Republican senators expressed confidence in Army veteran Pete Hegseth’s confirmation as the incoming Trump administration’s defense secretary after meeting with him on Thursday. Hegseth, along with Vice President-Elect Sen. JD Vance (R-OH), met with Republican Sens. John Barrasso (R-WY), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), and Roger Wicker (R-MS). Cabinet Chaos as Gaetz Bows Out; Guest Nick Gilbertson Senators indicated that 2017 allegations of a sexual assault — that ended in no charges and that Hegseth has said stemmed from a consensual sexual encounter — would not derail his confirmation. In a statement, Barrasso, who will soon be the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, said: Pete Hegseth is a strong nominee to lead the Department of Defense. We had an excellent discussion about the need for America’s military to remain the best in the world. That means taking care of our service members, equipping them with the latest technology, and focusing on making our military the most lethal force on the planet. Pete pledged that the Pentagon will focus on strength and hard power – not the current administration’s woke political agenda. National security nominations have a history of quick confirmations in the Senate. I look forward to Pete’s hearing and a vote on the floor in January. He also posted on X: I enjoyed visiting with @PeteHegseth this morning. Pete is a strong nominee to lead the @DeptofDefense. We had an excellent discussion about the need for America’s military to remain the best in the world. I look forward to Pete’s hearing and a vote in the Senate in January. Blackburn tweeted: I just met with Vice President-Elect Vance and Secretary of Defense Nominee Pete Hegseth. Pete is a warrior, an advocate for veterans, and a well qualified nominee. He will put our enemies on notice and make our military great again. Mullin re-posted an interview he did with reporters where he told them: He’s perfect. He’s a decorated combat veteran. He’s got two bronze stars, 20 years of service. He retired as a major, and he’s a civilian. ... I think he is perfect for the position. He added, “I don’t think he has any weaknesses. I think he is very talented, and there’s a reason why President Trump trusts him. I think as he goes through this process you’re going to hear more and more about the actual what took place, and you guys will find out the guy’s a solid, solid individual. He’s the right man for the job.” Mullin also posted: As I’ve said, I trust President Trump’s judgement on picking the best cabinet nominees to serve in his administration, and @SenateGOP will process these nominees quickly. Earlier today, I visited with decorated combat vet @PeteHegseth, and look forward to getting him confirmed. Hagerty posted: Today I had an outstanding meeting with Pete Hegseth, a decorated combat veteran who put his own life on the line for America. (1/3) Pete knows that the Defense Secretary’s job is to empower the men and women of our military to carry out their patriotic duty, not consign them to serve as political pawns in a broken Washington. (2/3) A great choice by @realDonaldTrump to change Washington, and I look forward to supporting his confirmation. (3/3) According to The Hill , Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) said he had no concerns about Hegseth and thought he would “do a great job.” Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) said the sexual assault allegations need “to go through the confirmation process, and let Pete — and these other folks — let them answer this stuff, you know, give them their day.” He added that Hegseth “denies it, he says there’s been no wrongdoing. But let’s hear from him.” Follow Breitbart News’s Kristina Wong on ”X” , Truth Social , or on Facebook .IT'S HARD not to imagine what life would be like in a warmer country, once the British winter fully gets going. Having moved from London to Lisbon in 2020, I can guarantee you there are plenty of headaches while you find your 'Place In The Sun.' 5 Travel writer Lauren Clark moved to Portugal in the summer of 2020 Credit: Getty 5 Lauren shares some of the biggest headaches that have accompanied moving abroad Credit: Lauren Clark While I have been able to bask in exotic Portugal with no impending checkout date, it's also certainly not one big, long holiday... Here are some of the things I wish I'd known before I booked my one-way ticket... There are some dull things you have to do first In fact, it's a far cry from Emily In Paris - which first came out just months after I moved. It's not just a case of stepping on a plane and being on your merry way, and visas for some countries can be complex and expensive to get hold of. Read More On More Abroad PORTU-GIRL I'm a British expat - here's how living in Europe has changed me for the better BRIT AWARDS I've lived abroad for 4 years - here are 5 things I miss about living in the UK Obviously, there are many aspects of moving abroad that will vary depending on your own personal situation. For instance, I have rented rather than bought, and work as a freelancer rather than being employed by a company. Additionally, some of the lesser-known bits of admin hinge on the fact that your extended period away from the UK probably means you are no longer a taxpayer. That involves letting Student Loans Company know of your new whereabouts, informing HMRC and deregistering from the NHS . Most read in News Travel SIT IT OUT Passengers baffled as man spots ‘forbidden seat’ on flight - which can't be used TAKE OFF Tiny UK airport to launch direct flights to popular European capital next summer LOO KNEW Why passengers should stop queuing for the plane bathroom - even if desperate TOP CHOC Quaint little marshmallow shop tops list with best hot chocolate in Scotland As well as reading the huge amount of official information available online, it's always worth - if you can - consulting a lawyer or accountant familiar with the UK system and the country you're moving to, for tailored advice. It really shouldn't be a spur-of-the-moment decision Because, in turn - and I promise moving abroad does get less boring - you'll need to set yourself up on the other side too, likely with everything from the tax to the healthcare systems. It's why properly moving abroad - as opposed to going travelling for a while - really does force you to commit, if you want to do it all properly. If your language skills aren't quite there yet, then you'll almost certainly save stress and money in the long run by paying a local expert, such as a lawyer or accountant, for some extra help. You'll likely be ticking off these small milestones on your own individual timeline - unless you've relocated with a partner or family. For instance, I remember celebrating solo when I finally received my Portuguese social security and national health numbers. 5 A load of paperwork comes with setting yourself up in a new home country Credit: Getty However, it’s far easier to make friends than you think The above is a reminder that moving abroad can feel lonely at the start and I had a real fear I'd make no friends. But I soon discovered that it's far easier to find new pals than you might think, when you start putting yourself out there. Portuguese lessons, the MeetUp app, a co-working space and friends of friends - these are the main ways I've been able to build a lovely network in Lisbon over the past four years. There are other ways, less relevant to me, that others I know have used to find their people after moving abroad - including through having kids at nursery or school, joining a run club or working locally. And, because everyone - at least in the expat crowd - knows how it feels to be the newbie far from home, people tend to happily take you under their wing. That being said, chores and errands will take twice as long Imagine being an adult but with the life skills of a five-year-old - that’s how it feels when you're trying to get things done that you could practically do in your sleep back home. For me, that was things like remembering to take my ID to the post office, or finding out that I needed to drop the recycling - already separated into paper and plastics - off half-way down the hill. Also, that I needed to file my tax return at an entirely different time of year, or that buying a new smoke alarm would prove such a mission - it turns out they're like gold dust in the Portuguese capital . You'll slowly begin to get the hang of everything, and then lesson number 383 of 'how to be an adult in Portugal' strikes and you'll end up in tears again. 5 You'll need to get to grips with the way things run - and the whole world might seem topsy turvy Credit: Getty You’ll need to get your stuff there (and probably back) This can add up in cost if you're not careful, particularly if you're using a shipping company to move over things like furniture or heavy items like books. I was pretty proud that I'd managed to head out to Lisbon with just a large suitcase and two boxes, as extra hold luggage on my EasyJet flight. However, it was shocking how quickly I accumulated items - like hangers and toiletries - when moving between flats on AirBnb, before finally settling in a long-term let. Of course, some people move abroad for the rest of their lives, but the chances are that you might relocate elsewhere one day - or back to the UK - and it has made me think twice before stocking up on too many Portuguese ceramics. What's for sure is that it will be the best thing you ever do Growing up, my idea of moving abroad was shaped by those families in A Place In The Sun or Grand Designs Abroad , who had sunk a small fortune into a quaint farmhouse in France and had to wade through hellish bureaucracy. While it can certainly be stressful - like the time I lost my residence permit card and it took me five months to get another - it's a journey that has pushed me out of my comfort zone and forced me to be resourceful. What's more, I've made the most amazing memories - exploring Portugal without having to set foot on a plane and getting to authentically experience an entirely different culture. Read more on the Scottish Sun FESTIVE FIZZ Coca-Cola Christmas truck in Scotland: Dates, locations & all you need to know AND RELAX Scots seaside hotel with outdoor hot tub and firepit named UK's top spa resort I've also made friends from all over the world, for life, while also forging really meaningful connections with those who matter back home. If I could go back in time I wouldn't change a thing. Three things Lauren misses about the UK Packaged sandwiches There is nothing quite like a egg mayo or tuna and cucumber sarnie from the country of its birth. I hadn’t realised until I left that it’s the perfect fast lunch - quickly purchased, smoothly transported and easily consumed pretty much anywhere. Public transport We love to moan about the price... the delays... the strikes, but we also forget quite how much the car reigns supreme in other countries . I’ve had to get accustomed again to faffing around with a physical ticket instead of contactless for the metro, and waiting for the bus is a bit of a gamble. Plus, there are amazing parts of Portugal cut off pretty much entirely unless you’re happy to get behind the wheel. Proper puddings Portugal is home to the world-renowned pastel de nata, but in my opinion there is something second to none about British desserts. Who can resist a sticky toffee pudding, apple crumble or chocolate sponge when spotted on a pub menu. 5 But while it will push you out of your comfort zone, Lauren says she can guarantee you won't look back Credit: GettyTESCO has revealed plans to open 150 new locations over the next three years in a convenience store blitz. The Tesco Express expansion will create more than 2,000 jobs , while some stores will benefit from longer opening hours. The majority of sites will run from 7am to 11pm, but the supermarket giant is aiming to have some open from 6am to midnight. Kevin Tindall, managing director at Tesco UK, said the chain had signed leases for many of the new shops, but that they were looking at housing estates, new-build tower blocks and high streets with a lot of footfall. The news came as Britain’s biggest grocer yesterday marked the 30th anniversary of Tesco Express by opening a shop in Burnt Oak, North London — on the same street the very first Tesco was set up in 1929. Tesco this week cut prices on 200 everyday items such as bread, milk, and chicken in its Express stores, and continues to offer Clubcard discounts. READ MORE ON TESCO But it does not offer its Aldi Price Match in the convenience shops. Critics including Which? have argued customers at smaller shops are disadvantaged by the higher prices. But Mr Tindall explained that most smaller stores charge a premium as they are hit harder by costs, especially in London where rents are high. And he said Tesco was continuing to create jobs despite the “challenges of extra costs from the Budget”. Most read in Business There are now 2,074 Tesco Express stores and 808 larger superstores. Rivals Sainsbury's , Morrisons , and Asda have also committed to opening new locations. A miniature giant GAMES WORKSHOP, the maker of fantasy miniature figurines and the Warhammer franchise, is nudging its way into the FTSE 100 after its shares rocketed to a record high yesterday. The niche hobby business is now valued at £4.5billion, more than B&M Bargains or Sports Direct owner Frasers Group . Its shares yesterday rose 17 per cent to £137.90 each after a brief statement that its profits would beat forecasts of £120million. Shares have risen by 38.5 per cent in the past year. GOOD WEEK: RYAN McDonnell, boss of LIDL, the fastest-growing supermarket, which has returned to profit after the cost-of-living crisis. BAD WEEK: ADRIAN Mardell, boss of JAGUAR, criticised for a ridiculous rebrand and its new advert that does not feature a car.
GoDaddy Inc. (NYSE:GDDY) Shares Sold by Mutual of America Capital Management LLCThe internet is rife with fake reviews. Will AI make it worse?
Bill Clinton, the former US president who has faced a series of health issues over the years, was admitted to hospital Monday in Washington after developing a fever, his office said. "President Clinton was admitted to Georgetown University Medical Center this afternoon for testing and observation after developing a fever," the 78-year-old's deputy chief of staff Angel Urena said on social media platform X, adding Clinton "remains in good spirits." Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
Morgan Rogers’ fourth goal of the season, an Ollie Watkins penalty and Matty Cash’s finish put Villa 3-0 up after 34 minutes. Mikkel Damsgaard pulled one back for Brentford in the second half but the damage had been done as Villa ended their eight-match winless run in all competitions. Emery was relieved to end the unwanted streak but quickly turned his attention to the next fixture against Southampton on Saturday. “We broke a spell of bad results we were having,” the Villa boss said. “We started the first five or 10 minutes not in control of the game but then progressively we controlled. “Today we achieved those three points and it has given us confidence again but even like that it’s not enough. We have to keep going and think about the next match against Southampton on Saturday. “The message was try to focus on each match, try to forget the table. How we can recover confidence and feel comfortable at home. Today was a fantastic match.” Tyrone Mings returned to the starting line-up in the Premier League for the first time since August 2023. Emery admitted it has been a long road back for the 31-year-old and is pleased to have him back. He added: “Mings played in the Champions league but it’s the first time in the league for a year and three months. “I think he played fantastic – he might be tired tomorrow but will be ready for Saturday again. “It was very, very long, the injury he had. His comeback is fantastic for him and everybody, for the doctor and physio and now he’s training everyday.” Brentford fell to a sixth away defeat from seven games and have picked up only a solitary point on the road this season. They have the best home record in the league, with 19 points from seven matches, but they have the joint worst away record. Bees boss Thomas Frank is confident form will improve on the road. He said: “On numbers we can’t argue we are better at home than away, but on numbers it’s a coincidence. I think two of the seven away games have been bad. “The other games we performed well in big spells. I’m confident at the end of the season we will have some wins away from home.” Frank felt Villa should not have been given a penalty when Ethan Pinnock brought Watkins down. He added: “I want to argue the penalty. I don’t think it is (one). I think Ollie kicked back and hit Ethan, yes there is an arm on the shoulder but threshold and all that – but that’s not the reason we lost.”
NoneDearborn Ford in Kamloops celebrates 100 years in business, looks ahead to more (Think Local)
For more on CNN’s interview with Sherrod Brown, watch CNN’s “Inside Politics Sunday with Manu Raju” this Sunday at 8 a.m. ET and 11 a.m ET. Sherrod Brown can boil down the loss of his Senate seat to this: Donald Trump and withering GOP attacks. And the top of his ticket didn’t help him much, either. As the veteran Ohio Democrat takes stock of the loss in his marquee race, he also has a blunt message for his party: Win back working-class voters or lose more elections. “I think that we don’t appear to be fighting for them,” Brown said when asked why Trump won the same blue-collar workers whom the Democratic senator has prided himself in courting through the course of his three-plus decades in Congress. “Workers have drifted away from the Democratic Party.” In a wide-ranging interview with CNN, Brown bluntly criticized his party for not addressing voter concerns over rising consumer costs and declining economic conditions. And he accused Republicans — including his foe in the Senate race, Trump-aligned businessman Bernie Moreno — of distorting his record as he battled the headwinds at the top of the ticket. And when asked whether he would run in 2026 for the seat being vacated by Vice President-elect JD Vance, Brown pointedly refused to say. “I’m not dismissing anything at this point,” said Brown, 72, similarly leaving the door open when asked if he would run for governor. Brown held one of four Senate seats that Republicans flipped as they seized control of the chamber. They will now command a 53-47 majority over the next two years. But Brown, along with Sen. Jon Tester of Montana, had among the toughest slogs of any Democrat: running in red states while trying to maintain distance from their party’s nominee, Kamala Harris, as they tried to court Trump voters. Both men lost seats they’ve held since 2007. “I lost, but we ran ahead of the national ticket,” said Brown, who fell to Moreno by 4 points. “When the leader of your ticket runs 12 points behind, almost, you can’t overcome that, even though it was a close race in the end.” Asked whether he believed that Trump was the deciding factor in his race, Brown took a swipe at Moreno. “A lot of things made the difference. I’d say it’s the money and Trump. That kind of money, month after month after month, with nasty negative ads,” Brown said. “I guess that’s how you win a race. You lie, you spend a lot of money, and then you, as my opponent, hope that your candidate, Trump in this case, would win by a lot.” Moreno’s camp hit back. “Sherrod Brown is a bitter career politician who’s lashing out because he has to find a real job for the first time in his life and work for his paycheck like everyone else,” Moreno spokesman Phil Letsou said. Moreno’s campaign and his GOP allies outspent Brown and his allies on the air, with $251.9 million in total GOP spending compared with $232.7 million in total Democratic spending on the race, according to AdImpact data. But there was a late surge of Democratic spending in the final month of the campaign, with Brown and his allies edging out the GOP with $83.3 million on the air compared to $77.4 million for the GOP. In the interview, Brown said he believed going into Election Day that he would win his race. “I expected to win because I’m out a lot, and I talk to workers. I talk to people year-round ... I saw the enthusiasm in the crowds,” Brown said. “What I didn’t see is the ad they did at the end where Trump said, voting for Sherrod Brown is voting against me.” In one ad for the Moreno campaign, Trump called Brown “a radical left politician” and said: “You’ve got to go out and back Bernie Moreno.” And an ad from the Senate Leadership Fund — a top GOP super PAC — told Ohio viewers: “A vote for Sherrod Brown is a vote against Donald Trump.” Moreno’s attacks over Brown’s record are particularly grating to the vanquished senator. Asked whether he believed that Moreno ran a clean campaign, Brown said: “You can be the judge of that. I think when you run ads and they’re proven to be lies by fact checkers ... you can connect that dot.” ‘A complete lie’ Republicans targeted Brown heavily over trans issues during the race — a line of attack the GOP deployed across the country and that Trump wielded against Harris. After the primary, and through Election Day in the Ohio race, GOP advertisers spent a whopping $33.8 million on TV ads that referenced LGBTQ rights and transgender people’s access to bathrooms and involvement in sports. In one GOP ad, a narrator’s voice says, “Six more years of Sherrod Brown? He’s for they/them, not you.” “I cut an ad showing they lied,” Brown said, pointing to fact checks, including one that rated as false an ad that claimed Brown voted to “allow transgender biological men to compete in girls’ sports.” “But that’s what they do,” Brown said. “They spend, they lie about — they take an issue that they know polls well, they lie about it.” “They weren’t talking about how to make Ohio a better state,” he said. Brown cut two ads worth about $3.3 million defending himself on the issue, including one where a narrator calls the ad a “complete lie.” Letsou, the Moreno spokesman, defended the campaign’s attacks. “The truth is Sherrod Brown lost because he chose to lie to Ohioans repeatedly,” the spokesman said, citing the senator’s record on issues including trans people’s involvement in athletics, border security and “endless wars” during the Biden administration. When asked whether Democrats were out of touch on cultural issues and whether more should have been done to counter GOP attacks, Brown fired back. “I’m not out of touch with those issues,” he said. “I go home. I hear people all the time. I know how they focus group and they lie. I mean, how do you call me out of touch when they lie about an issue?” Democrats’ blue-collar problems Brown, who served in the House for 14 years before being elected to the Senate in 2006, has long built a populist brand aimed at courting blue-collar workers, an appeal that has been successful over the course of a political career that started nearly half a century ago in the Rust Belt state. But he says his party has fallen sharply out of step with working-class voters, starting with the enactment of NAFTA in 1994 and subsequent policy decisions. And he said the problem also stems from a failure to communicate. “Republicans put inflation totally at the feet of higher government spending. That’s not what caused inflation,” he said. “Corporate profits are up. Stock market’s up. Wages have been flat. We need to take on those interest groups that cause that. Early on in his administration, President Joe Biden attempted to reassure Americans by arguing that price hikes would be temporary, with some administration officials describing the issue as “transitory.” The president later turned away from that messaging , but high consumer costs continued to dog Democrats through November. “That’s the mistake we made,” Brown said when asked about the “transitory” messaging. CNN exit poll data shows Trump won voters without a college degree by 14 points over Harris, 56% to 42%. Four years earlier, he won the group by only 2 points over Biden. Brown says Democrats consistently miss clear opportunities to appeal to those voters. A federal judge in Texas recently struck down a Biden administration rule that would have expanded overtime eligibility for about 4 million workers. Brown said it’s an issue that Democrats should hammer Republicans over, especially since the judge was nominated by Trump. “I’m pretty angry about it,” Brown said. “As you can see, one judge denied 4 million workers in this country their overtime. We ought to be talking about that. ... And I know that very few Democrats have talked about it. And Trump and his crowd, his corporate crowd, they’re always looking out for their rich friends, hope it goes away and hope it gets ignored. “But I’m not going to let it get ignored.” CNN’s David Wright and Sheden Tesfaldet contributed to this report.Unwrap the latest AI features with Amazon Fire TabletsNone