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(The Center Square) – U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Arizona, blasted U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Ur Jaddou for her agency approving illegal border crossers as sponsors for illegal border crossers. At a U.S. House Judiciary subcommittee hearing , Biggs also pointed out that the sponsors were found to be committing Social Security and other fraud under her watch. Biggs addressed rampant fraud in a program created by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for inadmissible citizens of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela, who don’t qualify for admission into the U.S. Under Mayorkas, they were flown into the country through a CHNV parole program, used a CBP One phone app to apply for entry, and were released into the country. Part of the process requires having a “supporter” fill out an application on behalf of the CHNV parolee. While Mayorkas claimed app user parolees and supporters were thoroughly vetted, multiple Office of Inspector General reports disproved this claim, expressing security risks at airports. In August, flights of CHNV illegal border crossers were temporarily suspended after a USCIS internal review found that tens of thousands of CHNV fraudulent applications were processed. Supporters used fake Social Security numbers and phone numbers and listed the same physical address on nearly 20,000 applications, according to the report, The Center Square reported . Biggs asked Jaddou if she disputed the fact that supporters used the same Social Security Number on CHNV applications, which “happened at least 3,200 times. The same phone number used at least 3,300 times. The same supporter email address was used on applications nearly 2,000 times.” Jaddou said she didn’t have the report in front of her and didn’t dispute it. “You don’t really want to admit there’s this much rampant fraud,” he said. Biggs next cited examples of fraud that weren’t fixed. “The same exact 184-word response was used on more than 1,800 applications by nearly 194 CHNV supporters,” he said. “More than 460 nonexistent zip codes were used on supported applications on behalf of more than 2,800 CHV aliens. You can dance around and say you don't have the report in front of you, but these are the facts. This program is rife with fraud.” As of Aug. 6, DHS had approved more than 80,000 CHNV supporters for the program who were in the U.S. on a temporary basis. USCIS approved 224 CHNV parolees who were already in the country illegally as sponsors for CHNV parolees that came after them, meaning illegal foreign nationals were sponsoring illegal foreign nationals. USCIS also approved 28,322 illegal foreign nationals shielded from deportation through Temporary Protected Status as CHVN supporters; “19,865 SLEs approved as CHNV supporters, 311 DACA recipients approved as CHNV supporters, 1,300-plus aliens in the U.S. on temporary visas approved as CHNV supporters, 64 refugees approved as CHNV supporters, 19,112 conditional permanent residents approved this season as CHNV supporters,” he said. “That is the program that you are administering. I'm not talking the aliens. I'm not getting into the violation of law of the U.S. code 1182, which states that the use of parole is supposed to be a case-by-case basis.” Biggs said the supporter application process was so rampant with fraud that it was temporarily shut down but wasn’t fixed. The fraud is “still ongoing. We're waiting for the next report to confirm that these things are still going on,” he said. In addition to the USCIS report, a U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security investigation found that "as of mid-October 2023, there were 1.6 million inadmissible aliens awaiting travel authorizations through the CHNV program” and DHS was using 50 airports worldwide to fly them in, The Center Square reported . None flown into the country have a legal basis to enter the U.S. before being paroled through the CHNV program, DHS documents the committee obtained state. "All individuals paroled into the United States are, by definition, inadmissible, including those paroled under the CHNV processes," one of the DHS documents states. The CHNV parole program was among more than a dozen that House Republicans identified as illegal and cited as reasons to impeach Mayorkas. According to the latest U.S. Customs and Border Protection data , more than 852,000 illegal foreign nationals were processed and released into the country through the CBP One App and more than 531,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans deemed inadmissible were released into the country through the CHNV parole program, as of October. Under the Biden administration, more than three million illegal border crossers were reported from CHNV countries, The Center Square reported . Many have been directly linked to violent crimes committed against Americans, The Center Square reported .Eagles stars Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown say relationship is 'good' after teammate suggests fissure
Chelsea hatch Lautaro Martinez transfer plan as Blues 'to offer three players' for Inter Milan strikerSalt Lake City, Dec. 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intermountain Health has named Ryan Smith as its next chief digital and information officer (CDIO), following an extensive national search. He will begin his new role in early 2025. Intermountain's search for a CDIO included a thorough recruiting process that involved internal and external partners who vetted candidates throughout the United States. Smith is a seasoned leader with deep roots in healthcare technology and an impressive portfolio of experience with Intermountain. He served in several senior leadership roles across the enterprise for nearly 20 years. He then held executive roles with Health Catalyst and served as senior vice president of technology and chief information officer at Banner Health. Following those positions, Smith returned to Intermountain as chief information officer (CIO) from 2020 to 2022 before joining Graphite Health as its chief operating officer. Ryan now serves as Graphite's interim president and chief executive officer, advancing the nonprofit organization's endeavor to make healthcare data more universal, accessible, and scalable. "This opportunity is deeply meaningful to me," said Smith. "I'm excited for the opportunity to make healthcare an easier, safer experience for patients, members, and caregivers alike." "I'm confident that Ryan is the right leader to help Intermountain successfully navigate both opportunities and obstacles as a model health system in the complex world of healthcare that lies ahead," said Rob Allen Intermountain Health president and CEO. "He will lead DTS to support our mission, vision, and strategy to simplify, expand proactive care, and improve the healthcare experience for our caregivers, patients, members, and communities." As Intermountain's CDIO, Ryan will report directly to Dan Liljenquist, chief strategy officer. He will also serve as a member of the Enterprise Leadership Team. Smith will lead Intermountain's Digital Technology Services (DTS), including DTS Operations, Digital Services, Data Services, Clinical Informatics, Information Security, and Information Technology. Leaders of each team will report directly to Smith and will continue to serve on the DTS Leadership Team. ### Attachment Ryan Smith © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Prof Dr Shiv Sethi Name of Book : A Cornucopia of Articles Author : Dr.Ravi Prakash Tiwari Publisher: Evincepub Publishing Year of publication: 2024 Price: Rs.250/ Dr.Ravi Prakash Tiwari’s latest book, A Cornucopia of Articles, is a compendious depiction of issues pertaining to science, society, environment, security, academics, spiritualism, politics, economics, health, agriculture, global warming, ISRO and many others. It incorporates thirty articles penned down in a sublime language. This book is socially relevant because it conscientizes us about a medley of consequential temporal and spiritual issues. It will aid the society in learning how to tackle heat, save environment, use gadgets judiciously, assuage depression and suicidal tendency, keep surroundings clean, test food adulteration, soothe mind , diminish food wastage, etc. In the first chapter, Role of the UAE and Israel in Assuaging Water Crisis, Dr. Ravi has depicted how both the countries have solved the water -issue by having invented the technology to purify waste water and used drip irrigation to conserve water. In the next chapter, Artificial Intelligence, he depicts how AI will play major roles in curing cancer, combating crime, predicting pandemics, etc. In the article, Environmental Apocalypse, he discusses causes, impacts and solutions of environmental issues. The article, Upheaval in France, awakens us to the perils posed by immigration. The chapter, Pros and Cons of Using Digital Gadgets, elaborates on the need to employ gadgets judiciously. The article, China :- A Malediction To Humanity, exposes how China blatantly hitched conspiracies to breach territorial integrity of its neighbours and defied international laws. The chapter, Khalistan- A Separatist Movement, is a reminder to separatists that they can’t coerce India into capitulation. The chapter, Self-Reliant India in The Defense Sector, reveals how India’s defence ecosystem has been transformed and how she has embraced women in military. The chapter, Destigmatize Suicides to Save Lives, deals with the causes of suicides and the ways to keep suicidal tendency at bay. The chapter, Changes in Kashmir after the abrogation Of Article 370, depicts how Kashmir has progressed in every sphere of life. The chapter, Food gives the food For thought, explains the need to bolster our staples with micro-nutrients to make our labour force robust. The chapter on Aditya-L1 depicts its journey and functions in India’s progress. The chapter on Chandrayaan-3 does the same. The chapter, Biggest Causes of blood-shed, talks about the undeclared third world war. Society will pressurize the govt. to adopt global strategies to surmount some vexing problems mentioned here. The students with a scientific bent of mind will be intrigued by certain scientific facts mentioned in the articles. Since the articles were published in esteemed newspapers like The Daily Guardian, there can be no misgivings about the quality of their content. The book is replete with all the ingredients to make it a best seller. It will make readers knowledgeable about not only the universal facts but also idioms or phrases and high standard words. It is devoutly hoped that students and teachers will deem it a prized possession.
Editors note: Multiple-time founder and media exec Joe Marchese is co-founder and general partner at venture capital fund Human Ventures . Jonathan Bing is a communications executive who has held senior roles at Netflix, Vice and Fox. The much-anticipated collapse of the cable bundle took a lot longer than everyone thought and now seems ready to happen all at once. At least that was one of the leitmotifs this earnings cycle as one media CEO after another talked about spinning off or disposing of cable networks declining in value (and Comcast-NBCUniversal actually became the first mover ). Yet, at the same time, the race is on to rebuild the bundle. The market is being flooded with a bunch of “all-in-one” pay-TV subscriptions and entertainment bundles like Comcast’s StreamSaver or sports bundles like Venu. But while these packages promise savings of a few dollars a month, unless the advertising model fundamentally changes, the economics of these new bundles will never add up to what the original bundle offered – and that’s bad news for consumers. For starters, premium streaming bundles can’t hold the same amount of ads as cable. Nor should they. A decade ago, when more than 100 million homes still subscribed to linear TV, networks began filling their programming with more and more ads . It was a grab for incremental dollars that would eventually be one of the death blows to the cable bundle. As 10 minutes of ads per hour turned into 15 and then 20, TV went from capturing people’s time and attention to strip-mining their time and attention. The heavy ad load had a toxic effect on the TV ecosystem. It drove away viewers, particularly younger viewers who fled to streaming content that was increasingly ad-free. The lighter ad load for streaming would seem to make viewing more tolerable, and yet the ad experience can be even worse. As Mike Shields recently reported , more often than not, in many ad supported streaming environments viewers are “seeing the same ad over and over, or being interrupted mid show or video with a jarring ad break.” This is because network and cable television was crafted with commercial breaks in mind. And the commercial breaks were programmed with a frequency that was far less of an issue, as people were accustomed to flipping channels, with that behavior priced into the TV ecosystem. In the intervening years, the advertising industry has pulled away from TV, as many brands shifted their spending to “performance” marketing on digital platforms. Today nearly half the trillion dollars spent in the global ad market goes to Alphabet, Meta and Amazon, and the digital spending is only going up. No amount of advertising on streaming platforms will recapture the dollars migrating to digital. The cable bundle, for all of its flaws, gets a bad rap today. Creating great content is an expensive, long-lead investment. For the networks, bundling that content provides economic security and an insurance policy against creative risk-taking, which makes it easier to take the kind of big swings that lead to great TV. In the golden age of cable, the bundle gave TV networks a highly profitable and stable revenue stream including affiliate, retransmission and advertising fees, in some cases packaged with broadband and cell phone services. All that cash underwrote a robust creative ecosystem which gave rise to some of the greatest TV series in history from The Sopranos to Breaking Bad . One longstanding complaint about the “just-one-bill” cable model is that you end up subsidizing channels you don’t want. But the simplicity and convenience of having everything in a single package generally made it an acceptable trade-off. Ten years ago the argument was made about “why you should shut up and love your cable bundle.” And that argument basically breaks down to this: Everything is a bundle, it is just a question of how big. You’re comfortable paying for the whole thing because the totality of the choices makes it worth it. Today a lot of the best media still comes to us as a bundle. Spotify is a bundle. The New York Times is a bundle (half its subscribers also pay for some combination of The Athletic, Cooking, Games or Wirecutter ). Even Netflix now resembles the very model it set out to disrupt, complete with live sports and advertising. “Programming for such a large, engaged audience, with so much variety and great quality, is hard,” the company wrote in its most recent investor letter. “It’s why streaming services which lack our breadth of content are increasingly looking to bundle their offerings.” The golden age of streaming has produced amazing content, but at a steep financial price to media companies. In an effort to win at streaming, they’ve broken the economics that underwrote their business in the first place. And now, the industry will have to adjust to a new normal. For the new normal to be economically sustainable, streamers need to do a better job of optimizing their viewers’ time and attention. That means fewer, better ads that are more fairly priced. It means new ad currencies that accurately measure engagement across platforms. And it means true innovation in advertising, from bold new formats to more adventurous brand storytelling to using AI more effectively for personalized and localized ads. And it means rebuilding the “bundle” in a new form, which is the holy grail for even the biggest of platforms. Everyone, from Alphabet to Apple to Amazon, wants to be the definitive guide to the world of entertainment choices. The winner will offer viewers a fair value exchange to keep them coming back, and will optimize discovery of the greatest range of entertainment. But the path from here to there has some major obstacles, and will come at significant cost to the entertainment industry and consumers for the foreseeable future.
An Ohio politician has seen enough flag planting by visiting sports teams. Republican state Rep. Josh Williams said Wednesday on social media he’s introducing a bill to make flag planting in sports a felony in the state. His proposal comes after the Nov. 30 fight at the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry football game when the Wolverines beat the Buckeyes 13-10 and then attempted to plant their flag at midfield. A fight ensued and police had to use pepper spray to disperse the players. Similar flag-planting scuffles broke out across college football on that rivalry weekend. Williams is calling it the O.H.I.O Sportsmanship Act. “Behavior that incites violent brawls and puts our law enforcement officers in danger has no place on the football field,” Williams said. Former Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield famously planted a flag in the middle of the field at Ohio State after the Sooners beat the Buckeyes in 2017. Mayfield, who now plays for the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, said he doesn’t think flag planting is a big deal. “I’ll say this: OU-Texas does it every time they play,” Mayfield said on Dec. 1. “It’s not anything special. You take your ‘L’ and you move on. I’ll leave it at that.” ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballPORTLAND — The incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump is likely to bring big changes for one of the oldest sectors of the U.S. economy – seafood – and some in the industry believe the returning president will be more responsive to its needs. Economic analysts paint a more complicated picture, as they fear Trump’s pending trade hostilities with major trading partners Canada and China could make an already pricy kind of protein more expensive to consumers. Conservationists also fear Trump’s emphasis on government deregulation could jeopardize fish stocks that are already in peril. But many in the commercial fishing and seafood processing industries said they are excited for Trump’s second presidency. They said they expect he’ll allow fishing in protected areas as he did in his first presidency, crack down on offshore wind expansion and cut back regulations they describe as burdensome. And they expect a marked shift from the administration of President Biden, who prioritized ocean conservation and championed wind power from the start. The seafood industry isn’t hungry for another tariff war, which hurt fishermen during Trump’s first term, said Beth Casoni, executive director of the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association. But she said the new Trump administration has a unique chance to throw its support behind U.S. fishermen. “I think we should be focused on feeding Americans,” Casoni said. “The ‘America First’ administration I think will make that point loud and clear. Know where your food is coming from.” But the seafood industry, which is international in nature, could be seriously disrupted if Trump goes through with a plan to impose a 25% tax on all products entering the country from Canada, said John Sackton, a longtime industry analyst and founder of Seafood News. Canada is the largest seafood market for the U.S. for both imports and exports, and nearly a sixth of the seafood imported by the U.S. is from its northern neighbor, according to federal statistics published in November. In total about 80% of seafood consumed in the U.S. is imported. Losing Canada – an especially important buyer of American lobster – as a market for U.S. seafood could cause prices to fishermen to collapse, Sackton said. And some products could become unavailable while others become more expensive and still others oversupplied, he said. He described the seafood industry as “interdependent on both sides of the border.” In Canada, members of the country’s seafood industry are watching closely to see what changes Trump ushers in, said Geoff Irvine, executive director of the Lobster Council of Canada, based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. “A potential trade war will cost everyone more (in Canada and the U.S.) and cause damage to the seafood section in Canada and the United States,” Irvine said via email. “We are working with allies in Canada and the U.S. to send this message to all governments.” One of the major changes for fishermen under a new Trump administration is that they can expect to have a seat at the table when high-level decisions get made, said representatives for several commercial fishing groups. Last time around, Trump sat down with fishermen and listened to their concerns about loss of fishing rights in Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, a nearly 5,000-square mile (13,000 square kilometers) protected area off New England, said Robert Vanasse, executive director of industry advocate Saving Seafood. That goodwill is likely to carry over into Trump’s new presidency. And the industry feels it has already scored a win with election of a president who is an outspoken critic of offshore wind power, said Drew Minkiewicz, an attorney who represents the New Bedford, Massachusetts-based Sustainable Scalloping Fund. Fishermen of valuable seafoods such as scallops and lobsters have long opposed offshore wind development because of concerns wind power will disrupt prime fishing grounds. “There is excitement in the industry that offshore wind will basically be contained to its existing footprint and nothing beyond that,” Minkiewicz said. Others in the industry said they’re concerned about how Trump will handle the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the federal agency that regulates fisheries. The undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere, who is currently the Biden-appointed Rick Spinrad, will be one of Trump’s key appointees. Trump went through three different administrators at the post during his first term of office. The industry has recently suffered major recent crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic and trade hostilities with another major trading partner in Russia, and isn’t in a position to withstand unstable leadership, said Noah Oppenheim, coordinator for Fishing Communities Coalition, which represents small-scale commercial fishing groups. “The Fishing Communities Coalition is always deeply concerned that any administration’s shifts away from a fishery management focus on conservation and accountability will do serious lasting damage to the industry,” Oppenheim said. Conservation groups who have pushed for stricter vessel speed rules and new fishing standards, such as new gear that is less likely to harm whales, said they’re also waiting to see the direction Trump takes fisheries and ocean policy. They said they’re hopeful progress made under Biden can withstand a second Trump presidency. “It would be extraordinarily short-sighted for the incoming administration to ignore the science and set off a fishing free-for-all that will only hurt fisheries – and healthy oceans – in the long run,” said Jane Davenport, a senior attorney with Defenders of Wildlife. This story was supported by funding from the Walton Family Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. We invite you to add your comments. We encourage a thoughtful exchange of ideas and information on this website. By joining the conversation, you are agreeing to our commenting policy and terms of use . More information is found on our FAQs . You can modify your screen name here . Comments are managed by our staff during regular business hours Monday through Friday as well as limited hours on Saturday and Sunday. Comments held for moderation outside of those hours may take longer to approve. Please sign into your Sun Journal account to participate in conversations below. If you do not have an account, you can register or subscribe . Questions? Please see our FAQs . Your commenting screen name has been updated. Send questions/comments to the editors. « PreviousTopline Sam Altman joined fellow billionaires Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos in announcing $1 million donations to President-elect Donald Trump's inaugural fund, as the tech industry seeks to strengthen relationships with the incoming president after an antagonistic past. Key Facts Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We’re launching text message alerts so you'll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here . Are Companies Allowed To Donate To Trump’s Inaugural Fund? Yes. The Federal Election Commission states corporations and labor organizations are allowed to make donations to an inaugural committee and contributions are not subject to any limits. The inaugural committee has to file a report with the FEC detailing donations by the 90th day after the inauguration. What Does The Inaugural Fund Do? After the election, an inaugural committee is appointed by the president-elect and it is responsible for planning the inauguration ceremony and activities connected with the ceremony, according to the FEC. The inaugural committee plans and finances inaugural events—save for the swearing-in ceremony at the Capitol and a luncheon—that it wants to host, including opening ceremonies, parades, galas and balls. Key Background The slew of donations from tech companies comes as executives are working to repair or build relationships with Trump ahead of his second term in the White House. Trump has been openly critical of a number of tech executives—including Bezos and Zuckerberg—and tech companies, especially after being removed from some social media platforms in the wake of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot. Bezos posted on X , formerly known as Twitter, for the first time in nearly a year after the first assassination attempt on Trump earlier this year, saying the then-candidate “showed tremendous grace and courage under literal fire tonight. So thankful for his safety and so sad for the victims and their families.” After Trump won, Bezos congratulated him on “an extraordinary political comeback and decisive victory.” When Zuckerberg met with Trump last month, a Meta spokesperson said the CEO was “grateful for the invitation to join President Trump for dinner and...meet with members of his team about the incoming administration,” and a Trump aide told Fox Zuckerberg saw Trump as an “agent of change and...prosperity.” What To Watch For Other donations coming in. The Washington Post reported Google CEO Sundar Pichai had a scheduled sit-down with Trump earlier this week. Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce and owner of Time magazine—which just named Trump its person of the year—said in a post on X , “This marks a time of great promise for our nation. We look forward to working together to advance American success and prosperity for everyone.” Forbes Valuation Forbes’ estimates Altman has a net worth of $1.1 billion as of Friday afternoon. We estimate Bezos has a net worth of about $242 billion, making him the second wealthiest person in the world, and Zuckerberg has a net worth of about $214.3 billion, making him the third wealthiest person. Further Reading
Azerbaijan amends rules for storage, placement, and management of currency funds of SOFAZ - decreeBy KELVIN CHAN LONDON (AP) — After a sprawling hacking campaign exposed the communications of an unknown number of Americans, U.S. cybersecurity officials are advising people to use encryption in their communications. Related Articles Technology | US updates a science and technology pact with China to reflect growing rivalry and security threats Technology | North Korean nationals indicted in scheme using IT workers to funnel money for weapons programs Technology | TikTok files challenge against Canadian government order to dissolve its business in the country Technology | California to consider requiring mental health warnings on social media sites Technology | Apple Cash: How to use it to send and receive money To safeguard against the risks highlighted by the campaign, which originated in China, federal cybersecurity authorities released an extensive list of security recommendations for U.S. telecom companies — such as Verizon and AT&T — that were targeted. The advice includes one tip we can all put into practice with our phones: “Ensure that traffic is end-to-end encrypted to the maximum extent possible.” End-to-end encryption, also known as E2EE, means that messages are scrambled so that only the sender and recipient can see them. If anyone else intercepts the message, all they will see is a garble that can’t be unscrambled without the key. Law enforcement officials had until now resisted this type of encryption because it means the technology companies themselves won’t be able to look at the messages, nor respond to law enforcement requests to turn the data over. Here’s a look at various ways ordinary consumers can use end-to-end encryption: Officials said the hackers targeted the metadata of a large number of customers, including information on the dates, times and recipients of calls and texts. They also managed to see the content from texts from a much smaller number of victims. If you’re an iPhone user, information in text messages that you send to someone else who also has an iPhone will be encrypted end-to-end. Just look for the blue text bubbles, which indicate that they are encrypted iMessages. The same goes for Android users sending texts through Google Messages. There will be a lock next to the timestamp on each message to indicate the encryption is on. But there’s a weakness. When iPhone and Android users text each other, the messages are encrypted only using Rich Communication Services, an industry standard for instant messaging that replaces the older SMS and MMS standards. Apple has noted that RCS messages “aren’t end-to-end encrypted, which means they’re not protected from a third party reading them while they’re sent between devices.” Samsung, which sells Android smartphones, has also hinted at the issue in a footnote at the bottom of a press release last month on RCS, saying, “Encryption only available for Android to Android communication.” To avoid getting caught out when trading texts, experts recommend using encrypted messaging apps. Privacy advocates are big fans of Signal, which applies end-to-end encryption on all messages and voice calls. The independent nonprofit group behind the app promises never to sell, rent, or lease customer data and has made its source code publicly available so that it can be audited by anyone to examine it “for security and correctness.” Signal’s encryption protocol is so reputable that it has been integrated into rival WhatsApp , so users will enjoy the same level of security protection as Signal, which has a much smaller user base. End-to-end encryption is also the default mode for Facebook Messenger , which like WhatsApp is owned by Meta Platforms. Telegram is an app that can be used for one-on-one conversations, group chats and broadcast “channels” but contrary to popular perception, it doesn’t turn on end-to-end encryption by default. Users have to switch on the option. And it doesn’t work with group chats. Cybersecurity experts have warned people against using Telegram for private communications and pointed out that only its opt-in ‘secret chat’ feature is encrypted from end-to-end. The app also has a reputation for being a haven for scammers and criminal activity, highlighted by founder and CEO Pavel Durov’s arrest in France . Instead of using your phone to make calls through a wireless cellular network, you can make voice calls with Signal and WhatsApp. Both apps encrypt calls with the same technology that they use to encrypt messages. There are other options. If you have an iPhone you can use Facetime for calls, while Android owners can use the Google Fi service, which are both end-to-end encrypted. The only catch with all these options is that, as with using the chat services to send messages, the person on the other end will also have to have the app installed. WhatsApp and Signal users can customize their privacy preferences in the settings, including hiding IP address during calls to prevent your general location from being guessed. Is there a tech topic that you think needs explaining? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your suggestions for future editions of One Tech Tip.
Media Release Beltangady, Nov 24: The Vimukti Self-Help Group (SHG) Trust celebrated its silver jubilee with grandeur at Krishnanugraha Hall, Ujire, on November 23. The celebrations commenced with a spiritual dance by the members at 10.30 am. Fr Vinod Mascarenhas, director of Capuchin Krishik Seva Kendra (CKSK), delivered the introductory speech, reminiscing about the trust's impactful journey. He expressed gratitude to the late Fr Theophilus Pereira, founder of CKSK, and the late Fr Joel Pinto, founder of Vimukti SHG Trust, for their visionary leadership. Initially established in Kalmanja village, the trust has expanded across districts, offering a platform for rural poor women to achieve social and economic empowerment. Over the years, beneficiaries transformed into contributors, implementing initiatives such as self-employment activities, Vidya Snehi (interest-free loans for higher education), Arogya Nidhi (healthcare support for women and their families), and advocating for the establishment of DAYA Special School. The silver jubilee celebrations were inaugurated by MLC K Pratapsinha Nayak, alongside Vimukti SHG Trust president Shali, CKSK president Fr Alwyn Dias, former MLC Harish Kumar, Best Foundation founder Rakshith Shivaram, advocate Ashwini D'Souza, Fr Vinod Mascarenhas, and Fr Rohan Lobo. Addressing the gathering, advocate Ashwini D'Souza from Moodbidri spoke on women’s empowerment through self-help groups. She lauded the efforts of Vimukti SHG members in achieving social and economic independence and urged them to continue combating gender discrimination and superstitions hindering women’s progress. MLC K Pratapsinha Nayak congratulated the trust and its members for their achievements, while Harish Kumar encouraged the attendees to leverage opportunities provided by CKSK and government initiatives. Rakshith Shivaram commended the trust for establishing DAYA Special School, which recently received the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award 2024, and pledged his continued support for the institution and its children. Fr Alwyn Dias congratulated the members, urging them to dream big and achieve greater milestones, while acknowledging the support of the trust's staff and directors. During the event, former and current presidents, secretaries, directors, and assistant directors of Vimukti SHG Trust were felicitated for their dedicated service. The trust also launched Arogya Nidhi, a new health guarantee scheme, during the program. A celebratory lunch followed the stage events, after which members showcased colorful cultural programs. The program concluded with a vote of thanks by Prameela and a closing address by counselor Merin. The jubilee celebration marked a significant milestone in the trust's journey, reflecting its dedication to empowering women and uplifting the community.Amazon to donate $1 million to Trump's inauguration and strikes streaming deal as more Big Tech giants bend the knee Tech giants donate to Trump inauguration after being past targets of his ire Sign up for the latest with DailyMail.com's U.S. politics newsletter By SARAH EWALL-WICE, SENIOR U.S. POLITICAL REPORTER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM IN WASHINGTON, DC Published: 20:41, 13 December 2024 | Updated: 21:22, 13 December 2024 e-mail 2 View comments Some of the biggest companies and business leaders in the world are looking to start their standing with President-elect Donald Trump on the right foot as he prepares to take office in January with a series of meetings and donations. Amazon will be donating $1 million to the 78-year-old president-elect's inauguration and making another in-kind contribution by streaming the inauguration on Amazon Prime. The e-commerce giant's founder Jeff Bezos will also be meeting with Trump next week in person, the president-elect revealed on Thursday. Bezos is one of several billionaire tech company and business leaders that are shelling out big donations to the Trump inauguration ahead of the Republican taking over the White House on January 20. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, also made a $1 million donation to the Trump inauguration, the company confirmed after it was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. It comes as multiple tech giants including Amazon, Meta, Google and Apple have all been the target of Trump and GOP wrath in recent years. Amazon founding Jeff Bezos is set to meet with President-elect Donald Trump next week as the e-commerce giant donates $1 million for Trump's inauguration During his first term, Trump lashed out at Amazon on multiple occasions including targeting Bezos and complained about the coverage by the Washington Post, which is owned by the billionaire personally. The Amazon founder faced some public backlash in October after it was announced The Washington Post editorial board would not make an endorsement in the 2024 presidential election after it endorsed Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton in the last two presidential elections. Bezos defended the eleventh hour decision in an op-ed and claimed it was not part of 'some intentional strategy' but a 'principled decision' and 'the right one' in an effort to end the 'perception of bias.' But critics blasted the move as cowardly and questioned the timing of the decision which came just hours after Trump met with executives from Blue Origin, a space company also founded by Bezos. He denied there was any connection. Last week, Bezos said he was 'optimistic' about Trump's second term and backed plans to cut regulations while speaking at The New York Times’ DealBook Summit in New York. Amazon and Blue Origin have a series of contracts with the federal government worth billions. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaking in September 2024. Meta donated $1 million to Trump's inauguration and the pair had dinner together last month Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, meanwhile, had dinner with Trump last month at Mar-a-Lago in Florida. The Facebook founder did not endorse either Trump or Harris in the 2024 presidential election, but he praised the president-elect after the assassination attempt in July, calling his raised fist after the shooting 'badass.' Zuckerberg has long been a target of Trump's ire online. He has called him 'Zuckerschmuck' and written 'Zuckerbucks' in posts, and the president-elect even threatened to imprison the Meta CEO for life in his book. In 2021, Trump was kicked off of Facebook and other social media accounts after the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. That summer, Trump sued Facebook, Google's YouTube and Twitter claiming he was the victim of censorship. His Facebook and Instagram accounts were reinstated in 2023. Elon Musk restored his account on Twitter, now X, in November 2022. After the dinner last month, a spokesperson for Meta said Zuckerberg was 'grateful' to join the president-elect for dinner and meet with members of his team. Meta did not make donations to the Biden inauguration or Trumps first inauguration in 2017. Amazon contributed a much smaller roughly quarter of a million to Biden's inauguration in 2021, but it also streamed the event on Prime Video as well that year. 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By MARY CLARE JALONICK and MATT BROWN WASHINGTON (AP) — Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Defense Department, said he had a “wonderful conversation” with Maine Sen. Susan Collins on Wednesday as he pushed to win enough votes for confirmation. He said he will not back down after allegations of excessive drinking and sexual misconduct. Related Articles National Politics | Donald Trump will ring the New York Stock Exchange bell. It’ll be a first for him National Politics | The Trump and Biden teams insist they’re working hand in glove on foreign crises National Politics | ‘You don’t know what’s next.’ International students scramble ahead of Trump inauguration National Politics | Trump is threatening to raise tariffs again. Here’s how China plans to fight back National Politics | Trump won’t be able to save the struggling US beef industry Collins said after the hourlong meeting that she questioned Hegseth about the allegations amid reports of drinking and the revelation that he made a settlement payment after being accused of a sexual assault that he denies. She said she had a “good, substantive” discussion with Hegseth and “covered a wide range of topics,” including sexual assault in the military, Ukraine and NATO. But she said she would wait until a hearing, and notably a background check, to make a decision. “I asked virtually every question under the sun,” Collins told reporters as she left her office after the meeting. “I pressed him both on his position on military issues as well as the allegations against him, so I don’t think there was anything that we did not cover.” The meeting with Collins was closely watched as she is seen as more likely than most of her Republican Senate colleagues to vote against some of Trump’s Cabinet picks. She and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a fellow moderate Republican, did not shy from opposing Trump in his first term when they wanted to do so and sometimes supported President Joe Biden’s nominees for the judicial and executive branches. And Hegseth, an infantry combat veteran and former “Fox & Friends” weekend host, is working to gain as many votes as he can as some senators have expressed concerns about his personal history and lack of management experience. “I’m certainly not going to assume anything about where the senator stands,” Hegseth said as he left Collins’ office. “This is a process that we respect and appreciate. And we hope, in time, overall, when we get through that committee and to the floor that we can earn her support.” Hegseth met with Murkowski on Tuesday. He has also been meeting repeatedly with Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, a military veteran who has said she is a survivor of sexual assault and has spent time in the Senate working on improving how attacks are reported and prosecuted within the ranks. On Monday, Ernst said after a meeting with him that he had committed to selecting a senior official to prioritize those goals. Republicans will have a 53-49 majority next year, meaning Trump cannot lose more than three votes on any of his nominees. It is so far unclear whether Hegseth will have enough support, but Trump has stepped up his pressure on senators in the last week. “Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!” Trump posted on his social media platform last week.PORTLAND — The incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump is likely to bring big changes for one of the oldest sectors of the U.S. economy – seafood – and some in the industry believe the returning president will be more responsive to its needs. Economic analysts paint a more complicated picture, as they fear Trump’s pending trade hostilities with major trading partners Canada and China could make an already pricy kind of protein more expensive to consumers. Conservationists also fear Trump’s emphasis on government deregulation could jeopardize fish stocks that are already in peril. But many in the commercial fishing and seafood processing industries said they are excited for Trump’s second presidency. They said they expect he’ll allow fishing in protected areas as he did in his first presidency, crack down on offshore wind expansion and cut back regulations they describe as burdensome. And they expect a marked shift from the administration of President Biden, who prioritized ocean conservation and championed wind power from the start. The seafood industry isn’t hungry for another tariff war, which hurt fishermen during Trump’s first term, said Beth Casoni, executive director of the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association. But she said the new Trump administration has a unique chance to throw its support behind U.S. fishermen. “I think we should be focused on feeding Americans,” Casoni said. “The ‘America First’ administration I think will make that point loud and clear. Know where your food is coming from.” But the seafood industry, which is international in nature, could be seriously disrupted if Trump goes through with a plan to impose a 25% tax on all products entering the country from Canada, said John Sackton, a longtime industry analyst and founder of Seafood News. Canada is the largest seafood market for the U.S. for both imports and exports, and nearly a sixth of the seafood imported by the U.S. is from its northern neighbor, according to federal statistics published in November. In total about 80% of seafood consumed in the U.S. is imported. Losing Canada – an especially important buyer of American lobster – as a market for U.S. seafood could cause prices to fishermen to collapse, Sackton said. And some products could become unavailable while others become more expensive and still others oversupplied, he said. He described the seafood industry as “interdependent on both sides of the border.” In Canada, members of the country’s seafood industry are watching closely to see what changes Trump ushers in, said Geoff Irvine, executive director of the Lobster Council of Canada, based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. “A potential trade war will cost everyone more (in Canada and the U.S.) and cause damage to the seafood section in Canada and the United States,” Irvine said via email. “We are working with allies in Canada and the U.S. to send this message to all governments.” One of the major changes for fishermen under a new Trump administration is that they can expect to have a seat at the table when high-level decisions get made, said representatives for several commercial fishing groups. Last time around, Trump sat down with fishermen and listened to their concerns about loss of fishing rights in Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, a nearly 5,000-square mile (13,000 square kilometers) protected area off New England, said Robert Vanasse, executive director of industry advocate Saving Seafood. That goodwill is likely to carry over into Trump’s new presidency. And the industry feels it has already scored a win with election of a president who is an outspoken critic of offshore wind power, said Drew Minkiewicz, an attorney who represents the New Bedford, Massachusetts-based Sustainable Scalloping Fund. Fishermen of valuable seafoods such as scallops and lobsters have long opposed offshore wind development because of concerns wind power will disrupt prime fishing grounds. “There is excitement in the industry that offshore wind will basically be contained to its existing footprint and nothing beyond that,” Minkiewicz said. Others in the industry said they’re concerned about how Trump will handle the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the federal agency that regulates fisheries. The undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere, who is currently the Biden-appointed Rick Spinrad, will be one of Trump’s key appointees. Trump went through three different administrators at the post during his first term of office. The industry has recently suffered major recent crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic and trade hostilities with another major trading partner in Russia, and isn’t in a position to withstand unstable leadership, said Noah Oppenheim, coordinator for Fishing Communities Coalition, which represents small-scale commercial fishing groups. “The Fishing Communities Coalition is always deeply concerned that any administration’s shifts away from a fishery management focus on conservation and accountability will do serious lasting damage to the industry,” Oppenheim said. Conservation groups who have pushed for stricter vessel speed rules and new fishing standards, such as new gear that is less likely to harm whales, said they’re also waiting to see the direction Trump takes fisheries and ocean policy. They said they’re hopeful progress made under Biden can withstand a second Trump presidency. “It would be extraordinarily short-sighted for the incoming administration to ignore the science and set off a fishing free-for-all that will only hurt fisheries – and healthy oceans – in the long run,” said Jane Davenport, a senior attorney with Defenders of Wildlife. This story was supported by funding from the Walton Family Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. We invite you to add your comments. We encourage a thoughtful exchange of ideas and information on this website. By joining the conversation, you are agreeing to our commenting policy and terms of use . More information is found on our FAQs . You can modify your screen name here . 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President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers urge judge to toss his hush money convictionCourtesy Call on Hon. Prime Minister by Vice Minister of the International Department, CPC
Armed with a filibuster-proof majority in Nebraska's Legislature, Republicans could seek further restrictions on abortion, dramatic changes to the state's election system and an expansion of the use of the death penalty to include drug traffickers in the upcoming legislative session. All three proposals are among more than 70 policies the Nebraska Republican Party included in a five-page document outlining the party's 2025 legislative agenda , which circulated on social media last week after the GOP posted it to its website earlier this year. The agenda includes proposals that have emerged as priorities for Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen and a large group of lawmakers, including placing caps on annual tax increases from local governments, ensuring foreign adversaries cannot purchase Nebraska land and continuing to boost access to broadband internet outstate. People are also reading... Rest assured, Nebraska volleyball fans: The missing fan behind the servers will be back Saturday Matt Rhule reacts to no-call at end of Nebraska-USC game: "I don’t know what else to say" Arrest made in 55-year-old cold case of Nebraska teen stabbed to death 'Bocephus' is back: Hank Williams Jr. to play Lincoln arena Friday Nebraska's home game against Wisconsin gets time, TV designation Kidnapping in Nebraska prompted police chase that ended with 3 dead in Missouri Signing Day: Meet Nebraska volleyball's five-player 2025 class Wind-aided fire destroys vacant Village Inn in Lincoln As Nebraska's Democratic Party shrinks, some former party officials call for change Amie Just: Ahead of milestone birthday, local sports figures give advice on turning 30 Mountain lion spotted on trail camera east of Bennet, Sheriff's Office says UNO freezes funds for LGBTQ+, multicultural, other student groups after audit Blunt as ever, Dana Holgorsen unpacks Nebraska role, struggling run game Nebraska faces $432 million shortfall heading into next budget cycle 'Sophisticated yet simple': How Nebraska's offense changed in Dana Holgorsen's debut And some of the party's proposals mirror ideas championed by Democratic lawmakers in the formally nonpartisan Legislature, including addressing poverty and mental health issues in urban and rural areas and engaging in drug use and mental health "correction efforts" for the state's homeless population. But much of the document centers on the kind of hard-right cultural issues that have divided the Legislature — and Nebraskans — in recent years, suggesting lawmakers could once again find themselves in the kind of rancorous partisan fights that defined the 2023 legislative session that was derailed by an attempt to restrict gender-affirming care for transgender youths that prompted a months-long filibuster. The Nebraska GOP's 2025 agenda calls for a ban on transgender K-12 students from using restrooms or locker rooms that do not match the biological sex assigned to them at birth, the elimination of diversity and equity initiatives in state schools and the creation of standards "allowing parents to protect children from indoctrination and pornography." The document also calls for eliminating gender ideology and critical race theory — a graduate-level concept that captured the attention of Nebraska Republicans in 2021 despite its limited orbit — from school curriculums while embracing patriotic education "to rebuild the love of country." The proposed policies extend far beyond Nebraska's classrooms, wading into matters of public health, taxation, citizenship, election security and criminal justice. The party is calling on lawmakers to ban "ID chip and vaccine mandates," support "stricter interpretations of citizenship eligibility," support the death penalty for drug traffickers and child smugglers and enact an election system that requires the hand-counting of paper ballots filled out in-person. The agenda also calls for lawmakers to address "dangerous Communist countries' ownership of American land," root out environmental, social, and governance movements "grounded in leftist ideology," and for local leaders to "attack tent cities" through legislation and ordinances. One proposal calls for lawmakers to "end the legal ability" of the state's Natural Resource Districts to "try and play 'God' and attempt to modify the weather." It's unclear to what extent the Nebraska Republican Party's agenda will influence Republican lawmakers. Most GOP lawmakers who were contacted for this story did not return phone calls Friday. Eric Underwood, the Nebraska Republican Party's chairman, also didn't return a phone call Friday. Sen. Loren Lippincott of Central City, a Republican who is entering his third year as a lawmaker in January and became the face of the bid to implement a winner-take-all election system in Nebraska this year, indicated the document represented the GOP's policy aspirations but said "you have to remember we live in 'Realville,'" borrowing the term from the late right-wing commentator Rush Limbaugh. "A person has to set their sights on lofty goals that you want to eventually bring into implementation," he said. "But it's like storming the beaches of Normandy. You have to establish a beachhead first, and little by little by little, you continue to advance." Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, a registered Democrat, said the Nebraska GOP's agenda has "been generating a lot of dialogue" among lawmakers who have offered "mixed reviews at best for a variety of different reasons." "Historically, when political parties and partisan interests try and inject a heavy hand into our beloved, nonpartisan Legislature, it's usually met with a great deal of skepticism — and rightly so," she said, adding that the GOP's agenda seems to have generated such a response from her colleagues this time around, too. Some of the party's policy proposals have already been spurned by the Republican-dominated Legislature, which last year rejected bills seeking to ban transgender students from using restrooms in conflict with their biological sex, remove protections for educators accused of providing obscene materials to minors and replace Nebraska's presidential electoral system with a winner-take-all model backed by President-elect Donald Trump. Lawmakers have already repeatedly eschewed attempts to eliminate property, income and inheritance taxes and replace them with a broad-based consumption tax. Republicans retained 33 seats, enough for a filibuster-proof majority in the Legislature, by flipping two seats previously held by Democrats this month, but failed to gain further ground. The GOP had the same majority for the last month of this year's legislative session after Democratic Sen. Mike McDonnell switched parties in April, but Republicans failed to vote in lockstep when it came to the proposed transgender restroom ban, the winner-take-all electoral system and Republican Gov. Jim Pillen's tax plan — none of which became law. Nebraska Republicans have remained fractured since the summer of 2022, when conservative activists took over the state Republican Party , which had been run by establishment figures loyal to then-Gov. Pete Ricketts. Continued tensions between the party's social conservative activist wing and its establishment figures emerged earlier this year when the Nebraska GOP withheld endorsements from the state's federal incumbent officeholders , including Ricketts and Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District, who faced primary challenges from the right. In response, a group of 26 Republican lawmakers signed a public letter in February endorsing Nebraska's federal delegation while some of them aired their frustrations with the Nebraska Republican Party on the floor of the Legislature, calling the party "broke" and questioning its rationale. The moment was one among few instances of partisan rancor that arose in the Legislature this year after Speaker John Arch of La Vista, a Republican, had asked senators to turn the page from last year’s session that ended in resentment, imploring them to instead focus on issues that have "the greatest impact on the greatest number of people." Conrad said the Nebraska GOP's policy agenda seems to focus on "hot-button, controversial issues that are pretty divisive." "I think that it would be a disservice to the state of Nebraska if we spent most of our time and energy on topics like that," she said. "I think the message out of the electorate is really clear: they want government that's working to help working people succeed." But for some Republicans like Lippincott, some of the Nebraska GOP-backed proposals to expand conservative influence in public schools or upend the state's tax system fit that bill. Lippincott said lawmakers need to make changes to Nebraska's tax and public school systems — even if the reforms Republicans seek prompt intense opposition along party lines. "I do not believe that we should allow the minority party to dictate and put restraints on anybody," he said.Everything you need to know about California government in two stories
Kanye West blew off a key hearing in one of his Donda Academy lawsuits Wednesday, leading to the first defaults against the rapper’s companies in the wave of litigation over his failed private Christian school . Superior Court Judge Christopher K. Lui entered the defaults for Yeezy Christian Academy, Donda Services LLC, and Stokes Canyon LLC at a hearing in Downtown Los Angeles tied to the headline-grabbing breach of contract lawsuit filed last year by former school staffer Isaiah Meadows. In his complaint, Meadows said he was hired to help run Yeezy Christian Academy in 2020 and continued with the school when it transitioned to Donda Academy in August 2021. Meadows said his compensation was slashed, his promised rent stipend was revoked, and he was eventually terminated in August 2022 after he complained about deplorable conditions such as an overflowing septic tank, exposed electrical wiring, and a skylight and windows left with no glass because West purportedly “did not like glass.” Meadows filed his lawsuit shortly after two teachers stepped forward with claims they were fired when they complained about allegedly poor security, lax safety, and non-existent educational standards at Donda Academy. They said the only available lunch for students was sushi, every single day, and that West “did not allow chairs,” only foam cushions or stools. A third teacher eventually joined that lawsuit, and three additional lawsuits were filed by even more staffers after the teachers and Meadows. West initially had a lawyer named Brian Brumfield battling four of the lawsuits on his behalf, but Brumfield asked to be relieved as counsel over the summer. In court filings, Brumfield said West “terminated” their relationship on June 21, 2024. “Defendant also will not speak to counsel and defendant refuses to pay counsel as well,” he wrote to the court. On Wednesday, Judge Lui made it clear he was running out of patience. He found the three companies in default and made no mention of postponing the trial in the case currently set for April. West, who now goes by Ye, remains a defendant because as an individual — not a corporation — he has a right to wait until trial and then represent himself. Editor’s picks The 100 Best TV Episodes of All Time The 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time “I think the case needs to move on,” Judge Lui said after noting West and his companies failed to appear through a retained lawyer at a similar hearing last month. “There’s basically no representation for these three entities.” The judge said the answers to the lawsuit previously filed by Brumfield on behalf of the three companies would be stricken. “We’re satisfied with the decision. This particular judge is not one to wait for things to happen. He makes sure things happen, and happen correctly. He wants case to move along without any weird loose ends,” Meadows’ lawyer Ron Zambrano tells Rolling Stone . “We’re looking forward to collecting a judgment.” Zambrano said he will soon submit a proposed judgment for the court to consider. If the remaining case goes to trial in April, West will have to chance to appear alongside another corporate defendant, Donda Academy Inc. A lawyer appeared on behalf of Donda Academy Wednesday because when the school transitioned from Yeezy Christian Academy, it picked up a new insurance policy. West, 47, was slapped with his fifth Donda Academy-related lawsuit last month when a former Yeezy staffer, Murphy Aficionado, sued West with claims the artist fired him after he pushed back on a plan to move the controversial K-12 private Christian school to a “decrepit property” without proper permits. Aficionado also alleges West subjected him to antisemitic tirades and forced him to sit in a hotel suite while West engaged in loud sex in an adjoining room. West also is facing legal action from former Yeezy staffers . The complaints started piling up after West posted antisemitic rants on his social media accounts in October 2022, sparking widespread criticism and the end of his lucrative partnerships with Gap and Adidas .
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is asking the state legislature to allocate $25 million so that the California Department of Justice will have the money necessary “to defend California from unconstitutional overreach.” Short of making Kamala Harris attorney general again, this is about the dumbest thing our DOJ could do. Which, according to my Newsom-to-English decoder ring, translates as follows: taxpayer money for nuisance lawsuits against the Trump administration with the sole intention of generating publicity for...Gavin Newsom. Clearly, we’re well into the next phase of his ‘I’m not running for president’ ruse. Next, an exploratory committee to consider the various reasons Newsom doesn’t plan to run for president. Then, an eye job or maybe a super-sized helping of Botox. Great. The state is going broke and Newsom wants to spend millions battling Trump. Meantime, California Attorney General and wannabe governor Rob Bonta says that $25 million may not even be enough for his office. At a Sacramento press conference Bonta called the sum “a down payment” and “a beginning not the end...We believe we will need to use all of it.” Boy, the way this guy Bonta throws other people’s money around – maybe he should be in the House of Representatives. Bonta is like one of those creepy slip-and-fall trial attorneys who specializes in shaking down the guys with the deepest pockets. I’m waiting to see a sleazy billboard alongside the 110 freeway in downtown LA. Maybe some bus stop benches with his menacing mug! This wouldn’t be the first time California Democrats have called a play from this playbook. In President Trump’s first term, then California Attorney General and current Secretary of Health and Human Services, Xavier Becerra, spent about $42 million over four years suing the federal government. Back to the present, right after Newsom and Bonta threatened to sue the Trump administration 15 ways from Sunday, they turned around and asked the federal government for billions of dollars to pay for the 2028 Summer Olympics! Talk about going for the gold! That had to make for some awkward exchanges down at the courthouse. “Okay, if everyone suing President Trump could form a line here, and everybody asking President Trump for a hand-out could form a line here...” Side note: why would you sue somebody on one hand and then ask them for a hand-OUT with the other? If there’s one thing us Hollywood folks can’t stand, it’s being two-faced. Last month, the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority board wrote President-elect Trump a letter requesting $3.2 billion to improve public transportation for the 2028 Summer Games, calling the next Olympics to be held in the United States “the largest and most spectacular sporting event held in American history.” Which I think would come as something of a surprise to the producers of the next WWE pay per view. Related Articles Opinion Columnists | California’s housing crisis has gotten worse, not better, over the last 30 years Opinion Columnists | Jon Coupal: The Gann Limit is back in the news Opinion Columnists | End the IRS’s worldwide tax grab Opinion Columnists | Mass deportations are bad for everyone’s liberties Opinion Columnists | The draconian penalties that Hunter Biden escaped affect people whose fathers can’t save them The Los Angeles Times reported that in their letter, the board cited past contributions from the federal government to American Olympic hosts as $1.3 billion for the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City and $609 million for the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta, as justification for the request. Isn’t it interesting that California has plenty of money for performative lawsuits against the incoming Trump administration before anyone has even been sworn into office and done anything, but not enough money to get ready for the Olympics – which we were awarded back in 2017! What’s great about these stories is that they perfectly illustrate why government in California is in the pathetic state that it’s in: Our dearly elected leaders are primarily interested in political theatrics that generate celebrity and attention for themselves, at the same time that they have no interest in carrying out the basic duties of government that they were elected to perform. All gesture and no substance. That’s the Newsom way. Sorry, Gavin. This time you’re going to have to settle for the bronze. John Phillips can be heard weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. on “The John Phillips Show” on KABC/AM 790.Jim Harbaugh Earns $1M Contract Bonus After Chargers Clinch NFL Playoff Bracket SpotPete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to be defense secretary, is joined by his wife Jennifer Rauchet as he speaks with reporters after meeting with Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, speaks with reporters after meeting with Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to be defense secretary, on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to be defense secretary, arrives for a meeting with Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to be defense secretary, is joined by his wife Jennifer Rauchet as he speaks with reporters after meeting with Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) By MARY CLARE JALONICK and MATT BROWN WASHINGTON (AP) — Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Defense Department, said he had a “wonderful conversation” with Maine Sen. Susan Collins on Wednesday as he pushed to win enough votes for confirmation. He said he will not back down after allegations of excessive drinking and sexual misconduct. Related Articles National Politics | Donald Trump will ring the New York Stock Exchange bell. It’ll be a first for him. National Politics | FBI Director Christopher Wray says he intends to resign at the end of Biden’s term next month National Politics | The Trump and Biden teams insist they’re working hand in glove on foreign crises National Politics | ‘You don’t know what’s next.’ International students scramble ahead of Trump inauguration National Politics | Trump is threatening to raise tariffs again. Here’s how China plans to fight back Collins said after the hourlong meeting that she questioned Hegseth about the allegations amid reports of drinking and the revelation that he made a settlement payment after being accused of a sexual assault that he denies. She said she had a “good, substantive” discussion with Hegseth and “covered a wide range of topics,” including sexual assault in the military, Ukraine and NATO. But she said she would wait until a hearing, and notably a background check, to make a decision. “I asked virtually every question under the sun,” Collins told reporters as she left her office after the meeting. “I pressed him both on his position on military issues as well as the allegations against him, so I don’t think there was anything that we did not cover.” The meeting with Collins was closely watched as she is seen as more likely than most of her Republican Senate colleagues to vote against some of Trump’s Cabinet picks. She and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a fellow moderate Republican, did not shy from opposing Trump in his first term when they wanted to do so and sometimes supported President Joe Biden’s nominees for the judicial and executive branches. And Hegseth, an infantry combat veteran and former “Fox & Friends” weekend host, is working to gain as many votes as he can as some senators have expressed concerns about his personal history and lack of management experience. “I’m certainly not going to assume anything about where the senator stands,” Hegseth said as he left Collins’ office. “This is a process that we respect and appreciate. And we hope, in time, overall, when we get through that committee and to the floor that we can earn her support.” Hegseth met with Murkowski on Tuesday. He has also been meeting repeatedly with Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, a military veteran who has said she is a survivor of sexual assault and has spent time in the Senate working on improving how attacks are reported and prosecuted within the ranks. On Monday, Ernst said after a meeting with him that he had committed to selecting a senior official to prioritize those goals. Republicans will have a 53-49 majority next year, meaning Trump cannot lose more than three votes on any of his nominees. It is so far unclear whether Hegseth will have enough support, but Trump has stepped up his pressure on senators in the last week. “Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!” Trump posted on his social media platform last week. 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