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esports organizations Reports: Eagles coach Nick Sirianni apologizes to Commanders TE Zach ErtzA long-awaited appeal for convicted double murderer Alex Murdaugh was filed Tuesday in the South Carolina Supreme Court. Alex Murdaugh listens as his attorneys Dick Harpootlian, left, and Phil Barber speak during a judicial hearing at The Richland County Judicial Center in Columbia, S.C. on Monday, Jan. 29, 2024. In the 132-plus page brief, Murdaugh’s lawyers lay out two main prongs of attack they say should be grounds for granting Murdaugh a new trial: First, they allege that former Colleton County clerk of court Becky Hill, a state official, improperly swayed one or more jurors to vote to find Murdaugh guilty. Hill’s intrusion denied Murdaugh “infected the trial with unfairness” and denied him his right to a fair trial by an impartial jury, they argue. Second, they allege that the extensive information about Murdaugh’s financial crimes that state Judge Clifton Newman allowed the jury to hear about from 10 witnesses unfairly prejudiced the jury against Murdaugh (Murdaugh had not pleaded guilty to the crimes at that point). Those 10 witnesses testified “over a span of six days” about various Murdaugh financial crimes that involved 19 victims, the brief said. The brief also attacks various evidence offered by prosecution witnesses. The brief was submitted to the State Supreme Court nearly two years after the five-week Murdaugh murder trial, which began in January 2023 and ended in early March of that year. The trial was followed by millions on television, social media and mainstream media. The delay was caused in part by the time it took to prepare a 6,000-page transcript of the three-week trial and by an appeal Murdaugh’s lawyers made to the S.C. Court of Appeals on the alleged jury tampering issue. Normally, appeals in non-death penalty murder cases are first heard by the Court of Appeals. But in this case, Murdaugh’s attorneys sought and received permission from the Supreme Court to appeal directly to the high court. The State Attorney General’s office now has 30 days to file a reply. However, due to the holidays, and the complexity of the issues, the Supreme Court will probably grant an extension if prosecutors request one. The filing is the latest move in a case that shocked and riveted South Carolina and the world with its unexpected twists and fatal blend of violence, family dysfunction, big money and white collar crime. Murdaugh was convicted in March 2023 of murdering his wife Maggie and son Paul in what prosecutors argued was a cold-blooded attempt to distract suspicion from the looming threat of public disclosure that the attorney had stolen millions of dollars from his clients and his family’s 110-year-old law firm. His trial and conviction was a stunning downfall for a fourth-generation member of a prominent South Carolina legal and political family. The murders took place on June 7, 2021, at the dog kennels on the Murdaugh 1,700-acre family estate, called Moselle, just after nightfall, in rural Colleton County. Maggie was killed with an assault rifle; Paul, by a shotgun. No weapons were ever recovered. Murdaugh, 56, who is serving two life sentences for murder in a S.C. prison, claims he is innocent and that someone else did the killing. The appeal comes almost two years after Mardaugh was sentenced to life in prison for shooting and killing his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul. The delay was partly due to a pause put on the normal appeals process while his attorneys attempted to win Murdaugh a new trial following bombshell allegations that Becky Hill, the clerk of court who served on his trial, tampered with the jury. That attempt failed. Hill, who gained a small measure of celebrity during the trial, was accused of encouraging the jury to doubt Murdaugh’s testimony, pressuring the jury to reach a quick verdict and working to ensure a juror who had indicated that she was not convinced of Murdaugh’s guilt be dismissed. After the trial, she published a book based on her insider’s position at the trial, a position in which she oversaw the jury and had confidential conversations with the judge. Her goal, Murdaugh’s attorneys argued, was to ensure Murdaugh’s conviction in order to drive sales of the book she planned to write about the trial. The book was published in August 2023 and later withdrawn from publication after she admitted plagiarizing passages from a BBC’s reporter’s article. At a hearing last January before former South Carolina Supreme Court Justice Jean Toal, Hill denied the charges against her. While Toal found Hill “not completely credible,” she declined to grant Murdaugh a new trial, arguing that the state supreme court did not have the authority to grant a “a new trial in a very lengthy trial such as this on the strength of some fleeting and foolish comments by a publicity-influenced clerk of court But the controversy over Hill’s actions has not died down. Hill resigned from her position as the elected clerk of court and has been facing ethics and criminal investigations into jury tampering and allegations that she abused her position for financial gain . Defense lawyers on Murdaugh’s brief include Dick Harpootlian, Jim Griffin, Phil Barber, Andrew Hand and Maggie Fox. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

The majority of British families say fixing the country’s broken NHS should be top of Keir Starmer ’s list of priorities, according to an exclusive poll for the Mirror . Almost two-thirds (64%) of people put fixing the health service in their top three priorities - ahead of money worries, immigration and cutting crime. Some 54% put controlling the cost of living in their top priorities, which was also some way ahead of the 34% who selected reducing immigration and the 33% who chose growing the economy. After this, only a fifth (20%) of people put cutting crime in their most important priorities, while 12% put helping the environment and tackling climate change. Some 9% thought rejoining the EU was a top priority, while 8% respectively said improving education standards and increasing defence spending was. Unions representing NHS staff and health experts said it was “no surprise” the public wants action to fix the health service after years of “shameful neglect” under the Tories. They warned ministers they must “heed the message” from people across the country and put the NHS at the forefront of its thinking in 2025. The NHS is currently being hit by a “tidal wave of flu” as winter bugs hit the health service over the festive period. More than one in 10 patients waited longer than 12 hours for treatment in A&E in November - and experts have warned the dangerous waits could cause more than 14,000 deaths this year. And more than 7.5million people are still languishing on the NHS backlog waiting for hospital procedures or appointments. Overworked doctors and nurses are continuing to leave the profession in their droves as they struggle with poor pay and working conditions. At the start of the month NHS workers responded with fury after ministers proposed a 2.8% pay rise. Nurses said the “offensive” pay rise was worth as little as £2 extra a day - “less than the price of a coffee” - while Unison warned waves of strikes in the NHS could return again next year. Meanwhile the Tories’ plans to build 40 new hospitals have been delayed with patients left to be treated in crumbling, dilapidated buildings. Rachel Harrison, GMB national secretary, said: “It’s no surprise the public are right behind rescuing the NHS from the crisis it’s faced for years. Our health service and the workers that keep it running are there for us and our families when we need them the most.” But she warned that the health service is currently “in the midst of a terrible winter crisis” and told ministers their plans to fix the NHS must come with addressing workforce challenges, including “staffing shortages linked to retention issues and sickness due to burnout”. Professor Nicola Ranger, the Royal College of Nursing’s general secretary and chief executive, said health workers “know only too well of the pressures facing services and will be heartened to hear the public have their support and share their concerns”. She continued: “Today ambulances are dropping patients at the front door of hospitals when the beds are full and there is no social care to take the strain. Patients are routinely being treated in corridors as staff are regularly being forced to comprise care just to make room. “As we head towards the new year those in government would do well to heed the message from the public and invest in the nursing workforce so those on the front line can give patients the treatment they deserve.” Rory Deighton, director of the acute network at the NHS Confederation, said the polling shows that the public “is acutely aware of the immense pressure facing the NHS”. He went on: “October saw record demand in A&E departments, and as winter sets in, the flu surge is only adding to the strain on an already stretched system. "To respond to public concerns and ensure the NHS is properly supported next winter and beyond, the government’s ten-year plan must address the root causes of this pressure. “Key to this is investing in social care, not only to free up hospital beds but also to shift more care closer to people’s homes. With rising demand and increasingly complex cases, social care can help ease the burden on hospitals and improve patient flow." Be the first with news from Mirror Politics BLUESKY: Follow our Mirror Politics account on Bluesky here . And follow our Mirror Politics team here - Lizzy Buchan , Jason Beattie , Kevin Maguire , Sophie Huskisson , Dave Burke , Ashley Cowburn , Mikey Smith POLITICS WHATSAPP: Be first to get the biggest bombshells and breaking news by joining our Politics WhatsApp group here . We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you want to leave our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice . NEWSLETTER: Or sign up here to the Mirror's Politics newsletter for all the best exclusives and opinions straight to your inbox. PODCAST: And listen to our exciting new political podcast The Division Bell , hosted by the Mirror and the Express every Thursday. Helen Morgan, the Liberal Democrat health and social care spokeswoman, said: “It should come as no surprise that the public are demanding action on our NHS after years of the previous Conservative government’s shameful neglect. The new government should listen to the public and realise that rescuing our health service is the greatest challenge facing this country and make it their driving focus.” She also emphasised that the Labour government must start with “recognising that you cannot fix the NHS without fixing social care”, adding: “Until that happens we will continue to see sky-high waiting lists and patients going through unnecessary misery.” Health Secretary Wes Streeting last weekend admitted he felt a “combination of pride and shame” when he visited A&Es and saw heroic staff working hard but at the same time elderly people waiting for sometimes 30 hours on a trolley in a corridor. The Cabinet minister has declared the NHS “broken but not beaten” and has been clear about the challenges ahead for the health service. Speaking to the Mirror on Thursday night, Mr Streeting said: “We share the immense pride and value that the British public feels towards the NHS, which is why fixing the NHS is a key mission within our Plan for Change. “That’s why we’re focused on slashing huge waiting lists we have inherited so people can be seen faster and through our 10-Year-Plan we will make the crucial reforms to make our healthcare service work better for everyone. We have already made progress, and are backing wider improvements in the NHS with a record £22billion investment in day to day spending, with a further £3billion capital spending which will include hospital repairs and new equipment.” The government's 10-year health plan will be published in Spring 2025 and will be underlined by three big shifts in healthcare - hospital to community, analogue to digital and sickness to prevention. In Labour’s October Budget the government announced a £22.6billion boost to day-to-day spending for NHS England and £3.1billion to spend on capital projects like buildings. It was the largest increase since 2010, outside of the Covid pandemic. The cash will be used to fund 40,000 elective appointments per week. And in the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change speech at the start of the month, Mr Starmer set a target for 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from being referred to starting treatment for non-urgent health conditions. The NHS already has this target but it hasn’t been met for years. Ministers said they want to harness the power of technology , including the use of the NHS App, to “transform patients’ experience of care” and help deliver the milestone. The public are invited to submit ideas on improving the health service on the Change NHS online platform. More than 10,000 suggestions have already been made about the future of the NHS. ::: Deltapoll interviewed 1,552 British adults online between December 19 to 23. The data have been weighted to be representative of the British adult population as a whole.Key Takeaways No longer confined to science fiction or experimental labs, robots are now playing pivotal roles in manufacturing, food service and warehousing. From startups looking to scale quickly to established enterprises seeking efficiency, automation is proving indispensable across sectors. Faced with labor shortages, rising operational costs and increasing demands for efficiency, companies like Amazon, Chipotle and Tesla are turning to automation to fill critical gaps. These advanced machines — whether humanoid or task-specific — aren't just supporting workers; they're reshaping how businesses operate. The question is no longer if robots will be part of the workforce, but how far their influence will extend. The global labor shortage, intensified by the pandemic and shifting workforce dynamics, has made automation an urgent solution. For startups, which often operate with lean teams, automation offers a way to expand capabilities without significantly increasing headcount. Industries traditionally reliant on manual labor, such as agriculture and food service, are now looking to robots to streamline operations and enhance productivity and safety. Related: 4 Choices You'll Make Running Your Startup in the Age of Robots and AI Robots are taking over Recent advances in humanoid robots and task-specific automated systems have significantly expanded their capabilities. Even startups in emerging industries are leveraging task-specific robots to gain competitive advantages, such as faster delivery times or streamlined customer service. Tesla's Optimus robot operates autonomously in factory environments, while Agibot has been deployed for customer service and deliveries. These robots are taking on sophisticated roles, from performing repetitive tasks to enhancing service operations, effectively redefining productivity and efficiency across industries like agriculture, construction and hospitality. In warehousing, robotic systems have made dramatic strides. Amazon, a pioneer in automation, catalyzed this shift by acquiring Kiva Systems in 2012. Initially, autonomous mobile robots handled tasks in robot-only zones, such as picking and packing. Today, they work alongside human employees , taking on physically demanding and hazardous tasks (like heavy lifting) while improving safety and efficiency. Agriculture is also undergoing a transformation through robotics. Sensor-based technologies enable robots to manage planting, harvesting and livestock care with precision. By optimizing the use of inputs like fertilizers, these systems reduce environmental impact, enhance biodiversity and improve crop yields, supporting a more sustainable and productive future for farming. Similarly, the construction industry has embraced robotic solutions. Innovations like Fastbrick Robotics' Hadrian X , which is capable of laying 300 to 1,000 bricks per hour, drastically reduce the time and labor needed for traditional methods. These advancements address labor shortages while minimizing the physical strain on workers. In mining, the integration of robotics, artificial intelligence and drones is reshaping site management. Companies like Trimble and Hexagon use drones to create digital twins — 3D models of real-world environments — enabling remote monitoring and real-time decision-making. This enhances safety by reducing human exposure to hazardous conditions and improves overall operational efficiency. Robots driving change in key industries The integration of robotics in labor-intensive industries has streamlined operations and improved business outcomes. Sweetgreen, for example, faced high costs and profitability concerns, leading them to acquire robotics startup Spyce and implement " Infinity Kitchens. " These automated systems can produce more than 500 salads per hour, reducing labor needs, cutting overhead and improving accuracy. This example highlights how automation can help entrepreneurs bridge operational challenges, enabling them to scale without compromising quality or profitability. While full profitability is still a goal, Sweetgreen's use of automation shows how robots enhance agility and support leaner operations in dynamic markets. White Castle has embraced automation with Flippy 2 , an advanced robot that automates frying, boosting output by 30% and reducing safety risks from hot oil. Instead of replacing workers, Flippy 2 allows employees to focus on customer service, enhancing the overall dining experience. Related: Walmart's Using More Robots — But Says They'll Actually Extend Warehouse Workers' Careers These examples from the restaurant industry highlight how robotic systems are tackling labor shortages while elevating operational efficiency and service quality. By strategically deploying automation, businesses can remain agile, competitive and responsive to market demands, optimizing both their front- and back-end operations. Automation's growing impact on business As automation continues to advance across industries such as restaurants, grocery stores and warehouses, businesses face several challenges when integrating robots into their operations. Over the next five years, we are likely to see fully automated environments where human roles shift primarily to oversight rather than direct involvement in production. Despite the promise of automation, there are key hurdles that businesses must overcome to ensure a smooth transition while maximizing the benefits. 1. Workforce displacement concerns One of the most pressing challenges is the fear that robots will displace human workers . This concern is valid, especially as robots become more sophisticated, mimicking human interactions and taking over tasks like order processing, food preparation and even childcare. Tesla's humanoid robot, Optimus, was showcased at the recent "We, Robot" event; it exemplifies this trend by introducing functionalities that include tasks traditionally performed by humans. However, rather than viewing robots as a threat, it's essential to focus on how automation can enhance the workforce by shifting human roles toward higher-level tasks. Skilled technicians will be needed to monitor and maintain these advanced systems, creating new employment opportunities in this emerging sector. For startups, integrating robots early on can establish a foundation for scalable operations, positioning them to adapt as the technology evolves. 2. High initial costs of automation Another challenge businesses face is the high upfront cost of integrating robotic systems. The hardware, software and training investments required to implement automation can be substantial. While these costs may seem prohibitive, many startups are exploring innovative funding models, like venture capital or leasing programs, to offset the initial financial burden. To mitigate these costs, companies should adopt a phased approach, gradually introducing robotics into their operations. This allows businesses to test and fine-tune their systems without risking disruptions to core processes. Much like the rollout of self-checkout lanes in retail , incremental adoption enables businesses to ensure that automation is effective and efficient before expanding it. Related: Robots Aren't Stealing Jobs -- They're Making Them Better 3. Adapting to new roles and skill sets As robots take on more tasks, human workers will need to adapt to new roles focused on overseeing robotic systems and maintaining operational efficiency. This shift requires retraining workers to become skilled in areas such as robotics maintenance, system programming and troubleshooting. Startups that invest in training their workforce early can build a team adept at managing robotics , giving them a head start in an increasingly automated market. Businesses must invest in workforce development to provide a smooth transition from manual labor to more advanced technical roles. This maximizes the benefits of automation while helping to alleviate concerns about job loss by upskilling employees for the future. By addressing these challenges head-on and creating a balanced approach to robotic integration, companies can make sure that automation enhances both productivity and workforce adaptability. As robots become more advanced, industries must shift their focus to creating a symbiotic relationship between humans and machines , where both can thrive in a rapidly evolving technological landscape. For entrepreneurs, the ability to integrate robotics strategically can mean the difference between staying competitive and being left behind.

WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump offered a public show of support Friday for Pete Hegseth, his choice to lead the Defense Department, whose confirmation by the Senate is in doubt as he faces questions over allegations of excessive drinking, sexual assault and his views on women in combat roles. Hegseth, a former Fox News host, Army National Guard major and combat veteran, spent much of the week on Capitol Hill trying to salvage his Cabinet nomination and privately reassure Republican senators that he is fit to lead Trump's Pentagon. "Pete Hegseth is doing very well," Trump posted on his social media site. "He will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense." The president added that "Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!" The nomination battle is emerging not only as a debate about the best person to lead the Pentagon, but an inflection point for a MAGA movement that appears to be relishing a public fight over its hard-line push for a more masculine military and an end to the "woke-ism" of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be defense secretary, responds to reporters during a meeting with Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Military leaders are rattled by a list of “woke” senior officers that a conservative group urged Hegseth to dismiss for promoting diversity in the ranks if he is confirmed to lead the Pentagon. The list compiled by the American Accountability Foundation includes 20 general officers or senior admirals and a disproportionate number of female officers. It has had a chilling effect on the Pentagon’s often frank discussions as leaders try to figure out how to address the potential firings and diversity issues under Trump. Those on the list in many cases seem to be targeted for public comments they made either in interviews or at events on diversity, and in some cases for retweeting posts that promote diversity. Tom Jones, a former aide to Republican senators who leads the foundation, said Friday those on the list are “pretty egregious” advocates for diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, policies, which he called problematic. “The nominee has been pretty clear that that has no place in the military,” Jones said of Hegseth. Hegseth embraced Trump’s effort to end programs that promote diversity in the ranks and fire those who reflect those values. Other Trump picks, like Kash Patel for FBI director, have suggested targeting those in government who are not aligned with Trump. Trump's allies forcefully rallied around Hegseth — the Heritage Foundation's political arm promised to spend $1 million to shore up his nomination — as he vows to stay in the fight, as long as the president-elect wants him to. Vice President-elect JD Vance offers a public show of support for Pete Hegseth, the embattled choice to lead the Defense Department. "We're not abandoning this nomination," Vance told reporters during a tour of western North Carolina. "We're not abandoning this nomination," Vice-President-elect JD Vance said as he toured post-hurricane North Carolina. He said he spoke with GOP senators and believes Hegseth will be confirmed. The effort became a test of Trump's clout and of how far loyalty for the president-elect goes with Republican senators who have concerns about his nominees. Two of Trump's other choices stepped aside as they faced intense scrutiny: former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., his first choice for attorney general, and Chad Chronister, a Florida sheriff who was Trump's first choice to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration. Thanking the president-elect for the support, Hegseth posted on social media, "Like you, we will never back down." Hegseth faces resistance from senators as reports emerged about his past, including the revelation that he made a settlement payment after being accused of a sexual assault that he denies. He promised not to drink on the job and told lawmakers he never engaged in sexual misconduct, even as his professional views on female troops came under intensifying scrutiny. He said as recently as last month that women "straight up" should not serve in combat. He picked up one important endorsement from Republican Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama, whose support was seen as a potentially powerful counterweight to the cooler reception Hegseth received from Sen. Joni Ernst, a former Army National Guard lieutenant colonel. Ernst, who is also a sexual assault survivor, stopped short of an endorsement after meeting with Hegseth this week. On Friday, Ernst posted on X that she would meet with him again next week. “At a minimum, we agree that he deserves the opportunity to lay out his vision for our warfighters at a fair hearing,” she wrote. On Friday, Trump put out the statement in response to coverage saying he lost faith in Hegseth, according to a person familiar with his thinking who was not authorized to discuss it publicly. The president-elect and his team were pleased to see Hegseth putting up a fight and his performance this week reiterates why he was chosen, the person said. They believe he can still be confirmed. Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be defense secretary, left, joined by his wife Jennifer Rauchet, attends a meeting with Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) If Hegseth goes down, Trump's team believes the defeat would empower others to spread what they cast as "vicious lies" against every candidate Trump chooses. Still, Trump's transition team is looking at potential replacements, including former presidential rival Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. DeSantis plans to attend the Dec. 14 Army-Navy football game with Trump, according to a person familiar with the Florida governor's plans who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. DeSantis and Trump spoke about the defense secretary post Tuesday at a memorial service for sheriff deputies in West Palm Beach, Fla., according to people familiar with the matter who said Trump was interested in DeSantis for the post, and the governor was receptive. DeSantis is poised to select a replacement for the expected Senate vacancy to be created by Marco Rubio becoming secretary of state, and Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump is seen as the preferred choice by those in Trump's orbit. Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Kash Patel spent several years as a Justice Department prosecutor before catching the Trump administration’s attention as a staffer on Capitol Hill who helped investigate the Russia probe. Patel called for dramatically reducing the agency’s footprint, a perspective that sets him apart from earlier directors who sought additional resources for the bureau. Though the Justice Department in 2021 halted the practice of secretly seizing reporters’ phone records during leak investigations, Patel said he intends to aggressively hunt down government officials who leak information to reporters. Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Trump said Atkins, the CEO of Patomak Partners and a former SEC commissioner, was a “proven leader for common sense regulations.” In the years since leaving the SEC, Atkins has made the case against too much market regulation. “He believes in the promise of robust, innovative capital markets that are responsive to the needs of Investors, & that provide capital to make our Economy the best in the World. He also recognizes that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The commission oversees U.S. securities markets and investments and is currently led by Gary Gensler, who has been leading the U.S. government’s crackdown on the crypto industry. Gensler, who was nominated by President Joe Biden, announced last month that he would be stepping down from his post on the day that Trump is inaugurated — Jan. 20, 2025. Atkins began his career as a lawyer and has a long history working in the financial markets sector, both in government and private practice. In the 1990s, he worked on the staffs of two former SEC chairmen, Richard C. Breeden and Arthur Levitt. Jared Isaacman, 41, is a tech billionaire who bought a series of spaceflights from Elon Musk’s SpaceX and conducted the first private spacewalk . He is the founder and CEO of a card-processing company and has collaborated closely with Musk ever since buying his first chartered SpaceX flight. He took contest winners on that 2021 trip and followed it in September with a mission where he briefly popped out the hatch to test SpaceX’s new spacewalking suits. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. President-elect Donald Trump tapped former Sen. David Perdue of Georgia to be ambassador to China, saying in a social media post that the former CEO “brings valuable expertise to help build our relationship with China.” Perdue lost his Senate seat to Democrat Jon Ossoff four years ago and ran unsuccessfully in a primary against Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Perdue pushed Trump's debunked lies about electoral fraud during his failed bid for governor. 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 said Wednesday that he will nominate Gen. Keith Kellogg to serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as National Security Advisor to Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence. For the America First Policy Institute, one of several groups formed after Trump left office to help lay the groundwork for the next Republican administration, Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Former Rep. Billy Long represented Missouri in the U.S. House from 2011 to 2023. Since leaving Congress, Trump said, Long “has worked as a Business and Tax advisor, helping Small Businesses navigate the complexities of complying with the IRS Rules and Regulations.” Former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler was appointed in January 2020 by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and then lost a runoff election a year later. She started a conservative voter registration organization and dived into GOP fundraising, becoming one of the top individual donors and bundlers to Trump’s 2024 comeback campaign. Even before nominating her for agriculture secretary, the president-elect already had tapped Loeffler as co-chair of his inaugural committee. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. James Blair, deputy chief of staff Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Marty Makary, Food and Drug Administration Makary is a Johns Hopkins surgeon and author who argued against pandemic lockdowns. He routinely appeared on Fox News during the COVID-19 pandemic and wrote opinion articles questioning masks for children. He cast doubt on vaccine mandates but supported vaccines generally. Makary also cast doubt on whether booster shots worked, which was against federal recommendations on the vaccine. Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, Surgeon General Nesheiwat is a general practitioner who serves as medical director for CityMD, a network of urgent care centers in New York and New Jersey. She has been a contributor to Fox News. Dr. Dave Weldon, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Weldon is a former Florida congressman who recently ran for a Florida state legislative seat and lost; Trump backed Weldon’s opponent. In Congress, Weldon weighed in on one of the nation’s most heated debates of the 1990s over quality of life and a right-to-die and whether Terri Schiavo, who was in a persistent vegetative state after cardiac arrest, should have been allowed to have her feeding tube removed. He sided with the parents who did not want it removed. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.76ers' star Paul George sidelined the next 2 games with bone bruise in left knee

EDITORIAL: Energy policy is no place for ideological zealotryAfter months of relentless promotion (remember ?), “Wicked” has finally landed in theaters, delivering a lavish and stealthily political adaptation of the beloved musical. Yet beyond hoping to defy the box office gravity of the streaming era, the film’s brightly colored explosion of pink and green makes it the movie a lot of people can surely use right now: buoyant escapism from a bruising election cycle and the uncertain future left in its wake, with a whole lot of heart — and not incidentally, a message. Movies take years to produce (director Jon M. Chu told NBC’s “TODAY” show during the process of making the film), so they’re a highly imperfect instrument to address, or divine, public moods. Still, “Wicked’s” arrival, along with sequels to “Gladiator” and the animated “Moana,” could tell us quite a bit about how festive the holidays will be for Hollywood as well as how eager Americans are to embrace distractions in this moment. Like “ ” (which also featured lots of pink and earned a whole lot of green), “Wicked” is a showcase for its female leads, Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, she who will become the Wicked Witch of the West in the Oz story; and Glinda (Ariana Grande), the popular fashion plate. Initially defined by hostility — or loathing, as the song goes — their relationship serves as the backbone of the film as they gradually and sweetly bond, until Elphaba’s opportunity to meet the legendary Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum, the one questionable casting choice) sets them on very different paths. Much of the audience will surely know most of the songs by heart, but as with any musical translated to the screen, film allows Chu to expand upon the scope of the visuals in dazzling ways. The two-part format also enables this first chapter to probe Elphaba and Glinda’s characters more deeply, although at two hours and 40 minutes, the length and more leisurely pace might be the most obvious quibble. (The distributor of the film is Universal Pictures, like MSNBC, a unit of NBCUniversal.) On its face, “Wicked” serves as a character-driven leap into a fantasy grounded by friendship and female empowerment, as the shy, disrespected Elphaba finds her voice (and then some, thanks to Erivo) and sense of purpose. While it’s hard to match the theatrical experience, don’t be surprised if opening-weekend audiences occasionally erupt in spontaneous applause. Again like “Barbie,” with its resonant feminist message, “Wicked” will surely provoke political conversations the wholly escape-minded might wish to avoid. Because by Gregory Maguire (while taking certain liberties), the story incorporates “a powerful allegory of how societies can sleepwalk into fascism,” , where a disenfranchised group gets exploited to achieve those ends. That includes, in the most chilling line, the observation that if the goal is to bring folks together, “give them a real good enemy.” Some of that nuance might get overlooked when Erivo (whose stage credits include a Tony Award for “The Color Purple”) unleashes that Broadway belt, but “Wicked’s” wickedly clever approach to turning the classic story on its head, making us question what we think we know about good and evil, and the origins of these characters, feels both timeless and inordinately timely. For Elphaba, that includes taking a principled stand, even if that means challenging authority and personal sacrifice. It’s a classic hero’s journey, but again, has undercurrents that won’t be lost on anyone who has spent the last two weeks doomscrolling headlines. Although the movie , a known title and a marketing onslaught, some have sought to replicate that strange summer of “Barbenheimer” magic by touting “Wicked” and “Gladiator” as an unlikely double feature (“ ,” as Variety put it). The pairing actually seems unlikely, even a bit lazy, since the two seem particularly well matched, demographically, to complement each other. Where director Ridley Scott’s long-delayed Roman Empire sequel revels in visceral thrills, the musical, while offering epic qualities, strikes other emotional nerves. In her show-stopping number, Elphaba famously notes, “Everyone deserves the chance to fly.” Whether viewed as a flight of fancy or something deeper, “Wicked” deserves the chance to be seen and shared, which, given the film’s charms and the current cultural moment, could leave the holiday season’s other box office hopefuls feeling green with envy.

As the crypto market gears up for the 2025 bull run, utility tokens are foraging the scene as strong contenders for stable and considerable returns. Among the ones to focus on are IntelMarkets (INTL), Ripple (XRP), and Sui (SUI), which promise stability for the coming market leg-up. Read to discover why experts suggest you should add INTL, XRP, and SUI to your portfolio before the 2025 bull run! IntelMarkets: Cutting-Edge Perpetual Contracts Platform Set to Disrupt DeFi The decentralized finance landscape is on the rise with the emergence of innovative and utility-focused projects like IntelMarkets. IntelMarkets is a perpetual contracts platform that aims to transform how people approach trading using advanced technologies like blockchain and artificial intelligence. One of IntelMarkets' core features is its Rodeum AI-powered self-learning trading robots. These bots are developed to analyze a considerable amount of market data and precisely carry out trades. They will give users a competitive advantage in the market. IntelMarkets also offers DeFi products such as many asset pairs, 1,000X leverage, and an analytical tool. With vast asset exposure, high trading leverage, and the INTEL-M channel tool providing trading signals, traders can profit massively from every trade. Furthermore, IntelMarkets' dual-chain ecosystem, comprising Ethereum and Solana, provides users with the best of both worlds. Ethereum's security and reliability, combined with Solana's scalability and speed, will make the platform unstoppable. Institutional and retail investors are showing interest in IntelMarkets because of its utility. This interest can be seen in the $4.1 million invested in INTL's ongoing public presale. Expert On Wall Street Says XRP Offers A Huge Wealth-building Opportunity Wall Street expert Digital G has commented on XRP's prospect as a smart investment vehicle to build generational wealth. The ex-fund manager endorsed the Ripple-owned cryptocurrency in an X post on December 8, 2024. Digital G's comment comes amid the crypto market downturn, which saw XRP shed a significant portion of its market value. The Ripple coin dipped 14.87% , diving close to the $2 range. In the same breath, Digital G alluded to the profit potential of XLM and XDC, asserting that these coins and the Ripple coin offer the best value proposition among any other asset on the market. Amid XRP's challenges, the experts' remark has sparked investors' optimism about the Ripple coin's future. During the market-wide rally in November, Ripple’s XRP rose 303%, ranking among the top performers for that month. It registered a 2.74% increase in the last seven days, rallying to $2.38 . This performance suggests it could be a good crypto to buy ahead of the 2025 bull run. QuickNode Adds Support For Sui Network to Boost Web3 Adoption Web3 development platform QuickNode has announced that it will support layer-1 network Sui to expand Web3 scalability and drive its adoption. This strategic move will make the Sui network available to blockchain developers based on QuickNode. Developers on both platforms may now share resources to foster product development with ease. With SUI as a reliable blockchain, this partnership will eliminate the hurdles to developing within the Web3 ecosystem. Blockchain development was time-consuming because developers had to build apps and manage interactions between blockchains simultaneously. The drawbacks to this method are that it is time-consuming and prone to mistakes. SUI is expected to benefit significantly from this alliance in the long run, especially during the 2025 bull run. For now, the SUI price is up 31.26% over the week. INTL to Rise Exponentially During the 2025 Bull Run As the 2025 bull run draws nearer, the focus shifts to XRP, SUI, and INTL because of their potential to enrich investors. Savvy investors are already stacking up their portfolios with these coins, and you should be, too. INTL sells for $0.064 per token in Stage 7 of its public presale. Buying the token now can earn investors 71% of their capital and more after its exchange debut at $0.110. With these tokens set to deliver stable gains during the 2025 bull market, investing in them should be a no-brainer. However, it is important to do pre-emptive due diligence! Visit Intel Markets Presale Join The INTL Community Join our WhatsApp Channel to get the latest news, exclusives and videos on WhatsApp _____________ Disclaimer: Analytics Insight does not provide financial advice or guidance. Also note that the cryptocurrencies mentioned/listed on the website could potentially be scams, i.e. designed to induce you to invest financial resources that may be lost forever and not be recoverable once investments are made. You are responsible for conducting your own research (DYOR) before making any investments. Read more here.No. 2 Ohio State takes control in the 2nd half and runs over No. 5 Indiana 38-15 COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Will Howard passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another, TreVeyon Henderson ran for a score and No. 2 Ohio State beat previously undefeated No. 5 Indiana 38-15. All Ohio State has to do now is beat Michigan at home next Saturday and it will earn a return to the Big Ten championship game for the first time since 2020 and get a rematch with No. 1 Oregon. The Ducks beat Ohio State 32-31 in a wild one back on Oct. 12. Man City routed 4-0 by Tottenham in fifth-straight defeat as crisis deepens for Pep Guardiola What started as an evening of celebration for Manchester City ended with the four-time defending Premier League champion falling to a fifth-straight loss in all competitions and facing a deepening crisis in a season that is threatening to unravel. A 4-0 defeat to Tottenham left City five points behind league leader Liverpool, having played a game more. Two goals from James Maddison inside 20 minutes at the Etihad Stadium stunned the home crowd. Pedro Porro scored a third for Tottenham after halftime. Brennan Johnson added a fourth in the third minute of stoppage time. City manager Pep Guardiola signed a two-year contract extension this week. Chelsea, Arsenal and Brighton all won and closed the gap on Liverpool to six points. Florida knocks No. 9 Ole Miss out of College Football Playoff contention, 24-17 in the Swamp GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — DJ Lagway threw two touchdown passes, Montrell Johnson ran for 127 yards and a score, and Florida upset No. 9 Mississippi 24-17 on Saturday to knock the Rebels out of College Football Playoff contention. The Gators beat ranked teams in consecutive weeks for the first time since 2008 and became bowl eligible. The late-season spurt provided another vote of confidence for coach Billy Napier, who is expected back for a fourth season. Ole Miss lost for the first time in four games and surely will drop out of the 12-team playoff picture. Jennings has 3 TDs as No. 13 SMU routs Virginia 33-7 to clinch a spot in the ACC title game CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Kevin Jennings threw for a career-high 323 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another, and No. 13 SMU clinched a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game by routing Virginia 33-7. Isaiah Smith and Jared Harrison-Hunte each had two sacks to help the Mustangs extend their winning streak to eight. They would earn an automatic bid into the expanded College Football Playoff by beating 11th-ranked Miami or 17th-ranked Clemson in the ACC title game on Dec. 7 in Charlotte, North Carolina. UVa must beat rival Virginia Tech next week to become bowl eligible. No. 11 Miami pulls away late to beat Wake Forest 42-14 and move one win from the ACC title game MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Cam Ward passed for 280 yards and threw two touchdowns to Jacolby George on another record-breaking day, Mishael Powell ran an interception back 76 yards for a touchdown and No. 11 Miami pulled away late to beat Wake Forest 42-14. The 10-1 Hurricanes can clinch a berth in the ACC title game with a win at Syracuse next weekend. Ward completed 27 of 38 passes, plus ran for a score. Demond Claiborne had a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown for 4-7 Wake Forest. No. 24 Illinois stuns Rutgers on Bryant's 40-yard TD reception with 4 seconds left PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Luke Altmyer found Pat Bryant for a catch-and-run, 40-yard touchdown pass with 4 seconds left, sending No. 24 Illinois to a wild 38-31 victory over Rutgers. Illinois was down 31-30 when it sent long kicker Ethan Moczulski out for a desperation 58-yard field goal with 14 seconds to go. Rutgers coach Greg Schiano then called for a timeout right before Moczulski’s attempt was wide left and about 15 yards short. After the missed field goal was waved off by the timeout, Illinois coach Bret Bielema sent his offense back on the field. Altmyer hit Bryant on an in cut on the left side at the 22, and he continued across the field and scored untouched. Hidalgo leads No. 6 Notre Dame over JuJu Watkins and third-ranked USC 74-61 in big matchup out West LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hannah Hidalgo scored 24 points and No. 6 Notre Dame defeated JuJu Watkins and third-ranked Southern California 74-61 in a marquee matchup on the West Coast. Hidalgo had six rebounds and eight assists in front of several WNBA scouts. Olivia Miles added 20 points for the Fighting Irish, who improved to 5-0. Watkins finished with 24 points, six rebounds and five assists for the Trojans, who fell to 4-1. The Irish came out strong, taking a 20-10 lead in the first quarter, when Hidalgo had 11 points. They never looked back and stayed poised when USC came within three points three different times. Andy Murray will coach Novak Djokovic through the Australian Open Recently retired Andy Murray will team up with Novak Djokovic, working with him as a coach through the Australian Open in January. Murray’s representatives put out statements from both players on Saturday. Djokovic is a 24-time Grand Slam champion who has spent more weeks at No. 1 than any other player in tennis history. Murray won three major trophies and two Olympic singles gold medals who finished 2016 atop the ATP rankings. He retired as a player after the Paris Summer Games in August. Jannik Sinner and Matteo Berrettini lift Italy past Australia and back to the Davis Cup final MALAGA, Spain (AP) — Top-ranked Jannik Sinner and Matteo Berrettini won their singles matches to lift defending champion Italy past Australia 2-0 and back into the Davis Cup final. Sinner extended his tour-level winning streak to 24 sets in a row by beating No. 9 Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-4 on Saturday on an indoor hard court in Malaga, Spain. That came after Berrettini came back to defeat Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-7 (6), 6-3, 7-5. Italy will meet first-time finalist Netherlands on Sunday for the title. The Dutch followed up their victory over Rafael Nadal and Spain in the quarterfinals by eliminating Germany on Friday. Argentina's Racing wins its first Copa Sudamericana championship by beating Brazil's Cruzeiro 3-1 ASUNCION, Paraguay (AP) — Gaston Martirena and Adrian Martinez scored first-half goals as Argentina’s Racing won its first Copa Sudamericana championship by beating Brazil’s Cruzeiro 3-1 in the final on Saturday. Martirena opened the scoring in the 15th minute and Martinez added a goal five minutes later to help give “La Academia” its first international title since 1988 when it won the Supercopa Sudamericana. Roger Martinez sealed the victory with a goal in the 90th. “Maravilla” Martinez scored 10 goals in 13 matches and finished as the top scorer in the competition. Kaio Jorge scored in the 52nd for Cruzeiro.

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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George has a bone bruise on his left knee and will miss two games, the team said Thursday. The 76ers said George did not suffer any structural damage when he injured the same knee that he hyperextended during the preseason in Wednesday night's loss at Memphis. The game marked the first time this season the All-Star trio of George, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey started a game together. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

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ANN ARBOR, Michigan (AP) — Michigan defensive lineman Kenneth Grant is skipping his final college season to enter the NFL draft. Grant, a key part of the Wolverines' 2023 national championship team, announced his decision Thursday on X, formerly known as Twitter. Fellow Michigan interior lineman Mason Graham had already declared for the draft. Both are projected as likely first-round picks. The 6-foot-3, 339-pound Grant was a third-team Associated Press All-American. He had 32 tackles, 6 1/2 tackles for loss and a pair of fumble recoveries. Grant helped Michigan upset Ohio State in the Big Ten regular-season finale, making four tackles. Cornerback Will Johnson and tight end Colston Loveland have also declared for the draft leading up to Michigan's game against No. 11 Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl. 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-football

Tesla Just Unveiled a New Mezcal—and We Got a TasteFirst Khalil Mack, Now Maxx Crosby: Could Raiders Botch Things Again?

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