Washington Two people with knowledge of the situation told NBC News that the House Ethics Committee has decided to make a report outlining the results of an investigation into former Representative Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., public. This is a turnaround from last month, when the panel couldn't agree on whether to publish the report. After the House completes its last task of the year—voting to keep the government open—the report is anticipated to be released to the public as early as this week. During its years-long inquiry, the committee examined claims that Gaetz had used illegal drugs and committed sexual misconduct, received inappropriate gifts, provided preferential treatment to those with whom he had personal ties, and impeded the House investigation. Following President-elect Donald Trum...

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that a person in Louisiana was admitted to the hospital after contracting bird flu, the nation's first serious human H5N1 illness. According to the FDA, the individual was most likely exposed to the virus through a backyard flock of dead or dying birds. This is the first instance of a backyard flock being linked to a bird flu infection in a person in the United States. Louisiana reported the case as a probable positive on Friday, and the CDC subsequently confirmed it. In the United States, this is the 61st human case of avian influenza this year. Farmworkers exposed to the virus through animal contact have been the source of the majority of mild cases. The CDC stated that the revelation has no bearing on its evaluation of the H5N1 dange...

Washington A long-running case in South Carolina involving the state's effort to bar the health care provider Planned Parenthood from taking part in the Medicaid health program was taken up by the Supreme Court on Wednesday. The technical legal question is whether Medicaid recipients, a state-run program for low-income individuals, can file a lawsuit to select the qualified healthcare provider of their choice. South Carolina, which is headed by Republicans, has long aimed to prevent Planned Parenthood from being covered by Medicaid due to the organization's abortion services. Since the Supreme Court's historic Roe v. Wade ruling in 2022, which abolished the constitutional right to an abortion, the state's legal environment has transformed. Abortions are becoming less common in South Caro...

Washington Two people with knowledge of the situation told NBC News that the House Ethics Committee has decided to make a report outlining the results of an investigation into former Representative Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., public. This is a turnaround from last month, when the panel couldn't agree on whether to publish the report. After the House completes its last task of the year—voting to keep the government open—the report is anticipated to be released to the public as early as this week. During its years-long inquiry, the committee examined claims that Gaetz had used illegal drugs and committed sexual misconduct, received inappropriate gifts, provided preferential treatment to those with whom he had personal ties, and impeded the House investigation. Following President-elect Donald Trum...

In an attempt to remain competitive on the path to complete electrification, leading Japanese automakers Nissan Motor and Honda Motor are reportedly considering a blockbuster merger that would rock the global automotive industry. According to sources close to the situation, Japanese business journal Nikkeire claimed tonight that Nissan and Honda are preparing to begin merger talks and that the domestic counterparts are anticipated to sign a memorandum of agreement soon. According to reports, the two businesses would also want to include Mitsubishi Motors in the transaction, of which Nissan is the largest stakeholder with a 24% interest. According to Citi, the potential merger may result in the third-largest auto business in the world by vehicle sales, with 8 million sales per year. As a re...

Washington The FBI ought to look into former Representative Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., for her role in the investigation into the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, according to a Republican chairman on Tuesday. Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga., who chairs the House Administration's oversight subcommittee that looked into the Jan. 6 select committee, released an interim report saying, "Based on the evidence obtained by this Subcommittee, numerous federal laws were likely broken by Liz Cheney, the former Vice Chair of the January 6 Select Committee, and these violations should be investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation." Republicans allegedly discovered proof that Cheney "tampered with at least one witness, Cassidy Hutchinson, by secretly communicating with Hutchinson without her attorney'...

Washington Two people with knowledge of the situation told NBC News that the House Ethics Committee has decided to make a report outlining the results of an investigation into former Representative Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., public. This is a turnaround from last month, when the panel couldn't agree on whether to publish the report. During its years-long inquiry, the committee examined claims that Gaetz had used illegal drugs and committed sexual misconduct, received inappropriate gifts, provided preferential treatment to those with whom he had personal ties, and impeded the House investigation. Following President-elect Donald Trump's announcement last month that he planned to name Gaetz as the next U.S. attorney general, the Republican from Florida resigned from the House. Only eight days aft...

Washington TikTok's appeal against a government law that might ban the well-known social media app by next month will be heard by the Supreme Court, the court announced Wednesday. The court took action a day after TikTok submitted its appeal, and it will decide whether to halt the law after hearing oral arguments on January 10. The matter at hand is a bipartisan bill that was approved by Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden. It would take effect on January 19, the day before Donald Trump, the next president, takes office. The Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act would force ByteDance, the Chinese corporation that owns TikTok, to sell the platform to an American business or risk being banned. TikTok has contested the regulation, claiming i...

What about a deliberate foul? When a young Charlotte Hornets fan was given a coveted PlayStation 5 during Monday night's game in front of a boisterous crowd, he thought he was getting a Christmas wish. However, he was devastated when the team took the gaming console away from him backstage a short while later. Alexei Phillips said he accompanied his 13-year-old nephew to see the Hornets play the Philadelphia 76ers on Queen City News, a local news outlet. According to him, a Hornets staff member asked them whether they wanted to play with the team's mascot, Hugo, at the beginning of the game. "We were approached by a member of their fan squad who asked if any of us would like to join Hugo on the court. "Yeah," he informed the station. Phillips and his nephew are seen standing on the court b...