NC State and East Carolina meet in next season's opener. But first, the Military Bowl777pub ph 。

TSMC, Tradeweb And Another IBD 50 Name Struggle With BreakoutsFormer New Orleans priest convicted of raping teen boy dies while serving life sentenceNone

These top ASX dividend shares offer whopping 8%+ yieldsWiggles new mum reveals key to kids being ready for schoolBritain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer during his 'plan for change' speech in Buckinghamshire, England, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. via Associated Press Keir Starmer arrived in government with a big promise to introduce change. In his first speech from the steps of Downing Street, the prime minister vowed to rebuild the public’s “lack of trust” in politics with “actions not words” following his landslide victory. Almost six months later, such pledges seem to have already gone to pot. By September, YouGov found the most common descriptor among Brits for Starmer’s Labour was “dishonest” – a word chosen by 36% of the public. Advertisement A further 31% of the respondents thought the party is “only interested in themselves”, and the “same as the rest”. Pollsters at Ipsos then concluded in December that Starmer is more unpopular than any other UK prime minister has been during their first five months in No.10 since the 70s. So, what’s happened? Not only has Starmer unveiled a series of unpopular policies – hiking National Insurance tax for employers , reducing eligibility for winter fuel payments , and keeping the two-child benefit cap – but he’s been mired in political controversies , too. Advertisement Starmer was found to have declared more freebies than any other sitting MP between 2019 and September this year, with their total value coming to £107,145. That included multiple pairs of glasses for the PM himself, “work clothing”, football tickets, tickets to see Taylor Swift, and high-end outfits for his wife. His top donor, Lord Alli, was also handed a temporary pass to No.10, sparking backlash and accusations of “cronyism”. Advertisement It only got worse for Labour when Labour loyalists or other donors were appointed to senior civil service posts. Starmer rejected such cronyism claims and repaid more than £6,000 worth of those gifts and hospitality, while also tightening the rules around ministers who accept freebies. But it was too late – his critics were already comparing him to Boris Johnson, who infamously used donors’ money to redecorate his Downing Street flat. Advertisement Interest in the freebies was particularly heightened after the flurry of lobbying scandals across Westminster in recent years. Ex-PM David Cameron was found to have lobbied on behalf of Greensill Capital while making £3.3m from shares in the firm in 2021; then Tory MP Owen Paterson was accused of lobbying on behalf of Randox, whom he was a consultant for, that same year; hereditary peer the Earl of Shrewsbury was suspended for nine months after lobbying on behalf of Covid sanitising products in 2022 and being paid £57,000; and former Tory MP Scott Benton was accused of lobbying for the gambling industry in 2023 . According to the CEO of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), Alastair McCapra, Starmer can dispel any comparisons between his government and his last Downing Street predecessors pretty effortlessly by cranking up transparency in parliament. Advertisement ““If Starmer misses his chance, the next Westminster lobbying scandal cannot be far off, and public patience is pretty much exhausted” “Lobbying reform isn’t expensive,” McCapra told HuffPost UK. “It isn’t being opposed by the lobbying industry, quite the contrary. “For a prime minister wrestling, in difficult circumstances , to deliver on voters’ expectations, it seems an easy one to tick off. Perhaps the New Year will bring a spring to Keir Starmer’s step and he will make this a serious priority.” Advertisement There seems little doubt that this would only boost Starmer’s public image, according to CIPR’s own research. An Opinium poll in 2023 found almost half of its 2,100 respondents though lobbying rules are too weak, and close to three quarters said lobbying scandals make them less confident in the political system altogether. However, McCapra warned that this is an issue that Starmer only has a certain amount of time to resolve. Advertisement He warned: “If he misses his chance, the next Westminster lobbying scandal cannot be far off, and public patience is pretty much exhausted. As they say, the best time to do this was last year. The second best time is now.” Labour promised to crack down on lobbying before they got into office, including a proposed ban on second jobs for MPs and a pledge to create an Ethics and Integrity Commission in the the party’s election manifesto. However, neither of these pledges have come to fruition yet. McCapra also noted that “Labour has gone very quiet” on the repeal and replacement of the 2014 Lobbying Act – which the CIPR says is full of loopholes – since getting into office. Advertisement He said: “Some of the worst lobbying scandals in memory have taken place since that law was passed. “Its main effect on public life appears to have been the ever more frequent repetition of that awful establishment assurance that ‘no rules were broken’. “If you hear that phrase more than once in a blue moon you know it’s the rules themselves that are the problem.” He added: “The UK lags well behind other democracies in terms of how lobbying is regulated, and that carries significant reputational cost for whoever is in government.” Advertisement In the Commons in July, chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden did not offer a date for introducing the new commission, but acknowledged it was an “important manifesto commitment”. He said: “On several fronts, we want to get the right systems in place, but in the end it is a matter of show, not tell.” Labour MP Joe Powell, who is the chair of the all-party parliamentary group on Anti-Corruption and Responsible Tax, told HuffPost UK that parliament need to see this commission “up and running as soon as possible, and it must include stronger oversight over lobbying.” Advertisement But the MP also emphasised the need to protect the UK against “exploitation”. He added: “We also need to ensure that British politics is not left open to exploitation by dirty money—whether from overseas interests or those seeking to exert undue influence on decision-making. “This is about rebuilding public trust and ensuring decisions serve the public interest—not just those with the deepest pockets or the thickest black book.” Related keir starmer labour What Is The David Cameron Greensill Lobbying Scandal About? ‘Tory Sleaze Is Back,’ Starmer Slams Sunak Over MP Caught In Lobbying Sting Minister Blasts MP Scott Benton For 'Unacceptable' Behaviour Over Gambling Lobbying

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Washington’s roster got a whole lot younger on Wednesday. The Huskies signed 29 commitments for the 2025 season during the first day of the early signing period. Coach Jedd Fisch currently has 62 scholarships committed to players who are sophomores by eligibility or younger. Fisch and the Huskies can add some experience to their roster starting on Monday, when the transfer portal opens. Washington will also have more attrition of its own because the Huskies are above the self-imposed 85-scholarship limit Fisch announced on Wednesday. Here are five position groups the Huskies might target in the transfer portal starting on Monday. No. 1 — Defensive tackle This probably has to be Washington’s top priority in the transfer portal. The Huskies lose their top-two defensive tackles — Sebastian Valdez and Jacob Bandes — after the bowl game, leaving them with a young, unproven group at the position. Logan Sagapolu played offensive line for the first four years of his college career. Jayvon and Armon Parker are coming off season-ending injuries. Bryce Butler, a junior college addition this season, played in three games because of injuries and redshirted to preserve a year of eligibility. Elinneus Davis had 14 tackles, two tackles for a loss, a sack and a pass breakup, and finished his first season as a contributor ranked third in snaps among defensive tackles according to Pro Football Focus. UW also has 6-foot-3, 296-pound Omar Khan who redshirted as a true freshman in 2024. The Huskies signed 315-pound Dominic Macon and 260-pound Caleb Smith in their 2025 recruiting class but they will likely need to redshirt in 2025. Fisch heavily implied Washington will hunt the portal for more defensive linemen while speaking during his signing day news conference on Wednesday. “In the transfer portal, in terms of defensive linemen, you have to be able to take the older players.” No. 2 — Linebacker Washington signed three linebackers as part of its 2025 recruiting class, including local four-star prospects Zaydrius Rainey-Sale and Jonathan Epperson Jr. But after losing captains Alphonzo Tuputala and Carson Bruener and standout special teamer Drew Fowler, it makes sense to add another linebacker with more experience to the room. Anthony Ward, a former walk-on who Fisch gave a scholarship to at Arizona, is the oldest player in the group. Khmori House, however, is the most experienced. The Southern Californian played in all 12 games as a true freshman in 2024, racking up 35 tackles, a forced fumble and an interception. He's a presumed starter for 2025 and Fisch has repeatedly called House the future of the defense. Deven Bryant and Hayden Moore, who will both be third-year sophomores in 2025, saw limited action this season. Bryant had a prolific high school careers at St. John Bosco High School, where he played with House, but has been hampered by injuries since arriving at UW in 2023. Moore was a Michigan transfer who appeared primarily on special teams in 2024. No. 3 — Safety Similar to linebacker, Washington loses captain Kamren Fabiculanan, who led UW’s defense with 736 snaps this season. Cameron Broussard also departs, along with veteran special teamer Justin Harrington. Makell Esteen still has eligibility, and the Huskies have a young group of second-year safeties in Peyton Waters, Paul Mencke Jr., Rahshawn Clark and Rahim Wright II. Waters burned his redshirt in 2024, mainly as a special teamer, and will be a sophomore in 2025 while Mencke, Clark and Wright will all be redshirt freshmen. Clark was a cornerback at Garfield High School but is listed as a safety on UW’s roster. The Huskies also signed four-star freshman Rylon Dillard-Allen on Wednesday. Between Esteen and the second-year safeties, however, there isn’t much depth. Fisch has been high on Vincent Holmes, a third-year sophomore in 2025, despite the Bay Area native’s special teams gaffe against Rutgers. Holmes was UW’s third safety during games when Esteen or Broussard were unavailable because of injury. Sumner native Tristan Dunn is the final safety on the roster, playing almost exclusively on special teams in 2024. He’ll be entering his fourth season in the program in 2025. Bringing in a veteran safety to pair primarily with Esteen makes some sense, especially because defensive coordinator Steve Belichick likes to use three-safety looks. No. 4 — Offensive line Washington’s offensive line issues were apparent all season, yet Fisch has been adamant that the Huskies will build their new offensive line through high school recruiting. UW signed six offensive linemen as part of their 2025 recruiting class: Champ Taulealea, John Mills, Jake Flores, Peter Langi, Jack Shaffer and Lowen Colman-Brusa. The Huskies currently have 18 offensive linemen on scholarship, assuming no attrition. Offensive coordinator Brennan Carroll, who also coaches the offensive line, has previously said he’d like to have around 16 scholarship linemen on the roster. But on Friday, Arizona left guard Wendell Moe Jr. announced he intends to enter the transfer portal. The third-year sophomore started 13 games for Fisch and Carroll at left guard in 2023, then maintained his spot after staying with the Wildcats in 2024. PFF graded the 6-2, 339-pound Moe as Arizona’s best pass-blocking lineman who played at least three games. He didn’t allow a single sack in 491 pass-blocking snaps in 2024. No. 5 — Wide receiver Washington signed five wide receivers for its 2025 class, but the Huskies will lose Giles Jackson and Jeremiah Hunter — who combined for 107 catches and 1,144 receiving yards — after the bowl game. Additionally Denzel Boston is eligible for the NFL draft after finishing his third season of college football in 2024. The rest of UW’s receiver group has limited experience. Rashid Williams and Keith Reynolds, both third-year sophomores in 2025, were rotational players during the past season. Williams had 10 catches for 119 yards and a touchdown, while Reynolds was UW’s primary kick returner and scored his first touchdown on a rush against USC. Audric Harris burned his redshirt as a true freshman, making one catch for seven yards while appearing in seven games. UW also has Kevin Green Jr., an Arizona transfer who will be a fourth-year junior but missed the entire 2024 campaign with an injury. Green had eight catches for 97 yards with the Wildcats in 2023. The seven other receivers on the roster — five true freshmen and second-year receivers Jason Robinson Jr. and Justice Williams — have never played a college snap. If Washington doesn't add a veteran receiver, they’ll be counting on Green, Williams and Reynolds to really step up alongside Boston.

Who Biden may be considering preemptive pardons for?MEREDITH — Isabel Dwyer was recently crowned Miss Lakes Region’s Teen 2025. With a commitment to making a meaningful impact, she embraces the core values of Miss America: style, scholarship, success, service, and sisterhood. Currently a junior at Bishop Guertin High School, Dwyer advocates for concussion awareness through her community service initiative. As a two-time concussion survivor, she is passionate about prevention and support, proudly serving as an ambassador for Concussion Awareness Now and the Concussion Legacy Foundation. Dwyer aims to support youth and families across New Hampshire with social media campaigns, wellness events, and fundraising for brain injury initiatives. In addition to her advocacy work, Dwyer founded her school’s broadcast journalism club and plans to study communications in college, merging her media skills with her dedication to creating change. Her passion for coaching young cheerleaders is an extension of her advocacy through promoting brain safety and sportsmanship. From participating in a lake clean-up and writing letters to isolated seniors, to sorting toys for the Salvation Army, Dwyer’s service work establishes her as a role model for teens. The Miss Lakes Region Teen pageant is part of the Miss America’s Teen organization, which has awarded millions in scholarships to empower young women. Dwyer will represent the Lakes Region at the Miss New Hampshire Teen competition in April, where she will compete in the interview, talent, evening gown, and on-stage question segments. For more information, visit instagram.com/misslakesregionnh .

An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalitionMANCHESTER, England, Nov 23 (Reuters) - New Manchester United's manager Ruben Amorim is known for an ability to connect with players that many say his predecessor Erik ten Hag did not possess, but the 39-year-old thinks he can be stern when he needs to be. The Portuguese cut a charismatic figure in his first press conference as United head coach on Friday, and his warm rapport especially with the nine journalists who travelled from Portugal only added to his reputation for genuine likeability. But asked if he also has a ruthless side that might be needed to restore a team languishing 13th in the Premier League table ahead of Sunday's match at Ipswich Town to former glory, the former Sporting manager said it was possible to be both. "You can be the same person. There are some places to have fun. There are some places to work hard. So I can be ruthless when I have to be," Amorim said. "If you think as a team, I will be the nicest guy that you have ever seen. If there is someone just thinking for himself, I will be a different person. And I'm not like that kind of guy that wants to show that he's the boss. "They will feel it in the small details that I can be the smiling one, but then, when you have to job to do, I will be a different person, and they understand that." Amorim, known as the "poet" by Portugal and former United forward Cristiano Ronaldo for his communication skills, also erased concerns raised by British media about his English with his thoughtful answers on Friday. He stumbled only once, over the word "suspicious". Because of the international break, Amorim had only two training sessions with his squad before they take the pitch at Portman Road on Sunday ahead of a gruelling stretch of games. It is not how he would have planned his early days with his new team. "It's so much harder to come to a team in the middle of the season, because you have to get to know the players during the games," Amorim said. "(But) it depends. If you are winning, it's a lot of fun having a lot of games, trying to make some changes tactically and winning games. But if you are losing, you don't have the time in training to work out everything you want to work." Following the clash with 17th-placed Ipswich, they host Bodo/Glimt in Amorim's first game at Old Trafford, and entertain Everton in the league. The three matches are part of a packed schedule of 12 games in six weeks. "Where you can improve a team is in training. This is the most important aspect... it is really hard to do it on video or in recovering trainings," Amorim said. "But we will find ways to try to cope with that." Sign up here. Reporting by Lori Ewing, editing by Ed Osmond Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab

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In California's 'earthquake country,' a 7.0 temblor prompts confusion and a tsunami warningThe woman who accused then-Fox News host Pete Hegseth of sexual assault in 2017 said that while she did not have a complete recollection of the night in question, she "remembered saying 'no' a lot" and alleged that he prevented her from leaving his hotel room, according to a police report from the Monterey, Calif., police department. The report , which was released to NPR and other outlets after a public records request, provides additional details about the incident involving the woman and Hegseth , who was named last week as President-elect Donald Trump's choice for Secretary of Defense. On Thursday, Karoline Leavitt, Trump-Vance transition spokeswoman said in statement: "This report corroborates what Mr. Hegseth's attorneys have said all along: the incident was fully investigated, and no charges were filed because police found the allegations to be false. Pete Hegseth is a highly-respected Combat Veteran who will honorably serve our country when he is confirmed as the next Secretary of Defense, just like he honorably served our country on the battlefield in uniform." The allegation against Hegseth came into public view just days after President-elect Donald Trump announced him as his nominee for Secretary of Defense, adding to scrutiny of the longtime TV personality's qualifications to lead the Department of Defense. Hegseth, 44, stopped working at Fox News last week after his nomination was announced. His attorney, Timothy Parlatore, said that while Hegseth denies the allegations by his accuser, he settled with her several years ago, to prevent her from filing a lawsuit that could damage his television career. "This police report confirms what I have said all along," Parlatore told NPR via email, "that the incident was fully investigated and police found the allegations to be false, which is why no charges were filed." Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni said in a statement to NPR that her office declined to pursue the case in early 2018, after determining that "No charges were supported by proof beyond a reasonable doubt." What do the two sides say? The woman is identified only as Jane Doe in the police document. She told an investigator that late one night, while in Hegseth's room at a hotel that was hosting a Republican women's conference, he took her cellphone and "blocked the door with his body," according to the report. She also said they then had a sexual encounter, and in the ensuing days as other events triggered memories, she "went to the hospital because she believed she was sexually assaulted by [Hegseth]," an officer wrote in the report. The incidents described in the police report occurred over several hours, from Saturday evening, Oct. 7, into the early hours of Sunday, Oct. 8. When police contacted Hegseth later that month, his version of events differed from Doe's; as he told an investigator that he and Doe had had sex -- but that it was consensual. Both Hegseth and Doe say they had been drinking alcohol that night, as they and others moved from a banquet and speech to an afterparty and then late-night drinks at the bar at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa. The resort was hosting a conference and party for the California Federation of Republican Women. Doe, a staffer for the organization, was staying at the hotel with her husband. Why is the report coming out now? City Attorney Christine Davi says her office determined that it could release the redacted police report because Hegseth had been given a copy of the same document in March of 2021 -- rendering it no longer exempt from release under the state's public records laws. Other records, including a separate police report from another agency; a Kaiser Permanente report; an audio recording; surveillance footage; a photograph; and a memo from the Monterey County District Attorney's Office remain confidential, Davi says. What about accounts from witnesses and video? Witnesses describe roughly the same general arc of movement, as Hegseth, Doe and others moved from the hotel's conference center and ballroom to an after party spanning several suites. Later, Doe and Hegseth were part of a smaller group that went to the hotel's bar, called Knuckles Sports Bar. Witnesses and hotel records stated that Hegseth and Doe had a loud argument along the pool deck around 1:30 a.m. -- prompting an employee to ask them to be quiet. Hegseth responded by cursing at the employee and saying "he had freedom of speech," according to the police report. Doe then intervened, telling the employee "that they were Republicans and apologized" for Hegseth's behavior. The employee said Hegseth and Doe left soon afterward. They ended up in Building 5, room 528 -- Hegseth's room. What did Jane Doe tell police? In text messages Doe shared with police, she mentioned meeting Hegseth at the conference, including a message saying, "our ladies are freaking drooling over him." Some of Doe's texts were in conversations with her husband. Some of them indicated that she was not impressed with Hegseth, noting, "He wears a ring on his pointer finger. It creeps me out." Later in the evening, Doe told investigators, she saw Hegseth "acting inappropriately," rubbing women's legs, and "giving off a 'creeper' vibe," according to the report. In her statements to police, Doe described how memories of that night came back to her. Of the visit to Knuckles bar, she said, "that's when things got fuzzy." She told police that she recalled arguing with Hegseth near the pool, saying it was about how he was treating women at the conference. Doe remembered Hegseth telling her "that he was a nice guy," according to the report. "[Doe] stated the next memory she had was when she was in an unknown room," according to the police report. "[Doe] did not know where she was and how she got to the room. [Hegseth] was in the room with her." The report states that the woman said Hegseth asked who she was texting with and took her phone. Doe told police that she then tried to leave the room, but Hegseth blocked the door. "[Doe] remembered saying "no" a lot. [Doe] stated she did not remember much else. [Doe's] next memory was when she was on a bed or a couch and [Hegseth] was over her. [Hegseth's] dog tags were hovering over her face." What did Hegseth tell police? Hegseth told police that he delivered the keynote speech at the conference. Later, he said, he went upstairs to the after-party where he drank beer. He said that he and others then went to the hotel bar. Police say that the hotel's surveillance footage shows him, Doe and another woman walking to the bar, in a video time-stamped close to midnight. Hegseth said that no one at the bar was "blacked out drunk," and that while he was "buzzed," he wasn't intoxicated, according to the report. Hegseth told police he didn't remember having an argument at the pool. He said he was confused that Doe went back to his hotel room with him, because they had not talked as much as he did with others. Hegseth maintained that any physical interaction between them was consensual. Afterward, he said, Doe told him she would tell her husband that she had fallen asleep on a couch in someone else's room. Before Doe left his room, Hegseth said, he told her he would stay quiet about what had happened — but he added that she "showed early signs of regret." He did not specify what those signs were. How did the police get involved? Police were alerted when a Kaiser Permanente nurse called them on Oct. 12, 2017, reporting that a woman had come in requesting a sexual assault exam. The patient wanted to remain anonymous -- known as Jane Doe -- and she initially did not tell police Hegseth's name either, according to the report. The nurse said the patient was referred to an emergency room for an examination. The 22-page police report includes input from at least three officers, beginning with the officer who handled the initial call to an investigator who followed up and spoke with Doe, other women who were with her that night; hotel employees; and Hegseth himself. The report concludes with a recommendation to forward the case to the Monterey County District Attorney's Office for review. It lists the potential criminal offense as "Rape: victim unconscious of the nature of the act" -- citing California penal code section 261(a) (4) . Under state law, rape is classified as a felony punishable by three to eight years in prison. Copyright 2024 NPR