jili886

jili886 White House mostly mum after Trump defeat​Can a Muscle Car be electric?CNBC Daily Open: South Korea and its markets are not unfamiliar with impeachment

Kelowna RCMP have concluded investigation into year-old gas station incidentWALPOLE — In a rematch of last season’s Div. 4 Final Four, the results remained the same as Scituate beat Grafton 14-3 victory at Walpole High School. Scituate led the entire game but only held a 7-3 advantage late into the fourth quarter. Grayson Foley, on only his third carry of the game, put the contest to bed with 3:02 left to play in regulation on a fourth-and-goal plunge from the one-yard line. The victory sends the Sailors back to the Super Bowl for the fourth time in the past six years with their last victory coming in 2021 in a 14-13 win over Duxbury. Both teams were 10-0 coming into the game and each team recorded shutouts over their quarterfinal opponents, so Scituate head coach Herb Devine knew his squad was in for a long day. “Give credit to Grafton as their defense was the real deal. They were physical, they did a great job up front on us all day, and our kids just had to make plays, and win a little unconventionally,” said Devine after he caught his breath from the post-game celebration. “We got a couple of turnovers, and it definitely helped us out, kind of flipped the field position, and we were able to score. That fourth-and-one was huge, game comes down to t-formation and we get to punch one in and it was pretty incredible.” Scituate won the turnover battle, 3-0, but the big turning point was Lawson Foley’s interception with 7:07 left in the second quarter with the game scoreless. Foley picked off a pass at midfield and returned it up the right sideline down to the Gators 15-yard line. Four plays later, Will Robinson scored from two yards out to give the Sailors the 7-0 lead after Griffin McGirr hit the extra point. Grafton marched back down on the next series, but Gators head coach Chris McMahon elected to go with a 26-yard field goal from Ryan Davis on a fourth-and-four from the nine-yard line to end the first half. “It’s not what we wanted, it’s not how we wanted our seniors to go out, but it’s a tough one,” said McMahon. “We’ve played them three times over the last four years – they are really good. In games like this when you have two good teams, a couple of plays here or there – a turnover, not converting on a third down – that’s the difference in a game like this.” The Gators were inside the 20-yard line of the Sailors on three different occasions and also had a 22-yard touchdown run from Zeeland Youngblood erased on a holding penalty. Finn Gilmore was the offensive star for Grafton with 27 carries for a game-high 127 yards, but it wasn’t enough against the Scituate defense which came up big when the Sailors needed the stops. So, while the Gators had their chances – it was Foley and the Sailors who took advantage of the few opportunities. On the final series with 5:19 left to play, Foley took his second carry of the game 66 yards down to the three-yard line to set up the fourth-quarter theatrics. After three failed attempts against the tough defensive front of the Gators, Coach Devine put his faith back in his sophomore running back for the final nail in the win. “We knew it was going to be a game with playing for field position, maybe our special teams would get a score,” said Devine. “But someone helped break Grayson’s (first) run all the way down, and it’s just a team win. To win a defensive battle like that and not be able to put points on the board like we are used to is a little different, but we will take it.”

Canadian telecoms monitoring networks amid massive cyberespionage campaign from ChinaAP Trending SummaryBrief at 6:06 p.m. EST

Concerns have been raised about the care and support people receive while facing long waits in A&E. A major new survey has found that many emergency care patients felt they were not able to get help with their condition while waiting. And more than a quarter said they were given no pain relief while in the queue to see a medic. The survey results have prompted concerns about patient experience as the NHS heads into winter, which is traditionally a busy time for emergency and urgent care services. The health watchdog, the Care Quality Commission (CQC), published the results of a survey of 45,500 people who used NHS urgent and emergency care services (UEC) in England this year. The CQC said that the "stream of demand" for care is driving lengthy waits for some and causing "difficultly for some patients in accessing information, emotional support and adequate pain relief". The survey found: Among A&E patients, 60% said they felt that doctors or nurses "completely" explained their condition or treatment to them in a way that they could understand, more than a quarter (28%) said this only happened "to some extent" and 11% said it did not happen at all. Of the 27% of survey respondents who arrived at A&E by ambulance, 61% said they were handed over to A&E staff within 15 minutes, but 17% reported waiting more than an hour. Over a quarter (28%) of patients treated at a major A&E centre, who responded to the survey, reported waiting for more than an hour to be assessed by a nurse or doctor after arriving at A&E. Additionally, 47% stated they were unable to receive help with their condition or symptoms while waiting. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of patients revealed they waited more than four hours to be admitted, transferred or discharged at A&E. For those requiring assistance with medications for a pre-existing medical condition while in the department, over a quarter of urgent treatment centre (UTC) respondents (26%) and a similar proportion of A&E respondents (28%) claimed they did not receive that help. Less than half of people attending either an A&E (42%) or an urgent treatment centre (47%) who needed help with pain relief believed that staff "definitely" helped them control their pain. Moreover, over a quarter in both services said they were not given any help with pain relief – 27% in A&E and 26% in an urgent treatment centre. The CQC indicated that the results also demonstrate "scope for improvements in discharge" after a third of patients seen in A&E reported they were not provided information on how to care for their condition at home. One in five (21%) of people discharged from an A&E department claimed that they were not informed who to contact if they were worried about their condition or treatment after leaving A&E. . Nearly a third of A&E patients and almost a quarter of those attending urgent treatment centres (UTCs) reported that hospital staff failed to discuss their ongoing health and social care needs before discharging them. The CQC noted that difficulty in securing a prompt GP appointment and a desire for same-day treatment were key factors driving people to seek urgent and emergency care. Chris Dzikiti, the CQC's interim chief inspector of healthcare, commented: "Urgent and emergency care services nationally continue to be under intense pressure – something reflected in recent national performance data, something we hear first-hand from frontline clinicians and something that is further evident in today’s survey findings. "The results demonstrate how the stream of demand is continuing to drive lengthy waits, and cause difficultly for some patients in accessing information, emotional support and adequate pain relief. "They also show the impact for staff when the number of people seeking urgent and emergency care is so high and resources are stretched. "With pressures on services only likely to increase as we head into winter, ensuring the best possible experience throughout the entirety of the patient journey is a task that needs input from all parts of the health and care system. "Over a third of people surveyed went to A&E before contacting another service and of those that did seek help elsewhere first, many said they were directed to A&E. We must support services in their efforts to collaborate locally, ensure a joined-up approach and help people to access the care they need, when they need it from the service that is best able to deliver. Dr Adrian Boyle, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, commented on the report's findings, highlighting that "patients are suffering the consequences of a system that is in crisis, while staff continue to shoulder the burden of delivering effective and safe care in these conditions". He added: "Issues within and outside the emergency department are negatively impacting patients’ experiences, as seen in this survey, with a high proportion enduring long wait times due to the lack of in-patient beds and inability to discharge people who are well enough to go home. "No emergency department clinician wants to be treating a patient who is vulnerable and in need of care in a corridor and no patient wants to be put in this position. It’s degrading, demoralising and dangerous." "The pressure in EDs will only continue to mount as we head into winter, when we know the inevitable spike in demand will hit." "Those in power need to read the results of this survey, hear the voices of the patients who have expressed their experiences and concerns, and act on them now." ChronicleLive is now on WhatsApp and we want you to join our communities. We have a number of communities to join, so you can choose which one you want to be part of and we'll send you the latest news direct to your phone. You could even join them all! To join you need to have WhatsApp on your device. All you need to do is choose which community you want to join, click on the link and press 'join community'. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the ChronicleLive team. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you’re curious, you can read our privacy notice . Join the ChronicleLive Breaking News and Top Stories community Join our Court & Crime community Join the Things to do in Newcastle and the North East community Join our Northumberland community Join our County Durham community Join our Sunderland community Join our NUFC community Join our SAFC community Join our Great North Run community

Over-the-Rhine's Wildweed named one of Esquire's 'Best New Restaurants' in 2024

49ers at Packers, Week 12 predictions: Fans favoring Green Bay with Purdy sidelinedWASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday that he will nominate former White House aide Brooke Rollins to be his agriculture secretary, the last of his picks to lead executive agencies and another choice from within his established circle of advisers and allies. The nomination must be confirmed by the Senate, which will be controlled by Republicans when Trump takes office Jan. 20. Rollins would succeed Tom Vilsack , President Joe Biden’s agriculture secretary who oversees the sprawling agency that controls policies, regulations and aid programs related to farming, forestry, ranching, food quality and nutrition. 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. Rollins previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. The pick completes Trump’s selection of the heads of executive branch departments, just two and a half weeks after the former president won the White House once again. Several other picks that are traditionally Cabinet-level remain, including U.S. Trade Representative and head of the small business administration. Brooke Rollins, assistant to the president and director of the Domestic Policy Council at the time, speaks during a May 18, 2020, meeting with restaurant industry executives about the coronavirus response in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington. Rollins, speaking on the Christian talk show “Family Talk" earlier this year, said Trump was an “amazing boss” and confessed that she thought in 2015, during his first presidential campaign, that he would not last as a candidate in a crowded Republican primary field. “I was the person that said, ‘Oh, Donald Trump is not going to go more than two or three weeks in the Republican primary. This is to up his TV show ratings. And then we’ll get back to normal,’” she said. “Fast forward a couple of years, and I am running his domestic policy agenda.” Trump didn’t offer many specifics about his agriculture policies during the campaign, but farmers could be affected if he carries out his pledge to impose widespread tariffs. During the first Trump administration, countries like China responded to Trump’s tariffs by imposing retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports like the corn and soybeans routinely sold overseas. Trump countered by offering massive multibillion-dollar aid to farmers to help them weather the trade war. Brooke Rollins speaks at an Oct. 27 campaign rally for then-Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at Madison Square Garden in New York. President Abraham Lincoln founded the USDA in 1862, when about half of all Americans lived on farms. The USDA oversees multiple support programs for farmers; animal and plant health; and the safety of meat, poultry and eggs that anchor the nation’s food supply. Its federal nutrition programs provide food to low-income people, pregnant women and young children. And the agency sets standards for school meals. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, has vowed to strip ultraprocessed foods from school lunches and to stop allowing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program beneficiaries from using food stamps to buy soda, candy or other so-called junk foods. But it would be the USDA, not HHS, that would be responsible for enacting those changes. In addition, HHS and USDA will work together to finalize the 2025-2030 edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. They are due late next year, with guidance for healthy diets and standards for federal nutrition programs. Gomez Licon reported from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Associated Press writers Josh Funk and JoNel Aleccia contributed to this report. 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 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.” Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

Lee Corso’s affinity for the Ohio State Buckeyes is well-known among fans of ESPN’s popular college football pregame show “College GameDay.” Those same fans also know that Corso also has a soft spot for his Indiana Hoosiers — a team he coached to 41 wins and a bowl win from 1973 to 1982. So when No. 2 Ohio State hosted No. 5 Indiana on Saturday, Corso was in a tough spot when the “College GameDay” panel did their game predictions at the end of the show. Going with his heart, Corso (along with Desmond Howard and Pat McAfee) predicted the Hoosiers would upset the Buckeyes — a prediction that would come to not age well. “I haven't had the nerve to pick against my first love in Ohio State in years,” Corso said during the broadcast. “But, not so fast my friend. Indiana upsets Ohio State.” © Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images Corso’s prediction looked like a good one for the first half of the first quarter after Indiana drove 70 yards on 11 plays on its opening drive to grab an early 7-0 lead. However, Ohio State dominated the rest of the game en route to a four-score leads before ultimately cruising to a 38-15 win. After the final whistle, Buckeye fans not only remembered what Corso said, they took to social media to remind him just how wrong he was, which made him trend on X. “Lee Corso man you knew better :/” one fan wrote . “How dare [Pat McAfee] and Lee Corso (who broke my heart today) pick against Brutus and the bucks!” another added . “I’d like to know where Lee Corso is now” pic.twitter.com/T93VkphLL6 “Hey annoying Pat McAfee Mr. Lee Corso and anti-Ohio State Desmond Howard YOU PICKED WRONG!!!!!! GO BUCKEYES,” one user expressed . “Never pick against your 1st love,” another user remarked . “@PatMcAfeeShow @DesmondHoward and Lee Corso some bums for thinking IU was winning today,” another fan proclaimed .Botafogo won the Copa Libertadores for the first time in their history with a 3-1 victory over fellow Brazilians Atletico Mineiro on Saturday. Botafogo played almost the entire match with ten men after Gregore was sent off in the first minute but they showed impressive spirit and resilience to secure victory at River Plate's Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. It is the sixth straight season that a Brazilian club has won the Libertadores, the top competition for South American clubs. The 120-year-old Botafogo, the Rio club who have twice won the Brazilian championship, have a rich history, including producing greats such as World Cup winners Garrincha, Didi, Nilton Santos and Mario Zagallo. But they have long suffered taunts from their rivals about their failure to win the continental title -- a jibe that can be made no more. Midfielder Gregore was shown a red card after a wild, high challenge on Fauto Vera, forcing Botafogo to adjust their game plan, but Atletico failed to press home their numerical advantage. Veteran forward Hulk had an effort from outside the box saved by John but the team from Belo Horizonte created little pressure. Sensing the game might not be the rearguard action they might have expected, Botafogo began to show more attacking intent and they were rewarded in the 35th minute. Marlon Freitas's shot from the edge of the box ricocheted around a crowded box before the ball fell to Luiz Henrique, who fired home from close range. To their credit, Botafogo didn't retreat to defend their slim advantage and they were able to double their lead in the 44th minute. Atletico defender Guilherme Arana attempted to shepherd the ball back to goalkeeper Everson, but Luiz Henrique snuck between the pair and went down under challenge from the keeper. After a VAR review, a penalty was awarded and Alex Telles confidently smashed home the spot kick to give Botafogo an unlikely 2-0 lead at the break. Atletico, who won the Libertadores in 2013, made a triple substitution at the interval and it paid off swiftly with Eduardo Vargas heading in from a corner. Inevitably, there was late pressure from Atletico, but Botafogo made sure of the victory when Junior Santos finished off a counter-attack deep in stoppage time. With the win, Botafogo earns the final of 32 places in next year's FIFA Club World Cup to be held in the United States. - Chance at a double - The club, owned by American businessman John Textor, also has a chance to complete a double by winning what would be their third Brazilian league title -- they currently lead Serie A by three points with two games remaining. Luis Henrique, whose fine form this season has seen him break into the Brazil squad, said the win was an emotional one for him and the team. "Many people tried to stop me, but I know that God is with me, my family is with me, and I have to keep my feet on the ground because there is still more to come," the 23-year-old striker said. "I want to thank Botafogo a lot, Botafogo needs to be at the top, because it's a club that has been working hard, that has been doing a lot on a daily basis." sev/js

The holiday shopping season has started fast, especially online, and those automated chatbots are working overtime. Artificial intelligence is increasingly finding its way into decisions that once were purely human, like whether or not to buy a sweater. This year, more than ever, smart computer programs are stepping between customers and their shopping. These programs make recommendations based on purchase history, browsing behavior and demographics. They also sharpen the results from online product searches, adjust prices based on competitive factors, and improve product placement or promotions. AI-powered customer service can answer questions and take orders. AI can even enable apparel shoppers to virtually “try on” clothes to see if they’ll fit. This integration of AI with routine tasks of our everyday lives isn’t new, but its ubiquity is growing. Merchants say their embrace of AI creates more efficient and personal shopping experiences. If Santa can tell when you’ve been bad or good, as the Christmas carol goes, imagine what a computer analyzing every keystroke can surmise about you and your holiday shopping list. Some AI applications rival science fiction. A recent survey of 2,000 adults under age 40 showed that 13% of young men and 9% of young women are open to friendships with AI-generated companions, and 1 in 4 young people say they believe AI partners could eventually replace real-life romance. In the U.S., this incursion is largely unregulated, which could be risky based on how AI is being used. The European Union has developed a sensible AI regulatory framework that rates the risk from “minimal” to “unacceptable.” Most AI related to holiday shopping falls into the catch-all category of “limited” risk, meaning the systems could be used to deceive people in relatively small ways. For example, the EU requires that chatbot programs conversing in text or voice make it clear that human users are interacting with AI, not other humans. The EU framework is still being sorted out, but at least the Europeans have one. In the U.S., Congress so far has failed to pass legislation, and the only national standards to date stemmed from an executive order that outgoing President Joe Biden imposed in 2023. With ex-President Donald Trump returning to the White House, Biden’s order is probably headed for the trash, and it’s unclear what AI guardrails a Trump administration might want, if any. ... Advocates in the AI industry have pushed for rules of the road to help the technology gain acceptance and head off problems. The Europeans have provided a reasonable starting point. Now it’s up to the ruling GOP to recognize that imposing regulations on the AI free-for-all stands to promote innovation and ensure that these powerful tools are used in a manner that serves the public. Get local news delivered to your inbox!