Editors

USA TODAY

Trump visits Iowa after adding more hardliners to his transition team

President-elect Donald Trump will appear in Des Moines on Thursday with Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, whom he confirmed he plans to nominate as U.S. ambassador to China. Trump also tapped Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to lead the Environmental Protection Agency and WWE co-founder Linda McMahon to lead the Small Business Administration. Environmental groups and Democratic lawmakers have denounced Pruitt's selection, who has taken the Obama administration to court over a variety of environmental and other regulations.

Stakes raised as NFL rivals collide in key showdown

The surging Oakland Raiders face their eternal rival, the Kansas City Chiefs, for the 116th time in a vital AFC West battle Thursday (8:25 p.m. ET) to fight for first place in the division. The Raiders (10-2), one of the surprise teams in the NFL this season, are led by their young MVP candidate Derek Carr and will attempt to win their seventh straight game in the prime-time affair at frosty Arrowhead Stadium.A loss to the Chiefs (9-3), which would signal a series sweep for K.C., would knock the Raiders out of the division lead and down to the fifth seed.

Congress works to beat deadline on spending bill

Congress is poised to pass a $1.07 trillion bill that would boost defense spending, provide aid to flood-ravaged states as well as the lead-poisoned residents of Flint, Mich., and pay for security for President-elect Donald Trump. The House and Senate must approve the bill this week before they adjourn to prevent a government shutdown. An existing stop-gap funding bill expires at midnight Friday. The legislation will fund the government only through April 28, leaving it to Trump and the new Congress to approve another spending bill. House leaders have said they hope to pass the bill on Thursday. The Senate will follow quickly.

Poor headlights ding auto safety ratings

About half as many vehicles from the 2017 model year have achieved a top safety rating as 2016 models, largely due to their headlights. Even as high-tech systems such as collision warning and lane-departure detection have led to huge safety advancements in vehicles, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said Thursday that it had stiffened the criteria for its highest safety honors — the Top Safety Pick+ label — by introducing tighter standards for headlight performance. The consequence is that only 38 of the 2017 models have achieved the group's top score, down from 79 of 2016 models. The group tracks about 200 models.

Opportunities on the horizon to cruise from Miami to Cuba

Oceania Cruises on Thursday will release a full schedule of sail dates and itinerary details for its first Cuba voyages. The line's 1,250-passenger Marina will begin sailings to the island nation from Miami on March 7 and be followed soon thereafter by ships from sister brands Norwegian Cruise Line and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. The three brands received approval for Cuba trips from the country’s government on Wednesday along with Royal Caribbean and Azamara Club Cruises. The five lines will be the first established cruise brands to sail from Florida to Cuba in decades.

And the essentials:

Weather: The coldest air of this season moves East Thursday, while rain is expected to hit parts of Seattle through San Francisco.

Stocks: Global stocks surged.

TV Tonight: Wondering what to watch tonight? TV critic Robert Bianco looks at Legends of Tomorrow (CW) and the series finale of Notorious (ABC).

Be Inspired: This officer's altruism resulted in decades of kind acts.

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Contributing: The Associated Press