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Ukraine Returns Kursk Civilians to Russia After OffensiveNone
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UCLA fan smacks USC fan in the face during rivalry football game in vicious scene
In 2024, Kendrick Lamar has put together one of the biggest years of his career: He was the undisputed winner of the highest-profile rap beef in years; he's had a hit near the top of the pop charts for six months; he's nominated for more than half a dozen Grammys, including song and record of the year; he'll headline the halftime show at next year's Super Bowl. All of this without releasing an album. At least until today. At noon Eastern Time on Friday, Lamar dropped his sixth studio album, GNX . He did it without sharing a hint of its existence — no advance singles or videos or cryptic social media posts. (Not that it stopped fans from speculating.) GNX is Kendrick's first full-length release since 2022's Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers. The 12-track album features performances from mariachi singer Deyra Barrera, SZA and Dody6; producers include Jack Antonoff , Sounwave and Kamasi Washington . Even before this surprise drop, Lamar was already on a roll. In May, he capped his ferocious back-and-forth with rival Drake with the diss track " Not Like Us ," which topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart twice — the week of its release as well as later, in July, when its video came out — and earned him several nods from the Recording Academy. On June 19, he hosted The Pop Up - Ken & Friends , a concert at the Forum in Los Angeles that was live-streamed by Amazon Music and featured cameos from some of the West Coast's biggest rappers, from Roddy Ricch to Tyler, The Creator . In September, it was announced that Lamar will return to the Super Bowl stage next year to headline the halftime show. "Rap music is still the most impactful genre to date. And I'll be there to remind the world why," he said in a statement. "They got the right one." In 2022, Kendrick performed "m.A.A.d City" and "Alright" at the Los Angeles hip-hop-focused halftime show led by Dr. Dre . That year, he had broken his five-year hiatus from the spotlight following 2017's DAMN, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Music. GNX is Lamar's first album since his departure from long-time label Top Dawg Entertainment. It was released under his own label, pgLang, via Interscope Records.
FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Corey Stephenson had 21 points in CSU Bakersfield's 68-60 victory over Northeastern at the Homewood Suites Classic tournament in Fort Myers, Florida on Sunday. Stephenson shot 8 of 16 from the field and 5 for 6 from the line for the Roadrunners (4-3). Marvin McGhee shot 4 for 10 (1 for 5 from 3-point range) and 3 of 3 from the free-throw line to add 12 points. McGhee went 3 of 7 from the field (3 for 5 from 3-point range) to finish with 10 points. LA Pratt led the way for the Huskies (5-2) with 15 points and six rebounds. Masai Troutman added 15 points for Northeastern. Harold Woods also had eight points. CSU Bakersfield led Northeastern at the half, 34-29, with McGhee (six points) its high scorer before the break. Stephenson's layup with 4:08 left in the second half gave CSU Bakersfield the lead for good at 56-54. NEXT UP These two teams both play Saturday. CSU Bakersfield visits Southern Utah and Northeastern visits Vermont. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
Published 5:24 pm Sunday, November 24, 2024 By Ernest Bowker LSU's football team runs out of the tunnel and onto the field at Tiger Stadium before the start of Saturday's game against Vanderbilt. (Wyatt Mason/For The Vicksburg Post) Mississippi State receiver Kelly Akharaiyi (1) catches a pass as Missouri's Toriano Pride (2) defends during Saturday's game in Starkville. (Walter Frazier/For The Vicksburg Post) Mississippi State running back Davon Booth (21) is tackled at the end of a play Saturday against Missouri. Booth rushed for 124 yards and a touchdown, but the Bulldogs lost 39-20. (Walter Frazier/For The Vicksburg Post) Ole Miss' John Saunders Jr. dunks a basketball on the sideline after making an interception Saturday against Florida. (Hannah White/Ole Miss Athletics) Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden catches a touchdown pass in the second quarter of Saturday's 39-20 victory against Mississippi State. (Walter Frazier/For The Vicksburg Post) Alabama Quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) lunges forward for extra yardage during Saturday's game against Oklahoma. (Crimson Tide Photos/UA Athletics) Ole Miss defensive lineman Walter Nolen (2) wraps up Florida running back Jadan Baugh (13) during Saturday's game in Gainesville, Fla. (Hannah White/Ole Miss Athletics) LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier points to the sky before the Tigers' game against Vanderbilt on Saturday. Nussmeier threw for 332 yards and one touchdown as LSU won 24-17. (Wyatt Mason/For The Vicksburg Post) Mississippi State tight end Seydou Traore (18) is upended by Missouri defensive back Nicholas DeLoach Jr. during Saturday's game in Starkville. (Walter Frazier/For The Vicksburg Post) Mississippi State cheerleaders run onto the field at Davis Wade Stadium before the start of Saturday's football game against Missouri. (Walter Frazier/For The Vicksburg Post) LSU offensive lineman Miles Frazier warms up before Saturday's game against Vanderbilt at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge. (Wyatt Mason/For The Vicksburg Post) LSU long snapper Slade Roy (44) warms up before Saturday's game against Vanderbilt at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge. (Wyatt Mason/For The Vicksburg Post) Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart warms up before the start of Saturday's game against Florida in Gainesville, Fla. (Hannah White/Ole Miss Athletics) Alabama Wide Receiver Germie Bernard (5) collects his thoughts during pregame warm-ups before the Crimson Tide faced Oklahoma on Saturday. (Crimson Tide Photos/UA Atheltics) Vanderbilt's Steven Sannieniola (14) stretches and collects his thoughts before Saturday's game against LSU. (Wyatt Mason/For The Vicksburg Post) Mississippi State football fans cheer on their team during Saturday's game against Missouri at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville. (Walter Frazier/For The Vicksburg Post) LSU mascot Mike the Tiger wanders through Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge during Saturday's game against Vanderbilt. (Wyatt Mason/For The Vicksburg Post) Vanderbilt's Brock Taylor kicks off during Saturday's game against LSU in Baton Rouge. (Wyatt Mason/For The Vicksburg Post) Alabama Offensive Lineman Tyler Booker (52) blocks against Oklahoma during Saturday's SEC game. (Crimson Tide Photos/UA Athletics) Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden gestures to his teammates during Saturday's game against Mississippi State. (Walter Frazier/For The Vicksburg Post) LSU defensive end Sai'vion Jones works against Vanderbilt tight end Cole Spence during Saturday's game in Baton Rouge. (Wyatt Mason/For The Vicksburg Post) Missouri running back Nate Noel (8) is tackled by a Mississippi State defender during Saturday's game in Starkville. (Walter Frazier/For The Vicksburg Post) LSU running back Josh Williams (18) celebrates after scoring one of his two rushing touchdowns in a 24-17 win over Vanderbilt on Saturday night. (Wyatt Mason/For The Vicksburg Post) LSU running back Josh Williams (18) celebrates after scoring one of his two rushing touchdowns in a 24-17 win over Vanderbilt on Saturday night. (Wyatt Mason/For The Vicksburg Post) Alabama defensive lineman James Smith (23) tries to knock down the football after Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold (11) lets go of a pass. Jackson rushed for 131 yards to lead the Sooners to a 24-3 upset win over the Crimson Tide. (Crimson Tide Photos/UA Athletics) Mississippi State football fans cheer on their team during Saturday's game against Missouri at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville. (Walter Frazier/For The Vicksburg Post) Mississippi State linebacker John Lewis (5) celebrates after making a tackle against Missouri. (Walter Frazier/For The Vicksburg Post) LSU's Damian Ramos (34) kicks a field goal against Vanderbilt. (Wyatt Mason/For The Vicksburg Post) Mississippi State running back Davon Booth is pursued by Missouri defensive back Daylan Carnell (13) during Saturday's game in Starkville. (Walter Frazier/For The Vicksburg Post) Mississippi State football fans ring their cowbells and cheer on their team during Saturday's game against Missouri at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville. (Walter Frazier/For The Vicksburg Post) Mississippi State center Ethan Miner snaps the ball to quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. (0) during Saturday's game against Missouri. (Walter Frazier/For The Vicksburg Post) Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (2) throws a pass against LSU. (Wyatt Mason/For The Vicksburg Post) Ole Miss receiver Tre Harris hauls in a touchdown pass against Florida. (Hannah White/Ole Miss Athletics) Week 13 of the Southeastern Conference football season was filled with the usual pageantry and drama the league is known for. No. 7 Alabama and No. 9 Ole Miss both were upset on the road, LSU got back on track by beating Vanderbilt, and Missouri kept Mississippi State’s season-long slump going, among other results . Vicksburg Post photographers Walter Frazier and Wyatt Mason were in Starkville and Baton Rouge to capture the action, and others from schools around the SEC have made their pictures available as well. We hope you enjoy this visual recap of some of the action from around the best college football league in the country. SEC scores Week 13 Nov. 23 Florida 24, Ole Miss 17 Georgia 59, Massachusetts 21 Tennessee 56, UTEP 0 South Carolina 56, Wofford 12 Arkansas 35, Louisiana Tech 14 Auburn 43, Texas A&M 41, 4OT LSU 24, Vanderbilt 17 Missouri 39, Mississippi State 20 Oklahoma 24, Alabama 3 Texas 31, Kentucky 14 ——— Week 14 schedule Friday, Nov. 29 Mississippi State at Ole Miss, 2:30 p.m. (ABC) Georgia Tech at Georgia, 6:30 p.m. (ABC) Saturday, Nov. 30 Tennessee at Vanderbilt, 11 a.m. (ABC) South Carolina at Clemson, 11 a.m. (ESPN) Louisville at Kentucky, 11 a.m. (SEC Network) Arkansas at Missouri, 2:30 p.m. (SEC Network) Auburn at Alabama, 2:30 p.m. (ABC) Florida at Florida State, 6 p.m. (ESPN2) Oklahoma at LSU, 6 p.m. (ESPN) Texas at Texas A&M, 6:30 p.m. (ABC) Ernest Bowker is The Vicksburg Post's sports editor. He has been a member of The Vicksburg Post's sports staff since 1998, making him one of the longest-tenured reporters in the paper's 140-year history. The New Jersey native is a graduate of LSU. In his career, he has won more than 50 awards from the Mississippi Press Association and Associated Press for his coverage of local sports in Vicksburg.Ghana counts ballots after tight presidential race
NoneIranian parliament holds closed-door session to discuss dollar exchange rates, economic issuesAs the new year quickly approaches, many people are likely to be re-evaluating their work-life balance and On December 16, Resume Genius released its list of the highest-paying jobs that also reported . Their study describes “low-stress jobs” as ones that typically require fewer demands, more predictable work hours, supportive environments, and manageable workloads. In some cases, these jobs also allow more remote options. Not only are these jobs considered to be less stressful, they also pay well. “Heading into 2025, prioritizing mental health in the workplace is essential for job seekers to feel more at ease,” said Eva Chan, a career expert at Resume Genius. “With remote work and hybrid setups becoming the norm, work-life boundaries are increasingly blurred. Our report on low-stress, high-paying jobs shows you don’t have to sacrifice a competitive salary to achieve a healthier work-life balance. With the right role, it’s possible to thrive both financially and mentally.” All of the require the person to have at least a Bachelor’s degree. The list was compiled using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the career site . The high-stress jobs were filtered out using O*NET and then cross-referenced against the BLS’s with the national median salary set at $48,060 and viewing jobs that showed “faster-than-average growth.” Here are the jobs ranked by salary: Water source specialists make a median annual salary of $157,740. There were 100,100 jobs in 2023 with an expected growth of 8 percent within the next 10 years. The only requirement is to have a Bachelor’s degree. A water source specialist monitors both regional and municipal water supplies to make sure the water is clean and sustainably managed. Astronomers make a median annual salary of $149,530. There were 23,500 jobs in 2023 with an expected growth of 7 percent within the next 10 years. The education required is typically a doctoral or professional degree. Astronomers study stars, planets, and other space-related incidents. Their job is largely based on research in an academic setting. Actuaries make a median annual salary of 120,000. There were 30,200 jobs in 2023 with an expected growth of 22 percent within the next 10 years. The education required is typically only a Bachelor’s degree. Actuaries analyze financial risks using math, statistics, and other financial data. Environmental economists make a median annual salary of $115,730. There were 17,500 jobs in 2023 with an expected growth of five percent within the next 10 years. The education required is typically a Master’s degree. Environmental economists typically work with governments or other organizations to evaluate the costs and benefits of specific sustainable projects. Mathematicians make a median annual salary of $104,860. There were 34,800 jobs in 2023 with an expected growth of 11 percent within the next 10 years. The education required is typically a Master’s degree. Computer systems analysts make a median annual salary of $103,800. There were 527,200 jobs in 2023 with an expected growth of 11 percent within the next 10 years. The education requirement is typically a Bachelor’s degree. Computer systems analysts aim to help businesses make the most out of the technology they use such as software and computers. Fuel cell engineers make a median annual salary of $99,510. There were 291,900 in 2023 with an expected growth of 11 percent within the next 10 years. The education requirement is typically a Bachelor’s degree. A fuel cell engineer designs, develops, and improves systems that generate clean energy for vehicles, buildings, and other applications. Remote sensing scientists and technologists make a median annual salary of $92,580. There were 26,000 jobs in 2023 with an expected growth of five percent within the next 10 years. The education requirement is typically a Bachelor’s degree. Remote sensing scientists and technologists use satellite data to analyze various problems such as climate change and urban planning. Geographers make a median annual salary of $90,880. There were 1,600 jobs in 2023 with an expected growth of three percent within the next 10 years. The education requirement is typically a Bachelor’s degree. Geographers study the Earth and the distribution of its land, features, and inhabitants with their studies being used to enhance aspects of urban planning and disaster management. Transportation planners make a median annual salary of $81,800. There were 45,200 jobs in 2023 with an expected growth of four percent within the next 10 years. The education requirement is typically a Master’s degree. Transportation planners come up with solutions to various transportation-related problems such as traffic and making cities more bike-accessible.
Virginia football standout Malachi Fields to transfer to Notre Dame
Cannabis Stock Gainers And Losers From December 24, 2024There is a subtle but an influential intersection of the debate between Tamil nationalism and Dravidian identity in Tamil Nadu politics for over a decade. There are curious and interesting dimensions to this debate with the Tamil nationalists seeking separate identity based on language, culture and politics while advocates of Dravidian identity emphasising that Tamil nationalism is intrinsic to the Dravidian politics without forfeiting language, culture and identity within the plural, multicultural and multinational state system like India. Although the polarisation appears to be real and raging yet the debate itself is a camouflage of the long drawn power rivalry and mask for political competition as a response to the century old influence and impact of Dravidian politics. At the same time, it is equally important to identify, acknowledge and classify the sources of Tamil nationalism as party and non-party movement based entities articulating their claims and rights with their definitions of Tamil identity and legitimacy for power. The Tamil nationalists argue that Tamil and Dravidian identity are mutually exclusive and therefore need not reinforce each other. There are two historical but conflicting interpretations of the term “Dravidian” with the common reference to majority of people living in Southern India (south of Vindhiyas) and the other with the location of Brahmans in the south which later became an indication at large for all including the indigenous people. In cultural-anthropological terms, the Dravidians are an ethno-linguistic family of people with a unique culture, ethnicity and history who largely live in the south Indian states and speak one of several Dravidian languages including Tamil which alone retains eighty per cent of Dravidian linguistic characteristics. Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam are known as the great league within the Dravidian family of languages. Given the pre-colonial and post-independent history and political developments, the territorial assimilation of Madras Presidency during the British colonial administration largely retained the characteristics of classical understanding and interpretation of the Dravidian identity. It is the linguistic reorganisation of states in the post-independent period which not only provided an impetus to the surge in linguistic identity within the larger Dravidian linguistic family but also acquired a momentum for political quest among the subaltern groups within each of the linguistic members. The caste and class composition of the Indian National Congress (INC); Aryan-Dravidian divide and the language rights consciousness gave a powerful cultural-political-ideological orientation to the Dravidian movement with an inclusive worldview of Tamil-Dravidian orientation. The birth of Dravida Kazhagam (DK) and the journey of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) harmonised this historical transition with a twin edge of resistance to the north centric post-independent Indian politics while accommodating the claim for separate statehood for Andhra and territorial settlements with other neighbouring states including Kerala and Karnataka. The Tamil nationalists formed the socio-cultural and intellectual basis of the Dravidian movement in the first half (1900-1950) of the 20th century and later made a substantial contribution to the rise and role of DMK during the third-quarter (1950-1975) of the same period. A slow but gradual alienation of the Tamil nationalists from the major Dravidian parties including the DMK, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) was taking place despite the continued access and maintenance of channel of communication between the Tamil nationalists and Dravidian parties. The love and hate relationship continued with an open exhibition of dissent and cautious distance for all political purposes until the emergence of Eelam liberation struggle as a critical question in the politics of Tamil Nadu with an acute polarisation between the Dravidian parties and Tamil nationalists due to the effects of realpolitik and the Union government’s Sri Lanka policy impacting upon the role and responses of the Dravidian parties. The drift was obvious after May 2009 with an electoral defeat of the DMK in 2011 and 2016 assembly elections and the tactful harvesting of Tamil nationalists’ votes by the Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK despite her strong opposition to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The formation of the Naam Tamizhar Katchi (NTK) on May 18, 2010, a year after the end of Eelam War-IV in Sri Lanka as a revival of SP Adithanar’s “We Tamils” (Naam Thamizhar Katchi) marked a decisive shift in the Tamil nationalists’ movement with the departure of cultural-intellectual movement to party-political orientation with the rise of Seeman exhibiting political eccentrism and theatrics. The high tide and low ebb of the Tamil nationalists’ movement crisscrossed at the same point of a capricious and opportunistic political trap laid out by Seeman. The cultural-intellectual voices of Tamil nationalism including the highly respected and eminent political leaders were either silenced or besieged by the fascist and megalomaniac traits of Seeman with the routine exhibitions of delusions of grandeur and an obsession for power. Given the courting by all and sundry in the name of Tamil nationalism and electoral networking with the AIADMK, Seeman has learnt to survive with the opposition to the DMK because of the end of his tales and waning influence among the Eelam Tamil Diaspora. It is an irony of sorts that he has found more compatibility with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Tamil Nadu and often serves as a diving board for the BJP in launching its attacks against the DMK. Seeman and his political outfit NTK has been gripped by a sudden panic of desertions after the launch of actor Vijay’s Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) although Vijay holds no direct threat or challenge to Seeman and his political journey. It is the fear of displacement beyond the periphery of Tamil Nadu politics that has nudged him to reach the iconic mediators to convince the BJP leadership of his services in platter. The debate between Dravidian identity and Tamil nationalism needs a genuine pause with a distinction between the mobilization of opposition to the DMK through electoral politics and the revival of reinvigorating cultural – intellectual traditions of Tamil nationalism as a counter narrative to the Dravidian identity politics. There is a yawning gap between the two roles reflecting the strength and dynamism of the Tamil society with a plural, diverse and the universal mind echoing the legendary poet Kaniyan Poongunranar who wrote 2000 years ago that “to us all places are one, all people our kin,” leaving the question ‘who is a Tamil?’ to rest in peace. Seeman is a backwater channel for the BJP in Tamil Nadu drew attention of the undecided youth and peripheral voters (Prof.Ramu Manivannan is a scholar-social activist in areas of education, human rights and sustainable development through an initiative “Multiversity.”)Charles Barkley Let Everyone Know How He Feels About Trump Voters
Photo: Gritty Gukesh outplays Liren on time in Rd3 for first win in World Championship
St. Johns County Invests $21 Million in Workforce Development, Partners with Local and Federal Entities
By LOLITA BALDOR and FATIMA HUSSEIN WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday that he has chosen Keith Kellogg, a highly decorated retired three-star general, to serve as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, who is one of the architects of a staunchly conservative policy book that lays out an “America First” national security agenda for the incoming administration, will come into the role as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters its third year in February. Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social account, and said “He was with me right from the beginning! Together, we will secure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, and Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN!” Kellogg, an 80 year-old retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as national security adviser to Vice President Mike Pence , was chief of staff of the National Security Council and then stepped in as an acting security adviser for Trump after Michael Flynn resigned. As special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Kellogg will have to navigate an increasingly untenable war between the two nations. The Biden administration has begun urging Ukraine to quickly increase the size of its military by drafting more troops and revamping its mobilization laws to allow for the conscription of troops as young as 18. The White House has pushed more than $56 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s February 2022 invasion and expects to send billions more to Kyiv before Biden leaves office in less than months. Trump has criticized the billions that the Biden administration has poured into Ukraine. Washington has recently stepped up weapons shipments and has forgiven billions in loans provided to Kyiv. The incoming Republican president has said he could end the war in 24 hours, comments that appear to suggest he would press Ukraine to surrender territory that Russia now occupies. As a co-chairman of the American First Policy Institute’s Center for American Security, Kellogg wrote several of the chapters in the group’s policy book. The book, like the Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025,” is a move to lay out a Trump national security agenda and avoid the mistakes of 2016 when he entered the White House largely unprepared. Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” Trump’s proposed national security advisor U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.) tweeted Wednesday that “Keith has dedicated his life to defending our great country and is committed to bringing the war in Ukraine to a peaceful resolution.” Kellogg was a character in multiple Trump investigations dating to his first term. He was among the administration officials who listened in on the July 2019 call between Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in which Trump prodded his Ukrainian counterpart to pursue investigations into the Bidens. The call, which Kellogg would later say did not raise any concerns on his end, was at the center of the first of two House impeachment cases against Trump, who was acquitted by the Senate both times. On Jan. 6, 2021, hours before pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol, Kellogg, who was then Pence’s national security adviser, listened in on a heated call in which Trump told his vice president to object or delay the certification in Congress of President Joe Biden ’s victory. He later told House investigators that he recalled Trump saying to Pence words to the effect of: “You’re not tough enough to make the call.” Baldor reported from Washington. AP writer Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.102 Shares Facebook Facebook messenger Twitter WhatsApp LinkedIn Telegram Email
The claim: Trump appointed Karl Malone as director of Child Protective Services A Nov. 14 Instagram post ( direct link , archive link ) appears to show President-elect Donald Trump and former professional basketball player Karl Malone posing together. "Donald Trump has appointed NBA legend Karl Malone as the new director of Child Protective Services," reads on-screen text included in the post. The post garnered more than 16,000 likes in about two weeks. Other versions of the claim were shared on Instagram and X . More from the Fact-Check Team: How we pick and research claims | Email newsletter | Facebook page Our rating: False The claim originated from a satirical account. Trump can't appoint a new director for the Department of Child Protective Services because it is a state-run agency. Karl Malone not appointed to federal position Trump's Cabinet picks have sparked controversy among Republicans and Democrats alike. But these selections don't include Karl Malone as director of Child Protective Services. To start, Trump can't appoint a new Child Protective Services director because it's not a federal agency. The department is supported by the federal government but managed by individual states as a branch of their respective social services departments. The agencies' leaders are chosen by state governments, as was the case in Illinois, where Director Heidi E. Mueller was appointed by Gov. JB Pritzker . Both the claim and the image of Trump and Malone originated in a Nov. 13 X post shared by a self-proclaimed parody account . The claim is an example of what could be called “stolen satire,” where posts written as satire and presented that way originally are reposted in a way that makes them appear to be legitimate news. As a result, readers of the second-generation post are misled, as was the case here. There are no credible reports of Trump appointing Malone to any other federal position either. The parody account says on its profile that its posts include "the most outta pocket NBA ai images." AI detectors offered mixed assessments of the image's origins, but the nonsensical word on the wall behind Trump is a typical sign of AI generation. The technology often struggles to produce legible text in this way. The claim plays off the fact that Malone was accused of impregnating a 13-year-old in 1983 while he was a sophomore at Louisiana Tech University. The 13-year-old's family sued Malone at the time but the matter was later settled out of court. Fact check : No, Trump did not name Lauren Boebert education secretary on Nov. 13 USA TODAY previously debunked similarly false claims about Trump's supposed Cabinet selections. These include claims that Trump appointed Tucker Carlson as the White House press secretary and model and reality TV star Amber Rose as the education secretary. USA TODAY reached out to the user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response. PolitiFact and Snopes also debunked the claim. Our fact-check sources Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or e-newspaper here . USA TODAY is a verified signatory of the International Fact-Checking Network, which requires a demonstrated commitment to nonpartisanship, fairness and transparency. Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Meta .Ghana counted ballots on Saturday after a tight election with the ruling party's Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia trying to shake off anger over economic woes and rebuff a challenge by opposition party candidate ex-president John Mahama. Ghana's struggling economy dominated the election, after the west Africa gold and cacao producer went through a debt default, high inflation and negotiations for a $3 billion IMF bailout. Voters were choosing a successor to Bawumia's boss, President Nana Akufo-Addo, who steps down after serving the maximum of two four-year terms. They will also elect the country's new parliament. Voting was mostly calm, but one person was shot dead and four people arrested at a polling station in Nyankpala in the country's northern region, police and local media said. After polls closed at 1700 GMT, election teams immediately began tallying ballots under the watch of agents from political parties before sending them to collation centres. Preliminary results are expected early Sunday, with full presidential results scheduled by Tuesday. "Everyone is complaining prices are high. So I want a change, I want a good president who will bring in changes," Abdullah Mohammed, a student said after voting in Accra's Nima district. With a history of political stability, Ghana's two main parties, the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC), have alternated in power equally since the return to multi-party democracy in 1992. Touting the slogan "Break the 8" -- a reference to going past the usual two terms in power -- the NPP hopes Bawumia can lead them to an unprecedented third term. But he struggled to break away from criticism of Akufo-Addo's economic record. "I think we have done a lot of work with our message to the people and the message has been well received," Bawumia said after voting in his northern home Walewale. A UK-educated economist and former central banker, he points to an economy turning a corner and the government's continued plans for digitalisation to ease business, as well as free education and health programmes. More from this section But though inflation slowed from more than 50 percent to around 23 percent, and other macro-economic indicators are stabilising, the economic pain was still a clear election issue. Many Ghanaians still say they struggle with the cost of living, scarce jobs and a depreciated cedi currency. Frustration over the economy has opened the way for a comeback challenge from Mahama, who was president from 2012 to 2017 but has since failed twice in presidential bids. The NDC flag-bearer says he will "reset" Ghana and introduce a "24-hour economy", extending industrial hours to create jobs, and also renegotiate parts of the IMF deal. "Other elections have not been as obvious," Mahama said voting in his northern hometown. "With this one, everybody can tell the direction because of the abysmal performance of the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia government." Some analysts gave him an edge because of voter dismay with NPP, but the former president faced criticism from those who remember financial woes and massive power cuts during his time in office. Shoe saleswoman Esther Adobea said the economic situation hurt, but she was willing to give Bawumia a chance to make things better. "I can see he can handle the country for us. Our economy is not good, but he can do better," she said. Both major candidates are from the north of the country -- traditionally an NDC stronghold, but now more fragmented -- making the region a key battleground. While the economy was key, Ghana also faces an increasing risk of spillover in its northern regions from jihadist conflicts in Niger and Burkina Faso, where military juntas rule. The spread of illegal gold mining also became an election issue. Akufo-Addo promised to stop illegal mining, but it has expanded, poisoning riverways and impacting cacao farmlands -- a major source of export income. bur-pma/jmBy Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen has introduced legislation seeking to halt American weapons sales to the United Arab Emirates until the United States certifies that the UAE is not arming the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan, according to an early version of his announcement seen by Reuters. Van Hollen has filed a joint resolution of disapproval in the Senate, while fellow Democrat Sara Jacobs has filed one in the House of Representatives. Their effort is unlikely to win significant support in Congress as U.S. administrations under presidents of both parties long have viewed the UAE as a vital regional security partner, but would draw attention to a conflict that has become one of the world's worst humanitarian disasters. "The UAE is an important partner in the Middle East, but the United States cannot sit idly by as it aids and abets the humanitarian disaster in Sudan - we must use our leverage to try to bring this conflict to a peaceful resolution," Van Hollen said in a statement. U.S. law requires congressional review of major arms deals, and lets members of the Senate force votes on resolutions of disapproval that would block such sales. Although the law does not let House members force such votes, resolutions must pass both chambers of Congress, and potentially survive a presidential veto, to go into effect. No resolution of disapproval has ever both passed Congress and survived a presidential veto. Such resolutions have at times led to heated debates that highlighted human rights concerns and lawmakers' dissatisfaction over weapons sales. The UAE has long been a major purchaser of U.S. weapons. In October, the Biden administration announced, for example, that it had approved a potential sale of GMLRS and ATACMS munitions, and related support, for $1.2 billion. GMLRS, or Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System rockets, are made by L3Harris Technologies' business unit Aerojet Rocketdyne. The long-range ATACMS are made by Lockheed Martin. The newly introduced resolutions seek to stop that sale. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, this year recognized the UAE as a major defense partner, and the Gulf state is host to the Al Dhafra Air Base with U.S. military aircraft and thousands of American personnel. Sudan's army has accused the UAE of providing weapons and support to the RSF in Sudan's 17-month-old war. The Gulf state denies the allegations. U.N. sanctions monitors have described as credible accusations that the UAE had provided military support to the RSF. The UAE has denied involvement in military support to any of Sudan's rival parties. War erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the RSF over a transition to free elections, with tens of thousands of people reported dead. The United Nations has said nearly 25 million people - half of Sudan's population - need aid, famine is looming and some 8 million people have fled their homes. "The UAE is one of the biggest outside actors fueling the violence in Sudan, and yet the U.S. is on the brink of selling the UAE another $1.2 billion in weapons that could end up in the hands of the RSF," Jacobs, who met with Sudanese refugees on the border with Chad this year, said in a statement. (This story has been refiled to correct the spelling of the first name of lawmaker Jacobs in paragraph 2) (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Don Durfee and Will Dunham)Social media monitoring intensifies in J&K