The Rev Richard Coles has revealed he once came on stage to a “barrage of knickers” while he was in pop duo The Communards. During Tuesday’s episode of I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, the campmates reflected on the point at which they realised they were famous. Radio presenter and author Coles, 62, said: “The big thing for us came when we had Don’t Leave Me This Way and it was number one for weeks and weeks, and I remember we were playing in Ireland and we were booked into a sports stadium, we came on stage and there was this barrage of knickers. All these girls threw their knickers.” He added: “Never in the history of recorded sound did a girl throw her knickers at a band to less effect than to The Communards, I think Jimmy made a scrunchie out of a pair of them and that was it.” Danny Jones, who performs in the band McFly, contributed to the conversation and said: “For me, it was the fans waiting outside CD:UK and then when we left girls were chasing the car and I was like, ‘What has gone on?’ It was scary because they were banging on the windows.” He added: “I think to make a difference to people’s lives, I get such satisfaction and that’s what keeps me going to make people smile or forget about their worries or to make them feel less lonely in hard times, and just come and enjoy and a bit of escapism at one of our shows, I feel very privileged to have that.” Former professional boxer Barry McGuigan told the camp he had won the Commonwealth Games gold medal when he was 17. He said: “Because Ireland was going through all the troubles and I was a sort of peace ambassador, all the bad boys f****** hated me but yet they watched my fights. It was probably in the hope I got flattened.” Elsewhere Maura Higgins spoke about what it was like to come home after appearing on ITV reality show Love Island. She said: “Coming back into Heathrow Airport it was mayhem, the security had to drag us onto a bus because there were swamps of people.” She added: “I didn’t know what to expect.” Alan Halsall said his fame has been consistent due to his role in the British soap Coronation Street. He said: “That’s constant. I think the only time I’ve found it difficult really recently is when I’ve become a father, it’s hard then.” Coleen Rooney, who is married to former footballer Wayne Rooney, agreed: “That’s the thing with kids I think, it’s hard to go on days out. “Kai told Wayne to stop coming to football games, when he played grassroots tournaments and stuff because he used to get swarmed and he couldn’t even watch the game. “How do you say to all of these kids, ‘Go away, I’m watching my son?’ Adults, it’s different you could speak to them, so he (Kai) just said, ‘Oh, Dad there’s no point you coming because you don’t even watch me play anyway.’ “Which is sad but it can’t be helped anyway. At the same time the fans help you along the way and get you where you are.” Also on the show, the camp received news that they would have a chance to visit the Jungle Arms and would need to leave camp immediately. The campmates discussed what they might have to do in order to get there, as Higgins said: “I’m telling you now, I will go to lengths to get my glass of wine, you watch.” I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! continues nightly at 9pm on ITV1, STV and ITVX.Merry Christmas: N.H. Getting $191 Million for Universal Broadband
Tens of thousands of Spaniards protest housing crunch and high rents in BarcelonaNORMAL, Ill. (AP) — Wenkers Wright ran for 118 yards and two touchdowns and No. 13 Illinois State knocked off North Dakota for the first time, 35-13 in the regular season finale for both teams Saturday. The Redbirds are 9-2 (6-2 Missouri Valley Conference) and are looking to reach the FCS playoffs for the first time since 2019 and sixth time in Brock Spack's 16 seasons as head coach. Illinois State opened the game with some trickery. Eddie Kasper pulled up on a fleaflicker and launched a 30-yard touchdown pass to Xavier Loyd to cap a seven-play, 70-yard opening drive. Simon Romfo tied it on North Dakota's only touchdown of the day, throwing 20 yards to Nate DeMontagnac. Wright scored from the 10 to make it 14-7 after a quarter, and after C.J. Elrichs kicked a 20-yard field goal midway through the second to make it 14-10 at intermission, Wright powered in from the 18 and Mitch Bartol caught a five-yard touchdown pass from Tommy Rittenhouse to make it 28-10 after three. Seth Glatz added a 13-yard touchdown run to make it 35-10 before Elrichs added a 37-yard field goal to get the Fighting Hawks on the board to set the final margin. Rittenhouse finished 21 of 33 passing for 187 yards for Illinois State. Loyd caught eight passes for 121 yards. Romfo completed 11 of 26 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown with an interception for North Dakota (5-7, 2-6). Illinois State faced North Dakota for just the fourth time and third time as Missouri Valley Conference opponents. The Redbirds lost the previous three meetings. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
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NoneBOSTON — Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson is the subject of a federal investigation, and subpoenas have been issued to City Hall in relation to the probe, the Herald has learned. The nature and circumstances of the investigation into the second-term city councilor have not been revealed, and no criminal charges have been filed. The city acknowledged the existence of a federal subpoena or subpoenas that have been “issued to the Boston City Council or specific city councilors” in a Friday response to a Herald public records request that sought “information and/or documents relating to federal subpoenas that have been issued to Boston City Hall, the Boston City Council, Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson and any of the 13 city councilors from Jan. 1, 2024 to Nov. 14, 2024. The city declined to provide the subpoena or subpoenas, which the Herald has learned pertained to a probe involving Fernandes Anderson, saying that it reached out to the Massachusetts U.S. Attorney’s office to confirm that the “investigatory exemption” of the public records law applied in this instance. According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, release of such information could impair the “integrity of a grand jury investigation,” per the city’s records response. When reached for comment, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s office declined to comment, saying that the office “can’t confirm or deny an investigation.” Fernandes Anderson, who represents District 7 which includes Roxbury, Dorchester, the South End and Fenway, did not immediately respond to the Herald’s request for comment. She declined to comment when reached by the Boston Globe on Tuesday, per a report from the outlet. “I don’t want to comment on it,” Fernandes Anderson, the first African immigrant and Muslim American elected to the City Council, told the Globe. City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune said in a statement to the Herald that “it is important to respect the legal process.” “Drawing any conclusions right now would be premature,” Louijeune said. “As the president of the Boston City Council and as a lawyer, I want to emphasize that any actions that are found to undermine the law must be taken very seriously. “The work of the Council will proceed without disruption and we will remain focused on the issues most important to residents, including acting with integrity as a body,” Louijeune added. “At this time, I will refrain from any further comments, while urging everyone to avoid speculation and to respect due process.” The existence of a federal probe is the latest controversy for a city councilor who has had her fair share since taking office roughly three years ago. Last month, Fernandes Anderson was hit with a number of state campaign finance violations, per a Nov. 14 letter from the Office of Campaign and Political Finance. The violations included her failure to report roughly $32,900 of $34,500 of campaign contributions over an 11-month period in a timely fashion, and receipt of individual contributions in excess of the $1,000 state limit. The letter notes that the Anderson Committee took steps to resolve the excess contributions, by purging $1,750 to the Commonwealth on Sept. 26 to resolve the individual matter, and refunding $100 to the committee of a state senator that had sent a second $100 contribution in the same calendar year to Fernandes Anderson. Only one $100 contribution per year between two campaign committees is allowed by state law. Fernandes Anderson admitted to a state ethics violation last year for hiring her sister and son to paid positions on her City Council staff and paid a $5,000 fine. The State Ethics Commission said Fernandes Anderson appointed her sister and son to full-time positions in 2022, her first year on the Council. She also chose to increase their salaries, and in the case of her sister, award a $7,000 bonus. Fernandes Anderson set her sister’s salary at $65,000. She awarded her sister a raise in June 2022, increasing her salary to $70,000 and tacking on a $7,000 bonus, the Ethics Commission said. In June 2022, Fernandes Anderson appointed her son as her full-time office manager at an annual salary of $52,000. She participated in the Council’s July 15 vote to approve the appointment. Eleven days later, the councilor increased her son’s salary to $70,000, the Commission said. Fernandes Anderson addressed the matter in several tweets in July 2023 upon the ethics violation becoming public saying that she “messed up” and referencing her sister, said, “You are my everything and if it wasn’t unethical, I’d do it again.” More recently, a video of Fernandes Anderson not saying the oath of office during this past January’s inauguration, in violation of the city charter, went viral on social media. Fernandes Anderson retook the oath privately with the city clerk days later. In a social media statement at the time, she said she had been “internalizing” her oath and “committing a prayer between myself and God.” The 13 city councilors now make a $115,000 salary, after starting the year with an $11,500 pay hike. The last city councilor to be subject to a federal probe while in office was the late Chuck Turner who was sentenced to three years in jail in 2018 for pocketing a $1,000 bribe from an informant who claimed to be seeking a liquor license. Turner sued the city for $350,000 after being booted off the City Council in 2010 following the conviction, and settled for $106,000 eight years later, after the courts ruled that the Council violated its own rules because under state law, elected officials can only be removed from the body after sentencing, not conviction. --------- ©2024 MediaNews Group, Inc. Visit at bostonherald.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
‘AICTE updates curriculum of all engineering programmes with specific AI component’
Wake Forest keeps trying new things early in the season, even if not all of the adjustments are by design. The Demon Deacons will try to stick to the script when Detroit Mercy visits for Saturday's game in Winston-Salem, N.C. The Demon Deacons (5-1) will be at home for the final time prior to three consecutive road games. Detroit Mercy (3-2) already has two more victories than all of last season. After a couple of narrow wins and a loss at Xavier, Wake Forest had a smoother time earlier this week in defeating visiting Western Carolina 82-69 on Tuesday night. Yet these are games when teams have to figure where contributions are going to come from in certain situations. The experimenting took a turn for Wake Forest in the Western Carolina game. Center Efton Reid III had limited minutes because of migraines, so there was a shift in responsibilities. Normal backcourt players Cameron Hildreth and Juke Harris logged time at the power forward slot. "That's just part of it," coach Steve Forbes said. "They did a good job adjusting. We ran a lot of stuff and there are several guys learning different positions. ... I give credit to those guys for doing the best job that they could do on the fly and adjusting to the play calls that we ran and the stuff that we changed." Wake Forest could excel if both Parker Friedrichsen and Davin Cosby can be consistent 3-point threats. Friedrichsen slumped with shooting in the first few games of the season and was replaced in the starting lineup by Cosby. In Tuesday's game, Friedrichsen drained four 3-pointers, while Cosby hit two. "It was really good to see Parker and Davin both make shots together," Forbes said. Not everything was solved for the Demon Deacons. Western Carolina collected 12 offensive rebounds, and that took some of the shine off Wake Forest's defensive efforts. "We can't be a good defensive team, or a really good defensive team, unless we rebound the ball," Forbes said. "It's demoralizing to your defense to get stops and then not get the ball." In Detroit Mercy's 70-59 win at Ball State on Wednesday, Orlando Lovejoy tallied 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists. "We got the ball to the shooters and playmakers," first-year Titans coach Mark Montgomery said. "You could tell by the guys' body language that we were going to get a road win. It had been a long time coming." On Saturday, the Titans will look for their second road victory since February 2023. The outcome at Ball State seemed significant to Montgomery. "We had to get over the hump," he said. "Our guys grinded it out." --Field Level Media
Lopsided loss to SMU leaves UVA with one last shot at bowl eligibilityBOSTON (AP) — Forty years ago, Heisman Trophy winner Doug Flutie rolled to his right and threw a pass that has become one of college football’s most iconic moments. With Boston College trailing defending champion Miami, Flutie threw the Hail Mary and found receiver Gerard Phalen , who made the grab while falling into the end zone behind a pair of defenders for a game-winning 48-yard TD. Flutie and many of his 1984 teammates were honored on the field during BC’s game against North Carolina before the second quarter on Saturday afternoon, the anniversary of the Eagles’ Miracle in Miami. “There’s no way its been 40 years,” Flutie told The Associated Press on the sideline a few minutes before he walked out with some of his former teammates to be recognized after a video of The Play was shown on the scoreboards. It’s a moment and highlight that’s not only played throughout decades of BC students and fans, but around the college football world. “What is really so humbling is that the kids 40 years later are wearing 22 jerseys, still,” Flutie said of his old number. “That amazes me.” That game was played on national TV the Friday after Thanksgiving. The ironic thing is it was originally scheduled for earlier in the season before CBS paid Rutgers to move its game against Miami, thus setting up the BC-Miami post-holiday matchup. “It shows you how random some things are, that the game was moved,” Flutie said. “The game got moved to the Friday after Thanksgiving, which was the most watched game of the year. We both end up being nationally ranked and up there. All those things lent to how big the game itself was, and made the pass and the catch that much more relevant and remembered because so many people were watching.” There’s a statue of Flutie winding up to make The Pass outside the north gates at Alumni Stadium. Fans and visitors can often be seen taking photos there. “In casual conversation, it comes up every day,” Flutie said, when asked how many times people bring it up. “It brings a smile to my face every time we talk about it.” A week after the game-ending Flutie pass, the Eagles beat Holy Cross and before he flew off to New York to accept the Heisman. They went on to win the 49th Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Day. “Forty years seem almost like incomprehensible,” said Phalen, also standing on the sideline a few minutes after the game started. “I always say to Doug: ‘Thank God for social media. It’s kept it alive for us.”’ Earlier this week, current BC coach Bill O’Brien, 55, was asked if he remembered where he was 40 years ago. “We were eating Thanksgiving leftovers in my family room,” he said. “My mom was saying a Rosary in the kitchen because she didn’t like Miami and wanted BC to win. My dad, my brother and I were watching the game. “It was unbelievable,” he said. “Everybody remembers where they were for the Hail Mary, Flutie pass.” 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
Skiing is one of the best ways to enjoy nature in the winter and is one of the few activities that’s as fun to do alone as it is with others. However, whether you’re an advanced skier who likes to keep the good snow to themselves or prefer skiing with a posse of friends, protecting your head is an essential part of a good day on the slopes. With so many options on the market, finding the best ski helmet can be a challenge. If you’re interested in a simple solution that you can count on to protect you at all times, regardless of the conditions, check out the Sweet Protection Grimnir 2vi MIPS Helmet . If your ski helmet is too large or too small, it won’t perform correctly and may not provide any protection at all. To find the right size, measure the crown of your head and cross reference with the helmet’s size chart. Moreover, the helmet should be about an inch above your eyebrows. Make sure to consider your helmet’s adjustability before purchasing. Unfortunately, not all goggles fit with all helmets. Although you likely won’t have an issue with this, ensure that the helmet you want to purchase will work with your preferred goggles without leaving your forehead exposed. In addition to being a good fit for your goggles, the best ski helmets are capable of handling a variety of upgrades if they aren’t standard. For example, be on the lookout for helmets that have slots for audio in the earmuffs and that allow you to strap a handy goggle cleaning cloth to the side. In addition to durable materials and standard EPS shock absorption, the best ski helmets will include additional or new technology to enhance protection. When shopping for a new ski helmet, consider models with MIPS (multidirectional impact protection system) technology, carbon fiber construction or an integrated Recco reflector to get the highest level of safety. Top-quality helmets offer the best ease-of-use technology in addition to superior protection. Features such as magnetic goggle clasps that can be used with gloves, removable linings and dynamic ventilation that allows for directed airflow make your helmet more comfortable, especially during extended wearing periods. Entry-level helmets that provide basic protection usually cost around $60, while higher-end models with innovative technology start around $180 and cost upwards of $250. A. Although this may seem counterintuitive at first, it is not always worth purchasing the most expensive, highest-tech helmet. If you don’t ski often, and find yourself sticking to the easier slopes and staying at low speeds, a traditional helmet will provide all the protection you need. On the other hand, if you ski in the woods or in the backcountry, investing in high-tech helmets is a must, since the danger level is much higher than on the slopes. Sweet Protection Grimnir 2vi MIPS Helmet What you need to know: The Grimnir 2vi helmet from Sweet Protection is made from the finest materials on the market and includes all of the latest safety and convenience technology. What you’ll love: If you like to tackle challenging terrain and push the boundaries of your skills, look no further than the Grimnir to provide the utmost protection. Constructed out of lightweight and highly impact-resistant carbon fiber and reinforced with the latest MIPS technology, you can count on this helmet to keep you safe. Plus, it’s also quite comfortable to wear thanks to its numerous vents, Occigrip dial adjustment system and audio compatibility. What you should consider: State-of-the-art technology makes this one of the more expensive offerings. OutdoorMaster Kelvin Helmet What you need to know: If you’re on a budget, or don’t push the limits while skiing, the Kelvin helmet from OutdoorMaster is perfect for you. What you’ll love: Don’t let the price tag fool you — this helmet offers far more than the bare minimum in terms of features and technology. Constructed from a reinforced ABS shell and a super-absorbent EPS core, you can count on this helmet to project your most valuable asset. Plus, the Kelvin also offers lots of adjustability and unmatched ventilation for the price. What you should consider: While this helmet offers ample protection for the ordinary skier, if you’re a hard charger and prefer off-piste shredding, this helmet likely won’t be enough. POC Meninx RS MIPS Helmet What you need to know: Featuring a sleek design, durable construction and an abundance of serious safety features, the Meninx RS MIPS helmet from POC is high performance and reliable. What you’ll love: Designed from the ground up with safety and convenience in mind, this helmet is ideal for anyone who regularly hits the slopes and will appreciate the thought given to small details. For example, the strap buckle on the back that holds your goggles securely in place is magnetic, which makes it easy to use while wearing gloves or mittens. Furthermore, in addition to the dual-layer ABS shell and MIPS protection system, the Meninx RS comes with an integrated Recco reflector, which is an essential component of safe backcountry skiing. To top it all off, the helmet has an easy-to-use adjustment dial and plenty of ventilation. What you should consider: POC helmets don’t come in individual sizing, and are only available in grouped sizes such as medium/large, which can make finding the perfect fit harder. Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change. Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales. BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.
TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi reportedly sought advice from Tesla CEO Elon Musk . According to an exclusive report in WSJ, ByteDance-owned TikTok chief executive officer Chew Shou Zi has sought input on US matters from Elon Musk. Tesla CEO has emerged as one of the closest advisers to President-elect Donald Trump. The Wall Street Journal reported on November 23, citing people familiar with the matter. TikTok CEO Chew is reported to have reached out to Tesla CEO in recent weeks and asked for his opinions on topics ranging from the incoming administration to potential tech policy, the report added as per news agency Reuters. The report added that both the executives have not discussed specific measures to keep TikTok running in the United States. ByteDance's senior leadership remains cautiously optimistic. Before the US election, ByteDance executives met with people close to both Trump and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris. Elon Musk joined Trump in calls with Google CEO and Ukraine president Incidentally, there are also reports that Musk joined President-elect Donald Trump during his call with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. And earlier this week, The Information reported that Musk was there in the call when Google CEO Sunadr Pichai called to congratulate Pichai. The big Yes and No on Tiktok ban in the US Trump, who previously attempted to ban TikTok, has stated that he would not allow the app to be barred if elected in November. However, President Trump's pick for Federal Communications Commission chairman could be bad news for TikTok. In his Project 2025 chapter, Carr asserted that the Chinese social media platform TikTok “poses a serious and unacceptable risk to America’s national security” and should be banned. The new FCC chairman also reportedly has a close relationship with Musk and has accused Democrats of waging “regulatory lawfare” against Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service.Pure Storage Announces Third Quarter Fiscal 2025 Financial Results
It came as a surprise that President Biden unconditionally pardoned his son Hunter, a convicted felon, after repeatedly vowing that he would not. For the past few months, each time Biden or his press secretary was asked whether a pardon was in the cards, they both emphatically said no . So much for one of the president’s favorite lines , “I give you my word as a Biden.” Hunter, who was facing a potential sentence of years in prison for tax evasion and lying on a federal firearms application, is now free to pursue his career as a middling painter of overpriced art. I admit that when I first heard the pardon news, I thought, “Good for you, Joe! Why should you follow the rules when no one on Planet Trump does? Let the people who voted to return a sex-offending, defaming, defrauding felon to the White House get a tiny taste of their own medicine.” On second thought, however, it’s more complicated than that. How can any of us be outraged at the way Trump and those in his circle seem immune from the consequences of their malign actions if we applaud Biden’s pardon of his son for crimes he has either been convicted of or pleaded guilty to? How can we be outraged that Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner received $2 billion from the murderous Saudis if we think it’s perfectly fine for Hunter Biden to be paid millions of dollars for sitting on the board of Burisma, the Ukrainian energy company that was under investigation for corruption while his father was vice president and overseeing White House policy on Ukraine? The real outrage is the general lack of accountability for the illegal, unethical or immoral behavior of children born into wealth and privilege whose only “talents” are their ability to exploit their proximity to powerful people. Nepo babies gonna nepo baby. Hunter Biden was charged with lying on a gun purchase form, having claimed on penalty of perjury that he was not using drugs when, as he recounts in his memoir, he was a raging coke and meth addict. He was also charged with evading more than $1 million in taxes, which he has since paid, along with penalties and interest. Was he unfairly singled out? Maybe, but he still broke the law. As President Biden stated in announcing the pardon , “Without aggravating factors like use in a crime, multiple purchases, or buying a weapon as a straw purchaser, people are almost never brought to trial on felony charges solely for how they filled out a gun form. Those who were late paying their taxes because of serious addictions, but paid them back subsequently with interest and penalties, are typically given non-criminal resolutions.” All true, which is why the government originally offered Hunter a deal that would have allowed him to avoid prison. He was to plead guilty to two misdemeanor counts of failing to pay his 2017 and 2018 taxes on time, and to agree to a diversion program that would allow him to avoid prosecution on the charge that he lied when he bought a handgun in 2018. But a federal judge put the plea deal on hold last year, saying she did not want to “rubber stamp” an unorthodox and complex agreement that was reached without her input. Republicans piled on, filing an amicus brief complaining that the deal was too lenient and that the investigation was tainted by political interference from the Biden administration. At that point, with the plea deal in tatters, Atty. Gen. Merrick Garland appointed a special counsel to the case. A month later, in September 2023, then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy opened his sham impeachment investigation of the president, claiming Biden lied about his knowledge of his son’s business affairs. The House’s eventual report basically found that Hunter used his daddy’s name to enrich himself. Yawn. Last summer, after a salacious trial that, as the New York Times put it , “made painfully public Mr. Biden’s crack addiction, reckless behavior and ruinous spending,” a federal jury found Hunter guilty of three felony counts related to the gun application. In September, Hunter Biden avoided tormenting his family with another trial by pleading guilty to nine federal tax charges. “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,” President Biden’s statement said. “In trying to break Hunter, they’ve tried to break me — and there’s no reason to believe it will stop here. Enough is enough.” Hunter may have been singled out for prosecution, but Hunter did in fact screw up. And President Biden, who has often said that Americans in the Trump era are engaged in a “ battle to save the soul of the nation ,” has shown that he, too, will warp justice for his own ends. I thought he was better than that. Bluesky: @rabcarian.bsky.social . Threads: @rabcarianBoston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson subject of federal investigationBy MARC LEVY HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Democratic Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania conceded his reelection bid to Republican David McCormick on Thursday, as a statewide recount showed no signs of closing the gap and his campaign suffered repeated blows in court in its effort to get potentially favorable ballots counted. Casey’s concession comes more than two weeks after Election Day, as a grindingly slow ballot-counting process became a spectacle of hours-long election board meetings, social media outrage, lawsuits and accusations that some county officials were openly flouting the law. Republicans had been claiming that Democrats were trying to steal McCormick’s seat by counting “illegal votes.” Casey’s campaign had accused of Republicans of trying to block enough votes to prevent him from pulling ahead and winning. In a statement, Casey said he had just called McCormick to congratulate him. “As the first count of ballots is completed, Pennsylvanians can move forward with the knowledge that their voices were heard, whether their vote was the first to be counted or the last,” Casey said. The Associated Press called the race for McCormick on Nov. 7, concluding that not enough ballots remained to be counted in areas Casey was winning for him to take the lead. As of Thursday, McCormick led by about 16,000 votes out of almost 7 million ballots counted. That was well within the 0.5% margin threshold to trigger an automatic statewide recount under Pennsylvania law. But no election official expected a recount to change more than a couple hundred votes or so, and Pennsylvania’s highest court dealt him a blow when it refused entreaties to allow counties to count mail-in ballots that lacked a correct handwritten date on the return envelope. Republicans will have a 53-47 majority next year in the U.S. Senate. Follow Marc Levy at twitter.com/timelywriter
Democrat Bob Casey concedes to Republican David McCormick in Pennsylvania Senate contest10-man Botafogo wins its first Copa Libertadores title
