casino plus super ace register Our failure to learn from mistakesCommentary: Whether we were born in SC or out, we all have a story and a historyWASHINGTON ― First came this month of his son, Hunter Biden. It was followed Thursday by the largest single-day act of clemency in modern history: commuting the sentences of nearly during the COVID pandemic and pardoning 39 others convicted of nonviolent crimes. The lame-duck, 82-year-old Democrat isn't done yet. Biden promised to take "more steps in the weeks ahead" as he announced the he said have successfully reintegrated into their communities and deserved a "second chance." Less than six weeks before he leaves the White House, Biden faces a host of political and legal considerations as he decides how he will use his presidential clemency power next. Biden and his senior aides are for individuals they fear President-elect Donald Trump might target for criminal investigations. Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., a close Biden ally, of his federal charges to "clean the slate." Meanwhile, criminal justice advocates, although pleased by Biden's moves Thursday, want him to sign off on all 10,000 pending clemency petitions. Other activists and progressive Democrats are urging Biden to , fearing the return of Trump will restart federal executions, which had been paused under the Biden administration. "With 39 days remaining in his presidency, President Biden has the power to continue to use his clemency authority to change and save the lives of many, many other Americans behind the wall," said Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass. "It is the right thing to do, it is the moral thing to do, and it is a matter of legacy.” With the latest clemency moves, the White House said Biden has now issued more sentence commutations than any of his predecessors at the same point in their terms. That's in addition to pardons targeting categories of offenses, including pardons for simple marijuana possession in 2022, pardoning veterans previously convicted . Yet ‒ which absolves an individual of a criminal offense entirely ‒ has been the slowest since at least President William McKinley in 1900, according to Justice Department records. Biden has pardoned 65 people so far, leaving him behind another one-term president, George H. W. Bush, who pardoned 74 people. But pardons sometimes happen at the end of an administration because they can be controversial, and Biden has until Jan. 20 to make his decisions. Jimmy Carter, another one-term president, had the most in the last 50 years, with 534 pardons – before counting the open-ended pardon he provided people who dodged the Vietnam War draft from 1964 to 1973. Franklin Roosevelt pardoned the most since 1900 with 2,819 during his four terms. The 1,499 individuals whose sentences Biden commuted involve people in home confinement through the 2020 CARES Act, which authorized the federal Bureau of Prisons to move medically vulnerable inmates incarcerated for nonviolent offenses from prisons to house arrest. Biden said many of recipients receiving commuted sentences "would receive lower sentences if charged under today's laws, policies and practices" and that they have "successfully reintegrated into their families and communities and have shown that they deserve a second chance." He said the 39 people he is pardoning have shown "commitment to making their communities stronger and safer." None are household names, and most were convicted of nonviolent drug-related offenses. Clyburn, who had previously commended Biden for pardoning 11 people convicted of simple marijuana possession, said his action tackled injustice. “Many people of color and moderate means have been disproportionately burdened by systemic injustices and clemency is a potent tool in the President’s toolbox to remedy some faults in our legal system,” Clyburn said in a statement. Margaret Huang, president of the Southern Poverty Law Center, said Biden’s action provided justice for people in southern states who are disproportionately and harshly punished due to discriminatory law enforcement. “The failings of the criminal legal system have resulted in the mass incarceration of people of color throughout the South, justified by fabricated narratives about the benefits of institutionalization to public safety,” Huang said. Some Republicans had to return people in home confinement during the pandemic back to prison. But GOP criticism from Biden's actions Thursday didn't appear widespread. "I’m not surprised at this point anymore," Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., . "I think I’m still trying to get over the after he promised America he wouldn’t do it." In the weeks since Trump's election victory last month, criminal justice activists have ramped up pressure on Biden to commute sentences of federal inmates on death row ‒ and follow through on a Biden 2020 campaign promise to end the federal death penalty. They renewed their calls after Thursday's announcement. During Trump's first term, his administration oversaw 13 executions in its final six months, becoming the first presidential administration to . Trump has vowed to resume federal executions and . A collection of 134 groups advocating for civil liberties, human rights and social justice urged Biden on Monday to commute the sentences of all prisoners on death row. Pressley and other House Democrats calling for the same Wednesday. “While today’s announcement is wonderful, there is more to do in the final weeks before President Biden leaves office,” said Cynthia Roseberry, director of policy and government affairs at the American Civil Liberties Union’s justice division. “We strongly urge President Biden to use his power to address this country's failed death penalty by commuting death row sentences.” Democrats in the Black Congressional Caucus and civil rights leaders have also pushed Biden to pardon , who was convicted earlier this year on perjury and mortgage fraud charges related to a home loan application. Her advocates say Mosby, who maintains her innocence, was a political target of the Trump administration. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was noncommittal when asked Thursday whether Biden will commute sentences for individuals on federal death row. She said Biden and his team will continue to review clemency petitions "in normal course." She added that Biden wants to "further the criminal justice reforms in a manner that advances equity and justice, promotes public safety, supports rehab and re-entry, and provides meaningful second chances." Pressed about the thousands of others seeking clemency, Jean-Pierre said Biden has taken "many actions" in addition to the latest clemency announcements. A far more delicate political calculation for Biden will be whether to offer blanket pardons to shield individuals who Trump has threatened. It would likely invite an instant backlash, particularly from Republicans, while Biden also faces criticism for his broadly-worded pardon for Hunter Biden, which was made not only to reprieve his son from existing gun and tax felonies but to shield him from potential future charges by Trump's Justice Department. Some Democratic lawmakers, led by U.S. Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts, are publicly advocating for the pre-pardons ‒ alarmed by Trump's repeated past threats to and his recent pick of longtime ally as director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to replace Christopher Wray, who resigned Wednesday. Those who could be on a pre-pardon list include retired Gen. Mark Milley, who Trump ; former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, who Trump has said should "go to jail" for her role on the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol; Dr. Anthony Fauci, a frequent target of Republican lawmakers over his work during the U.S. response to the COVID-19 pandemic; and Sen. of California, who Trump has referred to as "the enemy within" for his leading role while serving in the House of Representatives during Trump's first impeachment. In an interview over the weekend on NBC's Meet the Press, Trump said some members of the House committee that investigated Trump's actions on Jan. 6, 2021 should “go to jail.” , former chair of the committee, accept a pre-emptive pardon from Biden out of fear that might target him with a criminal investigation. Yet the possibility of pre-pardoning people who have not been charged of any crimes raises several legal concerns that could ultimately sway Biden not to take action, according to legal experts. Accepting a pardon carries with it the suggestion of accepting guilt. And some Democrats worry Biden would set a new precedent for pardons, opening the door for Trump to take similar actions. Jean-Pierre wouldn't rule out blanket pardons when asked whether it's a possibility. "He's going to have conversations with his team's going to review clemency petitions," she told reporters on Thursday. "He's going to review options on the table. And so that's where I'm going to leave it."

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Five storylines ahead of Arizona football's road finale at TCU on Saturday in Fort Worth, as the Wildcats look to remain bowl eligible. FORT WORTH, Texas — For the second straight week, the Arizona Wildcats are in a one-week season when they meet the TCU Horned Frogs on Saturday afternoon at Amon G. Carter Stadium. It's simple for Arizona: Win, and the bowl hopes still have a pulse. Or lose, converting the Territorial Cup battle with Arizona State into a bowl game since the Wildcats won't qualify for the game in a season that started with Arizona preseason ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time in nearly a decade. After Arizona (4-6) beat Houston to snap a five-game losing skid, the Wildcats will now have to face TCU (6-4), which has the top offense in the Big 12, for the Horned Frogs' home finale. TCU could conceivably win the next two games and bolster the bowl résumé. Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4), right, gets a helmet butt from running back Kedrick Reescano (3) after he hauled in a touchdown catch in the first quarter against Houston in their Big 12 game on Nov. 15, 2024. In recent years, excluding last season, the Wildcats struggled in the game preceding the Territorial Cup game. But maybe the Wildcats facing bowl elimination will keep Arizona intact for its final road contest. "When we get so focused on outcome, when we get so focused on down the road, that's the worst place for us to be because we're missing the importance of what's happening right now," Brennan said. Added Brennan: "We can't worry about what's down the road because none of that matters. What matters is what we're doing right now. ... For us, we need to find a way to play good football Saturday against TCU. That's all that matters." Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan needs 112 yards to become the UA's all-time leading receiver, passing current Arizona wide receivers coach Bobby Wade. Saturday could be a momentous day for Arizona. Arizona defensive coordinator Duane Akina jumps for joy with defensive back Genesis Smith (12) after Smith grabbed a Houston fumble in the first quarter of their game on Nov. 15, 2024. UA defense to play with 'good balance of pressure and playing it straight' In last week's win over Houston, the Wildcats used their dime defense, which has evolved into their base defense following season-ending injuries to captains in linebacker Jacob Manu, safety Gunner Maldonado and nickel back Treydan Stukes. However, the Wildcats brought more defensive backs in the box and flashed blitz, but sometimes dropped back in pass coverage; other times, the Wildcats rattled Houston's dual-threat quarterback Zeon Chriss, who is more potent with his legs than his arms. Sophomore defensive back Genesis Smith broke out for a career-high seven tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery, earning him Big 12 Co-Defensive Player of the Week honors. It was a defensive formula that was effective and forced four fourth-down stops. This week is a different story. "Two totally different worlds," said Brennan. "They don't even correlate." TCU quarterback Josh Hoover "is a much cleaner and better thrower than (Chriss)," said Brennan. Hoover leads the Big 12 in passing, averaging 323.3 yards per game. TCU also has four receivers with over 500 yards this season: Jack Bech, Savion Williams, Eric McAlister and JP Richardson. TCU's offensive line has also only given up 11 sacks the entire season; Arizona has allowed 24. Arizona's defense will look to find "good balance of pressure and playing it straight" against TCU, said Brennan. "You can't allow (Hoover) to stand back there all day and pick you apart and have all the time to do it," Brennan said. "The biggest thing is when you do pressure him or you do get there, you gotta get him down and you gotta make the tackle. That part has been a huge point of emphasis for us." Arizona picked up a commitment from three-star Texas wide receiver Muizz Tounkara for 2025. Lone Star recruiting When the Arizona coaching staff strategized the Wildcats' recruiting plan, Arizona running backs coach Alonzo Carter was the first coach to raise his hand. "'I want Houston and Dallas,'" Carter said. When Carter was the recruiting coordinator at San Jose State, even though the Spartans' primary hotspots for recruits are along the West Coast, Carter developed connections in Texas, a prominent state for producing high-level football players — and high school programs with small college-sized stadiums. "I was the first person to want to go to those areas, because ... I have a lot of ties to the South," Carter said. "I have a lot of ties in the state of Texas, I know a lot of high school coaches, so to be able to go down there was fun because my peers were a little nervous. "I always told them, 'If I get a different logo, all of ya'll are in trouble because you know I can only recruit west coast. If you put me where I can go national, all of ya'll are in trouble.' Plus, I can get some good food while I'm at it? I was all-in. ... I love going to Texas." Texas has produced more NFL players this season than any other state with 211 Texans on league rosters. About one-third of Arizona's 2025 recruiting cycle hails from Texas. The Wildcats currently have seven commits from the Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Austin regions for their upcoming class, which ranks seventh in the Big 12, per 247Sports.com . "Everybody knows there's good football there in that state," said Brennan, who first started recruiting Texas as a wide receivers coach at Oregon State. Recruiting Texas prospects is "very different than recruiting California," Brennan said, because every coach is an employee of the school, most programs have "a fieldhouse and that's where the coach operates out of," where California has more "off-campus" coaches. "The cool thing about Texas is high school football is such an important thing there," said Brennan. "All of those situations that you go into, it's like a college. It's like when the NFL scouts come here. They have the lists, they have the film, they have everything you need, so you can get a chance to properly evaluate players." Arizona is no stranger to recruiting Texas. The Wildcats pulled several standouts from Texas during the Dick Tomey era, including running back Kelvin Eafon and All-Pac-10 offensive lineman Yusuff Scott. Arizona emphasized recruiting Texas under former head coaches Mike Stoops and Kevin Sumlin. Notable UA Texans under Stoops include Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles, Earl Mitchell, Syndric Steptoe and Trevin Wade, among others. Now that Arizona is a member of the Big 12, which has three schools in Texas, including the Wildcats' upcoming opponent in TCU, the UA has re-established the pipeline in Texas for 2025 and future recruiting classes. "That's the beauty of this program with Texas being so close, being in the Big 12, a great conference. You know you can recruit Texas heavy because those families get to see them play even when we're on the road," said Carter. "Even when we're at home, it's only a one-hour or two-hour plane ride depending on where you're coming from. That's a heavy emphasis for us being a member of the Big 12." TCU wide receiver Jack Bech (18) catches a long pass from quarterback Josh Hoover while guarded by Texas Tech defensive back Macho Stevenson in the second half on Oct. 26, 2024. TCU found a spark, but 'still a flawed team' Ahead of the Arizona-TCU game, we had a chance to speak with Horned Frogs beat writer Steven Johnson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram about TCU's up-and-down season. Here are three questions he answered: How would you summarize this season? A: "I would say right now, they have turned things around. Maybe less than a month ago, right before they played Utah, it was a legitimate and fair question, is (head coach) Sonny Dykes on the hot seat less than two seasons after taking the team to the national championship game? The defense was looking bad, they blew an 18-point lead to UCF, they got blown out by SMU, upset at home by Houston, which was the worst team in the Big 12 at the time. "Things were looking rocky, but you gotta give credit to Sonny Dykes. After that bye week, they won three out of the last four games; the one game they lost was a last-second loss to Baylor. TCU is still a flawed team. Everything hasn't been fixed, but the Horned Frogs are playing with a lot of confidence and they're trying to finish the season strong and move up in the Big 12 pecking order. They've turned things around and Sonny Dykes, (quarterback) Josh Hoover and those guys deserve a ton of credit for not letting the season get away like last year." TCU has the best passing offense in the Big 12, but the Horned Frogs have one of the worst rushing attacks in the league. How is the offense so effective despite being mostly one-dimensional? A: "Well, they trust the arm of Josh Hoover. He was their guy and they didn't explore experienced or older quarterbacks because they trust him that much. For the most part, he has shown why the staff was so high on him. He's a guy I consider a gunslinger. He loves pushing the ball down the field, but sometimes his decision-making can slip away from him. When he's playing within himself and playing with confidence, I think he's one of the best quarterbacks in the country. "They have found a wrinkle in the run game. They're using (wide receiver) Savion Williams, who is 6-5 and an extremely talented wide receiver and a draft pick. They've been using him in the backfield. ... They gotta be creative running the football, so they're not asking Josh Hoover to throw 50 or 60 times a game." Who are TCU's X-factors on offense and defense? A: "For defense, it has to be (LaMareon James). That'll be TCU's top cornerback and he's going to be the guy to match up with on (Tetairoa McMillan) the most. He's an Old Dominion transfer. He's not the tallest cornerback, but he's super-explosive. ... Offensively, I'll go with TCU's wide receivers — all of them. TCU might be the only school in the country with four receivers with at least 500 yards. ... It's hard to pick one, because they all have different roles and different breakout moments this year." Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita, left, is hit by BYU defensive end Tyler Batty, front right, during their Oct. 12 matchup in Provo, Utah. Turnover battle The Wildcats aren't foreign to success on the road this season. In Arizona's first-ever conference game in the Big 12, the Wildcats upset then-10th-ranked Utah, albeit the Utes have lost five straight since then. Beyond the Utah win? Three massive losses for the Wildcats. Including the lone road victory, Arizona has been outscored 138-61 away from Tucson this season — a season after the Wildcats lost three games by a combined 16 points. The turnover battle is the most noticeable difference between Arizona's win at Utah and the other three setbacks. Arizona has forced three takeaways on the road but its opponents have forced seven UA turnovers. The Wildcats have yet to play a turnover-less game this season. Some of Arizona's turnovers were momentum-shifting plays that turned into points for its opponents, such as quarterback Noah Fifita's fumble and interception on the opening drives of the second half of the 41-19 loss to BYU; the Cougars scored 20 straight points before the Wildcats scored a touchdown. Arizona running back Quali Conley had fumbles in back-to-back games, which led to touchdowns for West Virginia and UCF; the Knights subsequently went ahead by two touchdowns in their 56-12 drubbing of Arizona. Turnover differential is "one of those statistics that always leads to the outcome," said Brennan. "It's one of the best predictors of winning and losing," he said. "Noah needs to do a great job with where he goes with the football. "We've gotta do a great job of protecting him with a good defensive front and then anyone who carries it needs to be strong with the ball, keep four points of pressure and understand that when they're possessing, at the end of the play, they need to hand (the ball) to the official." Contact Justin Spears, the Star's Arizona football beat reporter, at jspears@tucson.com . On X(Twitter): @JustinESports Respond: Write a letter to the editor | Write a guest opinion Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sports ReporterColorado is gearing up for the rugged Big 12 schedule, but first the Buffaloes wrap up their nonconference slate with two more games, starting Friday night when they host South Dakota State in Boulder, Colo. Colorado (7-2) has won two straight after competing in the Maui Invitational, most recently a 72-55 win over in-state rival Colorado State. Now the focus turns to South Dakota State and shoring up issues before conference play. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Stacker ranked the best films of 2024 so far using data from Metacritic as of Dec. 2, 2024. Check back to see this list evolve as the year concludes. Click for more. The best movies of 2024 so far

WASHINGTON — Former White House adviser Peter Navarro, who served prison time related to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, will return to serve in Donald Trump’s second administration, the president-elect announced Wednesday. Navarro, a trade adviser during Trump’s first term, will be a senior counselor for trade and manufacturing, Trump said on Truth Social. The position, Trump wrote, “leverages Peter’s broad range of White House experience, while harnessing his extensive Policy analytic and Media skills.”

Zilinskas scores 32 as IU Indianapolis downs Alabama A&M 88-83The controversial Australian has played only one match in more than two years because of injury but that has not stopped him being an outspoken presence on social media during a difficult few months for the sport. First it was announced in August that Sinner had failed two doping tests in March but was cleared of fault, while in November Swiatek was handed a one-month ban for a failed test caused by contaminated medication. Kyrgios has been particularly vociferous in his criticism of Sinner, who could yet face a ban after the World Anti-Doping Agency appealed the finding of no fault or negligence in his case. At a press conference ahead of the Brisbane International, Kyrgios told reporters: “I have to be outspoken about it because I don’t think there’s enough people that are speaking about it. I think people are trying to sweep it under the rug. “I just think that it’s been handled horrifically in our sport. Two world number ones both getting done for doping is disgusting for our sport. It’s a horrible look. “The tennis integrity right now – and everyone knows it, but no one wants to speak about it – it’s awful. It’s actually awful. And it’s not OK.” Kyrgios initially underwent knee surgery in January 2023, returning to action in June of that year, but he played only one match before pulling out of Wimbledon due to a torn ligament in his right wrist. He has not played a competitive match since, and it appeared doubtful that he would be able to return, but the 29-year-old will make his comeback in Brisbane this week. Kyrgios will take on France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in singles, while he will also team up with Novak Djokovic in a blockbuster doubles pairing. “It’s good to be back,” said Kyrgios. “I honestly never thought I’d be back playing at this level. Even entering an event like this, preparing, doing all the right things. “I’m really excited to just go out there and play, just play tennis. I saw Novak in the gym, playing doubles with him, a lot to be excited about that I’m able to get out there and compete again.” Asked whether he could get back to the same level that saw him reach the Wimbledon final in 2022, Kyrgios said: “I still believe I can, whether or not that’s factual or not. There was another player who was like, ‘You have to be realistic’. That’s not how I am. I always back my ability.” The new tennis season is already under way, with the United Cup team event beginning on Friday. Great Britain, who are weakened by the absence of Jack Draper through injury, begin their campaign against Argentina in Sydney on Monday before facing hosts Australia on Wednesday. That could pit Katie Boulter against fiance Alex De Minaur, with the pair having announced their engagement last week. “Obviously some incredible news from our side, but I think we kind of wanted it to die down a little bit before matches started,” said Boulter of the timing. “My private life is out in the public a little bit at the moment. But, in terms of the stuff that I’m doing on the court, I’ll be doing the best I can every single day to stay in my own little bubble.” Billy Harris has taken Draper’s place, with the British number one facing a race against time to be fit for the Australian Open because of a hip problem. Emma Raducanu is the sixth seed at the ASB Classic in Auckland and will begin her season with a match against Robin Montgomery, while Cameron Norrie takes on another American, Learner Tien, at the Hong Kong Open.