A 69-year-old South Carolina woman was killed in an apparent alligator attack while walking her dog near a golf course on Hilton Head Island, police said Tuesday.

Just last week, former Vice President Mike Pence said he hoped federal prosecutors would not bring charges against former President Donald Trump. On Wednesday, a day after Trump was arraigned on dozens of felony counts related to classified documents, Pence described the allegations as “a very serious matter." “I cannot defend what is alleged,” Pence, who is now challenging Trump for the Republican presidential nomination, said on CNBC. The former vice president's evolving message highlights the high-stakes dilemma for Trump's Republican rivals, who are struggling to find a clear and consistent strategy to take on the frontrunner as Trump’s unprecedented legal troubles threaten to dominate all other issues in the 2024 presidential contest. Some Republican leaders this week have demonstrated a newfound willingness to criticize Trump over the seriousness of the allegations, which include mishandling government secrets that as commander in chief he was entrusted to protect. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a former naval officer and Trump's top rival for the nomination, said that “if I would have taken classified (documents) to my apartment, I would have been court-martialed in a New York minute.” But that was just a brief mention in a weekend speech at a North Carolina GOP gathering, during which he focused his censure on the Justice Department and the Biden administration. It's been much the same for other challengers. Even the most aggressive have layered their criticism of Trump with attacks against the Justice Department — for bringing charges against him — that make it difficult at times to determine exactly where they stand on the former president. And that’s precisely the point, given Trump’s continued popularity among GOP voters and his rivals' desire to dent his lead without alienating his base. Indeed, most of Trump's competitors are making a risky bet — for now — that the weight of his extraordinary baggage will eventually sink his reelection bid. They believe it will take time. Trump's Republican opponents privately concede that the former president’s considerable political strength is likely to grow stronger, at least in the short term, as GOP voters, key officials and conservative media leaders rally around him. For example, Pastor Robert Jeffress, of the First Baptist megachurch in Dallas, initially declined to endorse Trump's 2024 bid but declared Tuesday night that the GOP's presidential primary was all but over. “I thought there would be almost a civil war in the Republican Party for the nomination, but that quickly turned into an unconditional surrender,” said Jeffress, who mingled at Trump's post-indictment gathering at Bedminster, New Jersey. "People absolutely love this president, and I believe his base is going to turn out.” The Republican establishment has tried and failed to reject Trump and his divisive politics for much of the last decade. But this time the GOP faces the very real possibility that a man who has been indicted twice and charged with dozens of felonies could become the party’s standard-bearer in 2024. Fighting that outcome, which once seemed all but inevitable, a powerful conservative voice is being raised in the fight for the first time. The Koch network’s political arm, Americans for Prosperity, has begun running online ads across Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina — the first three states on the GOP’s presidential primary calendar — focusing on questions about Trump’s electability in next fall’s general election against Biden. The new ads make no mention of his legal troubles. “Trump did a lot of good things as president," one of the ads says. “But this time, he can’t win.” Americans for Prosperity CEO Emily Seidel said her organization has talked to thousands of voters in key states to determine the most effective arguments to undermine Trump’s political strength. “Based on the data we’re collecting, more than two-thirds of people who say they’re supporting Trump are also receptive to arguments that he is a weak candidate, his focus on 2020 is a liability, and his lack of appeal with independent voters is a problem,” Seidel said. "That tells us that many Republicans are ready to move on — they just need to see another candidate step up and show they can lead and win.” So far, Trump's rivals are still trying to find their footing as the former president commands a big lead in early Republican primary polls. And as they test evolving messages on the campaign trail and in media appearances, none of top-tier competitors are running paid advertisements seizing on Trump's legal troubles. Republican presidential contender Nikki Haley, the former ambassador to the United Nations in the Trump administration, told Fox News on Monday that Trump was incredibly “reckless with our national security” if the allegations in the indictment are true. On Tuesday, she repeated the pointed criticism, but also said she’d be inclined to pardon Trump if he’s convicted. “I think it would be terrible for the country to have a former president in prison for years because of a documents case,” Haley said on the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton radio show. Others have made defending Trump a central message in their early campaigns. Speaking outside the Miami courthouse on Tuesday, White House hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy announced that his campaign had sent a letter to other 2024 candidates challenging them to join his pledge to pardon Trump on their first day in office. “I respectfully request that you join me in this commitment or else publicly explain why you will not," it read. Trump, meanwhile, is trying to take advantage of the media storm. After his appearance in federal court in Miami, he made a stop at the city's famed Versailles Restaurant in Little Havana, with news cameras in tow. He then headed home to his Bedminster summer residence, where aides had assembled hundreds of supporters, club members and reporters for a post-arraignment speech. Trump was welcomed like a general returning home from battle. Insisting he was innocent of all charges, the former president vowed that, as president, he would appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Biden and his family. As for the indictment and charges? “This is called election interference and yet another attempt to rig and steal a presidential election,” Trump said. As they reckon with the fact that Trump faces years behind bars, as well as the logistical complications of balancing court appearances with campaign rallies, Trump's political advisers have stressed what they see as the political benefits. They believe the wall-to-wall coverage of his legal woes makes it difficult for his competitors to be heard, a point that other campaigns acknowledged privately. “From a campaign standpoint, I mean, what did the other candidates do today? Do we know?” asked Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung. “There’s no oxygen for the other candidates." Those other candidates are eager to highlight cracks in Trump's support, although for now, they appear to be modest. On Capitol Hill, a small but growing Republican minority of lawmakers have recently described the new federal charges against Trump as serious. “I would not feel comfortable with a convicted felon in the White House,” Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., told CNN. He pointed to Trump’s attacks against Hillary Clinton, who was accused of mishandling classified documents in her emails in 2016. “His words have set the standard.” Veteran Republican strategist Ari Fleischer warned that it would take time to understand the political impact of Trump's growing legal challenges. “A short-term rally around Trump now is not the true measure," Fleischer said. “The only test is a long-term test.” ___ Peoples reported from New York. Associated Press writer Ali Swenson in New York contributed to this report. Read More Ivanka and Jared split over attending Trump 2024 launch – follow live Why was Donald Trump impeached twice during his first term? Four big lies Trump told during his 2024 presidential announcement Sarah Huckabee Sanders travels to Europe for 1st overseas trade mission as Arkansas governor Trump’s GOP rivals grapple with their response a Court hears arguments over records related to Biden gift of Senate papers to University of Delaware

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce's bid to equal pole vaulter Sergey Bubka's world championships record of six titles in one event got off to a smooth start on Sunday as she eased into...

The f-word is often thought of as the most useful and flexible word in English. Whether that’s true or not, the term is so successful that it’s spawned dozens of euphemisms. Here are a few of them.

Ahead of its launch in November, a reveal trailer has shown a key ‘Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3’ plotline will see Task Force 141 “adapt or die” to the oncoming threat of Vladimir Makarov.

A gambling scandal has left Iowa State with a quarterback quandary

Former NFL quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan rips Matt Canada's "revamped" Pittsburgh Steelers offense to shreds after its successful, but underwhelming preseason debut.Old habits die hard for much-maligned Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Matt Canada.Despite beating t...

Fulham boss Marco Silva insists Aleksandar Mitrovic has nothing to prove on his Old Trafford return following an FA Cup meltdown there in March. Mitrovic was handed an eight-game ban after grabbing referee Chris Kavanagh during Fulham’s FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Manchester United. The Serbia striker has scored three goals in two games since returning from suspension – taking his total for the season in all competitions to 15 – and ends his best top-flight campaign on Sunday back at Old Trafford. Asked if Mitrovic will be especially fired up against United, Silva said: “No, not at all. Mitro doesn’t need this type of incentive. “I think he showed in 25 minutes against Southampton that it doesn’t matter the club that he is going to play against, (and) last week against Palace. “He is Mitro, he doesn’t need to play against certain types of teams or in certain situations to be more motivated.” Fulham will end the campaign 10th whatever happens at United – their first top-half Premier League finish since coming ninth in 2012 – but the Cottagers have a powerful incentive to finish the season on a high. Victory will set a new Premier League points record for the club, a draw will match the 53 points achieved in 2008-09 under Roy Hodgson. Silva said: “It’s a brilliant season for us, no doubts about it. For everything, not just because about the position we have to be proud of. “The position we are going to finish, the way we achieve it. The way we keep improving the individual and collective of our squad. It’s been really good. “We knew before this season started that it would be crucial for this club to remain in Premier League. “Credit to the players because of the right mindset, they are always ready to learn and work. “They bought our ideas and philosophy as well to the way we are going to play football.” United secured a top-four finish and Champions League football next season by beating Chelsea 4-1 on Thursday. Erik ten Hag’s squad will expect a rousing Old Trafford send-off on Sunday before next weekend’s FA Cup final date with neighbours Manchester City. “They already played one final (Carabao Cup) and they are going to play another one,” said Silva, whose side have suffered late league and cup defeats to United this season. “For a club like Man United it is really important that they are fighting for some titles. They changed some things (this season), they signed good players – two or three that made a huge impact in their squad as well. “I think they’ve been showing this season that they’re a massive club. “The individual quality they have, in my opinion, is clearly in the best teams in this league. “They have players in the attack line and midfield line who can decide the game in one second if you switch off.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Liverpool’s lack of final-day drama ‘completely new’ to boss Jurgen Klopp Frank Lampard will be ‘back at Chelsea many times’ as a fan after interim role Ruben Selles urges Southampton to end wretched season on positive note

There’s something about a good perfume that instantly brightens up your mood and gives you a burst of confidence. You can never have too many — a true enthusiast can curate perfumes to match different moods, seasons, or events. Date-night perfumes, mood-specific ones, and everyday kinds, you name it. There is no shortage of ways to sort and shop for perfumes, but sometimes the best way to discover a new scent is directly from devoted users. If you’ve been in a rut searching for a new scent, the R29 shopping team is here to share with you a plethora of must-haves that every fragrance lover should know. Our editors’ favorite perfumes include everything from trendy Le Labo scents to luxe Chanel ones and subtle, elegant Jo Malone London fragrances.

After a five-year hiatus, Rihanna is back with a new Fenty x Puma collaboration. The partnership between the Grammy winner and the German sportswear giant has been revived with the Fenty x Puma Avanti shoe, a fashion-forward take on the classic soccer sneaker.

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 20, 2023--

A federal judge has dismissed Donald Trump's counter defamation lawsuit against E. Jean Carroll, dealing another legal blow to the former president.