UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili has named a potential date for a world title rematch with Petr Yan. The penultimate fight on the Georgian’s path to UFC 306 where he dethroned Sean O’Malley was a March 2023 win over Yan at the UFC Apex. And after watching the Russian defeat Deiveson Figueiredo in Macau on Saturday morning, he has suggested that the pair meet again in Sin City. Yan impressed with his boxing and takedown defence to defeat his Brazilian rival in a dominant five-round decision in China. In fact, not one judge even scored a round against him as he pushed towards another shot at the gold. Who is Dana White? All you need to know about the CEO and President of the UFC Merab Dvalishvili wants to face Petr Yan in Las Vegas next year After watching Petr Yan land a second victory of the year in China, champion Merab Dvalishvili took to social media to give his thoughts. His current top contender is Umar Nurmagomedov , but he has been angling for a fight with the winner of the UFC Macau main event instead. Dvalishvili believes that either Figueiredo or Yan, as former world champions, have more impressive records than Nurmagomedov, who is undefeated but unproven at the top level. And he named a prospective date for a rematch with the Russian in a post to X this afternoon. Dvalishvili shared a video of himself wearing the title belt, which is attached to a moving car, with a caption indicating that the pair could meet at UFC 313 on March 8 next year in Las Vegas. The event has been confirmed by the promotion, but no main event has yet been confirmed. In the video, Dvalishvili can be faintly heard telling the camera: “No one can take this belt from me – and still!” In another pair of tweets he wrote “I’m impressed @PetrYanUFC performance tonight” and “What a great fight! @PetrYanUFC @Daico_Deiveson.” Petr Yan defeated Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC Macau It was back to his dominant best for Yan in a rare Saturday morning fight with Figueiredo in China on Saturday. He was taken down early by the Brazilian, who had boasted of his lack of ground game, but managed to get on top and turn over the first round. From there, Yan’s impressive boxing was enough to get him in range and find his punches. In particular, the uppercut seemed to land at will and set him up for an impressive night that saw him look completely in control from the start of the second through to the final bell. The former flyweight champion made his presence felt, however. Even as he continued to lose round after round, there never seemed to be a moment where he was out of the fight, and he really came back into his own in a back-and-forth fifth. Ultimately, it wasn’t enough and Yan managed to get his second victory of the year after a difficult run that saw him lose three on the bounce. He has already faced Dvalishvili and his teammate Aljamain Sterling, but is confident of a rematch victory. Petr Yan calls out Merab Dvalishvili after dominant UFC Macau win In the immediate aftermath of his victory, Yan got on the microphone and told Michael Bisping exactly what he wants next. He noted that the Georgian had believed Figueiredo to be the next contender, which should see him leapfrog into that spot by winning. “Hey guys, before my fight, Merab said that Deiveson Figueiredo was the number one contender who deserved the title fight,” Yan told the former middleweight champion through a translator. “I want to say to Merab, what do you say now?! “When I’ve beaten the number one contender in my division, I want to do a rematch with Merab – let’s get him!” SPEAKING FACTS: Petr Yan backed by UFC fans after cold response to question about Sean O’MalleyTrump Cabinet picks, appointees targeted by bomb threats and swatting attacks
Matt Duchene and Roope Hintz scored in the third period, and the Dallas Stars beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2 on Saturday night. Jake Oettinger stopped 27 shots while improving to 11-3 on the season. Anthony Cirelli scored twice for Tampa Bay, which had a five-game point streak. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 24 saves. The Lightning had leads of 1-0 and 2-1 in the first period but Dallas answered both times on goals from Evgenii Dadonov and Miro Heiskanen. It was 2-2 before Duchene and Hintz scored 58 seconds apart in the third. Takeaways Stars: The Stars have allowed two-or-fewer goals 12 times in 19 games this season. Dallas has won five of six overall. Lightning: Cirelli has scored in a career-best five consecutive games. But the Lightning power play, which was tops in the league last season, continues to struggle on home ice. It went 0 for 3 and has just two power-play goals on 25 chances in nine home games. Key moment The Lightning turned over the puck in the offensive zone and allowed the Stars to head back up ice on a 3-on-1 rush. Duchene finished off the play from the bottom of the right circle, beating Vasilevskiy from a side angle for the winning goal. Key stat Dallas recorded the 2,000th victory in franchise history, which includes 758 victories as the Minnesota North Stars. The Stars are the 10th franchise in NHL history to reach 2,000 wins. Up next The Stars play at Carolina on Monday, and the Lightning host Colorado on Monday.
NoneAs a part of developing our network for the Gemini Cooperation, Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd reviewed all ports and terminals in our current network and concluded that London Gateway is the most optimal port to serve our customers importing/exporting cargo to/from the UK. When the Network of the Future launches in February 2025, London Gateway will replace Felixstowe on our Asia – Europe services. This strategic decision aims to enhance reliability, reach, and speed for our customers. Click here for more information. The Network of the Future is officially now open for bookings. Click here for details and scheduling information. Elsewhere, the Chinese New Year period has a significant impact on global shipping due to the sheer volume of factory closures and a sharp decline in production. In 2025, Lunar New Year officially begins on 29th January, however many businesses start their preparations early and reduce production up to three weeks in advance. Normal production levels are expected to return by the second or third week of February. Typically, businesses face a race to get cargo out of China before operations wind down and celebrations begin. Our teams are on hand to assist with your planning, should you need to ship out of China urgently. Next year, however, there remains a question as to how major an impact Chinese New Year will have on shipping due to businesses advancing cargo throughout the year in acts of ‘planned resilience’. Click here for further details on this and other key forecasting questions for supply chain leaders heading into the new year. In the US, the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) are re-entering negotiations on the Master Contract, which was extended until 15th January 2025 amid recent strike action on the east coast. Talks between the parties recently broke down over automation and semi-automation plans, and we are keeping a close eye on developments with the threat of strike action remaining possible. Should strikes go ahead, our teams will once again draw up contingency plans to minimise the impact on customers. Heading towards Christmas and New Year, customers will see an adjustment in schedules in light of adjusted terminal operating hours and reduced workforce availability in the holiday period. Our teams are working on schedule adjustments to minimise the impact to our customers. Another seasonality we normally see this time of the year is the worsening of weather conditions, with rain, strong wind, and instances of fog typically affecting the continent. In the Adriatic, terminals have already seen strong wind gust – and similar conditions can be expected across the continent at this time of the year. The north of the continent is seeing a mixed performance with terminals in Bremerhaven showing a stable performance and a healthy yard density. At the same time, terminals in Rotterdam, Antwerp, and Hamburg are seeing an increase in yard density and customers are encouraged to please clear their import units at their earliest convenience to avoid possible disruptions. Our teams across the terminals are also working on final preparations for the phase-in of the Gemini network. Maersk has taken delivery of its second Boeing 777 freighter aircraft at its hub at Billund Airport, Denmark. The new addition to the fleet will operate between Europe and China, bringing capacity, speed-to-market, and technology benefits to customers. The uncertainty surrounding new political policies in the United States of America together with Thanksgiving and Christmas peak seasons have increased demand on Europe to US air freight trade. Should tariffs from certain regions into the US come to light, businesses could advance cargo to “rush” it to US shores ahead of the official implementation and bring about capacity constraints and rate increases in early 2025. We encourage customers to reach out to a member of the team to discuss their cargo options and strategies for the new year. Global air freight demand remains strong through Q4 2024, and Europe continues to represent the largest share of import volumes across all regions. According to WorldACD market data based on over 450,000 weekly transactions in mid-November, average global spot rates are up 25% compared to 2023, with the Middle East and South Asia still at significantly high levels (+73%) and rates from Asia-Pacific up by 22%. Please click here to find helpful information about the Maersk air freight network and our services to and from Europe. In November, our teams attended Intermodal Europe in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and connected with customers and partners and discussed key trends and planning for 2025. When it comes to planning ahead for the upcoming year, here are three forecasting questions every business should ask for their supply chain. The upcoming year will also see the phase-in of our Network of the Future ocean network, that is now open for bookings. In our inland teams, preparations for the phase-in of the new network are in full swing. We are working closely with customers to understand the needs of their inland supply chains in the upcoming year, and at the same time evaluating our own network and procuring capacity through our partners. To make sure our customers are set for success in 2025, we encourage them to stay close to their usual contacts and provide their estimates for the upcoming year as soon as possible, so that our teams can secure the needed capacity along specific routes. To make sure our customers are set for success in 2025, we encourage them to stay close to their usual contacts and provide their estimates for the upcoming year as soon as possible, so that our teams can secure the needed capacity along specific routes. The implementation of tariffs around the world has made headlines of late, with some companies looking to relocate operations in order to avoid them. However, when considering this, businesses must ensure the move is economically justified beyond just escaping trade measures. Authorities will likely scrutinise such relocations, emphasising the need for genuine economic reasons to steer clear of legal and financial repercussions. If you are looking to change your duty mitigation strategy, we encourage you to reach out to your local Maersk representative. Our customs experts are on hand to provide the right tools and directives that not only reduce import duties, but also ensure compliance and the meeting of legal requirements. Elsewhere, China has implemented new regulations from 1st December 2024 on the export control of dual-use items. The newly published Export Control List outlines about 700 goods and technologies that could have civilian and military applications. Consolidated with existing export control rules, the new framework simplifies licensing, unifies controls, and tightens high-tech oversight like semiconductors and AI. Proactive compliance measures will minimise penalty risks and ensure smooth operations under the stricter regulatory framework. Effective from 13th December 2024, the EU has updated its General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) to replace the 2001 General Product Safety Directive. It applies to all consumer goods except specific exclusions like food, medicines, living plants, pesticides, aircraft, and antiques. Importers face stricter obligations, including ensuring product safety, providing detailed labelling, and addressing unsafe goods swiftly. Customs will be key in market surveillance, checking for compliance documentation and authorised representatives. The GPSR applies to Northern Ireland, and UK retailers shipping to the EU must also comply. The sales frenzy of Black Friday has long moved across the Atlantic, and European consumers have become accustomed to sales events throughout November. Combined with Singles Day and Cyber Monday, it is estimated that online shops worldwide generate around 20% of their annual sales in November. In the EU, consumers on the western side of the continent are expected to spend the most on Black Friday sales – German consumers lead the way with an average budget of 317 euros per capita, followed by consumers in Austria and Spain, budgeting 303 and 282 euros, respectively. Delivery person loading parcels into Maersk last mile delivery van. With an increase in sales, businesses can also expect to see an increase in returns during this period – some reports suggest up to half of Black Friday purchases will be sent back. Within the EU, consumers have the right to return products within 14 days and receive a refund, regardless of return reason, provided they order from a European retailer. For businesses, this means offering convenient return options like drop-off points or home pick-ups will enhance the consumer shopping experience and set them apart from the competition. Though returns often seem to overly complicate operations of e-commerce businesses, reverse supply chains can equally be seen as another optimisation opportunity. Cost efficient returns solutions can minimise the extra logistics cost spent on returns, and fast returns lead time will allow restocking of eligible items quickly to maximize resale opportunities during the extended holiday shopping period. Source: MaerskA US appeals court upheld a law on Dec 6 requiring a divestment or ban of TikTok. NEW YORK - TikTok advertisers were in no rush to shift their marketing budgets after a US appeals court upheld a law on Dec 6 requiring a divestment or ban of the popular Chinese-owned short video app , citing TikTok’s continued survival despite years of threats. Chinese tech firm ByteDance must sell TikTok’s US assets by Jan 19 or the app that is used by 170 million Americans will face an unprecedented ban that jeopardises billions in ad revenue. TikTok and ByteDance had argued that the law is unconstitutional and violates Americans’ free speech rights. The ruling is expected to be appealed to the US Supreme Court. With TikTok’s future in the US uncertain, advertising executives said brands are maintaining their activities on the app, while ensuring they have a plan B. “Advertisers have not pulled back from TikTok, though several are developing contingency plans for potential reallocation of investment should there be a ban,” said Mr Jason Lee, executive vice-president of brand safety at media agency Horizon Media. Horizon is working with clients to prepare for a variety of scenarios if the app is sold or banned, Mr Lee said. Meta Platforms, owner of Facebook and Instagram, stands to gain the majority of TikTok’s ad revenue if the app is banned, followed by Alphabet’s YouTube, said Mr Erik Huberman, CEO of marketing agency Hawke Media. Both companies have introduced short-form video features in the past few years to compete with TikTok. Still, “there’s no decision to make until there’s a decision to make,” he said. TikTok’s US ad revenue is expected to reach US$12.3 billion (S$16.5 billion) in 2024, according to estimates from research Emarketer. By comparison, analysts on average expect Meta Platforms’ advertising revenue in 2024 to reach about US$159 billion, according to LSEG data. The potential boon for rivals propelled stocks on Dec 6. Meta Platforms shares rose to an all-time record high of US$629.78 earlier on Dec 6, and were up 2.3 per cent at US$622.85 in late afternoon regular trading. Alphabet shares were up 1.1 per cent at US$176.21. Trump Media & Technology, which operates the Truth Social app and is majority-owned by President-elect Donald Trump, rose 3 per cent to US$34.78. Shares of Snap, owner of messaging app Snapchat, rose 1.89 per cent to US$12.40. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you. Read 3 articles and stand to win rewards Spin the wheel now
New York elected officials are condemning the unknown perpetrators who stabbed a migrant teen to death and left another hospitalized Thursday night following an attack in Lower Manhattan . According to police sources, 17-year-old Yeremi Colino and an 18-year-old teen were walking in the Financial District outside of 17 John St. when they were approached by three men and asked if they spoke English. When they said they didn’t, authorities said, the suspects went on the attack — stabbing Colino, who stayed at the Roe Hotel in Midtown, in the torso and the 18-year-old in the left arm. Officers from the 1st Precinct responded to the incident. EMS rushed both victims to Bellevue Hospital, where Colino was pronounced dead. The 18-year-old victim is expected to survive. Sharing the amNewYork Metro story on the social media app Threads, U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman (D-Brooklyn/Manhattan) condemned the incident as racist and called for the perpetrators to be prosecuted. “Two migrant teenagers were stabbed in our city because they didn’t speak English. I condemn this racist, xenophobic hatred in the strongest terms – it has no place in our city and must be rejected. These suspects must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Goldman wrote. Police believe the killers were three men in their early 20s; one man was dressed in a green jacket, white pants, and white sneakers. Another wore red pants, red hooded sweatshirt, with a black jacket and blue and white sneakers while carrying a black backpack; while the third red hooded sweatshirt, black jacket and blue and white sneakers. The group was last seen fleeing westbound toward Broadway. U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-Bronx) also joined the outrage, sharing the original amNewYork Metro article on X, formerly known as Twitter. “[T]hree violent criminals approached two migrants, asking them about their fluency in English before savagely stabbing one of them to death and seriously wounding the other,” Torres wrote. “All New Yorkers must be equally protected from violent crime regardless of income and immigration status. Public safety is not a privilege but a right.” An eyewitness saw the attack unfold, telling amNewYork Metro that it left him shaken. “I saw it like 20 seconds after it happened,” said one witness, 23-year-old Javier Pau. “I’m pretty sure they were stabbing and walking, like on the way here, and then next thing I know, I saw the kid and he was covered in blood.” Police sources say the perpetrators remain at large. Anyone with information about the deadly stabbing to call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA). You can also submit tips online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org , or on X (formerly Twitter) @NYPDTips . All calls and messages are kept confidential.
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JBDI Holdings Limited Ordinary Shares ( NASDAQ:JBDI – Get Free Report ) and Greif ( NYSE:GEF – Get Free Report ) are both business services companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, analyst recommendations, valuation, profitability, institutional ownership, risk and earnings. Profitability This table compares JBDI Holdings Limited Ordinary Shares and Greif’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Insider & Institutional Ownership 45.7% of Greif shares are held by institutional investors. 3.1% of Greif shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth. Earnings & Valuation Greif has higher revenue and earnings than JBDI Holdings Limited Ordinary Shares. Analyst Recommendations This is a breakdown of current ratings for JBDI Holdings Limited Ordinary Shares and Greif, as provided by MarketBeat. Greif has a consensus target price of $79.40, indicating a potential upside of 11.42%. Given Greif’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Greif is more favorable than JBDI Holdings Limited Ordinary Shares. Summary Greif beats JBDI Holdings Limited Ordinary Shares on 9 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks. About JBDI Holdings Limited Ordinary Shares ( Get Free Report ) JBDI Holdings Limited engages in the trading of reconditioned and recycling containers in Singapore and the Southeast Asia region. The company offers reconditioning and recycling drums, including open top drums, metal drums, plastic drums, plastic carboys, and intermediate bulk containers, as well as new drums, and collects waste drums and related products. It serves solvent, chemical, petroleum, and edible product oil industries. The company was founded in 1983 and is based in Singapore. JBDI Holdings Limited operates as a subsidiary of E U Holdings Pte. Ltd. About Greif ( Get Free Report ) Greif, Inc. engages in the production and sale of industrial packaging products and services worldwide. The company operates through Global Industrial Packaging; Paper Packaging & Services; and Land Management segments. The Global Industrial Packaging segment produces and sells industrial packaging products, including steel, fiber, and plastic drums; rigid and flexible intermediate bulk containers; closure systems for industrial packaging products; transit protection products; water bottles, and remanufactured and reconditioned industrial containers; and various services, such as container life cycle management, filling, logistics, warehousing, and other packaging services to chemicals, paints and pigments, food and beverage, petroleum, industrial coatings, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, mineral product, and other industries. The Paper Packaging & Services segment produces and sells containerboards, corrugated sheets and containers, and other corrugated and specialty products to customers in the packaging, automotive, food, and building products markets; and produces and sells coated and uncoated recycled paperboard, and recycled fiber. This segment's corrugated container products are used to ship various products, such as home appliances, small machinery, grocery products, automotive components, books, and furniture, as well as various other applications. The Land Management segment engages in harvesting and regeneration of timber properties; and sale of timberland and special use properties. As of October 31, 2023, this segment owned approximately 175,000 acres of timber properties in the southeastern United States. The company was formerly known as Greif Bros. Corporation and changed its name to Greif, Inc. in 2001. Greif, Inc. was founded in 1877 and is headquartered in Delaware, Ohio. Receive News & Ratings for JBDI Holdings Limited Ordinary Shares Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for JBDI Holdings Limited Ordinary Shares and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
Judge grants dismissal of election subversion case against TrumpJudge grants dismissal of election subversion case against TrumpNone
Save up to 50% on a Wide Range of Samsonite Luggage Pieces in Epic Black Friday DealsNEW YORK — A number of President-elect Donald Trump 's most prominent Cabinet picks and appointees have been targeted by bomb threats and “swatting attacks," Trump's transition team said Wednesday. The FBI said it was investigating. “Last night and this morning, several of President Trump’s Cabinet nominees and Administration appointees were targeted in violent, unAmerican threats to their lives and those who live with them," Trump transition spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. She said the attacks ranged from bomb threats to swatting, in which attackers initiate an emergency law enforcement response against a target victim under false pretenses. The tactic has become a popular one in recent years. President-elect Donald Trump arrives to speak at a meeting of the House GOP conference, followed by Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) “In response, law enforcement and other authorities acted quickly to ensure the safety of those who were targeted. President Trump and the entire Transition team are grateful for their swift action,” Leavitt said. Among those targeted were New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump’s pick to serve as the next ambassador to the United Nations, Matt Gaetz, Trump’s initial pick to serve as attorney general, and former New York congressman Lee Zeldin, who has been tapped to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. Susie Wiles, Trump's incoming chief of staff, and Pam Bondi, the former Florida Attorney General whom Trump has chosen as Gaetz's replacement, were also targeted, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity amid the ongoing investigation. Wiles and Bondi did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The FBI said in a statement that it was “aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees" and was "working with our law enforcement partners. We take all potential threats seriously, and as always, encourage members of the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement.” Stefanik's office said that, on Wednesday morning, she, her husband, and their 3-year-old son were driving home from Washington for Thanksgiving when they were informed of a bomb threat to their residence in Saratoga County. "New York State, County law enforcement, and U.S. Capitol Police responded immediately with the highest levels of professionalism," her office said in a statement. “We are incredibly appreciative of the extraordinary dedication of law enforcement officers who keep our communities safe 24/7." The New York State Police said a team was dispatched to sweep Stefanik’s home on Wednesday morning in response to the bomb threat but did not locate any explosive devices. A spokesman for the agency directed further questions to the FBI. Zeldin said in a social media post that he and his family had been threatened. “A pipe bomb threat targeting me and my family at our home today was sent in with a pro-Palestinian themed message,” he wrote on X. “My family and I were not home at the time and are safe. We are working with law enforcement to learn more as this situation develops.” Police in Suffolk County, Long Island said emergency officers responded to a bomb threat Wednesday morning at an address listed in public records as Zeldin’s home and were checking the property. In Florida, meanwhile, the Okaloosa County sheriff’s office said in an advisory posted on Facebook that it “received notification of a bomb threat referencing former Congressman Matt Gaetz’s supposed mailbox at a home in the Niceville area around 9 a.m. this morning.” While a family member resides at the address, they said "former Congressman Gaetz is NOT a resident. The mailbox however was cleared and no devices were located. The immediate area was also searched with negative results.” Gaetz was Trump’s initial pick to serve as attorney general, but he withdrew from consideration amid allegations that he paid women for sex and slept with underage women. Gaetz has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and said last year that a Justice Department investigation into sex trafficking allegations involving underage girls had ended with no federal charges against him. The threats follow a political campaign marked by disturbing and unprecedented violence. In July, a gunman opened fire at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, grazing the then-candidate in the ear with a bullet and killing one of his supporters. The U.S. Secret Service later thwarted a subsequent assassination attempt at Trump's West Palm Beach, Florida, golf course when an agent spotted the barrel of a gun poking through a perimeter fence while Trump was golfing. Public figures across the political spectrum have been targeted in recent years by hoax bomb threats and false reports of shootings at their homes. The judges overseeing the civil fraud case against Trump in New York and the criminal election interference case against him in Washington, D.C. were both targeted earlier this year. Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith, who recently abandoned the two criminal cases he brought against Trump, was also the subject of a fake emergency call on Christmas Day last year. Earlier this year, schools, government buildings and the homes of city officials in Springfield, Ohio received a string of hoax bomb threats after Trump falsely accused members of Springfield’s Haitian community of abducting and eating cats and dogs. And in 2022, a slew of historically Black colleges and universities nationwide were targeted with dozens of bomb threats with the vast majority arriving during the celebration of Black History Month. The U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement Wednesday that, “Anytime a Member of Congress is the victim of a 'swatting' incident, we work closely with our local and federal law enforcement partners. To protect ongoing investigations and to minimize the risk of copy-cats, we cannot provide more details at this time.” Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson called the threats “dangerous and unhinged.” “This year, there was not just one but TWO assassination attempts on President Trump. Now some of his Cabinet nominees and their families are facing bomb threats,” he wrote on X. “It is not who we are in America.” 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.” 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. 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. 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. 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. William McGinley, White House counsel McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign. In a statement, Trump called McGinley “a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda, while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement.” 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. 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. Associated Press writers Alanna Durkin Richer, Colleen Long and Eric Tucker in Washington and Anthony Izaguirre in Albany, New York contributed to this report. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
LOUISIANA TECH 85, SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 79, OT
“Gladiator II” asks the question: Are you not moderately entertained for roughly 60% of this sequel? Truly, this is a movie dependent on managed expectations and a forgiving attitude toward its tendency to overserve. More of a thrash-and-burn schlock epic than the comparatively restrained 2000 “Gladiator,” also directed by Ridley Scott, the new one recycles a fair bit of the old one’s narrative cries for freedom while tossing in some digital sharks for the flooded Colosseum and a bout of deadly sea-battle theatrics. They really did flood the Colosseum in those days, though no historical evidence suggests shark deployment, real or digital. On the other hand (checks notes), “Gladiator II” is fiction. Screenwriter David Scarpa picks things up 16 years after “Gladiator,” which gave us the noble death of the noble warrior Maximus, shortly after slaying the ignoble emperor and returning Rome to the control of the Senate. Our new hero, Lucius (Paul Mescal), has fled Rome for Numidia, on the North African coast. The time is 200 A.D., and for the corrupt, party-time twins running the empire (Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger), that means invasion time. Pedro Pascal takes the role of Acacius, the deeply conflicted general, sick of war and tired of taking orders from a pair of depraved ferrets. The new film winds around the old one this way: Acacius is married to Lucilla (Connie Nielsen, in a welcome return), daughter of the now-deceased emperor Aurelius and the love of the late Maximus’s life. Enslaved and dragged to Rome to gladiate, the widower Lucius vows revenge on the general whose armies killed his wife. But there are things this angry young phenom must learn, about his ancestry and his destiny. It’s the movie’s worst-kept secret, but there’s a reason he keeps seeing footage of Russell Crowe from the first movie in his fever dreams. Battle follows battle, on the field, in the arena, in the nearest river, wherever, and usually with endless splurches of computer-generated blood. “Gladiator II” essentially bumper-cars its way through the mayhem, pausing for long periods of expository scheming about overthrowing the current regime. The prince of all fixers, a wily operative with interests in both managing gladiators and stocking munitions, goes by the name Macrinus. He’s played by Denzel Washington, who at one point makes a full meal out of pronouncing the word “politics” like it’s a poisoned fig. Also, if you want a masterclass in letting your robes do a lot of your acting for you, watch what Washington does here. He’s more fun than the movie but you can’t have everything. The movie tries everything, all right, and twice. Ridley Scott marshals the chaotic action sequences well enough, though he’s undercut by frenetic cutting rhythms, with that now-familiar, slightly sped-up visual acceleration in frequent use. (Claire Simpson and Sam Restivo are the editors.) Mescal acquits himself well in his first big-budget commercial walloper of an assignment, confined though he is to a narrower range of seething resentments than Crowe’s in the first film. I left thinking about two things: the word “politics” as savored/spit out by Washington, and the innate paradox of how Scott, whose best work over the decades has been wonderful, delivers spectacle. The director and his lavishly talented design team built all the rough-hewn sets with actual tangible materials the massive budget allowed. They took care to find the right locations in Morocco and Malta. Yet when combined in post-production with scads of medium-grade digital effects work in crowd scenes and the like, never mind the sharks, the movie’s a somewhat frustrating amalgam. With an uneven script on top of it, the visual texture of “Gladiator II” grows increasingly less enveloping and atmospherically persuasive, not more. But I hung there, for some of the acting, for some of the callbacks, and for the many individual moments, or single shots, that could only have come from Ridley Scott. And in the end, yes, you too may be moderately entertained. “Gladiator II” — 2.5 stars (out of 4) MPA rating: R (for strong bloody violence) Running time: 2:28 How to watch: Premieres in theaters Nov. 21. Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic.Are you tracking your health with a device? Here’s what could happen with the data28th World Investment Conference Kicks Off in Riyadh, Uniting Global Leaders in Investment for Sustainable Growth
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