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roulette spin Two years ago, the DSL internet at Aeriell Turner’s home in rural Raleigh County grew increasingly unreliable as she began to rely on her phone’s mobile hotspot for work. “The lines where I live are notoriously bad,” she said. But then, Turner, an insurance agent who works remotely, switched to Starlink. Now, as she turns on her computer at the beginning of each work day, a sleek white router softly blinks in her living room reminding her that her internet troubles are far behind. She now answers video calls and interacts with her clients without interrupted service. “A good internet connection is a literal lifeline,” she said. For West Virginians like Turner, Starlink promises a solution to their desperate need for fast and reliable internet access. Residents say they’ve turned to the company, despite the high price tag, while they wait for faster, more reliable internet from traditional providers. However, federal regulators concluded that the company couldn’t meet promised speeds and rejected its application for nearly $900 million in subsidies in 2022. Now, as West Virginians continue to search for answers, Starlink could soon be in line for more of the flood of federal dollars to expand broadband. The company’s owner, Elon Musk, is not only the richest person in the world, but he spent $200 million to help Donald Trump get back to the White House. And Trump has already said he plans to appoint a Musk ally to run the Federal Communications Commission. SpaceX, which owns Starlink, did not respond to a request for comment. State officials are in the midst of a $1.2 billion push to bring high-speed internet to every corner of West Virginia by 2029. However, the roll-out has been hindered by disputes between utility companies and internet service providers on the ground. Starlink hasn’t released exact numbers for how many customers they have in West Virginia. The company is not required to share that information, said Del. Daniel Linville, chair of the House Infrastructure and Technology Committee. But, the number of subscribers is increasing monthly in the state, he said. Kensey Bergdorf-Smith, director of the West Virginia Science and Technology Policy Initiative, said despite its growing popularity, satellite internet still has challenges compared to other broadband options. A dish must be properly positioned and be free of interference like trees and bad weather for the strongest service, she said. “The concern with satellite internet is that it’s not super reliable,” she said. “It doesn’t always reach the speeds that it needs to, and it’s also pretty pricey compared to standard broadband options.” Starlink was denied millions in federal subsidies In 2022, Starlink’s long-form application for a $885 million contract from the FCC through its Rural Digital Opportunity Fund was denied. The fund was created to expand broadband to rural communities and the subsidies would have been released over 10 years. The company was to deploy internet service to over 600,000 homes and businesses across 35 states with speeds of at least 100 megabits per second download and 20 megabits per second download upload. Those speeds are defined as the bare minimum to qualify as broadband following new standards passed by the FCC earlier this year. Federal officials determined the company would be unable to provide high-speed internet to the amount of homes it had proposed. The FCC affirmed that decision last year. “The agency also has a responsibility to be a good steward of limited public funds meant to expand access to rural broadband, not fund applicants that fail to meet basic program requirements,” FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a press release. Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the FCC, dissented from the agency’s ruling writing that the decision follows the Biden administration’s pattern of “regulatory harassment” against Elon Musk. This week, President-elect Donald Trump named Carr as the new chairman of the commission. As chairman, Carr could exert influence over decisions with the potential to send hundreds of millions of dollars in federal subsidies to Starlink. Starlink service is expanding from space, while internet providers hit snags on the ground From outer space to deep inside a holler, high-speed internet can reach homes without traditional infrastructure like poles and cables using satellites that bounce signals as long as there is a clear view of the sky. The company offers residential plans for $120 a month with unlimited data and charges a $349 upfront cost for hardware like the router and mountable disk. In a 2023 survey of over 2,000 West Virginians by state broadband officials, 15% said they use satellite internet and generally paid more than people using other providers. Alex Cain, owner of Country Roads Satellites in Clarksburg, said that his team travels across the state installing Starlink mounts on homes, and most customers have resorted to satellite service because they’ve had unreliable, slow internet connections. “When Starlink came out, it was kind of a game changer just because the speeds are 20 times faster,” he said. “We’ve been doing five to six installs a week.” Starlink’s satellites circle the planet in a much lower orbit than older satellite internet providers. That means Starlink satellites should be faster than competitors. Outside of Durbin on the northern end of Pocahontas County, Elizabeth Stewart lives with her husband in a wooded area and uses Starlink to work from home. They’ve put their dish in a clearing where there isn’t interference from trees in the yard. She said she’s been a customer for three years despite other providers offering cheaper plans and doesn’t mind paying the higher cost. “You have to shell out about 500 bucks to get the service and a lot of people can’t afford to do that,” she said. “But, online is my life, and it’s how I’m able to work from home.”

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The next head of the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr, is keen to “smash the censorship cartel,” he said Thursday, naming as his first priority stopping social media companies and the “narrative checkers” they engage from suppressing conservative viewpoints. The remarks suggest Carr, a veteran Republican member of the commission who has previously clashed with Big Tech, plans to dramatically reorient the 90-year-old agency that regulates the telecommunications industry to take a heavier hand against social media companies, which many on the right view as hostile to conservatives. “I expect a significant workstream at the FCC to deal with tech censorship,” he said on the sidelines of the commission’s first meeting since he was named as the next chair. “Some of it will probably help other agencies, maybe it’s Congress, but I’m going to fully play my part in trying to sort of smash the censorship cartel.” He also said he would accelerate the licensing process for the parts of the space industry under the FCC’s remit, such as satellites, to assist a dawning space boom. “It can take longer to move a piece of paper of licensing from one desk to another than it can to build an entire rocket, and that has to end,” Carr said. Parts of his agenda lie at the hazy frontiers of the FCC’s authorities and could prompt legal challenges over how broad a remit the agency has. Supporters say Carr knows the law, and President-elect Donald Trump hails him as a “warrior for free speech.” His critics on the left, such as Chris Lewis, president of the Washington-based nonprofit Public Knowledge, have expressed alarm, calling Carr’s selective approach to scrutinizing online censorship a “dangerous trend” toward “free speech, but only for those who agree with you politically.” Even before Trump picked him earlier this week as the chairman of the agency, Carr had blasted off letters to the heads of Apple, Google, Meta and Microsoft, warning that their companies’ activities would be reviewed as part of “broad ranging actions to restore the First Amendment rights that the Constitution grants to all Americans.” Elon Musk’s X, which has greatly curtailed efforts to moderate posts both internally or through outside fact-checkers, was not among the social media companies Carr targeted. Two days after he was revealed as the FCC pick, he flew to Texas, where he stood with Trump to his right and Musk to his left, at the site of the latest launch of SpaceX’s Starship rocket. Carr, 45, has made no bones about his plans to steer the sometimes sleepy telecommunications regulator headlong into the maelstrom of a new Trump presidency. Beyond his plans to police social media platforms and aid space contracting in a way that would be a boon to Musk, the world’s wealthiest man, he has signaled openness to TV networks having their licenses revoked for perceived liberal bias. On Thursday, Carr called his letters to the four tech giants just a start, and promised further scrutiny of the companies in the coming years, both within the FCC and in partnership with other parts of the government. Conservatives including Trump and Carr have long accused social media companies of disproportionately suppressing their posts as they police rules against hate speech and misinformation. Carr said he planned to push forward on his plans after further huddling with Trump’s team to “make sure I understand 100% their agenda.” The FCC, an independent agency, has traditionally been a step removed from partisan politics - and White House direction - compared with some other federal departments. Its five commissioners, only three of whom can be from the same party, regulate TV and radio broadcasting, telephone and internet service providers, as well as satellites. Its chair is appointed by the president, a selection not subject to congressional confirmation. Carr - a protégé of Ajit Pai, the Republican FCC chairman during Trump’s first term - is likely to be a capable adversary to liberals, having demonstrated a knack for finding legal footholds to involve himself in political controversies of the moment. FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, a Democrat, said Thursday she planned to step down on Jan. 20. Carr will begin his chairmanship with the FCC split 2-2 between Republican and Democratic appointees; a GOP majority will be secured once Trump names a fifth tiebreaker commissioner, subject to Senate confirmation. No ‘sacred cows’ Carr’s aspirations have prompted some Democrats to voice concerns that his agenda may teeter into infringements on free speech and the media. “It is essential that every public servant honor the Constitution,” Rosenworcel said Thursday, when asked about her successor’s plans. “The FCC should not be in the business of taking away broadcast licenses if a public official does not like the content or coverage on that station.” After Trump complained about his rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, getting time on NBC’s Saturday Night Live, Carr discussed on Fox News the need to enforce equal time rules, saying, “one of the remedies ultimately would be license revocation.” The Commission has been averse to revoking licenses for decades, except in foreign ownership cases. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oreg., blasted Carr’s plans as an “authoritarian agenda” aimed at getting social media and TV broadcasters “to toe the far-right line or face the FCC’s wrath.” Carr defended his views on Thursday, saying broadcast licenses, which are issued by the FCC to TV and radio networks, are not “sacred cows.” “You know, Jeff Bezos had that op-ed right now saying that when it comes to reporters and journalists, trust in the industry is at an all-time low,” Carr said, referring to the owner of The Washington Post. “He has said that something needs to change. I think he’s right.” The most notable tool Carr has said he would use is Section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934, which accords internet companies a degree of legal immunity for hosting and moderating user content. In an unsuccessful push to reinterpret Section 230, conservatives during Trump’s first term argued that social media companies have used it as a legal shield to suppress right-leaning voices. Carr is determined to narrow that shield - and to make that stick this time. “It’s a scalpel approach,” Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, said. “He’s a very serious person, and he understands the pitfalls of some of the more sensational proposals.” Space fever Carr prizes his relationship with Musk, whose fortunes will depend in part on decisions the FCC makes in the next four years. SpaceX’s 6,400 Starlink satellites orbiting the Earth are currently the company’s cash cow, and the agency regulates them. Even before his trip to Texas this week with Trump and Musk, Carr has visited SpaceX sites repeatedly this year, including in August, when he donned a hardhat and sneakers to ascend the metal “chopsticks” tower that caught Starship’s rocket booster last month in a historic landing. Carr said he asked whether SpaceX engineers could erect a glass box atop the tower from which he could watch a rocket launch up close. Musk’s team demurred, unwilling to risk accidentally frying a commissioner. A range of pending applications before the FCC could make Starlink, far and away the world’s largest satellite system, more profitable and transform it into a full-on competitor to traditional phone and internet companies such as AT&T and Verizon. These include requests to more than quadruple Starlink’s number of satellites, to provide phone service along with internet service and to move Starlink satellites closer to Earth, allowing for faster network speeds. Carr’s friendly relationship with Musk, who backed and hailed the commissioner’s promotion and banters with him on X, has raised concerns from lawmakers and industry observers. “I have a serious problem with people who head the companies that are subject to regulation being the same ones who pick the regulators,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said. “That is a recipe for lawlessness.” Carr has accused the Biden administration of “regulatory lawfare” against Musk, including in the FCC disqualifying Starlink from $886 million in rural broadband subsidies a couple years ago on the grounds of the technology being too nascent. He also defended Musk’s acquisition of Twitter in 2022. “Elon Musk has transformed long-dormant industries,” Carr posted on X in August, with a photo of the two together. “It’s a great blueprint for reforming the Administrative State.” Kimberly Burke, director of government affairs for the consultancy Quilty Space, said Carr’s appointment could tip the FCC toward “a world in which nearly every SpaceX ask gets green-lit.” Carr pushed back on allegations of being too cozy with Musk, saying that he felt Democratic officials are the ones who have been biased. “If you look back at the last couple of years, there’s no question in my mind that your last name dictated how the government treated you,” Carr said. “A Soros-backed group got an unprecedented shortcut from the FCC to buy 200-plus radio stations, and nobody had any sort of curiosity or interest about how close Soros was with different people in the government.” Carr said he also supported Bezos’ satellite ambitions and visited Amazon’s fledgling satellite program, Project Kuiper, in Washington state a couple of months ago. Amazon has said it is investing more than $10 billion to build a satellite system that can compete against Starlink, but Kuiper has so far been mired in delays, with executives aiming to get an operational system in the air next year. “What is really important for the country is not any one company, it’s the LEO system,” Carr said, using the industry term for low Earth orbit satellites. “I use the word ‘Starlink’ a lot, but it’s more of a Kleenex type of a thing, as opposed to tissue paper, which is LEO. So, more tissue paper!” Legal roots Carr was born in 1979 and grew up in Washington legal circles. His father, Thomas Carr, was a white-collar criminal defense lawyer who relished complex legal matters and represented President Richard M. Nixon in a case his law firm code-named a “Very Challenging Opportunity.” After attending Georgetown, Carr got his law degree at Catholic University of America, then clerked for Judge Dennis W. Shedd in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, before joining the FCC general counsel’s office as an attorney working on wireless, international and public safety issues. David Horowitz, FCC assistant general counsel at the time, recalls Carr as a sharp young lawyer on his team. “He was a good team member, a smart guy,” Horowitz said. “He didn’t let politics get in the way of anything.” Carr was promoted to serve as an adviser to Pai in 2014, and shortly after started developing his public profile by experimenting with live-tweeting the FCC’s monthly meetings, a novelty at the time. His first tweet was an after-hours musing on an obscure aspect of radio spectrum auctions: “Foolish consistency may be the hobgoblin of little minds but deliberate inconsistency is the ogre of arbitrariness.” Trump appointed Carr in 2017 to the FCC’s five-person commission, where he has gained a reputation for sticking to his guns. Earlier this year, he filibustered for 33 minutes against the reinstatement of Obama-era net neutrality rules that would regulate internet service providers more like utilities, to the amusement and annoyance of the three Democratic commissioners, who outvoted him. Carr’s wife, Machalagh Carr, was former chief of staff for Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and last year founded the Alexandria-based consultancy Quell Strategies. The couple has three sons. Carr said Thursday that cutting red tape would be a priority, citing complaints from small satellite manufacturers that approvals take too long. “The chair (Rosenworcel) has done a great job setting up the Space Bureau,” he said. “But now we’ve got to inject some rocket fuel in that process and really start to go.”One Crowley ISD high school’s football season has come to an end, while another’s — just 3 miles away — will see at least one more game. Though Crowley High School fell to Denton Guyer High School Nov. 30 in a 44-7 loss in its Class 6A Division II regional, North Crowley High School advanced to the quarterfinals of the Class 6A Division I tournament after its Nov. 30 win against Coppell High School. North Crowley, located near the border of Fort Worth and Crowley, is the only public high school team from Fort Worth that still has a chance to win a trophy and bring a state championship to the city. Down 21-13 with just minutes remaining in the first half against Coppell, North Crowley found itself in unfamiliar territory. During the team’s historic 10-0 regular season — which propelled them to No. 9 in MaxPrep’s national high school football rankings — the Panthers had taken a losing score into halftime just once, against DeSoto High School in early September. The game ended with a 57-51 North Crowley win. Get essential daily news for the Fort Worth area. Sign up for insightful, in-depth stories — completely free. Since then, North Crowley has outscored opponents 622-125 on its path to the regional finals. In the final minutes of the first half, and the entirety of the second half of Saturday’s game, North Crowley outscored Coppell 21-3 on its way to a 35-24 win to reach the quarterfinals. The win forces a case of deja vu for the Panthers, who will take on Allen High School for the second year in a row at 2 p.m. Dec. 7. North Crowley, now 13-0, will aim to end its opponent’s similarly flawless season at Mansfield’s Vernon Newsom Stadium. Crowley High School, which has earned only eight seasons above a .500 win percentage out of its last 20, ended its historic 8-5 season with a loss to Denton Guyer High School. Crowley found itself down 30-0 at halftime and was never able to recover, scoring a single touchdown in the third quarter to avoid a shutout. Crowley High School senior Derrick Tasby Jr. catches a pass for a touchdown during a playoff matchup against Denton Guyer on Nov. 30, 2024. (Marshall Gardner | Cowtown Images) A member of the Crowley High School Mighty Eagle Band performs during halftime of a Nov. 30, 2024, playoff game against Denton Guyer. (Marshall Gardner | Cowtown Images) Crowley High School senior Jonathan Blake returns a Denton Guyer punt during a playoff matchup on Nov. 30, 2024. (Marshall Gardner | Cowtown Images) A member of the Crowley High School Talonettes dances during halftime at a Nov. 30, 2024, playoff game against Denton Guyer. (Marshall Gardner | Cowtown Images) Crowley High School quarterback Caleb Williams looks for a receiver down field during a Nov. 30, 2024, playoff game against Denton Guyer. The senior’s season ended with a 44-7 loss. (Marshall Gardner | Cowtown Images) Despite the loss, Crowley’s 8-5 record is the school’s best performance in football since the 2019-20 season, when the Eagles went 9-2 but lost to Colleyville Heritage High School in a bi-district playoff game. Though North Crowley High School is the final public high school team within Fort Worth still standing, one other Tarrant County school is still in the running. Southlake Carroll High School will face the team that ended Crowley High’s playoff hopes when it takes the field against Denton Guyer at 2:30 p.m. Dec. 7 in the Class 6A Division II quarterfinals. Matthew Sgroi is an education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at matthew.sgroi@fortworthreport.org or @matthewsgroi1 . At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here . Your support makes TRIPLE the impact today. Tomorrow is Giving Tuesday ! Don’t miss your chance to triple your impact and support local news. Every gift up to $5,000 will be tripled before 11:59 PM on Dec. 3! Related Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative for adhering to standards for ethical journalism . 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You can only publish select stories individually — not as a collection. Any web site our stories appear on must include a contact for your organization. If you share our stories on social media, please tag us in your posts using @FortWorthReport on Facebook and @FortWorthReport on Twitter. by Matthew Sgroi, Fort Worth Report December 2, 2024

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Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi, who was jailed for involvement in nationwide protests, has been released from prison after serving his term, the judiciary said. Salehi, 34, was arrested in October 2022 after publicly backing demonstrations that erupted a month earlier, triggered by the death in custody of Iranian Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini. The singer had used his songs and social media to back the protests that followed Amini’s death days after her arrest for an alleged breach of the Islamic republic’s strict dress code for women. “Toomaj Salehi, sentenced to one year in prison for propaganda against the political system, was released on Sunday after serving his sentence,” the judiciary’s Mizan Online website said. His defence team said he had been charged with “inciting sedition, gathering, conspiracy, propaganda against the system and calling for riots” during the months-long protests. The demonstrations saw hundreds of people killed, including dozens of security personnel. Thousands were arrested as authorities moved to quell what they branded foreign-instigated “riots”. In January, another singer, Mehdi Yarrahi, who criticized the headscarf requirement for women, was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison on multiple charges. The court later changed Yarrahi’s sentence to home confinement due to health issues. Iran has executed 10 men in protest-related cases involving killings and other violence against the security forces. Covering the neck and head has been compulsory for women in Iran since 1983, following the 1979 Islamic Revolution. — AFP

NEW YORK , Dec. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of common stock of Enphase Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENPH) between April 25, 2023 and October 22, 2024 , both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important February 11, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline. So what: If you purchased Enphase securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. What to do next: To join the Enphase class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=25593 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than February 11, 2025 . A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. Why Rosen Law: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. Details of the case: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts, about Enphase's business and operations. Specifically, defendants systematically overstated Enphase's ability to maintain its pricing levels and market share for microinverter products in Europe in the face of competition from low-cost, Chinese alternatives. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the Enphase class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=25593 https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=28116 call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm or on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm . Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/enph-investors-have-opportunity-to-lead-enphase-energy-inc-securities-fraud-lawsuit-302338939.html SOURCE THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P. A.Vikings’ Brian Flores: Rookie edge rusher Dallas Turner can ‘get to wherever he wants to’ based on his talent

Tired of thinking about what gifts to get everyone this year? Artificial intelligence chatbots might help, but don't expect them to do all the work or always give you the right answers. Anyone scouring the internet for Cyber Monday deals is likely going to encounter more conversational iterations of the chatbots that some retailers and e-commerce sites have built to provide shoppers with enhanced customer service. Some companies have integrated models infused with newer generative AI technologies, allowing shoppers to seek advice by asking naturally phrased questions like “What's the best wireless speaker?” Retailers hope consumers use these chatbots, which are typically called shopping assistants - as virtual companions that help them discover or compare products. Prior chatbots were mostly used for task-oriented functions such as helping customers track down online orders or return ones that didn't meet expectations. Amazon , the king of online retail, has said its customers have been questioning Rufus - the generative AI- powered shopping assistant it launched this year - for information such as whether a specific coffee maker is easy to clean, or what recommendations it has for a lawn game for a child's birthday party. And Rufus, which is available for holiday shoppers in the U.S. and some other countries, is not the only shopping assistant out there. A select number of Walmart shoppers will have access this year to a similar chatbot the nation's largest retailer is testing in a few product categories, including toys and electronics. Perplexity AI added something new to the AI chat-shopping world last month by rolling out a feature on its AI-powered search engine that enables users to ask a question like “What's the best women's leather boots?" and then receive specific product results that the San Francisco-based company says are not sponsored. “It has been adopted at pretty incredible scale,” Mike Mallazzo, an analyst and writer at retail research media company Future Commerce, said. Retailers with websites and e-commerce companies started paying more attention to chatbots when use of ChatGPT , an artificial intelligence text chatbot made by the company OpenAI, went mainstream in late 2022, sparking public and business interest in the generative AI technology that powers the tool. Victoria’s Secret, IKEA, Instacart and the Canadian retailer Ssense are among other companies experimenting with chatbots, some of which use technology from OpenAI . Even before the improved chatbots, online retailers were creating product recommendations based on a customer's prior purchases or search history. Amazon was at the forefront of having recommendations on its platform, so Rufus' ability to provide some is not particularly groundbreaking. But Rajiv Mehta, the vice president of search and conversational shopping at Amazon, said the company is able to offer more helpful recommendations now by programming Rufus to ask clarifying or follow-up questions. Customers are also using Rufus to look for deals, some of which are personalized, Mehta said. To be sure, chatbots are prone to hallucinations, so Rufus and most of the tools like it can get things wrong . Juozas Kaziukenas, founder of e-commerce intelligence firm Marketplace Pulse, wrote in a November blog post that his firm tested Rufus by requesting gaming TV recommendations. The chatbot's response included products that were not TVs. When asked for the least expensive options, Rufus came back with suggestions that weren't the cheapest, Kaziukenas said. An Associated Press reporter recently asked Rufus to give some gift recommendations for a brother. The chatbot quickly spit out a few ideas for “thoughtful gifts," ranging from a T-shirt and a keychain with charms to a bolder suggestion: a multifunctional knife engraved with the phrase “BEST BROTHER EVER.” After a 5-minute written conversation, Rufus offered more tailored suggestions - a few Barcelona soccer jerseys sold by third-party sellers. But it wasn’t able to say which seller offered the lowest price. When asked during another search for a price comparison on a popular skin serum, Rufus showed the product's pre-discounted price instead of its present one. “Rufus is constantly learning,” Amazon's Mehta said during an interview. Shop AI, a chatbot that Canadian e-commerce company Shopify launched last year, can also help shoppers discover new products by asking its own questions, such as soliciting details about an intended gift recipient or features the buyer wants to avoid. Shop AI has trouble, however, recommending specific products or identifying the lowest-priced item in a product category. The limitations show the technology is still in its infancy and has a long way to go before it becomes as useful as the retail industry - and many shoppers - wish it could be. To truly transform the shopping experience, shopping assistants will “need to be deeply personalized” and be able - on their own - to remember a customer’s order history, product preferences and purchasing habits, consulting giant McKinsey & Company said in an August report. Amazon has noted that Rufus' answers are based on information contained in product listings, community Q&As and customer reviews, which would include the fake reviews that are used to boost or diminish sales for products on its marketplace. The large language model that powers the chatbot was also trained on the company's entire catalog and some public information on the web, Trishul Chilimbi, an Amazon vice president who oversees AI research, wrote in the electrical engineering magazine IEEE Spectrum in October. But its unclear how Amazon and other companies are weighting different training components - such as reviews - in their recommendations, or how exactly the shopping assistants come up with them, according to Nicole Greene, an analyst at management consulting firm Gartner. Perplexity AI's new shopping feature allows users to enter search queries such as “best phone case" and to receive answers derived from various sources, including Amazon and other retailers, such as Best Buy. Perplexity also invited retailers to share data about their products and said those that do would have an increased chance of having their items recommended to shoppers. But Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas, suggested in a recent interview with Fortune magazine that he didn't know how the new shopping feature recommended products to customers. But in an interview with the AP, Chief Business Officer Dmitry Shevelenko pushed back on that characterization, saying Srinivas' comment “was probably taken out of context.” The context, he said, is that with generative AI technology “You can’t know in advance exactly what the output will be just based off of knowing what the inputs” are from the training materials. Shevelenko said retailers and brands need to know they can't have their products recommended in Perplexity's search engine because they're “jamming key words” into their websites or using different techniques to show up better on search results “The way you show up in an answer is by having a better product and better features,” he said.A Nebraska defensive leader from this season who had previously announced his return in 2025 has changed course and will transfer. Defensive end Jimari Butler said last week he intended to remain with the Huskers for a sixth and final year but pivoted Monday and will enter the portal. The 6-foot-5, 260-pounder from Alabama started 10 games this fall with 22 tackles and a fumble recovery. His seven stops for loss are third most on the team and his 371 defensive snaps were 10th most among the Blackshirts. Butler last week laid out why he would stay with NU once more, describing plans to get a master’s degree in criminal justice after talking with his mother and evaluating his NFL draft stock. He reflected on his previous dalliance with the portal – he entered when Nebraska made a coaching change at the end of the 2022 season but ultimately stayed. “It was kind of a panic move because I didn’t know what to expect,” Butler said. “But I’ve seen my growth as a player and I just wanted to give it another year.” The pivot came in the wake of defensive coordinator leaving to take the same position at Florida State. Butler is the fourth Husker to turn to the portal Monday and second defensive lineman after rotational player Vincent Jackson. Butler’s departure means all three of NU’s starting D-linemen are moving on after seniors Ty Robinson and Nash Hutmacher exhaust their eligibility following the upcoming bowl game. Junior lineman Elijah Jeudy indicated Sunday he would return for his senior year. Asked why so many players stayed with Nebraska last offseason, Butler called the culture “a different vibe.” “It’s more family-oriented,” Butler said. “But you eat what you kill in the program so if you produce you’re going to play.” Butler has appeared in 37 career games with 65 tackles and 17 TFLs in three-plus seasons as a steady contributor. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

STILLWATER — Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon declared for the 2025 NFL Draft on Friday. “It’s been an amazing run,” Gordon posted on X. “From day one I knew I was in the right place. The love, support, and family I’ve gained here will always be a part of me. ... Now it’s time to take the next step in living out my dream. I’m excited to announce that I am officially declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft.” Although everyone around Stillwater and many elsewhere believed Gordon would declare for the draft following the season, a potential return wouldn’t have been the first time he defied conventional expectations. When Oklahoma State’s season began to go downhill this fall, national analysts suggested Gordon should sit out the rest of the season to protect his health and long-term goals and got picked up by others, including some OSU fans online. People are also reading... How did Oklahoma flip Cowboys QB commit less than 48 hours before signing day? Bill Haisten: As OSU regents meet, Mike Gundy’s contract should be a hot topic In a flash, OU loses a receiver to the portal and another from its 2025 recruiting class Ben Arbuckle is the new OU offensive coordinator. Have Sooners found the next Lincoln Riley? New abandoned shopping cart retrieval program draws criticism from outgoing city councilor Court 'bulldozes' tribal law in Tulsa case over jurisdiction, attorney says Meet Oklahoma's complete 2025 class. 5-star OT commits to Oklahoma Bill Haisten: Cooper Parker and the Bixby Spartans are at home in a new, $12M facility Stitt fires Cabinet secretary at odds with governor's stance on poultry lawsuit Berry Tramel: Extreme makeover needed for OSU football after thrashing by Colorado 10 potential candidates to replace Kasey Dunn as offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State A hairstylist’s assist, ‘divine intervention’ and $2.2 million for Inola High School Deep into Week 2, new names emerge in Tulsa football coaching search Berry Tramel: Jackson Arnold shows OU should save its high-end shopping for the portal Jenks football coach Keith Riggs resigns; DC Adam Gaylor named Trojans head coach “You know, my mom always taught me that you finish what you start,” Gordon said when asked why he stuck it out. “And who would I be to give up on my team, because our season not going how we wanted to go? ... They wasted their breath saying it because I’m not giving up on my team.” Even following what appeared to be a devastating injury at BYU that left Gordon unable to leave the field without assistance, the back returned and even converted a fourth-and-1 on a drive that gave Oklahoma State a lead in the final minutes. At times, it might have felt like Gordon’s efforts were futile, given how difficult it was for the Cowboys to run the ball, but he still finished with 880 rushing yards and averaged 4.6 yards per carry. He also scored 13 rushing touchdowns and one receiving. Where Gordon’s career ranks in the school record books: Sixth in rushing touchdowns (36) Tied for eighth in total touchdowns (39) 10th in rushing yards per game (90) 10th in yards per carry (5.56) Gordon is the second OSU player to declare he's leaving early for the pros. Linebacker Nick Martin made a similar decision earlier this week. “This program means a lot,” Gordon told reporters following his final home game. “Just from the coaches — you know, coach (Mike) Gundy taking me in and treating me like I’m his own son. He never treated us different from Gunnar or his other boy, Gage. But it's just the coaching staff, especially coach (John) Woz(niak). Coach Woz took me under his wing early, and that’s my dog. I feel like it’ll be weird without him. I love Coach Woz. He treats me like I’m his son, and I just love him.”Tweet Facebook Mail As the hunt for a masked gunman who stalked and killed the head of the largest US health insurer moved into its third day overnight, surveillance footage provided more clues about the suspect's travels and the places he visited before the shooting. UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was killed in a dawn ambush on Wednesday as he walked from his midtown hotel to the company's annual investor conference across the street, just blocks from Radio City Music Hall and Rockefeller Centre. Days later, the gunman's whereabouts and identity remained unknown as did the reason for the killing. New York City police say evidence firmly points to it being a targeted attack. Investigators were working to piece together more of the timeline of the gunman's movements before the shooting. READ MORE: Romania's top court annuls first round of presidential vote won by far-right candidate  Images of a man believed to have killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson have been released. (AP) Police have obtained new surveillance images of the suspect, including from the city's subway system, a law enforcement official said. In establishments where he was captured on camera, he always appeared to pay with cash, said the official, who was not authorised to discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. The words "deny," "defend" and "depose" were scrawled on the ammunition, that official and a second one told the AP on Thursday. The messages mirror the phrase "delay, deny, defend," which is commonly used by lawyers and critics about insurers that delay payments, deny claims and defend their actions. READ MORE: Three climbers believed to have died in a fall on New Zealand's highest peak  The man may have travelled on a bus to New York in November. (AP) Investigators believe the suspect may have traveled to New York last month on a bus that originated in Atlanta, one of the law enforcement officials said. An Atlanta police spokesperson said Friday that the agency has not been asked to join the investigation. Police and federal agents have been collecting information from Greyhound to try to identify the suspect and are working to determine whether he purchased the ticket to New York in late November, the official said. Investigators have tested a discarded water bottle and protein bar wrapper in a hunt for his DNA. They also were trying to obtain additional information from a cellphone recovered from a pedestrian plaza where the shooter fled. He then got on a bicycle and was last seen riding into Central Park, blocks from the shooting. READ MORE: 'A third nuclear age is upon us': Military expert's chilling warning  Thompson was shot in what police believe was a targeted attack. (AP) Police released photos Thursday of a person wanted for questioning in connection with Thompson's killing that were taken in the lobby of a hostel on on Manhattan's Upper West Side. The images, showing an unmasked man smiling in the lobby of the HI New York City hostel, add to a collection of photos and video circulated since the shooting — including footage of the attack itself, as well as images of the suspected gunman stopping at a Starbucks beforehand. Investigators have learned the man lowered his mask at the front desk of the hostel because he was flirting with the woman who checked him in, one of the law enforcement officials told the AP, leading to a photo of his face. The woman told investigators that during that encounter she asked to see his smile and he pulled down his mask, the official said. Investigators believe the suspect used a fake New Jersey identification card when he checked in at the hostel, the official said. This undated photo provided by UnitedHealth Group shows UnitedHealthcare chief executive officer Brian Thompson. (AP Photo/UnitedHealth Group via AP) (UnitedHealth Group) Employees who work at the hostel told investigators they remembered a man who almost always wore a mask when interacting with them or walking by the front desk. The person wore a jacket that looked like the one worn by the man pictured in surveillance images, the official said. Based on surveillance video and evidence from the scene, investigators believe the shooter had at least some firearms training and experience with guns and that the weapon was equipped with a silencer, the law enforcement official told the AP. Security video shows the killer approaching Thompson from behind, leveling his pistol and firing several shots, barely pausing to clear a gun jam while the executive tumbled to the sidewalk. Investigators were also looking into whether the suspect had pre-positioned a bike as part of an escape plan, the official said. Police released several images of the man wearing a hooded jacket and a mask that concealed most of his face — a look that would not have attracted attention on a chilly morning. Thompson, a father of two sons who lived in a Minneapolis suburb, had been with Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealthcare since 2004 and served as CEO for more than three years. The insurer's parent company, UnitedHealth Group Inc, was holding its annual meeting in New York to update investors on its direction and expectations for the coming year. The company abruptly ended the conference after Thompson's death. UnitedHealth Group said late Thursday that it was focused on supporting Thompson's family, ensuring the safety of employees and assisting investigators. "While our hearts are broken, we have been touched by the huge outpouring of kindness and support in the hours since this horrific crime took place," the company said. UnitedHealthcare provides coverage for more than 49 million Americans and brought in more than US$281 billion ($440.7 billion) in revenue last year. It is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans in the US and manages health insurance coverage for employers and state and federally funded Medicaid programs. In October, UnitedHealthcare was named along with Humana and CVS in a Senate report detailing how its denial rate for prior authorisations for some Medicare Advantage patients has surged in recent years. The shooting has shaken corporate America and the health insurance industry in particular, causing companies to reevaluate security plans and delete photos and biographies of executives from their websites. A different Minnesota-based health care company said Friday it was temporarily closing its offices out of an abundance of caution, telling employees to work from home. 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Showcases Robust Development and Commitment to Sustainable Mobility Solutions MUNICH, Dec. 06, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The solar technology company Sono Group N.V. ( OTCQB: SEVCF ) (hereafter referred to as "Sono” or the "Company”, parent company to Sono Motors GmbH or "Sono Motors”) today announced its financial results for the first six months of 2024, highlighting a €60.6 million profit and its recovery following its exit from insolvency earlier this year. Key financial highlights Managing Director, CEO and CFO George O'Leary said, "We believe our results demonstrate the resilience of our business model and the effectiveness of our strategic pivot to solar retrofit solutions. We see the €60.6 million profit and successful exit from insolvency mark as a key turning point for Sono, setting the stage for sustainable growth.” The Company remains committed to advancing its solar integration technology, providing scalable solutions for the transportation sector and reducing dependence on fossil fuels. For more information about Sono Group N.V., Sono Motors GmbH and their solar solutions, visit sonogroupnv.com and sonomotors.com . ABOUT SONO GROUP N.V. Sono Group N.V. ( OTCQB: SEVCF ) and its wholly-owned subsidiary Sono Motors GmbH are on a pioneering mission to accelerate the revolution of mobility by making every commercial vehicle solar. Our disruptive solar technology has been developed to enable seamless integration into all types of commercial vehicles to reduce the impact of CO2 emissions and pave the way for climate-friendly mobility. CONTACT: Press: [email protected] | ir.sonomotors.com/news-events Investors: [email protected] | ir.sonomotors.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sonogroupnv FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release may contain forward-looking statements. The words "expect", "anticipate", "intend", "plan", "estimate", "aim", "forecast", "project", "target", "will” and similar expressions (or their negative) identify certain of these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are statements regarding the intentions, beliefs, or current expectations of the Company and Sono Motors (together, the "companies”). Forward-looking statements involve inherent known and unknown risks, uncertainties and contingencies because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the future and could cause the companies' actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions include, but are not limited to, risks, uncertainties and assumptions with respect to: our ability to access the unfunded portion of the investment from YA II PN, Ltd. ("Yorkville”), including our ability to successfully comply with the agreements related thereto and the absence of any termination event or any event of default; our ability to maintain relationships with creditors, suppliers, service providers, customers, employees and other third parties in light of the performance and credit risks associated with our constrained liquidity position and capital structure; our status as a foreign private issuer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; our ability to comply with OTCQB continuing standards, as well as our ability to have our shares admitted to trading on a national stock exchange, including the Nasdaq Capital Market, in the future; our ability to enter into a definitive agreement with Yorkville with respect to the conversion of outstanding debt into equity through the issuance of preferred shares; our ability to achieve our stated goals; our strategies, plan, objectives and goals, including, among others, the successful implementation and management of the pivot of our business to exclusively retrofitting and integrating our solar technology onto third party vehicles; our ability to raise the additional funding required beyond the investment from Yorkville to further develop and commercialize our solar technology and business as well as to continue as a going concern. For additional information concerning some of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could affect our forward-looking statements, please refer to our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC”), including our Annual Report on Form 20-F, which are accessible on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov and on our website at ir.sonomotors.com. Many of these risks and uncertainties relate to factors that are beyond our ability to control or estimate precisely, such as the actions of courts, regulatory authorities and other factors. Readers should therefore not place undue reliance on these statements, particularly not in connection with any contract or investment decision. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. FINANCIAL RESULTS (amounts in thousands, except share and per share data) INCOME STATEMENT (unaudited) (unaudited) FOR THE PERIOD PER SHARE IN EUR 2024 Unaudited 2023 Audited

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What a wonderful cause for festivity romance makes! I may be traditional, but I believe our hearts were designed to be full. I wish us all the completeness of loving and being loved back. But indeed, the question stands .... What will it take? After all, you can not reap what you did not sow. Yes, we all wish to be loved. We all yearn for the assurance that someone will see us, accept us, make space for us, believe in us, defend and uplift us, appreciate our efforts and value our presence. Yet, paralysed with the fear of vulnerability, unable to take a leap of faith into the newness of marriage, some may be afraid to love or re-love with abandon and to make a lifelong commitment. We witness comments made from self-imposed sidelines. The tales of success stories can often be drowned out by those of disappointment. To be exposed to some of the modern popular discourse on marriage is deeply perplexing and perhaps discouraging. Much of the youth reports itself disillusioned with the institution of marriage, as if failure or regret were its status quo. But there are no dividends to be collected from investments that were not made, in good faith. A home that is not built brick by brick can not shelter you; a home in which love is not poured can not love you back. To refute “difference” in love is to doom this love to failure. What if marriage were a divine calling? Just as the “Yin” is perfectly balanced by its “Yang”, the day requires the companionship of the night. What if opposites actually did attract? What if pairs, different but complementary, were meant to find each other, to love each other in spite of their imperfections, to improve each other? While self-love is important, what would the world look like, if we just married ourselves, enabled ourselves, with no counter-balance to mitigate our flaws? What a narcissistic world this would be! What if a healthy marriage were always worth its price? The values that the human race has espoused over millennia of civilisation - such as the institution of marriage - are not a collective “bad call”, but the legacy of eons of living, studying and attempting to better the human experience. Man and woman finding each other is the very source of life. But when we fail to see the divine beauty of a selfless union, marriage becomes a heavy, spiky cross to carry. Marriage does indeed entail sacrifice; the very symbolism of giving one’s self at the altar involves a death by sacrifice of the old self or ego, to be reborn as shared flesh, between two people united by the force of love, and worthy of such a gift. Know that ultimately, this mutual sacrifice will fulfill them both. No, the wedding itself does not seal the deal. Existing as part of a unit will require transformation, and this unit can only remain solid through commitment to growth; honest communication, understanding and compassion. It flourishes in acknowledgement, recognition, acceptance, and respect for differences. It lives in the embracing of complementary qualities and in continued renewal and adaptation. What if we reconciled traditional, enduring values with modernity? Compromised family values strike me as both a symptom and an effect of a society in decline. Who gave marriage a bad name? Families are not a trap; they are a blessing. When from the love of a partner, is born the lovingness with which your infant child clutches your finger. When from the love of a spouse, is built the drive to always do better professionally. When from vows of lifelong commitment, families and communities are successfully accompanied through dark times, I wonder....is treasure relinquished or gained from choosing a life partner and remaining loyal to our homes? But perhaps our times were somewhat simpler. These days, people are flooded, through screens designed to keep their gazes fixed, with images of pastures seemingly greener than the ones they have. Filtered and edited beauty, glamorous lifestyles of suspicious perfection, theatrical acts of ideal romance appear before a dreamy youth, creating the illusion of infinite choice. No actual person possesses the”blueprint” of perfectness, of the intriguing stranger, who carefully selects their best moments to assure the internet, or television, of the desirability of their appearance and character. No couple navigates their love, immune from occasions that require patience and maturity. Nothing worthwhile, whether studies, a career, a friendship, the transformation of a country, or the making of family, can be achieved without the overcoming of challenges, and the sometimes difficult choice of sticking to the carefully crafted plan. What if to love a spouse, was to espouse personal responsibility? Politics and even spirituality can only do so much to place happiness into our homes. As autonomous beings, it is ultimately through our choices and actions that we can choose to build healthy, loving homes for ourselves and, most importantly, for our children. Even in the most loving of homes, reason must supercede passion, and reflection should always outweigh the need for gratification. After all ... what logic is there in squandering familial welfare, to feel a sense of youthful independence, or to have the upper hand over our significant other? Note that toxicity can erode even the most precious bond, destroying the mental and physical health of everyone exposed. Who really wins an argument that breaks a home? When properly accompanied, families can perform miracles, survive early years of challenging adaptation and build a legacy. Afterall, honouring the blessing of our families takes the wealth within: to thrive, children primarily need quality time, care, attention, and healthy exchange with both their parents. Indeed, the number of adults with fond memories of humble yet loving homes can attest to this. Parents will be parents.... advice will be given This holiday season, may we be responsible, intentional, accountable, in festivities, as in love! I share the lessons that time has allowed me, in the hope that they will equip this country’s children, whom I shall always love devotedly, with the best tools and skills for success in life. A family overcomes seasons together. One may either choose for their marriage to be sacred, or just a meaningless farce ... but nothing in between. When selecting the potential parent of your child, opt for the person who embodies the values you wish to inculcate in your child; accepting that no one is perfect, for after all, neither are you. It takes work, but it is a labour of love. Treat your partner with the same gentleness and patience you hope someone will one day give your child While the two of you will grow and encounter unforeseen life-changing challenges which will test your faith in each other, you must not fear starting this adventure as you would want to finish it, cultivating values of friendship, true companionship, and never compromising each other’s dignity. Love as you wish to be loved. Trade romance cynicism, for purposeful optimism. The Rwanda We Want starts with the Rwandan families we want, and for this, the power is indeed yours. Let us share the tools for success that we have established, cross-generationally, encouraging conversations between couples and families in all stages of their lives. Know that parents as we may be, we wish to hear from the youth, not just for our information, but for equal inspiration. As it pertains to healthy unions, as it pertains to the thriving of Rwandan families, our doors will always remain open to your insights, your queries, your observations, and your wisdom. Thank you for reading, and thank you for loving! Happy holidays, and may our new couples’ homes remain havens of peace and love! The writer is the First Lady of Rwanda", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jeannette Kagame" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "The New Times", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/", "sameAs": ["https://www.facebook.com/TheNewTimesRwanda/","https://twitter.com/NewTimesRwanda","https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuZbZj6DF9zWXpdZVceDZkg"], "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "/theme_newtimes/images/logo.png", "width": 270, "height": 57 } }, "copyrightHolder": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "The New Times", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/" } }

AP News Summary at 6:46 p.m. ESTTopline President-elect Donald Trump confirmed his continued support of Pete Hegseth as Defense secretary in a Truth Social post Friday, saying Hegseth will be a “fantastic” leader—a day after Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, added to Hegseth’s strained Senate confirmation battle by saying she’s isn’t ready to support him, while allegations of concerning drinking habits and sexual misconduct crop up for Hegseth. Timeline Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts : We’re launching text message alerts so you'll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here . What To Watch For Hegseth, or any cabinet nominee that requires Senate approval, can afford to lose only three Republican votes to be confirmed for the job as the GOP will hold a slim 53-47 majority beginning next year. Other GOP senators have expressed support for Hegseth, including Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., who told Politico after meeting with him that he is a “strong nominee” who “pledged that the Pentagon will focus on strength and hard power—not the current administration’s woke political agenda.” How Were The Sexual Assault Allegations Against Hegseth Made Public? The sexual assault allegations first surfaced in a memo sent to Trump’s transition team from a woman who said she was friends with the accuser. The memo was obtained by multiple news outlets several days after Hegseth was nominated by Trump on Nov. 12. What Are The Allegations About Hegseth’s Drinking? In addition to the NBC News report Tuesday in which his former Fox News colleagues raised concerns about his drinking—with two of them saying they smelled alcohol on him at least a dozen times before he went on air— The New Yorker published an article Sunday alleging he had been intoxicated at work in the past. The article alleged there was a whistle-blower reporter from when Hegseth was president of Concerned Veterans for America that said he was “repeatedly intoxicated while acting in his official capacity,” and that he had to be restrained at least once. The whistle-blower report also mentioned an incident in which Hegseth allegedly drunkenly chanted “Kill All Muslims!” while on an official tour in Ohio. Three people with knowledge of Hegseth’s time at CVA told The New Yorker he was forced to step down from his role there in part because of his abuse of alcohol on the job. What Is Hegseth’s Response To The Sexual Assault Allegations? Hegseth has firmly denied the allegations through his lawyer, Timothy Parlatore, who said Hegseth paid the woman a settlement in 2020 as part of a nondisclosure agreement. Parlatore said Hegseth entered into the agreement when he learned the woman and her husband hired a lawyer and told other people she planned to file a lawsuit against him. Hegseth told police he was intoxicated that night and did not know why the accuser returned to his hotel room with him, but that they had consensual sex, according to the police report. He said the woman, who was staying at the hotel with her husband, “showed early signs of regret” the next morning, and he assured her that he would not tell anyone about the encounter, the report states. Has Hegseth Been Charged With A Crime? No. Police recommended the case to the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office for review, but charges were never filed. What Are Hegseth’s Views On The Military? Hegseth—who served in the National Guard—has intensely criticized military leadership, castigating their handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal. He has also drawn controversy for criticizing diversity initiatives within the military, and calling for the dismissal of military leaders he believes are connected to “woke” policies. He has publicly and privately advocated for members of the military accused of war crimes. Meanwhile, The Guardian reported Hegseth wrote in his 2020 book “American Crusade” that if President Joe Biden won the election, the military and police would be “forced to make a choice” and that there would be “some form of civil war.” Trump has previously suggested he would use the military to go after domestic political opponents, which he described as “the enemy from within.” What Has Hegseth Said About Women In The Military? In his 2024 “The War on Warriors,” recapped by The Guardian , Hegseth wrote that only men should serve in combat roles. “If we’re going to send our boys to fight—and it should be boys—we need to unleash them to win,” he wrote, adding they need “to be the most ruthless” and “the most uncompromising. The most overwhelmingly lethal as they can be.” Hegseth reiterated his stance in a recent podcast, telling host Shawn Ryan on Nov. 7 “I’m straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles. It hasn’t made us more effective.” What Has Trump Said About Hegseth? Trump called Hegseth a “warrior” and “a true believer in America First” in a statement announcing the nomination on Nov. 12. The statement touts his service in the Army National Guard and his deployments to Guantanamo Bay, Iraq and Afghanistan, along with his eight years as a Fox News host. A spokesperson for Trump’s transition team told the Associated Press in response to the police report being made public that it “corroborates what Mr. Hegseth’s attorneys have said all along: the incident was fully investigated and no charges were filed because police found the allegations to be false.” The police report does not say whether officials made a determination about the allegations. Further Reading New Sexual Assault Allegation Details Against Pete Hegseth Emerge: Here’s What To Know As Trump Defends Defense Secretary Nominee (Forbes) Police Report Details 2017 Sexual Assault Allegation Against Pete Hegseth (Forbes) Trump’s Defense Secretary Pick Pete Hegseth Named In 2017 Sexual Assault Probe (Forbes)