But since then, that bipartisan spirit was noticeably absent for nine months. As legislators argued over additional relief and ahead of Monday’s passage of a $900 billion package, the 116th Congress’ approval rating hit its lowest point since it convened on January 3, 2019. Of the 1,018 adults Gallup polled between December 1 and 17, only 15 percent approved of the job Congress was doing. Still above the all-time low of 9 percent, which Gallup measured in November 2013, Congress’ approval rating is 16 points lower than the 31 percent high reported in spring....

And if the gridlock on Capitol Hill over another coronavirus stimulus package is any indication of lawmakers’ future behavior, the country could be heading toward a shutdown unless yet another deal is struck. “I don’t know how much of what’s going on now is a division based upon different points of view on principle and how much is due to the politics of an upcoming election,” Senator Mitt Romney (R-Utah) said....

The Democratic-led House passed the temporary funding known as a continuing resolution, or CR, Tuesday mostly along party lines. President Donald Trump later approved the money that evening, which will keep the government operating through December 20. This is the second resolution in recent months. The stop-gap measures have kept the government running as lawmakers’ disagreements with fiscal year 2020’s budget have continued. The first CR was passed by Congress and approved by Trump in September....

At a congressional hearing on gun violence on Tuesday, Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein of California said she would soon reintroduce red flag legislation—also known as extreme risk protection orders—to permit courts and family members to intervene to restrict a seemingly dangerous person’s access to guns. Amy Swearer, a legal fellow at the conservative think tank Heritage Foundation, told Feinstein during the hearing that her proposal is one area where there is “at least room for bipartisan support,” according to Roll Call....

“You also described in your report that the then-Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort shared with a Russian operative, Kilimnik, the campaign strategy for winning Democratic votes in mid-Western states and internal polling data. Isn’t that correct?” Lofgren asked during the hearing. “Correct,” Mueller responded. “They also discussed the status of the Trump campaign and Manafort’s strategy for winning votes in mid-Western states. Months before that meeting, Manafort had caused internal data to be shared with Kilimnik and the sharing continued for some period of time after their August meeting....

“Mr. Chairman I cannot unsee what I have seen, I cannot unfeel what I experienced. I refuse to, although admittedly it robs me of sleep and peace of mind,” Pressley said during a congressional hearing on Friday. “But that pales in comparison to the pain felt by families that have been robbed of their liberty, their legal rights, their dignity and some even the lives of their babies.” Pressley then went on to describe her visit to a migrant detention facility at the southern border....

Charles Yarbrough, 30, of Nashville, Tennessee, was arrested after officers from the Milford Police Department were called to the Mary Taylor Memorial United Methodist Church in Connecticut on July 1 to reports of a possible burglary. According to police, officers were able to locate and arrest Yarboroguh following a “fast acting and in-depth investigation.” During police interviews, Yarbrough said he entered the building and damaged one of its doors because the church and its pastor were “supporting and pushing the LGBT agenda....

He got so much more, though. MORE: Craft beer suggestions for every MLB team He got “Swing.” It wouldn’t be fair or accurate to call “Swing” a sports book. It’s too rare for that. For all the many wonderful non-fiction books written directly about sports (say, Mark Kriegel’s “The Good Son”) and the novels written about characters inspired by real life (like John Grisham’s “Calico Joe”, who seems to be born of Tony Conigliaro’s experience), and the novels written about wholly fictional athletes (such as those in Chad Harbaugh’s marvelous “The Art of Fielding”), what Beard does with “Swing” is wonderfully uncommon....

“The Destroyer” (15-0, 10 KOs) rallied after taking a lot of punishment in the opening round of his debut as a headliner. Koivula (24-7-1, nine KOs) caught him with a right hand early and looked determined to get the job done inside the first three minutes. The “Ice Man” continued to take the fight to the 22-year-old champ and eventually sent him stumbling back to the ropes with a left hand....

MORE: Must-see images from McGregor-Diaz The Nevada State Athletic Commission is requiring McGregor and his fractured left foot/ankle to be cleared by an orthopedist if he wants to fight before Feb. 17, 2017. Regardless of the orthopedist, McGregor can’t have any combat contact until Oct. 5 or return to competition until Oct. 20. McGregor doesn’t have any bouts scheduled, but if not medically cleared he could miss the heavily anticipated UFC 205 event in New York City on Nov....

Taking to social media, McGregor responded to Mayweather on Saturday and posted the following to his Instagram account: MORE: Top 10 fighters of 2015 | Current UFC champions “Floyd Mayweather, don’t ever bring race into my success again. I am an Irishman. My people have been oppressed our entire existence. And still very much are. I understand the feeling of prejudice. It is a feeling that is deep in my blood....

According to Westgate, McGregor opens as a +150 underdog to Nurmagomedov being nearly a 2 to 1 favorite at -180. Online betting outlets also have Nurmagomedov as a sizable favorite. 5Dimes lists the Russian at -165 to McGregor’s +135 while Bovada has Nurmagomedov at -175 with the former champion sitting at +145. Nurmagomedov (26-0) has never lost a fight in his mixed martial arts career that began in 2008. He made his UFC debut in 2012 and has won nine fights in a row since joining the mixed martial arts promotion....

The artwork was hung in dozens of spots in Pacific Palisades one week before Californians are set to vote on whether Newsom should be recalled and, if he is, polls indicate that radio host Larry Elder would likely replace him. The artwork features a cartoonish image of Newsom sporting an Adolph Hitler-type mustache with a syringe in one hand and the text, “Obey!” in large letters. In one corner is a swastika made of hypodermic needles....

Chelsea suffered one of their worst defeats during Conte’s reign at the start of the month as they went down 4-1 to Watford, leaving the coach on the brink of losing his job. And Conte has admitted that he faced criticism from more than just fans and the press after that game, as his family grew concerned over his timidity on the side of the field. Three good performances have subsequently stabilised things at Stamford Bridge as Conte’s side now sit fourth in the Premier League, and the coach vows he will be as vocal and wild as usual as they gear up for an intense end to the season, if only to make his father happy....

The 23-year-old has been in the treatment room since picking up an injury while playing for Ghana at the Africa Cup of Nations in January. Initially expected back in action in August, the left-back has had to spend more time in rehabilitation due to a series of setbacks. “This player [Baba] is coming back from a bad injury and he’s struggling a bit to recover the best form,’ Conte said on Friday....

As it turned out, a judgment call allowed the Bruins to advance to the third round. MORE: Must-see photos | DeCourcy: Ref’s good eye saved UCLA | NCAA Tournament live updates | Scoreboard UCLA, branded by the masses as this year’s how-the-heck-did-they-get-in addition to the Field of 68, was the subject of more controversy Thursday after its 60-59 win over SMU, the No. 6 seed in the South, in the round of 64....

The incident occurred this past Sunday, at about 7:30 p.m. local time, after deputies from the Hardee County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call regarding a possible “armed hostage situation.” The deputies responded to a residence in Wauchula Hills and were assisted by officers from the Wauchula Police Department and the Bowling Green Police Department. When the officers arrived at the residence of Mitchell Albritton, 61, he told them he was armed and refused to open the door, according to a press release from the sheriff’s office....

More students than ever are mopping their foreheads. There are about 75,000 students in career culinary programs–up about 35 percent in five years–at 425 schools, says Dorlene Kaplan, editor of “The Guide to Cooking Schools 2003.” Culinary educators say an influx of 18-year-olds is a big reason for the spike. “It’s become a real career track for young people,” says Karl Guggenmos, dean of the College of Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R....

Lunch totes are also a maik of class. Dinosaurs reign for up to 12–Barney lunchboxes for preschoolers; Jurassic Park for older kids (packed with a Lunchable, Oscar Mayer’s portable smorgasbord). The eco-cool carry reusable nylon, Velcrofastened Snack Sacks. Parents get one price break: baggy styles are still in, allowing kids lots of room to grow–“poet blouses” for girls, tent-like Umbro and Girbaud shorts for boys. Top T shirt: inevitably, Beavis & Butt-Head....

Last week, Veronesi was caught on camera by a relative, holding a sign that said, “I need more beer!” The snapshot was shared online by television station KRCG and pretty soon it was everywhere. The viral image even garnered the attention from Meteorologist Matt Rudkin, from WSBT-TV station. On his Facebook page, Rudkin wrote, “This picture made me laugh out loud when it popped up on my newsfeed. Hope it does the same for you on this Friday!...