Nebraska's offense shines as Huskers take 2 touchdown lead over Wisconsin into the halfThe International Monetary Fund has told the federal government and Coalition that Australia needs a major policy package to deal with the nation’s unaffordable housing, saying everything from tax to the supply of new land should be on the table. Just days after Reserve Bank research showed lower interest rates had contributed to the collapse in homeownership among young Australians, the fund used its annual review of the economy to argue a string of politically contentious policy changes were needed to ensure housing remained within the financial reach of ordinary people. The International Monetary Fund says a major package of changes, from tax to land supply, are needed to make Australian housing more affordable. Credit: Louie Douvis Across all international metrics, Australian housing is among the most expensive in the world despite a recent slowdown in prices. Sydney, says US-based analytics organisation Demographia, is the world’s second most expensive city – after Hong Kong – with 13.8 times the median household income needed to buy a median-priced house. Melbourne and Adelaide are in the top 10 most expensive, while Brisbane and Perth are in the top 20. The federal government has set a target of 1.2 million new homes by 2029, putting together a series of policies worth more than $30 billion to lift housing construction. The Coalition has promised $5 billion towards local government infrastructure to unlock housing projects. But the IMF says all levels of government must go further, arguing that eradication of state stamp duties and a shift to land taxes, lifting the number of workers in the sector and easing zoning rules had to be on the agenda. Loading “A comprehensive policy package is essential to tackle Australia’s housing affordability crisis, focusing on increasing the construction workforce, relaxing zoning regulations, advancing initiatives to boost new housing supply, and re-evaluating property taxes and stamp duty,” it said. Last week, research by Reserve Bank economists estimated a quarter of the sharp drop in homeownership among Australians under the age of 40 since the mid-1990s was due to low interest rates. But it also found state government stamp duties had contributed to the problem, along with other policies involving such tax arrangements as capital gains. Coalition MPs are pressing to relax the interest rate buffer imposed by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority on bank loans to first time buyers, arguing it has contributed to the cost pressure on young people. But the IMF rejected any change to the 3 percentage point buffer. “Macroprudential policies should remain stringent to protect household balance sheets, especially in the context of rising housing prices,” it said. “Additionally, the authorities are encouraged to proactively adapt their macroprudential tools to pre-empt excessive buildup in household indebtedness, including when the time is appropriate for monetary policy easing.” Last week, Treasurer Jim Chalmers revealed a $22 billion deterioration in the budget bottom line over the next four years. Next financial year’s forecast deficit is $46.9 billion, with Chalmers arguing much of the government’s extra spending was unavoidable. The IMF says if the rate of inflation does not continue to ease, all governments would have to look at “expenditure rationalisation” to reduce aggregate demand across the economy. This could include axing infrastructure projects or targeting welfare payments more carefully. In what would be a challenge for either side of politics, the fund says tax reform has to be on the agenda to help improve the economy’s performance and reduce structural pressures on the budget. Jim Chalmers, in his mid-year budget update, revealed a $22 billion deterioration in the nation’s bottom line over the next four years. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen “Tax reforms should focus on efficiency and fairness, reducing dependence on direct taxes and high capital costs, and phasing out tax breaks like capital gains tax discounts,” it said. Chalmers said the IMF fund validated his budget settings. “We’ve overseen a record-breaking fiscal turnaround – the budget is $200 billion better than what we inherited, and our back-to-back surpluses have helped in the fight against inflation, a point the RBA governor [Michele Bullock] has made,” he said. Loading “The IMF has endorsed our efforts to make our economy more competitive, dynamic and productive, like our historic shakeup to Australia’s merger settings.” The fund believes Australia is still on track for an economic soft landing over the next 12 months, with growth lifting from 1.2 per cent this year to 2.1 per cent in 2025. It forecast underlying inflation to ease to 3 per cent and unemployment to lift to about 4.5 per cent. But it said the risks to the economy were tilted to the downside, with soft consumer spending and a deterioration in the global outlook the largest threats to its forecasts. Much hinges on the Reserve Bank’s expected cuts to interest rates next year. A stronger jobs market or extra government spending could force the bank to leave rates higher for longer. “Conversely, weaker-than-expected growth or a faster-than-projected increase in unemployment may prompt the Reserve Bank to lower interest rates sooner,” it said. Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter . Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. License this article Australian economy Interest rates Renewables Property prices Sydney house prices Melbourne house prices More... Shane Wright – Shane is a senior economics correspondent for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald. Connect via Twitter or email . Most Viewed in Politics Loadingword ace cheat 。

FILE - Then-Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump smiles at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) AP The Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump used his image as a successful New York businessman to become a celebrity, a reality television star and eventually the president. Now he will get to revel in one of the most visible symbols of success in the city when he rings the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday as he’s also named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year. Trump is expected to be on Wall Street to mark the ceremonial start of the day’s trading, according to four people with knowledge of his plans. He will also be announced Thursday as Time’s 2024 Person of the Year, according to a person familiar with the selection. The people who confirmed the stock exchange appearance and Time award were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. It will be a notable moment of twin recognitions for Trump, a born-and-bred New Yorker who at times has treated the stock market as a measure of public approval and has long-prized signifiers of his success in New York’s business world and his appearances on the covers of magazines — especially Time. Trump was named the magazine’s Person of the Year in 2016, when he was first elected to the White House. He had already been listed as a finalist for this year’s award alongside Vice President Kamala Harris, X owner Elon Musk, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Kate, the Princess of Wales. Time declined to confirm the selection ahead of Thursday morning’s announcement. “Time does not comment on its annual choice for Person of the Year prior to publication,” a spokesperson for the magazine said Wednesday. The ringing of the bell is a powerful symbol of U.S. capitalism — and a good New York photo opportunity at that. Despite his decades as a New York businessman, Trump has never done it before. It was unclear whether Trump, a Republican, would meet with New York’s embattled mayor, Democrat Eric Adams , who has warmed to Trump and has not ruled out changing his political party. Adams has been charged with federal corruption crimes and accused of selling influence to foreign nationals; he has denied wrongdoing. Trump himself was once a symbol of New York, but he gave up living full-time in his namesake Trump Tower in Manhattan and moved to Florida after leaving the White House. CNN first reported Wednesday Trump’s visit to the stock exchange and Politico reported that Trump was expected to be unveiled as Time’s Person of the Year. The stock exchange regularly invites celebrities and business leaders to participate in the ceremonial opening and closing of trading. During Trump’s first term, his wife, Melania Trump, rang the bell to promote her “Be Best” initiative on children’s well-being. Last year, Time CEO Jessica Sibley rang the opening bell to unveil the magazine’s 2023 Person of the Year: Taylor Swift . After the Nov. 5 election, the S&P 500 rallied 2.5% for its best day in nearly two years. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 1,508 points, or 3.6%, while the Nasdaq composite jumped 3%. All three indexes topped records they had set in recent weeks. The U.S. stock market has historically tended to rise regardless of which party wins the White House, with Democrats scoring bigger average gains since 1945. But Republican control could mean big shifts in the winning and losing industries underneath the surface, and investors are adding to bets built earlier on what the higher tariffs, lower tax rates and lighter regulation that Trump favors will mean. Trump has long courted the business community based on his own status as a wealthy real estate developer who gained additional fame as the star of the TV show “The Apprentice” in which competitors tried to impress him with their business skills. He won the election in part by tapping into Americans’ deep anxieties about an economy that seemed unable to meet the needs of the middle class. The larger business community has applauded his promises to reduce corporate taxes and cut regulations. But there are also concerns about his stated plans to impose broad tariffs and possibly target companies that he sees as not aligning with his own political interests. Trump spends the bulk of his time at his Florida home but was in New York for weeks this spring during his hush money trial there. He was convicted, but his lawyers are pushing for the case to be thrown out in light of his election. While he spent hours in a Manhattan courthouse every day during his criminal trial, Trump took his presidential campaign to the streets of the heavily Democratic city, holding a rally in the Bronx and popping up at settings for working-class New Yorkers: a bodega, a construction site and a firehouse. Trump returned to the city in September to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his Manhattan tower and again in the final stretch of the presidential campaign when he held a rally at Madison Square Garden that drew immediate blowback as speakers made rude and racist insults and incendiary remarks . At the stock exchange, the ringing of the bell has been a tradition since the 1800s. The first guest to do it was a 10-year-old boy named Leonard Ross, in 1956, who won a quiz show answering questions about the stock market. Many times, companies listing on the exchange would ring the bell at 9:30 a.m. to commemorate their initial offerings as trading began. But the appearances have become an important marker of culture and politics -- something that Trump hopes to seize as he’s promised historic levels of economic growth. The anti-apartheid advocate and South African President Nelson Mandela rang the bell, as has Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone with his castmates from the film “The Expendables.” So, too, have the actors Robert Downey Jr. and Jeremy Renner for an “Avengers” movie and the Olympians Michael Phelps and Natalie Coughlin. In 1985, Ronald Reagan became the first sitting U.S. president to ring the bell. “With tax reform and budget control, our economy will be free to expand to its full potential, driving the bears back into permanent hibernation,” Reagan said at the time. “We’re going to turn the bull loose.” The crowd of traders on the floor chanted, “Ronnie! Ronnie! Ronnie!” The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed in 1985 and 1986, but it suffered a decline in October 1987 in an event known as “Black Monday.”Gun found on suspect in killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO matches shell casings at scene, police say ALTOONA, Pa. (AP) — New York City’s police commissioner says the gun found on the suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO matches shell casings found at the crime scene. Commissioner Jessica Tisch also said Wednesday that lab results matched suspect Luigi Mangione’s prints to a water bottle and a snack bar wrapper found near the scene of the killing. Police had said earlier that they believed the gunman bought the items at a nearby coffee shop while awaiting his target. Mangione is jailed in Pennsylvania on weapon and forgery charges, but he also has been charged in New York with murder in Brian Thompson's death. His lawyer has noted that Mangione is presumed innocent. Authorities are scrutinizing evidence and the suspect’s experiences with the health care industry. Arguments over whether Luigi Mangione is a 'hero' offer a glimpse into an unusual American moment Memes and online posts in support of 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, who's charged with killing UnitedHealthcare's CEO, have mushroomed online. Some cast Mangione as a hero. That's too far, says Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a rising Democrat who was almost the Democratic vice presidential nominee this year. CEO Brian Thompson's death touched off off these ripples. They offer a glimpse into how so many different aspects of 21st-century life can be surreally connected, from public violence to politics, from health care to humor, or attempts at it. FBI Director Wray says he intends to resign before Trump takes office in January WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director Christopher Wray says he plans to resign at the end of President Joe Biden’s term in January. The announcement Wednesday comes a week and a half after President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate loyalist Kash Patel for the position. His impending resignation will bring him three years short of the completion of a 10-year term during which he tried to keep the FBI out of politics even as the bureau found itself entangled in a string of explosive investigations. Trump applauded the news Wednesday, saying it will end the weaponization of what he called the “Department of Injustice.” Donald Trump will ring the New York Stock Exchange bell as he's named Time's Person of the Year NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is expected to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange for the first time and be named Time magazine's Person of the Year. Thursday's events will be a notable moment of twin recognitions for Trump, a born-and-bred New Yorker who has long seen praise from the business world and media as a sign of success. Four people with knowledge of his plans told The Associated Press that Trump was expected to be on Wall Street on Thursday to mark the ceremonial start of the day's trading, while a person familiar with the selection confirmed that Trump had been selected as Time's Person of the Year. Atmospheric river brings weather whiplash to East Coast as bomb cyclone develops PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The East Coast is experiencing a whiplash-inducing stretch of weather. That's due in part to an atmospheric river and developing bomb cyclone. The storm is bringing heavy rain and fierce winds to many areas until Wednesday night, and flooding is possible. Utilities geared up for potential power outages from damage caused by winds that may exceed 60 mph. Forecasters say one of the key factors driving the weather is an atmospheric river, which is a long band of water vapor that can transport moisture from the tropics to more northern areas. US warns Russia may be ready to use new lethal missile against Ukraine again in 'coming days' WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon says Russia could launch its lethal new intermediate-range ballistic missile against Ukraine again soon. Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh cited a U.S. intelligence assessment in telling reporters on Wednesday that an attack could come “in the coming days.” She says the U.S. does not consider the Oreshnik missile a game changer on the battlefield. But that Russia is using the weapon to intimidate Ukraine as both sides wrestle for an advantage that will give them leverage in any negotiations to end the war. The Russian Defense Ministry also is warning it may retaliate against Kyiv for an attack on a military base in the Rostov region in southern Russia on Wednesday. Israeli strikes on Gaza kill at least 33 including children, Palestinian medics say DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinian medical officials say Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip have killed at least 33 people. One of the strikes hit a home where displaced people were sheltering in the isolated north, killing 19. A separate strike outside nearby Kamal Adwan Hospital killed a woman and her two children, and another strike in central Gaza killed at least seven people. Israel's military says it tries to avoid harming civilians and accuses militants of hiding among them, putting their lives in danger. Local health officials say Israel’s retaliatory offensive after the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023 has killed over 44,000 Palestinians in Gaza. Hannah Kobayashi, missing Hawaii woman whose disappearance prompted a massive search, is found safe LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hannah Kobayashi has been found safe. That’s according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Kobayashi vanished last month in Los Angeles. The missing Hawaii woman's disappearance prompted a massive search and a missing persons investigation. It was not immediately clear where she was found, but police previously said she had voluntarily crossed the border into Mexico. The LAPD said Wednesday the department will wrap up its investigation. Kobayashi's family reported her missing to law enforcement on Nov. 11 after relatives received “strange and cryptic, just alarming” text messages. Kobayashi’s mother and sister said they are “grateful” she has been found safe. Syrians flock to morgues looking for loved ones who perished in Assad's prisons DAMASCUS (AP) — Many bodies have been found in Syrian detention centers and prisons since President Bashar al-Assad's government fell. Now Syrians around the world are circulating images of the corpses in hopes that they will see slain loved ones whose fate had been a mystery. At the morgue visited by The Associated Press on Wednesday in Damascus, families flocked to a wall where some of the pictures were pinned in a haunting gallery of the dead. Relatives desperately scanned the images for a recognizable face. Some of the prisoners died just weeks ago. Others perished months earlier. Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup. But when exactly? ZURICH (AP) — Saudi Arabia scored a major win in its campaign to attract major sports events to the kingdom when it was formally appointed as the 2034 World Cup host on Wednesday. Still, many questions remain about the tournament. Key issues include during which part of the year to stage the tournament, where to play the games, whether alcohol will be allowed at all and how to protect workers rights in the massive construction projects required to host the World Cup.Unhoused people in Los Angeles' Skid Row last month. Ringo Chiu/AP Homelessness in America reached the highest level on record last year, according to new data released by the Department of Housing and Urban Development—and it will likely only get worse, in light of both a Supreme Court decision issued in June and President-elect Donald Trump’s forthcoming presidency. The annual report —which estimates the number of people staying in shelters, temporary housing, and on the streets on a single night—found more than 770,000 people experiencing homelessness on a single night this past January, up 18 percent from a night in January 2023. The increase in the rate of families experiencing homelessness was even steeper, rising 39 percent from 2023 to 2024. And there was a 33 percent increase in children experiencing homelessness, bringing the amount recorded earlier this year to nearly 150,000 kids. (Experts say the numbers are likely an undercount.) HUD attributes this rise to “significant increases in rental costs, as a result of the pandemic and nearly decades of under-building of housing,” as well as natural disasters—such as the deadly August 2023 Maui wildfires —that destroyed housing. Other factors include “rising inflation, stagnating wages among middle- and lower-income households, and the persisting effects of systemic racism [that] have stretched homelessness services systems to their limits,” the report says. (Black people remain overrepresented, accounting for 12 percent of the US population but 32 percent of those experiencing homelessness, according to the report.) California and New York had the highest numbers of people experiencing homelessness. Some of the nationwide increase, the report notes, was also due to “a result of [communities’] work to shelter a rising number of asylum seekers.” In New York City , for example, asylum seekers accounted for almost 88 percent of the increase in sheltered homelessness. HUD points out that the counts were conducted after Republicans in Congress blocked a bipartisan Senate deal that would have funded border security and before President Joe Biden’s border crackdown via executive action—a reference Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) aimed to use to his advantage. Balakrishnan Rajagopal, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing, responded on X that this was a “misdiagnosis of its causes,” adding that he has a report forthcoming on “this easy scapegoating of migrants for the homelessness crisis.” Despite the bleakness of the data, there were some signs of progress: Homelessness among veterans dropped to the lowest number on record: 32,882—an 8 percent decrease from 2023. The report also spotlights a few places ( Dallas , Los Angeles , and Chester County, Pennsylvania) that saw significant decreases in people experiencing homelessness thanks to targeted efforts to increase the availability of housing and other supportive services. Still, it’s hard not to see the data as an indictment of one of the world’s wealthiest nations, where basic necessities— housing , food , and healthcare —are out of reach to many low- and middle-income families. And, as the report intimates, it is likely that people experiencing homelessness will face even greater challenges in light of Grants Pass v. Johnson , the June Supreme Court decision that essentially greenlit the criminalization of homelessness. (As I have reported , domestic violence prevention advocates expect the ruling will be catastrophic for survivors, given the role abusive relationships can play in driving victims to homelessness.) Ann Olivia, CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, said in a statement she hopes the data will spur lawmakers “to advance evidence-based solutions to this crisis.” (Vice President Kamala Harris made new housing construction a key part of her campaign.) Some Democrats agree that politicians have to act—and fast: “As housing prices increase, homelessness increases,” Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) posted in response to the same AP article . “Homelessness is a housing problem.” But don’t hold your breath: Trump’s acolytes have signaled their desires to slash the social safety net and enact mass deportations of undocumented people, which experts have said will likely exacerbate the housing crisis given the role immigrants play in the construction industry. The closest his budding administration has come to offering a solution is VP-elect JD Vance’s claim that mass deportations will solve the housing shortage by freeing up units.

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NEW YORK (AP) — Top-ranked chess player Magnus Carlsen is headed back to the World Blitz Championship on Monday after its governing body agreed to loosen a dress code that got him fined and denied a late-round game in another tournament for refusing to change out of jeans . Lamenting the contretemps, International Chess Federation President Arkady Dvorkovich said in a statement Sunday that he'd let World Blitz Championship tournament officials consider allowing “appropriate jeans” with a jacket, and other “elegant minor deviations” from the dress code.Noodles and wine are the secret ingredients for a strange new twist in Chinese doping saga

Washington : The US House Ethics Committee has accused Matt Gaetz of “regularly” paying for sex, including with a 17-year-old girl, and purchasing and using illicit drugs as a member of Congress, as lawmakers released the conclusions of a nearly four-year investigation that helped sink his nomination for attorney general. The 37-page report by the bipartisan panel released on Monday includes explicit details of sex-filled parties and vacations that Gaetz, now 42, took part in from 2017 to 2020 while representing Florida’s western panhandle. Matt Gaetz was “un-cooperative” throughout the probe, the Ethics Committee panel said. Credit: AP Congressional investigators concluded that Gaetz violated multiple state laws related to sexual misconduct while in office, though not federal sex trafficking laws. They also found that Gaetz “knowingly and willfully sought to impede and obstruct” the committee’s work. “The Committee determined there is substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated House Rules and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, impermissible gifts, special favours or privileges, and obstruction of Congress,” the report states. Ahead of the report’s release Gaetz denied any wrongdoing and criticised the committee’s process. “Giving funds to someone you are dating — that they didn’t ask for — and that isn’t ‘charged’ for sex is now prostitution?!?” he posted on X, the website formerly known as Twitter. “There is a reason they did this to me in a Christmas Eve-Eve report and not in a courtroom of any kind where I could present evidence and challenge witnesses.” Gaetz, a Republican first elected in 2017, spent the majority of his time in Washington enmeshed in scandals that ultimately derailed his nomination by President-elect Donald Trump as attorney general. His political future is uncertain, although Gaetz has indicated he would be interested in running for the open Senate seat in Florida. Gaetz was President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general. Credit: AP Lawmakers paint a damning portrait of Gaetz’s conduct, using dozens of pages of exhibits, including text messages and financial records, travel receipts, cheques and online payments, to document a party- and drug-fuelled lifestyle. The committee said it compiled the evidence after issuing 29 subpoenas for documents and testimony and contacting more than two dozen witnesses. In addition to soliciting prostitution, the Ethics Committee report states that Gaetz “accepted gifts, including transportation and lodging in connection with a 2018 trip to the Bahamas, in excess of permissible amounts”. That same year, investigators say Gaetz arranged for his chief of staff to obtain a passport for a woman he was sexually involved with, falsely telling the US State Department that she was his constituent. In some of the text exchanges, Gaetz appears to be inviting various women to events, getaways or parties, and arranging airplane travel and lodging. At one point he asks one woman if she has a “cute black dress” to wear. There are also discussions of shipping goods. One of the exhibits is a text exchange that appears to be between two of the women concerned about their cash flow and payments. In another, a person asks Gaetz for help to pay an educational expense. Regarding the 17-year-old girl, the report states there’s no evidence that Gaetz knew she was a minor when he had sex with her, the committee said. The woman told the committee she didn’t tell Gaetz she was under 18 at the time and that he didn’t know how old she was. Rather, the committee said Gaetz learned she was a minor more than a month after the party. But he stayed in touch with her after that and met up with her for “commercial sex” again less than six months after she turned 18, according to the committee. But Florida law, which states it is a felony for a person 24 or older to have sex with a minor, does not allow a claim of ignorance or misrepresentation of a minor’s age as a defence. Joel Leppard, who represents two women who told the committee that Gaetz paid them for sex, said the findings “vindicate” the accounts of his clients and “demonstrate their credibility”. “We appreciate the Committee’s commitment to transparency in releasing this comprehensive report so the truth can be known,” Leppard said in a statement. At least one Republican joined all five Democrats on the Ethics Committee earlier this month in voting to release the report about their former colleague despite initial opposition from GOP lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, to publishing findings about a former member of Congress. While ethics reports have previously been released after a member’s resignation, it is extremely rare. On behalf of the Republicans who voted against releasing the report, Representative Michael Guest of Mississippi, Ethics chairman, wrote that while the members do not challenge the report’s findings, “we take great exception that the majority deviated from the Committee’s well-established standards” to drop any investigation when a person is not longer a member of the chamber. Loading “We believe that operating outside the jurisdictional bounds set forth by House Rules and Committee standards, especially when making public disclosures, is a dangerous departure with potentially catastrophic consequences,” Guest wrote. Mounting a last-ditch effort to halt the publication of the report, Gaetz filed a lawsuit on Monday asking a court to intervene, citing what he called “untruthful and defamatory information” that would “significantly damage” his “standing and reputation in the community”. Gaetz’s complaint argues he’s no longer under the committee’s jurisdiction since he resigned from Congress. “The Committee’s position that it may nonetheless publish potentially defamatory findings about a private citizen over whom it claims no jurisdiction represents an unprecedented expansion of Congressional power that threatens fundamental constitutional rights and established procedural protections,” Gaetz’s lawyers wrote in their request for a temporary restraining order. Loading The often secretive, bipartisan panel has investigated claims against Gaetz since 2021. But its work became more urgent last month when Trump picked him shortly after election day as his first choice to be the nation’s top law enforcement officer. Gaetz resigned from Congress that same day, putting him outside the purview of the Ethics Committee’s jurisdiction. But Democrats had pressed to make the report public even after Gaetz was no longer a member and had withdrawn as Trump’s pick to lead the US Justice Department. A vote on the House floor this month to force the report’s release failed; all but one Republican voted against it. The committee detailed its start-and-stop investigation over the past several years, which was halted for a time as the Justice Department conducted its own probe of Gaetz. Federal prosecutors never brought a case against him. Lawmakers said they asked the Justice Department for information about its probe, but the agency refused to hand over information, saying it doesn’t disclose information about investigations that don’t result in charges. Loading The Committee then subpoenaed the Justice Department for records, but after a back-and-forth between Justice Department officials and the Committee, the department only handed over “publicly reported information about the testimony of a deceased individual”, according to the report. “To date, DOJ has provided no meaningful evidence or information to the Committee or cited any lawful basis for its responses,” the committee said. In releasing the report, the panel added that Gaetz was also “un-cooperative” throughout the probe. He provided “minimal documentation” in response to the committee’s requests, it said. “He also did not agree to a voluntary interview.” AP Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter . Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. US politics Most Viewed in World Loading

CELTIC were 3-1 to the good against Hearts when the game was halted for strange reason. And that's because the linesman had PULLED his thigh muscle when running the line. Advertisement 3 The fourth official had to change gear to run the line 3 He apologised to the managers for the delay 3 And he was booed by the fans for taking so long And this meant that he had to be replaced by the fourth official from the touchline. But the game was delayed by FOUR full minutes until the switch happened as there was a change of uniform. And the two managers were not happy that their players were left waiting so long. And on Sky Sports commentary, Ian Crocker confirmed: "Steven MacLean is going to have a word with Callum McGregor. Advertisement read more football stories BEATEN St Mirren end Aberdeen's unbeaten league run after fans take have snowball fight MEGA OFFERS Rangers & Celtic: Best free bets, bonuses and sign-up offers "Well the assistant referee is injured and the fourth official will do his job for the remaining four minutes. "I think he's gone to get changed. It's a pulled thigh muscle for the linesman." Co-commentator Chris Sutton laughed and added: "How can you pull your thigh when you're assistant referee, really. "Just stretch off. Advertisement Most read in Football Exclusive SCOTT PROPERTY Celtic legend Scott Brown splashes out £2million on luxury pad with pool DOWN AND OUT Rangers boss Philippe Clement admits he has 'no credit left in the bank' Live Blog HEARTS 1 CELTIC 4 Idah scores with third touch just after replacing scorers Kuhn and Kyogo NOT READY SPFL club call out league bosses on 'preparation time' as Storm Bert delays game After FOUR minutes of stoppage Sutton continued: "What is going on here, is the fourth official having a massage? "How long does it take? It's actually not great for the players this. Ex-Celtic star Aiden McGeady reveals moment Gordon Strachan wanted to re-sign him - years after infamous bust-up "I think he'll be really unhappy about this situation (Brendan Rodgers). "A cold evening, nearing the end of the game, players will be fatigued. I think Brendan could hit the roof if there's a muscle injury to a Celtic player. Advertisement "I just can't for the life of me I do not understand how long it takes to put a pair of shorts on." The game finally resumed and there was an additional seven minutes at the end of the game. Celtic won and scored a penalty after the break in play as they ran out comfortable 4-1 winners. They now turn their attention to Club Brugge who they host on Wednesday in the Champions League . Advertisement Keep up to date with ALL t h e latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football pageKeith Higgins Jr. scores 22 to lead Lehigh to 87-67 victory over Neumann

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U.S. Rep. Kweisi Mfume said Friday that he won’t attend President-elect Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration because it falls on the holiday marking Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday.

Enzo Maresca ‘thankful’ for connection at Leicester ahead of return with ChelseaWASHINGTON (AP) — A person accused of accosting U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace in a Capitol Office building pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to a misdemeanor assault charge. Witnesses told police that James McIntyre, 33, of Chicago, shook Mace's hand in an “exaggerated, aggressive” manner after approaching the South Carolina Republican in the Rayburn House Office Building on Tuesday evening, according to a police affidavit. Mace, who is identified only by her initials in a court filing, posted a string of social media messages about the incident. She said she was “physically accosted” at the Capitol, and she thanked President-elect Donald Trump for calling her Wednesday morning to check on her condition. “I’m going to be fine just as soon as the pain and soreness subside,” Mace wrote. Mace declined to be treated by a paramedic after her encounter with McIntyre, who was arrested Tuesday by the Capitol Police, the affidavit says. Mace told police that McIntyre said, “Trans youth serve advocacy,” while shaking her hand. Last month, Mace proposed a resolution that would prohibit any lawmakers and House employees from “using single-sex facilities other than those corresponding to their biological sex.” Mace said the bill is aimed specifically at Delaware Democrat Sarah McBride — the first transgender person to be elected to Congress. A magistrate judge ordered McIntyre’s release after an arraignment in Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Efforts to reach an attorney for McIntyre weren't immediately successful. The Associated PressSaudi Gazette report RIYADH — Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Egyptian Minister of Foreign, Emigration and Expatriates Badr Abdelatty discussed over phone the situation in Syria and Gaza. Their phone conversation focused on the latest political and military developments in Syria, according to a statement of the Egyptian Foreign Ministry. During the call, Abdelatty reaffirmed the importance of supporting Syria's sovereignty during this critical stage in the history of Syria. He also stressed the necessity of respecting Syria’s unity and territorial integrity while enabling its national institutions to play their role to restore Syria’s stability. He also emphasized the need for an inclusive, Syrian-led political process to achieve lasting peace. The two ministers also discussed the latest developments in the Gaza Strip. The Egyptian minister outlined Cairo’s ongoing efforts to mediate a sustainable ceasefire and ensure the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to the besieged enclave. He also emphasized the urgency of addressing the worsening humanitarian crisis, the statement said < Previous Page Next Page >

WEST POINT, N.Y. (AP) — Jalen Rucker's 27 points helped Army defeat UTSA 78-75 on Sunday night. Rucker added six rebounds for the Black Knights (6-6). Ryan Curry scored 15 points while shooting 4 for 9 (3 for 8 from 3-point range) and 4 of 5 from the free-throw line and added five assists. AJ Allenspach shot 4 of 4 from the field and 4 for 5 from the foul line to finish with 12 points, while adding eight rebounds. The Roadrunners (6-6) were led by Amir "Primo" Spears, who recorded 22 points and nine rebounds. Tai'Reon Joseph added 16 points and two steals for UTSA. Raekwon Horton finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and three steals. Army went into halftime ahead of UTSA 39-35. Rucker scored 11 points in the half. Rucker scored 16 points down the stretch in the second half to help lead Army to a three-point victory. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Rape allegation against Jay-Z won’t impact NFL's relationship with music mogul, Goodell saysRape allegation against Jay-Z won’t impact NFL's relationship with music mogul, Goodell saysTrump Raced To Pick Many Cabinet Posts. He Took More Time To Settle On A Treasury Secretary.