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sports science AP News Summary at 6:42 p.m. ESTBeirut: Syrian rebels announced they had gained full control over the key city of Homs early on Sunday after only a day of fighting, leaving President Bashar al-Assad’s 24-year rule dangling by a thread as insurgents marched on the capital, Damascus. Thousands of Homs residents poured onto the streets after the army withdrew from the central city, dancing and chanting “Assad is gone, Homs is free” and “Long live Syria and down with Bashar al-Assad”. A giant portrait of Bashar al-Assad sits on a building in Damascus. Credit: AP Rebels fired guns into the air in celebration, and youths tore down posters of the Syrian president, whose territorial control has collapsed in a dizzying week-long retreat by the military. The fall of Homs gives the insurgents control over Syria’s strategic heartland and a key highway crossroads, severing Damascus from the coastal region that is the stronghold of Assad’s Alawite sect and where his Russian allies have a naval base and air base. Homs’ capture is also a powerful symbol of the rebel movement’s dramatic comeback in the 13-year-old conflict. Swaths of Homs were destroyed by gruelling siege warfare between the rebels and the army years ago. The fighting ground down the insurgents, who were forced out. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham commander Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the main rebel leader, called the capture of Homs a historic moment and urged fighters not to harm “those who drop their arms”. Syrian opposition fighters on a seized Syrian air force fighter plane at the Hama military airport on Friday. Credit: AP Rebels freed thousands of detainees from the city prison. Security forces left quickly after burning their documents. Syrian rebel commander Hassan Abdul Ghani said in a statement early on Sunday that operations continued to “completely liberate” the countryside around Damascus and rebel forces were looking towards the capital. In one suburb, a statue of Assad’s father, the late former president Hafez al-Assad, was toppled and torn apart. The Syrian army said it was reinforcing around Damascus, and state television reported on Saturday that Assad remained in the city. People arrive at the Jordanian side of the border as others wait in their cars on Saturday, after a ban on crossings into Syria. Credit: Getty Images The lightning rebel advance suggests Assad’s government could fall within the next week, US and other Western officials said. Since the rebels’ sweep into Aleppo a week ago , government defences have crumbled at a dizzying speed as insurgents seized a string of major cities and rose in places where the rebellion had long seemed over. The twin threats to Damascus and the strategically vital city of Homs now pose an existential danger to the Assad dynasty’s five-decade reign over Syria and the continued influence in the country of its main regional backer, Iran. The rebels’ moves around Damascus, reported by an opposition war monitor and a rebel commander, came after the Syrian army withdrew from much of the southern part of the country, leaving more areas, including several provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is backed by Russia and Iran, but both are bogged down in separate conflicts. Credit: Saudi Press Agency/AP The advances in the past week were among the largest in recent years by opposition factions led by a group that has its origins in al-Qaeda and is considered a terrorist organisation by the US and the United Nations. In their push to overthrow Assad’s government, the insurgents, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have met little resistance from the Syrian Army. The UN’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, on Saturday called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition”. Speaking to reporters at the annual Doha Forum in Qatar, Pedersen said the situation in Syria was changing by the minute. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, whose country is Assad’s chief international backer, said he felt “sorry for the Syrian people”. In Damascus, people rushed to stock up on supplies. Thousands went to Syria’s border with Lebanon, trying to leave the country. Many shops in the city were shuttered, a resident told the Associated Press, and those still open had run out of staples such as sugar. Some were selling items at three times the normal price. “The situation is very strange. We are not used to that,” the resident said, insisting on anonymity, fearing retributions. “People are worried whether there will be a battle [in Damascus] or not.” It was the first time that opposition forces reached the outskirts of Damascus since 2018 when Syrian troops recaptured the area following a years-long siege. The UN said it was moving non-critical staff outside the country as a precaution. Assad rumours Syria’s state media denied social media rumours that Assad had left the country, saying the president was performing his duties in Damascus. Assad has had little, if any, help from his allies. Russia is busy with its war in Ukraine, and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which at one point sent thousands of fighters to shore up Assad’s forces, has been weakened by a year-long conflict with Israel. Iran has had its proxies across the region degraded by regular Israeli airstrikes. US President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday posted on social media that the US should avoid engaging militarily in Syria. A Syrian opposition fighter holds a rocket launcher in front of the provincial government office. Credit: AP Pedersen said a date for talks in Geneva on implementing a 2015 UN resolution calling for a Syrian-led political process would be announced later. The resolution calls for the establishment of a transitional governing body, followed by the drafting of a new constitution and ending with UN-supervised elections. Foreign ministers and senior diplomats from eight key countries, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran, along with Pedersen, gathered on the sidelines of the Doha summit on Saturday to discuss the situation. No details were immediately available. The insurgents’ march Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said insurgents were in the Damascus suburbs of Maadamiyah, Jaramana and Daraya. Opposition fighters were also marching toward the Damascus suburb of Harasta, he said. An insurgent commander, Hassan Abdul Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces had begun the “final stage” of their offensive by encircling Damascus. Syrian rebel leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani. Credit: Al Jazeera HTS controls much of north-west Syria and, in 2017, set up a “salvation government” to run daily affairs in the region. In recent years, HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani has sought to remake the group’s image, cutting ties with al-Qaeda, ditching hardline officials and vowing to embrace pluralism and religious tolerance. Syria’s military, meanwhile, sent large numbers of reinforcements to defend the key central city of Homs, Syria’s third-largest, as insurgents approached its outskirts. The shock offensive began on November 27, during which rebel fighters captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest, and the central city of Hama, the country’s fourth-largest city. Opposition activists on Friday said insurgents entered Palmyra, which is home to invaluable archaeological sites that had been in government hands since being taken from the Islamic State group in 2017. To the south, Syrian troops left much of the province of Quneitra, including the main Baath City, activists said. The Syrian Observatory said government troops had withdrawn from much of the two southern provinces and were sending reinforcements to Homs, where a battle loomed. If the insurgents were to capture Homs, they would cut the link between Damascus, Assad’s seat of power, and the coastal region where the president enjoys wide support. The army said in a statement that it had carried out redeployment and repositioning in Sweida and Daraa after its checkpoints came under attack by “terrorists”. The army said it was setting up a “strong and coherent defensive and security belt in the area”, apparently to defend Damascus from the south. The Syrian government has referred to opposition gunmen as terrorists since the conflict broke out in March 2011. Diplomacy in Doha The foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey, meeting in Qatar, called for an end to the hostilities. Turkey is the main backer of the rebels. Qatar’s top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, criticised Assad for failing to take advantage of the lull in fighting in recent years to address the country’s underlying problems. “Assad didn’t seize this opportunity to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people,” he said. Sheikh Mohammed said he was surprised by how quickly the rebels have advanced and said there was a real threat to Syria’s “territorial integrity”. He said the war could “damage and destroy what is left if there is no sense of urgency” to start a political process. AP, Reuters Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter .

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Adrian Kempe and Quinton Byfield scored in the second period, and the Los Angeles Kings beat the Seattle Kraken 2-1 on Saturday. David Rittich made 19 saves for the Kings, who improved to 6-2-1 at home. Kempe and Byfield scored 1:44 apart in the second period. Byfield buried a sharp-angle slap shot on a power play while dropping to a knee. It was his 98th career point in 200 games. Brandon Montour got the Kraken on the board with 1:26 left in the game. He converted a long shot with Joey Daccord off for another skater, but Los Angeles held on. Daccord finished with 19 stops for Seattle. Kraken: Jordan Eberle will miss at least three months after undergoing surgery on his pelvis. He had six goals and five assists in 17 games before he got hurt against Chicago on Nov. 14. Kings: The power play had been in a 1-for-16 rut (6.25%) over the previous six games before Byfield found the net. It was the Kings' lone opportunity with the man-advantage. After following its 1-0 loss to Buffalo on Wednesday with a fourth straight period of extreme low-event hockey, Los Angeles created a lot more activity and offense to start the second and generate its two goals. The Kings know how to close out games, improving to 9-0-1 when leading after two periods. The Kraken visit Anaheim on Monday, and the Kings play at San Jose on Monday. AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Syrian government forces withdraw from central city of Homs as insurgent offensive accelerates

An anti-corruption probe into one of the state’s busiest hospitals is examining claims that surgeons charged the Transport Accident Commission for operating on multiple patients at the same time. This masthead revealed on Sunday that the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission was investigating a handful of surgeons at the Royal Melbourne Hospital over allegations they billed the TAC for medical procedures never carried out on patients, and fraudulently claimed assistant surgeon fees. IBAC is investigating claims that surgeons fraudulently billed the TAC. Credit: iStock Four sources – speaking on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal – have revealed that surgeons would simultaneously run multiple theatres, often staffed by registrars, and then claim to the TAC they had operated in all theatres at the same time. This, the sources said, enabled them to attract higher rebates from the public insurer. Registrars are not allowed to charge the TAC. “The primary surgeon is jumping from one theatre to the next and not being meaningfully involved in the actual surgery but just writing operation reports,” one hospital source said. “They might write these reports from the tearoom. It is really disgusting.” The government-owned TAC is funded by Victorian motorists to pay for the treatment of road accident victims, and reimburses hospitals, surgeons and anaesthetists for each TAC patient they treat. Surgeons and anaesthetists bill the TAC for this work in addition to receiving an hourly rate from their hospital, an arrangement insiders say creates a perverse financial incentive for some surgeons to harvest TAC patients. It can also be revealed that IBAC is looking into concerns that some surgeons at the Parkville hospital cherry-picked lucrative TAC patients, prioritising them over public patients waiting for urgent surgery. “Some surgeons have monopolised the trauma ... they have gone out of their way to treat TAC cases ... to make sure they are the only ones who bill for it,” said one hospital source, who did not want to be identified for fear of reprisals. This masthead has seen evidence of one injured TAC patient being moved to a rehabilitation facility before their operation and then transported to the Royal Melbourne Hospital to allegedly coincide with a particular surgeon being rostered on. A hospital source claimed this was orchestrated to allow the particular surgeon to bill the TAC for the patient’s surgery. “Everyone knows what happens; they are too frightened to say anything,” another hospital source said. Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas. Credit: Nine On Sunday, Victorian Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas welcomed the IBAC investigation, saying that while there was no evidence the alleged behaviour was widespread, if the allegations were true that would be “a gross misuse of public funds and breach of trust”. “If this is true, I’m absolutely devastated. This is a breach of trust with the Victorian people,” she said. “The integrity of our health system is absolutely paramount, and it’s important that Victorians can have the highest trust in our healthcare system.” Both Thomas and TAC Minister Danny Pearson said they were not aware of the allegations before Friday, despite three hospital sources telling The Age the accusations were the worst-kept secret among Melbourne’s medical community. Thomas said there was no reason to believe the TAC incentives gave surgeons and anaesthetists the opportunity to abuse the state’s system. Pearson told media he would not comment on an ongoing investigation other than to say he had not been aware of the allegations until he read about them in this masthead. “I think it’s appropriate that that investigation be allowed to run its course without providing a running commentary,” he said. Opposition health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier called on IBAC to release its findings and said she believed the alleged scam was costing taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars a day. “These allegations were reported to the TAC years ago, reported to IBAC years ago, reported to the Royal Melbourne Hospital executive years ago,” she said. Credit: Paul Harris “Victorians deserve better than a health system that is mired in corruption and scandals like this ... we’ve got corruption rorting in one of Victoria’s largest and most prominent hospitals – and it’s just not acceptable.” Crozier said the relevant ministers should be stepping in to resolve these issues. While the exact scale of the IBAC investigation is unknown, medical fraud and compliance expert Dr Margaret Faux said better technology was needed to crack down on incorrect claims. While the TAC has adopted the Medicare Benefits Schedule items, definitions and rules for services provided by medical practitioners, Faux said it did not have a rigorous system to interrogate claims. “As soon as they have a TAC number, it is open slather,” said Faux, who runs a company that processes medical bills for doctors and hospitals. “They do as many things as they can to these patients because they are cash cows.” A recent hospital patient, who did not receive treatment at the Royal Melbourne, contacted The Age after reading about the claims and agreed that the system was open to “all kinds of manipulation”. The Victorian resident, who requested anonymity, said that after managing to check their surgery item numbers, they were surprised by how many there were. “What other business transaction can be made without the receiver seeing an account?” A Royal Melbourne Hospital spokesperson said the health service upheld strict governance and was proud to deliver exceptional care. Both IBAC and the TAC have said it would be inappropriate to comment on an any investigation. The TAC finalised 14 prosecutions last financial year, resulting in $484,124 in restitution payments for the public insurer. Thirty warning letters were sent over the same period in cases that did not meet the prosecution threshold. With Selina Zhang Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter .UPI empowered marginal borrowers, boosted credit access: Study

Injury-riddled Louisville tries to cool off No. 9 DukeThe business sector is calling for multiple government stimulus measures, especially tax incentives and a household debt reduction scheme, to revive the economy and give the public a New Year's gift. Nath Vongphanich, president of the Thai Retailers Association (TRA), said the group sees public investment as a key driver for economic expansion in 2025. The government should expedite budget disbursement and public spending for 2025 to align with its targets, he said. Efforts should be made to ensure a broad distribution of government funds through investments, procurement and stimulus measures to drive Thailand's economy forward, said Mr Nath. To support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and counter the influx of cheap Chinese goods, the government should facilitate access to low-interest loans or funding sources, expand trade opportunities, and increase marketing channels for Thai product distribution, he said. "Next year, TRA will implement the 'TRA GREAT' initiative by providing spaces within member retailers such as Makro, Lotus's, Central, Go Wholesale and Thai Watsadu for micro-SMEs to sell their products throughout the year," said Mr Nath. Moreover, TRA wants government measures to stimulate consumer spending, such as the "Shop Dee Mee Khuen" programme, Easy e-Receipt, and incentives for private sector investments. The association also proposes the government offer tax incentives for tourists. "We could adopt a tax-free shopping scheme for tourists similar to Japan, which allows tax-free purchases exceeding ¥500,000 per day. In Thailand, we may begin with value-added tax [VAT] exemptions for purchases exceeding 5,000 baht per day in a single store," he said. White paper Sanan Angubolkul, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber submitted a white paper outlining urgent economic stimulus measures to the government. "The government should implement policies aimed at lowering the cost of living for people and expenses for businesses," he said. Key recommendations include controlling the prices of essential goods and services, freezing electricity and diesel prices, and establishing an energy board. In addition, the private sector recommends adjusting the minimum wage through the tripartite wage committee. The chamber said the second phase of the 10,000-baht handout next year may be insufficient to stimulate the economy. The group proposed a "multiplier measure" that could double the circulation of funds in the economy. Initiatives such as the Easy e-Receipt programme could inject an estimated 30-50 billion baht into the economy via roughly 1 million participants, without burdening the state budget, according to the chamber. Addressing the debt overhang among individuals and SMEs is also critical. The government should adopt integrated monetary and fiscal policies alongside income redistribution to reduce inequality, said the group. Proposed measures include debt moratoriums and extensions for housing, vehicles and SMEs, especially to ensure work-related vehicles like pickups are not repossessed. There is also an urgent need to reduce interest rates and improve access to credit, said Mr Sanan. He emphasised the importance of enhancing the competitiveness of Thai businesses to better compete with imported goods. Essential strategies include ensuring fair trade practices, preventing market-damaging practices such as dumping, and maintaining product quality standards. The chamber called on the government to attract both domestic and foreign investments. One suggestion is to designate Prachin Buri as part of the Eastern Economic Corridor, which could significantly boost investment in that area. This initiative would bolster the competitiveness of key sectors such as food, tourism and wellness, said Mr Sanan, while also increasing the potential to become a hub for logistics and connectivity as well as education. As Thailand enters its peak tourism season, the chamber sees a prime opportunity to leverage major festivals such as New Year's Eve, Chinese New Year and Songkran. "If the government can promote Thailand's soft power by organising various events and ensuring that Thai festivals are included in the global calendar, it will enhance awareness among foreign tourists and attract high-potential visitors to travel to and reside in Thailand. This would generate substantial income for the economy," he said. CONSUMPTION BOOST Rakpong Chaisuparakul, senior vice-president at KGI Securities (Thailand), said the government is expected to announce a consumption package as a New Year's gift on Dec 12. "In our view, the New Year package may include a 38-billion-baht cash handout for farmers, a 40-billion-baht cash handout for the elderly, and an Easy e-Receipt programme effective for the first quarter of next year," he said. In addition, the market is keen to hear details of the Bank of Thailand's plans to ease nationwide household debt, which is due to be announced on Dec 11, said Mr Rakpong. According to KGI, the measures are expected to cover 2.3 million loan accounts with a combined value of 1.3 billion baht, mainly in housing and consumer loans. The assistance package will set a payment timeline of three years to allow debtors to waive interest rates and pay monthly instalments of 50% in the first year, 70% in the second year, and 90% in the third, noted the brokerage. The government expects the measures to require a budget of 80 billion baht, of which 40 billion is funded by reducing the Financial Institutions Development Fund (FIDF) fee for banks to 0.23% of deposits, with the balance coming from money injected by banks. Under these measures, banks can reduce their FIDF costs, but may need to contribute more money to raise the 80 billion baht needed for the assistance measures. "We remain positive on Thai consumer plays, which entered their high earnings season in the fourth quarter, as well as the non-bank finance sector, which could benefit from the household debt bailout plan," said Mr Rakpong. CAR TRADE-IN The state plan to launch a car trade-in programme to stimulate purchases in the auto market is a good initiative, but will be difficult to translate into action, said Surapong Paisitpatanapong, vice-chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) and the spokesman for the FTI's Automotive Industry Club. The government must devise other new stimulus measures that can increase people's income, which is a crucial factor in their vehicle purchasing decisions, he said. Mr Surapong said he wants to learn more details about the trade-in programme, recently announced by Industry Minister Akanat Promphan to deal with months of sluggish car sales in the country. Authorities must clarify the car types, the age of used cars and price issues for the scheme, he said. "This measure still depends on loans being granted by banks and car financing companies. If they don't want to participate, the scheme will not work," said Mr Surapong. Banks' strict auto loan criteria amid high levels of household debt is a key factor causing the plunge in domestic car sales. The slowdown caused the club to downgrade Thailand's total car manufacturing target for 2024 to 1.5 million vehicles, dipping from 1.7 million, which is the lowest target since 2021. From January to October, vehicle manufacturing fell by 19.2% year-on-year to 1.24 million units, the club reported. He called on the government to craft appropriate solutions to debt problems so that banks and financing companies will relax their lending criteria. "We want people to have more money and job security. This will lift their confidence, giving them more courage to spend money to buy cars," said Mr Surapong. "Many people want new cars, but they have to save money in a stagnant economy." Wallop Treererkngam, executive vice-president of Suzuki Motor (Thailand), agreed with Mr Surapong on the need for measures to deal with household debt. "If the government can ease debt problems, including non-performing loans among SMEs, banks will certainly grant auto loans," he said. "The result would be car and auto parts businesses would recover from the slowdown." LASTING MEASURES Chaiyaporn Nompitakcharoen, managing director of the research department at Bualuang Securities, said the government should support the installation of solar rooftops for individuals and SMEs. Thailand relies on imported oil for use in transport and electricity production, both of which are critical for the economy. When the oil price rises, the business and household sectors are stunted, he said. Mr Chaiyaporn said the government should also offer soft loans for new businesses in trendy fields, such as those focused on the environment, social and governance issues, or sustainable development. He added there should be state support for products from local communities, such as beverages and other items that are deemed outstanding, assisting in the development of brands to enable growth. "These measures can increase the potential of SMEs, which are an important foundation for future growth. Lowering electricity costs by installing solar rooftops will help the government to reduce its support for Oil Fund subsidies," said Mr Chaiyaporn. However, long-term solutions often lack political will from government officials, he said. The government should prioritise easing loan problems in the household and SME sectors, said Mr Chaiyaporn. "Commercial banks have acted on their own to address debt concerns, such as lowering interest rates and extending debt repayment periods. I would like to see government measures," he said. In addition, it is vital to help people laid off because of the economic slowdown, the impact of the US-China trade war, and production relocation away from Thailand, especially in the automotive industry, said Mr Chaiyaporn. Singapore organised free training courses for employees in many professions to upgrade their skills, enabling them to have more stable jobs, he said. Somchai Sittichaisrichart, managing director of SIS Distribution Plc, said the government should offer tax expense exemptions to corporations that bought solar systems and IT systems to support sustainability and digital transformation. Tax incentives can spur spending without a government cash injection, he said. The VAT needs to be raised from 7% to 10% to increase state revenue, as VAT rates in neighbouring nations are 9-10%, said Mr Somchai.

WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday that he will nominate former White House aide Brooke Rollins to be his agriculture secretary, the last of his picks to lead executive agencies and another choice from within his established circle of advisers and allies. The nomination must be confirmed by the Senate, which will be controlled by Republicans when Trump takes office Jan. 20. Rollins would succeed , President Joe Biden’s agriculture secretary who oversees the sprawling agency that controls policies, regulations and aid programs related to farming, forestry, ranching, food quality and nutrition. 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. Rollins previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. The pick completes Trump’s selection of the heads of executive branch departments, just two and a half weeks after the former president won the White House once again. Several other picks that are traditionally Cabinet-level remain, including U.S. Trade Representative and head of the small business administration. Brooke Rollins, assistant to the president and director of the Domestic Policy Council at the time, speaks during a May 18, 2020, meeting with restaurant industry executives about the coronavirus response in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington. Rollins, speaking on the Christian talk show “Family Talk" earlier this year, said Trump was an “amazing boss” and confessed that she thought in 2015, during his first presidential campaign, that he would not last as a candidate in a crowded Republican primary field. “I was the person that said, ‘Oh, Donald Trump is not going to go more than two or three weeks in the Republican primary. This is to up his TV show ratings. And then we’ll get back to normal,’” she said. “Fast forward a couple of years, and I am running his domestic policy agenda.” Trump didn’t offer many specifics about his agriculture policies during the campaign, but farmers could be affected if he carries out his pledge to impose widespread tariffs. During the first Trump administration, countries like China responded to Trump’s tariffs by imposing retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports like the corn and soybeans routinely sold overseas. Trump countered by offering massive multibillion-dollar aid to farmers to help them weather the trade war. Brooke Rollins speaks at an Oct. 27 campaign rally for then-Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at Madison Square Garden in New York. President Abraham Lincoln founded the USDA in 1862, when about half of all Americans lived on farms. The USDA oversees multiple support programs for farmers; animal and plant health; and the safety of meat, poultry and eggs that anchor the nation’s food supply. Its federal nutrition programs provide food to low-income people, pregnant women and young children. And the agency sets standards for school meals. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, has from school lunches and to stop allowing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program beneficiaries from using food stamps to buy soda, candy or other so-called junk foods. But it would be the USDA, not HHS, that would be responsible for enacting those changes. In addition, HHS and USDA will work together to finalize the 2025-2030 edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. They are due late next year, with guidance for healthy diets and standards for federal nutrition programs. 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. 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, 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.” 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. 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. 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. 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 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. 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. 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. McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign. In a statement, Trump called McGinley “a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda, while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement.” Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

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