WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s allies on Capitol Hill rallied around Pete Hegseth , Trump’s Pentagon pick, on Thursday even as new details surfaced about allegations that he had sexually assaulted a woman in 2017. The GOP embrace of Hegseth came as another controversial Trump nominee, Matt Gaetz, withdrew from consideration for attorney general. Gaetz said it was clear he had become a “distraction" amid pressure on the House to release an ethics report about allegations of his own sexual misconduct. An attorney for two women has said that his clients told House Ethics Committee investigators that Gaetz paid them for sex on multiple occasions beginning in 2017, when Gaetz was a Florida congressman. Fresh questions over the two nominees' pasts, and their treatment of women, arose with Republicans under pressure from Trump and his allies to quickly confirm his Cabinet. At the same time, his transition has so far balked at the vetting and background checks that have traditionally been required. While few Republican senators have publicly criticized any of Trump's nominees, it became clear after Gaetz's withdrawal that many had been harboring private concerns about him. Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin, who served with Gaetz in the House, said it was a “positive move.” Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker said it was a “positive development.” Maine Sen. Susan Collins said Gaetz “put country first and I am pleased with his decision.” After meeting with Hegseth, though, Republicans rallied around him. “I think he’s going to be in pretty good shape,” said Wicker, who is expected to chair the Senate Armed Services Committee in the next Congress. Republican senators' careful words, and their early reluctance to publicly question Trump's picks, illustrated not only their fear of retribution from the incoming president but also some of their hopes that the confirmation process can proceed normally, with proper vetting and background checks that could potentially disqualify problematic nominees earlier. Gaetz withdrew after meeting with senators on Wednesday. Sen. Thom Tillis said Gaetz was “in a pressure cooker” when he decided to withdraw, but suggested that it would have little bearing on Trump’s other nominees. “Transactions — one at a time,” he said. As the Hegseth nomination proceeds, Republicans also appear to be betting that they won't face much backlash for publicly setting aside the allegations of sexual misconduct — especially after Trump won election after being found liable for sexual abuse last year. Hegseth held a round of private meetings alongside incoming Vice President JD Vance on Thursday in an attempt to shore up support and told reporters afterward: “The matter was fully investigated and I was completely cleared, and that’s where I’m gonna leave it.” A 22-page police report report made public late Wednesday offered the first detailed account of the allegations against him. A woman told police that she was sexually assaulted in 2017 by Hegseth after he took her phone, blocked the door to a California hotel room and refused to let her leave. The report cited police interviews with the alleged victim, a nurse who treated her, a hotel staffer, another woman at the event and Hegseth. Hegseth’s lawyer, Timothy Palatore, said the incident was “fully investigated and police found the allegations to be false.” Hegseth paid the woman in 2023 as part of a confidential settlement to head off the threat of what he described as a baseless lawsuit, Palatore has said. Wicker played down the allegations against Hegseth, a former Fox News host, saying that “since no charges were brought from the authorities, we only have press reports.” Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., said after his meeting with Hegseth that he "shared with him the fact that I was saddened by the attacks that are coming his way.” Hagerty dismissed the allegations as “a he-said, she-said thing” and called it a “shame” that they were being raised at all. The senator said attention should instead be focused on the Defense Department that Hegseth would head. It's one of the most complex parts of the federal government with more than 3 million employees, including military service members and civilians. Sexual assault has been a persistent problem in the military, though Pentagon officials have been cautiously optimistic they are seeing a decline in reported sexual assaults among active-duty service members and the military academies. Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, who will be the No. 2 Republican in the Senate next year, said after his meeting with Hegseth that the nominee is a strong candidate who “pledged that the Pentagon will focus on strength and hard power – not the current administration’s woke political agenda.” Senate Republicans are under pressure to hold hearings once they take office in January and confirm nominees as soon as Trump is inaugurated, despite questions about whether Trump’s choices will be properly screened or if some, like Hegseth, have enough experience for the job. Senate Armed Services Chairman Jack Reed, who will be the top Democrat on the panel next year, said the reports on Hegseth “emphasized the need for a thorough investigation by the FBI on the background of all the nominees.” It takes a simple majority to approve Cabinet nominations, meaning that if Democrats all opposed a nominee, four Republican senators would also have to defect for any Trump choice to be defeated. Trump has made clear he’s willing to put maximum pressure on Senate Republicans to give him the nominees he wants – even suggesting at one point that they allow him to just appoint his nominees with no Senate votes. But senators insist, for now, that they are not giving up their constitutional power to have a say. “The president has the right to make the nominations that he sees fit, but the Senate also has a responsibility for advice and consent,” said Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota. In the case of Gaetz, he said, “I think there was advice offered rather than consent.” Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.3 jili 。

A 26-year-old Singaporean man was drinking with his friends at a club in Orchard at around 3am on Sep. 12, 2023, when he saw another patron buying flowers for his ex-girlfriend. Around an hour and a half later, the man, Zachary Chung, also saw his ex-girlfriend, a 40-year-old South Korean national, leaving the club in a taxi with the said patron. Burning with jealousy, Chung punched and kicked his ex-girlfriend's body, including her face and head, after she returned to her residence at around 5:30am. After the assault, he also dragged his ex-girlfriend into her unit and cut her clothes, dress, and a soft toy. Later that day, Chung's ex-girlfriend felt bodily pain from the assault, and Chung dropped her off at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) at around 4:10pm. Upon examining her injuries, a doctor at the hospital lodged a police report. Remained in touch after break-up According to court documents seen by Mothership , Chung and the victim began dating sometime in March 2022. Around May 2023, they ended their relationship but decided to keep in touch. Chung also stayed over at the victim's residence on around three to four occasions from May 2023 to the day of the incident. Just days before the assault, the victim also quarrelled with Chung as he was seeing another female. Patron bought victim flowers at club she was working at Court documents stated that the victim was working at the club where Chung visited with his friends during the early hours of Sep. 12, 2023. When Chung saw the patron gifting her flowers, he followed suit and splurged S$1,314 on the purchase. According to CNA , it is a socially sanctioned practice for patrons to do so for hostesses and female performers at nightclubs. However, court documents did not specify the victim's occupation at the time. Asked victim for identity of patron After the victim left the club and returned to her residence, she was unable to find the key, which she had placed in a shoe outside her unit. Later on, Chung came out of the lift, holding the victim's key to the residence. He then began assaulting her while asking her for the identity of the patron who had shared the taxi with her earlier that day. Victim sustained multiple injuries After assaulting the victim, dragging her inside her residence, and cutting her belongings, Chung stayed over at the residence with the victim. When she began experiencing bodily pain from the assault, Chung dropped her at TTSH, where she was admitted to the Emergency Diagnostic and Therapeutic Centre for further monitoring. According to a medical report penned by a doctor, the victim sustained injuries in multiple parts of her body. These included bruising and swelling over her left hand and tenderness over her left neck, chest, lower back, buttocks, left ankle, and foot. As a result, the victim was given five days' hospitalisation leave from Sep. 12 to Sep. 16, 2023. She was discharged on Sep. 13 with follow-up appointments. Victim suffered displaced fillers When the victim was handed her medical bills, which amounted to S$2,411.05, she realised she did not have enough money and decided to reach out to Chung. It was then that Chung made a partial restitution of S$1,650. However, her medical bills were not the only damage the victim had to bear. As her fillers from a cosmetics procedure were moved out of place due to Chung's assault on her face, the victim had to return to Korea before she could resume work. Eventually, she underwent medical treatment for the displaced filler in Korea and was able to return to work after returning to Singapore around a month later on Oct. 17, 2023. Sentenced to 1 week in jail Chung was sentenced to one week in jail on Nov. 20 after pleading guilty to one charge of voluntarily causing hurt, reported CNA . Another charge of mischief was taken into consideration for his sentencing. During court proceedings, Chung's lawyer said that he "acted out of a loss of control over his emotions" and the assault was more of a "frenzy" rather than a targeted attack. The lawyer also claimed that Chung did not try to ambush the victim at her residence, as he "had an arrangement" to meet her there. According to the lawyer, Chung's visit was for a "social purpose", and he was "for all intents and purposes a welcome guest at her place". For every count of voluntarily causing hurt , Chung could have been jailed for up to three years, fined up to S$5,000, or both. Top image via Canva

Analysis: After pardoning son, Biden returns home to a credibility problemJimmy Carter, peacemaker guided by moral vision but laid low by politics

COALFIELD — Despite missing five players, including a pair of starters, and only dressing nine total for a pair of Hall of Champions games Saturday evening, the Cleveland Lady Raiders notched two more easy victories. "We had so many players step up yesterday (Saturday) to make big plays when we needed it the most," related second-hear Cleveland head coach Bianca Hensley of a 71-50 blowout of host Coalfield followed shortly by a 63-39 thrashing of 2024 Class 1A State Quarterfinalist Clay County. "We didn't have the best start to the Clay County game, but our kids are resilient. They found a way after playing back-to-back games to come away with two wins." With recent Tennessee commit Lauren Hurst out for a third straight game with a groin injury, plus senior starter Tamiah Tanner unavailable as well, several younger players showed what they can do in the twinbill. The 2024 TSSAA Class 4A State Semifinalist Lady Raiders will turn around and play in the Silverdale Thanksgiving Invitational Monday through Wednesday. In the opening round Monday at 7 p.m., Cleveland (3-0) will battle Tyner Academy, which rolled over Signal Mountain 68-32 in its season opener Thursday. The Lady Raiders will face either Soddy Daisy (1-1) or Walker Valley (0-2) in Tuesday's Round 2 before at 3 p.m. before capping the event Wednesday. The other teams participating in the tournament-style play are defending champion Murfreesboro Central-Magnet (1-1), Ooltewah (2-1), Red Bank (1-1) and host Silverdale (2-0). Both teams ripped the cords for 19 points in the opening period before Cleveland took command with a 22-6 second frame advantage. Despite being down 41-25, the Class 3A hosts fought back to win the third quarter 18-14, but the Lady Raiders turned it on down the stretch to pull away with a 16-7 final frame advantage. Posting their highest point total of the young season, freshman Ariyah Huffman drilled a trio of 3-pointers, plus went 5-for-6 at the free throw line for 20 points in her first varsity start. After leading the team in scoring in the season opening win over Baylor, sophomore Laney Copeland sizzled the nylon on four long-range shots on her way to 18 markers. "Ariyah Huffman and Laney Copeland led the way offensively against Coalfield," praised Coach Hensley. "(Sophomore) Izzy Smith came off the bench and was a huge spark plug, hitting two 3s, scoring eight points and grabbing five rebounds." Like her little sister, senior sharpshooter Emma Smith also drilled a pair from "downtown" on her way to 10 points. "(Freshman) Addy Gravelle gave us great minutes off the bench with eight points," the Lady Raider mentor proclaimed. "We had another great game shooting the ball making 13 3's. "(Sophomore) Emily Patterson led us with 10 rebounds. She does all the small things by getting us extra possessions." Once again the opening quarter saw a very tight battle between 2004 TSSAA State qualifiers with Cleveland holding a narrow 18-16 edge. The Lady Raiders were able to open up a little breathing room (16-10) in the second frame for an eight-point halftime advantage. After the intermission, the Cleveland defense took over, holding the Lady Bulldogs to just 13 second half points, while pouring in 29 of their own for the third 20-plus point win of the campaign. Emma Smith topped the scoring tally with 20 points, including a pair of triples and going 6-for-7 at the charity stripe. Patterson helped out with 10 points, including 4-of-5 foul shots, while Huffman netted eight and Copeland seven, with a trey and 4-for-4 at the stripe. Freshman Jada Davis, who had a 3-pointers in each of the three games so far, and Izzy Smith netted five apiece. Along with her bomb, Davis nailed both her free throws, while the younger Smith and Huffman both went 3-for-4 on freebies. Although only hitting five 3-pointers in the win, Cleveland went 24-of-31 at the free throw line. Clay County's (0-2) other loss this season came to 2024 Class 3A State Runner-up Upperman.AP Trending SummaryBrief at 4:24 p.m. ESTStunned Pete Wicks says it’s ‘not his dancing’ keeping him in Strictly as he praises ‘best friend’ Jowita

Happy New Year 2025: Best wishes, quotes, status and greetings to share with family and friends

Analysis: After pardoning son, Biden returns home to a credibility problem

Starmer's box office moment fell flat but he'll be judged on his deliveryHalliburton Fourth Quarter 2024 Earnings Conference Call

Actor Richard Gere, 75, has announced plans to relocate to Spain with his wife, Alejandra Silva, 41, and their children. Gere's relocation follows a growing trend of celebrity moves influenced by the US political climate . Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, actress Portia de Rossi , reportedly put their Montecito, California, home on sale and have moved to the UK. Gere discussed the relocation decision during an appearance on 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon' on November 20, revealing that Thanksgiving will be spent in Spain this year. "My wife is Spanish. Is this a problem for anybody out there?" Gere joked, adding, “She gave me about seven years here, so we’re going to spend some years in Madrid with her family.” A family-centered move The couple, who married in May 2018, share two sons—Alexander, 5, and James, 4—and each has a child from previous marriages, creating a blended family. “Our kids are bilingual so they’re going to flourish there,” Gere said, noting that his wife is stepping into a matriarchal role in her extended family. “She’s already planning for 35 people for Sunday lunches,” the actor quipped, reflecting on Silva’s familial ties and traditions. Selling US roots The decision to move coincided with the sale of Gere’s six-bedroom Connecticut home in October for $10.7 million. The property, previously owned by singer Paul Simon, had been purchased by Gere in 2022 for $10.8 million, according to The New Canaan Advertiser. Gere first hinted at the relocation in an April interview with Vanity Fair Spain, describing it as a chance to embrace a new way of life. "For me, going to Madrid is going to be a great adventure... I love Spain and think your lifestyle is fabulous," he said, praising the culture, food, and warmth of the Spanish people. Despite his move to Spain, Gere emphasized that he plans to return to the United States in the future. For now, he views Madrid as the perfect setting for his family’s next chapter.