KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nico Iamaleava threw for 209 yards and four touchdowns to lead No. 10 Tennessee to a 56-0 victory over UTEP on Saturday. The Volunteers (9-2) overcame a sluggish start to roll up the impressive win. Both teams were scoreless in the first quarter, but Tennessee found its rhythm. Grad student receiver Bru McCoy, who hadn't caught a touchdown pass this season, had two. Peyton Lewis also ran for two scores. Tennessee's defensive line, which had no sacks in last week's loss to Georgia, had three against the Miners. UTEP (2-9) struggled with two missed field goals and three turnovers. Tennessee's offense came alive with 28 points in the second quarter. In the final four drives of the quarter, Iamaleava completed 11 of 12 passes for 146 yards and touchdowns to Squirrel White, Ethan Davis and McCoy. UTEP was the dominant team in the first quarter. Tennessee managed just 37 offensive yards and, thanks to an interception near the end zone and a missed field goal by the Miners, both teams were scoreless after 15 minutes. POLL IMPLICATIONS Tennessee’s convincing victory, coupled with losses by Mississippi and Indiana, should put the Volunteers in a good position when the next College Football Playoff poll is released. The Vols were ranked No. 11 going into this week’s games. THE TAKEAWAY UTEP: The Miners will head into a very winnable game against New Mexico State having won two of their last five games. First-year coach Scotty Walden will try to build on that success in the offseason to help enhance his roster. Tennessee: Even a lopsided win won’t carry much weight where it means the most — in the College Football Playoff rankings. The Vols will have to rely on a convincing win against Vanderbilt next week, a team that has shown a lot of improvement this season, to help their standing for those coveted spots. UP NEXT UTEP: The Miners will finish their season at New Mexico State Saturday. Tennessee: The Vols will finish their regular season at Vanderbilt next Saturday. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballjiliko com 。

Associated Press TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Luke Kromenhoek threw for 209 yards and tossed three touchdown passes as Florida State halted a six-game losing streak and routed Charleston Southern 41-7 on Saturday. Kromenhoek completed 13 of 20 passes in his first college start, including a 71-yard touchdown pass to Ja’Khi Douglas, as the Seminoles (2-9) won for the first time since Sept. 21. The true freshman also connected with Amaree Williams for a 4-yard TD and Hykeem Williams for a 10-yard TD. “It was unbelievable, it was a dream come true,” Kromenhoek said. “The more snaps I get, the more reps that I get, it slows down little by little. I just try to take advantage of every one that I get.” The Seminoles (2-9) have started three quarterbacks and nine offensive line combinations this fall, and they came into Saturday with the nation’s worst scoring offense (13.3 points). Florida State hadn’t scored more than 21 points or surpassed the 300-yard mark in 2024. But Florida State overwhelmed FCS Charleston Southern (1-11), accumulating 415 offensive yards. Coach Mike Norvell made major changes following a 52-3 loss at Notre Dame on Nov. 9. He fired offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Alex Atkins, defensive coordinator Adam Fuller and wide receivers coach Ron Dugans. On Saturday, Norvell again called plays (as he has done throughout his five years at Florida State). Randy Shannon, the linebackers coach, was elevated to interim defensive coordinator. “It’s been a tough last couple weeks, tough season in general,” Norvell said. “But I was really proud of them for how they approached this week and the work that they poured in. From senior to freshman, there was a lot of investment to go push to be better.” After a scoreless first quarter, Florida State poured it on — scoring on six straight drives. This is the first time the Seminoles have scored 10 or more points in a quarter, tallying 17 in the second and 14 in the third. Kaleb Jackson completed 22 of 32 passes for 218 yards, including a 7-yard touchdown pass to Landon Sauers, and an interception for the Buccaneers. Next up: Randy Shannon Shannon stepped in to coordinate, guiding a first- and second-team defense that didn’t allow a point. Florida State led 31-0 after three quarters, allowing Charleston Southern to pick up just 124 offensive yards and holding the Buccaneers to 23 rushing yards. Once Miami’s head coach, Shannon has now been a defensive coordinator at all four of the state’s Power 4 schools. Shannon was the defensive coordinator at Miami (2001-06), Florida (2017), UCF (2018-20) and will now also be Florida State’s interim coordinator next week against Florida. The takeaway Charleston Southern: While the Buccaneers found some success through the air, they couldn’t sustain drives and managed just 57 rushing yards on 29 carries. Florida State: The Seminoles picked up a season-best 176 rushing yards, scoring 17 points in the second quarter and 14 points in the third quarter to take control. Up next Charleston Southern’s season is over. Florida State plays host to Florida on Nov. 30. ___ AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football . Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25Trump's pick to lead the DEA withdraws from considerationJanine Harouni talks about her shows in New York, and comedy career

Austin police officer convicted of deadly conduct sentenced to 2 years in prisonIs the NORAD Santa tracker safe from a government shutdown?ictoria Beckham is a highly successful woman in different industries, from music to fitness. As a businesswoman, she has been very successful in the projects she undertakes. However, she also stands out for her discipline and the severity with which she handles herself. However, she revealed a curious fact about her personality and even shows her vulnerability: she never smiles in photos, despite her natural beauty. Over the years, the 50-year-old fashion designer hardly cracks a smile at the many public events she frequently attends and the reason is very curious: she feels insecure about her , as in her teens she had acne and it caused her However, in her 20s she rose to fame with the group , despite this insecurity. Although she managed to overcome it, the singer and designer still admits that she had many problems with her self-esteem as a result of this condition, which prevented her from accepting herself enough to smile. In an interview with British newspaper The Telegraph, spoke about her process of self-acceptance after receiving the publication's inaugural award, and explained how she approached skincare experts to the point where she adopted a strict skincare routine to keep her skin clean and smooth, as well as maintaining a rigorous diet. Victoria explained In fact, her husband David Beckham has revealed how strict and limited his partner's diet is, as "It was because of my skin that I became very careful with what I ate," Victoria explained, adding that she eliminated foods such as meat and wheat from her diet. Victoria Beckham's journey to the perfect smile Currently, says she feels much more comfortable with herself and this is reflected in a more noticeable way, as she offers a warm smile more often and even appears in public with very little makeup, because she feels comfortable enough with her appearance. "If you had told me a few years ago that I would walk a red carpet to collect an award wearing just a little concealer and no foundation, I would have thought you were crazy, but that's what I did last week." In fact, she noted that now the fact of aging is really liberating, to the point that she stopped reading comments about herself in the press and social networks, because and because she probably doesn't need it anymore. She also indicated that she she told Harper's Bazaar magazine in an interview: Recently, Victoria wore a stunning backless white dress to a dinner with to celebrate the launch of her new partywear collection for this season. She showed off her toned figure in a flowing midi dress with burgundy heels and a clutch bag, accompanied by her .

Texas A&M signed the nation’s top-ranked recruiting class three years ago believing it had built a potential national title contender. Plenty of players from that heralded 2022 class could indeed be participating in the first 12-team College Football Playoff this month. They just won’t be doing it for the Aggies, who no longer have nearly half their 2022 signees. The list of 2022 recruits now with playoff contenders elsewhere includes Mississippi defensive lineman Walter Nolen, Oregon wide receiver Evan Stewart, Alabama defensive lineman LT Overton, SMU offensive tackle PJ Williams and injured Boise State receiver Chris Marshall. Texas A&M has done all right without them, going 8-4 as transfers filled about half the starting roles. Texas A&M represents perhaps the clearest example of how recruiting and roster construction have changed in the era of loosened transfer restrictions. Coaches must assemble high school classes without always knowing which of their own players are transferring and what players from other schools could be available through the portal. “It used to be you lost 20 seniors, you signed 20 incoming freshmen,” Duke coach Manny Diaz said. “You just had your numbers right. Now you might lose 20 seniors, but you might lose 20 underclassmen. You just don’t know.” Coaches emphasize that high school recruiting remains critical, but recent results suggest it isn’t as vital as before. The last two College Football Playoff runners-up – TCU in 2022 and Washington in 2023 – didn’t sign a single top-15 class in any of the four years leading up their postseason runs, according to composite rankings of recruiting sites compiled by 247Sports. This year’s contenders have shown there’s more than one way to build a championship-caliber roster. About half of No. 1 Oregon’s usual starters began their college careers elsewhere. No. 5 Georgia, which annually signs one of the nation’s top high school classes, has only a few transfers making major contributions. Colorado’s rise under Deion Sanders exemplifies how a team can win without elite high school recruiting. None of Colorado’s last four classes have ranked higher than 30th in the 247Sports Composite. Three ranked 47th or lower. “If anybody ever did the homework and the statistics of these young men – people have a class that they say is the No. 1 class in the nation – then five of those guys play, or four of those guys play, then the rest go through the spring and then they jump in the portal,” Sanders said. “Don’t give me the number of where you rank (in recruiting standings), because it’s like an NFL team," he added. "You always say who won the draft, then the team gets killed all year (and) you don’t say nothing else about it. Who won the draft last year in the NFL? Nobody cares right now, right?” Wisconsin's Christian Alliegro tries to stop Oregon's Evan Stewart, right, during the first half of a Nov. 16 game in Madison, Wis. Star quarterback Shedeur Sanders followed his father from Jackson State to Colorado in 2023, and Heisman Trophy front-runner Travis Hunter accompanied them. According to Colorado, this year’s Buffaloes team has 50 transfer newcomers, trailing only North Texas’ 54 among Bowl Subdivision programs. Relying on transfers comes with caveats. Consider Florida State's rise and fall. Florida State posted an unbeaten regular-season record last year with transfers playing leading roles. When those transfers departed and Florida State's portal additions this year didn't work out, the Seminoles went 2-10. “There has to be some type of balance between the transfer portal and high school recruiting,” said Andrew Ivins, the director of scouting for 247Sports. “I compare it to the NFL. The players from the transfer portal are your free agents and high school recruiting is your NFL draft picks.” A look at the composite rankings of recruiting sites compiled by 247Sports for the 2020-22 classes shows at least 40 of the top 100 prospects each of those years ended up leaving their original school. Coaches must decide which positions they’re better off building with high school prospects and which spots might be easier to fill through the portal. “The ones that have a ton of learning to do - tight end, quarterback, interior offensive line, inside linebacker, safety, where they are the communicators - they are the guys that are processing a lot of information,” Florida’s Billy Napier said. “Those are the ones in a perfect world you have around for a while. “It’s easier to play defensive line, edge, corner, receiver, running back, tackle, specialists. Those are a little bit more plug-and-play I’d say, in my opinion," Napier said. "Either way, it’s not necessarily about that. It’s just about we need a certain number at each spot, and we do the best we can to fill those roles.” Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, right, congratulates place kicker Cristiano Palazzo after he kicked an extra point during the second half of Friday's game against Oklahoma Stat in Boulder, Colo. Power Four programs aren’t the only ones facing a balancing act between recruiting high schools and mining the transfer portal. Group of Five schools encounter similar challenges. “We’re recruiting every position and bringing in a high school class,” Eastern Michigan coach Chris Creighton said. “That’s not going to be maybe 24 scholarship guys like it used to be. It might be more like 16. It’s not four d-linemen necessarily, right? It might be three. It might not be three receivers. It might be two. And it might not be five offensive linemen. It’s two to three.” The extra hurdle Group of Five schools face is the possibility their top performers might leave for a power-conference program with more lucrative name, image and likeness financial opportunities. They sometimes don’t know which players they’ll lose. “We know who they’re trying to steal,” Miami (Ohio) coach Chuck Martin quipped. “We just don’t know who they’re going to steal.” The obstacles facing coaches are only getting steeper as FBS teams prepare for a 105-man roster limit as part of the fallout from a pending $2.8 billion NCAA antitrust settlement. While having 105 players on scholarship seems like an upgrade from the current 85-man scholarship limit, many rosters have about 125 players once walk-ons are included. Nebraska coach Matt Rhule said last week his program would probably end up with about 30-50 players in the portal due to the new roster restrictions. All the added dimensions to roster construction in the college game have drawn parallels to the NFL, but Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck believes those comparisons are misleading. “When people talk about college football right now, they’re saying, ‘Oh, we have an NFL model,’ or it’s kind of moving toward the NFL,” Fleck said. “First of all, it’s nothing like the NFL. There’s a collective bargaining agreement (in the NFL). There’s a true salary cap for everybody. It’s designed for all 32 fan bases to win the Super Bowl maybe once every 32 years – and I know other people are winning that a lot more than others – but that’s how it’s designed. In college football, it’s not that way.” There does seem to be a bit more competitive balance than before. The emergence of TCU and Washington the last couple of postseasons indicates this new era of college football has produced more unpredictability. Yet it’s also created many more challenges as coaches try to figure out how to put together their rosters. “It’s difficult because we’re just kind of inventing it on the fly, right?” Diaz said. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, foreground right, dives toward the end zone to score past San Francisco 49ers defensive end Robert Beal Jr. (51) and linebacker Dee Winters during the second half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus) South Carolina guard Maddy McDaniel (1) drives to the basket against UCLA forward Janiah Barker (0) and center Lauren Betts (51) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) LSU punter Peyton Todd (38) kneels in prayer before an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. LSU won 37-17. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) South Africa's captain Temba Bavuma misses a catch during the fourth day of the first Test cricket match between South Africa and Sri Lanka, at Kingsmead stadium in Durban, South Africa, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, left, is hit by Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, center, as Eagles wide receiver Parris Campbell (80) looks on during a touchdown run by Barkley in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough) Los Angeles Kings left wing Warren Foegele, left, trips San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, center, during the third period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) Olympiacos' Francisco Ortega, right, challenges for the ball with FCSB's David Miculescu during the Europa League league phase soccer match between FCSB and Olympiacos at the National Arena stadium, in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) Brazil's Botafogo soccer fans react during the Copa Libertadores title match against Atletico Mineiro in Argentina, during a watch party at Nilton Santos Stadium, in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) New York Islanders left wing Anders Lee (27), center, fight for the puck with Boston Bruins defensemen Parker Wotherspoon (29), left, and Brandon Carlo (25), right during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Jiyai Shin of Korea watches her shot on the 10th hole during the final round of the Australian Open golf championship at the Kingston Heath Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake) New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin cools off during first period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Brazil's Amanda Gutierres, second right, is congratulated by teammate Yasmin, right, after scoring her team's first goal during a soccer international between Brazil and Australia in Brisbane, Australia, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Pat Hoelscher) Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (89) tries to leap over Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Joshua Williams (2) during the first half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Luiz Henrique of Brazil's Botafogo, right. is fouled by goalkeeper Everson of Brazil's Atletico Mineiro inside the penalty area during a Copa Libertadores final soccer match at Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) Gold medalists Team Netherlands competes in the Team Sprint Women race of the ISU World Cup Speed Skating Beijing 2024 held at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (33) reaches for an incomplete pass ahead of Arizona Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. (2) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) Melanie Meillard, center, of Switzerland, competes during the second run in a women's World Cup slalom skiing race, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Killington, Vt. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green goes up for a dunk during the second half of an Emirates NBA cup basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) Mari Fukada of Japan falls as she competes in the women's Snowboard Big Air qualifying round during the FIS Snowboard & Freeski World Cup 2024 at the Shougang Park in Beijing, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) Seattle Kraken fans react after a goal by center Matty Beniers against the San Jose Sharks was disallowed due to goaltender interference during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Seattle. The Sharks won 4-2. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Mathilde Gremaud of Switzerland competes in the women's Freeski Big Air qualifying round during the FIS Snowboard & Freeski World Cup 2024 at the Shougang Park in Beijing, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) Lara Gut-Behrami, of Switzerland, competes during a women's World Cup giant slalom skiing race, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Killington, Vt. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) England's Alessia Russo, left, and United States' Naomi Girma challenge for the ball during the International friendly women soccer match between England and United States at Wembley stadium in London, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Get local news delivered to your inbox!LOS ANGELES — The late start of the Rams’ Sunday night game against the Philadelphia Eagles will give the team a chance to do some scoreboard watching. Or even watch a couple of early games. Not all of the players and coaches will take advantage. Sean McVay will before he heads to SoFi Stadium. Puka Nacua doesn’t want to exert his emotional energy on someone else’s game. But no matter closely they are paying attention to it, every result across the NFC West is of significance to the Rams this weekend, and for the six weeks that come after this. At 5-5, the Rams are in a three-way tie with the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks for second in the NFC West. The Arizona Cardinals sit in first at 6-4. As things stand, this is looking like a one-playoff team division. So some Rams will at the very least keep an eye on how the game between the Seahawks and Cardinals goes, or how the 49ers do on the road against the Packers without quarterback Brock Purdy. But not all. “I’m solely focused on what we have to do this week,” quarterback Matthew Stafford said. “None of that stuff matters if we don’t take care of our own business. I know that’s our mindset here. Just do everything that we can to give ourselves the best chance to win week in and week out and figure it out from there.” And given the competition this weekend against an Eagles (8-2) team that beat the Rams a year ago and has since added a preeminent defensive mind to its fold, you can understand the emphasis on the task at hand. After last season, the Eagles underwent a transition. Head coach Nick Sirianni remained, but he replaced both his coordinators. Kellen Moore has helped reenergize the offense, along with the addition of running back Saquon Barkley . And Vic Fangio has the Eagles’ defense performing among the best in the NFL. Fangio is a familiar figure from McVay’s and the Rams’ past. He was the defensive coordinator for the Bears in 2018 when Chicago stunned the high-flying Rams by holding them to two field goals in a 15-6 loss. Then-QB Jared Goff threw four interceptions in that game, the Rams were limited to 52 rushing yards and went 4 for 15 on third and fourth downs. The Rams had been held below 29 points just once prior to that point in the season, and that was still a 23-point performance in a win. And they had not failed to surpass 300 yards of offense in the 12 prior games, but found themselves with just 214 yards that day at Soldier Field. It was a performance that would not be replicated again until the New England Patriots used it as a model in their Super Bowl LIII win over the Rams later that season. Now Fangio is back on the opposite sideline from McVay, again with a formidable challenge for the Rams. “The biggest thing that I would say that makes Vic a great coach is he’s going to adjust, adapt, and figure out what is going to be best given the circumstances,” McVay said. “There’s still a foundational philosophy. There’s a way of making people play in an understanding of how to try to limit what people are trying to get done and the illusion of what it really looks like and that is on display.” The Rams’ offense rediscovered its identity for parts of last week’s win over the Patriots . Stafford’s connection with Nacua and Cooper Kupp powered things, while the offensive line kept him upright and running back Kyren Williams moving forward. But for the Rams to take advantage of the clustered NFC West, they need to prove they can consistently put together games like that. And doing so against this Eagles team under this spotlight would go a long way toward propelling the team toward a playoff spot. “You work all training camp and all in the beginning of the season to get to points like this. You’re still in your divisional race and you’re playing a primetime opponent on a big stage,” Stafford said. “It’ll be a big challenge for us at home. We’ll see if we can go out there and give them a good shot.” PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (8-2) at RAMS (5-5) When: 5:20 p.m. Sunday Where: SoFi Stadium TV/Radio: NBC/710 AM; 93.1 FM; 1330 AM (Spanish); Sirius 225, 226HALIFAX, Nova Scotia (AP) — The first woman to command Canada's military called out a U.S. senator on Saturday for questioning the role of women in combat. Gen. Jennie Carignan responded to comments made by Idaho Republican Sen. Jim Risch , the ranking member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who was asked on Friday whether President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth , should retract comments that he believes men and women should not serve together in combat units . “I think it’s delusional for anybody to not agree that women in combat creates certain unique situations that have to be dealt with. I think the jury’s still out on how to do that," Risch said during a panel session at the Halifax International Security Forum on Friday. Carignan, Canada's chief of defense staff and the first woman to command the armed forces of any Group of 20 or Group of Seven country, took issue with those remarks during a panel session on Saturday. "If you’ll allow me, I would first like maybe to respond to Senator Risch’s statement yesterday about women in combat because I wouldn’t want anyone to leave this forum with this idea that women are a distraction to defense and national security," Carignan said. “After 39 years of career as a combat arms officer and risking my life in many operations across the world, I can’t believe that in 2024, we still have to justify the contribution of women to their defense and to their service, in their country. I wouldn’t want anyone to leave this forum with this idea that this is that it is some kind of social experiment.” Carignan said women have participating in combat for hundreds of years but have never been recognized for fighting for their country. She noted the women military personnel in the room. “All the women sitting here in uniform, stepping in, and deciding to get into harm’s way and fight for their country, need to be recognized for doing so," she said. “So again, this is the distraction, not the women themselves." Carignan received a standing ovation at the forum, which attracts defense and security officials from Western democracies. Hegseth has reignited a debate that many thought had been long settled: Should women be allowed to serve their country by fighting on the front lines? The former Fox News commentator made it clear, in his own book and in interviews, that he believes men and women should not serve together in combat units . If Hegseth is confirmed by the Senate, he could try to end the Pentagon’s nearly decade-old practice of making all combat jobs open to women. Hegseth’s remarks have generated a barrage of praise and condemnation. Carignan was promoted to the rank of general during the change-of-command ceremony this past summer, after being chosen by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government to become Canada’s first female defense chief. Carignan is no stranger to firsts. She was also the first woman to command a combat unit in the Canadian military, and her career has included deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Syria. For the last three years, she has been the chief of professional conduct and culture, a job created as a result of the sexual misconduct scandal in 2021. Her appointment this year comes as Canada continues to face criticism from NATO allies for not spending 2% of its gross domestic product on defense. The Canadian government recently said that it would reach its NATO commitment by 2032. Risch said Friday Trump would laugh at Canada’s current military spending plans and said the country must do more.

Tulane QB Mensah transfers to Duke; Mississippi State’s Van Buren, Cal’s Mendoza enter portal

Trump vows to block Japanese steelmaker from buying US Steel, pledges tax incentives and tariffsPope to skip Notre Dame opening in Paris for Corsica visitA few months earlier, the landmark Climate and Equitable Jobs Act created a rebate program offering $4,000 to residents who purchase all-electric, non-gas guzzling vehicles, making them a pillar of the state’s efforts to fight climate change as well. These measures helped set the table for Illinois to take advantage of billions of dollars worth of private investment by EV manufacturers, battery makers and parts suppliers spurred by signature policies of President Joe Biden’s administration that incentivized the transportation sector’s shift toward electric power. But with President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration in January, a cloud of uncertainty hangs over the nascent industry. Illinois lawmakers and environmental advocates are already expressing concern that Trump will follow through on his promise to gut programs aimed at boosting it, such as a popular nationwide consumer tax credit program for electric vehicle purchases. Top Trump allies Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, as part of their Department of Government Efficiency cost-cutting commission, have promised to scrutinize and potentially claw back spending approved by the Biden Administration during the lame duck period. That includes a $6.6 billion federal loan to Rivian Automotive, which makes all of its vehicles in Normal and is among the rivals to Musk’s Tesla. Plans recommended by Trump’s transition team, first reported this week by Reuters , would impose major changes cutting off support for electric vehicles and charging stations. The president-elect’s advisers also reportedly want to strengthen measures blocking cars, components and battery materials from China, where the heavily subsidized EV industry is growing. EV manufacturers and state policymakers remain in a holding pattern. Most said, however, that the transition to EVs is far enough down the road that a speed bump from the incoming administration would only slow progress, not halt it. “We’re all in a little bit of a limbo right now,” said Lisa Clemmons Stott, the electric mobility director for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. “The industry is in a limbo. State governments are in a bit of a limbo waiting to see what they’ll do. “But in Illinois, we’ve made sure that our foundation is so solid that we believe that we can keep the industry moving forward, whether they have that support at the federal level or not.” Federal tax credit at risk Of most consequence is the status of a $7,500 federal tax credit for those who purchase electric vehicles, which are often sold at a higher price point than their gas-guzzling counterparts. The credit, a key factor in Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, applies to all-electric, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell electric vehicles purchased new in 2023 or later. Pre-owned vehicles purchased in 2023 or later are eligible for a tax credit of up to $4,000, according to the IRS. Other requirements include a gross vehicle weight rating of less than 14,000 pounds; the price can’t exceed $80,000 for vans, sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks or $55,000 for other vehicles. The credit is not available for individuals making over $150,000 or married couples making more than $300,000 a year. According to an academic study published last month by professors Hunt Allcott of Stanford, Joseph Shapiro of the University of California, Berkeley and Felix Tintelnot of Duke University, the elimination of the tax credit would decrease electric vehicle registrations — projected near 1.2 million this year — by 27%, or about 317,000, annually. Most of the impact would be felt by American carmakers, according to the findings. “Many industry analysts predict that eventually the EV market share will be 100%,” Shapiro told Lee Enterprises in an interview. “And based on that estimate, you might think it doesn’t really matter if we adopt earlier or later — eventually we’re gonna get there. “But, certainly, the atmosphere matters, because if EV adoption happens in a half-century versus in a half-decade, there are hundreds of millions or billions of tons of carbon that are going to be pumped into the atmosphere, and they will remain in the atmosphere for centuries and affect the climate for centuries,” he said. Eliminating the tax credit program has been strongly considered by Trump’s transition committee and supported by many of his backers, including Musk, the CEO of Tesla. He said back in July that axing the subsidy would hurt Tesla competitors like General Motors and Ford more than his company. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents automakers like GM, Toyota Motor Corp and Volkswagen, has urged the president-elect to keep the tax credits. Groups like the Zero Emission Transportation Association — which includes members like Tesla, Lucid and Rivian — have said the tax credits have driven substantial job growth throughout the country. Killing the program would hurt newer job growth, they said. ZETA executive director Albert Gore III told Lee Enterprises that Biden’s support had the unintended consequence of opening the EV industry up to negative political attacks. He said there’s now an opportunity to take a “clear-eyed, dispassionate look at what the current set of policies are doing” and have “that honest conversation about what is happening in places like Illinois,” but also Republican-led states that have seen industry investment, like Georgia and Tennessee. “If you take (the credit) away, it’s unclear exactly what happens to all of that economic activity,” said Gore, a former Tesla public policy employee and son of former Vice President Al Gore. “But it certainly puts it at risk. “And putting that at risk is really not a good outcome because, in general, the commodity market for minerals that are important for the battery manufacturing sector is subject to heavy influence, some would say strategic manipulation, by China.” The tax credits were born from the premise that new technologies are usually more expensive to manufacture, said John Walton, chair of the Illinois Alliance for Clean Transportation. They were designed to help sell vehicles at a time before the technology has been widely adopted. “There were credits for natural gas vehicles and propane vehicles back in the ‘90s that also went away, so going away isn’t anything unusual,” Walton said. “When we had the initial tax credit, it was working its purpose and vehicles were starting to come down in price, and the tax credit was dropped. Then Biden put in this new tax credit a few years ago, and the vehicles didn’t drop at the same rate as prices stayed.” Walton said early innovations and start-ups with new technology often cost more for early adopters. Prices tend to come down as time goes on and the manufacturing process becomes more cost-effective. Advocates also point to a need for more investment in charging stations to alleviate another consumer hang-up: “range anxiety,” the fear that an EV will run out of power before reaching its destination. “We need to be able to increase the consumer confidence in that network so that become a non-issue, because it is still a significant barrier for a lot of potential consumers,” said Michael Brown, executive director of the Ecology Action Center, a nonprofit environmental sustainability agency based in Normal. Brown said the potential elimination of the nationwide tax credit is unfortunate, but he noted that state tax credits remain for Illinoisans. Indeed, “as other states scramble to implement EV tax programs, Illinois already has in place a state-funded rebate program that isn’t impacted by any potential changes to the federal EV tax program,” said Kim Biggs, public information officer at the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, in a statement. Residents that purchase a new or used all-electric vehicle from an Illinois licensed dealer may be eligible for a $4,000 rebate for an all-electric vehicle or a $1,500 rebate for an all-electric motorcycle, according to the agency. The incentive is meant to help Illinois reach its goal of a million electric vehicles on the road by 2030. It’s a wildly optimistic target. According to data from the Illinois Secretary of State’s office, just under 120,000 electric vehicles were registered in the state as of Nov. 15. Funding for the rebate is subject to the whims of the Illinois General Assembly and has fluctuated every year, starting with $20 million in 2023, dipping to $12 million in 2024 and rising slightly to $14 million in 2025. The program has proved to be oversubscribed with funds drying up quickly after an application cycle opens. In 2023, for example, just 63% of nearly 7,700 applicants were awarded the state’s rebate. In 2024, only 3,000 of the nearly 5,600 who applied, about 54%, were given the rebate. Some states like California have committed to filling in the void if Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress decide to eliminate the $7,500 federal credit. State Rep. Dave Vella, D-Rockford, who sponsored the REV Act in 2021, said that Illinois similarly “might have to beef up our credit a little bit.” But with state policymakers staring down a projected $3.2 billion budget deficit in the next fiscal year, a more generous electric vehicle rebate appears unlikely. Vella said other ideas to support EV ownership could be considered, but no legislative proposals are expected during lawmakers’ lame duck session early next month. “Donald Trump says a lot of things,” Vella said. “Sometimes he backs them up. Sometimes it’s just for effect. So until I find out what is real and what is for effect, I don’t know what to do.” Rivian, EV makers face challenges Less than two years after Pritzker and both Illinois senators celebrated the opening of a Lion Electric plant in Joliet, the company announced earlier this month that it would suspend operations there. The Quebec-based company also said would temporarily lay off 400 workers in the U.S. and Canada. The news was a blow for what state leaders touted as the first new vehicle assembly plant to open in the Chicago area since 1965. The electric school bus manufacturer said it has struggled in part due to a lag in the delivery of federal subsidies. Pritzker, a second-term Chicago Democrat who has been heavily critical of Trump, said the incoming administration is unlikely to help matters. “There’s an awful lot of pressure that’s been put on electric vehicle companies as a result of Donald Trump’s rhetoric and promises that he’s made to kind of tear down electric vehicle industry development,” Pritzker said, responding to a question about Lion Electric at an unrelated press conference earlier this month. Though Pritzker said he was disappointed in Lion’s progress, he also highlighted the “massive growth” of Rivian. Since 2021, the startup has made all of its electric SUVs, pickup trucks and commercial delivery vans in Normal. While the Central Illinois workforce now reaches over 8,000 and plant expansion work is underway, the company has also faced challenges. Last month, Rivian reported third-quarter revenue of about $874 million , blaming supply chain issues and softer demand for the 35% decrease from the same time last year. Still, the California-based automaker is investing heavily in its future, aided in part by both the state and federal governments — at least for now. The U.S. Department of Energy announced last month that it would loan Rivian $6.6 billion to build a factory in Georgia, where the company initially planned to build its new, more affordable R2 midsize SUVs. Construction of the long-planned facility has been stalled since March to speed up production and save money. Rivian instead announced this year that the R2 would be built in Normal, where it started work on a 1.3 million-square-foot expansion east of the southeast corner of the existing plant . The company also started construction on the $200 million development of new parts and component distribution facilities , with plans approved by the Normal Town Council. “Startup companies like this face these kinds of issues all the time,” said Normal Mayor Chris Koos, referring to Rivian’s recent challenges. “And it has been more with the resilience of a company to respond to these changes because it’s really out of their control.” Normal’s government has supported Rivian’s efforts since 2016, when the town government approved an economic incentive agreement that included temporary property tax reductions as long as the company met certain hiring and investment goals. The final property tax abatement came in May 2022. Later that year, council members approved purchase of an R1T pickup truck and R1S SUV to join the town’s fleet of vehicles. “I see it as the coming technology for automobiles in this country and throughout the world,” Koos said. “It’s not just because Rivian is in our community. I’ve always thought it was the next logical step with advances in technology.” In June, Rivian announced a $5 billion partnership with German automaker Volkswagen that includes an initial $1 billion investment followed by the remaining investments through 2026. News of that deal came one month after Pritzker announced that Rivian would receive an $827 million state incentive package, allowing it to expand the facility in Normal. At the time, the company said it would invest $1.5 billion to create 550 full-time jobs within the next five years. A Rivian spokesperson said the company would not comment on the potential elimination of the federal tax credit. But if Musk and Ramaswamy have their way, Rivian could face the wrath of the Trump administration over the $6.6 billion loan. Ramasawamy wrote on X last month that the loan agreement came across as “a political shot” at Musk. He later told CNN that the loan was “high on the list of items” he would seek to claw back. Tesla, owned by Musk, received a similar $465 million loan from the U.S. Department of Energy in 2010. U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, in a statement earlier this month, decried the “rich” irony of the situation. “Bottom line is Elon Musk’s record is clear — his vast business empire has benefitted from government assistance in the past,” Durbin said. “He’s in a delicate position with many potential conflicts of interest. I hope there will be some second thoughts to his ideas and the ideas of his DOGE partner.” ‘Market conditions’ delay progress Rivian isn’t the only automaker in line to receive federal assistance. Earlier this year, the Department of Energy announced that Stellantis would receive a $334 million federal grant to retrofit its idled Belvidere plant for electric vehicle manufacturing. The company had agreed to reopen the facility and build an adjacent battery factory as part of a deal that ended the 2023 United Auto Workers strike. It had closed earlier that year after decades producing Chryslers, Dodges and Jeeps. However, the company paused those plans in August. Stellantis spokeswoman Jodi Tinson confirmed to Lee Enterprises that the company believed “current market conditions indicate that delaying — not canceling — our plans would be in the best interests of our employees and the community.” Tinson declined comment on the status of the yet-to-be finalized federal grant or whether the project would remain feasible without government help. Vella, the state representative whose district includes the Belvidere plant, said it’s his “strong belief that” the grant agreement “will get done before the inauguration,” acknowledging that it “could be an issue” if it doesn’t. Stott, the state’s point person on electric vehicle policy, said that “the goal is to get that done in this administration.” At that point, the state can begin to work on a REV incentive package to reopen the complex, which could put thousands back on the assembly line. “I’m sure the Biden administration is moving forward as fast as they can on that one, and also on Rivian’s,” Stott said. “I’m confident that it will be able to meet any scrutiny that the next administration has for it.” Where Illinois’ EV ecosystem stands Early returns suggest that Illinois’ cultivation of the EV market has paid off. Though not quite the “Silicon Valley of EVs” as some had predicted, the state has attracted more than $8.5 billion in private investment for clean energy and technology manufacturing since 2021, according to the Clean Economy Tracker, a tool from Atlas Public Policy that tracks investments in the clean economy. The vast majority came from EV and battery companies. And the REV program Pritzker created in 2021 has been fruitful, with 17 agreements inked to provide more than $1.1 billion in state tax credits to EV producers and suppliers investing in the state. The deals could result in the retention of more than 8,000 existing jobs and the creation of 5,000 new ones, according to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Regardless of policy changes at the federal level, Illinois is going to stay the course on electric vehicle policy, said Deputy Gov. Andy Manar. “Circumstances are going to be a little bit different come 2025,” Manar said. “But we’re going to continue to focus on making sure that that pipeline of projects keeps flowing. It has been consistent. There have been large projects. There have been very important smaller projects.” Economic development officials acknowledged that the state hasn’t seen the same number of large projects in 2024 as it did in the two prior years. Manar suggested that may be indicative of smaller companies within the EV supply chain following larger companies that have already invested in Illinois. Most automobile industry experts believe the transition to electric vehicles, even if delayed, is inevitable. As such, many Illinois policymakers believe the state should continue to back the evolving technology. “I think the idea is, if the Trump administration wants to shut down or slow down the EV thing, and we know that in the future the market is going to go there, I think the smart move for us is to double down and really get into the manufacturing space,” Vella said. “So when it ramps back up, which it inevitably will, we’ll be there.”

It would appear that Bill Belichick is heading to the college game after all. The legendary head coach is reportedly filling the vacancy at North Carolina, per multiple reports, after rumors had linked him to the Tar Heels for the past week. According to Ralph D. Russo of The Athletic, the deal is for three years and worth $30 million. And that had fans and pundits alike at the NFL and college levels fairly stunned: There are countless questions about the fit between Belichick and North Carolina. How will a coach who worked in the NFL for parts of five decades adjust to the college game or the demands of recruiting? Will his coaching methods translate with kids in the same way they did with professionals? Will North Carolina be able to compete with other major football programs on the NIL front, given the resources that go to the men's basketball team? There's no doubt that he's a major splash as a hire, and his name-brand appeal and the pedigree of being a six-time champion as an NFL head coach should aid in recruiting. More than likely, he'll delegate many of the recruiting obligations to his staff, instead focusing on program-building and Xs and Os. During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show earlier in the week, he laid out his vision for leading a college program. "If I was in a college program, the college program would be a pipeline to the NFL for the players that had the ability to play in the NFL," he said. "It would be a professional program—training, nutrition, scheme, coaching and techniques that would transfer to the NFL." Belichick now becomes the most intriguing and high-profile college coach outside of Deion Sanders. While it's unlikely he'll turn North Carolina's sideline into a celebrity sighting bonanza like Colorado, the Tar Heels are now a team to watch going forward, if only to see if Belichick can come anywhere close to replicating his NFL success.Macleay Mustangs to host Taree City in first week of 2025 Group 3 season

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The military’s tradition of tracking Santa Claus on his gravity-defying sweep across the globe will carry on this Christmas Eve, even if the U.S. government shuts down, officials said Friday. Each year, at least 100,000 kids call into the North American Aerospace Defense Command to inquire about Santa’s location. . “We fully expect for Santa to take flight on Dec. 24 and NORAD will track him,” the U.S.-Canadian agency said in a statement. On any other night, NORAD is scanning the heavens , such as last year’s . But on Christmas Eve, volunteers in Colorado Springs, Colorado, are fielding questions like, “When is Santa coming to my house?” and, “Am I on the naughty or nice list?” The endeavor is supported by local and corporate sponsors, who also help shield the tradition from Washington dysfunction. Bob Sommers, 63, a civilian contractor and NORAD volunteer, told The Associated Press that there are “screams and giggles and laughter” when families call in, usually on speakerphone. Sommers often says on the call that everyone must be asleep before Santa arrives, prompting parents to say, “Do you hear what he said? We got to go to bed early.” NORAD’s annual tracking of Santa has endured since , predating and . Here’s how it began and why the phones keep ringing. The origin story is Hollywood-esque It started with a child’s accidental phone call in 1955. The Colorado Springs newspaper printed a Sears advertisement that encouraged children to call Santa, listing a phone number. A boy called. But he reached the Continental Air Defense Command, now NORAD, a joint U.S. and Canadian effort to spot potential enemy attacks. Tensions were growing with the Soviet Union, along with anxieties about nuclear war. Air Force Col. Harry W. Shoup picked up an emergency-only “red phone” and was greeted by a tiny voice that began to recite a Christmas wish list. “He went on a little bit, and he takes a breath, then says, ‘Hey, you’re not Santa,’” Shoup told The Associated Press in 1999. Realizing an explanation would be lost on the youngster, Shoup summoned a deep, jolly voice and replied, “Ho, ho, ho! Yes, I am Santa Claus. Have you been a good boy?” Shoup said he learned from the boy’s mother that Sears mistakenly printed the top-secret number. He hung up, but the phone soon rang again with a young girl reciting her Christmas list. Fifty calls a day followed, he said. In the pre-digital age, the agency used a 60-by-80-foot (18-by-24-meter) plexiglass map of North America to track unidentified objects. A staff member jokingly drew Santa and his sleigh over the North Pole. The tradition was born. “Note to the kiddies,” began an AP story from Colorado Springs on Dec. 23, 1955. “Santa Claus Friday was assured safe passage into the United States by the Continental Air Defense Command.” In a likely reference to the Soviets, the article noted that Santa was guarded against possible attack from “those who do not believe in Christmas.” Is the origin story humbug? Some grinchy journalists have nitpicked Shoup’s story, questioning whether a misprint or a misdial prompted the boy’s call. In 2014, tech news site Gizmodo from Dec. 1, 1955, about a child’s call to Shoup. Published in the Pasadena Independent, the article said the child reversed two digits in the Sears number. “When a childish voice asked COC commander Col. Harry Shoup, if there was a Santa Claus at the North Pole, he answered much more roughly than he should — considering the season: ‘There may be a guy called Santa Claus at the North Pole, but he’s not the one I worry about coming from that direction,’” Shoup said in the brief piece. In 2015, The Atlantic magazine to the secret line, while noting that Shoup had a flair for public relations. Phone calls aside, Shoup was indeed media savvy. In 1986, he told the Scripps Howard News Service that he recognized an opportunity when a staff member drew Santa on the glass map in 1955. A lieutenant colonel promised to have it erased. But Shoup said, “You leave it right there,” and summoned public affairs. Shoup wanted to boost morale for the troops and public alike. “Why, it made the military look good — like we’re not all a bunch of snobs who don’t care about Santa Claus,” he said. Shoup died in 2009. His children that it was a misprinted Sears ad that prompted the phone calls. “And later in life he got letters from all over the world,” said Terri Van Keuren, a daughter. “People saying ‘Thank you, Colonel, for having, you know, this sense of humor.’” A rare addition to Santa’s story NORAD’s tradition is one of the few modern additions to the centuries-old Santa story that have endured, according to Gerry Bowler, a Canadian historian who spoke to the AP in 2010. Ad campaigns or movies try to “kidnap” Santa for commercial purposes, said Bowler, who wrote “Santa Claus: A Biography.” NORAD, by contrast, takes an essential element of Santa’s story and views it through a technological lens. In a recent interview with the AP, Air Force Lt. Gen. Case Cunningham explained that NORAD radars in Alaska and Canada — known as the northern warning system — are the first to detect Santa. He leaves the North Pole and typically heads for the international dateline in the Pacific Ocean. From there he moves west, following the night. “That’s when the satellite systems we use to track and identify targets of interest every single day start to kick in,” Cunningham said. “A probably little-known fact is that Rudolph’s nose that glows red emanates a lot of heat. And so those satellites track (Santa) through that heat source.” NORAD has an app and website, , that will track Santa on Christmas Eve from 4 a.m. to midnight, mountain standard time. People can call 1-877-HI-NORAD to ask live operators about Santa’s location from 6 a.m. to midnight, mountain time.H&E Equipment Services, Inc. (NASDAQ:HEES) Receives Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from Brokerages

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