‘AI-powered Weapons Depersonalise the Violence, Making It Easier for the Military to Approve More Destruction’As tensions continue between India and Bangladesh, with Bangladeshi media trying its best to push the false narrative that India is about to attack Bangladesh, it is important to understand that beneath the veneer of the anti-India rhetoric that Bangladesh is trying to rake up, there is a sinister plot that is gradually taking shape, which may create a 30- year long headache for India. India does face a massive threat of beginning of a long drawn asymmetric war, terrorism in other words, that may emanate from Bangladesh, and which may severely threaten India’s tranquility in the whole of Eastern side. India’s enemy is not the people of Bangladesh. After all, thousands of personnel of Indian Armed Forces, sacrificed their lives for creation of Bangladesh as a sovereign nation. However, India’s concerns are about those who are hatching a dangerous conspiracy to turn Bangladesh into another Pakistan, for launching major terror attacks on India from the eastern side, to choke India’s chicken neck corridor, and plotting to annex the Northeastern states of India. It must be remembered that the illegal infiltration that happens in India from Bangladesh, is not by default, but potentially by design to deliberately alter demography in areas adjoining the international border, and then use that as a ground to push more infiltrators into other parts of India. If one looks at how crores of illegal infiltrators have entered India, this is precisely the process, albeit along with an entire ecosystem out there, to facilitate the illegals get Aadhar ID Card, Voter ID Card, and Ration Card, so that they can then claim them to be legal inhabitants of India. Unfortunately, this has continued in India for far too long with impunity, and with grave consequences for future. In the recent past, former Member of Parliament Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, from Congress Party, who has won several elections from the Berhampore constituency in the district of Murshidabad in West Bengal, has warned about the severe threat that may emanate from Bangladesh for the districts of Murshidabad, Malda and Dinajpur, owing to them being Muslim majority districts, and which may be claimed by Bangladesh as part of ‘Extended Bangladesh’. This may seem preposterous today, but its potential possibility cannot be ruled out given the fact that many in Bangladesh, from the elite intellectuals to the members of Islamist groups, believe that partition of Bangladesh has been ‘incomplete’ and that many parts of India in the eastern side, including West Bengal, Northeast, perhaps even Bihar and Jharkhand are theirs, as per them. Even though Bangladesh cannot become a military threat to India, there is a strong possibility that in those districts, as warned by Adhir Chowdhury, Bangladesh based terror organizations, may resort to terror attacks, and create a Kashmir kind of situation. That possibility cannot be ruled out even for those parts of Assam which has a significant Bengali speaking Muslim population, and may be similarly claimed by certain radical extremist elements in Bangladesh, as theirs’s. On the December 16 this year, even as the Independence Day celebrations in Bangladesh remained muted, Mahfuz Alam, considered to be one of the most powerful persons in the Yunus run interim government, and the ‘mastermind’ of the 2024 Student Protests in Bangladesh that led to ouster of Sheikh Hasina, made a Facebook post where he claimed that Bangladesh must expand geographically to be ‘truly victorious, independent and liberated’. The Facebook post of his, which he later deleted, showed map of Eastern parts of India, including West Bengal and Northeast India. He also stated that work on the same ‘has just begun’! Mahfuz Alam is no ordinary Bangladeshi, but a top Advisor in the Yunus Government. He is a hardline Islamist, and thus what he stated, in fact resonates considerably with the apprehension that has been stated by Adhir Chowdhury about threat to Malda, Murshidabad and Dinajpur. Not only Yunus Government remained silent on the whole issue, an indication of complicity, what is of bigger concern is the manner in which Yunus Government has given a free run to the hardline Islamist groups inside Bangladesh. Yunus facilitated release of many such extremists from jail, who pose a direct threat to security, safety and sovereignty of India. Jashimuddin Rahmani is one such example. The hardline Islamist cleric, who heads the terror outfit Ansarullah Bangla Tiger (ABT), has given direct threats to India, warned about closing Siliguri Corridor, disintegrate India, join hands with separatists to wage terrorism in Punjab, Kashmir, and Northeast. Also, under Yunus Government, those convicted and sentenced to death in the 10-truck arms haul case in Chittagong, that were allegedly meant to be shipped to insurgent groups operating in Northeast India, were acquitted, which includes former State Minister for Home Affairs, Lutfozzaman Babar. The death sentence of Paresh Barua, military commander of ULFA, was also commuted to life sentence. Also, the decision by Yunus Government to ease the visa requirements, including doing away with security clearances for visiting Pakistanis, stinks of an ominous agenda to give ISI a free run in Bangladesh, and prepare the ground for major anti-India operations including terror attacks, rioting, pushing of illegal currencies, targeting of critical infrastructures, and infiltrating more Bangladeshis illegally into India to further change the demography. If one looks at the post of Mahfuz Alam, threats of Jashimuddin Rahmani, actions of Yunus Government, and the planned manner in which anti-India sentiments are being cultivated, then one is compelled to believe that the apprehensions of Adhir Chowdhury are genuine, and India has to completely recalibrate its Bangladesh policy, especially from the perspective of border management. It is also clear that Pakistan being on the verge of implosion, Kashmir issue being almost settled by Modi Government, and Western Deep State elements having failed to remove Modi Government from power, the Bangladesh plot was hatched, not for creating a better Bangladesh, but to create a major security challenge for India in the times to come, so that India cannot have an unhindered growth prospect forever. Against this backdrop, it is pertinent to consider what steps India must take to secure its eastern borders. In essence, for far too long, India’s security planners have been Pakistan centric. Threats to Eastern India, including the issues of demographic shift, and that this may emerge as a potential risk to India’s sovereignty, may not have been prioritized as a challenge for long. But now, the eastern parts of India, faces as much of grave threat as the western or northern borders face. India’s porous and open borders, with both Bangladesh and Nepal are major threats. They have been misused by India’s adversaries for far too long. India needs to immediately fence the Indo-Nepal Border, and completely sanitize Indo-Bangladesh border. While some ambitious work is being executed by Government of India to fence the Indo-Myanmar border, and certain most sensitive areas of Indo-Bangladesh border is also being fenced, issue is that the fencing has to happen on a war footing, and not be segregated as a decade long mission. If it is witnessed that land acquisition for fencing is becoming a problem, then Central Government must invoke emergency clauses to acquire land for fencing work, especially along the porous borders of West Bengal. As things stand today, along with measures for electronic surveillance in the porous areas, through application of technology, Government must on a priority basis massively expand the manpower of BSF. Given the emerging threat along the eastern borders, BSF may need 25-30 more battalions to completely sanitize the eastern borders. This is as important as making big ticket acquisitions like purchase of fighter jets, production of ballistic missiles or warships. It is extremely crucial for Government of India to change the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for BSF along the Indo-Bangladesh border. India needs to implement the same SOPs that are there for BSF while guarding the Indo-Pakistan border. The policy of use of non-lethal weapons must be changed. Any person whosoever, is trying to sneak into this side illegally must be treated as a ‘threat’ and dealt in the same manner in which intruders from across the border are treated along the Indo-Pakistan border. The threat from Bangladesh is for real and thus this change is a must. Government of India must create severe deterrence to prevent illegal infiltration. Any person caught while illegally crossing the border must be incarcerated with punishment which is not less than 10 years of rigorous imprisonment. Further, those who are found to be in possession of fake Aadhar Card or Ration Card, must be severely punished. In fact, India needs a new set of laws to severely penalize the entire ecosystem that provides fake identity cards to illegal infiltrators. Unless these measures are taken, tackling the emerging threat from Bangladesh would not be an easy task to deal with. The present architecture needs major upgrade.
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David Bonderman, co-founder of private equity firm TPG and co-owner of Seattle Kraken, dies at 82The company made the Best Places to Work in IT list for the third consecutive year and is ranked #2 in the Small Companies category. BALA CYNWYD, Pa. , Dec. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Tokio Marine North America Services (TMNAS) is one of the 2025 Best Places to Work in IT according to Foundry's Computerworld . TMNAS achieved the #2 ranking in the Small Companies category, its highest ranking to date and third straight year making the list. Beyond the #2 overall ranking, TMNAS was ranked #1 for Career Development and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. This award recognizes the top organizations that challenge their IT staff while providing great benefits and compensation. "We are extremely honored to have been recognized by Computerworld for the third year in a row," shared Bob Pick , Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer at TMNAS. "Our IT team plays a crucial role in driving success for Tokio Marine and we strive to ensure our employees feel supported and valued as well. We want them to learn and grow with us as technology capabilities and digital demand evolve." TMNAS provides professional services across the U.S. and Mexico to several of the North American businesses of the Tokio Marine Group . The company's IT department develops, maintains, and innovates digital technology solutions to deliver market-leading solutions, insights, and customer service 24/7. Their work helps support over 3,200 people, contributing to the generation of innovative solutions and leading to $5.5 billion in annual premium revenue. In addition to making the Best Places to Work in IT list, TMNAS has received several other top workplace honors. These include being named one of the Best and Brightest Companies to Work for In the Nation, Best Places to Work in Insurance, and Best Places to Work in PA. To learn more, visit TMNAS.com . About Tokio Marine North America Services Tokio Marine North America Services (TMNAS) was established in 2012 as the shared services company for Tokio Marine North America, Inc. (TMNA), the U.S. holding company for the Japan -based Tokio Marine Group. With headquarters located in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania , TMNAS provides value-added services to Tokio Marine Group companies including Philadelphia Insurance Companies (PHLY), First Insurance Company of Hawaii (FICOH), and Tokio Marine America (TMA) and its insurance companies. TMNAS' range of services includes Actuarial, Corporate Communications, Facilities, Finance & Accounting, Information Technology, Internal Audit, Human Resources, and Legal. These services deliver efficiency and innovation through the streamlining of processes, while building synergies across business units. For more information, please visit www.TMNAS.com . About the Best Places to Work in IT The Best Places to Work in IT list is an annual ranking of the top work environments for technology professionals by Foundry's Computerworld. The list is compiled based on a comprehensive questionnaire regarding company offerings in categories such as benefits, career development, DEI, future of work, training and retention. In addition, the rankings are reviewed and vetted by a panel of industry experts. About Computerworld Computerworld is the leading technology media brand empowering enterprise users and their managers, helping them create business advantage by skillfully exploiting today's abundantly powerful web, mobile, and desktop applications. Computerworld also offers guidance to IT managers tasked with optimizing client systems—and helps businesses revolutionize the customer and employee experience with new collaboration platforms. Computerworld's award-winning website ( www.computerworld.com ), strategic marketing solutions and research forms the hub of the world's largest global IT media network and provides opportunities for IT vendors to engage this audience. Computerworld is published by IDG. Communications, Inc. Company information is available at www.idg.com . Follow Computerworld on X: @Computerworld #BestPlacesIT Follow Computerworld on LinkedIn View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tokio-marine-north-america-services-named-one-of-computerworlds-2025-best-places-to-work-in-it-302328235.html SOURCE Tokio Marine North America Services © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Mystery drones won't interfere with Santa's work: US tracker
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Jim Rossman | Tribune News Service Cord cutting used to refer to abandoning pay TV and putting up an antenna to watch free over-the-air TV. Then cord cutting expanded to include streaming services like Netflix and Hulu and individual streaming sources. Now we also include streaming bundles, like YouTube TV or Hulu Live or DirecTV Stream. These bundled services mimic cable and satellite service, in that they have hundreds of channels. The ease or complexity of the cord cutting experience depends on how you have things set up. Let’s take a look at some gift options for your favorite cord cutter. As far as I know DirecTV is the only streaming bundle service that offers its own hardware. The Gemini Air is a small dongle that plugs into an HDMI port on your TV. It is paired with a remote control to allow for easy navigation. If you were an AT&T U-Verse TV customer, the Gemini Air/DirecTV Stream experience will be very familiar. The Gemini Air is a rarity in that it has number buttons. DirecTV Stream has the option of turning on channel numbers in the guide. I’ve used DirecTV Stream with my Roku TV and with the Gemini Air and the Air makes navigating the huge list of channels much easier. The Gemini Air runs the Google operating system, so you can see and use all your other streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Max and more. You can also load apps and games from the Google Play store. The Gemini Air connects to your home’s Wi-Fi network, and it can stream 4K content to your TV. The remote control has a microphone so you can use your voice to search or interact with Hey Google’s voice assistant. DirecTV Stream customers can get a free Gemini Air from AT&T with their service. Additional units are available for $120. There are lots of smart TV brands. Some run on the Roku operating system, some run Google TV and some use their own brand of smart TV apps. If you’d like to add Google TV to any set, you can get Google’s new TV Streamer (4K) for just $99 from store.google.com. The small device connects to your TV’s HDMI port. It also can connect to your home’s internet via Wi-Fi or wired Ethernet connection. The Google TV interface is not tied to any specific streaming service. You can use any streaming service or app that’s available on the Google Play store. It features a simple remote with voice control and the Google TV Streamer is also a hub and controller for Matter and Thread home devices that work with Google’s home ecosystem. If you use an over-the-air antenna for watching your free local channels, I’m betting you’d like the option to record those channels. TiVo used to be the best/easiest way to record OTA TV, but they’ve discontinued their OTA recorders. A great alternative is from TabloTV, which is a small box that you connect to your TV antenna. The TabloTV does not directly connect to your TV. Instead it connects to your home’s Wi-Fi, and the antenna signal is wirelessly sent to any TV or compatible device in your home. Your TV picks up the signal through a free app, which is compatible with smart TV brands like Samsung, LG, Google TV, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV or Android TV. This method is extremely handy if you don’t want to be bothered running an antenna wire from your attic or roof all the way to your TV. It’s also great if you want to use an indoor antenna, but your TV is not situated in a room that faces the broadcast towers. You can place the antenna and TabloTV where you get the best reception. The TabloTV comes in two models – with either two or four tuners. This means you can record or watch two or four shows at a time. TabloTV has onboard storage to record up to 50 hours of shows, but you can plug in any USB hard drive and expand to record thousands of hours of programming. You can also bundle a TabloTV with an OTA antenna if you like, or you can use your own antenna. Two things to know, there are no ongoing subscription costs for guide data, and there is no streaming service integration. You will need another way to add in streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. TabloTV models start at $99.95 for the two tuner model at tablotv.com. The four-tuner model is $139.95, but they may be on sale during the holidays. ©2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Penn State is seeded sixth, SMU is 11th in the upcoming college playoff. The two 11-2 teams meet at Beaver Stadium on Dec. 21. Kickoff is at noon. Will the visitors be ready for the noise of 110,000-plus fans and the winter cold that comes with traveling to State College? SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee believes so. “Never been to Happy Valley, excited for our kids to get a chance to compete in that kind of a road environment,” Lashlee said earlier this week in an interview with CBS Sports. “You know, we’ve got a 10-game road winning streak right now, and so it would be awesome to see if our guys could continue to travel and play well. It is good to be a noon kick, probably both for weather and crowd.” The Mustangs have won their last 10 regular-season games on the road. But SMU lost 34-31 to Clemson in the ACC championship game last Saturday in Charlotte, N.C., and Boston College beat the Mustangs 23-14 in the Fenway Bowl in 2023. Lashlee, in his third year, was named ACC Coach of the Year after SMU finished 8-0 in conference play. Lashlee said he is familiar with Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Allen and wary of trying to prepare for Andy Kotelnicki’s offense. Kotelnicki is in his first year with the Lions after an impressive run as the Kansas offensive coordinator. “I’ve got a lot of respect for James (Franklin),” Lashlee said. “I know Tom Allen, who’s their defensive coordinator, well. Offensively, they’re doing a lot of what they were doing at Kansas last year. Very multiple, exotic things they’re doing on offense. It’s going to be hard to prepare for. “Defensively, at home, they’re going to be a problem. They’ve got a big-time crowd.” Lashlee added: “I think the best thing that this new playoff brings, besides more teams like us getting in, is first-round games on college campuses. I think it’s awesome. “I know we’re having to go on the road and it’s going to be hard to win in that environment, but we’re fired up.” · BETTING: Check out our guide to the best PA sportsbooks , where our team of sports betting experts has reviewed the experience, payout speed, parlay options and quality of odds for multiple sportsbooks. · Sign up for the PennLive’s Penn State newsletters, the daily Penn State Today and the subscriber-exclusive Penn State Insider
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WASHINGTON — Only about 2 in 10 Americans approve of President Joe Biden's decision to pardon his son Hunter after earlier promising he would do no such thing, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. That displeasure tracks with the bipartisan uproar in Washington that ignited over the president's about-face. The survey found that a relatively small share of Americans "strongly" or "somewhat" approve of the pardon, which came after the younger Biden was convicted on gun and tax charges. About half said they "strongly" or "somewhat" disapprove, and about 2 in 10 neither approve nor disapprove. The Democratic president said repeatedly that he would not use his pardon power for the benefit of his family, and the White House continued to insist, even after Republican Donald Trump's election win in November, that Biden's position had not changed — until it suddenly did. People are also reading... Hunter Biden leaves federal court Sept. 5 in Los Angeles after pleading guilty to federal tax charges. Eric Thayer, Associated Press "I know it's not right to believe politicians as far as what they say compared to what they do, but he did explicitly say, 'I will not pardon my son,'" said Peter Prestia, a 59-year-old Republican from Woodland Park, New Jersey, just west of New York City, who said he strongly disagreed with the move. "So, it's just the fact that he went back on his word." In issuing a pardon Dec. 1, Biden argued that the Justice Department had presided over a "miscarriage of justice" in prosecuting his son. The president used some of the same kind of language that Trump does to describe the criminal cases against him and his other legal predicaments. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said it was a decision that Biden struggled with but came to shortly before he made the announcement, "because of how politically infected these cases were" as well as "what his political opponents were trying to do." The poll found that about 4 in 10 Democrats approve of the pardon, while about 3 in 10 disapprove and about one-quarter did not have an opinion or did not know enough to say. The vast majority of Republicans and about half of independents had a negative opinion. President Joe Biden and son Hunter Biden walk Nov. 29 in downtown Nantucket Mass. Jose Luis Magana, Associated Press For some, it was easy to see family taking priority over politics. "Do you have kids?" asked Robert Jenkins, a 63-year-old Democrat who runs a lumber yard and gas station in Gallipolis, Ohio. "You're gonna leave office and not pardon your kid? I mean, it's a no-brainer to me." But Prestia, who is semiretired from working for a digital marketing conglomerate, said Biden would have been better off not making promises. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts "He does have that right to pardon anybody he wants. But he just should have kept his mouth shut, and he did it because it was before the election, so it's just a bold-faced lie," Prestia said. Despite the unpopularity of his decision, the president's approval rating has not shifted meaningfully since before his party lost the White House to Trump. About 4 in 10 Americans "somewhat" or "strongly" approve of the way Biden is handling his job as president, which is about where his approval rating stood in AP-NORC polls since January 2022. Still, the pardon keeps creating political shock waves, with Republicans, and even some top Democrats, decrying it. Older adults are more likely than younger ones to approve of Biden's pardoning his son, according to the poll, though their support is not especially strong. About one-third of those ages 60 and older approve, compared with about 2 in 10 adults under 60. The age divide is driven partially by the fact that younger adults are more likely than older ones to say they neither approve nor disapprove of the pardon or that they do not know enough to say. President Joe Biden walks with his son Hunter Biden on July 26 as he heads toward Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. Susan Walsh, Associated Press About 6 in 10 white adults disapprove of the pardon, compared with slightly less than half of Hispanic adults and about 3 in 10 Black adults. Relatively large shares of Black and Hispanic Americans — about 3 in 10 — were neutral, the poll found. "Don't say you're gonna do something and then fall back," said Trinell Champ, 43, a Democrat from Nederland, Texas, who works in the home health industry and said she disapproved of the pardon. "At the end of the day, all you have is your word." Champ, who is Black, voted for Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris over Trump. "I just had my hopes up for her, but I wasn't 100% positive," she said. Champ also said she does not approve of Biden's handling of the presidency and thinks the country is on the wrong track. "While he was in office, I felt like I really didn't see a lot of changes," she said. "I just felt like everything just kind of stayed the same," Champ said. Overall, though, the pardon did not appear to be a driving factor in many Americans' assessment of Biden's job performance. The share of Black Americans who approve of the way he is handling his job as president did fall slightly since October, but it is hard to assess what role the pardon may have played. Photos: Joe Biden through the years Joe Biden, 1972 Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) carries both of his sons, Joseph R. III, left, and Robert H., during an appearance at the Democratic state convention last summer, 1972. At center is his wife Neilia Biden, who was killed in an auto crash, Dec. 20, 1972. With them are Governor-elect Sherman W. Tribbitt and his wife, Jeanne. (AP Photo) AP FILE Joe Biden, 1972 Joseph Biden, the newly-elected Democratic Senator from Delaware, is shown in Washington, Dec. 12, 1972. (AP Photo/Henry Griffin) AP FILE Joe Biden, 1972 1972 - Is first elected to the Senate at age 29, defeating Republican Senator J. Caleb Boggs. Wins re-election in 1978, 1984, 1990, 1996 and 2002. The newly-elected Democratic senator from Delaware, Joe Biden, is shown, Dec. 13, 1972. AP FILE Joe Biden, 1972 Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) kisses the cheek of an unidentified friend who offered consoling words after a memorial service in Wilmington, Del., Dec. 22, 1972, for Biden's wife Neilia, their 13-month-old daughter Naomi Christina, who perished in a car-truck crash. Biden's two sons were hospitalized with serious injuries. (AP Photo/Bill Ingraham) AP FILE Joe Biden, 1973 December 18, 1972 - While Christmas shopping, Biden's first wife, Neilia Hunter Biden, and daughter, Naomi Biden, are killed in a car accident. His sons are badly injured, but survive. January 5, 1973 - Is sworn in as US senator of Delaware at son Beau Biden's bedside in the hospital. In this Jan. 5, 1973 file photo, four-year-old Beau Biden, foreground, plays near his father, Joe Biden, center, being sworn in as the U.S. senator from Delaware, by Senate Secretary Frank Valeo, left, in ceremonies in a Wilmington hospital. Beau was injured in an accident that killed his mother and sister in December 1972. Biden's father, Robert Hunter, holds the Bible. (AP Photo/File) AP FILE Joe Biden, 1987 1987-1995 - Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, rubs his temples while speaking during confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Robert H. Bork, Sept. 17, 1987, on Capitol Hill. (AP Photo/John Duricka) AP FILE Joe Biden, 1987 June 9, 1987 - Enters the 1988 presidential race, but drops out three months later following reports of plagiarism and false claims about his academic record. Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) waves from his train as he leaves Wilmington, Del., after announcing his candidacy for president, June 9, 1987. At right, son Beau carries daughter; to Biden's right is his wife Jill and son Hunter. (AP Photo/George Widman) AP FILE Joe Biden, 1988 February 1988 - Undergoes surgery to repair an aneurysm in an artery that supplies blood to the brain. Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Del.), wearing a University of Delaware baseball cap, leaves Walter Reed Army Hospital accompanied by his son Hunter Biden, Thursday, March 24, 1988, Washington, D.C. Biden had been in the hospital for 11 days so that surgeons could implant a small umbrella-like filter in a vein to prevent blood clots from reaching his lungs. (AP Photo/Adele Starr) AP FILE Joe Biden, 1991 In this Oct. 12, 1991 file photo Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Joe Biden, D-Del., points angrily at Clarence Thomas during comments at the end of hearings on Thomas' nomination to the Supreme Court on Capitol Hill. Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. looks on at right. (AP Photo/Greg Gibson, File) AP FILE Joe Biden, 1993 January 20, 1990 - Introduces a bill that becomes the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The act addresses sexual assault and domestic violence. It is signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1994. Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.), left, stands behind a flag as Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), second from right, along with other congresswomen meet reporters on Capitol Hill, Feb. 24, 1993, to discuss the Violence Against Women Act. From left are: Sen. Biden; Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.); Rep. Pat Schroeder (D-Colo); Sen. Boxer; and Rep. Constance Morella of Maryland. (AP Photo/Barry Thumma) AP FILE Joe Biden, 1993 In this April 9, 1993, file photo Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del. stands in front of a Danish armored personnel carrier at the UN-controlled Sarajevo Airport, making a statement about his trip to the besieged Bosnian capital. (AP Photo/Michael Stravato, File) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2003 Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, meets reporters on Capitol Hill Thursday, Oct. 16, 2003 to discuss the United Nations-Iraq vote. (AP Photo/Terry Ashe) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2007 Democratic presidential hopeful, and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., presides over a hearing of the committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 1, 2007 to discuss the remaining options in Iraq. (AP Photo/Dennis Cook) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2007 Democratic presidential hopeful U.S. Sen. Joseph Biden D-Del., smiles during the Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO Presidential Forum Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2007, in Waterloo, Iowa. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2007 January 31, 2007 - Files a statement of candidacy with the Federal Elections Commission to run for president. August 1, 2007 - His memoir, "Promises to Keep: On Life and Politics," is published. Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., left, listens as Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., responds to a question during the first Democratic presidential primary debate of the 2008 election hosted by the South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, SC., Thursday, April 26, 2007. At right is Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-NY. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2008 Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., speaks at a Caucus night rally in Des Moines, Iowa, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2008. Biden abandoned his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination Thursday after a poor showing in the state's caucuses. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2008 In this Jan. 3, 2008, file photo, Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., rests his head on the shoulder of his wife, Jill, as they stand in a hallway awaiting his introductions for a rally at the UAW Hall in Dubuque, Iowa on the day of the Iowa caucus in Dubuque, Iowa. (AP Photo/Mark Hirsch, File) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2008 August 23, 2008 - Is named the vice-presidential running mate of Barack Obama. In this Aug. 23, 2008 file photo, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama D-Ill., and his vice presidential running mate Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., appear together in Springfield, Ill. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green, file) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2008 In this Sept. 16, 2008 file photo, then Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del. arrives by Amtrak in Wilmington, Del., (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2008 In this Oct. 2,2008 file photo, Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., left, and Republican vice presidential candidate Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin face off during the vice presidential debate at Washington University in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam, File) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2008 November 4, 2008 - Is elected vice president of the United States. President-elect Barack Obama, left, and Vice President-elect Joe Biden wave to the crowd after Obama's acceptance speech at his election night party at Grant Park in Chicago before giving his acceptance speech Tuesday night, Nov. 4, 2008. (AP Photo/Morry Gash) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2009 January 20, 2009 - Is sworn in as vice president of the United States. Vice President Joe Biden, left, with his wife Jill at his side, taking the oath of office from Justice John Paul Stevens at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2009 February 7, 2009 - Delivers his first major speech as vice president at a security conference in Germany. US Vice President Joe Biden addresses the participants of the International Conference on Security Policy, Sicherheitskonferenz, at the hotel "Bayerischer Hof" in Munich, southern Germany, on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009. AP FILE Joe Biden, 2010 September 1, 2010 - Presides over a ceremony in Iraq to formally mark the end of the US combat mission in Iraq. US Vice President Joe Biden, left, US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, center, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Admiral Mike Mullen, right, stand while the US National Anthem is played during the United States Forces-Iraq change of command ceremony in Baghdad on Wednesday Sept. 1, 2010, as a new US military mission in Iraq was launched ending seven years of combat. (AP Photo/Jim Watson Pool) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2012 November 6, 2012 - Obama and Biden are reelected, defeating Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan. Vice President Joe Biden exits with his wife Jill Biden after voting at Alexis I. duPont High School, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012, in Greenville, Del. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2013 Vice President Joe Biden, with his wife Jill Biden, center, holding the Biden Family Bible, shakes hands with Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor after taking the oath of office during an official ceremony at the Naval Observatory, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2014 October 2, 2014 - Speaking at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, Biden tells attendees that ISIS has been inadvertently strengthened by actions taken by Turkey, the UAE and other Middle Eastern allies to help opposition groups fighting against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. In this Thursday, Oct. 2, 2014 file photo, Vice President Joe Biden speaks to students, faculty and staff at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. Biden is due to headline a Democratic campaign rally in Las Vegas, with a downtown appearance Monday, Oct. 6, 2014, to talk about raising the minimum wage. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson,File) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2015 May 30, 2015 - Biden's eldest son, Beau Biden, passes away from brain cancer at age 46. In this June 6, 2015 file photo, Vice President Joe Biden, accompanied by his family, holds his hand over his heart as he watches an honor guard carry a casket containing the remains of his son, former Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden, into St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church in Wilmington, Del. for funeral services. Beau Biden died of brain cancer May 30 at age 46. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2015 October 21, 2015 - Says he will not seek the presidency, announcing that the window for a successful campaign "has closed." December 6, 2016 - Doesn't rule out running for president in 2020, saying "I'm not committing not to run. I'm not committing to anything. I learned a long time ago fate has a strange way of intervening." President Barack Obama hugs Vice President Joe Biden as Biden waves at the end Biden's announcement in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015, that he will not run for the presidential nomination. Jill Biden is at right. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2017 Vice President Joe Biden pauses between mock swearing in ceremonies in the Old Senate Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017, as the 115th Congress begins. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2017 January 12, 2017 - Obama surprises Biden by presenting him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, during a White House ceremony. President Barack Obama presents Vice President Joe Biden with the Presidential Medal of Freedom during a ceremony in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2017 February 1, 2017 - Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, launch the Biden Foundation, an organization that will work on seven issues: foreign policy; Biden's cancer initiative; community colleges and military families; protecting children; equality; ending violence against women; and strengthening the middle class. February 7, 2017 - Is named the Benjamin Franklin presidential practice professor at the University of Pennsylvania, where he will lead the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement. He will also serve as the founding chair of the University of Delaware's Biden Institute, the university announces. March 1, 2017 - Biden receives the Congressional Patriot Award from the Bipartisan Policy Center. He receives the honor in recognition of his work crafting bipartisan legislation with Republicans and Democrats. Former Vice President Joe Biden tucks notes into his jacket after speaking at an event to formally launch the Biden Institute, a research and policy center focused on domestic issues at the University of Delaware, in Newark, Del., Monday, March 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2019 In this March 26, 2019, file photo, former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at the Biden Courage Awards in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2019 April 25, 2019 - Announces he is running for president in a campaign video posted to social media. Hours later, the Biden Foundation board chair, Ted Kaufman, announces the immediate suspension of all the organization's operations. Former Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden arrives at the Wilmington train station Thursday April 25, 2019 in Wilmington, Delaware. Biden announced his candidacy for president via video on Thursday morning. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2019 In this June 6, 2019, file photo, Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during the "I Will Vote" fundraising gala in Atlanta. Biden shifted to oppose longstanding restrictions on federal funding of abortion during his remarks. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, former Vice President Joe Biden signs a copy of his book "Promise Me, Dad" at a campaign rally at Modern Woodmen Park, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020, in Davenport, Iowa. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2020 Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at a primary night election rally in Columbia, S.C., Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020 after winning the South Carolina primary. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2020 Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at a primary night election rally in Columbia, S.C., Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020, after winning the South Carolina primary. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2020 Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at a primary election night campaign rally Tuesday, March 3, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2020 August 20, 2020: Joe Biden accepts the Democratic nomination for president Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during the fourth day of the Democratic National Convention, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020, at the Chase Center in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2020 Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden, with Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., raise their arms up as fireworks go off in the background during the fourth day of the Democratic National Convention, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020, at the Chase Center in Wilmington, Del. Looking on are Jill Biden, far left, and Harris' husband Doug Emhoff, far right. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Andrew Harnik Joe Biden, 2020 President Donald Trump, left, and Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden, right, with moderator Chris Wallace, center, of Fox News during the first presidential debate Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, at Case Western University and Cleveland Clinic, in Cleveland, Ohio. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2020 Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden, right, and former President Barack Obama greet each other with an air elbow bump, at the conclusion of rally at Northwestern High School in Flint, Mich., Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2020 Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden arrives to speak at a rally at Belle Isle Casino in Detroit, Mich., Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020, which former President Barack Obama also attended. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2020 President-elect Joe Biden gestures on stage after speaking, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, Pool) Andrew Harnik Joe Biden, 2020 FILE - In this Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, file photo, from left, Doug Emhoff, husband of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, Harris, President-elect Joe Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, stand on stage together, in Wilmington, Del. The theme for Biden’s inauguration will be “America United." Unity is an issue that’s long been a central focus for Biden but one that’s taken on added weight in the wake of the violence at the U.S. Capitol. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, Pool, File) Andrew Harnik Joe Biden, 2020 President-elect Joe Biden announces his climate and energy team nominees and appointees at The Queen Theater in Wilmington Del., Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2021 President Joe Biden speaks about his domestic agenda from the East Room of the White House in Washington on Oct. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2021 U.S. President Joe Biden, left, shakes hands with Pope Francis as they meet at the Vatican on Oct. 29, 2021. (Vatican Media via AP) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2021 President Joe Biden removes his face mask as he arrives in the East Room of the White House to speak about the evacuation of American citizens, their families, special immigrant visa applicants and vulnerable Afghans on Aug. 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) AP FILE Joe Biden, 2022 President Joe Biden holds the microphone to Chocolate, the national Thanksgiving turkey, during a pardoning ceremony Nov. 21, 2022, at the White House in Washington. Andrew Harnik Joe Biden, 2022 President Joe Biden holds an Atlanta Braves jersey during an event celebrating the Major League Baseball 2021 World Series champion Atlanta Braves in the East Room of the White House on Sept. 26, 2022, in Washington. Evan Vucci, Associated Press Joe Biden, 2022 President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden arrive to give treats to trick-or-treaters on the South Lawn of the White House, on Halloween on Oct. 31, 2022, in Washington. Alex Brandon, Associated Press Joe Biden, 2022 U.S. President Joe Biden, right, and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands before a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit meeting Nov. 14, 2022, in Bali, Indonesia. Alex Brandon Joe Biden, 2023 President Joe Biden is greeted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after arriving at Ben Gurion International Airport on Oct. 18, 2023, in Tel Aviv. Evan Vucci, Associated Press Joe Biden, 2023 President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy depart a news conference in the Indian Treaty Room in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House Campus on Dec. 12, 2023, in Washington. Andrew Harnik Joe Biden, 2023 President Joe Biden speaks during a funeral service for retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor at the Washington National Cathedral on Dec. 19, 2023, in Washington. O'Connor, an Arizona native and the first woman to serve on the nation's highest court, died Dec. 1, 2023, at age 93. Jacquelyn Martin Joe Biden, 2024 President Joe Biden arrives to deliver remarks on the economy on June 28, 2023, at the Old Post Office in Chicago. Evan Vucci, Associated Press Joe Biden, 2024 President Joe Biden, right, stands as an Army carry team moves the transfer case containing the remains of U.S. Army Sgt. Kennedy Ladon Sanders, 24, of Waycross, Ga., at Dover Air Force Base, Del., on Feb. 2, 2024. Sanders was killed in a drone attack in Jordan on Jan. 28, 2024. Matt Rourke, Associated Press Joe Biden, 2024 President Joe Biden speaks during the State of the Union address on Capitol Hill on March 7, 2024, in Washington, as Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Mike Johnson listen. Mark Schiefelbein, Associated Press Joe Biden, 2024 Vice President Kamala Harris embraces President Joe Biden after a speech on health care in Raleigh, N.C., on March. 26, 2024. Matt Kelley, Associated Press Joe Biden, 2024 President Joe Biden greets Zion Schrode, 8 months, of Marin County, Calif., as he is held by his mother Erin Schrode during a Jewish American Heritage Month event, on May 20, 2024, in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington. Jacquelyn Martin, Associated Press Joe Biden, 2024 Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid, left, and CEO Clark Hunt, right, watch as President Joe Biden, center, puts on a Chiefs helmet during an event with the Super Bowl-champion Kansas City Chiefs on the South Lawn of the White House, on May 31, 2024, to celebrate their championship season and victory in Super Bowl LVIII. Evan Vucci, Associated Press Joe Biden, 2024 President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden walk in the Normandy American Cemetery following a ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, on June 6, 2024, in Normandy. Evan Vucci Joe Biden, 2024 U.S. President Joe Biden, right, greets Pope Francis ahead of a working session on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Energy, Africa-Mediterranean, on day two of the 50th G7 summit at Borgo Egnazia, southern Italy, on June 14, 2024. Christopher Furlong, Associated Press Joe Biden, 2024 President Joe Biden speaks during a campaign event with former President Barack Obama moderated by Jimmy Kimmel at the Peacock Theater on June 15, 2024, in Los Angeles. Alex Brandon, Associated Press Joe Biden, 2024 President Joe Biden, right, and Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, left, participate in a presidential debate hosted by CNN on June 27, 2024, in Atlanta. Gerald Herbert, Associated Press Joe Biden, 2024 First lady Jill Biden, President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and second gentleman Douglas Emhoff view the Independence Day firework display over the National Mall from the balcony of the White House, on July 4, 2024, in Washington. Evan Vucci, Associated Press Joe Biden, 2024 President Joe Biden, right, and the Rev. Dr. J. Louis Felton pray at a church service at Mt. Airy Church of God in Christ on July 7, 2024, in Philadelphia. Manuel Balce Ceneta, Associated Press Joe Biden, 2024 President Joe Biden addresses the nation from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on July 14, 2024, about the assassination attempt of Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. Erin Schaff, Associated Press Joe Biden, 2024 President Joe Biden pauses as he speaks at the Biden campaign headquarters in Wilmington, Del., on Feb. 3, 2024. Alex Brandon, Associated Press Joe Biden, 2024 President Joe Biden walks on stage to speak during the NAACP national convention July 16, 2024, in Las Vegas. David Becker, Associated Press Joe Biden, 2024 President Joe Biden walks between tombstones as he arrives to attend a mass at St. Joseph on the Brandywine Catholic Church in Wilmington, Del., on July 6, 2024. Manuel Balce Ceneta, Associated Press Joe Biden, 2022 Cherelle Griner, wife of WNBA star Brittney Griner, speaks after President Joe Biden announced Brittney Griner's release in a prisoner swap with Russia on Dec. 8, 2022, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington. Also attending are Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, and Vice President Kamala Harris. Patrick Semansky, Associated Press Joe Biden, 2022 President Joe Biden receives his COVID-19 booster from a member of the White House medical unit during an event in the South Court Auditorium on the White House campus on Oct. 25, 2022, in Washington. Evan Vucci, Associated Press Joe Biden, 2022 U.S. President Joe Biden, left, talks with Indonesian President Joko Widodo during their bilateral meeting ahead of the G20 Summit in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, on Nov. 14, 2022. Achmad Ibrahim, Associated Press Joe Biden, 2023 President Joe Biden speaks from the Oval Office of the White House on Oct. 19, 2023, in Washington, about the war in Israel and Ukraine. Jonathan Ernst, Associated Press Joe Biden, 2023 President Joe Biden arrives to speak at the Amtrak Bear Maintenance Facility on Nov. 6, 2023, in Bear, Del. Andrew Harnik Joe Biden, 2023 President Joe Biden, accompanied by Office of Management and Budget director Shalanda Young, left, and Women's Alzheimer's Movement founder Maria Shriver, right, gives first lady Jill Biden a kiss after giving her the pen he used to sign a presidential memorandum that will establish the first-ever White House Initiative on Women's Health Research in the Oval Office of the White House on Nov. 13, 2023, in Washington. Andrew Harnik, Associated Press Joe Biden, 2023 President Joe Biden pauses as he speaks to reporters in Nantucket, Mass. on Nov. 26, 2023, about hostages freed by Hamas in a third set of releases under a four-day cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas. Stephanie Scarbrough, Associated Press Joe Biden, 2023 President Joe Biden shakes hands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as they meet in the Oval Office of the White House on Dec. 12, 2023, in Washington. 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Mums and babies dying during childbirth increases for the first time in a decadeOnly about 2 in 10 Americans approve of Biden's pardon of his son Hunter, poll findsEL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — Justin Herbert is dealing with an ankle injury for the second time this season. The Chargers quarterback did not practice Wednesday as Los Angeles began preparations for its game Sunday against Tampa Bay. Herbert injured his left ankle during the first quarter of last Sunday's 19-17 loss at Kansas City. Herbert said Wednesday that the injury occurred during a 7-yard scramble on third down during the opening drive. Television cameras showed him grimacing and walking slowly to the sideline after the play. “It was difficult to play with," he said. "It was one of those things where we limited some of the runs out of the pocket. I didn't feel great, but it was one of those things to play through.” Herbert's left leg was later bruised after taking a hard hit from linebacker Nick Bolton during the second quarter. Herbert missed only one play and completed 21 of 30 passes for 213 yards and a touchdown. “The contusion, I think that is something that is easily recoverable. I'm doing everything I can with the ankle,” Herbert said. “If I felt like I could have practiced at 100% and make sure everyone was able to get full-speed reps, I would have. I didn't think I was able to do that today, so the trainers and I were on the same page.” Herbert suffered a high sprain to his right ankle during the third quarter of a 26-3 win at Carolina on Sept. 15. That limited his mobility and some of the play calls in losses to Pittsburgh and Kansas City the next two games. However, Herbert is not in a walking boot this time, which was the case with the injury earlier in the season. The fifth-year quarterback also said the pain tolerance with his ankle injury is better to deal with compared to the earlier one. “I’d like to see him get treatment and not be on his feet. He will do everything in his power to play on Sunday,” coach Jim Harbaugh said. The Chargers have lost two of their last three, but are the sixth seed in the AFC with an 8-5 record. After facing NFC South-leading Tampa Bay on Sunday, Los Angeles hosts Denver in a Thursday night matchup on Dec. 19 as both teams are vying for a playoff spot. It's the second time in three seasons Herbert is dealing with an injury after a game at Kansas City. In 2022, he fractured rib cartilage after taking a hard hit from Chiefs defensive lineman Michael Danna during the fourth quarter. Herbert missed two weeks during training camp because of an injury to the plantar fascia in his right foot. He also had a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder near the end of the 2022 season and two broken fingers last year, including one on his throwing hand that caused him to miss the final four games. Herbert has joined Tom Brady as the only players who have not thrown an interception in 11 straight games with a minimum of 15 attempts in each game. Brady accomplished the feat with New England in 2010. The last time Herbert was picked off was midway through the first quarter on Sept. 15 by Carolina’s Jaycee Horn. Herbert has also gone 335 consecutive pass attempts without an interception, the fifth-longest streak in league history. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
WASHINGTON — Linda McMahon once claimed an unearned education degree from East Carolina University. Now the New Bern native is nominated to lead President-elect Donald Trump’s Department of Education. Trump announced Tuesday that McMahon, best known as a founder of World Wrestling Entertainment, is nominated to be the next education secretary. She is his first nominee to have served in his previous administration. “It is my great honor to announce that Linda McMahon, former Administrator of the Small Business Administration, will be the United States Secretary of Education,” Trump wrote in a news release. McMahon now must wait for the Senate to confirm her nomination. North Carolina roots McMahon grew up in New Bern. Her parents worked 30 minutes away at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, and she attended the nearby Havelock High School. It was during high school that she met her now-estranged husband and business partner, Vince McMahon. Together they attended East Carolina University where, in 1969, she earned a degree in French. After college, they moved away from the Tar Heel State. But in 2010, McMahon’s ties to North Carolina would be noted in a story by the Hartford Courant , which reported that she received a position on the Connecticut Board of Education after wrongfully claiming to then-Gov. M. Jodi Rell that she graduated from ECU with an education degree. In response to the allegations, McMahon told the Courant, “she first thought she had been right, because she did a semester of student-teaching, and after state testing, emerged with the certificate to teach — although she never did,” the Courant reported. Education background Her college degree was one of several misleading statements the newspaper reported McMahon had made on her application. McMahon’s opponents had argued her connection to WWE, and its violent, sexual and vulgar content, sent the wrong kind of message. They also criticized her lack of experience in education, though supporters saw that as a win. She still faces that criticism as Trump’s nominee. McMahon’s resume also includes serving on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Despite the opposition, and news of her misidentified degree breaking in the Stamford Advocate a month before her confirmation hearing, the Connecticut legislature approved Rell’s nomination of McMahon. She would serve on the board for around a year. McMahon took to social media Thursday following the news that Rell died suddenly at 78. “Her dedication and approach to public service is the gold standard to which we all should aspire to,” McMahon wrote. “I was honored to have her appoint me to serve on the CT State Board of Education and so enjoyed working with her.” When McMahon resigned from Connecticut’s board in 2010, she told the Courant it didn’t have to do with their pending story. She said it was instead because of the board’s rules wouldn’t allow her to raise money for her Senate campaign while serving. She would go on to lose two separate Senate campaigns. Political work But McMahon never walked away from politics. She became a major donor and fundraiser for Republicans. During Trump’s 2024 campaign, she donated more than $20 million to the former and future president, NBC News reported. McMahon supported Trump from the beginning of his political career and it paid off for her when he nominated her to lead the Small Business Administration. After three years, McMahon resigned to lead America First Action, a Trump super-PAC. She chairs the America First Policy Institute board. Trump’s news release about her most recent nomination credits her for working on parents’ rights and universal school choice policy at the institute. She also serves as co-chair of Trump’s transition team. Education’s future McMahon is one of several of Trump’s nominees who could face a tough nomination process. For McMahon, she’s accused of allowing one of her employees to use his position to sexually abuse five teenagers 15 and under The accusation is part of a lawsuit filed anonymously by former teenage employees. If McMahon clears the Senate nomination, she faces a different hurdle. It’s unclear how long her position might even exist. And once again, that might be left up to Congress to decide. One of Trump’s constant campaign promises was to shutter the Department of Education. However, that’s a promise Trump can’t keep without congressional approval. And Trump could face backlash, even from within his own party, since schools rely on federal funding. Trump also promised to cut funding to schools that teach topics like critical race theory or anything he believes is too sexually or racially inappropriate. Critics of his plans include Katie Paris, the founder of Red Wine & Blue, a group of 600,000 women that says it’s working to defeat extremism. “McMahon is entirely unqualified to be Secretary of Education,” Paris said in a written statement. “She has no background in public schools. She lied about having an education degree when she was nominated for the Connecticut State Board of Education. Trump picked her simply because she will follow through on Project 2025’s promise to dismantle the Department of Education.” Trump, in his statement announcing the nomination, said McMahon “will use her decades of Leadership experience, and deep understanding of both Education and Business, to empower the next Generation of American Students and Workers, and make America Number One in Education in the World. “We will send Education BACK TO THE STATES, and Linda will spearhead that effort.” ©2024 McClatchy Washington Bureau. Visit at mcclatchydc.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.