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https www vipph fun WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump offered a public show of support Friday for Pete Hegseth, his choice to lead the Defense Department, whose confirmation by the Senate is in doubt as he faces questions over allegations of excessive drinking, sexual assault and his views on women in combat roles. Hegseth, a former Fox News host, Army National Guard major and combat veteran, spent much of the week on Capitol Hill trying to salvage his Cabinet nomination and privately reassure Republican senators that he is fit to lead Trump's Pentagon. "Pete Hegseth is doing very well," Trump posted on his social media site. "He will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense." The president added that "Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!" The nomination battle is emerging not only as a debate about the best person to lead the Pentagon, but an inflection point for a MAGA movement that appears to be relishing a public fight over its hard-line push for a more masculine military and an end to the "woke-ism" of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be defense secretary, responds to reporters during a meeting with Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Military leaders are rattled by a list of “woke” senior officers that a conservative group urged Hegseth to dismiss for promoting diversity in the ranks if he is confirmed to lead the Pentagon. The list compiled by the American Accountability Foundation includes 20 general officers or senior admirals and a disproportionate number of female officers. It has had a chilling effect on the Pentagon’s often frank discussions as leaders try to figure out how to address the potential firings and diversity issues under Trump. Those on the list in many cases seem to be targeted for public comments they made either in interviews or at events on diversity, and in some cases for retweeting posts that promote diversity. Tom Jones, a former aide to Republican senators who leads the foundation, said Friday those on the list are “pretty egregious” advocates for diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, policies, which he called problematic. “The nominee has been pretty clear that that has no place in the military,” Jones said of Hegseth. Hegseth embraced Trump’s effort to end programs that promote diversity in the ranks and fire those who reflect those values. Other Trump picks, like Kash Patel for FBI director, have suggested targeting those in government who are not aligned with Trump. Trump's allies forcefully rallied around Hegseth — the Heritage Foundation's political arm promised to spend $1 million to shore up his nomination — as he vows to stay in the fight, as long as the president-elect wants him to. Vice President-elect JD Vance offers a public show of support for Pete Hegseth, the embattled choice to lead the Defense Department. "We're not abandoning this nomination," Vance told reporters during a tour of western North Carolina. "We're not abandoning this nomination," Vice-President-elect JD Vance said as he toured post-hurricane North Carolina. He said he spoke with GOP senators and believes Hegseth will be confirmed. The effort became a test of Trump's clout and of how far loyalty for the president-elect goes with Republican senators who have concerns about his nominees. Two of Trump's other choices stepped aside as they faced intense scrutiny: former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., his first choice for attorney general, and Chad Chronister, a Florida sheriff who was Trump's first choice to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration. Thanking the president-elect for the support, Hegseth posted on social media, "Like you, we will never back down." Hegseth faces resistance from senators as reports emerged about his past, including the revelation that he made a settlement payment after being accused of a sexual assault that he denies. He promised not to drink on the job and told lawmakers he never engaged in sexual misconduct, even as his professional views on female troops came under intensifying scrutiny. He said as recently as last month that women "straight up" should not serve in combat. He picked up one important endorsement from Republican Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama, whose support was seen as a potentially powerful counterweight to the cooler reception Hegseth received from Sen. Joni Ernst, a former Army National Guard lieutenant colonel. Ernst, who is also a sexual assault survivor, stopped short of an endorsement after meeting with Hegseth this week. On Friday, Ernst posted on X that she would meet with him again next week. “At a minimum, we agree that he deserves the opportunity to lay out his vision for our warfighters at a fair hearing,” she wrote. On Friday, Trump put out the statement in response to coverage saying he lost faith in Hegseth, according to a person familiar with his thinking who was not authorized to discuss it publicly. The president-elect and his team were pleased to see Hegseth putting up a fight and his performance this week reiterates why he was chosen, the person said. They believe he can still be confirmed. Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be defense secretary, left, joined by his wife Jennifer Rauchet, attends a meeting with Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) If Hegseth goes down, Trump's team believes the defeat would empower others to spread what they cast as "vicious lies" against every candidate Trump chooses. Still, Trump's transition team is looking at potential replacements, including former presidential rival Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. DeSantis plans to attend the Dec. 14 Army-Navy football game with Trump, according to a person familiar with the Florida governor's plans who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. DeSantis and Trump spoke about the defense secretary post Tuesday at a memorial service for sheriff deputies in West Palm Beach, Fla., according to people familiar with the matter who said Trump was interested in DeSantis for the post, and the governor was receptive. DeSantis is poised to select a replacement for the expected Senate vacancy to be created by Marco Rubio becoming secretary of state, and Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump is seen as the preferred choice by those in Trump's orbit. Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio 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 then endorsed Trump . 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 his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . 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. Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. 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, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, 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 has been tapped by Trump 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 halted the practice of secretly seizing reporters’ phone records 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. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . 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 X , “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. Jared Isaacman, 41, is a tech billionaire who bought a series of spaceflights from Elon Musk’s SpaceX and conducted the first private spacewalk . He is the founder and CEO of a card-processing company and has collaborated closely with Musk ever since buying his first chartered SpaceX flight. He took contest winners on that 2021 trip and followed it in September with a mission where he briefly popped out the hatch to test SpaceX’s new spacewalking suits. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York 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 says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. 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.” Perdue lost his Senate seat to Democrat Jon Ossoff 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. 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. 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 immigration hardliner , 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, has been tasked 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. 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. Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff 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. James Blair, deputy chief of staff 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. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff 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. Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health 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. Dr. Marty Makary, Food and Drug Administration 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. Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, Surgeon General 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. Dr. Dave Weldon, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 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. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council 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. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.Why are boys outperforming girls in maths?

ALTOONA, Pa. — After UnitedHealthcare’s CEO was gunned down on a New York sidewalk, police searched for the masked gunman with dogs, drones and scuba divers. Officers used the city's muscular surveillance system. Investigators analyzed DNA samples, fingerprints and internet addresses. Police went door-to-door looking for witnesses. When an arrest came five days later, those sprawling investigative efforts shared credit with an alert civilian's instincts. A Pennsylvania McDonald's customer noticed another patron who resembled the man in the oblique security-camera photos that New York police had publicized. Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry speaks during a press conference regarding the arrest of suspect Luigi Mangione, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in Hollidaysburg, Pa., in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey) Luigi Nicholas Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland real estate family, was arrested Monday in the killing of Brian Thompson, who headed one of the United States’ largest medical insurance companies. He remained jailed in Pennsylvania, where he was initially charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. By late evening, prosecutors in Manhattan had added a charge of murder, according to an online court docket. He's expected to be extradited to New York eventually. It’s unclear whether Mangione has an attorney who can comment on the allegations. Asked at Monday's arraignment whether he needed a public defender, Mangione asked whether he could “answer that at a future date.” Mangione was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after the McDonald's customer recognized him and notified an employee, authorities said. Police in Altoona, about 233 miles (375 kilometers) west of New York City, were soon summoned. They arrived to find Mangione sitting at a table in the back of the restaurant, wearing a blue medical mask and looking at a laptop, according to a Pennsylvania police criminal complaint. He initially gave them a fake ID, but when an officer asked Mangione whether he’d been to New York recently, he “became quiet and started to shake,” the complaint says. When he pulled his mask down at officers' request, “we knew that was our guy,” rookie Officer Tyler Frye said at a news conference in Hollidaysburg. New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a Manhattan news conference that Mangione was carrying a gun like the one used to kill Thompson and the same fake ID the shooter had used to check into a New York hostel, along with a passport and other fraudulent IDs. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said Mangione also had a three-page, handwritten document that shows “some ill will toward corporate America." An NYPD police officer and K-9 dog search around a lake in Central Park, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) A law enforcement official who wasn’t authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity said the document included a line in which Mangione claimed to have acted alone. “To the Feds, I’ll keep this short, because I do respect what you do for our country. To save you a lengthy investigation, I state plainly that I wasn’t working with anyone,” the document said, according to the official. It also had a line that said, “I do apologize for any strife or traumas but it had to be done. Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming.” Pennsylvania prosecutor Peter Weeks said in court that Mangione was found with a passport and $10,000 in cash — $2,000 of it in foreign currency. Mangione disputed the amount. Thompson, 50, was killed last Wednesday as he walked alone to a midtown Manhattan hotel for an investor conference. Police quickly came to see the shooting as a targeted attack by a gunman who appeared to wait for Thompson, came up behind him and fired a 9 mm pistol. Investigators have said “delay,” “deny” and “depose” were written on ammunition found near Thompson’s body. The words mimic a phrase used to criticize the insurance industry. A poster issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation shows a wanted unknown suspect. (FBI via AP) From surveillance video, New York investigators gathered that the shooter fled by bike into Central Park, emerged, then took a taxi to a northern Manhattan bus terminal. Once in Pennsylvania, he went from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, “trying to stay low-profile” by avoiding cameras, Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said. A grandson of a wealthy, self-made real estate developer and philanthropist, Mangione is a cousin of a current Maryland state legislator. Mangione was valedictorian at his elite Baltimore prep school, where his 2016 graduation speech lauded his classmates’ “incredible courage to explore the unknown and try new things.” He went on to earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania, a spokesperson said. “Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest,” Mangione’s family said in a statement posted on social media late Monday by his cousin, Maryland lawmaker Nino Mangione. “We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.” An NYPD police officer and K-9 dog search around a lake in Central Park, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) Luigi Nicholas Mangione worked for a time for the car-buying website TrueCar and left in 2023, CEO Jantoon Reigersman said by email. From January to June 2022, Mangione lived at Surfbreak, a “co-living” space at the edge of Honolulu tourist mecca Waikiki. Like other residents of the shared penthouse catering to remote workers, Mangione underwent a background check, said Josiah Ryan, a spokesperson for owner and founder R.J. Martin. “Luigi was just widely considered to be a great guy. There were no complaints,” Ryan said. "There was no sign that might point to these alleged crimes they’re saying he committed.” At Surfbreak, Martin learned Mangione had severe back pain from childhood that interfered with many aspects of his life, from surfing to romance, Ryan said. “He went surfing with R.J. once but it didn’t work out because of his back," Ryan said, but noted that Mangione and Martin often went together to a rock-climbing gym. NYPD officers in diving suits search a lake in Central Park, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) Mangione left Surfbreak to get surgery on the mainland, Ryan said, then later returned to Honolulu and rented an apartment. Martin stopped hearing from Mangione six months to a year ago. Although the gunman obscured his face during the shooting, he left a trail of evidence in New York, including a backpack he ditched in Central Park, a cellphone found in a pedestrian plaza, a water bottle and a protein bar wrapper. In the days after the shooting, the NYPD collected hundreds of hours of surveillance video and released multiple clips and still images in hopes of enlisting the public’s eyes to help find a suspect. “This combination of old-school detective work and new-age technology is what led to this result today,” Tisch said at the New York news conference. ___ Scolforo reported from Altoona and Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. Contributing were Associated Press writers Cedar Attanasio and Jennifer Peltz in New York; Michael Rubinkam and Maryclaire Dale in Pennsylvania; Lea Skene in Baltimore and Jennifer Sinco Kelleher in Honolulu. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Daniel Jones Next Team Odds: Contenders jockeying for QB?

That was the week that was, one that may be remembered as Great Barrington—no, make that South County—Hell Week. Two Mike Tyson (version 1.0) body blows to our region. Gratefully receding in our rearview mirror, the week’s initial shocks may be wearing off while its effects will be long considered. First, the Butternut Fire ignited the morning of Monday, November 18, in East Mountain State Forest some distance above the fairgrounds. With slight winds from the north, it began its march—no, make that crawl—south toward Sheffield. Monday into Tuesday, the fire consumed—no, make that nibbled—about 100 acres. The first hours were more fascinating than worrisome. A hundred acres in a brutally dry forest thick with groundcover is nothing to scoff at but, compared to California’s wind-driven firenadoes measured in tens of miles, initial reports seemed New England quaint. I will add this observation to my growing list of complete miscalculations. Each of us experienced the fire in our own way. Upwind or at a distance, many likely felt more awe than fear. Downwind or in the immediately surrounding hills, initially, many likely experienced serious concerns mixed with befuddlement, as in, is this really happening here (where it has not happened for decades)? The Brookside Road residents experienced the reopening of the Brookside Road Bridge to emergency vehicles, a request fulfilled for the wrong reason. In Atlanta on business until Wednesday afternoon, I experienced the fire remotely by text chains. As the fire grew Tuesday into Wednesday, let us just say my absence did not go unnoticed by Anne, home alone, and our neighbors. Tuesday was altogether different. The fire was no longer crawling, nibbling, or quaint, exploding (non-California variety) to over 1,100 acres. A meeting convened to call a state of emergency. Agencies from around the state mobilized. Helicopter water drops began. Zero containment was announced. Everyone was on edge. If you have friends with camera phones—and everyone has friends with camera phones—you received pictures of the blaze from every conceivable location. It turns out, smoke looks pretty much the same from every angle. Also on Tuesday, a call went out to the public to provide the gathered responders with gift cards, packaged food, water, fruits, and sports drinks. The Claire Teague Senior Center became so inundated with goods that another call went out asking the public to divert donations to food pantries. Lovely to think that due to our region’s largess, the responders will be rolling home with a Butternut Fire 10 to work off. Unfamiliar vocabulary was introduced. My only prior experience with a “break line” was impatiently waiting my turn to pick from the donut selection. Staging had been strictly theatrical. “Not out of the woods” can be applied to something other than health it turns out, and no one could avoid its punning application to our forest fire. As Tuesday turned to Wednesday, the fire spread north over East Mountain’s ridge. If you happen to live, as I do, on East Mountain Road, a mile-long finger jutting into the forest, this was a decidedly bad development. As many as nine fire engines and other assorted vehicles were staged at the top of our road. When I arrived home Wednesday afternoon, the smoke was noxious and thick, and I thought my decades of not smoking were for naught. Chainsaws were loudly cutting a firebreak nearby. It turns out the texts I had received had not been exaggerating the seriousness of the situation. We had prior experience with “go bags” and swift-moving fires from our years living in the Los Angeles hills. Los Angeles offers few advantages over South County, but one is surely the transparency provided by Skycopter Channels 2, 5, 7, 11, and so forth. If you want to know how far a fire has advanced, simply look to see where the helicopters are hovering. Last week, firefighters kindly dropped by our and our neighbor’s houses often to keep us informed but provided somewhat incomplete information regarding the fire’s precise advance. In LA, you know to evacuate when ABC7 is flying low over your neighborhood. I spent a few hours Wednesday evening considering what to bring should we receive an evacuation order. Just as projects expand to fill the time allotted, because there has been no need to shed belongings boxed in our basement, we have accumulated stuff disconnected to a happy existence. Once the photographs, yearbooks, and family art were gathered, I could not conceive there was anything else that we actually needed. Having said that, I decided not to let Anne know that our son’s first grade spelling tests had not made the cut. I was just too weary to argue the point. Between 2 and 3 a.m. Thursday morning, things began to feel very bleak. With all due respect, I would hotly contest the fire department’s statement that the fire never got closer than a few hundred yards to a structure. The accompanying photo was taken early Thursday morning from our backdoor; you be the judge. The crackling was very loud. The warmth of the fire enveloped me, not in a good way. Extremely loud and incredibly close, the fire felt about as far away as a decent Hail Mary pass. The fire chief told our neighbors, who immediately called us, that “it wouldn’t be unexpected for the fire to make it all the way towards our house.” Well, “unexpected” at 3 a.m. is a relative term. We were also told that if the fire crossed the break, we would have four or five hours to evacuate, which is about as long as it takes me to pack for a quick overnighter. So, this is what “it is darkest before the dawn” means. I will never again say “rain, rain go away.” By 5:30 a.m. Thursday morning, the line of fire threatening our neighborhood was visibly extinguished. The first rain in weeks could not have come at a better time. At the risk of sounding schmaltzy, I would like to express my deep gratitude for the hundreds of dedicated firefighters, other responders, and town officials from near and far (including California and Wyoming) who came to our region’s aid. While I slept (comfortably in Atlanta), they worked long shifts risking life and limb to carve fire breaks to stifle the fire’s advance. It is hard to express how deeply grateful we are, but I can certainly make it my life’s work to try. While the fire raged in the forest, our region was rocked by an earthquake of sorts on Tuesday: the announcement that Simon’s Rock’s Great Barrington campus would close by the end of summer. That bit of news was perhaps more surprising than the fire, although it has been noted that it should not have been. Financially, Simon’s Rock has been in an unseen death spiral for some time—238 employees for 220 students is not financially feasible. It is hard to overstate quite how critical Simon’s Rock is to our region. In an economically challenged area, along with the school district and Fairview Hospital, Simon’s Rock is among the town’s largest employers. The diverse student body exchanges with us as much as we hope we give to them. There is plentiful housing on the property. The Daniel Arts Center is home to Great Barrington Public Theater and other performing arts. The Kilpatrick Athletic Center, with its amazing aquatics, track, and fitness center, is open to the whole community. We get to claim the Coen Brothers as our own. What more needs to be said? Concerned regional citizens with varied expertise (you can count me as concerned) are gathering to consider Simon’s Rock’s reuse. This is a turn-lemons-into-lemonade moment for the area. Simon’s Rock has announced that it intends to market the 275-acre property for sale, the proceeds of which will go to the school’s endowment. While Simon’s Rock has a right—no, make that an obligation—to maximize its return in connection with the transfer of the property, local interests no doubt will ask Simon’s Rock to consider locally interested bids focused on a beneficial reuse of the campus. No one, and surely not the Simon’s Rock trustees, would want the closure of Simon’s Rock to do to South County what General Electric’s departure did to Pittsfield. Our region just had a forest fire. Let us hope Simon’s Rock will reject a fire sale to a McMansions developer eager to turn profit and run. Rather, on the table should be the thoughtful reuse of the theater, the cafeteria, the athletic center, the multiple classroom and administration buildings, and housing to benefit the region. If the Simon’s Rock trustees grant the community just a bit of time, Simon’s Rock’s legacy as a good partner to the region will be cemented. Based on past practices, it is reasonable to believe that Simon’s Rock will do everything it can to preserve the property for beneficial use of the region. The news of Simon’s Rock’s departure was well received by no one, no doubt including Berkshire Hills Regional School District Superintendent Peter Dillon. Dr. Dillon has worked hard to get ahead of the view proffered by pretty much every sentient being that we should consider the Simon’s Rock campus as an alternative to the proposed Monument Mountain Regional High School renovation. Dr. Dillon would like us all to know that Simon’s Rock is unfit as a public high school campus, discussed here . We should not discount the fact that Dr. Dillon, an esteemed educational professional with decades in school administration, knows what will and will not work as a Massachusetts public high school. Everyone else, you can put your hands down. There is a model; Simon’s Rock does not fit the model. That does not mean, however, that for all of us without, you know, any basis whatsoever to offer an opinion on the subject, it would be a wee bit of fun to consider the question. Isn’t it ingrained in us “to dream things that never were and say, ‘Why not?’” Well, the “why not” here is that Simon’s Rock is a decentralized residential-based campus with aging buildings the acquisition of which looks nothing like the box that the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) would consider funding. Let us all agree that Dr. Dillon is absolutely right that MSBA currently would not approve public funding for the acquisition of Simon’s Rock. Still, it is tantalizing to consider that if Simon’s Rock does not fit snuggly in MSBA’s public high school box, perhaps it is time for the MSBA to think outside its box for rural communities with aging populations/declining enrollment that can no longer afford the urban/suburban box it is selling. Fun to consider, but we should defer to Dr. Dillon and the folks who actually know what they are talking about. On the other hand, is it not at least worth noodling how we could make it work? No, of course not, but still... A fire and an “earthquake” in one week leads me to hope disasters do not come in threes. For the fire, let us all consider this a wakeup call—gather your critical belongings for the unlikely event you get a knock on the door, and let’s hope that our forest is closely examined for ways to minimize the next fire, which we all know will be here sooner rather than later. As for Simon’s Rock, while we mourn its loss, let us consider how it can be reused for the benefit of the region. Last, let us hope that Simon’s Rock grants our community an opportunity to outbid developers interested in high-end subdivided housing. The town has been good to Simon’s Rock. This time, it can return the favor. Here is a link to the following Survey Monkey poll: “Given its integral relationship to the region, is it reasonable for concerned citizens to request Simon’s Rock grant them time to formulate a workable reuse plan providing for the purchase of the property?” Here is the result of the following recent survey question: “By whatever means possible, including a Special Town Meeting if necessary, should Great Barrington undertake an immediate effort to obtain approval to fund engagement of Tighe & Bond to analyze opening the Brookside Road Bridge to emergency vehicles?” As of publication, 86.76 percent of respondents said “yes.” Days Great Barrington has wrongfully withheld Community Access Fees: 267

A good reminder for Londoners to lock their cars, a woman is facing charges after being spotted trying to open car doors in the east end of the city over the weekend. On Sunday morning at approximately 6:30, a concerned witness called police after spotting the woman entering an unlocked vehicle in the area of Ailsa Place and Pond Mills Road. A description was provided, but the woman fled on foot before police could get there. Police say that the owner of the vehicle reported that his wallet had been stolen, and his credit card used at a nearby business. Video surveillance at the business captured the suspect entering the store and using the stolen credit card. According to police, the woman was located nearby, and upon being searched was found with the stolen property, and drugs. A 26-year-old now faces charges of possession of property obtained by crime under $5000, unauthorized use of credit card data, resist a peace officer and, possession of a schedule I substance. London Top Stories 'It’s getting dangerous downtown': Rear entrance of London business sprayed with gunfire 'I just knew something was up': London family recounts rushing to their burning home where pet perished Christmas tax break will be 'challenging' for small businesses, says gift shop owner VIDEO | Three of five former junior hockey players in attendance for court proceedings Londoner whose wallet was stolen from their unlocked car serves as cautionary tale Stabbing and robbery being investigated by London police, 3 suspects wanted Fatal crash reported in Huron County Three people in hospital due to collision CTVNews.ca Top Stories 'It's just not fair': Retirees speak out on being excluded from federal rebate cheques Carol Sheaves of Moncton, N.B., says it's not fair that retirees like her won't get the government's newly proposed rebate cheques. Sheaves was among the seniors who expressed their frustrations to CTVNews.ca about not being eligible for the $250 government benefit. Warren Buffett gives away another US$1.1B, announces plans for distributing $147B fortune after death Investor Warren Buffett renewed his Thanksgiving tradition of giving by announcing plans Monday to hand more than US$1.1 billion of Berkshire Hathaway stock to four of his family's foundations, and he offered new details about who will be handing out the rest of his fortune after his death. Premiers seek 'urgent' meeting with Trudeau before Trump returns to White House Canada's premiers are asking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to hold an urgent first ministers' meeting ahead of the return to office of president-elect Donald Trump. Deer spotted wearing high-visibility safety jacket in Northern B.C. Andrea Arnold is used to having to slow down to let deer cross the road in her Northern B.C. community. But this weekend she saw something that made her pull over and snap a photo. Canada Post says progress 'limited' at negotiating table as strike continues Canada Post says they have made 'limited progress' with the union at the negotiating table 11 days after the strike began. Los Angeles judge postpones hearing on release of Menendez brothers A Los Angeles County judge on Monday postponed a hearing over the possible release of Lyle and Erik Menendez after 35 years in prison for the shotgun murder of their parents, saying he wanted to hear from a new district attorney due to take office on Dec. 3. Canadian Army corporal fined for stolen valour at Remembrance Day ceremony A corporal in the Canadian Army has been fined $2,000 and given a severe reprimand for wearing service medals he didn't earn during a Remembrance Day ceremony in Alberta two years ago. Justin Trudeau defends spending record on military amid fresh criticism Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is defending his government's record on supporting national defence, following fresh criticism that Canada is failing to live up to its NATO defence-spending commitments. CEOs demand changes to Liberals' military spending plan The federal government risks jeopardizing the economy unless it meets its NATO military alliance spending obligations within the next five years, says the Business Council of Canada. Shopping Trends The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us. Editor's Picks 27 Of The Absolute Best Stocking Stuffers For Men 24 Of The Best Host And Hostess Gifts You Can Find Online Right Now 21 Of The Absolute Best Stocking Stuffers For Kids (And They're All From Amazon Canada) Home Our Guide To The Best Stand Mixers In Canada In 2024 (And Where To Get Them) Our Guide To The Best Nespresso Machines in Canada in 2024 (And Where to Get Them) Our Guide to the Best Jewellery Boxes You Can Find Online Right Now Gifts 19 Of The Best Tech Gifts Under $100 17 Gifts Your Husband Actually Wants 23 Gifts, Add-Ons, And Stocking Stuffers For Anyone Who Spends A Lot Of Time In Their Car Beauty 20 Anti-Aging Skincare Products That Reviewers Can’t Stop Talking About 12 Budget-Friendly Makeup Brushes And Tools Worth Adding To Your Kit If You Suffer From Dry Skin, You'll Want To Add At Least One Of These Hydrating Moisturizers To Your Cart Deals From Anthropologie To Adidas: Here Are The Best Early Black Friday Deals On Clothing And Accessories These Apple Products Are Majorly On Sale On Amazon Canada Right Now, So It Might Be Time To Upgrade Your Tech Black Friday Has Begun On Amazon Canada: Here Are The Best Deals Kitchener Waterloo reviews most collision-prone areas to improve safety Driver warned after police receive complaints about car decked out in Christmas lights in Waterloo Kitchener, Ont. doctor officially claims second Guinness World Record Barrie 'James deceived us,' Slain Collingwood, Ont. woman's family speak ahead of husband's sentencing Novice driver charged with speeding 95km/h over limit on Hwy 11 accused of being impaired Freezing rain, snow in the forecast for Muskoka Windsor 'Active investigation' underway in Windsor Memorial put up on Walker Road after fatal crash Alleged impaired mom found asleep at the wheel with two kids in the backseat Northern Ontario Elliot Lake, Ont., woman charged with choking neighbour's dog Winter weather advisory in effect for most of northeastern Ont. Drug bust after a suspect pointed handgun at victim at northern Ont. gas station Sault Ste. Marie Sault suspect charged with punching rideshare driver in the face twice Drug bust after a suspect pointed handgun at victim at northern Ont. gas station Elliot Lake, Ont., woman charged with choking neighbour's dog Ottawa FREEZING RAIN WARNING | 1 to 3 mm of freezing rain possible in Ottawa-Gatineau tonight OC Transpo well below punctuality targets on 'less frequent' routes Cargo ship runs aground in St. Lawrence River near Morrisburg, Ont. Toronto Ontario government passes bill to limit bike lanes Toronto mother now facing murder charge in death of four-month old baby 'Embarrassing:' NHL team ditches bus and walks to Scotiabank Arena amid gridlock Montreal Montreal mayor says Friday pro-Palestinian protests were taken over by 'professional vandals' Teen girls engage in more risky behaviour than boys: Quebec study Man in critical condition after basement fire in Montreal's Saint-Michel neighbourhood Atlantic 'It's just not fair': Retirees speak out on being excluded from federal rebate cheques Man charged with unsafe storage of a firearm in Tyson MacDonald homicide: RCMP From cellphones to dentures: Inside Halifax Transit’s lost and found Winnipeg Winnipeg police shoot, kill suspect after officer stabbed in the throat Mounties looking for missing car in connection with suspicious death $4.2M from feds to create Indigenous-led family care centre in Winnipeg Calgary Alberta seeks to 'de-risk' oil, gas pipeline investments in wake of Trump victory $3.69M Calgary mansion with basketball court for sale in Aspen Woods 'We need an industry': Crowsnest Pass residents voting on support for new coal mine Edmonton 24 arsons in south Edmonton under police investigation Death of worker in Edmonton smokehouse leads to 26 charges against food processing company The story of Alberta's rural long COVID program that never was Regina Sask. Party prioritizes affordability, civility with opposition in Throne Speech Regina commits to clearing all 'high priority roads' of snow by Tuesday morning Regina police release images of suspects following early morning armed robbery Saskatoon Sask. Party prioritizes affordability, civility with opposition in Throne Speech Saskatoon's second big snowfall in a week won't trigger emergency response: City Two dead after crash on Saskatchewan Highway 4 Vancouver Deer spotted wearing high-visibility safety jacket in Northern B.C. Wild weather behind 11-cent surge in Vancouver gas prices, analyst says Canadian border agents seize 246 kilos of cocaine in B.C. Vancouver Island Canadian Army corporal fined for stolen valour at Remembrance Day ceremony Deer spotted wearing high-visibility safety jacket in Northern B.C. Vancouver Whitecaps drop head coach Vanni Sartini Stay ConnectedThe ( ) share price has rallied more than 60% this year, having recovered sharply from a rapid sell-off last month. With the recent ups and downs, analysts and investors alike were questioning the software provider's future. Despite the turbulence, brokers still see a path for the WiseTech share price to climb towards the $200 per share club. Let's take a closer look. Analysts are bullish on the WiseTech share price According to CommSec, consensus rates the WiseTech share price a buy, with nine of seventeen analysts sitting on the bullish side of the fence. Morgan Stanley has increased its price target for WiseTech to $200 . Analyst Andrew McLeod said the company was well positioned on the fundamental side. Per the : We believe the key drivers of the next level of intrinsic value are in place. If the WiseTech share price does surge to $200 apiece, it will mark a 60% gain from the company's stock price at publication. Goldman Sachs also rates the stock a buy with a price target of $138, which is not too far off Morgan Stanley's base scenario. Goldman expects double-digit revenue growth from the company, forecasting top-line growth of 21% in FY26 and 28% the next year. Finally, Macquarie also upgraded WiseTech to a buy in a note to clients this week. What's driving WiseTech? WiseTech shares have rallied as the company has exhibited growth in its financials and operations in recent years. Earnings of 14 cents per share in 2018 have grown every year to reach 81 cents per share in FY24, a compounding growth rate of 34% per year. From FY20 to FY24, the earnings growth rate averaged 50% per year. But the recent volatility was caused by two key events. First, the as CEO. Second, the lowering of its FY25 guidance. Although WiseTech's founder stepped down as CEO and director, he remains actively involved in product development. But the of WiseTech's new Container Transport Optimisation platform has pushed anticipated revenues downstream. A launch is expected in H2 FY25. As markets are forward-looking, how the business performs from here is critical. UBS forecasts the company's net profit will climb from $351 million in FY25 , a compounding growth rate of 36% per year. Forecasts like these might explain why the WiseTech share price trades at more than 150 times trailing earnings. Foolish takeout WiseTech doesn't come cheap. But its long-term growth prospects are hard to ignore, according to experts. The company holds a leading position in its market segment, and governance issues look to be settled. Better yet, its founder is still around, having led the company on its immense growth since inception. In the last 12 months, the stock is up 91%.Published 4:16 pm Friday, December 27, 2024 By Data Skrive Saturday’s NBA lineup has a lot in store. Among the nine games is the Oklahoma City Thunder playing the Charlotte Hornets. Here you will find info on how to watch all of Saturday’s NBA action. Sign up for NBA League Pass to get access to games, live and on-demand, and more for the entire season and offseason. Watch ESPN originals, The Last Dance and more NBA content on ESPN+. Use our link to sign up for ESPN+ or the Disney bundle. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER .

Playoff game at Ohio State has sold 34% more tickets than Notre Dame game on StubHub

Heat say Jimmy Butler will miss 2 more games before rejoining team next week(All times Eastern) Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts Tuesday, Nov. 26 CANADIAN HOCKEY LEAGUE 7 p.m. NHLN — CHL/USA Prospects Challenge: From London, Ontario COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S) 1:30 p.m. CBSSN — Sunshine Slam Beach Bracket: TBD, Third-Place Game, Daytona Beach, Fla. 2 p.m. TBS — Players Era Festival: San Diego St. vs. Creighton, Las Vegas 3:30 p.m. ESPN2 — Maui Invitational: TBD, Consolation Semifinal, Maui, Hawaii 4 p.m. CBSSN — Sunshine Slam Beach Bracket: TBD, Championship, Daytona Beach, Fla. 4:30 p.m. TBS — Oregon vs. Texas A&M, Las Vegas 6 p.m. CBSSN — Sunshine Slam Ocean Bracket: Wyoming vs. Tulane, Semifinal, Riviera Maya, Mexico ESPN — Maui Invitational: TBD, Semifinal, Maui, Hawaii 6:30 p.m. ESPNU — W. Kentucky at Kentucky 7 p.m. ACCN — Manhattan at Virginia FS1 — Wagner at Georgetown TRUTV — Acrisure Holiday Invitational: Grand Canyon vs. Stanford, Semifinal, Palm Springs, Calif. 8 p.m. BTN — SC-Upstate at Iowa TBS — Players Era Festival: Houston vs. Alabama, Las Vegas 8:30 p.m. CBSSN — Sunshine Slam Ocean Bracket: Loyola Marymount vs. Belmont, Semifinal, Riviera Maya, Mexico ESPNU — Maui Invitational: TBD, Consolation Semifinal, Maui, Hawaii 9 p.m. ESPN — Vegas Showdown: Kansas vs. Duke, Las Vegas 9:30 p.m. TRUTV — Acrisure Holiday Invitational: California Baptist vs. SMU, Semifinal, Palm Springs, Calif. 10 p.m. BTN — S. Utah at UCLA 10:30 p.m. TBS — Players Era Festival: Rutgers vs. Notre Dame, Las Vegas 11 p.m. ESPN — Maui Invitational: TBD, Semifinal, Maui, Hawaii 11:30 p.m. ESPNU — Vegas Showdown: Seattle vs. Furman, Las Vegas Midnight TRUTV — Acrisure Holiday Invitational: Fresno St. vs. Washington St., Semifinal, Palm Springs, Calif. COLLEGE BASKETBALL (WOMEN’S) 2 p.m. TRUTV — Acrisure Holiday Invitational: Michigan St. vs. California, Semifinal, Palm Springs, Calif. 4:30 p.m. TRUTV — Acrisure Holiday Invitational: Arizona vs. Vanderbilt, Semifinal, Palm Springs, Calif. 7 p.m. SECN — Western Carolina at Tennessee COLLEGE FOOTBALL 7 p.m. ESPN2 — Toledo at Akron 8 p.m. ESPN — CFP Rankings Show GOLF 4 a.m. (Wednesday) GOLF — Asian Tour: The International Series Qatar, First Round, Doha Golf Club, Doha, Qatar NBA BASKETBALL 7:30 p.m. TNT — Milwaukee at Miami 10 p.m. TNT — L.A. Lakers at Phoenix The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV .

Premier League’s Christmas rush nears, Norris fastest, another reboot for Raducanu

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West Palm Beach (US), Dec 27 (AP) An online spat between factions of Donald Trump's supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in his political movement into public display, previewing the fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare the tensions between the newest flank of Trump's movement — wealthy members of the tech world including billionaire Elon Musk and fellow entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and their call for more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump's Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. Also Read | US Embassy in India Scripts Record, Issues 1 Million Visas for Second Consecutive Year. The debate touched off this week when Laura Loomer, a right-wing provocateur with a history of racist and conspiratorial comments, criticized Trump's selection of Sriram Krishnan as an adviser on artificial intelligence policy in his coming administration. Krishnan favors the ability to bring more skilled immigrants into the US. Loomer declared the stance to be “not America First policy” and said the tech executives who have aligned themselves with Trump were doing so to enrich themselves. Also Read | Brazil Bridge Collapse: Death Toll Rises to 9, With 8 Other People Unaccounted For. Much of the debate played out on the social media network X, which Musk owns. Loomer's comments sparked a back-and-forth with venture capitalist and former PayPal executive David Sacks, whom Trump has tapped to be the “White House A.I. and Crypto Czar." Musk and Ramaswamy, whom Trump has tasked with finding ways to cut the federal government, weighed in, defending the tech industry's need to bring in foreign workers. It bloomed into a larger debate with more figures from the hard-right weighing in about the need to hire US workers, whether values in American culture can produce the best engineers, free speech on the internet, the newfound influence tech figures have in Trump's world and what his political movement stands for. Trump has not yet weighed in on the rift, and his presidential transition team did not respond to a message seeking comment. Musk, the world's richest man who has grown remarkably close to the president-elect, was a central figure in the debate, not only for his stature in Trump's movement but his stance on the tech industry's hiring of foreign workers. Technology companies say H-1B visas for skilled workers, used by software engineers and others in the tech industry, are critical for hard-to-fill positions. But critics have said they undercut US citizens who could take those jobs. Some on the right have called for the program to be eliminated, not expanded. Born in South Africa, Musk was once on an a H-1B visa himself and defended the industry's need to bring in foreign workers. “There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent," he said in a post. “It is the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley.” Trump's own positions over the years have reflected the divide in his movement. His tough immigration policies, including his pledge for a mass deportation, were central to his winning presidential campaign. He has focused on immigrants who come into the US illegally but he has also sought curbs on legal immigration, including family-based visas. As a presidential candidate in 2016, Trump called the H-1B visa program “very bad” and “unfair” for US workers. After he became president, Trump in 2017 issued a “Buy American and Hire American” executive order, which directed Cabinet members to suggest changes to ensure H-1B visas were awarded to the highest-paid or most-skilled applicants to protect American workers. Trump's businesses, however, have hired foreign workers, including waiters and cooks at his Mar-a-Lago club, and his social media company behind his Truth Social app has used the the H-1B programme for highly skilled workers. During his 2024 campaign for president, as he made immigration his signature issue, Trump said immigrants in the country illegally are “poisoning the blood of our country" and promised to carry out the largest deportation operation in US history. But in a sharp departure from his usual alarmist message around immigration generally, Trump told a podcast this year that he wants to give automatic green cards to foreign students who graduate from US colleges. “I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country," he told the “All-In" podcast with people from the venture capital and technology world. Those comments came on the cusp of Trump's budding alliance with tech industry figures, but he did not make the idea a regular part of his campaign message or detail any plans to pursue such changes. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)

NC State and East Carolina meet in next season's opener. But first, the Military Bowl

Ransomware attack on software supplier disrupts operations for Starbucks and other retailersMichail Antonio had video call with West Ham team before their win over WolvesDaniel Jones is free to sign with any NFL team after clearing waivers on Monday, which also means the team that signs the former New York Giants quarterback won't be on the hook for the nearly $12 million that was remaining on his contract this year or his $23 million injury guarantee. Jones was released at his request by the Giants on Saturday after the former first-round pick was benched last week. He reportedly wants to join a contender, and there are expected to be multiple teams interested. The two teams reported to have the most initial interest in Jones are also being offered as the most likely to sign him by one sportsbook. The Baltimore Ravens currently have journeyman backup Josh Johnson behind starting quarterback Lamar Jackson. Jones would potentially provide a third option, and one whose mobility could make him an intriguing fit in offensive coordinator Todd Monken's system The Ravens were installed as the 2/1 favorites to land Jones ahead of the Minnesota Vikings (5/2), who have veterans Nick Mullens and Brett Rypien behind starter Sam Darnold. They would likely view Jones as an upgrade. "I really can't get into too much about any short-term or long-term," Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said Monday when asked about Jones, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. "I can just say that I've been a big fan of Daniel's for a long time and I hope wherever his next step takes him, it's a good opportunity for him." The Las Vegas Raiders (5/1) don't fall into the category of contenders after falling to 2-9 amid a seven-game losing streak. However, they could provide the most immediate opportunity to play with Gardner Minshew suffering a season-ending broken collarbone on Sunday that is expected to end his season. Second-year quarterback Aidan O'Connell is close to returning from a thumb injury, but coach Antonio Pierce acknowledged after Sunday's game that, "We're going to need somebody, right?" If O'Connell isn't ready to face the Kansas City Chiefs on Black Friday, Desmond Ridder is expected to get the start. The Dallas Cowboys (7/1) would fall into a similar category, with Dak Prescott out for the season following hamstring surgery and being replaced by Cooper Rush. Another intriguing possibility lies with Detroit, where the 10-1 Lions' offense is rolling with Jared Goff at the helm. However, should he go down to injury the only other quarterback on the roster is rookie Hendon Hooker. That has contributed to the Lions having 7/1 odds to sign Jones. DANIEL JONES NEXT TEAM ODDS* Baltimore Ravens (2/1) Minnesota Vikings (5/2) Las Vegas Raiders (5/1) Dallas Cowboys (7/1) Detroit Lions (7/1) Miami Dolphins (7/1) San Francisco 49ers (8/1) Carolina Panthers (10/1) Seattle Seahawks (16/1) Indianapolis Colts (20/1) New England Patriots (25/1) New Orleans Saints (25/1) New York Jets (25/1) Tennessee Titans (25/1) Atlanta Falcons (28/1) Arizona Cardinals (33/1) Chicago Bears (33/1) Cleveland Browns (33/1) Denver Broncos (33/1) Jacksonville Jaguars (40/1) Los Angeles Chargers (50/1) Los Angeles Rams (50/1) Pittsburgh Steelers (50/1) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (50/1) Washington Commanders (50/1) Cincinnati Bengals (66/1) Green Bay Packers (66/1) Houston Texans (66/1) Philadelphia Eagles (66/1) Buffalo Bills (75/1) Kansas City Chiefs (75/1) Any CFL Team (80/1) Any XFL Team (80/1) *Odds provided by SportsBetting.ag are for entertainment purposes only. --Field Level Media