Source: AP

Former NFL star Darren Sharper was sentenced Tuesday a 20-year prison term, ending a tour of shame and punishment in the courthouse where he first admitted drugging and raping women in four states.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor denounced Sharper's "horrible conduct" and "disgraceful abuse of trust" during the hearing that concluded prosecutions that unmasked the popular former all-pro safety and Super Bowl champ as a serial rapist.

Under the terms of a plea deal negotiated with prosecutors in four states, Sharper will be eligible for parole in about eight years because California law requires he serve half his sentence and he has already been behind bars more than two years since his arrest.

But he will probably serve more time if an appeals court upholds an 18-year prison sentence handed down by a New Orleans federal judge who rejected the deal as too lenient. Sharper has appealed that harsher sentence.

Read more: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ex-nfl-star-sharper-faces-final-sentence-drugging-071259893--spt.html?ref=gs

Source: AJC

Georgia Rep. Tom Price appears close to being named secretary of health and human services, and an announcement from Donald Trump’s transition team could come within the next day, according to a dozen Republican sources with knowledge of the plan.

The Georgia operatives and political figures, all of whom requested anonymity since they are not authorized to speak on the record, said they were told the announcement would come soon but stressed the timeline could change. Two of those operatives said the president-elect offered the Roswell Republican the job on Monday and expected Trump’s campaign to announce it Tuesday morning.

Spokespeople for Price and Trump’s transition team did not respond to requests for comment Monday.

...

Price, a wonky orthopedic surgeon who has represented his Roswell-based House district for 12 years, has been at the center of congressional efforts to repeal Obamacare as chairman of the House Budget Committee. He was also one of the only GOP lawmakers to design a replacement plan for the 2010 health care law — a proposal that never received a vote in committee or on the floor of the House.

Read more: http://politics.blog.ajc.com/2016/11/28/sources-tom-price-close-to-being-named-top-health-official-in-donald-trumps-cabinet/

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Source: Daily Mail UK

Cassini gets ready to plunge into Saturn's icy rings in a daring manoeuvre before its 20-year mission ends

Nasa's Cassini spacecraft is about to begin series of 20 orbits high above and below Saturn's poles.

Plunging just past the outer edge of the main rings, the orbits will mark the last phase of Cassini's mission.

While it passes through Saturn's famous rings, Cassini will collect samples of particles and gases and get the best view yet of the tiny, hard-to-spot moons found near the rings.

On the 30 November, following a gravitational nudge from Saturn's moon Titan, Cassini will enter this new orbiting phase, that will last until 22 April next year.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3964552/Cassini-gets-ready-plunge-Saturn-s-icy-rings-daring-manoeuvre-20-year-mission-ends.html

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going to miss this spacecraft.