| Franken joins a long list of men, with a new distinction |
| Sen. Al Franken is the latest powerful man to be accused of sexual misconduct. His accuser, TV host and sportscaster Leeann Tweeden, wrote a post describing how Franken "aggressively" kissed her and groped her without her consent. What's more, she tweeted a photo that she says shows him grabbing her breasts while she was sleeping. The incidents happened while the two were on tour to entertain troops in the Middle East in 2006. Franken, who had previously been a cast member on Saturday Night Live, was performing as a comedian. It was before he was in Congress, but he is the first sitting lawmaker in Washington to be accused of sexual misconduct since the Harvey Weinstein scandal broke. The news comes a day after a bipartisan bill was introduced to better protect accusers in Congress. Franken, a Minnesota Democrat, has apologized and promised to cooperate with an ethics investigation. Also on Thursday: |
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| The House passed an overhaul of the tax code. What does it mean? |
| A tax bill has passed the House. What does it mean for your finances? Well, nothing — yet. (As Schoolhouse Rock would say: It's just a bill, sitting here on Capitol Hill.) The Republicans narrowly passed a sweeping overhaul of the tax code on Thursday, but the Senate is working on a different plan that could come up for a vote after Thanksgiving. And that means it's time for legislators to talk turkey: The measures must be reconciled before they could be sent to President Trump. The biggest changes in the House plan: It dramatically cuts the top corporate rate (from 35% to 20%) and lowers rates for individuals and families while taking away deductions and credits. The Senate plan has different individual rates and business rules. |
| Breakthrough in CTE: Brain scan showed the disease in a living person |
| An autopsy confirmed a 12-year NFL veteran had CTE, just as a brain scan four years before his death had indicated. It's a breakthrough, published this week in Neuroscience, that researchers hope will help diagnose the disease in the living. Scientists know there is a link between repetitive head trauma and chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a neurodegenerative brain disease. But right now, it can only be confirmed through an autopsy. That's where this player comes in; he wasn't named in the study, but he's been identified as former Vikings linebacker Fred McNeill . Researchers might not be able to look at another person's brain scan and say definitively that he or she has CTE, but they can look for similarities with McNeill's scan taken when he was alive. |
| Germany knocks U.S. out of top spot as the country with the best global image |
| If you're not first, you're last, USA. The country of beer, bratwurst and Angela Merkel replaced the U.S. as the country with the best brand image, according to a new study of 50 countries released Thursday. What happened to America first, Germany second? Not this year, according to The Nation Brands Index study. The NBI annually measures public opinion around the world on factors like governance and tourism that make up a country's "brand image." Apparently, the so-called Trump effect played a part in America's fall from the top spot to sixth. To make matters worse, Canada took second place. We blame you, Justin Trudeau. |
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| Trump administration to elephant hunters: Big-game on |
| Big-game hunters will be able to bring elephant trophies to the U.S. due to a controversial move by the Trump administration. The White House reversed an Obama-era ban on importing endangered elephants killed in Zambia and Zimbabwe. Hunters can get permits to import their kills if they can prove it benefits animal conservation. In October, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service overturned a similar ban on lion trophies in Zambia and Zimbabwe because it said it enhanced the animals' survival. If that makes you go, "huh?" you're not alone. The decision sparked outrage among animal advocates, and Humane Society leader Wayne Pacelle described it as "a venal and nefarious pay-to-slay arrangement." |
| For soup kitchen work, 'pick any day, but don't pick Thanksgiving' |
| Volunteering at a soup kitchen on Thanksgiving sounds like a great idea. Bond as a family and serve those in need at the same time? Heck, "giving" is right in the name of the holiday. But hold off on those plans, O Generous One, because Thanksgiving is basically the worst day for it. "If you really want to volunteer, pick any day, but don't pick Thanksgiving or the day after Thanksgiving," said Eileen Heisman, CEO and President of the National Philanthropic Trust. Heisman explained that many charities get overwhelmed by an influx of one-time volunteers. If you want family bonding and good deeds, hit Small Business Saturday sales together to buy for gift drives in your community. (But do your research first and find out what they actually need.) You'll still get to help and you won't have overloaded any organizations, except with your good will. And they're always happy to have that. |
| The Short List is a compilation of stories from across USA TODAY. |
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