COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Will Howard passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another, TreVeyon Henderson ran for a score and No. 2 Ohio State beat previously undefeated No. 5 Indiana 38-15 on Saturday. All Ohio State (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten, CFP No. 2) has to do now is beat Michigan at home next Saturday and it will earn a return to the Big Ten championship game for the first time since 2020 and get a rematch with No. 1 Oregon. The Ducks beat Ohio State 32-31 in a wild one back on Oct. 12. The Hoosiers (10-1, 7-1, No. 5 CFP) had their best chance to beat the Buckeyes for the first time since 1988 but were hurt by special teams mistakes and disrupted by an Ohio State defense that sacked quarterback Kurtis Rourke five times. “In life, all good things come to an end,” Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said. Late in the first half, Indiana punter James Evans fumbled a snap and was buried at his own 7-yardline with the Buckeyes taking over. That turned quickly into a 4-yard TD run by Henderson that gave the Buckeyes a 14-7 lead. Early in the second half, Caleb Downs fielded an Evans punt at the Ohio State 21, raced down the right sideline, cut to the middle and outran the coverage for a TD that put the Buckeyes up 21-7. It was the first time a Buckeye returned a punt for a touchdown since 2014. Howard finished 22 for 26 for 201 yards. Emeka Egbuka had seven catches for 80 yards and a TD. “Our guys just played with a chip today, and that’s the way you got to play the game of football,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. Indiana scored on its first possession of the game and its last, both short runs by Ty Son Lawson, who paced the Hoosiers with 79 rushing yards. Rourke was 8 for 18 for 68 yards. “We had communication errors, pass (protection), every time we dropped back to pass, something bad happened," Cignetti said. Indiana's 151 total yards was its lowest of the season. And it was the most points surrendered by the Hoosier's defense. Indiana: Its special season was blemished by the Buckeyes, who beat the Hoosiers for the 30th straight time. Indiana was eyeing its first conference crown since sharing one with two other teams in 1967. That won't happen now. “Ohio State deserved to win,” Cignetti said. “They had those (third quarter scores), and we just couldn’t respond.” Ohio State: Didn't waste the opportunities presented by the Hoosiers when they got sloppy. The Buckeyes led 14-7 at the break and took control in the second half. An offensive line patched together because of multiple injuries performed surprisingly well. “We know what was at stake," Day said. “We don't win this game, and we have no chance to go to Indianapolis and play in the Big Ten championship. And that's real. We've had that approach for the last few weeks now, more than that.” Some voters were obviously unsure of Indiana because it hadn't played a nationally ranked team before Ohio State. After this one, the Hoosiers will drop. Howard made history by completing 80% of his passes for the sixth time this season. No other Ohio State quarterback has done that. He completed his first 14 passes in a row and finished with a 85% completion rate. “I think Buckeye nation is now seeing, after 11 games, that this guy is a winner, he's tough, he cares about his teammates, he's a leader,” Day said. Indiana hosts Purdue in the regular-season finale next Saturday. Ohio State hosts rival Michigan on Saturday. 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

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Will Howard passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another, TreVeyon Henderson ran for a score and No. 2 Ohio State beat previously undefeated No. 5 Indiana 38-15 on Saturday. All Ohio State (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten, CFP No. 2) has to do now is beat Michigan at home next Saturday and it will earn a return to the Big Ten championship game for the first time since 2020 and get a rematch with No. 1 Oregon. The Ducks beat Ohio State 32-31 in a wild one back on Oct. 12.scored 31 points to lead unranked to in overtime against No. 3 in the quarterfinal round of the Battle 4 Atlantis on Wednesday. Have a day, Javon Small 👏 His 31-point performance was crucial in ' win over No. 3 Gonzaga 🪣 — NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) The Bulldogs were viewed as a favorite to win the preseason tournament and led 39–31 at halftime. Yet after Gonzaga took a 43–33 lead early in the second half, the Mountaineers went on a 10–0 run to tie the game, finished off by a 3-pointer from . West Virginia continued the onslaught to take a 50–47 lead. From there, the game was a back-and-forth affair. The Mountaineers went on top 58–53, but Gonzaga quickly answered with a 3 from . The Bulldogs appeared to take control of the game on a jump shot with 1:52 remaining in regulation and took a 71–65 lead with 25 seconds left. Braden Huff delivers. Zags back on top. — Theo Lawson (@TheoLawson_SR) However, a 3-pointer from closed the margin to 71–69 for West Virginia. DeVries wasn't finished from there, getting a steal and drawing a foul. He made two free throws to tie the game at 71–71 with five seconds remaining in regulation. Gonzaga couldn't get a shot off at the end, putting the game into overtime. In the extra period, West Virginia built its lead at the foul line with and Hansberry each making two free throws to go on top 77–73. A layup from Small and two more free throws by gave the Mountaineers an 81–75 lead with 1:04 left. Harris followed up to essentially put the game away with a steal and dunk for an 81–76 margin. And two final free throws by DeVries gave West Virginia the winning 86–78 score. KB IS COOKING !!️ — Gonzaga Basketball (@ZagMBB) DeVries scored 16 points for the Mountaineers, who improved to 4–1 with the victory. Hansberry added 19 points and eight rebounds. Huff scored 19 points to lead Gonzaga, followed by 16 from and 13 by HIckman. notched 12 assists for the Bulldogs. Gonzaga lost its first game of the season after beating , and on their way to a 5–0 start. The Bulldogs' defeat continued a difficult week for top five teams, joining No. 2 ( to and ) and No. 5 ( No. 4 ) in losing during preseason holiday tournaments.

Van Nistelrooy returned to Old Trafford as Erik ten Hag’s assistant in the summer and had a four-game interim spell in charge following his compatriot’s sacking in October. He left the club in the wake of Ruben Amorim’s appointment but was only out of work for two weeks after being appointed Leicester’s new manager on a deal until 2027. The 48-year-old had a glittering playing career with United and was disappointed his return had to end so soon. “The moment I took over the interim job what I said was I’m here to help United and to stay to help United, and I meant it,” he said. “So I was disappointed, yeah, very much so, and it hurt I had to leave. “The only job I would take as an assistant was at United because of the bond that I have with the people in the club and the fans. “But in the end I got my head around it because I also understand the new manager. I’m in football long enough, and I’ve managed myself, that you can think of a situation, me being there, I understand. “I spoke to Ruben about it, fair enough to him, the conversation was grateful, man to man, person to person, manager to manager, and that helped a lot to move on and straightaway get into talks with new possibilities which of course lifted my spirits.” The Dutchman takes on a difficult job at the King Power Stadium as he is tasked with keeping Leicester in the Premier League. He inherits an influential dressing room, which has seen a number of managers come and go over the last few years. Van Nistelrooy revealed he has done his due diligence and also let the players know as well. “It’s the only way you can work. It’s mutual respect. I also mentioned to the players yesterday that I looked at the squad and started to make phone calls about players, because in football everyone knows everyone,” he said. “With two or three phone calls you hear stories about 20 players and for me it was important that you hear there are good characters there. That’s important, that there are good people there. “I look at the players how they play. I obviously don’t know them but I got general information and the individuals that they are a good bunch of people. That was important for me to get in.”

President Joe Biden 's decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden , could undermine Democrats ' messaging against President-elect Donald Trump , political experts said. Biden announced Sunday that he would pardon his son, who had been convicted on firearms charges and pleaded guilty to tax fraud charges this year. He wrote it is "clear that Hunter was treated differently" than other defendants and that the charges "came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election." In June, Hunter Biden was convicted of lying on a federal form when he bought a gun in 2018 and swore he wasn't a drug user. In September, he pleaded guilty to charges of trying to avoid paying more than $1.4 million in taxes. "No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter's cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son—and that is wrong," Biden wrote. "There has been an effort to break Hunter—who has been five and a half years sober, even in the face of unrelenting attacks and selective prosecution." The pardon divided Americans, with some arguing he should never have been charged while others were more critical . Experts told Newsweek that the pardon may create a messaging headache for Democrats. "It undermines the Democratic Party 's message that it is the party of small 'd' democracy, and democratic legitimacy," Grant Davis Reeher, a professor of political science at Syracuse University, told Newsweek . The pardon gives "more ammunition" for Republicans to use a "you too" defense of their actions, as well as "fuels efforts to put the two parties into an equivalent standing on the issue of democracy," he said. "And it further undermines the public's view of and confidence in the entire governmental and political system," he said. Anne Danehy, a professor at Boston University's College of Communications, told Newsweek that while the pardon could undermine Democrats' messaging against Trump, that message wasn't particularly effective anyway. She said the pardon will be a "blip" that will matter little to voters in six months. "It feeds into peoples' distrust of government, the anti-Washington sentiment," she said. Democrats have spent years criticizing Trump over legal issues. Trump has similarly claimed the legal cases against him were politically motivated, painting himself as someone who has been unfairly targeted. Democrats have dismissed the claims, arguing that he should not receive any special treatment as a result of his status as a former president, and now president-elect. Robert Y. Shapiro, a Columbia University political science professor, told Newsweek that the pardon leaves Democrats in an "awkward" position while also making it easier politically for Trump to issue pardons that may be received negatively by his critics surrounding the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. "It has opened the door for Trump whenever he wants to issue blanket, sweeping pardons to those imprisoned or accused for the January 6, 2021, assaulting of the Capitol, and any other crimes coming out of the attempt to overturn the 2020 electoral vote," he said. Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment via email. Democrats Distance Themselves From Biden Pardon Many Democratic officials have already distanced themselves from Biden . "While as a father I certainly understand President @JoeBiden's natural desire to help his son by pardoning him, I am disappointed that he put his family ahead of the country. This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation," Colorado Governor Jared Polis wrote in a post to X, formerly Twitter . Danehy said that Democrats may be smart to avoid commenting on the pardon, as much of their base may be more sympathetic to why Biden decided to pardon his son. It would also avoid drawing attention to the issue, she said. Most Americans, meanwhile, are still more concerned about putting food on the table, she said. "They have bigger issues, in terms of how do you rebuild the Democratic Party, and how do you find a leader for the Democratic Party that will be able to beat the Republicans in four years," she said. "If they get stuck on this, it's not going to do anything to help them." Costas Panagopoulos, professor of political science at Northeastern University, told Newsweek that the pardon isn't particularly surprising, and that most voters will likely move on quickly as other political news breaks. "It will be perceived through partisan lenses, but most people will likely forget all about it by the time the next election comes around. Republicans will try to keep the issue alive, but it will likely pale in comparison to other developments in the coming months and years," he said. Reeher, however, said Democrats have little choice but to distance themselves from Biden. "It's true that past presidents have used the pardon power on their way out to make some very unpopular pardons," he said. "Trump and Clinton come to mind. But the context always matters, and this particular pardon goes against so much of the Democratic Party's heated rhetoric in the campaign that it's really a black eye for the party."

President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump spoke on the phone over the Thanksgiving holiday last week, according to two people familiar with the call. The previously unreported phone call marks the only known time Biden and Trump have spoken since the president-elect visited the White House for a meeting in the Oval Office on Nov. 13. > Philadelphia news 24/7: Watch NBC10 free wherever you are The two people familiar with the conversation said Trump called Biden to wish him a happy Thanksgiving. They said the conversation between the two leaders was brief and not substantive. The president and first lady Jill Biden spent the Thanksgiving holiday in Nantucket, Massachusetts, with close family, including their son, Hunter, and daughter, Ashley. When asked by reporters last Friday whether he expected to speak with Trump again before the inauguration, Biden said: “I expect so.” Biden's invitation for Trump to visit the White House and Trump's subsequent phone call are a departure from the last transition between administrations after the 2020 election. Trump did not host Biden at the White House after his election defeat, defying the customary invitation. The Trump administration also stalled the transition after Biden's election victory four years ago, denying election results and scuttling efforts from Biden's transition team to establish a smooth transfer of power. Trump did not attend Biden's inauguration in 2021, becoming the first outgoing incumbent in 150 years not to attend his successor's inauguration. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a press briefing the week before the 2024 election that Biden would attend January's inauguration regardless of the outcome, and White House senior deputy press secretary Andrew Bates reiterated last week that Biden plans to attend the inauguration. This story first appeared on NBCNews.com . More from NBC News:

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The Romanian Constitutional Court on Friday annulled the first round of the presidential election after declassified intelligence documents suggested Russian influence operations gave nationalist candidate Calin Georgescu his surprising victory. The Romanian president is an influential political leader but has limited power compared to the country’s prime minister. Romanians nonetheless vote for a president to work in tandem with the prime minister and other political leaders. Georgescu, 62, is a former soil scientist who worked for the Romanian environmental ministry and later represented Romania for the United Nations Environment Program. He entered politics as a member of the nationalist Alliance for the United of Romanians (AUR) party, but quit during party squabbles and became an independent candidate. Georgescu is an admirer of President-elect Donald Trump and has expressed agreement with him on numerous issues, including climate change and pushing back against LGBTQ propaganda. He has also expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, deep skepticism of Western support for Ukraine, and very harsh criticism of left-wing billionaire George Soros. This week, Georgescu said he intended to ban Ukrainian grain exports through Russia – a major pipeline for Ukrainian grain to avoid Russian blockades – and would discontinue further military aid to Kyiv. “It is unimaginable that there be a war next to us in the middle of Europe, so a priority will definitely be that this war in Ukraine must immediately be stopped,” he said. One area where Georgescu strongly disagrees with Trump is NATO spending. Trump has insisted NATO members should meet their obligation to spend two percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on defense, while Georgescu said he is “not even interested” in increasing military outlays. “The concern of the Romanian people is to be happy. They cannot be happy spending money on other things. If NATO is defensive, then it should remain defensive. I believe one thing – Romania has an obligation to no one,” he said. Georgescu is also an economic nationalist, running on a platform of giving Romanian companies majority control over joint investments with foreign entities, opposing the privatization of state assets, and challenging European Union funding programs that have failed to lift Romania out of poverty. “Have European funds helped us? Are we reliant on European funds? This country can’t produce? Don’t we have other investors? There is money everywhere in this world, let me tell you,” he said on Tuesday. Georgescu ran with strong Christian themes in his campaign, promoting traditional values and appealing to rural Romanians who felt alienated and abandoned by urban political culture. Agence France-Presse (AFP) found voters disgusted with Romania’s political establishment flocked to Georgescu, many of them choosing him over center-right alternatives because of the Christian faith message in his campaign and his resistance to the LGBTQ agenda. Much of that disgust is fueled by Romania’s status as one of the most corrupt nations in Europe; Transparency International regularly ranks it among the nations with the lowest integrity scores on the continent. Another trend among Georgescu voters is that they tended to distrust establishment media and they thought media criticism of the upstart candidate had gone too far overboard. Some told AFP they decided to give Georgescu a chance after watching his TikTok videos and concluding he was not the monster depicted in Romanian and international media. Georgescu was considered an obscure fringe candidate going into the election. He spent very little on his campaign – he claims he spent nothing, but others dispute that boast – and built most of his following with social media platforms, especially TikTok. “The most important existing function for promoting free speech and freedom of expression is social media,” he said when asked if he had any qualms about using the Chinese-owned TikTok as the primary vehicle for his campaign. Romanian media largely ignored him as a sideshow, but he developed a huge footprint online, winning an astounding 31 percent of the youth vote. International media uniformly described him as “far-right,” an “ultranationalist,” or even a “fascist,” but like other upstart right-wing candidates across the free world, he found ways to reach disaffected voters by going around the media. Romanian political observers were therefore stunned when he took first place in last week’s presidential election. When the results were released on Monday, Georgescu was out front with 22.9 percent of the vote. The second-place finisher, former journalist and mayor Elena Lasconi of the Save Romania Union (USR) party, took 19.17 percent, followed closely by sitting Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu of the center-left, pro-European Union Social Democrats (PSD). Ciolacu nabbed about 3,000 fewer votes than Lasconi, a narrow loss that excluded PSD from the mandatory second-round runoff election for the first time in three decades. There were actually 14 candidates in the race, most of them more “centrist” than Georgescu, so Monday brought confident predictions that voters for the other parties would rally against the dark-hose nationalist independent and boost Lasconi into office. The only other strongly right-leaning major candidate was populist George Simion, who expected to finish second and was stunned to find himself in fourth place behind Ciolacu. Polling soon made it clear that Georgescu was the front-runner in the second-round election to be held on Sunday, with support from Simion and the AUR party, further stunning the Romanian political and media establishment. On Friday, the Constitutional Court pulled the plug, raising an outcry from Georgescu voters who accused the long-in-power PSD of using the courts to nullify an election it could not win fairly. The Constitutional Court nullified the election after declassified Romanian intelligence documents were released early this week, accusing Georgescu of winning with the aid of some 25,000 phony TikTok accounts controlled by a Russian disinformation campaign. The documents further suggested the Romanian election system was compromised by a wave of over 85,000 cyberattacks. The speed, size, and scale of the assault was presented as evidence of coordination by a state actor, presumed to be Russia. On Thursday, Romania’s top prosecutor opened an investigation of “indications regarding electoral crimes that would have influenced the voting process, through methods such as corrupting voters, including in the online environment.” Several Romanian civil society groups quickly filed petitions demanding the annulment of the election, and on Friday the top court obliged those requests. The Court nullified “the entire electoral process concerning the election of the president of Romania” and said it would set a new date for the election to begin from scratch. Georgescu supporters cried foul. Simion declared the court was conducting a “coup d’etat” to keep PSD in power, and urged his supporters to make their disapproval known without staging messy protests that could be used as an excuse to crack down on them. “We are not taking to the streets, we will not be provoked. This system must fall democratically!” Simion said. “Nine politically appointed judges, scared that a candidate outside the system had all chances to become Romania’s president, decided to annul Romanians’ will,” he said. Lasconi also condemned the court ruling, saying it was “illegal, amoral, and crushes the very essence of democracy: voting.” “We should have moved forward with the vote. We should have respected the will of the Romanian people. Whether we like it or not, from a legal and legitimate standpoint, nine million Romanian citizens, both in the country and the diaspora, expressed their preference for a particular candidate through their votes. We cannot ignore their will!” she declared. “I know I would have won. And I will win because the Romanian people know I will fight for them, that I will unite them for a better Romania. I will defend our democracy. I will not give up,” she said. Prime Minister Ciolacu praised the court decision, calling it “the only correct solution” following the release of the intelligence report. “The Romanian people’s vote was flagrantly distorted as a result of Russian interference,” he said. “The presidential elections must be held again. At the same time, investigations by the authorities must uncover who is responsible for the massive attempt to influence the outcome of the presidential election,” he said. Georgescu himself dismissed the investigations into his campaign as the work of George Soros’ minions in an interview with Sky News on Thursday. “I can tell you one sentence. The last Soros Fortress has fallen. This man has made them desperate,” he said. Interestingly, no major media outlet seems to have asked Georgescu what he thinks about the court action as of late Friday morning, or has informed their readers of anything he might have said online. Georgescu’s supporters seem determined to stand behind him, which raises the distinct possibility that he will win the rerun election – perhaps by even broader margins, if enough Romanians agree with Simion that the Constitutional Court staged a coup. As of Friday morning, there does not appear to be any discussion of banning Georgescu from running again.

Liverpool shines in Champions League, dumping Real Madrid down the table. Dortmund rises to 4th Liverpool leads as the class of the Champions League this season. A 2-0 win at Anfield dumped title holder Real Madrid into an almost unbelievable 24th place in the 36-team standings. Liverpool's second half ghoals came from Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo, either side of Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappé having a penalty saved. Borussia Dortmund, is up to fourth place after beating Dinamo Zagreb 3-0. Monaco missed a chance to go second losing 3-2 at home to Benfica. The best comeback was at PSV Eindhoven. Te home team trailed Shakhtar Donetsk by two goals in the 87th minute of a 3-2 win. Daniel Jones is signing with the Vikings after his release from the Giants, AP source says A person familiar with the decision says former New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones is signing with the Minnesota Vikings. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the agreement hasn’t been finalized. Jones will join Minnesota’s practice squad less than a week after the Giants released the former No. 6 overall draft pick. Sam Darnold has helped the Vikings start 9-2. Jones joins Nick Mullens and Brett Rypien in Minnesota’s quarterback room. Rookie first-round pick J.J. McCarthy had season-ending knee surgery in August and a second procedure on his knee earlier this month. LIV Golf will hire sports and entertainment leader Scott O'Neil to replace Greg Norman, report says Scott O'Neil is set to become the next CEO of Saudi-funded LIV Golf. The Athletic is reporting the move for the former head of the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils. O'Neil recently was CEO of Merlin Entertainments. The company that owns resorts like Legoland announced O'Neil was leaving for a new opportunity. O'Neil would replace Greg Norman at LIV Golf. Sports Business Journal reported last month that Norman would move to a different role that has not been announced. Norman has been CEO of the rival golf league since it launched in 2022. The PGA Tour and Saudi backers are still negotiating an investment deal. West Virginia knocks off No. 3 Gonzaga 86-78 in overtime in the Battle 4 Atlantis NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — Javon Small scored five of his 31 points in overtime and Tucker DeVries added key free throws late in regulation and finished with 16 points as West Virginia beat No. 3 Gonzaga 86-78 in the Battle 4 Atlantis. Small’s layup with under 2 minutes left in OT gave West Virginia a 79-75 lead. After a Gonzaga miss, Sencire Harris hit two free throws to make it a six-point lead. With 27.1 seconds left, Harris made a steal and scored on a dunk for an eight-point lead, putting the game out of reach. Braden Huff scored 19 points and Khalif Battle 16 for Gonzaga (5-1). Two companies drop McGregor after civil jury ruled he must pay $250K to woman who says he raped her LONDON (AP) — Two companies have cut ties with Conor McGregor after a civil court jury in Ireland ruled last week that he must pay nearly 250,000 Euros ($257,000) to a woman who accused the mixed martial arts fighter of raping her. Proximo Spirits, the owner of Irish whiskey brand Proper No. 12, will no longer feature McGregor’s name or image. Video game developer IO Interactive ended its collaboration with McGregor, who had played a character in a game. Nikita Hand said the Dec. 9, 2018, assault after a night of partying left her heavily bruised and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. McGregor said she fabricated the allegations after the two had consensual sex. Staley counsels some South Carolina fans to keep calm after No. 4 Gamecocks 1st loss in two seasons COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina coach Dawn Staley is not in panic mode, even if some of famous “Fams” are following her team's first loss in two seasons. The Gamecocks had won 85 of their previous 86 games, including a program record 43 in a row before falling to UCLA 77-62 this past Sunday. South Carolina slipped from No. 1 to No. 4 in the rankings while the Bruins took over the top spot. Still, it caught Staley by surprise that some supporters were worried about the November loss. Staley said the defending national champions are still finding their way. Thanksgiving Weekend Sports Guide: Your roadmap to NFL matchups, with other games, times and odds The long sports-filled Thanksgiving weekend is a time when many Americans enjoy gathering with friends and family for good food, good company and hopefully not too much political conversation. Also on the menu — all the NFL and college sports you can handle. Here is a roadmap to one of the biggest sports weekends of the year, with a look at marquee games over the holiday and how to watch. Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley prepare for earliest matchup ever between 1,300-yard running backs Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry combined for 395 yards rushing on back-to-back nights at SoFi Stadium as the dynamic playmakers keep proving that investing in running backs can pay off in the right situation. Next, they will play on the same field at the same time when Barkley and the Philadelphia Eagles take on Henry and the Baltimore Ravens in the first matchup ever between two 1,300-yard runners in Week 13 or earlier. Before this year, no player had rushed for at least 1,300 yards and 10 TDs in the first 12 weeks of the season since Shaun Alexander in 2005 as teams moved away from bell-cow backs and diminished the importance of the position. Raiders will start O'Connell at quarterback when they visit the Chiefs HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Aidan O’Connell will start at quarterback when the Las Vegas Raiders visit their AFC West rival Kansas City Chiefs on Friday. Raiders coach Antonio Pierce says O’Connell had progressed well after breaking his right thumb on Oct. 20 in a game against the Los Angeles Rams. Gardner Minshew broke his left collarbone on Sunday in a game against the Denver Broncos and is out for the season. The Raiders could have gone with Desmond Ridder to replace Minshew. Luis Suarez signs to stay with Messi and Inter Miami for 2025 season FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Luis Suarez is going to play alongside Lionel Messi for at least one more year. Suarez and Inter Miami have agreed on a one-year contract extension for the coming season, the team announced Wednesday. The financial terms weren’t disclosed. Suarez made $1.5 million this year in his first Inter Miami season, one in which the Uruguayan striker scored 20 goals — tied with Messi for the team lead — in Major League Soccer regular season play and a team-best 25 goals across all competitions.49ers QB Brock Purdy remains severely limited by injury to his throwing shoulder

President-elect Donald Trump has filled the key posts for his second term in office, prioritizing loyalty to him after he felt bruised and hampered by internal squabbling during his first term. Some of his choices could face difficult confirmation fights in the Senate, even with Republicans in control, and one candidate has already withdrawn from consideration. Former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz was Trump's initial pick for attorney general, but he ultimately withdrew following scrutiny over a federal sex trafficking investigation he was embroiled in. Here's a look at Trump's choices: Trump would turn a former critic into an ally as the nation's top diplomat. Rubio , 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate before the slot went to JD Vance. Rubio is vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. His selection punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator once called a “con man" during his own unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. Hegseth , 44, was a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox and Friends Weekend” and had been a contributor with the network since 2014. He developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth served in the Army National Guard from 2002 to 2021, deploying to Iraq in 2005 and Afghanistan in 2011 and earning two Bronze Stars. He lacks senior military and national security experience and would oversee global crises ranging from Europe to the Middle East. A woman told police that she was sexually assaulted in 2017 by Hegseth after he took her phone, blocked the door to a California hotel room and refused to let her leave, according to a detailed investigative report recently made public. Hegseth told police at the time that the encounter had been consensual and has denied any wrongdoing. Bessent , 62, is a former money manager for George Soros , a big Democratic donor, and an advocate for deficit reduction . He founded the hedge fund Key Square Capital Management after having worked on and off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, Bessent would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. Gabbard, 43, is a former Democratic House member from Hawaii who has been accused of echoing Russian propaganda. She unsuccessfully sought the party’s 2020 presidential nomination and left the party in 2022. Gabbard endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him. Gabbard has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades and deployed to Iraq and Kuwait. If confirmed she would come to the role as an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, spent several years in top national security and intelligence positions. Bondi , 59, was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist , Bondi also has served with the America First Policy Institute, a Trump-allied group that has helped lay the groundwork for his future administration. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush-money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appeared on Fox News and has been critical of the criminal cases against him. The Republican U.S. House member narrowly lost her reelection bid on Nov. 5 but had received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, Chavez-DeRemer would oversee the department's workforce and budget and put forth priorities that affect workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of a few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act that would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and penalize companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws in more than half the states. Lutnick heads the brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and is a cryptocurrency enthusiast. He is co-chair of Trump's transition operation, charged along with Linda McMahon, a former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration, with helping the president-elect fill key jobs in his second administration. As secretary, Lutnick would play a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. He would oversee a sprawling Cabinet department whose oversight ranges from funding new computer chip factories and imposing trade restrictions to releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. Noem is a well-known conservative who used her two terms as South Dakota's governor to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions like other states, instead declaring South Dakota “open for business.” More recently, Noem faced sharp criticism for writing in her memoir about shooting and killing her dog. She is set to lead a department crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda as well as other missions. Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. Ratcliffe , a former U.S. House member from Texas, was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump’s first term. He led U.S. government’s spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. If confirmed, Ratcliffe will have held the highest intelligence positions in the U.S. Kennedy , 70, ran for president as a Democrat, then as an independent before he dropped out and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1968 during his own presidential campaign. Kennedy's nomination alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Rollins , 52, is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for Trump's second administration. She is a Texas attorney who was Trump's domestic policy adviser and director of his office of American innovation during his first term. Rollins previously was an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry , who also served in Trump's first term. Rollins also ran the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years , sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential campaign, but was acquitted by the Senate. Collins also served in the armed forces himself. He is a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. The North Dakota governor , 68, is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump after he dropped out of the running. Burgum then became a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice in part because of his executive experience and business savvy. He also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump said Burgum would chair a new National Energy Council and have a seat on the National Security Council, which would be a first for the Interior secretary. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Wright is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. He also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. Wright said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. McMahon, a billionaire professional wrestling mogul , would make a return appearance in a second Trump administration. She led the Small Business Administration from 2017 to 2019 in Trump’s first term and twice ran unsuccessfully in Connecticut as a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University. She has expressed support for charter schools and school choice. Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI" and "we will do so while protecting access to clean air and water.” Trump often attacked the Biden administration’s promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referred to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often said his administration would “drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Greer is a partner at King & Spalding, a Washington law firm. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be responsible for negotiating directly with foreign governments on trade deals and disputes, as well as memberships in international trade bodies such as the World Trade Organization. He previously was chief of staff to Robert Lighthizer, who was the trade representative in Trump's first term. Wiles , 67, was a senior adviser to Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. She has a background in Florida politics , helping Ron DeSantis win his first race for Florida governor. Six years later, she was key to Trump’s defeat of him in the 2024 Republican primary. Wiles’ hire was Trump’s first major decision as president-elect and one that could be a defining test of his incoming administration considering her close relationship with him. Wiles is said to have earned Trump’s trust in part by guiding what was the most disciplined of Trump’s three presidential campaigns. Waltz is a three-term Republican congressman from east-central Florida. A former Army Green Beret , he served multiple tours in Afghanistan and worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Hassett, 62, is a major advocate of tax cuts who was chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers in the first Trump term. In the new role as chairman of the National Economic Council, Trump said Hassett will play an important role in helping American families recover from inflation as well as in renewing and improving tax cuts Trump enacted in 2017, many of which are set to expire after 2025. Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. He led the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Trump's first administration. Democrats have criticized Homan for defending Trump’s “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings in the first term, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Vought, 48, held the position during Trump’s first presidency. He the founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought also was closely involved with Project 2025 , a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that Trump tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump’s priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump’s first term. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump’s policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation’s economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people living illegally in the U.S. Scavino was an adviser in all three of the president-elect's campaigns and was described by the transition team as one of “Trump’s longest serving and most trusted aides." He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino previously ran Trump’s social media profile in the White House. Blair was political director for Trump’s 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and an assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump’s economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign. Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump’s 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Leavitt , 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. McGinley was Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and they were golfing at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Kellogg , 80, is a highly decorated retired three-star general and one of the architects of a staunchly conservative policy book that lays out an “America First” national security agenda for Trump's second term. He has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues and served as national security adviser to Vice President Mike Pence . Kellogg also was chief of staff of the National Security Council under Trump and stepped in as an acting national security adviser for Trump after Michael Flynn resigned the post. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests. Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Huckabee has rejected a Palestinian homeland in territory occupied by Israel. His daughter, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, served as White House press secretary in Trump's first term. Stefanik, 40, is a U.S. representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders dating to his first impeachment trial. She was elected chair of the House Republican Conference in 2021, the third-highest position in House leadership, after then-Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after she publicly criticized Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. A former acting attorney general during Trump's first administration and tight end on the University of Iowa football team, Whitaker , 55, has a background in law enforcement but not in foreign policy. A fierce Trump localist, Whitaker, is also a former U.S. attorney in Iowa and served as acting attorney general between November 2018 and February 2019 without Senate confirmation, until William Barr was confirmed for the role. That was when special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian election interference was drawing to a close. Whitaker also faced questions about his past business dealings, including his ties to an invention-promotion company that was accused of misleading consumers. A Republican congressman from Michigan who served from 1993 to 2011, Hoekstra was ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term. Oz , 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime TV talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz’s bid for elected office. Makary is a Johns Hopkins surgeon and author who argued against pandemic lockdowns. He routinely appeared on Fox News during the COVID-19 pandemic and wrote opinion articles questioning masks for children. He cast doubt on vaccine mandates but supported vaccines generally. Makary also cast doubt on whether booster shots worked, which was against federal recommendations on the vaccine. Nesheiwat is a general practitioner who serves as medical director for CityMD, a network of urgent care centers in New York and New Jersey. She has been a contributor on Fox News. Weldon is a former Florida congressman who recently ran for a Florida state legislative seat and lost; Trump backed Weldon’s opponent. In Congress, Weldon weighed in on one of the nation’s most heated debates of the 1990s over quality of life and a right-to-die and whether Terri Schiavo, who was in a persistent vegetative after cardiac arrest, state should have been allowed to have her feeding tube removed. He sided with the parents who did not want it removed. Bhattacharya , 56, is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. As head of the NIH, the leading medical research agency in the United States, Trump said Bhattacharya would work with Kennedy Jr. to direct U.S. medical research and make important discoveries that will improve health and save lives. Bhattacharya is professor at Stanford University School of Medicine and was one of three authors of the Great Barrington Declaration, an October 2020 open letter maintaining that lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic were causing irreparable harm. Gaetz, 42, withdrew from consideration to become the top law enforcement officer of the United States amid fallout over a federal sex trafficking investigation that cast doubt on his ability to be confirmed by the Senate. In choosing Gaetz, Trump had passed over more established lawyers whose names had been floated as possible contenders for the job. Gaetz resigned from Congress after Trump announced him on Nov. 13. The House Ethics Committee has been investigating an allegation that he paid for sex with a 17-year-old. Gaetz has denied wrongdoing. Associated Press writers Colleen Long, Zeke Miller, Farnoush Amiri, Lolita C. Baldor, Jill Colvin, Matthew Daly, Edith M. Lederer, Adriana Gomez Licon, Lisa Mascaro, Chris Megerian, Michelle L. Price, Will Weissert and Darlene Superville contributed to this report.

Biden’s pardon hurts justice

Atalanta goes from the Europa League trophy to the top of Serie A. Inter routs Verona 5-0‘Stop Acts That Spark Communal Tension’: Farooq to CentreNEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 22, 2024-- Today, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of BlackRock Enhanced Capital and Income Fund, Inc. (NYSE: CII) (the "Fund") approved changing the name of the Fund to “BlackRock Enhanced Large Cap Core Fund, Inc.” In connection with the name change, the Board has approved the adoption of a non-fundamental investment policy to invest at least 80% of the Fund’s net assets plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in large cap equity securities and derivatives that provide investment exposure to such securities or to one or more market risk factors associated with such securities (the “80% Policy”). For purposes of the 80% Policy, large cap equity securities are equity securities that at the time of purchase have a market capitalization within the range of companies included in the Russell 1000® Index. The name change and adoption of the 80% Policy are expected to be effective as of December 31, 2024. After careful review of the Fund’s current investment strategies and portfolio holdings, the Fund’s investment adviser, BlackRock Advisors, LLC (“BlackRock”), recommended that the Board approve the name change and adoption of the 80% Policy in order to comply with recent amendments to Rule 35d-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (often referred to as the “Names Rule”) that will go into effect in 2025 and expand the scope of the Names Rule. There will be no changes to the Fund’s investment objective, NYSE ticker symbol or CUSIP as a result of the name change or adoption of the 80% Policy. About BlackRock BlackRock’s purpose is to help more and more people experience financial well-being. As a fiduciary to investors and a leading provider of financial technology, we help millions of people build savings that serve them throughout their lives by making investing easier and more affordable. For additional information on BlackRock, please visit www.blackrock.com/corporate Availability of Fund Updates BlackRock will update performance and certain other data for the Fund on a monthly basis on its website in the “Closed-end Funds” section of www.blackrock.com as well as certain other material information as necessary from time to time. Investors and others are advised to check the website for updated performance information and the release of other material information about the Fund. This reference to BlackRock’s website is intended to allow investors public access to information regarding the Fund and does not, and is not intended to, incorporate BlackRock’s website in this release. Forward-Looking Statements This press release, and other statements that BlackRock or the Fund may make, may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act, with respect to the Fund’s or BlackRock’s future financial or business performance, strategies or expectations. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words or phrases such as “trend,” “potential,” “opportunity,” “pipeline,” “believe,” “comfortable,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “current,” “intention,” “estimate,” “position,” “assume,” “outlook,” “continue,” “remain,” “maintain,” “sustain,” “seek,” “achieve,” and similar expressions, or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “may” or similar expressions. BlackRock cautions that forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties, which change over time. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and BlackRock assumes no duty to and does not undertake to update forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements and future results could differ materially from historical performance. With respect to the Fund, the following factors, among others, could cause actual events to differ materially from forward-looking statements or historical performance: (1) changes and volatility in political, economic or industry conditions, the interest rate environment, foreign exchange rates or financial and capital markets, which could result in changes in demand for the Fund or in the Fund’s net asset value; (2) the relative and absolute investment performance of the Fund and its investments; (3) the impact of increased competition; (4) the unfavorable resolution of any legal proceedings; (5) the extent and timing of any distributions or share repurchases; (6) the impact, extent and timing of technological changes; (7) the impact of legislative and regulatory actions and reforms, and regulatory, supervisory or enforcement actions of government agencies relating to the Fund or BlackRock, as applicable; (8) terrorist activities, international hostilities, health epidemics and/or pandemics and natural disasters, which may adversely affect the general economy, domestic and local financial and capital markets, specific industries or BlackRock; (9) BlackRock’s ability to attract and retain highly talented professionals; (10) the impact of BlackRock electing to provide support to its products from time to time; and (11) the impact of problems at other financial institutions or the failure or negative performance of products at other financial institutions. Annual and Semi-Annual Reports and other regulatory filings of the Fund with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) are accessible on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov and on BlackRock’s website at www.blackrock.com , and may discuss these or other factors that affect the Fund. The information contained on BlackRock’s website is not a part of this press release. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241122388285/en/ 1-800-882-0052 KEYWORD: NEW YORK UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: ASSET MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FINANCE SOURCE: BlackRock Closed-End Funds Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 11/22/2024 05:00 PM/DISC: 11/22/2024 05:02 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241122388285/en