Preview: SC Farense vs. Estrela Amadora - prediction, team news, lineups
DAN HODGES: Tories willingly flung the borders wide open - Daily MailThe vote could usher in the desert nation's first woman leader even as her party, the ruling South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) faces the strongest challenge yet to its 34-year grip on power. Some voters told AFP they queued all day, for up to 12 hours, blaming technical problems which included issues with voter identification tablets or insufficient ballot papers. According to Namibia's electoral law, those in the queue before the polls closed -- scheduled at 9:00 pm (1900 GMT) -- should be allowed to vote. "We have the obligation to make sure that they pass their vote," said Petrus Shaama, chief officer of the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN). The main opposition party, the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) has blamed the ECN for the long lines and cried foul play. "We have reason to believe that the ECN is deliberately suppressing voters and deliberately trying to frustrate voters from casting their vote," said Christine Aochamus of the IPC. She said the party had "started the process" of approaching a court "to order the ECN to extend the voting time". At one polling station inside Namibia's University of Science and Technology in the capital Windhoek, hundreds of people were still in line at 09:00 pm despite some having arrived at 6:00 am, an hour before polls opened. It was a similar situation at the Museum of Independence, according to an AFP reporter, where one voter said he arrived 12 hours earlier and was still in line with hundreds of others. SWAPO's candidate and current vice president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, was one of the first to vote and called on Namibians "to come out in their numbers". An estimated 1.5 million people in the sparsely populated nation had registered to cast their ballot. SWAPO has governed since leading mineral-rich Namibia to independence from South Africa in 1990 but complaints about unemployment and enduring inequalities could force Nandi-Ndaitwah into an unprecedented second round. Leader of the IPC, Panduleni Itula, a former dentist and lawyer said he was optimistic he could "unseat the revolutionary movement". "We will all march from there and to a new dawn and a new era of how we conduct our public affairs in this country," the 67-year-old told reporters after voting. Itula took 29 percent of votes in the 2019 elections, losing to SWAPO leader Hage Geingob with 56 percent. It was a remarkable performance considering Geingob, who died in February, had won almost 87 percent five years before that. Namibia is a major uranium and diamond exporter but not many of its nearly three million people have benefitted from that wealth. "There's a lot of mining activity that goes on in the country, but it doesn't really translate into improved infrastructure, job opportunities," said independent political analyst Marisa Lourenco, based in Johannesburg. "That's where a lot of the frustration is coming from, (especially) the youth," she said. Unemployment among 15- to 34-year-olds is estimated at 46 percent, according to the latest figures from 2018, almost triple the national average. For the first time in Namibia's recent history, analysts say a second round is a somewhat realistic option. That would take place within 60 days of the announcement of the first round of results due by Saturday. "The outcome will be tight," said self-employed Hendry Amupanda, 32, who queued since 9:00 pm the night before to cast his ballot. "I want the country to get better and people to get jobs," said Amupanda, wearing slippers and equipped with a chair, blanket and snacks. Marvyn Pescha, a self-employed consultant, said his father was part of SWAPO's liberation struggle and he was not going to abandon the party. "But I want SWAPO to be challenged for better policies. Some opportunistic leaders have tarnished the reputation of the party, they misuse it for self-enrichment," the 50-year-old said. While lauded for leading Namibia to independence, SWAPO is nervous about its standing after other liberation-era movements in the region have lost favour with young voters. In the past six months, South Africa's African National Congress lost its parliamentary majority and the Botswana Democratic Party was ousted after almost six decades in power. clv/br/lhd/sbk
2 More Hindu Priests Arrested In Bangladesh Amid Protests: ISKCON MemberBroncos cornerback Riley Moss has been ruled out of Monday night’s matchup against the Cleveland Browns. Moss did not practice this week due to a knee injury, which he suffered in the second quarter of Week 12’s win over the Raiders. Head coach Sean Payton said the former Iowa standout injured his MCL and there were talks about getting him back in the game. However, he remained sidelined while veteran cornerback Levi Wallace filled in, playing 49 defensive snaps. Moss was the only member of the active roster not present during the viewing period of Saturday’s practice. Wallace, who spent the past two seasons in Pittsburgh, could be in line to make his second start of the season. With cornerback Pat Surtain II out with a concussion in last month’s win over the Saints, he stepped in at outside cornerback, totaling a game-high eight tackles in 66 defensive snaps. In other injury news, Denver’s defense will get reinforcements in the trenches with Zach Allen (heel/ankle) expected to play on Monday night. The starting defensive end missed his first game as a Bronco last week but has been a full participant at practice this week. Wide receiver Josh Reynolds (hand) is questionable to play. Reynolds returned to practice earlier this month after being placed on the injured reserve last month after undergoing minor finger surgery. He sustained the injury while falling to the ground following his touchdown catch in the fourth quarter of the team’s Week 5 win over the Raiders. The veteran wide receiver was also shot in an incident that occurred around 3 a.m. Oct. 18 in Denver, The shooting happened after he and two other men were followed upon leaving Shotgun Willies, a strip club in Glendale, according to the affidavit. The Broncos have until Tuesday to decide whether to activate Reynolds from injured reserve. Payton is not concerned about the Broncos having a drop off in production after the bye week. He said good teams know how to return from the week off and maintain their high level of play. “You’ll hear all the things (like) cold weather is hard...When they play (on the road). Generally, the good teams dispel all those things and the teams that aren’t so good, gotta remove the narratives,” Payton said. “I think they’ll handle it well.” Last year, the Broncos had a bit of success coming out of the bye week. They won three straight before losing by five points on the road against Houston. As the Saints coach in 2021, Payton’s team lost five of seven games after the bye week before finishing the year at 9-8. However, in 2020, New Orleans won nine straight games, with seven of those wins coming after having a week off.With rookie QB Penix showing poise in starting debut, the Falcons again control their playoff hopes
Best Boxing Day deals from Amazon Australia: Retailer launches December 26 deals earlyNone
Daily scores two TDs to help No. 25 Army hold off UTSA 29-24Aaron Judge wins second AL MVP in 3 seasons. Shohei Ohtani expected to win NL honorWEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau returned home Saturday after his meeting with Donald Trump without assurances the president-elect will back away from threatened tariffs on all products from the major American trading partner. Trump called the talks “productive” but signaled no retreat from a pledge that Canada says unfairly lumps it in with Mexico over the flow of drugs and migrants into the United States. After the leaders’ hastily arranged dinner Friday night at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, Trudeau spoke of “an excellent conversation” but offered no details. Trump said in a Truth Social post later Saturday that they discussed “many important topics that will require both Countries to work together to address.” For issues in need of such cooperation, Trump cited fentanyl and the “Drug Crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of Illegal Immigration," fair trade deals "that do not jeopardize American Workers” and the U.S. trade deficit with its ally to the north. Trump asserted that the prime minister had made “a commitment to work with us to end this terrible devastation” of American families from fentanyl from China reaching the United States through its neighbors. The U.S., he said, “will no longer sit idly by as our Citizens become victims to the scourge of this Drug Epidemic.” The Republican president-elect has threatened to impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders when he takes office in January. U.S. customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border last fiscal year, compared with 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border. On immigration, the U.S. Border Patrol made 56,530 arrests at the Mexican border in October alone and 23,721 arrests at the Canadian border between October 2023 and September 2024 — and Canadian officials say they are ready to make new investments in border security. Trudeau called Trump after the Republican's social media posts about the tariffs last Monday and they agreed to meet, according to a official familiar with the matter who was not authorized to publicly discuss detail of the private talks. The official said other countries are calling Canadian officials to hear how about how the meeting was arranged and to ask for advice. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, after speaking with Trump on the telephone, said Thursday she was confident a tariff war with Washington would be averted. At the dinner that was said to last three hours, Trump said he and Trudeau also discussed energy, trade and the Arctic. A second official cited defense, Ukraine, NATO, China, the Mideast, pipelines and the Group of Seven meeting in Canada next year as other issues that arose. Trump, during his first term as president, once called Trudeau “weak” and “dishonest,” but it was the prime minister who was the first G7 leader to visit Trump since the Nov. 5 election. "Tariffs are a crucial issue for Canada and a bold move was in order. Perhaps it was a risk, but a risk worth taking,” Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal. Trudeau had said before leaving from Friday that Trump was elected because he promised to bring down the cost of groceries but now was talking about adding 25% to the cost of all kinds of products, including potatoes from Prince Edward Island in Atlantic Canada. “It is important to understand that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out. There’s no question about it,” Trudeau said. “Our responsibility is to point out that he would not just be harming Canadians, who work so well with the United States, but he would actually be raising prices for Americans citizens as well and hurting American industry and business,” he added. The threatened tariffs could essentially blow up the North American trade pact that Trump’s team negotiated during his first term. Trudeau noted they were able to successfully renegotiate the deal, which he calls a “win win” for both countries. When Trump imposed higher tariffs as president, other countries responded with retaliatory tariffs of their own. Canada, for instance, announced billions of new duties in 2018 against the U.S. in a response to new taxes on Canadian steel and aluminum. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian (US $2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electricity imports are from Canada. Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the U.S. and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing in for national security. Canada is one of the most trade-dependent countries in the world, and 77% of Canada’s exports go to the U.S. ___ Gillies reported from Toronto.
Senator Sharafadeen Alli (APC-Oyo South) has felicitated an Oyo chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and leader in the progressives’ family, Alhaji Bello Adeleke Oladeji, popularly known as Baba BAO on his 85th birthday. This is contained in a press statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Akeem Abas, made available to newsmen on Saturday in Ibadan. Senator Alli described Baba BAO as a pillar of wisdom, courage and dedication whose contributions to progressive ideals remain a source of inspiration to all. The lawmaker praised Baba BAO’s lifelong commitment to good governance and selfless service to humanity. He said that Baba BAO’s 85 years of impactful living epitomises integrity, resilience and an unwavering dedication to the principles of progressivism. Senator Alli extolled Baba BAO’s invaluable role in nurturing the growth of the APC in Oyo State. He acknowledged the celebrant’s mentorship of young politicians and his constant advocacy for unity, development and progress within the party. According to him, Baba BAO’s wise counsel has continued to shape decisions that have advanced the party’s objectives and the well-being of the people. “On this joyous occasion of your 85th birthday, we celebrate your remarkable legacy and your immeasurable contributions to the political and social fabric of our state and nation. “Your dedication to humanity and progressive politics serves as a beacon for many of us striving to make a difference,” he said. He prayed for Almighty Allah’s continued blessings upon Baba BAO, granting him more years of good health and peace to continue inspiring generations to come. The lawmaker called on younger politicians to emulate Baba BAO’s exemplary life of service, humility, and dedication to the common good.
Ayomide Samuel Jekami, a software developer and recent graduate of Veritas University with a CGPA of 4.71 in Computer Science, has made significant strides in academic excellence He achieved a top 3 ranking in his department and hoped to develop an impactful community application, blending his tech skills with creativity Despite challenges like time management and difficult courses, Ayomide's structured routine, mentorship, and resilience have paved the way for numerous opportunities and a promising future in tech and innovation Don't miss out! Join Legit.ng's Sports News channel on WhatsApp now! From the very beginning, Ayomide Samuel Jekami sprinkled his academic journey at Veritas University with the magic of dedication and hard work. He eventually emerged as one of the top three students in his department, finishing with a stellar CGPA of 4.71 in Computer Science . Yet, like every enviable achievement , Ayomide's tale had its fair share of challenges. Ayomide Jekami’s Path to Success In an interview, he shared his challenges as an undergraduate with Legit.ng and how he overcame them: Read also Elizade University's best graduating law student who bagged first class breaks silence PAY ATTENTION : Standing out in social media world? Easy! "Mastering Storytelling for Social Media" workshop by Legit.ng. Join Us Live! “I faced the challenges of time management issues as well as in some specific difficult courses. Also, there were challenges of balancing studies with other interests. These obstacles sometimes felt overwhelming, but they also taught me resilience and the importance of seeking support when needed. I coped by developing a structured routine, reaching out to mentors, and staying organized. Dancing also served as a mental break. Seeking advice from professors and connecting with peers in tech helped me work through difficult projects, and the support I received made a huge difference.” Key to Academic Success The secret to Ayomide’s success lay in his treasure chest of habits. Time management and discipline, he told Legit.ng , were central to his success . “Key habits that contributed to my success include time management, discipline, setting achievable goals, and maintaining a growth mindset. I also developed strong research and analytical skills, which helped me tackle assignments more effectively. Also having fun with friends to ease out stress and get my mindset prepped for the next task.” Read also Faith over Fame: Silvan Wallner's decision to leave football after meeting Jesus Ayomide envisioned a future where he could continue to blend his technical prowess with his creative passions, developing innovative Flutter applications adorned with multimedia elements. His ultimate dream was to bridge the gap between art and technology , crafting platforms that would empower users. For those who wish to follow in his footsteps, Ayomide offered words of wisdom: “My advice is to set clear, realistic goals and stay consistent with your efforts. Find a study method that works best for you, and don’t be afraid to seek help when needed. Remember that excellence is a journey, not a destination, so celebrate small wins along the way. Finally, stay disciplined, prioritize your well-being, and believe in your ability to succeed.” Graduate Bags First Class Degree from UNILORIN Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that Ebiomofari Omowumi Janet, a graduate of the Department of Agriculture at the University of Ilorin, defied the odds and proved that hard work can rewrite destinies. Read also Final year student who attended technical college builds portable solar generator as project work In an interview with Legit.ng, Janet said she began her academic journey with a mere 1.3 CGPA. For many, such a beginning would signify the end. PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy! Source: Legit.ng(All times Eastern) Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts Saturday, Nov. 23 AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL (WOMEN’S) 3:30 a.m. FS2 — AFL Playoffs: Adelaide at Brisbane, Preliminary Final AUTO RACING 12:55 a.m. (Sunday) ESPN — Formula 1: The Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix, Las Vegas Strip Circuit, Las Vegas COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S) Noon FS2 — St. Francis (Pa.) at Georgetown 5 p.m. FS2 — N. Illinois at DePaul COLLEGE BASKETBALL (WOMEN’S) 4 p.m. NBC — Notre Dame at Southern Cal PEACOCK — Notre Dame at Southern Cal COLLEGE CROSS COUNTRY (MEN’S and WOMEN’S) 9:30 a.m. ESPNU — NCAA Championships: From Verona, Wis. COLLEGE FOOTBALL Noon ABC — Mississippi at Florida ACCN — UConn at Syracuse BTN — Iowa at Maryland CBSSN — Sam Houston St. at Jacksonville St. CW — North Carolina at Boston College ESPN — Wake Forest at Miami ESPN2 — SMU at Virginia ESPNU — Yale at Harvard FOX — Indiana at Ohio St. PEACOCK — Illinois at Rutgers 12:45 p.m. SECN — UMass at Georgia 3:30 p.m. ABC — Kentucky at Texas ACCN — Stanford at California BTN — Wisconsin at Nebraska CBS — Penn St. at Minnesota CBSSN — San Diego St. at Utah St. CW — The Citadel at Clemson ESPN — BYU at Arizona St. ESPNU — UCF at West Virginia FOX — Colorado at Kansas FS1 — Northwestern at Michigan 4 p.m. ESPN2 — Pittsburgh at Louisville 4:15 p.m. SECN — Missouri at Mississippi St. 7 p.m. CBSSN — Boise St. at Wyoming CW — Washington St. at Oregon St. FS1 — Baylor at Houston NBC — Army vs. Notre Dame, New York PEACOCK — Army vs. Notre Dame, New York 7:30 p.m. ABC — Alabama at Oklahoma ESPN — Texas A&M at Auburn ESPNU — Marshall at Old Dominion FOX — Iowa St. at Utah 7:45 p.m. SECN — Vanderbilt at LSU 8 p.m. ACCN — Virginia Tech at Duke ESPN2 — Cincinnati at Kansas St. 10:15 p.m. NBC — Southern Cal at UCLA 10:30 p.m. CBSSN — Colorado St. at Fresno St. FS1 — Air Force at Nevada 11 p.m. ESPNU — Florida A&M at Bethune-Cookman (Taped) COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL (WOMEN’S) 8 p.m. BTN — Wisconsin at Nebraska GOLF 1 p.m. GOLF — PGA Tour: The RSM Classic, Third Round, Sea Island Golf Club - Seaside Course, Sea Island, Ga. 4 p.m. GOLF — LPGA Tour: The CME Group Tour Championship, Third Round, Tiburon Golf Club, Naples, Fla. (Taped) 9:30 p.m. GOLF — DP World Tour: The BMW Australian PGA Championship, Final Round, Royal Queensland Golf Club, Brisbane, Australia 1 a.m. (Saturday) GOLF — Asian Tour: The LINK Hong Kong Open, Final Round, Hong Kong Golf Club, Hong Kong HORSE RACING 11:30 a.m. FS1 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races 3:30 p.m. FS2 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races 1 a.m. (Sunday) FS2 — The Japan Cup: From Tokyo Racecourse, Tokyo NBA BASKETBALL 5 p.m. NBATV — New York at Utah 8 p.m. NBATV — Memphis at Chicago 10:30 p.m. NBATV — Denver at L.A. Lakers NHL HOCKEY 1 p.m. NHLN — Chicago at Philadelphia 7 p.m. NHLN — Vegas at Montreal SAILING 5 a.m. CBSSN — Sail GP: The Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix - Day 1, Dubai, United Arab Emirates 5 a.m. (Sunday) CBSSN — Sail GP: The Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix - Day 2, Dubai, United Arab Emirates SOCCER (MEN’S) 7:30 a.m. USA — Premier League: Chelsea at Leicester City 9 a.m. CBSSN — Serie A: Inter Milan at Hellas Verona 10 a.m. USA — Premier League: Brighton & Hove Albion at Bournemouth Noon CBS — USL Championship: Rhode Island at Colorado Springs, Final 12:30 p.m. NBC — Premier League: Tottenham Hotspur at Manchester City 7 p.m. FS2 — Saudi Pro League: Al Hilal at Al Khaleej (Taped) SOCCER (WOMEN’S) 8 p.m. CBS — NWSL Playoffs: Orlando vs. Washington, Final, Kansas City, Mo. TENNIS 7 a.m. TENNIS — Davis Cup Finals Semifinal The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV . (All times Eastern) Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts Sunday, Nov. 24 COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S) 10:30 a.m. ESPNU — ESPN2 — Myrtle Beach Invitational: TBD, Seventh-Place Game, Conway, S.C. 11 a.m. CBSSN — St. John’s vs. Georgia, Nassau, Bahamas 1 p.m. CBSSN — Rutgers at Kennesaw St. ESPN — Villanova vs. Maryland, Newark, N.J. ESPN2 — Myrtle Beach Invitational: TBD, Third-Place Game, Conway, S.C. 3 p.m. CBSSN — Greenbrier Tip-Off: TBD, Third-Place Game, West White Sulphur Springs, W.V. ESPN — Charleston Classic: TBD, Third-Place Game, Charleston, S.C. 3:30 p.m. ESPN2 — Florida St. vs. UMass, Uncasville, Conn. 5:30 p.m. CBSSN — Greenbrier Tip-Off: TBD, Championship, West White Sulphur Springs, W.V. ESPN — Myrtle Beach Invitational: TBD, Championship, Conway, S.C. 6 p.m. ESPN2 — Charleston Classic: TBD, Fifth-Place Game, Charleston, S.C. ESPNU — Yale vs. Delaware, Uncasville, Conn. 8 p.m. ESPN2 — Myrtle Beach Invitational: TBD, Fifth-Place Game, Conway, S.C. 8:30 p.m. ESPN — Charleston Classic: TBD, Championship, Charleston, S.C. COLLEGE BASKETBALL (WOMEN’S) 1 p.m. PEACOCK — South Florida vs. Louisville, Lake Buena Vista, Fla. 4 p.m. ACCN — Bethune-Cookman at Virginia BTN — Washington St. at Iowa FS1 — South Carolina at UCLA COLLEGE FIELD HOCKEY 1:30 p.m. ESPNU — NCAA Tournament: TBD, Championship, Ann Arbor, Mich. COLLEGE FOOTBALL 12:30 p.m. ESPNU — FCS Football Selection Show COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL (WOMEN’S) Noon ACCN — Stanford at North Carolina 2 p.m. ACCN — California at Duke SECN — South Carolina at Tennessee 3:30 p.m. ESPNU — Southwestern Athletic Tournament: TBD, Championship, Grambling, La. 4 p.m. SECN — Arkansas at Kentucky 6 p.m. SECN — Auburn vs. Oklahoma 7:30 p.m. BTN — Indiana at Ohio St. 8:30 p.m. ESPNU — Mid-Eastern Athletic Tournament: TBD, Championship, Dover, Del. FIGURE SKATING 4 p.m. NBC — ISU: The 2024 Cup of China, Chongqing, China GOLF 1 p.m. GOLF — PGA Tour: The RSM Classic, Final Round, Sea Island Golf Club - Seaside Course, Sea Island, Ga. NBC — LPGA Tour: The CME Group Tour Championship, Final Round, Tiburon Golf Club, Naples, Fla. HORSE RACING Noon FS1 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races 4 p.m. FS2 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races NBA G-LEAGUE BASKETBALL 1 p.m. NBATV — Capital City at Maine NFL FOOTBALL 1 p.m. CBS — Regional Coverage: New England at Miami, Tampa Bay at N.Y. Giants, Kansas City at Carolina, Tennessee at Houston FOX — Regional Coverage: Minnesota at Chicago, Detroit at Indianapolis, Dallas at Washington 4:05 p.m. CBS — Denver at Las Vegas 4:25 p.m. FOX — Regional Coverage: San Francisco at Green Bay, Arizona at Seattle 8:20 p.m. NBC — Philadelphia at L.A. Rams PEACOCK — Philadelphia at L.A. Rams NHL HOCKEY 7 p.m. NHLN — Utah at Toronto SAILING 5 a.m. CBSSN — Sail GP: The Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix - Day 2, Dubai, United Arab Emirates SOCCER (MEN’S) 9 a.m. USA — Premier League: Liverpool at Southampton 11:30 a.m. USA — Premier League: Manchester United at Ipswich Town 11:45 a.m. FS2 — Saudi Pro League: Al Fateh at Al Ittihad Noon ABC — Spanish Primera Division: Real Madrid at CD Leganés 6 p.m. FS1 — MLS Cup Western Conference Semifinal: Minnesota at L.A. Galaxy TENNIS 10 a.m. TENNIS — Davis Cup Finals Championship The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV .
Published 4:48 pm Wednesday, November 27, 2024 By Data Skrive The South Carolina Gamecocks versus the Iowa State Cyclones is one of three games on Thursday’s college basketball schedule that has a ranked team in play. Watch women’s college basketball, other live sports and more on Fubo. What is Fubo? Fubo is a streaming service that gives you access to your favorite live sports and shows on demand. Use our link to sign up for a free trial. Catch tons of live women’s college basketball , plus original programming, with ESPN+ or the Disney Bundle.WASHINGTON — The House shut down Democrats' efforts Thursday to release the long-awaited ethics report into former Rep. Matt Gaetz, pushing the fate of any resolution to the yearslong investigation of sexual misconduct allegations into further uncertainty. Matt Gaetz talks before President-elect Donald Trump speaks during an America First Policy Institute gala at his Mar-a-Lago estate Nov. 14 in Palm Beach, Fla. The nearly party-line votes came after Democrats had been pressing for the findings to be published even though the Florida Republican left Congress and withdrew as President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general. Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., was the sole Republican to support the effort. Most Republicans have argued that any congressional probe into Gaetz ended when he resigned from the House. Speaker Mike Johnson also requested that the committee not publish its report, saying it would be a terrible precedent to set. While ethics reports have previously been released after a member’s resignation, it is extremely rare. People are also reading... Statesville native Tomlin leads Delaware State to MEAC volleyball title, NCAA berth Trump, Musk can learn from North Carolina, Raleigh writer says Top vote-getter Houpe: Why am I not chairman of Iredell board of commissioners? 4 pounds of marijuana, gun seized by Mooresville police officers Letter to the editor: Charging kids to play baseball at Jennings Park is poor idea Iredell-Statesville Schools closed Tuesday due to snow, ice Iredell-Statesville Schools nutrition department receives award 'The Message' religious sect sprouts destructive groups across globe Tiny, 4 more dogs seeking homes at Iredell County Animal Services New school chairman rules 2 fellow board members out of order in Iredell North Dakota man brings shed-building expertise to Troutman 3 Eagle Scouts and 1 grateful Iredell County resident Lake Norman residents voice concerns with Marshall Steam Station changes Women report widespread misogyny in churches tied to religious group 'The Message' Iredell County woman celebrates $100,000 scratch-off win Shortly before the votes took place, Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., who introduced one of the bills to force the release, said that if Republicans reject the release, they will have “succeeded in sweeping credible allegations of sexual misconduct under the rug.” Gaetz has repeatedly denied the claims. Earlier Thursday, the Ethics panel met to discuss the Gaetz report but made no decision, saying in a short statement that the matter is still being discussed. It's unclear now whether the document will ever see the light of day as lawmakers have only a few weeks left before a new session of Congress begins. It's the culmination of weeks of pressure on the Ethics committee's five Republicans and five Democrats who mostly work in secret as they investigate allegations of misconduct against lawmakers. The status of the Gaetz investigation became an open question last month when he abruptly resigned from Congress after Trump's announcement that he wanted his ally in the Cabinet. It is standard practice for the committee to end investigations when members of Congress depart, but the circumstances surrounding Gaetz were unusual, given his potential role in the new administration. Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss., the committee chairman, said Wednesday that there is no longer the same urgency to release the report given that Gaetz has left Congress and stepped aside as Trump's choice to head the Justice Department. “I’ve been steadfast about that. He’s no longer a member. He is no longer going to be confirmed by the Senate because he withdrew his nomination to be the attorney general,” Guest said. The Gaetz report has also caused tensions between lawmakers on the bipartisan committee. Pennsylvania Rep. Susan Wild, the top Democrat on the panel, publicly admonished Guest last month for mischaracterizing a previous meeting to the press. Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing and said last year that the Justice Department’s separate investigation against him into sex trafficking allegations involving underage girls ended without federal charges. His onetime political ally Joel Greenberg, a fellow Republican who served as the tax collector in Florida’s Seminole County, admitted as part of a plea deal with prosecutors in 2021 that he paid women and an underage girl to have sex with him and other men. The men were not identified in court documents when he pleaded guilty. Greenberg was sentenced in late 2022 to 11 years in prison. Here are the people Trump picked for key positions so far President-elect Donald Trump 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, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Marco Rubio, Secretary of State 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, Secretary of Defense 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. Pam Bondi, Attorney General 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. Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security 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. Doug Burgum, Secretary of the Interior 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., Secretary of Health and Human Services 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, Treasury Secretary 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. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Labor Secretary 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, Housing and Urban Development 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, Secretary of Transportation 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. Chris Wright, Secretary of Energy 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. Linda McMahon, Secretary of Education 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, Secretary of Agriculture 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. Howard Lutnick, Secretary of Commerce 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, Secretary of Veterans Affairs 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, White House press secretary 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. Tulsi Gabbard, National Intelligence Director 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. John Ratcliffe, Central Intelligence Agency Director 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, Federal Bureau of Investigation Director 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. Lee Zeldin, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator 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.” Brendan Carr, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission 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. Paul Atkins, Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission 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, NASA Administrator 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. Elise Stefanik, Ambassador to the United Nations 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. Matt Whitaker, Ambassador to NATO 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. David Perdue, Ambassador to China 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. Mike Huckabee, Ambassador to Israel 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. Steven Witkoff, Special Envoy to the Middle East 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. Keith Kellogg, Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia 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) Mike Waltz, National Security Adviser 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, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy 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. Tom Homan, ‘Border Czar’ 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. Billy Long, Internal Revenue Service commissioner 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.” Kelly Loeffler, Small Business Administration administrator 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, Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services administrator 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 and Vivek Ramaswamy to advise White House on government efficiency 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, Office of Management and Budget 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. Additional selections to the incoming White House Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. James Blair, deputy chief of staff Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Marty Makary, Food and Drug Administration Makary is a Johns Hopkins surgeon and author who argued against pandemic lockdowns. He routinely appeared on Fox News during the COVID-19 pandemic and wrote opinion articles questioning masks for children. He cast doubt on vaccine mandates but supported vaccines generally. Makary also cast doubt on whether booster shots worked, which was against federal recommendations on the vaccine. Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, Surgeon General Nesheiwat is a general practitioner who serves as medical director for CityMD, a network of urgent care centers in New York and New Jersey. She has been a contributor to Fox News. Dr. Dave Weldon, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Weldon is a former Florida congressman who recently ran for a Florida state legislative seat and lost; Trump backed Weldon’s opponent. In Congress, Weldon weighed in on one of the nation’s most heated debates of the 1990s over quality of life and a right-to-die and whether Terri Schiavo, who was in a persistent vegetative state after cardiac arrest, should have been allowed to have her feeding tube removed. He sided with the parents who did not want it removed. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
Ono Enters into Drug Discovery Collaboration Agreement with Congruence Therapeutics to Generate Novel Small Molecule Correctors in the Oncology AreaPTI’s reality check Such fall and such rise within 24 hours would constitute unimaginable dramatic shift in the affairs of country While an anxious nation was watching developments taking place in Islamabad on Tuesday, something significant happened in Karachi. The venue was the Pakistan Stock Exchange where the KSE-100 index suffered the biggest single-day plunge in its history. Equities, as they say, fell like ninepins. Obviously, the political situation had suddenly triggered a rush of panic among investors and businessmen. The market dropped by 3.6 per cent or 3,506 points. This means that the situation had become drastic, portending dire consequences. So, what was actually happening? But wait. The very next day, on Wednesday, the market recovered. Not just that, the benchmark index rose by 4.96 per cent or 4,696.09 points. And this marked the largest single-day surge in the index’s history. Such a fall and such a rise within the space of 24 hours would constitute an unimaginable dramatic shift in the affairs of a country. It would be hard for a writer of fiction to imagine a plot to justify this transformation. Well, we know what transpired around D-Chowk in Islamabad during the long night between Tuesday and Wednesday. The large procession of PTI protesters that had bravely breached the Red Zone was routed by the security forces when an operation was launched after nightfall. Its leaders, Ali Amin Gandapur and Bushra Bibi quickly left the scene, and the protesters ran in confusion for safety. There is, of course, a story to tell about the entire encounter. The D-Day for the PTI’s march on Islamabad was set on November 24. In real terms, a battle was in the offing between the multitudes that the PTI was planning to mobilise and the security forces of the government. The PTI leaders boasted like boxers do before stepping in the ring. It was really meant to be a very serious confrontation, mainly because the PTI had named it the final, ‘do or die’ campaign to, in a sense, topple the present government and win the release of Imran Khan. Violence was inherent in this scheme. And it was violence that settled the score late on Tuesday night. Not unexpectedly, the PTI, not able to mount the show it had promised, lost the battle. One measure of this is the in-fighting that is taking place in the top ranks of the party. Thankfully, the heavens did not fall. There certainly was a lot of violence and the PTI leaders have claimed many deaths – the numbers being in dispute – of their activists from firing from the security forces. But the kind of upheaval that many observers had anticipated did not occur. In fact, the stage for long had been set for a scenario of national disaster if Imran Khan were not to be released and actions against the PTI were not retracted. I admit to also being very depressed about the overall political state of affairs. It was against this backdrop that the PTI decided to go for a final showdown with the government, primarily to put pressure to secure Imran Khan’s release. The nation held its breath. Let me give you some idea of how prominent analysts were looking at it. On Wednesday, I read these words by a respected columnist (penned surely before Tuesday night’s denouement): “Most worrisome, however, is that any direct confrontation between the protesters and the security forces could lead to a civil war-like situation with disastrous consequences for the safety and unity of the country”. A civil war? For the moment, the main strife is playing out in the PTI itself. Bushra Bibi, who is believed to have led Imran Khan to power with her supernatural tactics, is at the centre of wrangling over how the battle was lost. She had revealed her credentials when she said those words, alluding to Saudi Arabia. PTI supporters are at a loss to understand the setback that the party has suffered. Where were the millions who were supposed to have joined the march? Anyhow, what lessons do we have here about the politics of agitation? Was it ever realistic for the PTI to assume that it could stage a social revolution with the massive popular support it has? And, for that matter, what revolutionary ideas have the party articulated to lead the way for a brighter future? Not being able to adequately sum up the events of this week, I believe that this has been a sobering experience for all of us. This kind of confrontation, reflective of the intense polarisation that has polluted our politics, makes it even more difficult to resolve the fundamental issues that have made us so miserable. All the time that the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was playing his politics, sectarian violence continued to rage in Kurram and there were more killings despite a ceasefire. As for the preemptive measures adopted by the authorities to block the march of the protesters, the daily lives of the citizens of Islamabad and other cities were disrupted for days. Were there no less painful and more inventive ways to deal with the threat of the march and the ‘dharna’? A lot is happening on various fronts in the wake of Tuesday night’s retreat of the PTI’s march. PTI workers are incensed by the absence of many leaders from the march and the lack of courage of those who were there. Most of them are baffled by what has happened. There is a lot of confusion about the reported willingness of Imran Khan, who was allowed visits by party leaders in the early phase of the march to divert the march from D-Chowk. It seemed that Bushra Bibi insisted on proceeding towards D-Chowk, with dreadful consequences. Typically, there are surprising variations in statements made by PTI leaders regarding the deaths of PTI workers caused by security forces. Figures range from eight to that outlandish allegation of 278 deaths by Sardar Khosa. On its part, the government has rejected all these claims. Imran Khan’s charismatic appeal may be intact but the party, in its functional aspects, has broken. Can it be rebuilt as a less volatile outfit? The writer is a senior journalist. He can be reached at: ghazi_salahuddin@hotmail.com
Facing far-right ultimatum, French finance minister says budget can still be improved PARIS: French Finance Minister Antoine Armand said on Saturday that the 2025 budget could still be improved, but stopped short of giving ground in a standoff with the far right over new concessions. France’s budget deficit has spiralled out of control this year, pressuring French government bonds, although ratings agency Standard & Poor’s gave Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s fragile minority government a rare reprieve late on Friday by leaving its rating steady. Any relief is likely to prove short-lived with both the left and far right threatening to bring Barnier’s government down over the budget, which seeks to squeeze 60 billion euros ($64 billion) in savings through tax hikes and spending cuts. Marine Le Pen’s far right National Rally (RN), whose tacit support Barnier needs to survive a likely no confidence motion, has given him until Monday to accede to her demands to make further changes to the budget. “This government, under his authority, is willing to listen, to have a dialog, to be respectful, to improve this budget,” Armand told journalists. Asked about the showdown with Le Pen, he said: “The only ultimatum really facing the French is that our country gets a budget.” On Thursday, Barnier dropped plans to raise electricity taxes in the budget as the RN had demanded, but it is keeping pressure on the government to hike pensions in line with inflation where the government had hoped to postpone an increase to save money. RN lawmaker Jean-Philippe Tanguy told Les Echos newspaper on Saturday if the bill is not modified the party would back a no-confidence motion. The test could come as soon as Monday if Barnier’s government has to use an aggressive constitutional measure to ram the social security financing legislation through parliament, which will trigger a no-confidence motion. “The government doesn’t seem to want to move (on pensions). We are waiting to see the social security bill on Monday to draw conclusions,” Tanguy said. The RN also wants planned cuts to medication reimbursements by the state to be axed, increased taxes on share buybacks and financial transactions as well as a cut in France’s contribution to the European Union’s budget. The government’s aim to cut the budget deficit next year to 5.0 per cent of economic output from over 6.0 per cent this year is already sliding in the face of costly concessions made to the RN and other parties. Standard & Poor’s said that it expected the deficit at 5.3 per cent next year and said the outlook was unclear after that whether France could keep reducing the deficit to an EU limit of 3.0 per cent as currently planned by 2029. As the RN has firmed up its demands, French debt and stocks have come under pressure in recent days, pushing the risk premium on French government bonds to their highest level in over 12 years. “The absence of a budget (and) political instability would bring a sudden and substantial increase in the financing costs of French debt,” Armand said.
Karen Jantzen knows what the Concord Coalition to End Homelessness does well. Dozens of people are in the coalition’s resource center daily – waiting to take a shower, do laundry, check their mail or connect with a case manager. The beginning of December marks the opening of the coalition’s emergency winter shelter, where 20 sets of bunk beds will be lined up side by side each night, providing a reprieve from the cold from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. It’s the only low-barrier shelter in the area, meaning anyone can spend the night regardless of substance use or felony convictions. Jantzen hopes that space will soon look different. The coalition is looking to build a new resource center as a part of its revised strategic plan. “We’re going to work on continuing to deepen the services that we provide here at the Resource Center, just to make them more robust and look to really develop out our work with other providers in the community,” said Jantzen. “Being very intentional about our Resource Center and the services we provide.” Jantzen envisions a one-stop shop where other providers would use the coalition’s resource center to host office hours. The coalition’s strategic planning process lays the road map for the organization’s work over the next few years. Staff conducted interviews with dozens of city leaders and stakeholders – from the police and fire departments to elected officials and housing developers – they looked at statistics from the national and city levels on homelessness and poverty and assessed the state of housing developments. Article continues after... Cross|Word Flipart Typeshift SpellTower Really Bad Chess The first clear trend is obvious to most – the state, and nation, are in a housing shortage. The second trend leaned into the strength of the coalition’s work – it serves as a central organization to advocate for people who are experiencing homelessness and engage different agencies to provide services. “If you think about our name, we’re a coalition and that’s what coalitions are about,” said Jantzen. Helping people access mental health and substance recovery resources – from treatment services to stable housing continues to be an ongoing challenge, and focus of the coalition’s work. The coalition’s services aim to be twofold – first, helping people who are currently experiencing homelessness with immediate needs: nighttime shelter during winter months, getting on apartment waitlists and accessing benefits like Social Security. The second part is transitioning those living outside into housing: when an apartment is available, the coalition helps to make sure the person is ready to be a tenant, has all the paperwork completed to sign a lease and is able to access the unit as soon as possible. “There are things that we can do in our services that we’re providing so that when an apartment does come up, people are ready to get into it,” she said. “Helping them to make that transition and be prepared to make that transition as best as they possibly can.” The work goes hand in hand with an overarching goal to continue to challenge, and change, the public perception of homelessness in the area. Jantzen often sees a consensus on homelessness – it’s solvable and people want to and are willing to work towards this goal. Putting that into practice, though, is trickier. “Everybody wants to solve the problem but no one wants to have it in their neighborhood,” she said. “It’s like, ‘yeah we should end this. Where are you going to do it?’” To Jantzen, tackling the public perception piece is like launching a public health campaign – a multi-step approach rooted in education about homelessness and minimizing the stigma of those who are currently unhoused. To some degree, solving homelessness in Concord is within the coalition’s purview. However, the other part recognizes that the issue falls within a larger context that is out of the organization’s immediate control: the state’s housing crisis. A shortage of units creates a domino effect. Potential first-time homeowners aren’t moving out of apartments because market prices are too high. In turn, the cost of rent is inflated. Current zoning practices are restrictive, with large lot sizes and parking mandates deterring against the small start home model that was available in the 1960s and 1970s. “How are we going to solve this housing shortage and get units built so we have a place for everybody that is safe, decent and affordable?” she said. “We don’t have a homelessness issue, we have a housing crisis.” The Concord Coalition to End Homelessness needs volunteers for both evening and morning shifts at the emergency winter shelter. To sign up, visit this link: https://pointapp.org/orgs/5016 Michaela Towfighi can be reached at mtowfighi@cmonitor.com.
New Mexico man awarded $412 million medical malpractice payout for botched injectionsGautam Adani breaks silence on US indictment to say his group is committed to compliance
Britt Baker says she’s ‘exhausted’ by social media critics: ‘I’m done being polite’ - Figure Four Online