabble,' dies at 83 NEW YORK (AP) — Chuck Woolery, the affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19, has died. He was 83. Mark Young, Woolery’s podcast co-host and friend, said in an email early Sunday that Woolery died at his home in Texas with his wife, Kristen, present. Woolery, with his matinee idol looks, coiffed hair and ease with witty banter, was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007 and earned a daytime Emmy nomination in 1978. He teamed up with Young for the podcast “Blunt Force Truth” and became a full supporter Donald Trump. St. Louis Blues fire Drew Bannister and hire Jim Montgomery as coach The St. Louis Blues have fired coach Drew Bannister and hired Jim Montgomery as his replacement. The 2022 Jack Adams Award winner, Montgomery joins the Blues five days after he was fired by the Boston Bruins. Bannister had been on the job in St. Louis for less than a year since succeeding Stanley Cup-winning coach Craig Berube and getting the interim tag removed after last season. The Blues have lost 13 of their first 22 games. Montgomery spent two seasons as an assistant on Berube's staff in St. Louis between coaching Dallas and Boston. The team signed Montgomery to a five-year contract. Rico Carty, who won the 1970 NL batting title with the Atlanta Braves, dies at 85 Rico Carty, who won the 1970 NL batting title when he hit a major league-best .366 for the Atlanta Braves, has died. He was 85. Major League Baseball, the players’ association and the Braves have paid tribute to Carty on social media. A family friend told Listín Diario — a newspaper in Carty’s native Dominican Republic — that he died Saturday night in an Atlanta hospital. Carty made his big league debut with the Braves in September 1963. He batted .330 with 22 homers and 88 RBIs in his first full season in 1964, finishing second to Dick Allen in voting for NL Rookie of the Year. The Braves moved from Milwaukee to Atlanta after the 1965 season, and Carty got the franchise’s first hit in its new home on April 12, 1966, against Pittsburgh. Dartmouth sorority, two members of fraternity face charges after student who attended party drowned HANOVER, N.H. (AP) — A sorority at Dartmouth College and two members of a fraternity faces charges related to the death of a student who drowned after attending an off-campus party. The Hanover, New Hampshire police department, where Dartmouth is located, said Friday that Alpha Phi was charged with one count of facilitating an underage alcohol house. Two members of the Beta Alpha Omega face a charge of providing alcohol to a person under 21. Won Jang, 20, of Middletown, Delaware, had attended an off-campus party in July hosted by Alpha Phi sorority. Police said the alcohol was provided by Beta Alpha Omega. Tens of thousands of Spaniards protest housing crunch and high rents in Barcelona BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Tens of thousands of Spaniards are marching in downtown Barcelona to protest the skyrocketing cost of renting an apartment in the popular tourist destination. Protesters cut off traffic on main avenues in the city center, holding up homemade signs in Spanish reading “Fewer apartments for investing and more homes for living." The lack of affordable housing has become one of the leading concerns for the southern European Union country, mirroring the housing crunch across many parts of the world, including the United States. The average rent for Spain has doubled in the last decade. In cities like Barcelona, rental prices have also been driven up by short-term renters including tourists. Verstappen captures 4th F1 championship after Mercedes sweep of Las Vegas Grand Prix LAS VEGAS (AP) — Max Verstappen cruised to a fourth consecutive Formula 1 championship Saturday night by finishing fifth in the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Verstappen needed only to finish ahead of Lando Norris of McLaren to give Red Bull a fourth straight driver championship. The Dutchman started fifth but was already up to second by the 10th lap around the street circuit that includes the famed Las Vegas Strip. Norris, who had to score at least three points more than Verstappen to extend the championship fight, finished sixth. The race was won by George Russell who was followed by Lewis Hamilton in the first 1-2 sweep for the Mercedes drivers since 2022. 'Wicked' and 'Gladiator' make gravity-defying theater debuts NEW YORK (AP) — “Wicked” and “Gladiator II” have debuted in theaters with a combined $270 million in ticket sales. Their worldwide performance breathed fresh life into global box office results that have struggled lately. Together the films turned the moviegoing weekend into one of the busiest of the year. Jon M. Chu’s lavish big-budget musical “Wicked,” starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, debuted with $114 million domestically and $164.2 million globally. Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator II” is a sequel to his 2000 best picture-winning original and launched with $55.5 million in ticket sales. “Moana 2” is being released Wednesday, so it looks like Hollywood might be looking at historic sales over the Thanksgiving holiday. Jason Kelce's wife announces she is pregnant with the couple's fourth child Former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce's wife is announcing she's pregnant with the couple's fourth child. Kylie Kelce posted a photo on Instagram on Friday of the couple's three young daughters reacting to the news. The oldest daughter, Wyatt, appears to be cupping her head in shock. The middle daughter, Ellioette, is smiling. The youngest, Bennett, is in tears. A caption attached to the photo reads: “I feel like we captured a very accurate representation of how each of the girls feel about getting another sister. At least Ellie, mom and dad are on the same page!”
Jake Paul’s Next Fight: 4 Realistic Potential OpponentsStock market today: Wall Street hits more records following a just-right jobs report
진행자: 박준희, Devin Whiting What is South Korea’s 4B movement? 기사 요약: 여성 생식권 문제가 화두였던 미국 대선에서 트럼프 전 대통령이 승리하자 유권자들 사이에서 한국의 비 연애, 결혼, 출산 성관계 운동이 주목받고 있다. [1] Emerging around 2018, the "4B" movement is a voluntary female celibacy movement, encouraging women to refuse heterosexual marriage, childbirth, dating or sex with men. The term "4B" comes from bihon (no marriage), bichulsan (no childbirth), biyeonae (no dating) and bisekseu (no sex), with "bi," or "B," meaning "no." Essentially, 4B advocates for women to disengage from relationships with men entirely. * Emerge: 생겨나다 * Celibacy: 독신주의 * Encourage: 독려하다 * Advocate: 지지하다 [2] Though Trump, who faced a civil trial for sexual abuse last year, has said he would veto a federal abortion ban, he has supported the right of states to choose to ban or limit abortion access after the overturning of Roe v Wade. He has also taken credit for nominating the judges who made the ruling possible. * Face: 직면하다 * Support: 지지하다 * Overturn: 뒤집다 * Take credit for: 뭔가에 대한 공을 가져가다 [3] His election, and the precarious fate of abortion rights in America, spurred some American women to consider the 4B movement, according to multiple reports. Posts on social media platforms like X reflect this mindset, with comments such as, "American women, looks like it’s time to get influenced by Korea’s 4B movement," and, "It’s time we join the movement. Men will NOT be rewarded, nor have access to our bodies." * Precarious: 불안정한 * Spur: 자극하다 * Consider: 고려하다 *Reward: 보상하다 [4] The 4B movement gained traction in Korea due to widespread dissatisfaction with a deeply rooted patriarchal culture seen as beyond repair. Its origins are linked to the sustained challenges faced by women during rapid economic modernization, which has underscored enduring gender inequality, particularly among younger women, according to observers. * Gain traction: 주목받다 * Dissatisfaction: 불만 * beyond repair: 고칠 수 없는 * Link to: 연관된 기사 원문: http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20241111050610 [코리아헤럴드 팟캐스트 구독] 아이튠즈(아이폰):https://itunes.apple.com/kr/podcast/koliaheleoldeu-paskaeseuteu/id686406253?mt=2 네이버 오디오 클립(아이폰, 안드로이드 겸용): https://audioclip.naver.com/channels/5404 팟빵 (안드로이드): http://www.podbbang.com/ch/6638Bursts into flames while landing; 2 passengers rescued Seoul: A passenger plane skidded off a runway at a South Korean airport on Sunday, slammed into a concrete fence and burst into flames after its front landing gear apparently failed to deploy. All but two of the 181 people on board died in one of the country’s worst aviation disasters. The Jeju Air plane crashed while landing in the town of Muan, about 290 kilometres south of Seoul. Transport Ministry said the plane was a 15-year-old Boeing 737-800 jet that had arrived from Bangkok and that the crash happened at 9:03 am. A total of 179 people – 85 women, 84 men and 10 others whose genders were not immediately identifiable – died in the fire, the South Korean fire agency said. Emergency workers pulled two people, both crew members, to safety. Health officials said they are conscious and not in life-threatening condition. Among the 177 bodies so far found, officials have so far identified 88, the fire agency said. The passengers were predominantly South Korean, as well as two Thai nationals. Thailand’s Foreign Ministry said its embassy in Seoul received confirmation from South Korean authorities that the two Thai passengers were among the fatalities. The fire agency deployed 32 fire trucks and several helicopters to contain the blaze. About 1,570 firefighters, police officers, soldiers and other officials were also sent to the site, according to the fire agency and transport ministry. Footage of the crash aired by South Korean television channels showed the plane skidding across the airstrip at high speed, apparently with its landing gear still closed, overrunning the runway and colliding head-on with a concrete wall on the outskirts of the facility, triggering an explosion. Other local TV stations aired footage showing thick plumes of black smoke billowing from the plane, which was engulfed in flames. Lee Jeong-hyeon, chief of the Muan fire station, told a televised briefing that the plane was completely destroyed, with only the tail assembly remaining recognisable among the wreckage. Lee said that workers were looking into various possibilities about what caused the crash, including whether the aircraft was struck by birds, Lee said. Transport Ministry officials later said their early assessment of communication records show the airport control tower issued a bird strike warning to the plane shortly before it intended to land and gave its pilot permission to land in a different area. The pilot sent out a distress signal shortly before the plane overshot the end of the runway and skidded across a buffer zone before hitting the wall, the officials said. Senior Transport Ministry official Joo Jong-wan said workers have retrieved the flight data and cockpit voice recorders of the plane’s black box, which will be examined by government experts investigating the cause of the crash and fire. He said it may take months for investigators to complete their probe. The runway at the Muan airport will be closed until January 1, the ministry said. Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra expressed deep condolences to the families of those affected by the accident in a post on social platform X. Paetongtarn said she ordered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide assistance immediately. Kerati Kijmanawat, the director of Airports of Thailand, confirmed in a statement that Jeju Air flight 7C 2216 departed from Suvarnabhumi Airport with no reports of abnormal conditions with the aircraft or on the runway. Jeju Air in a statement expressed its “deep apology” over the crash and said it will do its “utmost to manage the aftermath of the accident.” In a televised news conference, Kim E-bae, Jeju Air’s president, bowed deeply with other senior company officials as he apologized to bereaved families and said he feels “full responsibility” for the incident. Kim said the company had not identified any mechanical problems with the aircraft following regular checkups and that he would wait for the results of government investigations into the cause of the incident. Family members wailed as officials announced the names of some victims at a lounge in the Muan airport. Boeing said in a statement on X it was in contact with Jeju Air and is ready to support the company in dealing with the crash. “We extend our deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones, and our thoughts remain with the passengers and crew,” Boeing said. The incident came as South Korea is embroiled into a huge political crisis triggered by President Yoon Suk Yeol’s stunning imposition of martial law and ensuing impeachment.Equator Advanced Appliances Unveils Compact Stackable Washer and Dryer Set with Premium Features
The gunman who stalked and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fled New York City by bus, police officials told CNN on Friday. Video of the suspected shooter leaving the scene of the shooting Wednesday showed him riding a bicycle to Central Park and later taking a taxi cab to a bus depot, Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told CNN. Here's the latest: The gunman who killed the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer may have fled the city on a bus, New York City police officials told CNN on Friday. Video of the suspected shooter leaving the scene of the shooting Wednesday showed him riding a bicycle to Central Park and later taking a taxi cab to a bus depot, Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told CNN. “We have reason to believe that the person in question has left New York City,” Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. The gunman who killed the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer made sure to wear a mask during the shooting yet left a trail of evidence in view of the nation’s biggest city and its network of security cameras that have aided authorities piecing together his movements and his identity. A law enforcement official said Friday that new surveillance footage shows the suspect riding the subway and visiting establishments in Manhattan and provided more clues about his actions in the days before he ambushed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson . The gunman’s whereabouts and identity remain unknown Friday, as did the reason for Wednesday’s killing. New York City police say evidence firmly points to it being a targeted attack . ▶ Read more about the search for the gunman In many companies, investor meetings like the one UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was walking to when he was fatally shot are viewed as very risky because details on the location and who will be speaking are highly publicized. “It gives people an opportunity to arrive well in advance and take a look at the room, take a look at how people would probably come and go out of a location,” said Dave Komendat, president of DSKomendat Risk Management Services, which is based in the greater Seattle area. Some firms respond by beefing up security. For example, tech companies routinely require everyone attending a major event, such as Apple’s annual unveiling of the next iPhone or a shareholder meeting, to go through airport-style security checkpoints before entering. Others forgo in-person meetings with shareholders. ▶ Read more about how companies protect their leaders Those images include New York’s subway system, a law enforcement official said. In establishments where the person was captured on camera, he always appeared to pay with cash, the official said. The official wasn’t authorized to discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. — Mike Balsamo Medica, a Minnesota-based nonprofit health care firm that serves 1.5 million customers in 12 states, said it’s temporarily closing all six locations. The firm has offices in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska and North Dakota, and employs about 3,000 people. Employees will work from home, Medica spokesman Greg Bury said in an email Friday. “The safety of Medica employees is our top priority and we have increased security both for all of our employees,” a statement from Medica said. “Although we have received no specific threats related to our campuses, our office buildings will be temporarily closed out of an abundance of caution.” Bury also said biographical information on the company’s executives was taken down from its website as a precaution. The insurer cited the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in its announcement about the Dec. 12 event. “All of us at Centene are deeply saddened by Brian Thompson’s death and want to express our support for all of those affected. Health insurance is a big industry and a small community; many members of the CenTeam crossed paths with Brian during their careers,” Centene CEO Sarah M. London said in a news release. “He was a person with a deep sense of empathy and clear passion for improving access to care. Our hearts are with his family and his colleagues during this difficult time.” Centene Corp. has grown in recent years to become the largest insurer in Medicaid, the state- and federally funded program that covers care for people with low incomes. Insurers manage Medicaid coverage for states, and Centene has more than 13 million people enrolled in that coverage. The insurance company also said it’s focused on ensuring the safety of employees and assisting investigators. “While our hearts are broken, we have been touched by the huge outpouring of kindness and support in the hours since this horrific crime took place,” the company said. But he said Friday that he’s confident police will arrest the shooter. “We are on the right road to apprehend him and bring him to justice,” Adams said on TV station WPIX. Later, it removed their names and biographies entirely. Police and federal agents have been collecting information from Greyhound in an attempt to identify the suspect and are working to determine whether he purchased the ticket to New York in late November, a law enforcement official said. Investigators were also trying to obtain additional information from a cellphone recovered from a pedestrian plaza through which the shooter fled. The fatal shooting of Brian Thompson while walking alone on a New York City sidewalk has put a spotlight on the widely varied approaches companies take to protect their leaders against threats. Experts say today’s political, economic and technological climate is only going to make the job of evaluating threats against executives and taking action to protect them even more difficult, experts say. Some organizations have a protective intelligence group that uses digital tools such as machine learning or artificial intelligence to comb through online comments to detect threats not only on social media platforms such as X but also on the dark web, says Komendat. They look for what’s being said about the company, its employees and its leadership to uncover risks. ▶ Read more about the steps companies take to protect their leadership Police said Thursday they found a water bottle and protein bar wrapper from a trash can near the scene of the ambush and think the suspect bought them from a Starbucks minutes before the shooting. The items were being tested by the city’s medical examiner.
DALLAS — Calling it “left-wing propaganda,” State Representative Brian Harrison, R-Waxahachie, said if any Texas public university offers “LGBTQ/Sexualities Studies” programs, he will try to zero out its budget. “If they have an LGBTQ minor, that is an abuse of taxpayer funding never authorized by the legislature and as far as I’m concerned, there have got to be consequences,” the Republican told us on Inside Texas Politics. Rep. Harrison is one of 11 state lawmakers who sent a letter to University of Texas System leaders criticizing its Board of Regents for offering free tuition to undergraduate students whose families earn less than $100,000 a year. The move by the UT System is an expansion of the Promise Plus endowment, allowing qualifying undergraduates to attend any of its nine academic institutions, tuition-free. The previous standard, in 2019, created a $167 million endowment at UT Austin to cover tuition and mandatory fees for undergrad students from families with an adjusted gross income of $65,000 or less. In 2022, the UT System Regents offered a second endowment near $300 million to extend that program to all UT academic institutions in the state. But Rep. Harrison argues the legislature, and only the legislature, can authorize and appropriate funds to be used in this manner, or as he put it, “a decision this consequential.” And the Republican said there must be consequences, including cutting budgets and firing people. “This is an absolutely outrageous abuse of power if the state of Texas is going to become more socialist than California, which is what we’re doing here,” he said. One of the questions Harrison and the other lawmakers sent to the Board of Regents asked whether "LGBTQ/Sexualities Studies" are included in the free tuition plan. He plans to file legislation that would zero out the budgets of any university president offering such programs. “Public higher education in Texas is off the rails. The inmates are running the asylum,” said Harrison. “Let me tell you what this is, if you care about the protection of separation of powers as I do, this is an abuse of power because the legislature never voted on this.” The Republican also told us that while he hopes there are enough votes to pass school choice in the 89th legislative session that starts in January, there are no guarantees. “People who are saying that this is a done deal are either ignorant or they’re lying to you,” he said bluntly. Harrison did acknowledge that Republicans have more votes than they’ve ever had. But he also argues the devil is in the details, and the school choice bills need to be much better than they were last session when none passed. “They were not universal. They were financially irresponsible and reckless. We need to have a bill that’s done right,” argued the Republican. “Look, over 34 other states have already empowered their parents with some kind of school choice. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel here. We need to learn from the successes of other states.”A new bill has been introduced, and passed, to the House of Representatives which could help millions of Social Security beneficiaries get a higher amount every month. This is the Social Security Fairness Act , which passed with bipartisan support and is now headed to the Senate to, hopefully, be approved as well. The Social Security Fairness Act This bill, introduced by House sponsors, Virginia Democrat Abigail Spanberger and Louisiana Republican Garret Graves, aims to repeal two federal policies that currently limit Social Security payouts for around 2.8 million Americans who work in federal, state and local jobs. As they explained in a joint statement, “By passing the Social Security Fairness Act , a bipartisan majority of the U.S. House of Representatives showed up for the millions of Americans — police officers, teachers, firefighters, and other local and state public servants — who worked a second job to make ends meet or began a second career to support their families after retiring from public service. A bipartisan majority of the U.S. House voted to provide a secure retirement to the hundreds of thousands of spouses, widows, and widowers who are denied their spouses’ benefits simply because they chose careers of service.” What provisions did it repeal? the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). According to the SSA, the WEP is “a formula used to adjust Social Security worker benefits for people who receive “ non-covered pensions ” and qualify for Social Security benefits based on other Social Security–covered earnings. A non-covered pension is a pension paid by an employer that does not withhold Social Security taxes from your salary, typically, state and local governments or non-U.S. employer.” This provision currently affects approximately 2 million beneficiaries. The GPO “adjusts Social Security spousal or widow(er) benefits for people who receive “ non-covered pensions. ”” This rule impacts nearly 800,000 retirees. By repealing the bill it would allow to: All of these provisions would help average Americans make ends meet as it would raise benefits for those who are currently subject to the WEP and GPO. The bad news is that, according to the Congressional Budget Office, implementing this bill would add $195 billion to federal deficits over 10 years, contributing to the shortfall of Social Security even more. Regardless, as Graves explains “This has been 40 years of treating people differently, discriminating against a certain set of workers. They’re not people that are overpaid; they’re not people that are underworked,” he said. Despite the House win, the bill still has long to go, as it has not been put up to a vote in the Senate and the president would still have to sign it into law, but efforts are being made so that it can pass with the minimum possible disturbance. Spanberger and Graves, along with Senate sponsors, Democrat Sherrod Brown and Republican Susan Collins, made their case to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for them to put the bill up for a vote. Their impassionate plea read that Americans who are subject to the provisions “are being punished for supporting and protecting our neighbors and families, educating our children, providing healthcare to our Veterans, delivering our mail, and more.”Essential Tips for Designing a Logo for Your Brand
No. 4 Penn State tries to keep playoff picture out of focus in prep for tough trip to Minnesota
Callan Rydz has revealed Dimitri Van den Bergh's pre-match mind games lit the fuse that sparked his third round demolition . Rydz did not drop a set in his first two matches at the PDC World Darts Championship as he breezed past Romeo Grbavac and Martin Schindler. However, No. 11 seed Van den Bergh presented a much tougher challenge for Rydz. Well, at least on paper. Once the game began, it looked like Rydz was the man who deserved the high seeding and not Van den Bergh. The 26-year-old was dominant from start to finish as he decimated Van den Bergh 4-0 and recorded a sensational three-dart average of 105.31 on his way to victory. It wasn't even Rydz's highest figure of the tournament, having averaged 107.06 in his first round match against Grbavac. Speaking in his post-match press conference, Rydz revealed it was a pre-match comment from Van den Bergh that played a key role in his blistering performance on Sunday afternoon. Recalling how his rival's use of mind games came to his attention, Rydz said: "It was one of my best friends. "He went, 'Have you seen Dimitri's interview?' I went, 'No.' He went, 'He called you unstable.' "I went, 'He's not wrong,' but I think that was the fire in the belly that I needed." Although Rydz has presented himself as a cool customer on the oche at the World Championship, he has had his struggles with the mental side of the game in recent years. At the 2024 Hungarian Darts Trophy, Rydz cut a devastated figure after he blew a 5-2 lead to eventually lose 6-5 to Florian Hempel in the first round. The 26-year-old bit into the collar of his shirt and punched his darts case on his way off the oche. After the match, Rydz sparked concerns for his well-being with an emotional message on social media. "Bah it's a lonely f****** place, but f*** me, when you lose, the s*** you get is not good for anyone," Rydz wrote. "Am just trying to make a living an (sic) not sure it's worth bothering fighting for anymore. "If you have my number and need me, text me. I won't be on social media for a long time." Rydz has since improved the mental side of his game and it certainly showed against Van den Bergh. It was no more evident than how composed he remained despite Van den Bergh's attempts to dictate the pace of the match, even when Rydz continued to storm ahead. "I knew what he was going to do," Rydz said. "I knew that he was going to try to not slow us down, but compose himself. "But I knew it was coming so I was ready for every little thing that was coming. I settled down after I replied with the 180 in the first leg and it shows that I can do it. "I know that some people write us off, but I know where my game is at, I can match it with anyone." Rydz will now face Robert Owen in the fourth round on Monday.MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — With Penn State's strong push for a spot in the College Football Playoff still a couple of wins from completion, the biggest roadblock to a bid for the Nittany Lions in this favorable final third of their schedule has appeared with a trip to Minnesota . That's why this week, naturally, is too early for them to talk about making the inaugural 12-team tournament — as enticing as their prospects might be. “I think the quality of teams that we go in and play each week speaks for itself,” quarterback Drew Allar said. "But as far as rankings, it doesn’t really matter until it matters.” Penn State (9-1, 6-1 Big Ten) is fourth in both the AP poll and the CFP rankings this week, needing help for a long-shot hope of reaching the Big Ten title game because of a loss to now-No. 2 Ohio State on Nov. 2. In this new era of playoff expansion, the Nittany Lions are on firm footing for an at-large bid. Lose to the unranked Gophers (6-4, 4-3), however, and that ground could become shaky given the current collection of standout two-loss teams in the SEC. In case the Nittany Lions needed proof of the danger of letting focus diverge, coach James Franklin and his staff can call up the tape from Nov. 9, 2019. That's when an undefeated Penn State team came to Minnesota and lost 31-26 . The Nittany Lions lost again at Ohio State two weeks later and finished 11-2, one of several not-quite performances for this storied program that last went unbeaten in 1994 and hasn't been recognized as national champions since 1986. The Gophers were undefeated themselves after that game before losses to rivals Iowa and Wisconsin ended their Rose Bowl quest. This team isn't on that level of talent and success from five years ago, but the chemistry has been off the charts. Coach P.J. Fleck drew attention to some of the individual standout performances that fueled the signature victory in 2019 in meetings with players this week. “We need our best playmakers to play their best. Penn State’s going to need their playmakers to be their best. That’s what happens in November,” Fleck said. Tyler Warren has already shattered nearly every record for Penn State tight ends. The do-it-all senior become such a force his teammates insist he’s worthy of the Heisman Trophy, tracking toward the top of the NFL draft board for his position next spring. “He’s the best tight end in America, but he’s also the most complete tight end in America," Allar said. Warren is coming off a 190-yard performance at Purdue that included 63 yards on three rushes and 127 yards on eight receptions. “He has the ability to take a play that should be 2 or 3 yards and turn it into 30 or 40,” Gophers defensive end Danny Striggow said. Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter has 171⁄2 tackles for loss, the second-most in the FBS, and eight sacks to match the third-most in the Big Ten. He has a challenging matchup this week with Minnesota left tackle Aireontae Ersery across from him in a battle of projected first-round NFL draft picks. Gophers coaches told Striggow and his fellow defensive linemen a couple of seasons ago to relish the opportunity to face Ersery in practice. “That’s one of the best looks in the country that you’re going to get,” Striggow said. Carter has successfully made the transition from linebacker this season. “He is impacting the game in a number of ways, which creates opportunities for other guys on our defensive line and within our defense and causes a lot of headaches,” Franklin said. “He is becoming more and more of a leader every single day.” Allar and the Nittany Lions have paid particular attention to protecting the ball this week, given the Gophers have 16 interceptions, one short of the national lead. Penn State quarterback Drew Allar feels he’ll need to be especially accurate this weekend considering Minnesota has 16 interceptions on the season. “We’re just going to have to be disciplined and stick to our game plan,” Allar said. The Gophers have a strong group of departing players who will take the field at Huntington Bank Stadium for the final time, including Ersery, quarterback Max Brosmer, wide receiver Daniel Jackson, right guard Quinn Carroll, cornerback Justin Walley, kicker Dragan Kesich and Striggow. “It’s been good to reflect, but it’s not over yet," Striggow said. "Those short windows of reflection, I cut ’em out and then say, ‘We’ve got some more memories to make.’” 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 .
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