House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy is in the fight of his political life as he seeks enough GOP backing to become the next speaker of the House. The California congressman is grinding through the promises and proposals, cajoling and deal-making necessary to win over reluctant colleagues. He needs at least 218 votes to become Democrat Nancy Pelosi's successor. The overtures McCarthy is making include the symbolic and the substantive, but often come with a political cost. For example, he's promised to restore the committee assignments of a far-right Republican, Georgia's Marjorie Taylor Greene, and take them away from some high-profile Democrats. McCarthy remains confident of garnering enough support, saying that “we'll get there.”
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The extended Senate campaign in Georgia between Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock and his Republican challenger, football legend Herschel Walker, has grown increasingly bitter ahead as their Dec. 6 runoff nears. With Democrats already assured control of the Senate, it’s a striking contrast from two years ago, when the state’s twin Senate runoffs were mostly about which party would control the chamber in Washington. Warnock casts Walker as unqualified and unfit for office. Walker mocks Warnock as a hypocrite beholden to President Joe Biden. The broadsides reflect the candidates’ furious push in the four weeks between the Nov. 8 general election and runoff to persuade their supporters to cast another ballot.
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There has been a surge in the number of Mexicans seeking asylum in Canada this year. The reasons for the big jump include the relative ease for Mexicans to obtain refugee status in Canada compared to the U.S., visa-free travel between Mexico and Canada, and the threat of violence back home. More than 8,000 Mexican nationals have applied for asylum in Canada since the start of the year. That is six times as many as last year and more than twice as many as in 2019, which was the last year before the COVID-19 pandemic and the travel restrictions that accompanied it. The majority of the asylum seekers are flying into Montreal. The city has many direct flights between the two countries.
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Authorities say NFL free agent Odell Beckham Jr. was removed from an aircraft before takeoff at Miami International Airport after failing to respond to requests to buckle his seatbelt and appearing to be unconscious. Miami-Dade police said Sunday that officials feared Beckham was ill, and that his condition would worsen through a five-hour flight to Los Angeles. A statement does not say if he was cited or charged with a crime. American Airlines says flight 1228 re-boarded and departed later. A Twitter post attributed to Beckham says now he's seen it all. Beckham is 30 and a three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver who was injured helping the Los Angeles Rams win the Super Bowl last February.
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Michigan moved up to No. 2 in The Associated Press college football poll, with TCU at No. 3 and Southern California at No. 4 behind top-ranked Georgia after four top-10 teams lost on the final day of regular-season games. The Bulldogs are No. 1 for the eighth straight week and 11th time this season in the AP Top 25. Georgia received 58 first-place votes and Michigan received the other five. The Wolverines reached a season-high No. 2 after beating Ohio State, which dropped the Buckeyes three spots to No. 5.
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Qatar’s first ever World Cup match ended in dismay for an overmatched team and with a place in unwanted soccer history. The controversy-laced tournament opened with Qatar getting outplayed in a 2-0 loss to Ecuador in front of 67,372 fans at Al Bayt Stadium. A host team had never lost its opening game in 92 years of soccer’s biggest event. The first World Cup in the Middle East is a chance for Qatar to showcase itself to the wider world but its soccer team couldn't live up to the moment. Ecuador captain Enner Valencia scored both of his team's goals in the first half.
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