vip host officer MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota Republicans filed a lawsuit Monday to try to force a rerun of a state House race where the incumbent Democrat won by 14 votes — but in which investigators concluded that election workers probably destroyed 20 valid absentee ballots after failing to count them. It's a race that could determine the balance of power in the Minnesota House, where leaders from both parties are working out the details of a power-sharing agreement that currently presumes a 67-67 tie when the Legislature convenes next month. A Republican victory in a special election could shift that balance to a one-vote GOP majority. Democrats have a one-vote majority in the state Senate. So regardless of the outcome in the disputed race, Minnesota will be returning to some degree of divided government in 2025 after two years of full Democratic control. “The actions of Scott County elections officials constitute a serious breach of not only Minnesota Election Law, but the public trust in our electoral system,” the lawsuit said. Democratic Rep. Brad Tabke was declared the winner last week of the swing suburban Shakopee-area District 54A race by 14 votes after a recount and the official canvass. But Scott County election officials had said earlier, after a post-election audit, that they were unable to account for 21 absentee ballots in the district southwest of Minneapolis. County Attorney Ronald Hocevar reported last Wednesday that his preliminary investigation determined that election workers most likely threw at least 20 of those absentee ballots away, and that they may have been in a paper bale that a recycler had already sent away for shredding. He wrote that they “most likely will not be recovered,” and that even if they were found, it's unlikely that an unbroken chain of custody could be proven to assure that they weren't tampered with. In Minnesota, absentee voters complete their ballots, place them in a security envelope to protect their privacy, then place that envelope inside a signature envelope with identifying information on the outside so that election workers can check those ballots in. Once the counting begins, the ballots are supposed to be removed from the security envelopes and tabulated. The county attorney concluded that the 20 ballots, all from the same precinct, were properly accepted for counting on Oct. 17, but “most likely were never removed from their secrecy envelopes,” and were probably still in them when those envelopes were thrown away. The investigation didn’t determine what happened to the 21st ballot, which was cast in a different precinct. It’s not the first time in recent years that absentee ballots have gone missing. When a small number of military ballots in Pennsylvania ended up in a trash can in 2020, President Donald Trump repeatedly seized on the case to support his claims of fraud heading into that election. After investigating, authorities found a temporary county election worker had mistakenly discarded seven military ballots in the trash and mishandled two others. The ballots were later retrieved from a garbage dumpster and counted, and the worker was fired. Minnesota House Republicans filed Monday's lawsuit on behalf of GOP candidate Aaron Paul, asking a court to declare the results invalid and Tabke's seat vacant, saying the “undisputed facts” make it impossible to rely on the results. The current House minority leader, Rep. Lisa Demuth, of Cold Spring, said a new election is the best way to protect the integrity of the process. "We appreciate the efforts by Scott County to investigate this matter and be transparent about their findings,” Demuth said in a statement. But House Democrats said they believe they will win the court challenge. “Rep. Brad Tabke won the election in District 54A by the count on Election Night and in the recount," current Speaker Melissa Hortman, of Brooklyn Park, said in a statement. "We expect Rep. Tabke will prevail again in the election contest.” Republicans also filed a lawsuit last month over a different House race, in the suburban Roseville area, where they allege the winner doesn't live in the district. Democrats deny that, and the district is heavily Democratic, so that case is unlikely to change the balance of power even if there's a special election. ___ Associated Press writer Christina Almeida Cassidy contributed to this story from Atlanta.

Thousands demand lower rents at Barcelona demo, /PRNewswire/ -- , the industry leader in engagement technology for churches, announced today its acquisition of , the artificial intelligence company for pastors and churches. "At Subsplash, we're committed to supporting church communities by making it easier to share the truth of Jesus," said , CEO of Subsplash. "Pulpit AI allows us to provide hundreds of thousands of forward-looking church leaders with tools that multiply their content creation efforts—helping deepen discipleship within their communities!" This acquisition marks an exciting step forward in Subsplash's mission of equipping every church to engage more people through technology by transforming sermons into dynamic, discoverable content that reaches people every day of the week—anywhere, anytime. Pastors and church leaders can leverage the Subsplash Platform—mobile apps, online giving, live streaming, websites, media delivery, events management, communication tools, and more—now paired with the power of AI making it simple to upload sermons and automatically create a suite of content—from video clips for social media to study guides for small groups, sermon recaps, weekly newsletters, and more. "The Church should be at the forefront of innovation and creativity," said Turner. "We can't wait to see how this acquisition helps amplify the gospel message and, by the grace of Jesus, we'll never stop innovating for His Church." With Subsplash & Pulpit AI's advanced tools, pastors can save valuable time while broadening the reach and impact of their messages. By enabling church leaders to repurpose their sermons quickly and effectively, Subsplash aims to enhance engagement with each sermon created, connecting congregations with meaningful content throughout the week. Subsplash is the industry leader in Fintech and mobile SaaS with an award-winning digital engagement platform used by over 20,000 leading churches and ministries around the world. Subsplash is passionate about helping mission-minded organizations engage their audiences through centralized, easy-to-manage systems. As the creators of the Ultimate Engagement PlatformTM, they're dedicated to delivering delight to millions of people through custom mobile apps, websites, live streaming, media hosting delivery, online giving, events management, communication tools, and more. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Subsplash Get local news delivered to your inbox!ATLANTA — As Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene enters her third term in Congress, she will also be working alongside the world's richest man and a former presidential candidate tasked to cut government spending and regulations. The Georgian took to X on Thursday to share she'll be chairing a brand new subcommittee that will work with Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy for the Department of Government Efficiency. "I won't rest until we've rooted out every penny of waste and abuse," Rep. Greene wrote. "The American people deserve a government that works for them, not against them!" RELATED: Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene wins reelection to U.S. House in Georgia's 14th Congressional District, AP projects The Associated Press previously reported President-elect Donald Trump's choice to put Musk and Ramaswamy in charge of DOGE . The news organization said this is an outside advisory committee that will work with people inside the government to reduce spending and regulations. In a separate X post , Greene expanded on her reasons for looking forward to chairing the new subcommittee. She mentioned that she comes from a business background where she runs a construction company. She compared the government to private companies, where she said if one is not doing a good job in their role, they'll be fired. "But for some reason in government, bad employees -- whether they're failing to do the job they were hired to do or working in roles that are no longer needed -- never get fired," she wrote. "This is incredibly unfair to the hard-working taxpayers of our country, and it's about to change." Two people told The Associated Press that Greene and Rep. James Comer, a Kentucky Republican who chairs the House Oversight Committee, had already met with Ramaswamy. The entrepreneur also took to social media to say he was looking forward to collaborating with Congress on this topic. "Proper oversight of agencies & public transparency are critical," Ramaswamy wrote. RELATED: Extended interview | Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene seeking a third term in Congress The news organization also reported Musk and Ramaswamy said they would encourage Trump to make cuts by refusing to spend money allocated by Congress -- a process known as impounding. The proposal goes against a 1974 law intended to prevent future presidents from following in the footsteps of Richard Nixon, who held back funding that he didn't like. It would be a dramatic attempt to expand his powers when he already has the benefit of a Republican-controlled Congress and a conservative-majority U.S. Supreme Court. It could swiftly become one of the most closely watched legal fights of his second administration. “He might get away with it," said William Galston, a senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution, a Washington-based think tank. “Congress’s power of the purse will turn into an advisory opinion.” Plans for the Department of Government Efficiency are still coming into focus. Still, it has put out a call for "super high-IQ small-government revolutionaries willing to work 80+ hours per week on unglamorous cost-cutting," the AP said. Applicants are encouraged to submit their resumes through X, the social media company that Musk owns.

IRISH RUGBY PLAYER Denis Coulson has been sentenced to 14 years in prison after he was found guilty of the 2017 gang rape of a student in France. Coulson and Loick Jammes of France were both jailed for 14 years by a French court on Friday, while Rory Grice of New Zealand was given a 12-year sentence. Former Ireland international Chris Farrell was sentenced to four years, with two suspended, for his failure to prevent the crime. RTÉ reports that Farrell will not serve time in prison but will be required to wear an electronic tag for two years and remain in France. Dylan Hayes of New Zealand received a two-year suspended sentence, also for not intervening to prevent the crime. All five were team-mates at Grenoble Rugby at the time of the crime in the early hours of 12 March 2017, when a student, identified only as ‘V’, filed a complaint to police. She alleged that the sexual attack happened in a hotel on the outskirts of Bordeaux having met members of the Grenoble team as they socialised after losing a Top 14 encounter against local side Bordeaux-Begles. V filed a complaint with police, saying she had met the players in a bar together with two friends and accompanied them to a nightclub where all of them drank heavily. The student said she had no recollection of how she got from the club to the hotel where she woke up, naked on a bed and with a crutch inserted in her vagina. She saw two naked men in the room and others fully dressed. Coulson, Jammes and Grice stated they had sexual relations with V but claimed the encounter was consensual and the student had been pro-active in bringing it about. It was alleged that Farrell, owner of the crutch, was present, as was Hayes. Evidence in the Bordeaux trial was heard without media in the court. The victim’s lawyer Anne Cadiot-Feidt said it had been “unbearable” during the trial to hear the defendants describe her client as “a trollop – if I’m being polite – an eager party who used them and even exhausted them”. “It’s vile, it’s disgusting, it’s obscene and that is perhaps also why the sentencing requests are what they are,” she said. Gaessy Gros, another lawyer for the victim, said those accused had “missed their chance” by continuing to deny rape and remaining united like a team on the rugby pitch. Valerie Coriatt, defending Grice, however described the requested sentences as “almost indecent” for defendants who, she said, “are not a danger to society”. On the basis of statements from the accused and witnesses, as well as a video shot by Coulson, investigators have concluded there were several incidents where objects, including the crutch, a banana and a bottle, were inserted in V’s vagina. A toxicology report stated her blood alcohol level was between 2.2 and 3 grams, a level considered in the danger zone for alcohol poisoning. CCTV footage showed her having difficulty standing up as she arrived at the hotel and being propped up by a player. In court this week, Gros stressed that the victim had no recollection of what happened after leaving the night club. A psychiatric expert said she would likely have been on “automatic pilot” during the alleged rape. Gros has said V was “in no state to give her consent as these men who carried her, who were with her, know perfectly well.” Coulson’s lawyer, Corinne Dreyfus-Schmidt, earlier this week described the victim as “very active” and willing. “If you see someone who is completely lifeless, in an alcohol coma, and you sexually abuse her, it’s not the same thing as if you see a woman who is taking action, moaning and acting in a coordinated way. That’s what they saw,” she said. On Wednesday, she said her client had apologised to the victim. “He asked her for forgiveness and he asked his teammates too because he feels responsible in as much as it was him who led the young woman into the room,” she said. Denis Dreyfus, defending Jammes, said there was not “the slightest ambiguity” on the plaintiff’s attitude. Arnaud Lucien, representing Hayes, said the jail terms requested were “very high”, saying there had not been enough of a distinction between the behaviour of each person in the case.Middle East latest: Israel and Hezbollah trade fire, threatening Lebanon ceasefire

NEW YORK (AP) — Brian Thompson led one of the biggest health insurers in the U.S. but was unknown to millions of people his decisions affected. Then Wednesday's targeted fatal shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk thrust the executive and his business into the national spotlight. Thompson, who was 50, had worked at the giant UnitedHealth Group Inc for 20 years and run the insurance arm since 2021 after running its Medicare and retirement business. As CEO, Thompson led a firm that provides health coverage to more than 49 million Americans — more than the population of Spain. United is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, the privately run versions of the U.S. government’s Medicare program for people age 65 and older. The company also sells individual insurance and administers health-insurance coverage for thousands of employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs. People are also reading... The business run by Thompson brought in $281 billion in revenue last year, making it the largest subsidiary of the Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group. His $10.2 million annual pay package, including salary, bonus and stock options awards, made him one of the company's highest-paid executives. The University of Iowa graduate began his career as a certified public accountant at PwC and had little name recognition beyond the health care industry. Even to investors who own its stock, the parent company's face belonged to CEO Andrew Witty, a knighted British triathlete who has testified before Congress. When Thompson did occasionally draw attention, it was because of his role in shaping the way Americans get health care. At an investor meeting last year, he outlined his company's shift to “value-based care,” paying doctors and other caregivers to keep patients healthy rather than focusing on treating them once sick. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts “Health care should be easier for people,” Thompson said at the time. “We are cognizant of the challenges. But navigating a future through value-based care unlocks a situation where the ... family doesn’t have to make the decisions on their own.” Thompson also drew attention in 2021 when the insurer, like its competitors, was widely criticized for a plan to start denying payment for what it deemed non-critical visits to hospital emergency rooms. “Patients are not medical experts and should not be expected to self-diagnose during what they believe is a medical emergency,” the chief executive of the American Hospital Association wrote in an open letter addressed to Thompson. “Threatening patients with a financial penalty for making the wrong decision could have a chilling effect on seeking emergency care.” United Healthcare responded by delaying rollout of the change. Thompson, who lived in a Minneapolis suburb and was the married father of two sons in high school, was set to speak at an investor meeting in a midtown New York hotel. He was on his own and about to enter the building when he was shot in the back by a masked assailant who fled on foot before pedaling an e-bike into Central Park a few blocks away, the New York Police Department said. Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said investigators were looking at Thompson's social media accounts and interviewing employees and family members. “Didn’t seem like he had any issues at all,” Kenny said. "He did not have a security detail.” AP reporters Michael R. Sisak and Steve Karnowski contributed to this report. Murphy reported from Indianapolis. Be the first to knowCleared Subway Rider to Watch Army-Navy Game With VanceThe Dallas Cowboys ruled out right guard Zack Martin and cornerback Trevon Diggs with injuries on Saturday, one day prior to a road game against the Washington Commanders. Martin has been dealing with ankle and shoulder injuries and didn't practice at all this week before initially being listed as doubtful to play on Friday. He also physically struggled during Monday night's loss to the Houston Texans. Martin, who turned 34 on Wednesday, has started all 162 games played in 11 seasons with the Cowboys. He's a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and a seven-time first-team All-Pro. Diggs has been dealing with groin and knee injuries. He was listed as questionable on Friday before being downgraded Saturday. Diggs, 26, has 37 tackles and two interceptions in 10 games this season. The two-time Pro Bowl pick led the NFL with 11 picks in 2021 and has 20 in 57 games. The Cowboys elected not to activate receiver Brandin Cooks (knee) for the game. He returned to practice earlier this week and he was listed as questionable on Friday. Dallas activated offensive tackle Chuma Edoga (toe) and defensive end Marshawn Kneeland (knee) off injured reserve Saturday, placed safety Markquese Bell (shoulder) on IR and released defensive end KJ Henry. Tight end Jake Ferguson (concussion) was previously ruled out. Tight end Princeton Fant was elevated from the practice squad to replace him. Cornerback Kemon Hall also was elevated from the practice squad. --Field Level Media

On December 27, 1983, Pope John Paul II visited a man in an Italian prison to offer him forgiveness. More than two years earlier, that man had done his very best to kill the pontiff. Mehmet Ali Agca was a Turkish ultranationalist who had escaped from prison in his home country after murdering a newspaper editor. Two years later, on May 13, 1981, Agca and an accomplice entered St Peter's Square in Rome, where the Pope was greeting supporters. Agca opened fire with a handgun, hitting the Pope four times and striking two others non-fatally. He was immediately grabbed by spectators, a nun, and the Vatican security chief. After the Pope's visit and granting of forgiveness, he and Acga would correspond for years. Acga was eventually pardoned in Italy in 2000 at the Pope's request and deported to Turkey, where he was jailed for another decade and converted to Roman Catholicism. Scientist Charles Darwin embarked on his landmark voyage on the HMS Beagle on December 27, 1831. It was from this voyage that Darwin, then aged 22, first formulated his theory of evolution. But that wasn't his original goal. (The HMS Beagle at Tierra Del Fuego, as painted by on-board draughtsman Conrad Martens.) Darwin joined the expedition, which ventured down past South America, then to Tahiti and Australia in its circumnavigation of the globe, as a geologist. But his discovery of fossilised bones of extinct animals, and his observations of plants and animals, made him question the then-prevalent belief that species were fixed. The result was Darwin's theory of evolution, and his landmark book On the Origin of Species, first published years later in 1859. Former prime minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto was assassinated at a public rally in Rawalpindi on December 27, 2007. Bhutto, who served as prime minister from 1988 to 1990 and from 1993 to 1996, had returned from eight years of self-imposed exile overseas to lead the opposition Pakistan People's Party to the January 2008 elections. At her final rally (pictured), she was shot at by an assassin before a suicide bomb was detonated. Twenty-three others were killed in the bombing. Bhutto had already survived one assassination attempt since her return. Bhutto, pictured in 1988, was the first woman elected to lead a Muslim-majority country. Despite coming from a wealthy and aristocratic family, her own political leanings were liberal and secularist. Bhutto's body was entombed in her family mausoleum in Garhi Khuda Baksh, Pakistan. Her death spurred the Pakistan Peoples' Party to electoral wins the next year. While the government initially blamed al-Quaeda as a chief suspect in the attack, two senior police officers were later jailed, one for mishandling security and the other for damaging evidence. Pervez Musharraf, who was president of Pakistan when Bhutto was killed, was later charged with high treason and sentenced to death in absentia, due to what a court said was his failure to provide Bhutto with sufficient security despite her requests.After almost a decade of entertaining her neighbourhood with a massive lights display, Golden Square's bringer of cheer Janine Dole is calling time on her annual tradition. or signup to continue reading Every year, Janine puts up an interactive display in her front yard and hands out treats to eager children. "It just makes my day to see all the children happy," she said. "I've got nine grandbabies, so I love doing it for them and it just makes me really happy." Two years ago, she raised money for cancer research in honour of her parents, who both died of the disease. As she was getting older, and given the time and money it took to put up a display, Ms Dole said she came to the decision to pull the plug on having a large display. "I'm getting older and I work cleaning every day, five days a week, and I'm just tired," she said. "I get home and we stay out here till about 10.30pm." Although she planned to sell or give away most of her decorations, there was a possibility Ms Dole's daughter Brianna McDonald would pick up the tradition. "She said maybe last year was the last year, and then we had our final baby and she was like 'oh, okay, one more year'," she said. The mum-of-four said was always a special time in Bendigo, with excitement building until December 25. Christmas lights provided a fun - and free - activity for families. "Everything's so expensive, even going and getting Christmas photos can be such a difficult time for families," Ms McDonald said. "It's the end of the year for kids; we've got uniforms and book lists and everything for next year; we've got birthdays, we've got Christmas, we've got everything. "It's just so nice to be able to bring some kind of festive spirit." Neighbour Mary Cuskelly said she'd be sad to see Ms Dole end her tradition. "We live in a court and every year on Christmas Eve the neighbours from every house, and others from the adjoining streets, come together with their fold-up chairs and tables to share food and drinks and to enjoy the spectacle of the lights and to feel the love and friendship of each other at such a wonderful and special time," she said. If this would be her last year, Janine was determined to make it memorable. She has organised a special night featuring an appearance from Mrs Claus, with free photos and gifts, on December 21 from 6.30pm at her house on Taplan Court, Golden Square you won't miss it. Jonathon has been living and working in Bendigo since March 2021, currently working as a general reporter. Contact him on jonathon.magrath@austcommunitymedia.com.au. Jonathon has been living and working in Bendigo since March 2021, currently working as a general reporter. 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NEW YORK (AP) — Technology stocks are pulling Wall Street toward another record amid mixed trading on Monday. The S&P 500 rose 0.2% in afternoon trading after closing its best month of the year at an all-time high . The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 86 points, or 0.2%, with a little more than an hour remaining in trading, while the Nasdaq composite was 0.9% higher. Super Micro Computer, a stock that’s been on an AI-driven roller coaster, soared 31.1% to lead the market. Following accusations of misconduct and the resignation of its public auditor , the maker of servers used in artificial-intelligence technology said an investigation found no evidence of misconduct by its management or by the company's board. It also said it doesn’t expect to restate its past financials and that it will find a new chief financial officer, appoint a general counsel and make other moves to strengthen its governance. Big Tech stocks also helped prop up the market. Gains of 1.8% for Microsoft and 2.9% for Meta Platforms were the two strongest forces pushing upward on the S&P 500. Intel was another propellant during the morning, but it lost an early gain to fall 1.1% after the chip company said CEO Pat Gelsinger has retired and stepped down from the board. Intel is looking for Gelsinger’s replacement, and its chair said it’s “committed to restoring investor confidence.” Intel recently lost its spot in the Dow Jones Industrial Average to Nvidia, which has skyrocketed in Wall Street's frenzy around AI. Stellantis, meanwhile, skidded following the announcement of its CEO’s departure . Carlos Tavares steps down after nearly four years in the top spot of the automaker, which owns car brands like Jeep, Citroën and Ram, amid an ongoing struggle with slumping sales and an inventory backlog at dealerships. The world’s fourth-largest automaker’s stock fell 6.3% in Milan. The majority of stocks in the S&P 500 likewise fell, including California utility PG&E. It dropped 3.7% after saying it would sell $2.4 billion of stock and preferred shares to raise cash. Retailers were mixed amid what’s expected to be the best Cyber Monday on record and coming off Black Friday . Target, which recently gave a forecast for the holiday season that left investors discouraged , fell 1.6%. Walmart , which gave a more optimistic forecast, rose 0.3%. Amazon, which looks to benefit from online sales from Cyber Monday, climbed 1.3%. The stock market largely took Donald Trump’s latest threat on tariffs in stride. The president-elect on Saturday threatened 100% tariffs against a group of developing economies if they act to undermine the U.S. dollar. Trump said he wants the group, headlined by Brazil, Russia, India and China, to promise it won’t create a new currency or otherwise try to undercut the U.S. dollar. The dollar has long been the currency of choice for global trade. Speculation has also been around a long time that other currencies could knock it off its mantle, but no contender has come close. The U.S. dollar’s value rose Monday against several other currencies, but one of its strongest moves likely had less to do with the tariff threats. The euro fell amid a political battle in Paris over the French government’s budget . The euro sank 0.7% against the U.S. dollar and broke below $1.05. In the bond market, Treasury yields gave up early gains to hold relatively steady. The yield on the 10-year Treasury climbed above 4.23% during the morning before falling back to 4.19%. That was just above its level of 4.18% late Friday. A report in the morning showed the U.S. manufacturing sector contracted again last month, but not by as much as economists expected. This upcoming week will bring several big updates on the job market, including the October job openings report, weekly unemployment benefits data and the all-important November jobs report. They could steer the next moves for Federal Reserve, which recently began pulling interest rates lower to give support to the economy. Economists expect Friday's headliner report to show U.S. employers accelerated their hiring in November, coming off October's lackluster growth that was hampered by damaging hurricanes and strikes. “We now find ourselves in the middle of this Goldilocks zone, where economic health supports earnings growth while remaining weak enough to justify potential Fed rate cuts,” according to Mark Hackett, chief of investment research at Nationwide. In financial markets abroad, Chinese stocks led gains worldwide as monthly surveys showed improving conditions for manufacturing, partly driven by a surge in orders ahead of Trump’s inauguration next month. Both official and private sector surveys of factory managers showed strong new orders and export orders, possibly partly linked to efforts by importers in the U.S. to beat potential tariff hikes by Trump once he takes office. Indexes rose 0.7% in Hong Kong and 1.1% in Shanghai. AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.