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MLB pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz charged with taking bribes to rig pitches for bettors

Two Major League Baseball pitchers were indicted Sunday on charges they took bribes to give sports bettors advance notice of the types of pitches they'd throw and intentionally tossed balls instead of strikes to ensure successful bets.

Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, both of whom pitched for the Cleveland Guardians, have been on non-disciplinary paid leave since July while Major League Baseball investigated unusually high in-game betting activity when they pitched.

RELATED STORY | 6 players accused of throwing games, gambling ties lose NCAA eligibility

Clase, 27, and Ortiz, 26, were both charged with wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery and money laundering conspiracy. The top charges carry a potential punishment of up to 20 years in prison in the event of a conviction.

Ortiz was arrested by the FBI on Sunday morning at Boston Logan International Airport. He is expected to appear in federal court in Boston on Monday.

Major League Baseball said it contacted federal law enforcement when it began investigating the unusual betting activity and has fully cooperated with authorities. We are aware of the indictment and todays arrest, and our investigation is ongoing, its statement said.

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In a statement, the Guardians said: We are aware of the recent law enforcement action, We will continue to fully cooperate with both law enforcement and Major League Baseball as their investigations continue.

A lawyer for Ortiz declined to comment when contacted by The Associated Press and a lawyer for Clase did not immediately return messages seeking comment.

Couple donates backyard tree for Milwaukee Christmas tree lighting ceremony

A Milwaukee family is spreading holiday cheer by donating their 38-foot Colorado blue spruce to the city for the 112th annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony.

Kaitlyn Schmidt Thabet, Amgad Thabet and their dog, Zelda, watched as crews carefully removed the towering tree from their property Wednesday morning.

It was all out of a whim. We were just, you know, in the spirit of the moment, Amgad Thabet said.

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The tree is now being displayed in what city officials are calling Cheer District for the holiday season. The 38-foot spruce is significantly shorter than last years 64-foot tree, but Chris Kling, urban forestry manager for the city, selected it anyway.

Its got everything we look for: size, shape, color, access, Kling said.

For the Thabet family, donating their tree represents their deep connection to Milwaukee.

Milwaukee means a lot to us. Its where we met, its where we got married, its where we started our careers our young professional careers and still are here. So its really cool to get to give back and let it sparkle in Cheer District, Kaitlyn Schmidt Thabet said.

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The couple is already looking forward to the holiday season and seeing their former backyard tree illuminated in front of Fiserv Forum. Amgad Thabet said hes particularly excited about how the tree will enhance this years Bucks season.

Extra special, for sure. So Giannis, I need some tickets, he added with a laugh.

The official tree lighting ceremony will take place Nov. 21 at 6 p.m. in Deer District.

This story was originally published by Meryl Hubbard with the

Scripps News Group in Milwaukee.

Trump admin tells states to 'immediately undo any steps taken' to provide full SNAP benefits

The Trump administration has ordered states to "immediately undo any steps" that were taken to provide full November benefits to millions of low-income Americans through the Supplemental and Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), claiming that the move was "unauthorized."

According to a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) memo that was sent out late Saturday and obtained by Scripps News, the Trump administration also threatened to cancel federal funding for states who did not abide by the order.

RELATED STORY | Well has run dry: USDA blames Democrats for SNAP funding lapse during shutdown

"States must not transmit full benefit issuance files to EBT processors," the memo says. "Instead, States must continue to process and load the partial issuance files that reflect the 35 percent reduction of maximum allotments."

Initially, the Trump administration said last month that it would not be able to fully fund SNAP benefits for November because of the ongoing federal government shutdown, which stretched into day 40 on Sunday. However, some states on Friday began issuing full SNAP benefits after a federal judge in Rhode Island ordered the Trump administration to provide the funding.

Adding to the twists and turns, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson late Friday lifted a deadline imposed by the Rhode Island judge, which ordered the USDA to tap into a separate account to provide full SNAP funding for November. Under the Supreme Court's order, full payouts will remain paused while an appeal of the initial order plays out in the First Circuit Court of Appeals.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Some states got SNAP benefits overnight heres why others havent

"IT IS ORDERED that the District Courts orders are hereby administratively stayed pending disposition of the motion for a stay pending appeal in the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit," the Friday night order read.

Meanwhile, with no end to the government shutdown in sight, it remains unclear what could happen to SNAP benefits after the contingency funds are drained. More than 40 million Americans rely on SNAP each month for food assistance.

Thanksgiving air traffic could 'slow to a trickle' if shutdown persists, transport secretary says

Air traffic in the U.S. could slow to a trickle if the federal government shutdown lingers into the busy Thanksgiving travel holiday season, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned Sunday.

The Federal Aviation Administration last week ordered flight cuts at the nations busiest airports as some air traffic controllers, who have gone unpaid for nearly a month, have stopped showing up for work.

The reductions started Friday at 4% and will increase to 10% by Nov. 14. They are in effect from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time and will impact all commercial airlines.

On Sunday, 1,375 flights were canceled as of 10:30 a.m. Eastern time, according to the aviation tracking website FlightAware. That follows more than 1,500 cancellations on Saturday.

RELATED STORY | Shutdown grounds hundreds of flights Saturday; Sunday to bring over 1,000 more

Duffy has said additional flight cuts perhaps up to 20% might be needed, particularly after controllers receive no pay for a second straight pay period.

More controllers arent coming to work day by day, the further they go without a paycheck, Duffy told Fox News Sunday."

And he prepared Americans for what they could face during the busy Thanksgiving holiday.

As I look two weeks out, as we get closer to Thanksgiving travel, I think whats going to happen is youre going to have air travel slow to a trickle as everyone wants to travel to see their families, Duffy said.

With very few controllers working, "youll have a few flights taking off and landing" and thousands of cancellations, he said.

Youre going to have massive disruption. I think a lot of angry Americans. I think we have to be honest about where this is going. It doesnt get better, Duffy said. "It gets worse until these air traffic controllers are going to be paid.

The government has been short of air traffic controllers for years, and multiple presidential administrations have tried to convince retirement-age controllers to remain on the job. Duffy said the shutdown has exacerbated the problem, leading some air traffic controllers to speed up their retirements.

Up to 15 or 20 a day are retiring, Duffy said on CNN.

RELATED STORY | Here's how flight cancellations are expected to expand over the next week

Duffy said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth texted him with an offer to lend military air traffic controllers, but its unclear whether the staff is certified to work on civilian systems.

Duffy denied Democratic charges that the flight cancellations are a political tactic, saying they were necessary due to increasing near-misses from an overtaxed system.

I needed to take action to keep people safe, Duffy said. Im doing what I can in a mess that Democrats have put in my lap.

Ukrainian strikes disrupt power and heating to 2 major cities in Russia

Ukrainian strikes disrupted power and heating to two major Russian cities near the Ukrainian border, local Russian officials reported Sunday.

The report comes as Russia and Ukraine have traded almost daily assaults on each others energy infrastructure and U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to stop the nearly four-year war have not advanced.

Elsewhere, Ukraine's top diplomat accused Moscow of deliberately endangering nuclear safety, as he said Russias mass drone and missile attack on Friday struck substations that power two nuclear power plants.

RELATED STORY | Russia tightens pressure on strategic Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk

And in Russia, the Kremlin spokesman said Moscow intended to honor its obligations under a global nuclear test ban, despite a recent order by President Vladimir Putin to study the possibility of resuming atomic tests.

Power knocked out in two Russian cities

A drone strike temporarily caused blackouts and cut heating to parts of Voronezh, regional Gov. Alexander Gusev said. He said several drones were electronically jammed during the night over the city, home to just over 1 million people, sparking a fire at a local utility facility that was quickly extinguished.

Russian and Ukrainian news channels on Telegram claimed the strike targeted a local thermal power plant.

A missile strike late on Saturday also caused serious damage to power and heating systems supplying the city of Belgorod, with some 20,000 households affected, local Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov reported the following morning.

Russias defense ministry said Sunday that its forces destroyed or intercepted 44 Ukrainian drones during the night that flew over the Bryansk and Rostov regions in southwestern Russia. The statement made no mention of either the Voronezh or Belgorod provinces, nor did it specify how many drones Ukraine launched.

Local authorities in the Rostov region on Sunday reported on hourslong blackouts in the city of Taganrog, home to some 240,000 people, blaming them on an emergency shutdown of a power line. They did not specify the cause, though local media claimed a nearby transformer substation caught fire.

Months of Ukrainian long-range drone strikes on Russian refineries have aimed to deprive Moscow of the oil export revenue it needs to pursue the war. Meanwhile, Kyiv and its western allies say Russia is trying to cripple the Ukrainian power grid and deny civilians access to heat, light and running water for a fourth consecutive winter, in what Ukrainian officials call weaponizing the biting cold.

Strikes endanger power supply to nuclear plants

Russia's mass drone and missile strikes Friday hit power substations that supply two of Ukraines nuclear power plants, according to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.

Russia once again targeted substations that power the Khmelnytskyi and Rivne nuclear power plants, Sybiha said in a statement on X late Saturday. These were not accidental but well-planned strikes. Russia is deliberately endangering nuclear safety in Europe.

Sybiha called for an urgent meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency board of governors to respond to the risks posed by the attacks.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Trump administration issues new sanctions on Russian oil companies, calls for ceasefire in Ukraine

Moscows massive attacks on Ukraines electricity infrastructure last winter have heightened scrutiny over the Ukrainian Energy Ministrys apparent failure to protect the countrys most critical energy facilities near nuclear power sites, according to several current and former officials who spoke to the AP.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Saturday that work has begun on President Vladimir Putins order to prepare plans for a possible Russian nuclear test, according to state news agency Tass.

Putins order on Wednesday followed statements by Trump, which appeared to suggest that Washington would restart its own atomic tests for the first time in three decades.

Kremlin says Russia will abide by nuclear ban

Russia will abide by its obligations under a global nuclear ban, the Kremlin spokesman said Sunday, following days of uncertainty over remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump that appeared to suggest Washington might restart atomic tests after more than three decades.

Trump's comments came after Russia announced it had tested a new atomic-powered and nuclear-capable underwater drone and a new nuclear-powered cruise missile. But Moscow did not announce any tests of its nuclear weapons, which last occurred in 1990.

Putin has repeatedly said that Russia is committed to its obligation to end nuclear tests, and that we have no intention of conducting them, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Earlier this week, Putin ordered officials to study the possibility of resuming nuclear testing, though Russia said it would not do so unless the U.S. did so first.

Russia's Lavrov says he's ready to meet Rubio

Elsewhere, Russias top diplomat said Sunday that he was ready to meet U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, to discuss the war in Ukraine and mending bilateral ties.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and I understand the need for regular communication, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Russias Ria state agency, weeks after efforts to organise a summit between the Russian and U.S. leaders were put on ice.

Lavrov on Sunday repeated that peace cant be achieved without taking Russian interests into account," a phrase Moscow has used to signal it is standing firm in its maximalist demands for Ukraine.

Red Cross receives body of a hostage in Gaza that Hamas claims is Israeli soldier Hadar Goldin

The Red Cross received on Sunday the remains of a hostage in Gaza that Hamas claims is the body of an Israeli soldier who was killed in 2014 and who has been held in Gaza for the past 11 years. His remains are the only ones currently held in Gaza since before the latest, two-year war between Israel and Hamas.

Hamas said it found the body of the soldier, Hadar Goldin, in a tunnel in the enclave's southernmost city of Rafah on Saturday. Goldin was killed on Aug. 1, 2014, two hours after a ceasefire took effect ending that years war between Israel and Hamas.

The remains will be transferred to Israel and to the national forensic institute for identification. If the body is identified as Goldin's, there will be four bodies of hostages remaining in Gaza.

His return would be a significant development in the U.S.-brokered truce and close a painful, 11-year saga for his family.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Israel says it received the remains of 3 hostages from Gaza as fragile ceasefire holds

At the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that holding the body for so long has caused great agony of his family, which will now be able to give him a Jewish burial.

Bringing Israel's fallen home

Goldin's family spearheaded a very public campaign, along with the family of another soldier whose body was taken in 2014, to bring their sons home for burial. Israel recovered the remains of the other soldier earlier this year.

Netanyahu said the country would continue trying to bring home the bodies of Israelis still being held across enemy lines, such as Eli Cohen, an Israeli spy hung in Damascus in 1965.

Israeli media, citing anonymous officials, have reported that Hamas was delaying the release of Goldin's body in hopes of negotiating safe passage for more than 100 militants surrounded by Israeli forces and trapped in the enclave's southernmost city of Rafah.

Gila Gamliel, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology and a member of Netanyahu's Likud party, told Army radio that Israel is not negotiating for a deal within a deal.

There are agreements whose implementation is guaranteed by the mediators, and we shouldn't allow anyone to come know and play (games) and to reopen the agreement, she said.

Hamas made no comment on a possible exchange for its fighters stuck in the so-called yellow zone, which is controlled by Israeli forces, though they acknowledged that there are clashes taking place there.

Hamas made no comment on a possible exchange for its fighters stuck in the so-called yellow zone, which is controlled by Israeli forces, though they acknowledged that there are clashes taking place there.

Positive development in the truce

Since the ceasefire began last month, militants have released the remains of 23 hostages. As part of the truce deal, the militants are expected to return all of the remains of hostages.

For each Israeli hostage returned, Israel has been releasing the remains of 15 Palestinians. Ahmed Dheir, director of forensic medicine at Nasser Hospital in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, said that the remains of 300 have now been returned, with 89 identified.

The war began with a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, in which 251 people were kidnapped and 1,200 killed in Israel, mostly civilians.

On Saturday, Gazas Health Ministry said the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza has risen to 69,176. The ministry, part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals, maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by independent experts.

A mother's pain

Back in 2014, the Israeli military determined, based on evidence found in the tunnel where Goldins body was taken including a blood-soaked shirt and prayer fringes that he had been killed in the attack. His family held what Leah Goldin now calls a pseudo-funeral including Goldins shirt and fringes, at the urging of Israels military rabbis. But the lingering uncertainty was like a knife constantly making new cuts.

Leah Goldin told the Associated Press earlier this year that returning her sons body is an ethical and religious value, part of the sacrosanct pact Israel makes with its citizens, who are required by law to serve in the military.

Hadar is a soldier who went to combat and they abandoned him, and they destroyed his humanitarian rights and ours as well, Goldin said. She said her family often felt alone in their struggle to bring Hadar, a talented artist who had just gotten engaged, home for burial.

In the dizzying days after Hamas attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, the Goldin family threw themselves into attempting to help hundreds of families of the 251 people Hamas had dragged into Gaza. Initially, the Goldins found themselves shunned as advocacy for the Oct. 7 hostages surged. We were a symbol of failure, Goldin recalled. They told us, we arent like you, our kids will come back soon.

Some states got SNAP benefits overnight β€” here’s why others haven’t

People in some U.S. states will be able to buy groceries with federally funded SNAP benefits Saturday while those in other states were still waiting for November food benefits that had been delayed by a protracted legal battle over the federal government shutdown.

The Trump administration initially said last month that it would not fund Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for November because of the U.S. government shutdown. The twists and turns since have exacerbated uncertainty for the nearly 1 in 8 Americans who receive monthly SNAP benefits to spend at grocery stores and farmers markets.

On Friday, some states began issuing full monthly SNAP benefits to people, a day after a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to provide the funds.

But Friday night, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson temporarily paused that judicial order to allow time for an appeals court to decide whether to issue a more lasting halt. Jackson acted because she handles emergency matters from Massachusetts.

The high court's order didn't stop payment distribution in at least some states, where hundreds of thousands of recipients are now able to buy food for their families. But millions more Americans who depend on SNAP are still in limbo.

How are SNAP recipients faring?

Nearly 42 million Americans receive SNAP benefits, formerly known as food stamps, for help buying groceries. Most have incomes below the poverty line, which is about $32,000 for a family of four.

An individual can receive a monthly maximum food benefit of nearly $300 and a family of four up to nearly $1,000, although many receive less than that under a formula that takes into consideration their income.

RELATED STORY | Your Thanksgiving meal could be cheaper but theres a catch

The delay in payments has led to a surge in demand at food banks and pantries across the country, as well as long lines for free meals or drive-thru giveaways.

Some states have provided emergency funding to food banks to help them respond to the increased need. Some states also used their own dollars to fund direct payments to people while the federal benefits were in limbo.

Over the weekend, some SNAP recipients took to social media to ask for advice on how to stretch their benefits, with some reporting they received far more than they are owed and others getting just a few dollars.

North Carolina's Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai acknowledged that more than 190,000 households there received just $16 or less, after the state paused the full payment of benefits following the Supreme Court's order.

Where have people already received benefits?

Whether SNAP beneficiaries see money on their electronic benefits transfer cards depends on where they live.

In Hawaii, Oregon and Wisconsin, officials worked quickly after a judge ordered full benefit payments Thursday to instruct their EBT providers to process the full payments.

We moved with haste once we verified everything, Joseph Campos II, deputy director of Hawaiis Department of Human Services, told The Associated Press.

RELATED STORY | Shutdown grounds hundreds of flights Saturday; Sunday to bring over 1,000 more

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, a Democrat, said state employees worked through the night to issue full November benefits to make sure every Oregon family relying on SNAP could buy groceries over the weekend.

Officials in California, Kansas, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Washington also confirmed that some SNAP recipients were issued their full November payments on Friday.

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson, a Democrat, said more than 250,00 households that missed their regular monthly SNAP payment during the first week of November received their full amount on Friday. The remaining beneficiaries would receive their November funds on their regularly scheduled dates later this month if distribution does not remain blocked by legal challenges.

Officials in Colorado confirmed Saturday that about 32,000 recipients there had received their full monthly benefits before the Supreme Court's order came down. More than 560,000 additional recipients are still waiting.

Colorado Democratic Gov. Jared Polis said he was baffled by the Trump administration's efforts to continue blocking the food aid, with the prolonged back-and-forth legal fight creating chaos among states.

Massachusetts Democratic Gov. Maura Healey said half a million recipients in her state also got their benefits, after a previously scheduled payment went out Saturday morning. A half a million more residents there are supposed to get their benefits next week.

The Trump administration said in a legal filing with the Supreme Court that there is no ready mechanism for the government to recover those funds that already have been distributed.

How long might residents elsewhere wait?

Before Jackson ordered a pause, New York had said access to full SNAP benefits should begin by Sunday. New Hampshire had said full benefits should be available over the weekend. Inquiries to those states were not immediately returned Saturday.

And Arizona, Connecticut and Minnesota all had said that full SNAP benefits should be accessible in the coming days.

Whether people actually will receive those benefits on their EBT cards remains unclear.

For people in some other states, the wait appears likely to extend into next week. Numerous state officials said they had been waiting for further guidance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administers SNAP.

What has been holding up November benefits?

Because of the federal government shutdown, the Trump administration originally had said SNAP benefits would not be available in November. After two judges ruled the administration could not skip Novembers benefits entirely, the administration said it would use an emergency reserve fund containing more than $4.6 billion to provide partial benefits in November.

A judge on Thursday said that wasnt good enough, and ordered other funds to be used to make the full monthly payment. The Trump administration appealed, asking a higher court to suspend any orders that require it to spend more money than is available in the contingency fund. That is what led to Jackson's temporary hold issued late Friday.

A shutdown deal without a health care guarantee β€” would Democrats take it?

Senators are working through the weekend for the first time since the government shutdown began more than a month ago, hoping to find a bipartisan resolution that has eluded them as federal workers have gone unpaid, airlines have been forced to cancel flights and SNAP benefits have been delayed for millions of Americans.

As Saturday's session got underway Saturday, it was uncertain whether Republicans and Democrats could make any headway toward reopening the government and breaking a partisan impasse that has now lasted 39 days.

President Donald Trump made clear he is unlikely to compromise any time soon with Democrats who are demanding an extension of Affordable Care Act tax credits, posting on social media that it is the worst Healthcare anywhere in the world. He suggested Congress send money directly to people to buy insurance.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Trump's proposal would not be part of a solution to ending the shutdown, but added it is a discussion that the president and all of us want to have. Thune said he planned to keep the Senate in session until the shutdown has ended and that "ideally, it would be great to set it up so we could vote today.

RELATED STORY | Shutdown grounds hundreds of flights Saturday; Sunday to bring over 1,000 more

Senate Republican leaders have signaled an openness to an emerging proposal from a small group of moderate Democrats to end the shutdown in exchange for a later vote on the Obamacare subsidies.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., who is leading the talks among moderates, said Friday evening that Democrats need another path forward after Republicans rejected an offer from Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York to reopen the government and extend the subsidies for a year. We're working on it, she said.

Moderates continue to negotiate

Shaheen and others, negotiating among themselves and with some rank-and-file Republicans, have been discussing bills that would pay for parts of government food aid, veterans programs and the legislative branch, among other things and extend funding for everything else until December or January. The agreement would only come with the promise of a future health care vote, rather than a guarantee of extended subsidies.

It was unclear whether enough Democrats would support such a plan. Even with a deal, Trump appears unlikely to support an extension of the health benefits. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., also said this week that he would not commit to a health vote.

RELATED STORY | Supreme Court temporarily pauses lower court order requiring full SNAP payments

Republican leaders only need five additional votes to fund the government, and the group involved in the talks has ranged from 10 to 12 Democratic senators.

Some Republicans have said they are open to extending the COVID-19-era tax credits as premiums could skyrocket for millions of people, but they want new limits on who can receive the subsidies. They are also arguing that subsidies for the plans should be routed through individuals.

Take the money away from health insurance companies and let's flow it to the people to give them more purchasing power, said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.

Republicans eye new package of bills

Trump wants Republicans to end the shutdown quickly and scrap the filibuster, which requires 60 Senate votes for most legislation, so they can bypass Democrats altogether. Vice President JD Vance, a former Ohio senator, endorsed the idea in an online post Saturday, saying Republicans who want to keep the filibuster are wrong.

Republicans have rejected Trumps call, and Thune is eyeing a bipartisan package that mirrors the proposal the moderate Democrats have been sketching out. What Thune, who has refused to negotiate, might promise on health care is unknown.

The package would replace the House-passed legislation that the Democrats have rejected 14 times since the shutdown began Oct. 1. The current bill would only extend government funding until Nov. 21, though senators indicated their version would likely go through January.

A choice for Democrats

A test vote on new legislation could come in the next few days if Thune decides to move forward.

Then Democrats would have a crucial choice: Keep fighting for a meaningful deal on extending the subsidies that expire in January, while prolonging the pain of the shutdown? Or vote to reopen the government and hope for the best as Republicans promise an eventual health care vote, but not a guaranteed outcome.

After a caucus meeting Thursday, most Democrats suggested they would continue to hold out for Trump and Republican leaders to agree to negotiations.

Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, said Democrats are obviously not unanimous but without something on health care, the vote is very unlikely to succeed.

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats, said they need to stand strong after overwhelming Democratic victories on Election Day and demand an extension of the subsidies.

UPS and FedEx suspend MD-11 operations following Louisville crash

UPS and FedEx said they are grounding their fleets of McDonnell Douglas MD-11 planes out of an abundance of caution following a deadly crash at the UPS global aviation hub in Kentucky.

The crash Tuesday at UPS Worldport in Louisville killed 14 people, including the three pilots on the MD-11 that was headed for Honolulu.

MD-11 aircrafts make up about 9% of of the UPS airline fleet and 4% of the FedEx fleet, the companies said.

We made this decision proactively at the recommendation of the aircraft manufacturer, a UPS statement said late Friday. Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our employees and the communities we serve.

RELATED STORY | At least 12 killed in Tuesday's fatal UPS plane crash in Louisville, officials say

FedEx said in an email that it will be grounding the aircrafts while it conducts a thorough safety review based on the recommendation of the manufacturer.

Boeing, which merged with McDonnell Douglas in 1997, did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press asking the reasoning behind the recommendation.

Western Global Airlines is the only other U.S. cargo airline that flies MD-11s, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. The airline has 16 MD-11s in its fleet but 12 of them have already been put in storage. The company did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment outside of business hours early Saturday.

Boeing announced in 1998 that it would be phasing out its MD-11 jetliner production, with final deliveries due in 2000.

The UPS cargo plane, built in 1991, was nearly airborne Tuesday when a bell sounded in the cockpit, National Transportation Safety Board member Todd Inman said earlier Friday. For the next 25 seconds, the bell rang and the pilots tried to control the aircraft as it barely lifted off the runway, its left wing ablaze and missing an engine, and then plowed into the ground in a spectacular fireball.

The cockpit voice recorder captured the bell, which sounded about 37 seconds after the crew called for takeoff thrust, Inman said. There are different types of alarms with varying meanings, he said, and investigators havent determined why the bell rang, though they know the left wing was burning and the engine on that side had detached.

Inman said it would be months before a transcript of the cockpit recording is made public as part of that investigation process.

Jeff Guzzetti, a former federal crash investigator, said the bell likely was signaling the engine fire.

It occurred at a point in the takeoff where they were likely past their decision speed to abort the takeoff, Guzzetti told The Associated Press after Inmans news conference. They were likely past their critical decision speed to remain on the runway and stop safely. Theyll need to thoroughly investigate the options the crew may or may not have had.

Dramatic video captured the aircraft crashing into businesses and erupting in a fireball. Footage from phones, cars and security cameras has given investigators evidence of what happened from many different angles.

Flight records suggest the UPS MD-11 that crashed underwent maintenance while it was on the ground in San Antonio for more than a month until mid-October. It is not clear what work was done.

The UPS package handling facility in Louisville is the companys largest. The hub employs more than 20,000 people in the region, handles 300 flights daily and sorts more than 400,000 packages an hour.

UPS Worldport operations resumed Wednesday night with its Next Day Air, or night sort, operation, spokesperson Jim Mayer said.

4 people killed, 11 injured when speeding car crashes into LGBTQ bar in Florida

The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) is investigating a vehicle crash into an LGBTQ bar early Saturday morning in Tampa's famous 7th Avenue, which left four people dead and 11 others injured.

Officers say the department's Air Service unit was monitoring a vehicle driving recklessly at high speeds on I-275 around 12:40 a.m. Police say this was the same vehicle seen street racing earlier on Hillsborough Avenue near 22nd Street.

WATCH: "A SENSELESS TRAGEDY" | TAMPA POLICE AND FHP PRESS CONFERENCE AFTER CAR CRASH KILLS 4 IN YBOR

'A SENSELESS TRAGEDY' | Tampa PD press conference after car crash kills 4, injures 11

Authorities say the driver exited the interstate at Doyle Carlton Drive in downtown Tampa. Five minutes later, Tampa police officers and FHP troopers located it near Palm Avenue and Nebraska Avenue.

A trooper began pursuing the vehicle and unsuccessfully attempted to disable it using a PIT maneuver.

Officials say the driver then sped off at a high rate of speed toward Nebraska Avenue, before continuing east on 7th Avenue. The FHP says its troopers ended their pursuit as the driver approached 7th Avenue.

According to Tampa Police, the driver eventually lost control and crashed into Bradley's on 7th. The vehicle hit more than a dozen people outside on the popular gay bar's patio.

Officials say three people died at the scene. A fourth victim died at the hospital. Of the 11 injured victims, one is hospitalized in critical condition, while eight others are in stable condition. Two victims who received only minor injuries declined treatment on scene. All 15 of the victims are adults.

Officers detained the driver at the scene, identifying him as 22-year-old Silas Sampson.

What happened this morning was a senseless tragedy. Our hearts are with the loved ones of the victims and all those who were impacted,Β said Chief Lee Bercaw. Reckless driving put innocent lives in danger. The Tampa Police Department and the Florida Highway Patrol are committed to seeking justice for the victims and their families.

The FHP is leading the crash investigation which is ongoing.

This article was written by Sean O'Reilly for the Scripps News Group in Tampa.

Supreme Court weighs longshot appeal to overturn decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide

A call to overturn the landmark Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide is on the agenda Friday for the justices' closed-door conference.

Among the new cases the justices are expected to consider is a longshot appeal from Kim Davis, the former Kentucky court clerk who refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples following the courts 2015 ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges.

Davis had been trying to get the court to overturn a lower court order for her to pay $360,000 in damages and attorneys fees to a couple whom she denied a marriage license.

The justices could say as early as Monday what they'll do.

In urging the court to take up her case, Davis' lawyers repeatedly invoked the words of Justice Clarence Thomas, who alone among the nine justices has called for erasing the same-sex marriage ruling.

Thomas was one of four dissenting justices in 2015. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito are the other dissenters who also remain on the court.

Roberts has been silent on the subject since he wrote a dissenting opinion in the case. Alito has continued to criticize the decision, but said recently he was not advocating that it be overturned.

Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who was not on the court in 2015, has said there are times when the court should correct mistakes and overturn decisions, as it did in the 2022 case that ended a constitutional right to abortion.

But Barrett has suggested recently that same-sex marriage might be in a different category than abortion because people have relied on the decision when they married and had children.

RELATED STORY | Supreme Court allows Trump administration to limit gender markers on passports to 'male' or 'female'

Davis drew national attention to eastern Kentuckys Rowan County when she turned away same-sex couples, saying her faith prevented her from complying with the high court ruling. She defied court orders to issue the licenses until a federal judge jailed her for contempt of court in September 2015.

She was released after her staff issued the licenses on her behalf but removed her name from the form. The Kentucky Legislature later enacted a law removing the names of all county clerks from state marriage licenses.

Davis lost a reelection bid in 2018.

Fox Sports lets go of former quarterback Mark Sanchez after stabbing incident

Fox Sports let go of former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez following an alleged attack on a truck driver in October, the network said Friday.

"We can confirm that Mark Sanchez is no longer with the network. There will be no further comment at this time," Fox Sports said in a statement to multiple outlets.

Sanchez was hospitalized after being stabbed in Indianapolis on October 4. The trucker claims he stabbed Sanchez in self-defense after Sanchez assaulted him. Prosecutors say the altercation stemmed from a disagreement over parking.

The truck driver has not been charged. He is suing Sanchez and Fox Sports for damages.

Sanchez is set to go to trial on December 11 over the incident. He is charged with felony battery involving serious bodily injury, and three misdemeanors.

He has been off the air since the incident.

RELATED STORY | Former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez booked into jail following Indianapolis altercation

"Its been a long month for Mark as he continues to recover from serious injuries while also grieving the loss of a close friend. While the recent news and its timing is understandably disappointing, our priority remains his continued healing and recovery, Sanchez's brother, Nick Sanchez Jr., said in a statement. "Mark deeply values his time at FOX and the exceptional colleagues hes had the privilege to work with. Those relationships are meaningful and will endure.

Fox Sports said it has hired former quarterback Drew Brees to replace Sanchez. He will start work alongside play-by-play commentator Adam Amin and sideline reporter Kristina Pink on November 16.

Supreme Court temporarily pauses lower court’s order requiring full SNAP payments

The Supreme Court late on Friday issued a temporary administrative stay on lower court orders that would have required the government to fully fund SNAP payments for the month of November.

Under the Supreme Court's order, full payouts will remain paused while an appeal of the initial order plays out in the First Circuit Court of Appeals.

"IT IS ORDERED that the District Courts orders are hereby administratively stayed pending disposition of the motion for a stay pending appeal in the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit," the Friday night order read.

The Supreme Court's stay will remain in place for two days after the appeals court issues its ruling.

The Trump administration appealed the case to the Supreme Court earlier on Friday.

The new order is the latest in a back-and-forth case between the Trump administration and the courts, which escalated this week when a federal judge in Rhode Island ordered the administration to restore full SNAP benefits, calling an earlier plan to distribute only partial payments arbitrary and capricious.

The administration quickly appealed, but said it was taking steps to comply while the case moves forward.

That appeals court on Friday declined to grant a fast administrative stay on distributing funds as requested by the Trump administration. It says it will continue to review the full stay pending appeal.

"We intend to issue a decision on that motion as quickly as possible," the court wrote.

RELATED STORY | Trump administration appeals order to fully fund SNAP benefits for November

Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said it is moving to fully fund November SNAP benefits.

In a letter to state agencies, officials said they are completing the steps needed to make the funds available, and states will soon be able to send full benefit files to EBT processors, which load SNAP money onto benefit cards.

At least nine states have begun issuing full SNAP benefits for the month based on payments sent from USDA.

SNAP funding lapsed due to the government shutdown, which has now stretched on for more than a month.

States and nonprofits sued to require the federal government to use contingency funds to make sure SNAP funds are paid out. The administration initially argued that contingency funds were not enough to cover all SNAP benefits. But the judge ruled the government must use all legally available reserve funds within USDA to ensure that full payments go out.

Trump pardons former Mets great Darryl Strawberry on past tax evasion, drug charges

President Donald Trump has pardoned former New York Mets great Darryl Strawberry of tax evasion and drug charges, citing the 1983 National League Rookie of the Year's post-career embrace of his Christian faith and longtime sobriety.

Strawberry was an outfielder and eight-time All-Star, including seven with the Mets from 1983-90. He hit 335 homers and had 1,000 RBIs and 221 stolen bases in 17 seasons.

Plagued by later legal, health and personal problems, Strawberry was indicted for tax evasion and eventually pleaded guilty in 1995 to a single felony count. That was based on his failure to report $350,000 in income from autographs, personal appearances and sales of memorabilia.

RELATED STORY | Trump signed more than 145 executive orders in first 100 days of second term

Strawberry agreed to pay more than $430,000 as part of the case. He was diagnosed with colon cancer and underwent surgery and chemotherapy in 1998.

The following year, Strawberry was sentenced to probation and suspended from baseball after pleading no contest to charges of possession of cocaine and soliciting a prostitute. He eventually spoke in court about struggling with depression, and was charged with violating his probation numerous times including on his 40th birthday in 2002.

Strawberry ultimately served 11 months in Florida state prison and was released in 2003.

A White House official said Friday that Trump approved a pardon for Strawberry, who had served time and paid back taxes. Speaking on background to detail a pardon that had not yet been formally announced, the official noted that Strawberry found faith in Christianity and has been sober for a decade-plus, and that he'd become active in ministry and started a still-active recovery center.

RELATED STORY | Trump signed more than 145 executive orders in first 100 days of second term

Strawberry posted on Instagram a picture of himself and Trump and wrote, Thank you, President @realdonaldtrump for my full pardon and for finalizing this part of my life, allowing me to be truly free and clean from all of my past.

He described being home on Thursday afternoon, caring for his wife who was recovering from surgery, when my phone kept ringing relentlessly.

Half asleep, I glanced over and saw a call from Washington DC. Curious, I answered, and to my amazement, the lady on the line said, Darryl Strawberry, you have a call from the President of the United States, Donald Trump, Strawberry wrote. I put it on speakerphone with my wife nearby, and President Trump spoke warmly about my baseball days in NYC, praising me as one the greatest player of the 80s and celebrating the Mets. Then, he told me he was granting me a full pardon from my past.

Trump was a New York real estate mogul before becoming a reality television star and twice winning the presidency.

Strawberry said he was overwhelmed with gratitude thanking God for setting me free from my past, helping me become a better Man, Husband and Father.

This experience has deepened my faith and commitment to working for His kingdom as a true follower of Jesus Christ, Strawberry wrote, while also noting This has nothing to do with politics its about a Man, President Trump, caring deeply for a friend. God used him as a vessel to set me free forever!

Strawberry's followed Trump issuing pardons this week for a former Republican speaker of the Tennessee House and a onetime aide on public corruption charges. It adds to a list of celebrities and political allies who have similarly received unlikely pardons including a former Republican governor of Connecticut, an ex-GOP congressman and reality TV stars who had been convicted of cheating banks and evading taxes.

Strawberry played for the Mets, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Francisco Giants between 1983 and 1999. He won the World Series with the 1986 Mets, starring alongside the likes of Dwight Gooden and Keith Hernandez, and with the Yankees in 1996, 1998 and 1999.

Strawberry was hospitalized with a heart attack in March 2024, a day before he turned 62. That same year, the Mets retired his No. 18 and an emotional Strawberry told the Citi Field crowd: Im truly, deeply sorry that I ever left you guys. I never played baseball in front of fans greater than you guys.

Healthcare policy expert breaks down the factors driving rising insurance costs

The Affordable Care Act marketplace opened one week ago, and millions of Americans are making crucial decisions about their health coverage for 2025. However, rising premiums, changing subsidies and increasing prescription drug costs are creating financial challenges for consumers heading into 2026.

Cynthia Cox, vice president and director of the program on the ACA at KFF, a nonprofit health policy organization, explained the factors driving these cost increases affect both ACA marketplace shoppers and those with employer-sponsored insurance.

"Whether you're getting your insurance through the Obamacare markets or through your employer health care, costs are going up a lot next year," Cox said.

She identified several common factors contributing to rising costs across all insurance markets, including the expense of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, which treat both diabetes and weight loss, along with increasing hospital and prescription drug costs.

For ACA marketplace consumers, an additional concern looms: enhanced tax credits that reduce premium costs for about 22 million people are set to expire next year.

"That means people will get less financial help at the same time that insurance premiums are rising," Cox said.

RELATED STORY | Scripps News/Talker Research poll: Most Americans fear they cant afford health care

Even if Congress extends the subsidies, the situation remains complex for consumers currently shopping on the exchanges.

For those struggling with rising costs, Cox recommended several strategies. Employees should consult their HR departments to understand all available options and benefits, including telemedicine services.

ACA marketplace shoppers should seek help from agents, brokers or navigators who can review options in detail. Cox advised scheduling appointments early, as this open enrollment season will be particularly busy.

"Consider whether you might be able to switch to a lower premium plan, even if it has a higher deductible. You might still be better off with that plan than being uninsured," Cox said.

RELATED STORY|Β My mom always comes first: Caregivers strain under Medicare changes

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

6 players accused of throwing games, gambling ties lose NCAA eligibility

The NCAA revoked the eligibility of six mens college basketball players for allegations of sports betting on Friday in three separate cases at New Orleans, Mississippi Valley and Arizona State.

The NCAA Committee on Infractions released findings from an investigation that concluded Cedquavious Hunter, Dyquavian Short, Jamond Vincent, Donovan Sanders, Alvin Stredic and Chatton BJ Freeman either manipulated their performances to lose games, not cover bet lines or ensure certain prop bets were reached, or provided information that enabled others to do so during the 2024-25 regular season.

The NCAA said last month it had been investigating at least 30 current or former players for gambling allegations. Its push to clean up college sports in the era of legal sports betting comes as the NBA and professional sports grapple with what the FBI has called a sophisticated gambling ring that involved organized crime families.

RELATED STORY | NCAA delays rule allowing athletes to bet on pro sports

The NCAA also banned three college basketball players in September for betting on their own games at Fresno State and San Jose State.

The violations at New Orleans against Hunter, Short and Vincent came to light after the NCAA received a tip about game manipulation. The NCAA said a student-athlete overheard the three players discuss a third party placing a bet on their game against McNeese State on Dec. 28, 2024. New Orleans lost 86-61.

That same student-athlete reported that during a timeout near the end of the game, Short instructed him not to score any more points. New Orleans suspended all three student-athletes for the remainder of the season while it investigated the allegations.

The NCAA investigation showed that the three players manipulated their performances in seven games from December through January to lose by more points than the spread for that game.

The violations against Freeman were uncovered when the NCAA reviewed text messages involving Mykell Robinson, who played at Fresno State. Records on Robinsons phone indicated that on four separate occasions between November and December 2024, Freeman knowingly provided information to Robinson, who was betting on Freeman through daily fantasy sports accounts.

Freeman also knowingly provided information on at least two occasions to his then-girlfriend, who was also betting on Freeman.

The NCAA reached out to an integrity monitoring service to review Mississippi Valley games after a related, but separate NBA gambling ring that was uncovered earlier this year showed potential ties to college basketball, including the school.

The service indicated betting trends for the Mississippi Valley games on Jan. 6 against Alabama A&M were suspicious. Mississippi Valley lost 79-67.

During an interview with the NCAA, a mens basketball student-athlete said that before the teams Dec. 21, 2024, game, he overhead Sanders on the phone with an unknown third party talking about throwing the game.

Sanders asked the student-athlete to participate in the call because the third party had told Sanders the individual intended to bet on the game and wanted to know that another of Sanders teammates would participate in the scheme.

The student-athlete denied altering his performance or receiving money from Sanders or any other individuals. Sanders texted the same student-athlete after that game and told him to delete their messages.

During a second interview, Sanders could not explain the student-athletes account of the events or the text messages. He did say, however, that he and Stredic were offered money to throw the teams Jan. 6 game by another anonymous caller, who instructed them to perform poorly in the first half.

The enforcement staff demonstrated that Sanders knowingly provided information to a third party for the purposes of sports betting for two games and Stredic did the same for one game.

This all comes in the wake of the NCAA potentially allowing student athletes and staff to bet on professional sports. It was originally approved by all three Divisions and was set to go into effect on Nov. 1, but late last month the Division I Board voted to delay the start date until Nov. 22.

A rarely used rule allows 30 days for each Division I school to vote to rescind a proposal if it is adopted by less than 75% of the Division I cabinet. Even if the rule passes, no college sports are allowed to be bet on by players.

The top baby names for 2025 mirror last year's top choices, but there are some new and notable ones

Looking for a name for your future baby? BabyCenter has released its ranking of the most popular names for newborns in 2025.

Olivia continues to dominate the girls' category for another year, maintaining its position as the top choice among parents. Noah similarly holds its ground as the most favored name for boys, marking consistent preferences from 2024.

That's the same as last year, as are the number two names: Amelia and Liam.

RELATED STORY | Gen Z parents favor cycle-breaking over gentle parenting styles, survey finds

However, the top 10 lists saw some notable shifts this year. Two fresh names entered the girls' rankings: Eliana and Aurora both made their debut in the coveted top 10.

The boys' list experienced its own change as Luca made a comeback after disappearing from last year's rankings, ultimately displacing Leo from the top tier.

BabyCenter based its rankings on more than 350,000 babies born to parents registered on its app.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Trump touts Walmart's Thanksgiving meal savings, but what's actually inside?

At a time when many Americans are feeling pessimistic about the economy, President Donald Trump is pointing to Walmarts cheaper Thanksgiving meal basket as a sign of progress.

Theyve got everything included the trimmings, the turkey, everything. A lot of different items, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday. Its 25% less this year than it was last year.

Walmart says this years basket feeds 10 people for less than $4 per person. Last years version served eight people for less than $7 per person.

But there are notable differences between the two offerings. This years basket includes six fewer items and relies more heavily on Walmarts store-brand products.

What's in the 2025 Thanksgiving basket?

Butterball Turkey, 13.5 lb. ($0.97/lb. lowest price since 2019) Kinders Fried Onions, 4.5 oz. Campbells Cream of Mushroom Soup, 10.5 oz. (1 can) Stove Top Turkey Stuffing, Twin Pack 2 x 6 oz. Great Value Dinner Rolls, 12 ct. Fresh Russet Potatoes, 5 lb. Fresh Cranberries, 12 oz. Great Value Baby Carrots, 2 lb. Great Value Corn, 15 oz. (3 cans) Great Value Green Beans, 14.5 oz. (3 cans) Great Value Artisan Macaroni & Cheese, 12 oz. (3 boxes) Great Value Brown Gravy Mix, 0.87 oz. (2) Great Value Pie Crusts Great Value Evaporated Milk, 12 fl. oz. Great Value 100% Pure Pumpkin, 15 oz.

Are groceries cheaper in 2025?

While Walmarts basket is cheaper this year, the promotion does not reflect broader grocery trends.

Government data shows grocery prices are up about 2.7% compared to a year ago and are expected to continue rising.

For all of 2025, prices for eggs, beef and veal, sugar and sweets, and nonalcoholic beverages are predicted to grow faster than their 20-year historical average rate, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said.

US strikes Caribbean boat, bringing death toll in alleged anti-drug effort to 70

U.S. forces killed three people Thursday when they struck an alleged drug trafficking boat in the Caribbean, bringing the death toll from the Trump administration's anti-narcotics campaign to at least 70.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth released aerial footage showing the boat exploding into flames after the strike. Hegseth said the vessel was operated by a designated terrorist organization.

RELATED STORY | US launches 3 strikes on suspected drug boats near Colombia, killing 14 people

The U.S. has destroyed at least 18 vessels during the campaign, but has not released concrete evidence that they were smuggling drugs.

The United Nations has called for the U.S. to cease the campaign, saying the killings violate international law.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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