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hw y7p RT’S SPANISH-LANGUAGE CHANNEL CELEBRATES 15 YEARS ON AIRA house opposite Valluvarkottam was damaged on Friday after a huge tree that was uprooted at the landmark, where renovation works are under way, fell inside its premises. A two-wheeler rider was injured in the incident. Residents complained about the incident on social media after officials of various civic agencies, including the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) and the Public Works Department (PWD), reportedly refused to help them in getting the tree removed from the house. They demanded that the State government repair the damage to the building and compensate them. They also wanted it to improve coordination between civic agencies during such events and ensure the safety of residents near sites where such work was under way. Usha Krishnan, a resident of Nungambakkam, whose house was damaged in the accident said they tried calling GCC officials to remove the tree. The officials told them that the tree was on PWD land and refused to help. The residents had gathered on the streets at 7.30 p.m. on Friday in protest and dispersed around 2.30 a.m. on Saturday. On X (formerly twitter), Ms. Krishnan wrote: “Extremely stressful evening and night. Tree from Valluvarkottam fell on our house and broke many parts of the wall and the car shed. We are yet to ascertain what is the damage and financial outlay for repairs. No one from @chennaicorp has reached out.” “Tree-cutting contractors from Valluvarkottam were removing the wreckage without any official supervision. We need to be compensated accordingly. The damage to the property is estimated at ₹1 lakh. The jolly work above the compound wall, car shed, and garden were damaged. The incident happened when two senior citizens were alone at home. We are disappointed that the authorities are not reaching out to us,” Ms. Krishnan said. “On my way home from work, I was crossing Valluvarkottam around 7.30 p.m. on Friday when the trunk of the tree missed my head by a hair. The tree’s fall also caused a nearby transformer to burst. My two-wheeler was damaged. Hearing the noise from the transformer bursting, residents gathered on the road,” said S. Dhinakar, an information technology professional who was crossing the stretch when the incident occurred. Officials from Valluvarkottam said they would restore the house and repair the two-wheeler damaged in the accident. Published - December 28, 2024 11:49 pm IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit

An Arizona man has been arrested for allegedly threatening to kill President-elect Donald Trump through “numerous lengthy videos” on Facebook, according to court documents. Manuel Tamayo-Torres was charged with one count of making threats against Trump, referred to in the documents as “Individual 1,” and a president’s successor. The documents allege he made “vague yet direct threats” toward the president-elect, his family and law enforcement agents. The documents state that on Thursday, Tamayo-Torres posted a video in which he said, “You’re gonna die, your son’s gonna die. Your whole family is going to die. This is reality for you now. This is the only reality you have in your future, dying.” He also claimed in the video that the “Secret Service, FBI, CIA and the military are all defenseless.” In another video, Tamayo-Torres was reportedly seen threatening to shoot Trump while holding “what appears to be a white AR-15-style rifle with a 30-round magazine inserted into it,” according to the documents. Officials said Tamayo-Torres posted “on a near-daily basis” about “[Individual 1] and his family kidnapping and sex-trafficking his children.” Tamayo-Torres also claimed in a video posted Aug. 23 from Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, where Trump was holding a rally, that he “observed [Individual 1] and Secret Service kidnap his daughter there.” While investigating the alleged threats, a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives task force officer said they found photos on Facebook showing Tamayo-Torres holding a bullpup-style shotgun, a rifle and the AR-15-style rifle seen in one of his videos. Tamayo-Torres was arrested in California after he posted a video from his vehicle indicating he was in San Diego. The charges against him were filed in Arizona. In recent months, Trump has faced two assassination attempts — one at a rally in Pennsylvania and another at a golf course in Florida. A report released earlier this month by the Secret Service highlighted “communication failures” that allowed Thomas Matthew Crooks to get close enough to shoot the president-elect in the ear and kill a man at the rally. Crooks was shot and killed by the Secret Service shortly after opening fire. In the second assassination attempt in West Palm Beach, authorities said Ryan Wesley Routh was captured after a Secret Service agent saw the barrel of a rifle poking out from trees. Routh allegedly waited on the golf course for 12 hours.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. 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 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. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox!As a smooth-talking media and political pundit, Colman Domingo ’s Muncie Daniels is used to commenting on politics and the news — not becoming the news — in The Madness . However, his fate will quickly change for the worse when we meet him in the new series. When the CNN personality discovers the dead body of a white supremacist in the woods near where he’s staying in the Poconos, he winds up in the crosshairs of law enforcement and possibly framed for murder — and even his lawyer friend Kwesi (Deon Cole) warns the silver-tongued Muncie, “You’re not going to be able to talk your way out of this.... They are going to pin all this on you.” Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Liverpool’s win over Real Madrid proves Arne Slot is now just showing off

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Israel PM blames government over synagogue attack“Last night and this morning, several of President Trump’s cabinet nominees and administration appointees were targeted in violent, un-American 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'”, adding: “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.” Swatting entails generating an emergency law enforcement response against a target victim under false pretences. The FBI said in a statement that it is “aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees, and we are working with our law enforcement partners”. It added: “We take all potential threats seriously, and as always, encourage members of the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement.” Among those targeted was Elise Stefanik, Mr Trump’s choice to serve as the next ambassador to the United Nations. Her office said that she, her husband, and their three-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 US 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.” 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 9am this morning”. While a family member resides at the address, they said “former congressman Gaetz is not a resident”, adding: “The mailbox however was cleared and no devices were located. The immediate area was also searched with negative results.” Mr Gaetz was Mr 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. Mr 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 unusual 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 US Secret Service later thwarted a subsequent assassination attempt at Mr Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, when an agent spotted the barrel of a gun poking through a fence while Mr Trump was playing golf.The morning after the Sacramento Kings fired coach Mike Brown , they held a shootaround in Los Angeles to prepare for Saturday's game against the Lakers . Interim head coach Doug Christie, who is expected to remain in that role for the rest of the season , ran shootaround for the first time. Asked about his reaction to the controversial decision , Sacramento guard De'Aaron Fox told reporters: "It was surprising. I mean, I found out a minute before everybody else did, so." Then he shrugged his shoulders. Fox has been with the Kings since they drafted him No. 5 overall in 2017. Christie will be his fifth coach in the NBA . "I've been through a coaching change before," Fox said. "I think for some of the guys, it's the first time, but you gotta keep moving. I think we're -- this is Game 32, so you still have a long season to go." A reporter asked Fox if, as a player, he felt any pressure or guilt when a change like this occurs. "Pressure or guilt?" Fox said. "I mean, obviously, we all know the job that we have. You can be traded at any point, released, cut, fired, whatever it may be. I mean, I wouldn't use the word 'guilt.' But that's the nature of the job that we have. But, I mean, obviously him signing his extension this summer, we felt like we'd be together a whole lot longer, but that's the decision that they made. But at the end of the day, too, he's still getting paid. A great part of being an NBA player, NBA coach is those things can happen, but contracts are guaranteed, so." De'Aaron Fox reacts to the firing of Mike Brown, how he found out, where his Sacramento Kings go from here, Doug Christie as interim coach and answers the question about bearing any responsibility. pic.twitter.com/P29C0zeRzR At the end of Friday's practice, Brown had what The Athletic described as an "extended" conversation with Fox. According to Fox, they were "talking about end-game stuff, what we do towards the end of games." He "definitely didn't know that that little conversation," which he called "really normal," would be their last of Brown's tenure. Six months ago, after Brown signed an extension, Fox told reporters that it was great to have "stability" on the coaching front. Asked if his perspective on that had changed since then, Fox said, "Not at all." Before the team plane took off on Friday, Christie addressed the team, Fox said, "and after that, the plane ride was normal. I went to sleep." Fox said that Christie wants to "simplify" the offense, and he wants the team to "continue to be better defensively, be physical defensively." He added that Christie wants the team to try to play fast, just like Brown did. Sacramento big man Domantas Sabonis missed Thursday's loss against the Detroit Pistons because of an illness. He missed Brown's last practice, too, and didn't fly with the team to Los Angeles. On Saturday morning, though, he took an early flight and joined the team in time for shootaround. "Crazy," Sabonis told reporters . "I haven't been with the team for 30 hours, and a lot's happened. Just shocked with everything." Sabonis "got here and went right onto the court," he said. "We're all focused on winning the game, but we obviously we know we haven't been performing our best and we have to do a better job. As one of the leaders of the team, I gotta make sure that happens." Sacramento is 13-18 and has lost five straight games, and Sabonis implied that its struggles cost Brown his job. "Things are happening because we're not performing," Sabonis said. "At the end of the day, we know that we have a standard to be at, and we're not doing it." Domantas Sabonis says he plans to play tonight vs. Lakers, reacts to the firing of Mike Brown and how capable Doug Christie is taking over the head coaching reins pic.twitter.com/m5hw7kNnFi When Brown got fired, Sabonis was sleeping. "I got woken up by the news," he said. Sabonis spoke appreciatively of the two-plus years he spent with Brown. "He trusted me in my career," Sabonis said. "He put me in a position to succeed, and he gave me a lot of confidence." For years, Sabonis has worked individually with Christie before games. Christie has visited him for summer workouts, too. "He's very capable," Sabonis said. "He's been around basketball a lot, as a player, as a coach. He has a true, deep love for the city of Sacramento and the team. His only goal is to win a championship." Christie's message to the team was "to come out and stick together, fight," Sabonis said. "And just be us, be who we are and turn this thing around." Malik Monk reacts to the Kings firing Mike Brown, his message to Kings fans, what he'll miss about his former head coach and thanks him after experiencing the best years of his career. "The energy he brought, the passion he had for the game ... that's what I took most out of... pic.twitter.com/C1orHmPzlc Kings guard Malik Monk told reporters that he was "shocked, just like everybody else" when he found out that Brown was out. "But it's the NBA. Anything can happen. So next man up, I guess." Monk has texted Brown, but they haven't debriefed yet. "He said he's going to call me tomorrow," Monk said. "I guess I'll see what he says tomorrow." Under Brown, Monk played the best basketball of his career. What he'll remember most about playing for Brown, he said, is "the energy he brought, the passion he had for the game, the passion he had for just being on a basketball court, being around the game. That's what I took most out of him. He never took everything for granted." Monk then added, "Thank you, Mike." Asked if he had a message for Kings fans, Monk said, "Sorry, fans. We're going to turn it around. That's it. Short and sweet."

'Unprecedented' Climate Extremes Are Everywhere. Our Baselines For What's Normal Will Need To Change #'Unprecedented' #Climate #Extremes #Everywhere. #Baselines #What's #Normal #Need #Change #USA #Russia #Biden #Ukraine #War #Palestine #Gaza #Israel #

Mike Brown firing: Kings' De'Aaron Fox says he was surprised, but 'you gotta keep moving'Trump offers a public show of support for Pete Hegseth, his embattled nominee to lead the PentagonFamous last words: thoughts from the big names we lost in 2024, from Maggie Smith to Brian MulroneyAP Signs 2 MoUs With Tony Blair Institute To Modernise Higher Education

St. Francis football team signs 13 playersBucharest: A senior official at Romania’s telecoms regulator called on Wednesday for TikTok to be suspended pending an investigation into the platform’s potential role in Sunday’s shock far-right victory in the first round of a presidential election. Having polled in single digits before Sunday’s vote, independent far-right politician Calin Georgescu, 62, surged to a victory that raised questions over how such a surprise had been possible in the European Union and NATO member state. Shock win: Romanian presidential candidate Calin Georgescu. Credit: Getty Images He will face centrist contender Elena Lasconi in a run-off on December 8. Georgescu gained many votes from young voters and Romanians living abroad, and his campaign relied heavily on the video-sharing platform. “I call for the TikTok platform to be suspended in Romania as of November 28 until state institutions finalise an investigation concerning the manipulation of the electoral process,” telecoms regulator deputy chief Pavel Popescu was quoted saying by the news website profit.ro. “I will start the official process to that end tomorrow.” A man with the Romanian and EU flags takes part in a protest against Calin Georgescu in Bucharest. Credit: AP The government’s press office did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. Romania’s National Audiovisual Council (NAC) had already called on the European Commission on Tuesday to investigate TikTok’s role in the vote, due to “suspicions of manipulation of public opinion”. NAC vice president Valentin-Alexandru Jucan said the council believed the platform’s algorithms had amplified material favourable to a single candidate and that it had lacked transparency about who was sponsoring election content. A TikTok spokesperson dismissed such concerns. “These ... reports about the Romanian elections are inaccurate and misleading, as most candidates have established a TikTok presence and the winners campaigned on other digital platforms beyond ours,” the spokesperson said. TikTok did not immediately respond to a further request for comment about Popescu’s comments. The European Commission confirmed by email that it had received a request to launch a probe. “If the Commission suspects a breach on the basis of the evidence at our disposal, it can open proceedings to look into TikTok’s compliance ... We are closely monitoring developments.” In a further sign of the level of concern in the nation of 19 million people, the president’s office said Romania’s top security body would meet on Thursday to discuss possible risks to the country and its electoral process stemming from social media. Meanwhile, two candidates eliminated in the first round have challenged the election round at Romania’s top court asking it to recall the result on the grounds Georgescu did not declare any campaign funding sources. Georgescu’s team has yet to comment on the challenge. Georgescu has said his campaign budget was zero and backed entirely by volunteers. Analysts and politicians have said his surprise win relative to his pre-election polling data indicated foreign interference in the election. Before the vote, Romania’s intelligence agency told lawmakers it had not detected signs that national security was breached. Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Bucharest on Tuesday evening, chanting: “No Putin, no fear, Europe is our mother,” and “Young people ask you not to vote for a dictator.” Protests were also held in other major cities. Georgescu has previously praised 1930s Romanian fascist politicians as national heroes and martyrs, has been critical of NATO and Romania’s pro-Ukraine position, and has said the country should engage, not challenge Russia. But in a stream on Facebook on Tuesday evening, he said: “I do not want to leave NATO, I do not want to leave the European Union. What I want, however, is to take a stance, not to kneel over there, not to take everything. Like I said, we should do everything in our national interest.” Reuters Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for the weekly What in the World newsletter here .

COLUMBUS—Ron Walters has informed the PANGAEA Board of Directors of his decision to retire as CEO at the close of 2024. With a distinguished career spanning more than 41 years in the telecommunications and internet sectors, Walters held key executive management roles in both large and small companies throughout the U.S. For the past 18 years, he led PANGAEA as CEO, hiring outstanding staff and steering the company through significant growth and innovation. Under Walter’s leadership, PANGAEA successfully partnered with dozens of community-focused organizations and leaders to realize its nonprofit mission of enhancing economic development, improving the quality of life, serving underserved areas, and positioning itself for further expansion. During his tenure, the company expanded and diversified its fiber internet service offerings by building almost 1,000 miles of fiber and providing service to thousands of locations in Rutherford and Polk counties, and grew revenue to $2M annually. More than $6M in grant awards was received to build its state-of-the-art network and connect customers. Walters fostered a team-oriented corporate culture emphasizing communications, community focus, customer service, and employee development and engagement. “It has been an honor to build this team and lead PANGAEA through a period of remarkable transformation and growth,” Walters said. “I am immensely proud of what we have achieved together and very confident in the future growth and innovation of the company.” PANGAEA Internet also announced the promotion of Ken Griffin to Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2025. With more than 30 years of experience in information technology and management, he has been an integral part of the PANGAEA team since 2015. Most recently, Griffin served as PANGAEA’s Senior Network Operations and Sales Director, where he played a pivotal role in the company’s technical strategy and operational growth. His diverse skill set, technical expertise, and leadership qualities make him the ideal choice to lead PANGAEA as it continues to evolve and succeed in a rapidly changing industry. Griffin holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of North Carolina at Asheville and lives in Tryon with his wife and daughter. “I am both honored and excited to take on the role of CEO at PANGAEA Internet,” said Griffin. “The company has always had a strong foundation built on providing exceptional fiber internet solutions to our community and partners, and I look forward to leading our talented team as we continue to innovate and expand our services. We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of excellence in everything we do, and I am excited for what the future holds.” Jim Edwards, Chairman of the Board, noted that Walters guided PANGAEA through crucial steps in its growth. “His industry experience, commitment to community service, and dedication to PANGAEA’s mission have made his leadership the key to success,” said Edwards. “Ken’s extensive background in IT and his proven leadership in previous roles have equipped him to take PANGAEA Internet to the next level. We are confident that under Ken’s leadership, the company will continue to thrive and provide innovative solutions to our partners while maintaining a strong commitment to excellence.” PANGAEA also announced the well-deserved promotions of Rick Mason to Chief Financial Officer and Director of Business Operations, Dana Conner to Network Engineer & Project Coordinator, and Carolyn Whitehead to Manager of Business Operations. PANGAEA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing affordable and reliable connectivity and services in our region. For more information, visit www.pangaea.us. Submitted by Carolyn WhiteheadEx-international Ben Iroha has given a pat on the back to the chairman of the nation’s premier league, Hon Gbenga Elegbeleye, declaring that he has changed the face of the league. The United States based former Super Eagles defense strongman who was in Uyo over the weekend to see the Eagles play disclosed that he has been following the nation’s domestic league from his base. Iroha who was full of praise for the NPFL boss said it is good to see that Hon Elegbeleye has changed the face of the league. He said: ” Elegbeleye has changed a lot of things. I have been following the league closely and I am impressed with the job he is doing. Just last weekend Kano Pillars returned to their base and the visiting team secured a draw in Kano. Pillars also won some weeks back in Enugu. Beyond the improvement in officiating there is improved security at match venues and this is why the referees are bold to officiate fairly. We are going back to the good old days. Don’t forget that as a player, I played for several clubs in Nigeria. I played for Falcons of Aba that is today Enyimba. I played for Heartland before going Overseas. Our league is getting back to what it used to be. I want to tell Hon Elegbeleye not to relent. He is doing an excellent job. Hon Elegbeleye is a person that I have known for over two decades and I know he is a serious minded person. I want corporate bodies to come and support and identify with the ongoing turn around.” Iroha stressed that with corporate support players would be well paid at home and situation which he noted would help the Super Eagles.Oncology Advancements Accelerate Amid Rising Early-Onset Cancer Diagnoses

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Trump names David Sacks as White House AI and crypto czarVicor Co. (NASDAQ:VICR) Shares Bought by Franklin Resources Inc.

(BPT) - The holidays are almost here! It means parties and events, hustle and bustle ... and figuring out what to buy for everyone on your list. Sometimes it's hard to get inspired with great ideas that your nears and dears will love at a price you can afford, right? The good news? Inspiration + savings are covered this year. One of the top gifts of Holiday 2024 is technology, and there are a lot of deals out there right now. Done and done! Here are 5 ideas for hot tech gifts for everyone on your list. Smartphones for the family T-Mobile is running a hot deal right now. Get four new smartphones at T-Mobile — this includes Samsung Galaxy S24 and other eligible devices — and four lines for just $100/month . It doesn't get better than that! These new Galaxy phones are tech-tastic, too, with features like AI, Circle to Search with Google, which can be used to help solve math problems and translate entire pages of text in a different language, and Note Assist with Galaxy AI, which lets you focus on capturing your notes and then Note Assist will summarize, format and even translate them for you. High tech spiral notebook for students We've got to admit, this is pretty cool. The Rocketbook looks (a bit) like a regular spiral, paper notebook. Here's the high tech twist: You can take notes, capture ideas, brainstorm, draw — whatever you do on paper — on the pad, and the Rocketbook digitizes your doodles and saves to the cloud device of your choice. Then you simply wipe the pad clean and it's good to go. Look for Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales at your favorite online retailer. Wrist-worthy smartwatches for athletes (or those who want to be) Everyone loves smartwatches (if you're not already tracking your sleep and heart rate, where have you been?) and the Google Pixel Watch 3 (41mm & 45mm) takes it to the next level with features for athletes or anyone who may be setting fitness goals for the coming year. The watch has workout prompts like Real Time Guidance — audio and haptic cues for when to sprint, cool down or maintain pace. It gives you the ability to program your workouts and even monitors your cadence and stride. It also has Offline Maps, with driving navigation, search and maps. Here's the deal of the century: Get it for free at T-Mobile when adding a qualifying watch line. Cute wireless keyboard for people who are all thumbs Who else is annoyed by typing email or texts or social posts on a smartphone? The Logitech Multi-Device Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard solves that problem with style! It comes in sweet colors like lavender, it's wireless, it's small and portable, and it works with just about any device. Pop it into your backpack or purse and you'll never have to thumb-out a message again. Speakers perfect for hosting and giving Have a music lover in your life or need the perfect hosting gift? T-Mobile has you covered. For a limited time, you can get the JBL Clip 5 for free when you pick up a Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9 . The JBL Clip 5 is an ultra-portable Bluetooth speaker perfect for those on the go and the Onyx Studio 9's sleek design and booming sound will take care of all your holiday hosting needs. For more tech-tastic holiday gift inspiration, check out T-Mobile's holiday gift guide at t-mobile.com/devices/tech-gifts .“Last night and this morning, several of President Trump’s cabinet nominees and administration appointees were targeted in violent, un-American 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'”, adding: “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.” Swatting entails generating an emergency law enforcement response against a target victim under false pretences. The FBI said in a statement that it is “aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees, and we are working with our law enforcement partners”. It added: “We take all potential threats seriously, and as always, encourage members of the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement.” Among those targeted was Elise Stefanik, Mr Trump’s choice to serve as the next ambassador to the United Nations. Her office said that she, her husband, and their three-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 US 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.” 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 9am this morning”. While a family member resides at the address, they said “former congressman Gaetz is not a resident”, adding: “The mailbox however was cleared and no devices were located. The immediate area was also searched with negative results.” Mr Gaetz was Mr 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. Mr 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 unusual 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 US Secret Service later thwarted a subsequent assassination attempt at Mr Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, when an agent spotted the barrel of a gun poking through a fence while Mr Trump was playing golf.

Middle East latest: Lebanon closes all its land border crossings with Syria except one

New footage of vehicles slamming into rail bridges in Queensland has been released amid a push to improve driver awareness. At least 386 bridges or protection beams have been hit by vehicles in the past 12 months, causing train and road delays. Police and multiple government departments are leading a blitz this week to improve awareness among drivers in high-risk areas. “Just last month we saw a car narrowly miss being crushed after a truck got wedged at Corinda – next time maybe we won’t be so lucky,” said Travis Cooper from Queensland Rail. “We’re not mincing our words – drivers, know your height, plan your route and obey the signs and rules.” Children younger than 16 are all but set to be banned from social media, with federal parliament poised to enact the world-first legislation. The Senate is expected on Thursday to pass the laws that would ban young people from platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok with bipartisan support. However, there has been concern that the proposal has been rushed through parliament without proper scrutiny, given that Australia would be the first country to implement such a ban. The ban would come into effect one year after the laws pass the parliament, with trials of age-verification technology still done by the federal government. Criticism had been levelled at the ban after an inquiry into the laws ran for just three hours, with people only given one day to hand in submissions and a lack of consultation with young people themselves. While the bill has enjoyed bipartisan support, several coalition members have broken ranks to raise concerns. Tasmanian Liberal MP Bridget Archer crossed the floor to vote against the ban in the House of Representatives, while coalition senator Matt Canavan has also criticised the laws. Brisbanites wake to another cloudy day today, with the mercury forecast to hit a top of 30 degrees. There’s a higher chance of showers today than there has been this week so far, so don’t forget your umbrella. Tomorrow and the weekend look to be even wetter again. Here’s the outlook into the weekend and beyond. Stories making the rounds beyond Brisbane this morning: Bikies ran amok in the CFMEU , and they’re not going to leave quietly. Efforts to clean up the troubled union are encountering resistance as the extent of past problems becomes clearer. Independent senator Lidia Thorpe was suspended from the chamber for a day for throwing papers at Senator Pauline Hanson in fury, after the latter was accused of spreading hatred by Senator Fatima Payman. In Canberra, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has intervened to scupper a deal with the Greens over environmental reform that Labor promised at the last election, circumventing his Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek. Elon Musk, US President-elect Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jnr, Mike Johnson and Robert F. Kennedy enjoy a McDonald’s meal aboard Trump’s private plane. Credit: @DonaldJTrumpJr/X It was a picture that revealed more than just Donald Trump’s inner circle. What does the president-elect’s diet consist of? Breakfast – nothing. Lunch – nothing. Dinner – a McDonald’s, KFC, pizza or a well-done steak. Twelve Diet Cokes a day, and snacking on Doritos. Here’s what happened when The Telegraph’s Gareth Davies tried it for a week. And a man who could be the NRL season’s most important buy has revealed why he changed clubs, as Brisbane Times Sports Reporter Nick Wright dissects who stands as their new side’s most crucial purchase . Good morning, thanks for joining us for Brisbane Times’ live news blog. It’s Thursday, November 28, and we’re expecting a partly cloudy day and a top temperature of 30 degrees. In this morning’s local headlines: After an eight-month inquiry, the Senate transport committee’s 229-page report on aircraft noise has been tabled in parliament . In Olympics venue news, Dykman Consulting is working on a submission to the Crisafulli government’s 100-day review that envisages a “golden triangle” inner-city Games transport area , with the Gabba becoming the Brisbane Arena, a Suncorp Stadium upgrade and a Main Stadium at the eastern end of Victoria Park. Local primary school students have joined the fight against the development of a 24/7 McDonald’s on Nudgee Road in Hendra. Credit: Courtney Kruk Primary school students have added their voices to a chorus of locals opposing the proposed development of a 24-hour McDonald’s on Nudgee Road , staging a protest outside Hendra State School on Wednesday afternoon. Dozens of mums, dads and bubs have turned King George Square into a parking lot for prams as they gathered to sing songs and read stories in protest of Brisbane City Council’s decision to cut local library reading programs . Barry Parade Public House is one of the best-looking bar openings in years. Credit: Markus Ravik And a sophisticated neighbourhood boozer has opened in what many would consider a relatively unknown byway between the CBD and Fortitude Valley. Take a look inside Barry Parade Public House.