646 jili The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former deputy chief minister (CM) Manish Sisodia on Sunday released an ‘education manifesto’ for his Jangpura constituency, promising new schools and foreign language courses. “Quality education is the key to the progress of any family. As Delhi’s education minister, I have laid a foundation to provide quality education to every child in Delhi. Now, as MLA from the Jangpura constituency, I am here to continue this work and realise my dream of providing the best possible educational facilities to every child,” Sisodia said. According to the ‘manifesto,’ two fully equipped new schools in Sarai Kale Khan, Hazrat Nizamuddin, and other areas will be opened. “New, modern buildings will be constructed in schools at Feroz Shah Kotla and Hari Nagar Ashram, where children can study up to Class 12. Coordination with traffic police will ensure smooth commutes during school opening and closing times. Delhi government schools will be linked with 17 municipal corporation schools and 62 local anganwadis to provide quality education opportunities to children aged 3 to 18,” the document mentioned. From the Jangpura constituency, Congress has fielded former mayor Farhad Suri while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is yet to announce its candidate. Further, the former deputy CM promised that DIET (District Institute of Education & Training) Daryaganj will be developed into a modern training and research centre, inspiring teachers to adopt innovative teaching method while ITI Hazrat Nizamuddin will introduce new courses with technology to create new job opportunities. “Monthly ‘Shiksha Par Charcha’ programs will be held with the participation of all teachers and principals. Spoken English courses will be introduced to enhance communication skills, alongside German, French, and Japanese language courses,” it added.Other promises include teachers for Tamil and other south Indian languages.

SAN DIEGO , Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Heron Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: HRTX ) ("Heron" or the "Company"), a commercial-stage biotechnology company, announced today the relocation of the Company's headquarters from San Diego, California to Cary, North Carolina , effective January 1, 2025 . A majority of Heron's Management Team and corporate employees work from the Cary office, which is near the Research Triangle Park ("RTP"), one of the most prominent high-tech research and development parks in the United States . The growing biotech community in Cary and its surrounding areas provides ample space for growth and expansion. "We are excited to move our headquarters to Cary, North Carolina , which represents a significant milestone in Heron's journey," said Craig Collard , Chief Executive Officer of Heron. "This move will not only strengthen our ability to support our employees by centralizing our operations and resources, but also positions us in an excellent location from which we can continue making strategic partnerships as we growing our existing portfolio focused on improving the lives of patients in the acute and oncology care settings. This is an exciting chapter for Heron, and we look forward to the continued success and partnerships that lie ahead." The new address for Heron's corporate headquarters is 100 Regency Forest Drive, Suite 300, Cary, NC 27518. About Heron Therapeutics, Inc. Heron Therapeutics, Inc. is a commercial-stage biotechnology company focused on improving the lives of patients by developing and commercializing therapeutic innovations that improve medical care. Our advanced science, patented technologies, and innovative approach to drug discovery and development have allowed us to create and commercialize a portfolio of products that aim to advance the standard-of-care for acute care and oncology patients. For more information, visit www.herontx.com . Forward-looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Heron cautions readers that forward-looking statements are based on management's expectations and assumptions as of the date of this news release and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Therefore, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are set forth in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and in our other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including under the caption "Risk Factors." Forward-looking statements reflect our analysis only on their stated date, and Heron takes no obligation to update or revise these statements except as may be required by law. Investor Relations and Media Contact: Ira Duarte Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer Heron Therapeutics, Inc. [email protected] 858-251-4400 SOURCE Heron Therapeutics, Inc.

‘I Moved Minimum Wage To ₦70,000 To Fight Corruption’ – President Tinubu

Israel confirms assassination of ex-Hamas leader Haniyeh in TehranTrump Picks Project 2025 Co-Author Russell Vought for OMB

NEW YORK (AP) — Brian Thompson led one of the biggest health insurers in the U.S. but was unknown to millions of people his decisions affected. Then Wednesday's targeted fatal shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk thrust the executive and his business into the national spotlight. Thompson, who was 50, had worked at the giant UnitedHealth Group Inc for 20 years and run the insurance arm since 2021 after running its Medicare and retirement business. As CEO, Thompson led a firm that provides health coverage to more than 49 million Americans — more than the population of Spain. United is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, the privately run versions of the U.S. government’s Medicare program for people age 65 and older. The company also sells individual insurance and administers health-insurance coverage for thousands of employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs. The business run by Thompson brought in $281 billion in revenue last year, making it the largest subsidiary of the Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group. His $10.2 million annual pay package, including salary, bonus and stock options awards, made him one of the company's highest-paid executives. The University of Iowa graduate began his career as a certified public accountant at PwC and had little name recognition beyond the health care industry. Even to investors who own its stock, the parent company's face belonged to CEO Andrew Witty, a knighted British triathlete who has testified before Congress. When Thompson did occasionally draw attention, it was because of his role in shaping the way Americans get health care. At an investor meeting last year, he outlined his company's shift to “value-based care,” paying doctors and other caregivers to keep patients healthy rather than focusing on treating them once sick. “Health care should be easier for people,” Thompson said at the time. “We are cognizant of the challenges. But navigating a future through value-based care unlocks a situation where the ... family doesn’t have to make the decisions on their own.” Thompson also drew attention in 2021 when the insurer, like its competitors, was widely criticized for a plan to start denying payment for what it deemed non-critical visits to hospital emergency rooms. “Patients are not medical experts and should not be expected to self-diagnose during what they believe is a medical emergency,” the chief executive of the American Hospital Association wrote in an open letter addressed to Thompson. “Threatening patients with a financial penalty for making the wrong decision could have a chilling effect on seeking emergency care.” United Healthcare responded by delaying rollout of the change. Thompson, who lived in a Minneapolis suburb and was the married father of two sons in high school, was set to speak at an investor meeting in a midtown New York hotel. He was on his own and about to enter the building when he was shot in the back by a masked assailant who fled on foot before pedaling an e-bike into Central Park a few blocks away, the New York Police Department said. Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said investigators were looking at Thompson's social media accounts and interviewing employees and family members. “Didn’t seem like he had any issues at all,” Kenny said. "He did not have a security detail.” AP reporters Michael R. Sisak and Steve Karnowski contributed to this report. Murphy reported from Indianapolis. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Trump picks Musk ally Jared Isaacman to head NASA

BELLVILLE — DJ Sanders doesn’t like attention. But as the Bellville senior stood in front of a packed gym on Wednesday morning to sign to play college football during the early signing period, all eyes were on the 6-foot-3, 315-pound defensive lineman. Interview after interview, phone call and texts after another, Sanders maintained himself. He’s been that way through the entire recruiting process, Bellville head coach Grady Rowe told the crowd. “If you know DJ Sanders, you know what I mean,” Rowe said to a student body of 741 in a town with a population of 4,200. Ultimately, Sanders signed with Texas A&M on Wednesday. The four-star prospect has been committed to the Aggies since August. He’s A&M’s highest-rated defensive lineman in the Aggies’ 24-member 2025 class, which is ranked eighth nationally in the 247Sports Composite rankings. A late push to flip his pledge came from rival Texas, though. The Longhorns stayed on him all the way up until Wednesday morning when he got a call from a staff member in Austin. Sanders told the Texas coach he was going to stick with A&M because he’s a man of his word. Sanders admits it was hard to keep, but he stayed strong. A&M announced he had signed at 8:30 a.m. “My family, they always say be true to your word,” Sanders said, “so I had to stand by that.” A&M head coach Mike Elko said Wednesday that Sanders was a player who was heavily sought after during the recruiting process as Sanders held more than 20 offers. Elko and his staff were excited when Sanders put pen to paper on Wednesday. “We had a lot of kids in this class who committed to us early that we set out to get early, DJ certainly is one of them, that a lot of schools never stopped [recruiting],” Elko said. “I think as the process goes on, it becomes a money grab. You see people throwing more and more and more to try to get kids to try and change their mind. We want kids that are about value. We want kids that are about a little bit more than that. “I think it validates when all of those kids sign with us that we picked the right character kids, the right character families. You have a group of kids that are committed to coming here to play at Texas A&M to win championships, to go to the NFL. I think finding kids that that is the main focus in this day-and-age with all of this is really critical and I think we were able to do that.” The biggest kid in the room Sanders has always been a big kid. After all, he was born 10 pounds, 8 ounces. Howard Bryan, Sanders’ maternal grandfather, coached DJ and his younger brother, DD Murray, who signed to play running back at Arkansas State on Wednesday, for youth football and basketball. “If it’s a dream, we don’t want to wake up,” Bryant said. “It’s been wonderful. It means a lot, something we talked about with the boys when they were like 8 years old.” Rowe first noticed Sanders had special talent when he watched him dribble a basketball in elementary school. Sanders hit a growth spurt in middle school. His mother, Connie Sanders-Franklin, said she was surprised how big and tall Sanders got. When Sanders reached high school, Rowe spoke with his family and had a simple message: Get ready. It’s going to get crazy. Soon after in a scrimmage, Bellville was missing a defensive end. Rowe called up Sanders. When Sanders beat a Navasota offensive tackle like there was nobody there, Rowe turned to his coaches and told them, “Boys, we got one.” Bellville’s field is nicknamed “The Pasture of Pain.” Sanders made it painful place for his opponents to play. As a four-year letter winner, he had over 300 tackles, 42.5 tackles for loss and 36.5 sacks. Bellville won four straight district titles and made a Class 4A Division II state championship game appearance in 2023. It was during Sanders’ sophomore year of high school that Bryant realized his grandson was becoming a special talent. He noticed the way Sanders loved the game. “He loved being around it and that’s what he wanted to do," Bryant said. A hectic process Although Rowe anticipated Sanders’ recruitment would get crazy, he said nobody in Sanders’ circle was aware how crazy it would actually get, right down to the wire. Rowe recalled how from the beginning though, Sanders was clear on one thing: When he committed, that was the school he was going to attend. When A&M hired Elko last November, the Aggies’ new head coach showed up to Bellville during his first week on the job and made it clear that Sanders was a priority target. Over the coming months, Sanders built relationships with A&M’s defensive line coaches — Tony Jerod-Eddie and Sean Spencer — that were different from other coaches. Sanders-Franklin said A&M was the school her son visited the most throughout the process. Bryant was there for every one of them. Sanders took an official visit to A&M in June. Mom shared advice along the way. “Don’t go where the money takes you,” Sanders-Franklin said. “Go where you’re happy, where you’ll have fun and enjoy college years. That’s what I really instilled in him." When Sanders announced his commitment on Aug. 7, he texted Sanders-Franklin early in the day that he had made a decision. She immediately went home and asked him if he was sure he wanted to do this. He did. A simple announcement came via social media at around 10 p.m. that night. “A guy that didn’t want to be live-streamed when he committed and just didn’t want all the attention on him is rare,” Rowe said. “It’s special. He had college coaches not knowing what was going on, and then you throw in the media that goes along with it, at times it was kind of fun because they couldn’t figure anything out and I would tell them, ‘Hey, there’s nothing to figure out. This is DJ.’” The battle was far from over, though. Schools sought Sanders for the next four months up until Wednesday. “They didn’t back off until the very end,” Sanders-Franklin. “They kept it going. They didn’t give up.” But Sanders never wavered. “Up until the last minute,” Rowe said, “he stuck to his guns when there were reasons possibly not to.” A hard-working family man During A&M’s in-house signing day show, Jerod-Eddie said Sanders is built like a brahma bull, but is light on his feet like a ballerina. He added that Sanders moves with grace and has versatility. “This guy’s got tremendous upside,” Spencer added. “Humble kid, great family. Mrs. Connie, Mr. Howard, it’s just a great family and really built for the Aggies.” Sanders projects to play defensive tackle at A&M. He said he likes the way Elko and the Aggie defensive coaches move players around the line. “He’s going to be a guy that’s going to line up, next play, go, then go to the next play and he’s going to give them all he has, but you’re not going to see a whole bunch of me, me, me stuff,” Rowe said. Nothing comes before family to Sanders’ kin. Sanders-Franklin was born and raised in Bellville. Her family lives all over the place, but she stayed in Bellville because of her boys. They wanted to grow up and play football there. More than a dozen of them gathered inside the Bellville High School gym on Wednesday to not only celebrate Sanders, but Murray as well. After dozens of pictures were taken with family, friends, coaches and classmates, Sanders shared he was excited to be done with the process. Sanders-Franklin said she thought her son made the right decision for himself. Sanders described himself as a leader and faithful. He stayed faithful to the Aggies on Wednesday. Not doing so would have brought attention upon himself. And that’s not DJ Sanders. “Let his word be his word,” Bryant said. “That’s what he promised and that’s what he did.”

Colts continue trend of embarrassing late-season lossesRomanian lawmakers on Monday voted narrowly in favor of a new pro-European coalition government led by incumbent Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. The move could usher in an end to a protracted political crisis in the European Union country following the annulment of a presidential election by a top court. Parliament approved the new administration in a 240-143 vote in Romania's 466-seat legislature. The new coalition is made up of the leftist Social Democratic Party, or PSD, the center-right National Liberal Party, PNL, the small ethnic Hungarian UDMR party and national minorities. It caps a month-long period of turmoil in which far-right nationalists made significant gains in a Dec. 1 parliamentary election, a week after a first-round presidential race saw the far-right outsider Calin Georgescu emerge as the front-runner. “It will not be an easy mandate for the future government,” Ciolacu, whose PSD party topped the polls in the parliamentary election, said in a statement Monday. “We are aware that we are in the midst of a deep political crisis," he said. "It is also a crisis of trust, and this coalition aims to regain the trust of citizens, the trust of the people.” Romani's 16 ministerial positions will be shared among the parties, which will hold a slim majority in the legislature. It's widely seen as a tactical partnership to shut out far-right nationalists whose voices found fertile ground amid high living costs and a sluggish economy. Ciolacu, who came third in the first-round presidential ballot despite polls indicating he would win the most votes, has served as prime minister since June 2023. After parliament’s approval, President Klaus Iohannis swore in the new government and warned the new Cabinet that it's entering a “difficult new period” in which “for many Romanians, there are major concerns.” Romania was plunged into turmoil after Georgescu’s surprise success in the presidential race, after allegations of electoral violations and Russian interference emerged. Days before the Dec. 8 runoff, the Constitutional Court made the unprecedented move to annul the presidential race. “We go through complicated times, but I think we all learned from mistakes of the past,” Ciolacu said. “I hope that together with my colleagues in the coalition, we’ll find the best solutions to get past the challenges we have in front of us.” Ciolacu said that the new government would aim to quickly organize the rerun of the presidential election in which the new coalition has agreed to put forward an agreed common pro-European candidate. Cristian Andrei, a political consultant based in Bucharest, said that the new government made up of the same political parties will likely embrace “soft populist” rhetoric such as economic patriotism, anti-austerity, and a peace solution in neighboring Ukraine to counter the rise of far-right populism. “This will be a way to answer the concerns of many Romanians who voted for populists ... but will not solve the fundamental problem of trust,” he said. “The only decisive factor now will be who and how convincing the pro-European candidates will be against this popular revolt.” George Simion, the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, which came second in the parliamentary election, said that all lawmakers from his party on Monday would vote against the Ciolacu government. In 2021, the PSD and the PNL also formed an unlikely but increasingly strained coalition together with UDMR, which exited the Cabinet last year after a power-sharing dispute.None

Percentages: FG .368, FT .857. 3-Point Goals: 14-32, .438 (Taylor 5-13, Cato 3-5, Fagbemi 3-7, Fox 2-3, Evbagharu 1-1, Seixas 0-3). Team Rebounds: 4. Team Turnovers: None. Blocked Shots: 3 (Cato 2, Fox). Turnovers: 8 (Evbagharu 2, Fagbemi 2, Seixas 2, Cato, Taylor). Steals: 3 (Etim, Fagbemi, Fox). Technical Fouls: None. Percentages: FG .475, FT .800. 3-Point Goals: 13-32, .406 (Terry 5-10, George 4-10, O'Brien 2-6, Mustaf 1-2, Powell 1-2, Onwuchekwa 0-1, Souare 0-1). Team Rebounds: 3. Team Turnovers: None. Blocked Shots: 1 (Terry). Turnovers: 5 (Powell 2, George, Mustaf, Onwuchekwa). Steals: 7 (Terry 3, Mustaf 2, George, Powell). Technical Fouls: None. .

Jimmy Carter, the 39th US president, has died at 100

The Los Angeles Lakers traded guard D'Angelo Russell, forward Maxwell Lewis and three second-round draft picks to the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday in exchange for forward Dorian Finney-Smith and guard Shake Milton. The Lakers will send their second-round picks in 2027, 2030 and 2031 to Brooklyn in the deal, ESPN reported. It marks the second time that Russell, 28, has been dealt from the Lakers to the Nets. Los Angeles selected him No. 2 overall in the 2015 NBA Draft, and he spent two seasons there before being traded on June 22, 2017, with Timofey Mozgov to the Nets for Brook Lopez and draft pick Kyle Kuzma. Russell made stops with the Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves before the Lakers acquired him again on Feb. 9, 2023, as part of a three-team deal. Russell's role in head coach J.J. Redick's rotation had diminished. In October, Russell averaged 30.6 minutes per game, dropping to 25.5 in November and 25.2 in December. In 29 games (10 starts) this season, he's averaging 26.3 minutes, 12.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists. All are below his career averages of 30 minutes, 17.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 5.7 assists. Lewis, 22, has seen limited action for the Lakers this season, with the small forward scoring 15 points in seven games. Finney-Smith, 31, is in his ninth NBA season. He has started all 20 games he's appeared in, averaging 10.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists over 29 minutes per game. Milton, 28, is averaging 7.4 points per game over 27 appearances (one start). He is also contributing 1.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists.NoneGeneDx Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ:WGSWW) Sees Significant Drop in Short Interest

Actress Angelina Jolie ’s recent appearances on the red carpet for her Maria Callas biopic have sparked widespread concern among fans . The Hollywood longtimer is being called out for her noticeably slim frame and prominent veins. While fans and critics alike have praised her portrayal of the legendary opera singer , the conversation about her talent has been overshadowed by growing worries about her health. Angelina Jolie smiles while shopping after Brad Pitt case takes alarming turn Brad Pitt's girlfriend plans his 61st birthday celebration despite family feud Social media has been full of comments, with users sharing extreme and unhealthy dieting methods inspired by Jolie’s appearance . The Times of India stated: "One user reportedly asked how to achieve a ‘bulging vein’ look, while another suggested avoiding hydration and reducing body fat to make veins more visible." “Others praised the appearance, calling it ‘sexy’ and ‘impressive,’” the outlet stated. Jolie’s biopic, which debuted on Netflix on December 11, has been celebrated for her “stunning portrayal of Maria Callas,” with audiences applauding her ability to bring the opera legend’s life and struggles to the screen. Despite this praise, her recent red-carpet appearances have triggered what outlets have called an “unsettling trend” of fans obsessing over her look. DON'T MISS: Brad Pitt’s ‘body double’ jailed for 'stealthing’ rape charge among other crimes [REVEALED] Angelina Jolie 'blocking' ex Brad from third marriage as he celebrates birthday [INSIGHT] Angelina Jolie is 'often alone' and hasn't 'figured out' how to live life [LATEST] “Concerns about her health have started stealing the spotlight,” one observer noted, as fans speculate whether the stress of her “ messy divorce battle with Brad Pitt ” is taking a toll. This speculation is nothing new, as Jolie’s slim frame and visible veins “have often been a subject of public speculation,” with rumors suggesting stress-related health issues linked to her personal life . Though Jolie appeared radiant on the red carpet, “observers noted that Jolie appeared frail and unwell at some events.”

Takeaways from Biden's Africa trip: Pardon of son Hunter overshadows official business

NEW YORK (AP) — No ex-president had a more prolific and diverse publishing career than Jimmy Carter . His more than two dozen books included nonfiction, poetry, fiction, religious meditations and a children’s story. His memoir “An Hour Before Daylight” was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2002, while his 2006 best-seller “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid” stirred a fierce debate by likening Israel’s policies in the West Bank to the brutal South African system of racial segregation. And just before his 100th birthday, the Dayton Literary Peace Prize Foundation honored him with a lifetime achievement award for how he wielded “the power of the written word to foster peace, social justice, and global understanding.” In one recent work, “A Full Life,” Carter observed that he “enjoyed writing” and that his books “provided a much-needed source of income.” But some projects were easier than others. “Everything to Gain,” a 1987 collaboration with his wife, Rosalynn, turned into the “worst threat we ever experienced in our marriage,” an intractable standoff for the facilitator of the Camp David accords and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. According to Carter, Rosalynn was a meticulous author who considered “the resulting sentences as though they have come down from Mount Sinai, carved into stone.” Their memories differed on various events and they fell into “constant arguments.” They were ready to abandon the book and return the advance, until their editor persuaded them to simply divide any disputed passages between them. “In the book, each of these paragraphs is identified by a ‘J’ or an ‘R,’ and our marriage survived,” he wrote. Here is a partial list of books by Carter: “Keeping Faith: Memoirs of a President” “The Blood of Abraham: Insights into the Middle East” (With Rosalynn Carter) “Everything to Gain: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life” “An Outdoor Journal: Adventures and Reflections” “Turning Point: A Candidate, a State, and a Nation Come of Age” “Always a Reckoning, and Other Poems” (With daughter Amy Carter) “The Little Baby Snoogle-Fleejer” “Living Faith” “The Virtues of Aging” “An Hour Before Daylight: Memories of a Rural Boyhood” “Christmas in Plains: Memories” “The Hornet’s Nest: A Novel of the Revolutionary War” “Our Endangered Values: America’s Moral Crisis” “Faith & Freedom: The Christian Challenge for the World” “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid” “A Remarkable Mother” “Beyond the White House” “We Can Have Peace in the Holy Land: A Plan That Will Work” “White House Diary” “NIV Lessons from Life Bible: Personal Reflections with Jimmy Carter” “A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence, and Power” “A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety”Elon Musk has said UK MPs "will be summoned to the United States of America to explain their censorship and threats to American citizens" in a fresh escalation of tensions between the world's richest man and Labour. Musk, who has been a fixture at the side of Donald Trump since his re-election as US president, was responding to a Guardian report on Wednesday that the Commons' science and technology select committee would call him to give evidence in the new year in its inquiry into the spread of harmful content on social media after the August riots. View image in fullscreen Committee chair Chi Onwurah said she wanted Musk to answer how he 'reconciles his promotion of freedom of expression with his promotion of pure disinformation'. Photograph: Richard Gardner/Rex/Shutterstock The committee's chair, Chi Onwurah, a Labour MP, said she wanted to see how Musk, who owns the X social media platform, "reconciles his promotion of freedom of expression with his promotion of pure disinformation". X hosts accounts by figures including Tommy Robinson and Andrew Tate, who were accused of inciting people to join Islamophobic protests. Musk, who has more than 205 million followers on X, responded by saying the MPs would be summoned to the US. He has previously complained that prison sentences handed down to people who stoked the riots on X are a breach of free speech rights and said: "I don't think anyone should go to the UK when they're releasing convicted paedophiles in order to imprison people for social media posts." He has labelled the British prime minister "two-tier Kier", alleging that not all communities were equally protected by police in the UK, while Jess Philips, a government minister, has labelled X... Robert Booth

AP News Summary at 9:54 a.m. ESTStatehouse culture around sexual harassment no surprise to former Indiana legislators

A bipartisan committee of the US Congress says it has uncovered "substantial evidence" that former Republican congressman Matt Gaetz regularly paid for sex, including once with a 17-year-old girl. Mr Gaetz was Donald Trump's pick for attorney-general in his incoming administration but he pulled out of contention as sexual misconduct rumours swirled and senators indicated they were likely to block his appointment. The new report was produced by the ethics committee, which is comprised of five Democrats and five Republicans. It says Mr Gaetz's conduct while a congressman "reflects discreditably upon the House". It alleges he "violated House Rules, state and federal laws, and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use" and other matters. But it "did not obtain substantial evidence" to support a sex-trafficking allegation. It also said he did not know the 17-year-old was underage when he had sex with her. Mr Gaetz, who quit Congress last month, has denied the allegations. On social media, he said he often sent funds to women he dated, as well as some women he never dated but who asked, but this did not equate to paying for sex. "Giving funds to someone you are dating — that they didn't ask for — and that isn't 'charged' for sex is now prostitution?!?" he wrote. "There is a reason they did this to me in a Christmas Eve-Eve report and not in a courtroom of any kind where I could present evidence and challenge witnesses." He said any allegation he had sex with a minor would be "destroyed in court". He also pointed out the Department of Justice had earlier looked into related allegations but dropped its investigation without charge. Here are some of the key allegations in the ethics committee report: Gaetz 'paid for sex' many times from 2017 to 2020 The women were often recruited through a "sugar dating" website, at the time called SeekingArrangement.com, which connected younger women with older men for "mutually beneficial relationships". Mr Gaetz's friend Joel Greenberg often found the women. He later told the committee that he and Mr Gaetz split the costs for "drugs, hotel[s] and girls". "Representative Gaetz did not appear to have negotiated specific payment amounts prior to engaging in sexual activity with the women he paid. Instead, the women had a general expectation that they would typically receive some amount of money after each sexual encounter." The women were often invited to parties, events or trips. In one text exchange published in the report, Mr Greenberg said a 20-year-old woman's request for "$400 per meet" was "not a problem". The report said all women interviewed by the committee said the sex was consensual, although one felt the use of drugs may have impaired their "ability to really know what was going on or fully consent". "The women also discussed instances where Representative Gaetz would try to convince them to have sex with him or Mr. Greenberg: '[H]e would make me feel bad about not having sex with him or [Joel Greenberg]' and that he would say, 'Why don't you want to have sex with me' or '[Mr Greenberg] looks very sad over there ... Make him happy'. "Another woman said that their relationship at some point was a 'loving friendship', but over time came to feel like a 'task'. "A third woman said, '[W]hen I look back on certain moments, I feel violated'. "One woman said, 'I think about it all the time ... I still see him when I turn on the TV and there's nothing anyone can do. It's frustrating to know I lived a reality that he denies'." The report found there were at least 20 occasions when Mr Gaetz met with women who were paid for sex and/or drugs, and multiple "additional events" where he "may have" done so. Gaetz allegedly had sex with an underage teen According to witnesses, Mr Gaetz attended a party at the home of a Florida lobbyist, Christopher Dorworth, in April, 2017. The committee was told Mr Gaetz and a 17-year-old girl, referred to as "Victim A", twice had sex at the party, "including at least once in the presence of other party attendees". Mr Gaetz was 35 at the time. "Victim A recalled receiving $400 in cash from Representative Gaetz that evening, which she understood to be payment for sex. At the time, she had just completed her junior year of high school." The report says Victim A did not tell Mr Gaetz she was under 18, he did not ask, and there was no evidence he knew she was a minor. "However, statutory rape is a strict liability crime. After he learned that Victim A was a minor, he maintained contact and less than 6 months after she turned 18, he met up with her again for commercial sex. When Mr. Greenberg was prosecuted for sex trafficking the same individual, Representative Gaetz denied that she existed. His conduct reflects discreditably upon the House." One woman was 'potentially coerced' by money for education The report refers to a 21-year-old woman who Mr Gaetz "regularly paid for sex". One on occasion, he invited the woman to a hotel room, without telling her that Mr Greenberg and another woman would be there too. The report says the woman: "...had recently asked the congressman for his help with her tuition. She recalled that Representative Gaetz agreed and told her to meet him at that hotel room, where he would provide her with a cheque, which, according to the woman, 'was interesting because he had normally sent [money transfer app] Venmo payments.'" When she got to the hotel, she found Mr Greenberg and the other woman there with Mr Gaetz, and said there was an "expectation" of a "sexual encounter". "The four of them had sex and afterwards Representative Gaetz gave her a $750 cheque made out to cash with 'tuition reimbursement' in the memo line, which she deposited the next day to help pay her tuition. "The 21-year-old woman told the Committee she believed that the encounter 'could potentially be a form of coercion because I really needed the money.'" Gaetz used illicit drugs, witnesses say The report says at least two women saw Mr Gaetz using cocaine and ecstasy at different events, and "even more women understood him to regularly be using ecstasy". It says there is "ample evidence" he also used marijuana, and he appears to have "set up a pseudonymous e-mail account from his House office in the Capitol complex for the purpose of purchasing marijuana". In written correspondence with the committee, Mr Gaetz denied using illicit drugs. What now? The committee is unlikely to take any further action. Mr Gaetz's resignation from Congress stripped the committee of its jurisdiction over him. Given he is no longer an elected official, the committee's release of the report is a rare act. The Department of Justice wound up its separate investigation early last year, without pressing any charges, and has indicated it intends to take no further action. Mr Gaetz is set to co-host a nightly program on One America News, a right-wing online streaming channel, from January. He has also floated the idea of running for the Senate. "It seems I may not have had enough support in the United States Senate," he said, referring to his run for the attorney-general position, at a convention on Sunday. "Maybe I'll just run for Marco Rubio's vacant seat in the United States Senate and join some of those folks."(The Center Square) – Paula Scanlan is hopeful the narrative around gender ideology is shifting, especially as Republicans prepare for majorities in both chambers of the 119th Congress and a seat in the White House. “I am hopeful that with the majorities now that we will be able to get across the finish line,” Scanlan told The Center Square on Thursday, speaking of more legislation on the way to protect women's spaces. “Obviously, this goes beyond sports ... So ideally, I think that the biggest thing would be to federally pass something that says this is what a woman is.” Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.