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PHOENIX — Donald Trump suggested Sunday that his new administration could try to regain control of the Panama Canal that the United States “foolishly” ceded to its Central American ally, contending that shippers are charged “ridiculous” fees to pass through the vital transportation channel linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. President-elect Donald Trump speaks at AmericaFest on Sunday in Phoenix. Panama's conservative president José Raúl Mulino, who was elected in April on a pro-business platform, roundly rejected that notion as an affront to his country's sovereignty. The Republican president-elect's comment came during his first major rally since winning the White House on Nov. 5. He also used his comments to bask in his return to power as a large audience of conservatives cheered along. It was a display of party unity at odds with a just-concluded budget fight on Capitol Hill where some GOP lawmakers openly defied their leader's demands. Addressing supporters at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest in Arizona, Trump pledged that his “dream team Cabinet” would deliver a booming economy, seal U.S. borders and quickly settle wars in the Middle East and Ukraine. “I can proudly proclaim that the Golden Age of America is upon us,” Trump said. “There’s a spirit that we have now that we didn’t have just a short while ago.” His appearance capped a four-day pep rally that drew more than 20,000 activists and projected an image of Republican cohesion despite the past week's turbulence in Washington with Trump pulling strings from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida as Congress worked to avoid a government shutdown heading into the Christmas holiday. House Republicans spiked a bipartisan deal after Trump and Elon Musk, his billionaire ally, expressed their opposition on social media. Budget hawks flouted Trump's request to raise the nation’s debt ceiling, which would have spared some new rounds of the same fight after he takes office Jan. 20, 2025, with Republicans holding narrow control of the House and Senate. The final agreement did not address the issue and there was no shutdown. Trump, in his remarks in Phoenix, did not mention the congressional drama, though he did reference Musk's growing power. To suggestions that "President Trump has ceded the presidency to Elon,” Trump made clear, “No, no. That’s not happening.” “He’s not gonna be president,” Trump said. The president-elect opened the speech by saying that "we want to try to bring everybody together. We’re going to try. We’re going to really give it a shot." Then he suggested Democrats have “lost their confidence” and are “befuddled” after the election but eventually will ”come over to our side because we want to have them.” A cargo ship traverses the Agua Clara Locks of the Panama Canal on Sept. 2 in Colon, Panama. Atop a list of grievances — some old, some new — was the Panama Canal. “We’re being ripped off at the Panama Canal,” he said, bemoaning that his country ”foolishly gave it away.” The United States built the Panama Canal in the early 1900s, as it looked for ways to facilitate the transit of commercial and military vessels between its coasts. Washington relinquished control of the waterway to Panama on Dec. 31, 1999, under a treaty signed in 1977 under President Jimmy Carter. The canal depends on reservoirs to operate its locks and was heavily affected by 2023 Central American droughts that forced it to substantially reduce the number of daily slots for crossing ships. With fewer ships using the canal each day, administrators also increased the fees that are charged all shippers for reserving a slot. With weather returning to normal in the later months of this year, transit on the canal has normalized. But price increases are still expected for next year. Mulino, Panama's president, has been described as a conservative populist who aligns with Trump on many issues. Panama is a strong U.S. ally and the canal is crucial for its economy, generating about one-fifth of that government’s annual revenue. Still, Trump said, that, once his second term is underway, "If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to the United States of America, in full, quickly and without question.” “I’m not going to stand for it," Trump said. "So to the officials of Panama, please be guided accordingly.” He did not explain how that would be possible. A short time after Trump's speech, Mulino released a video declaring that “every square meter of the canal belongs to Panama and will continue to belong” to his country. Without mentioning Trump by name, Mulino addressed the president-elect's complaints over rising fees for ships crossing the canal, saying that they are set by experts who take into account operational costs, and supply and demand factors. “The tariffs are not set on a whim” Mulino said. He noted that Panama has expanded the canal over the years to increase ship traffic “on its own initiative,” and added that shipping fee increases help pay for improvements. “Panamanians may have different views on many issues” Mulino said. “But when it comes to our canal, and our sovereignty, we will all unite under our Panamanian flag.” The canal aside, Trump’s appearance at Turning Point’s annual gathering affirmed the growing influence the group and its founder, Charlie Kirk, have had in the conservative movement. Kirk’s organization hired thousands of field organizers across presidential battlegrounds, helping Trump make key gains among infrequent voters and other groups of people that have trended more Democratic in recent decades, including younger voters, Black men and Latino men. ”You had Turning Point’s grassroots armies,” Trump said. “It’s not my victory, it’s your victory.” Earlier Sunday, Trump said that Stephen Miran, who worked at the Treasury Department in Trump's first term, was his choice to lead the Council of Economic Advisers. Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. FILE - Former Rep. Doug Collins speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at a campaign event at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Oct. 15, 2024, in Atlanta. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Kash Patel spent several years as a Justice Department prosecutor before catching the Trump administration’s attention as a staffer on Capitol Hill who helped investigate the Russia probe. Patel called for dramatically reducing the agency’s footprint, a perspective that sets him apart from earlier directors who sought additional resources for the bureau. Though the Justice Department in 2021 during leak investigations, Patel said he intends to aggressively hunt down government officials who leak information to reporters. Trump has chosen former New York Rep. to serve as his pick to lead the . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Trump said Atkins, the CEO of Patomak Partners and a former SEC commissioner, was a “proven leader for common sense regulations.” In the years since leaving the SEC, Atkins has made the case against too much market regulation. “He believes in the promise of robust, innovative capital markets that are responsive to the needs of Investors, & that provide capital to make our Economy the best in the World. He also recognizes that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The commission oversees U.S. securities markets and investments and is currently led by Gary Gensler, who has been leading the U.S. government’s crackdown on the crypto industry. Gensler, who was nominated by President Joe Biden, announced last month that he would be stepping down from his post on the day that Trump is inaugurated — Jan. 20, 2025. Atkins began his career as a lawyer and has a long history working in the financial markets sector, both in government and private practice. In the 1990s, he worked on the staffs of two former SEC chairmen, Richard C. Breeden and Arthur Levitt. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump tapped former Sen. David Perdue of Georgia to be ambassador to China, saying in a social media post that the former CEO “brings valuable expertise to help build our relationship with China.” four years ago and ran unsuccessfully in a primary against Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Perdue pushed Trump's debunked lies about electoral fraud during his failed bid for governor. A Republican congressman from Michigan who served from 1993 to 2011, Hoekstra was ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term. “In my Second Term, Pete will help me once again put AMERICA FIRST,” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice. “He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role.” Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Guilfoyle is a former California prosecutor and television news personality who led the fundraising for Trump's 2020 campaign and became engaged to Don Jr. in 2020. Trump called her “a close friend and ally” and praised her “sharp intellect make her supremely qualified.” Guilfoyle was on stage with the family on election night. “I am so proud of Kimberly. She loves America and she always has wanted to serve the country as an Ambassador. She will be an amazing leader for America First,” Don Jr. posted. The ambassador positions must be approved by the U.S. Senate. Guilfoyle said in a social media post that she was “honored to accept President Trump’s nomination to serve as the next Ambassador to Greece and I look forward to earning the support of the U.S. Senate.” Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump said Wednesday that he will nominate Gen. Keith Kellogg to serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as National Security Advisor to Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence. For the America First Policy Institute, one of several groups formed after Trump left office to help lay the groundwork for the next Republican administration, Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Customs and Border Protection, with its roughly 60,000 employees, falls under the Department of Homeland Security. It includes the Border Patrol, which Rodney Scott led during Trump's first term, and is essentially responsible for protecting the country's borders while facilitating trade and travel. Scott comes to the job firmly from the Border Patrol side of the house. He became an agent in 1992 and spent much of his career in San Diego. When he was appointed head of the border agency in January 2020, he enthusiastically embraced Trump's policies. After being forced out under the Biden administration, Scott has been a vocal supporter of Trump's hard-line immigration agenda. He appeared frequently on Fox News and testified in Congress. He's also a senior fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Former Rep. Billy Long represented Missouri in the U.S. House from 2011 to 2023. Since leaving Congress, Trump said, Long “has worked as a Business and Tax advisor, helping Small Businesses navigate the complexities of complying with the IRS Rules and Regulations.” Former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler was appointed in January 2020 by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and then lost a runoff election a year later. She started a conservative voter registration organization and dived into GOP fundraising, becoming one of the top individual donors and bundlers to Trump’s 2024 comeback campaign. Even before nominating her for agriculture secretary, the president-elect already had tapped Loeffler as co-chair of his inaugural committee. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Trump says he’s picking Kari Lake as director of Voice of America, installing a staunch loyalist who ran unsuccessfully for Arizona governor and a Senate seat to head the congressionally funded broadcaster that provides independent news reporting around the world. Lake endeared herself to Trump through her dogmatic commitment to the falsehood that both she and Trump were the victims of election fraud. She has never acknowledged losing the gubernatorial race and called herself the “lawful governor” in her 2023 book, “Unafraid: Just Getting Started.” Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Makary is a Johns Hopkins surgeon and author who argued against pandemic lockdowns. He routinely appeared on Fox News during the COVID-19 pandemic and wrote opinion articles questioning masks for children. He cast doubt on vaccine mandates but supported vaccines generally. Makary also cast doubt on whether booster shots worked, which was against federal recommendations on the vaccine. Nesheiwat is a general practitioner who serves as medical director for CityMD, a network of urgent care centers in New York and New Jersey. She has been a contributor to Fox News. Weldon is a former Florida congressman who recently ran for a Florida state legislative seat and lost; Trump backed Weldon’s opponent. In Congress, Weldon weighed in on one of the nation’s most heated debates of the 1990s over quality of life and a right-to-die and whether Terri Schiavo, who was in a persistent vegetative state after cardiac arrest, should have been allowed to have her feeding tube removed. He sided with the parents who did not want it removed. Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Johnson — not the Republican senator — served as ambassador to El Salvador during Trump's first administration. His nomination comes as the president-elect has been threatening tariffs on Mexican imports and the mass deportation of migrants who have arrived to the U.S.-Mexico border. Johnson is also a former U.S. Army veteran and was in the Central Intelligence Agency. Barrack, a wealthy financier, met Trump in the 1980s while helping negotiate Trump’s purchase of the renowned Plaza Hotel. He was charged with using his personal access to the former president to secretly promote the interests of the United Arab Emirates, but was acquitted of all counts at a federal trial in 2022. Trump called him a “well-respected and experienced voice of reason.” Ferguson, who is already one of the FTC's five commissioners, will replace Lina Khan, who became a lightning rod for Wall Street and Silicon Valley by blocking billions of dollars worth of corporate acquisitions and suing Amazon and Meta while alleging anticompetitive behavior. “Andrew has a proven record of standing up to Big Tech censorship, and protecting Freedom of Speech in our Great Country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding, “Andrew will be the most America First, and pro-innovation FTC Chair in our Country’s History.” Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.jili super ace demo 。

History is made in BBC One’s latest Death in Paradise Christmas special, as Don Gilet becomes the first Black actor to play the lead role of a British police detective parachuted into the sleepy (and entirely fictional) Caribbean island of Saint Marie. But as he dons the droopy green sun hat of DI Mervin Wilson, he has his work cut out in a fun, feature-length instalment that tries to pull off several demanding tasks simultaneously. Firstly, the episode must introduce DI Wilson as a fully rounded replacement for the departed Neville Parker (Ralf Little). Secondly, it has to serve up a distinctive dollop of Christmas cheer on a weekend when the primetime schedules heave under a dead weight of tinsel and season’s greetings. Oh, and it has to deliver a satisfying murder mystery with the inevitable loose ends tied up by the closing credits. That’s a tall order – too tall perhaps. There are moments when this Christmas one-off threatens to lose its footing and tumble head over heels like Santa slipping on a dodgy roof tile. The good news is that Gilet is a great addition to the series. His phlegmatic, crotchety persona harks back to the OG Death in Paradise policeman abroad, Richard Poole (the harrumphing Ben Miller). Poole was forever grumbling about life on a glorious tropical island. DI Wilson has some of that same Columbo-esque energy, complaining early on that visiting Saint Marie is “like stepping back in time”. But there’s deep sadness under that glum exterior, and it is revealed that he came to the island hoping to connect with his mother, whom he had never known. He also seems not to have any friends back in London – revealing to DS Naomi Thomas (Shantol Jackson) that he always volunteered to work at Christmas because he didn’t have much else on. The episode also brims with yuletide conviviality. As it was no doubt filmed months ago, in sunny Guadeloupe, conjuring the season’s charm must have been a challenge. But it pulls it off, with a heart-warming subplot in which Danny John-Jules’s officer Dwayne Myers pulls out all the stops to spend 25 December with his ageing dad Nelson (Ram John Holder), who he suspects may not have too many more Christmases left in him. Dwayne follows this up by announcing he is stepping down as a policeman so that he can have more quality time with his father (it is Jules’s second exit from Death in Paradise after he previously took time away in 2022). Where the instalment falls down is in its manically convoluted murder plot. You know that internet meme from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia , in which a wild-eyed Charlie Day stands in front of a cork-board map criss-crossed with red lines? That is what this Death in Paradise storyline feels like, as the holidaying Wilson is asked to delay his return to London to help the local police investigate the double killing of two men, both dressed as Santa. The two have seemingly been killed with the same gun – at the same time. Oh, and there is another near-victim, again done up as Father Christmas and pinged with a bullet at the very moment his fellow Santas were shot dead. Untangling the mystery is a tremendously fiddly undertaking, and I’m still not sure I entirely understand it all. I won’t spoil it here – suffice to say it’s a bonkers combination of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express and Oliver Stone’s JFK , with several potential culprits and enough deep-fried red herrings to stock a chipper on Christmas Eve. It’s all quite baffling, and not even DI Wilson appears to fully understand it as he breaks down the details of the murder. But then, the crimes – and the idea they need to make any sense at all – have always taken a back seat on Death in Paradise . Far more important is the fact that the new DI strikes up an instant connection with the support crew of DS Thomas and police chief Commissioner Selwyn Patterson (Don Warrington). The chemistry is great, the sunshine a balm at this time of year – and the Christmas spirit appropriately festive. You could go down a tropical rabbit hole trying to unravel the complicated plot. But bah humbug to that. What is really important is that Death in Paradise has a compelling new lead detective. To grumble about the twisting, turning story would be to indulge in criminal levels of nitpicking.JERUSALEM — Israel approved a ceasefire agreement with Lebanon's Hezbollah militants on Tuesday that would end nearly 14 months of fighting linked to the war in the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire, starting at 4 a.m. local time Wednesday, would mark the first major step toward ending the regionwide unrest triggered by Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. But it does not address the devastating war in Gaza , where Hamas is still holding dozens of hostages and the conflict is more intractable. Hours before the ceasefire with Hezbollah was to take effect, Israel carried out the most intense wave of strikes in Beirut and its southern suburbs since the start of the conflict and issued a record number of evacuation warnings. At least 42 people were killed in strikes across the country, according to local authorities. Another huge airstrike shook Beirut shortly after the ceasefire was announced. Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike on Dahiyeh, in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. There appeared to be lingering disagreement over whether Israel would have the right to strike Hezbollah if it believed the militants had violated the agreement, something Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted was part of the deal but which Lebanese and Hezbollah officials have rejected. Israel's security Cabinet approved the U.S.-France-brokered ceasefire agreement after Netanyahu presented it, his office said. U.S. President Joe Biden, speaking in Washington, called the agreement “good news” and said his administration would make a renewed push for a ceasefire in Gaza. The Biden administration spent much of this year trying to broker a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza but the talks repeatedly sputtered to a halt . President-elect Donald Trump vowed to bring peace to the Middle East without saying how. Still, any halt to the fighting in Lebanon is expected to reduce the likelihood of war between Israel and Iran, which backs both Hezbollah and Hamas and exchanged direct fire with Israel on two occasions earlier this year. In this screen grab image from video provide by the Israeli Government Press Office, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu makes a televised statement Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, in Jerusalem, Israel. Netanyahu presented the ceasefire proposal to Cabinet ministers after a televised address in which he listed accomplishments against Israel’s enemies across the region. He said a ceasefire with Hezbollah would further isolate Hamas in Gaza and allow Israel to focus on its main enemy, Iran. “If Hezbollah breaks the agreement and tries to rearm, we will attack,” he said. “For every violation, we will attack with might.” The ceasefire deal calls for a two-month initial halt in fighting and would require Hezbollah to end its armed presence in a broad swath of southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops would return to their side of the border. Thousands of additional Lebanese troops and U.N. peacekeepers would deploy in the south, and an international panel headed by the United States would monitor compliance. Biden said Israel reserved the right to quickly resume operations in Lebanon if Hezbollah breaks the terms of the truce, but that the deal "was designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities.” A police bomb squad officer inspects the site where a rocket fired from Lebanon landed in a backyard in Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel, Tuesday Nov. 26, 2024. Netanyahu’s office said Israel appreciated the U.S. efforts in securing the deal but “reserves the right to act against every threat to its security.” Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the ceasefire and described it as a crucial step toward stability and the return of displaced people. Hezbollah has said it accepts the proposal, but a senior official with the group said Tuesday it had not seen the agreement in its final form. “After reviewing the agreement signed by the enemy government, we will see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials,” Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chair of Hezbollah’s political council, told the Al Jazeera news network. “We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state," he said, referring to Israel's demand for freedom of action. “Any violation of sovereignty is refused.” Rescuers and residents search for victims Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted a building in Beirut, Lebanon. Even as ceasefire efforts gained momentum in recent days, Israel continued to strike what it called Hezbollah targets across Lebanon while the militants fired rockets, missiles and drones across the border. An Israeli strike on Tuesday leveled a residential building in central Beirut — the second time in recent days warplanes have hit the crowded area near downtown. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. Israel also struck a building in Beirut's bustling commercial district of Hamra for the first time, hitting a site around 400 meters (yards) from Lebanon’s Central Bank. There were no reports of casualties. The Israeli military said it struck targets linked to Hezbollah's financial arm. The evacuation warnings covered many areas, including parts of Beirut that previously were not targeted. The warnings sent residents fleeing. Traffic was gridlocked, with mattresses tied to some cars. Dozens of people, some wearing pajamas, gathered in a central square, huddling under blankets or standing around fires as Israeli drones buzzed overhead. Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee issued evacuation warnings for 20 buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs, where Hezbollah has a major presence, as well as a warning for the southern town of Naqoura where the U.N. peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL, is headquartered. UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said peacekeepers will not evacuate. Israeli soldiers inspect the site Tuesday Nov. 26, 2024, where a rocket fired from Lebanon landed in a backyard in Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel. The Israeli military also said its ground troops clashed with Hezbollah forces and destroyed rocket launchers in the Slouqi area on the eastern end of the Litani River, a few miles from the Israeli border. Under the ceasefire deal, Hezbollah would be required to move its forces north of the Litani, which in some places is about 20 miles north of the border. Hezbollah began firing into northern Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, saying it was showing support for the Palestinians, a day after Hamas carried out its attack on southern Israel, triggering the Gaza war. Israel returned fire on Hezbollah, and the two sides have exchanged barrages ever since. Israeli security officers and army soldiers inspect the site Tuesday Nov. 26, 2024, where a rocket fired from Lebanon landed in a backyard in Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel. Israel escalated its bombardment in mid-September and later sent troops into Lebanon, vowing to put an end to Hezbollah fire so tens of thousands of evacuated Israelis could return to their homes. More than 3,760 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon the past 13 months, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese health officials. The bombardment has driven 1.2 million people from their homes. Israel says it has killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Hezbollah fire has forced some 50,000 Israelis to evacuate in the country’s north, and its rockets have reached as far south in Israel as Tel Aviv. At least 75 people have been killed, more than half of them civilians. More than 50 Israeli soldiers have died in the ground offensive in Lebanon. Chehayeb and Mroue reported from Beirut and Federman from Jerusalem. Associated Press reporters Lujain Jo and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut and Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.After a dramatic Nov. 5 election, who will serve on the Oakland City Council in 2025?Rosen Law Firm Announces Investigation of Breaches of Fiduciary Duties by the Directors and Officers of Southwest Airlines Co. - LUV

Soccer-Outstanding Arsenal thump Sporting 5-1 in Lisbon

'I'd do it again': Lidia Thorpe doubles down after Senate suspensionSamtang mas nagkahiusa na ang generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) sa trabaho ug katilingban, ang GCash nga nag-unang finance app sa Pilipinas ug pinakadako nga cashless ecosystem naggamit niini alang sa maayong katuyoan. Pinaagi sa Fuse nga lending arm niini, naghatag ang GCash og kahigayunan sa mga Pilipino nga makadugang og akses sa serbisyo pinansyal pinaagi sa pagwagtang sa mga babag sa tradisyonal nga sistema sa pagpautang. Gumikan sa AI, mas gipadali pa kini sa GCash pinaagi sa pagpalambo sa credit scoring ug collections aron mas daghang Pilipino ang makab-ot ang ilang mga tumong sa pinansyal. AI has transformed our loan scoring and collections, making credit more accessible and repayments easier,” matod sa Fuse Lending President ug CEO Tony Isidro. “By using AI to assess the user’s eligibility and streamline collections, we’re able to offer a more ethical and efficient lending experience and better serve millions of Filipinos.” Nagpabiling babag ang dili patas nga akses sa utang sa mas lapad nga financial inclusion sa Pilipinas. Kasagaran, ang pag-apruba sa utang gikan sa tradisyonal nga mga bangko ug financial institutions nagkinahanglan og credit history, kolateral, ug pagpakita sa kita nga nagbilin nga dili kwalipikado sa daghang mga Pilipino nga anaas ubos nga socio-economic lebel. Daghan usab ang naglikay sa proseso sa pag-aplay alang sa utang tungod sa taas nga mga proseso ug daghan nga papeles. Daghang Pilipino ang nag-atubang sa mga kalisod sa pinansyal ug mobalik sa mga informal nga nagpautang aron mangayo og tabang. Sa 2022 Financial Inclusion report sa Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, gipakita nga bisan pa man nagkadaghan ang mga nangutang sa miaging mga tuig, kapin sa katunga kanila nagakuha gihapon og utang gikan sa mga “five-six” o loan sharks. Ang mga nagpautang nga ingon niini kasagaran nagpatong og taas kaayong interes nga mas nakapalisod sa mga nangutang nga makagawas sa ilang utang. Ang GCash nagatubag niini nga isyu pinaagi sa lending arm niini nga Fuse diin naghatag og lainlaing loan products sama sa GLoan, GCredit, GGives, GLoan Sakto, ug Borrow Load. Sukad sa pagsugod niini, nakahatag na ang GCash og kapin Php155 bilyon nga utang ngadto sa kapin 5.4 milyunes ka Pilipino lakip na ang gagmay nga negosyante sama sa mga tag-iya sa sari-sari store ug mga magpapatigayon sa merkado. Tungod niini, halos 9 sa 10 nga nangutang sa GCash ang nilukat gikan sa informal lending ug midangat ngadto sa digital nga mga opsyon. Aron mapadali ang sistema sa pagpautang, ang GCash naggamit og AI aron masuta ang loan eligibility nga dili magdepende sa tradisyonal nga requirement sama sa dokumentasyon o kolateral nga kasagarang kinahanglanon sa mga tradisyonal nga nagpautang. Pinaagi sa scoring technology sa app nga nag-analisa sa transaction history sa mga user sulod sa app, nagmugna ang GCash og personalized trust score base sa milyon-milyong nangagi nga transaksyon. Kini naghatag og higayon alang sa usa ka bag-ong grupo sa mga Pilipino nga makasulay sa pormal nga utang sa unang higayon. Ang GCash usab naghatag og fully digital nga proseso sa pagkuha sa utang nga nagtugot sa users nga magbayad sa ilang utang bisan asa ug bisan kanus-a basta makasulod lang sila sa app. Ang GCash usab naggamit og smart auto-debit aron matabangan ang mga kustomer nga malikayan ang dili pagbayad o ang pagkuha og late penalty charges ug dugang bayrunon. Aron mas paspas pa ang koleksyon, nipailaila ang Fuse og human-like conversational Voice AI o VoiceBot nga gitawag og Gina nga makig-estorya sa mga kliyente sa pagpautang sa dako nga scale. Doble ang kapasidad ni Gina sa calling team ug nakatabang na sa mga nangutang nga makapaas sa ilang mga wala mabayari. “GCash through its lending arm, Fuse is grounded by these principles: fair and flexible loans, ethical collection, and lending at scale,” matod ni Isidro. “Millions of Filipinos were able to gain access to these thanks to GCash, and through AI, we hope to unlock even more possibilities for digital financial inclusion in the Philippines, in the vision of Finance for All.” / PR

Nearfield Instruments is bridging the semiconductor industry’s metrology and inspection challenges with in-line, non-destructive process control nanometrology solutions for advanced 3D memory and logic devices. (Image from Nearfield Instruments webpage) ROTTERDAM, Netherlands, Dec. 23 (Korea Bizwire) — Nearfield Instruments, a pioneer in advanced process control metrology solutions, is proud to announce that it has received repeat purchase orders for its flagship QUADRA High-Throughput Process Control Metrology System . This follow-up order highlights Nearfield Instruments’ increasing market traction and its success in penetrating high-volume manufacturing operations. The QUADRA system offers cutting-edge capabilities for in-line process control by Nearfield’s high-throughput AFM metrology technologies that deliver highly accurate, non-destructive 3D measurements of critical semiconductor parameters. By providing real-time feedback on critical device structures, the system provides good correlation to device yield and enables manufacturers to maintain high yields and optimal performance in their production lines. QUADRA’s exceptional throughput allows manufacturers to quickly and accurately analyze large numbers of devices without compromising measurement precision, ensuring both efficiency and quality in the production process. This follow-on order from a leading semiconductor manufacturer reflects the confidence that global manufacturers are placing in the QUADRA platform as they scale to meet the demands of next-generation technologies. “This repeat order is a clear validation of the QUADRA system’s performance, both in terms of capability and expected reliability and customer support and responsiveness and its critical role in enabling high-volume manufacturing for cutting-edge semiconductor processes,” said Hamed Sadeghian, CEO of Nearfield Instruments . “It demonstrates not only the system’s technical excellence but also the trust our customers place in us to support their production goals. With this new repeat orders, our order book for 2025 is fully filled and underlines Nearfield Instruments’ dedication to providing innovative solutions that help manufacturers achieve new heights of efficiency and yield.” The continued adoption of QUADRA systems by leading manufacturers further strengthens Nearfield Instruments’ position as a driving force in advanced process control metrology for mass production. About Nearfield Instruments Nearfield Instruments is bridging the semiconductor industry’s metrology and inspection challenges with in-line, non-destructive process control nanometrology solutions for advanced 3D memory and logic devices. Their groundbreaking technology combines high-resolution with high-throughput, essential for the production of advanced semiconductor nodes. Nearfield is headquartered in Rotterdam with offices in Eindhoven, The Netherlands and Pyeongtaek, South Korea. For more information, visit www.nearfieldinstruments.com Media Contact Roland van Vliet Chief Partnership Officer Nearfield Instruments B.V. e-mail: roland.vanvliet@nearfieldinstruments.com Telephone: +31620369741 Source: Nearfield Instruments B.V. via GLOBE NEWSWIRE

Vikings staying on track behind Sam Darnold’s composure and confidence

Rolled gold burritos, AI mania and 'mother of all bubbles' were big business in 2024As 2024 comes to a close, SM Supermalls celebrates a remarkable year of empowering Filipino Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through dynamic trade fairs and partnerships that have championed local entrepreneurship and fueled economic growth. Across its 80+ malls, SM Supermalls has become a vital platform where MSMEs thrive, bringing Filipino creativity, craftsmanship, and innovation to the forefront. A marketplace for growth SM Supermalls’ trade fairs have been instrumental in providing MSMEs access to ready markets, affordable spaces, and high foot traffic. These fairs served as launchpads for local entrepreneurs, offering increased brand visibility, direct customer engagement, robust marketing support, and invaluable networking opportunities with fellow business owners, suppliers, and potential investors. Featured MSME products ranged from artisanal crafts and sustainable fashion to gourmet food and homegrown innovations, showcasing the best of Filipino creativity. Events like the Bahandi Eastern Visayas Trade Fair, Orgullo Kan Bicol Trade Fair, and Likha ng Central Luzon celebrated regional artistry, while the National Arts and Crafts Fair and Coconut Trade Fair highlighted the diverse richness of Philippine culture. The best of Eastern Visayas is showcased through the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)’s Bahandi Trade Fair, with a curated selection of handcrafted treasures from over 100 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) at the SM Megamall Megatrade Hall last October. Bicol’s rich heritage is celebrated at the Orgullo Kan Bicol Trade Fair, featuring a diverse array of products from local Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) at the SM Megamall Megatrade Hall last October. A dynamic display of handmade products, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the Philippines, is featured at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)’s National Arts and Crafts Fair 2024, held at the SM Megamall Megatrade Hall last October. The wonders of Philippine coconut are displayed at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI’s) Coconut Philippines Trade Fair in SM Megatrade Hall last December 2–4. A win-win for shoppers For customers, SM Supermalls’ trade fairs offered more than just shopping—they delivered dynamic experiences. Visitors enjoyed live demonstrations, interactive activities, and exclusive promos while discovering unique, high-quality local products. These events created a sense of purpose among shoppers, who relished the opportunity to support Filipino entrepreneurs. SM for MSMEs: Going digital In line with its commitment to innovation, SM Supermalls recently launched the SM for MSMEs Website , a digital platform designed to streamline the application and approval processes for MSME exhibit opportunities. Entrepreneurs can now submit applications, track status updates, and access key resources online—making it easier to connect with SM Supermalls’ ecosystem. This initiative empowers MSMEs with greater efficiency, aligning with SM’s vision of driving growth through technology. Apply now: https://www.smsupermalls.com/sm-for-msmes/ Nation-building through partnerships Collaborating with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and other organizations, SM Supermalls amplified its efforts to promote Filipino MSMEs through high-impact national trade fairs like the Bagong Pilipinas National Food Fair and the Beauty Fair. These initiatives boosted local economies, generating significant sales for participating businesses while preserving Filipino heritage. The finest in Filipino beauty is highlighted at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI’s) “Beauty Fair” in SM Megamall Mega Fashion Hall last August, supporting thriving local Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). Looking Ahead: What’s Next in 2025? In 2025, SM Supermalls aims to elevate its MSME initiatives with innovative programs, expanding participation to showcase regional specialties and untapped talents. The focus will also shift towards sustainability, promoting eco-friendly brands and practices. Specialized trade fair themes, including health, crafts, and technology, will engage both MSMEs and shoppers. SM will also strengthen community support with workshops and training programs for aspiring entrepreneurs. The newly launched SM for MSMEs website will streamline the application process, connecting businesses with SM Supermalls’ ecosystem for a brighter future. For more on upcoming MSME programs, visit SM Supermalls’ website or follow us on social media. Together, let’s empower local enterprises to succeed! ABOUT SM SUPERMALLS SM Supermalls, owned by SM Prime Holdings, is the leading mall developer and operator in the Philippines. As a staunch advocate for MSMEs, SM Supermalls is dedicated to helping Filipino entrepreneurs succeed. Join our thriving marketplace across 80+ malls nationwide. Visit www.smsupermalls.com/sm-for-msmes/ to download your MSME application or email us at customercare@smsupermalls.com with your most innovative product and preferred location. Grab this opportunity to grow your business with SM Supermalls today! Being business-savvy should be fun, attainable and A+. BMPlus is BusinessMirror's digital arm with practical tips & success stories for aspiring and thriving millennial entrepreneurs.NEW YORK, NY, Dec. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vito Coviello is an experienced and accomplished C-level executive, bringing a wealth of expertise in financial control and management, regulatory compliance, strategic planning, internal audit, and tax to Spartan Capital Securities. With over two decades of leadership roles at prominent financial institutions, as well as U.S. and International Government Sponsored Entities, Mr. Coviello’s systemic capital markets knowledge, coupled with technical and innovative approach make him a significant addition to the Spartan team. Mr. Coviello previously served as a Financial Services Consultant, advising firms, and providing support on financial reporting, internal controls, regulatory compliance, internal audit, and tax. His career includes notable tenures at Morgan Stanley, Deloitte, Santander Investment Securities, and Fannie Mae, where he enhanced reporting, regulatory and compliance, internal controls, policy and procedures frameworks, internal audit, tax, streamlined processes, and developed cost-saving solutions. He has successfully reduced month-end close processes by implementing advanced technology solutions, designed financial reporting systems that optimized key performance indicators and achieved significant cost savings. He advised on the implementation of internal controls and regulatory reporting under SEC, FINRA, CFTC, NFA, SOX, FICCA and PCAOB rules. Spartan Capital Securities’ Founder and CEO, John Lowry, commented: “We are very pleased that Vito Coviello has joined the Spartan team. Vito’s extensive financial leadership, deep industry expertise, and proven track record position him as an ideal addition to our Firm, especially as we continue to evolve and grow.” About Spartan Capital Securities, LLC (SCS): Spartan Capital Securities, LLC is a full-service, integrated financial services firm that provides sound investment guidance for high-net-worth individuals and institutions. Their in-depth market knowledge, calculated risk management strategy, and investment acumen have earned them a strong reputation as trusted financial advisors. Spartan Capital’s experienced investment professionals provide highly customized personal service, tailoring an asset allocation program to enable each client to meet their financial goals. Spartan Capital also offers advisory and insurance services through its affiliates, Spartan Capital Private Wealth Management, LLC and Spartan Capital Insurance Services, LLC. If you have any questions, contact: info@spartancapital.com John D. Lowry Spartan Capital Securities +1 (212) 293-0123

ST. LOUIS, Dec. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Advantage Solutions Inc. (NASDAQ: ADV), a leading provider of business solutions to consumer goods manufacturers and retailers, has been named to Chief Marketer ’s 2025 Top Agencies of the Year, an honor that recognizes the “best and brightest across all agency types and channels.” In recognizing Advantage, Chief Marketer, a leading information hub that serves Fortune 1000 marketers, noted how the organization recently “transformed its business, aligning teams, operations and service offerings under a ‘One Advantage’ model to support omnicommerce, brand activation and experiential marketing solutions for retailers and CPG brands, from everyday foods and beverages to high-consideration, high-touch categories such as beauty, baby and adult beverage.” The recognition affirms Advantage’s position as an industry leader in omnichannel marketing services, offering interconnected solutions to more than 4,000 clients across more than 100,000 retail locations across the U.S. and Canada. “This honor speaks to the collective power of our 70,000 teammates supporting how we continue to evolve and grow as a more modern, agile and essential provider to brands and retailers,” said Kelli Hammersmith, chief communications officer at Advantage. “Our teammates bring an incredible blend of smarts, heart and high-tech precision to how we transform and grow businesses across retail — at scale, in stores and online.” Advantage, which ranks as the No. 1 global provider of experiential marketing services, delivers a range of omnichannel solutions to brands and retailers, such as in-store sampling and demonstration, gift with purchase, online order sampling, subscription boxes, virtual advisor programs and connected sampling via digital engagement and QR codes. The company also owns end-to-end sales execution for dozens of brands in Amazon stores, including operations, merchandising, retailer negotiations, chargebacks, advertising, and more. Advantage Unified Commerce (AUC), one of Advantage’s omnichannel marketing agencies, is Amazon’s largest full-service partner and was honored earlier this year with Amazon’s Gold Tier recognition for excellence. Amp, one of the company’s omnichannel marketing agencies, also was honored separately by Chief Marketer. The honorees represent a wide array of expertise, including experiential firms, digital marketing agencies and AI innovators. “ Chief Marketer ’s Agencies of the Year is the only editorial roster of its kind, dedicated to the most innovative partners across the marketing ecosystem,” said Danielle Sikes, brand director at Chief Marketer . "Our annual list is an invaluable resource that helps brands get a sense of who they can trust with their business.” The Top Agencies honor builds on additional industry recognitions for Advantage. This year, Advantage was named the 16 th largest agency company worldwide and the seventh largest in North America in the 2024 Ad Age Agency Report. Its AUC agency alone received more than a dozen industry honors for its work on behalf of clients this year. The award for Amp continued a string of wins in 2024 for the full-service agency, which also was honored with wins in the Shorty awards, the Davey awards, the Muse awards, the Hermes awards and the Merit awards, among others. About Advantage Solutions Advantage Solutions is the leading omnichannel retail solutions agency in North America, uniquely positioned at the intersection of consumer-packaged goods (CPG) brands and retailers. With its data- and technology-powered services, Advantage leverages its unparalleled insights, expertise and scale to help brands and retailers of all sizes generate demand and get products into the hands of consumers, wherever they shop. Whether it’s creating meaningful moments and experiences in-store and online, optimizing assortment and merchandising, or accelerating e-commerce and digital capabilities, Advantage is the trusted partner that keeps commerce and life moving. Advantage has offices throughout North America and strategic investments and owned operations in select international markets. For more information, please visit YourADV.com. Media Contacts: Peter Frost press@youradv.com

Ezewiro scores 19 and UAB takes down Alcorn State 91-74

KYIV, Ukraine — NATO and Ukraine will hold emergency talks Tuesday after Russia attacked a central city with an experimental, hypersonic ballistic missile. escalating the nearly 33-month-old war. The conflict is “entering a decisive phase,” Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Friday, and “taking on very dramatic dimensions.” Ukraine’s parliament canceled a session as security was tightened following Thursday’s Russian strike on a military facility in the city of Dnipro. In a stark warning to the West, President Vladimir Putin said in a nationally televised speech the attack with the intermediate-range Oreshnik missile was in retaliation for Kyiv’s use of U.S. and British longer-range missiles capable of striking deeper into Russian territory. Putin said Western air defense systems would be powerless to stop the new missile. Ukrainian military officials said the missile that hit Dnipro reached a speed of Mach 11 and carried six nonnuclear warheads, each releasing six submunitions. Speaking Friday to military and weapons industries officials, Putin said Russia will launch production of the Oreshnik. “No one in the world has such weapons,” he said. “Sooner or later, other leading countries will also get them. We are aware that they are under development. “We have this system now,” he added. “And this is important.” Putin said that while it isn’t an intercontinental missile, it’s so powerful that the use of several of them fitted with conventional warheads in one attack could be as devastating as a strike with strategic — or nuclear — weapons. Gen. Sergei Karakayev, head of Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces, said the Oreshnik could reach targets across Europe and be fitted with nuclear or conventional warheads, echoing Putin’s claim that even with conventional warheads, “the massive use of the weapon would be comparable in effect to the use of nuclear weapons.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov kept up Russia's bellicose tone on Friday, blaming “the reckless decisions and actions of Western countries” in supplying weapons to Ukraine to strike Russia. "The Russian side has clearly demonstrated its capabilities, and the contours of further retaliatory actions in the event that our concerns were not taken into account have also been quite clearly outlined," he said. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, widely seen as having the warmest relations with the Kremlin in the European Union, echoed Moscow’s talking points, suggesting the use of U.S.-supplied weapons in Ukraine likely requires direct American involvement. “These are rockets that are fired and then guided to a target via an electronic system, which requires the world’s most advanced technology and satellite communications capability,” Orbán said on state radio. “There is a strong assumption ... that these missiles cannot be guided without the assistance of American personnel.” Orbán cautioned against underestimating Russia’s responses, emphasizing that the country’s recent modifications to its nuclear deployment doctrine should not be dismissed as a “bluff.” “It’s not a trick ... there will be consequences,” he said. Separately in Kyiv, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský called Thursday’s missile strike an “escalatory step and an attempt of the Russian dictator to scare the population of Ukraine and to scare the population of Europe.” At a news conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Lipavský also expressed his full support for delivering the necessary additional air defense systems to protect Ukrainian civilians from the “heinous attacks.” He said the Czech Republic will impose no limits on the use of its weapons and equipment given to Ukraine. Three lawmakers from Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, confirmed that Friday's previously scheduled session was called off due to the ongoing threat of Russian missiles targeting government buildings in central Kyiv. In addition, there also was a recommendation to limit the work of all commercial offices and nongovernmental organizations "in that perimeter, and local residents were warned of the increased threat,” said lawmaker Mykyta Poturaiev, who said it's not the first time such a threat has been received. Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate said the Oreshnik missile was fired from the Kapustin Yar 4th Missile Test Range in Russia’s Astrakhan region and flew 15 minutes before striking Dnipro. Test launches of a similar missile were conducted in October 2023 and June 2024, the directorate said. The Pentagon confirmed the missile was a new, experimental type of intermediate-range missile based on its RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile. Thursday's attack struck the Pivdenmash plant that built ICBMs when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. The military facility is located about 4 miles southwest of the center of Dnipro, a city of about 1 million that is Ukraine’s fourth-largest and a key hub for military supplies and humanitarian aid, and is home to one of the country’s largest hospitals for treating wounded soldiers from the front before their transfer to Kyiv or abroad.CAMBRIDGE, UK , Dec. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Darktrace, a global leader in AI for cybersecurity, today announces that Darktrace / EMAILTM, has been recognized in the first ever Gartner Magic QuadrantTM for Email Security Platforms (ESP) as a Challenger. Chris Kozup, Chief Marketing Officer, Darktrace, said of the recognition: "We are extremely proud to have been recognized in the first Magic Quadrant for ESP. Since launching Darktrace / EMAIL in 2019, we have grown quickly to support email security for nearly 5,000 organizations around the world, helping to keep them safe from even the most sophisticated and novel email compromises. 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We realized that other tools wouldn't have detected these threats." Darktrace / EMAIL is part of Darktrace's ActiveAI Security PlatformTM, offering network, cloud, endpoint, identity and operational technology protection from a single shared architecture, all built on Darktrace's unique AI engine – providing a strong, integrated approach to threat prevention, detection and response across an organization's entire digital footprint. Darktrace's global presence supports a diverse and varied customer base, and adapts proactively to customer pain points of all kinds. Darktrace's adaptability across all market segments, from SMBs to large enterprises, supports both first time email security buyers and mature email security stacks. It is able to meet varied security needs with lower setup requirements, includes capability for advanced depth in configuration and, particularly for mature organizations, can augment existing security providers with additional protections. Download the full Magic Quadrant for Email Security Platforms here Resources: Gartner disclaimers Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Email Security Platforms, Max Taggett , Nikul Patel , Franz Hinner , Deepak Mishra , 16 December 2024 GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner and Magic Quadrant and Peer Insights are a registered trademark, of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and are used herein with permission. All rights reserved. Gartner Peer Insights content consists of the opinions of individual end users based on their own experiences with the vendors listed on the platform, should not be construed as statements of fact, nor do they represent the views of Gartner or its affiliates. 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Founded in 2013, Darktrace provides the essential cybersecurity platform protecting organizations from unknown threats using its proprietary AI that learns from the unique patterns of life for each customer in real-time. The Darktrace ActiveAI Security PlatformTM delivers a proactive approach to cyber resilience with pre-emptive visibility into security posture, real-time threat detection, and autonomous response – securing the business across cloud, email, identities, operational technology, endpoints, and network. Breakthrough innovations from our R&D teams in Cambridge, UK , and The Hague, Netherlands have resulted in over 200 patent applications filed. Darktrace's platform and services are supported by over 2,400 employees around the world who protect nearly 10,000 customers across all major industries globally. To learn more, visit http://www.darktrace.com . 1 Darktrace wins two Globee awards for excellent customer service [ Press Release ] View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/darktrace--email-recognized-in-first-ever-gartner-magic-quadrant-for-email-security-platforms-302336602.html SOURCE Darktrace

NATO and Ukraine to hold emergency talks after Russian attack with hypersonic missile