Washington — A number of Republican senators have expressed concern about Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's choice to lead the Defense Department, potentially putting his intended nomination at risk. Hegseth, who has been meeting with Senate Republicans on Capitol Hill this week to try to build support ahead of his confirmation hearings, has faced a round of negative stories involving allegations of sexual misconduct, financial mismanagement at veterans' charities , repeated intoxication and infidelity. "Some of these articles are very disturbing. He obviously has a chance to defend himself here, but some of this stuff is, it's going to be difficult," Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina told reporters Tuesday. "Time will tell." Sen. Kevin Cramer, a North Dakota Republican, also said he found the allegations "disturbing" but added, "We all love a good redemption story." Cramer suggested Hegseth's alleged behavior stemmed from alcohol abuse, adding that "almost everything else can come from that one abuse." Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana, who noted he has also read the reporting and is aware of the allegations, said Hegseth will have to address them. "I want to know if they are true and I want to hear his side of the story and he is going to have to address them," he said Tuesday, adding that he wasn't sure if Hegseth's nomination would face headwinds. On Monday, the New Yorker reported that before he became a full-time Fox News host, Hegseth was forced to step down from two nonprofit advocacy groups — Veterans for Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America — amid complaints about his alleged behavior that included repeatedly being intoxicated while on the job, leading a hostile work environment and mismanaging the charities' funds. CBS News reported that Jessie Jane Duff, a Marine veteran who served as one of Trump's 2024 campaign executive directors, was among those who pushed to have him ousted from Concerned Veterans for America in 2016. A lawyer for Hegseth has denied the allegations. Sen. Cynthia Lummis, a Wyoming Republican, said Tuesday that the allegations "are a surprise to all of us" and that his ability to be confirmed by the Senate "depends on how he addresses the issues that have been raised." Lummis said the allegations also came as a surprise to Trump. "Some of the earlier issues that were raised about an incident in California, I think were satisfactorily addressed and would not have interfered with his nomination, but some new things that have come to light in the last 12 to 14 hours are things he needs to address," she said. Hegseth, an Army veteran turned Fox News star, was investigated for sexual assault in 2017 in Monterey, California. Authorities declined to file charges in the case, saying none were "supported by proof beyond a reasonable doubt." Hegseth told investigators that the sexual encounter with the woman was consensual and he has denied any wrongdoing. He paid a confidential settlement to the woman out of concern that her accusation could result in his firing from Fox News, his lawyer said after the claims became public in mid-November. But Sen. Tommy Tuberville pushed back on the notion that Trump may have concern about his pick. "I talked to him last night," the Alabama Republican said Tuesday. "I don't think there's any concern. Why would there be?" Asked Monday whether he thought the Senate would confirm him to lead the Pentagon, Hegseth said he was "taking it meeting by meeting." Trump has already had one Cabinet pick withdraw from the process. Former Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida pulled his name from consideration amid scrutiny over allegations of sex trafficking and illicit drug use, which he denies. Alan He contributed to this report. United States Senate Donald Trump Pete Hegseth Defense Department Caitlin Yilek is a politics reporter at CBSNews.com, based in Washington, D.C. She previously worked for the Washington Examiner and The Hill, and was a member of the 2022 Paul Miller Washington Reporting Fellowship with the National Press Foundation.Aitken Spence Travels walked away with the coveted title of Best Travel Agent Inbound – Large Category, Best Cruise Lines Operator and Best Professional MICE Organizer at the recently concluded Sri Lanka Tourism Awards 2024 organized by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority. Managing Director of Aitken Spence Travels Nalin Jayasundera receiving the award for the Best Travel Agent – Inbound/ Large to Aitken Spence Travels These accolades underline Aitken Spence Travels’ leadership and commitment to the continuous development of the tourism sector. They highlight the company’s dedication to destination marketing, innovation, best practices, and its significant contributions to uplifting industry standards and driving growth of Sri Lanka’s tourism industry. As the Best Travel Agent in the large category, Aitken Spence Travels exemplifies excellence. Furthermore, the company leads the way in cruise line operations, accounting for over 65% of the market and setting the standards for Sri Lanka as a premier multiport destination. Solidifying its strength, Aitken Spence Travels was also recognized as the Best Professional MICE Organizer. The judging criteria encompassed a broad spectrum of key performance areas, including audited financial performance, corporate social responsibility initiatives, environmental stewardship, business and marketing strategies, customer care, human resource management, and sustainability practices. Nalin Jayasundera Managing Director of Aitken Spence Travels stated, “Our unparalleled contribution has enabled us to serve over 234,976 happy visitors beyond boundaries during FY 23/24.” “We were the largest room inventory buyer during this period, purchasing the highest number of room nights and helping to keep the wheels of the nation’s tourism industry turning by working closely with transport, accommodation providers, and other suppliers.” Furthermore, we have been the largest contributor to the Tourism Development Levy (TDL) and have significantly contributed to the growth of foreign exchange from the tourism sector. Stasshani Jayawardena, Head of the Tourism Sector for Aitken Spence PLC commented, “We are immensely grateful to our joint venture partner, TUI (the world’s largest integrated tourism company), led by TUI Travel PLC Sebastian Ebel, for their continued unwavering support.”top646 redeem code 。

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Alignment is an often overlooked fundamental, says Top 100 Teacher Mike Malizia. Getty Images I was fortunate to attend GOLF’s annual Top 100 Teachers Summit at Cabot Citrus Farms earlier this month, and what a treat it was to pick the brains of some of the game’s best instruction minds for two days. In addition to the numerous presentations being delivered onsite, my colleagues and I had the chance to pull some teachers aside during quiet moments and pose some of our most burning instruction related-questions. One query I had for Top 100 Teacher Mike Malizia: What’s the one thing that many of your students tend to struggle with the most? His answer was immediate: alignment . This piqued my interest because I feel as though I’m never aligned where I think I am. And according to Malizia, I’m not alone. But laying down alignment sticks during a practice session on the range isn’t the cure you’d think it would be. “You can’t practice alignment on the driving range because the driving range is a square box,” Malizia told me. “Out on the golf course you have shapes, you have tees aimed one way, fairways aimed another. Greens are angled certain ways. So alignment is probably one of the most important things in golf, and one of the things that people never ever practice. Alignment is huge.” If you really want to nail down your alignment, Malizia says, you need to practice your technique during a round — not before or after one. “Here’s what I want you to do,” Malizia said. “Go out and play nine holes by yourself late in the day. I want you to use an alignment stick on every shot.” According to Malizia, the students who try this advice are often surprised by how quickly it helps them. “[Afterward] they go, ‘Yeah, I shot 38 today, unreal!'” Malizia said. “And I go, yeah, because your misses now are not that far off.” “Alignment is one of the most important things,” he continued. “But it’s also one of the most overlooked, and not practiced.” If you’re looking for a simple tip to get your game in shape for 2025, nailing down your alignment is an surefire way to start generating lower scores. Give Malizia’s tip a try, and start your next golf year off on the right foot. Latest In Instruction Golf.com Editor As a four-year member of Columbia’s inaugural class of female varsity golfers, Jessica can out-birdie everyone on the masthead. She can out-hustle them in the office, too, where she’s primarily responsible for producing both print and online features, and overseeing major special projects, such as GOLF’s inaugural Style Is­sue, which debuted in February 2018. Her origi­nal interview series, “A Round With,” debuted in November of 2015, and appeared in both in the magazine and in video form on GOLF.com.

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Aaron Judge wins second AL MVP in 3 seasons. Shohei Ohtani expected to win NL honor NEW YORK (AP) — New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge was a unanimous pick to win his second American League Most Valuable Player Award in three seasons on Thursday, easily outdistancing Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. Shohei Ohtani was expected to win the National League honor later Thursday, his third MVP and first in the NL. Judge received all 30 first-place votes in voting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Witt got all 30 second-place votes for 270 points, and Yankees outfielder Juan Soto was third with 21 third-place votes and 229 points. Judge led the major leagues with 58 homers, 144 RBIs and 133 walks while hitting .322. Alex Ovechkin is expected to miss 4 to 6 weeks with a broken left leg Alex Ovechkin has a broken left fibula and is expected to be out four to six weeks. The Washington Capitals confirmed Ovechkin’s injury and prognosis Thursday after he was evaluated by doctors upon the teams’ return from a three-game road trip. This prolonged absence puts a pause on Ovechkin’s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career goals record. He scored 15 goals in his first 18 games this season to move just 27 away of passing Gretzky. Ovechkin was on pace to break the record in February before his shin-on-shin collision with Utah’s Jack McBain on Monday night. NFL issues security alert to teams and the players' union following recent burglaries The NFL has issued a security alert to teams and the players’ union following recent burglaries involving the homes of Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. In a memo obtained by The Associated Press, the league says homes of professional athletes across multiple sports have become “increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups.” Law enforcement officials noted these groups target the homes on days the athletes have games. Players were told to take precautions and implement home security measures to reduce the risk of being targeted. Some of the burglary groups have conducted extensive surveillance on targets. QB Daniel Jones disagrees with the Giants' decision to bench him and says he wants to play EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — With tears occasionally welling in his eyes, Daniel Jones disagreed on Thursday with the New York Giants' decision to bench him earlier this week and perhaps end his five-plus tenure as the team’s quarterback. The 27-year-old Jones said he gave the team everything he had after being taken sixth overall in the 2019 draft and he believes he still has a future in the NFL. He held himself accountable for the Giants making the playoffs once in his tenure as the starter. Guardiola signs a 2-year contract extension at Man City and eyes 'more trophies' MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Pep Guardiola’s record-breaking time with Manchester City is far from over. The City manager has signed a two-year contract extension ending speculation about his future by agreeing to a deal that would prolong his tenure to 11 seasons. Guardiola’s contract was due to expire at the end of this season. The four-time defending Premier League champions announced the deal Thursday. The Catalan coach has overseen a period of unprecedented dominance since joining City in 2016. He has gone on to win six Premier League titles in seven years and also lifted the Champions League among 15 major trophies at the club. Narin An leads with a 64 in the wind as Nelly Korda struggles in LPGA finale NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — Narin An is the surprise first-round leader at the richest-paying event on the LPGA Tour. The South Korean played bogey-free for a 64 in the CME Group Tour Championship. That gives An a one-shot lead over Angel Yin. As for Nelly Korda, she has some work to do. Coming off her seventh victory of the season last week, Korda could only manage an even-par 72. That leaves her needing to make up eight shots over the next three rounds. At stake if a $4 million payoff to the winner. Lydia Ko was among those three shots off the lead. Jannik Sinner leads Italy back to the Davis Cup semifinals and a rematch against Australia MALAGA, Spain (AP) — No. 1-ranked Jannik Sinner has led defending champion Italy to a comeback victory over Argentina for a return to the Davis Cup semifinals. A rematch of last year's championship matchup against Australia now awaits in the final four on Saturday in Malaga, Spain. Italy fell behind 1-0 in the quarterfinals when Argentina's Francisco Cerúndolo defeated Lorenzo Musetti 6-4, 6-1. But two-time Grand Slam champion Sinner overwhelmed Sebastián Báez 6-2, 6-1. Then Sinner teamed with Matteo Berrettini in the deciding doubles match to win 6-4, 7-5 against Andres Molteni and Maximo Gonzalez. Australia eliminated the U.S. to reach the Davis Cup semifinals for the third consecutive year. Drama surrounds final 3 races of F1 season as drivers voice displeasure with recent FIA decisions LAS VEGAS (AP) — There’s three races remaining in the Formula 1 season and Max Verstappen is inching so close to a fourth consecutive world championship he could wrap it up Saturday night at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. But all is not smooth sailing headed into this final month of racing. There’s a new race director following the shock sacking of Niels Wittich that blindsided the Grand Prix Driver’s Association so badly they created an Instagram account to rebuke the lack of FIA transparency. It’s the lone post on the account. Greg Maffei, the CEO of Liberty Media said last week he was stepping down from his position and F1 furiously denied over the weekend that Stefano Domenicali, CEO of Formula One Management, was also on the move. Colorado's 2-way star Travis Hunter eyes Big 12 title and more before 'for sure' entering NFL draft DENVER (AP) — Travis Hunter made a pair of proclamations when he announced he’s for sure turning pro after this season, but not until he sees Colorado all the way through the College Football Playoff should the Buffaloes make it there. The first was a given for the junior who plays both receiver and cornerback. The second is a risk-reward play for a projected first-round draft pick who averages around 120 snaps a game. In years past, it took two extra postseason wins to capture a national title. Now, it could take up to four additional contests. That’s more of a chance to shine, but also more chance for an injury. 76ers' star Paul George sidelined the next 2 games with bone bruise in left knee PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George has a bone bruise on his left knee and will miss two games, the team said. The 76ers said George did not suffer any structural damage when he injured the same knee that he hyperextended during the preseason in Wednesday night’s loss at Memphis. George will miss home games Friday against Brooklyn and Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers. The team says George will be evaluated again on Monday.ORNL Researchers Win Top Journal Accolade for Improvements in Jet Engine Repair Technology

Patrick Mahomes' son Bronze carries a football and seems like a natural player which could be a hint to his futureJapan Airlines has reported a cyberattack that caused delays to domestic and international flights but later said it had found and addressed the cause. Public broadcaster NHK said on Thursday that problems with the airline’s baggage check-in system delayed more than a dozen flights at several Japanese airports, but there were no mass cancellations or major disruptions. Japan Airlines (JAL) is the country’s second-biggest airline after All Nippon Airways (ANA). “We identified and addressed the cause of the issue. We are checking the system recovery status,” JAL said in a post on social media platform X. “Sales for both domestic and international flights departing today have been suspended. We apologise for any inconvenience caused,” the post said. Earlier Thursday, a JAL spokeswoman told AFP the company had been subjected to a cyberattack. Network disruption began at 2224 GMT Wednesday, JAL said in a statement. “Then we temporarily isolated the router, a device for exchanging data between networks that was causing the disruption”, it added. JAL shares fell as much as 2.5 percent in morning trade after the news emerged, before recovering slightly. (Al Jazeera)None

Penn State clinches Big Ten championship game berth with win vs. Maryland, will play Oregon

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The best Nintendo Switch deals I’ve spotted this Black Friday on consoles, games and bundlesESTERO, Fla. (AP) — Sydney Shaw scored 20 points and made four 3-pointers, JJ Quinerly added 14 points and No. 12 West Virginia handed Boise State its first loss, 82-47 on Saturday in the Gulf Coast Showcase. West Virginia advances to the championship game on Sunday, while Boise State plays for third place. The Mountaineers have started 8-0 in back-to-back seasons after last year's 11-0 beginning. Quinerly also had three steals to help West Virginia reach double figures in that category in every game this season. The Mountaineers also forced 20-plus turnovers for the eighth straight game. Boise State was held to just six points in the first and third quarters. West Virginia went on two 10-0 runs in the first quarter to build a 16-point lead. The Mountaineers led by double figures the rest of the way. It was 45-23 at halftime then Quinerly scored four straight points to begin a 9-0 run that ended in a 32-point lead. Freshman Jordan Thomas, coming off her first career double-double, had 10 points and six rebounds for West Virginia. Elodie Lalotte scored 11 points for Boise State (7-1). Teryn Gardner addd 10. West Virginia was coming off an 89-54 victory over High Point on Friday to begin the tournament. The Mountaineers led by as many as 39 points and forced 22 turnovers in that one. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball

Florida State is set to host Florida on Saturday evening in the 68th meeting between the in-state rivals. The Gators and Seminoles have played every year since 1958, except for 2020 when leagues around the nation adjusted their schedules to include conference-only games in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Florida leads the series with a 37-28-2 record, but modern games have favored Florida State. The Seminoles are riding a two-game winning streak and have come out on top in nine of 13 games since 2010. Seven of those wins have come by at least two possessions. But this year's "Sunshine Showdown" tells the story of two programs headed in opposite directions, especially when considering preseason expectations. Florida coach Billy Napier entered the year on one of the hottest seats in college football , and a relatively lackluster start did not do much to help his case. Since the administration reaffirmed its faith in Napier, though, the Gators have ripped off two straight SEC wins against ranked opponents. In Week 13 they downed Ole Miss 24-17, snapping a six-game losing streak against top-10 teams. Florida State, on the other hand, entered the year as a top-10 team fresh off a 2023 campaign in which it finished the regular season 12-0 and won the ACC championship. The Seminoles dropped their season opener against Georgia Tech and have been in a spiral since, with a 2-9 record and just one win against an FBS opponent. How to watch Florida vs. Florida State live Date : Saturday, Nov. 30 | Time : 7 p.m. ET Location : Doak Campbell Stadium -- Tallahassee, Florida TV: ESPN 2 | Live stream: fubo (Try for free) Florida vs. Florida State: Need to know Freshmen in the spotlight: For the first time in series history, both Florida and Florida State will start freshmen quarterbacks in Saturday's game. DJ Lagway , the No. 1 signal caller in the class of 2024, has been a mainstay in the Gators' rotation all year, but he took the starting job when incumbent Graham Mertz suffered an ACL injury on Oct. 12 against Tennessee . Lagway has given Florida fans plenty to be excited about during his time on the field. He's thrown for 1,477 yards and nine touchdowns while rushing for 105 yards thus far. His arm talent is apparent any time he uncorks a deep ball, but his accuracy on long throws is impressive for a quarterback this early into his collegiate career. Florida State was put into its own tough quarterback situation in October when DJ Uiagelelei injured his throwing hand. The Seminoles have tried a couple different options in the wake of Uiagalelei's setback, which led to freshman Luke Kromenhoek earning his first career start in Week 13 against Charleston Southern . Kromenhoek completed 13 of his 20 passes for 2019 yards and three touchdowns in the win. A lot on the line for Florida State: Florida State is far from bowl contention at this point, but the Seminoles still have plenty to play for -- even beyond bragging rights against a top in-state rival. The Seminoles have a chance to avoid losing 10 games for the first time since 1974 and just the third time in program history. Florida State snapped a six-game losing streak in Week 13's win against Charleston Southern, so the Seminoles are on the right track. They have already become the third FBS team since 1998 to win their conference and then finish last in that same conference the following season. Florida State is also the first ACC program to take sole possession of 17th place in the expanded league. Florida can improve postseason stock: Florida already secured bowl eligibility by beating Ole Miss, but Saturday is a prime opportunity to notch another win and improve its standing in the bowl bidding process. The Gators have not won seven games since 2020, when they went 8-4 and made it to the Cotton Bowl under former coach Dan Mullen. They also haven't had a winning record under Napier, so improving to 7-5 in the regular season will ensure that Florida finishes above .500 for the first time in four years. Florida vs. Florida State prediction, picks Florida has been on a tear recently, but really the Gators have been better than their record indicates all year. Key to the late-season turnaround is a defense that, despite some mounting injuries -- especially in the secondary -- has vastly improved in short order. The Gators held two really good offenses under 20 points in their last two wins against LSU and Ole Miss. Now they face a Florida State offense that has averaged a woeful 11 points per game against FBS opponents. The Seminoles have eclipsed the 20-point mark just twice this season, and one of those was in a recent win against Charleston Southern. Florida should be able to pick its score and cover the line on sports betting apps . Pick: Florida -16.5 (-110) All sports betting odds via BetMGM Sportsbook . Check out the latest BetMGM promo to get in the game. SportsLine's proven computer model is calling for multiple outright upsets in Week 14 of college football . Visit SportsLine now to see them all , plus get spread picks for every game from the model that simulates each game 10,000 times.

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