'Democracy and freedom': Jimmy Carter's human rights efforts in Latin America
Mhow (Madhya Pradesh) [India], December 29 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday made history by becoming the first Defence Minister to visit Mhow in 24 years, where he lauded the Indian Army's training institutes for their outstanding contributions. Singh's visit was a significant milestone, as he acknowledged the crucial role these institutes play in shaping the military strategies and warfare skills of Indian Army personnel. Also Read | Delhi Assembly Elections 2025: Arvind Kejriwal Accuses BJP of Manipulating Electoral Roll Ahead of Polls. He was on a visit to the three Premier Training Institutes of the Indian Army - Army War College (AWC), Infantry School and Military College of Telecommunication and Engineering (MCTE) - in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh, accompanied by the Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi and other senior officers of the Indian Army. Singh was briefed by the Officiating Commandant on the establishment of the Advanced Incubation and Research Centre and the various MoUs towards enabling the absorption and transformation of technologies. Also Read | Karnataka Suicide: 21-Year-Old Dies After Igniting Gelatin Sticks Outside House of Girl He Loved in Kalenahalli Village. He visited the Army Marksmanship Unit to witness their contribution towards national sports. Singh also visited the Infantry Museum, where he was briefed on the history of the Infantry as well as the induction of modernised equipment into the Infantry. Addressing the troops, he commended the courage and vigilance of the Indian Army personnel in safeguarding the borders and ensuring national security. "Your dedication and devotion to duty are an inspiration to all of us. It is due to your hard work and commitment that our country and its borders are becoming increasingly secure and strong," he said. Singh called upon the Armed Forces to continue keeping a vigilant eye on the current geopolitical scenario, and always remain alert and ready to deal with any kind of threats. During his address at Mhow Military Station, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, " Our jawans are not ordinary but very special. Whenever you want to do something you don't calculate but instead you think that no matter what we need to do it. This dedication of yours inspires the entire citizens of this country...as the Defence Minister, I want to say that we will have to keep ourselves alert always..." He emphasised that there are times when India faces challenges on the borders as well as on the internal front, which makes it imperative for the soldiers to keep a close eye on the activities of the adversaries and take timely and effective steps against them. Singh asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Government's aim is to make India a developed and self-reliant nation by 2047, and the Armed Forces will play a crucial role in achieving this goal. "You are the protectors of our borders and the forerunners in nation-building. I am sure that you will continue securing our borders with courage and dedication, and contribute to realising the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047," he said. Earlier, the Defence Minister visited the Bhim Janm Bhoomi, a memorial dedicated to Dr BR Ambedkar in Mhow, and paid homage to the Bharat Ratna and the architect of the Indian constitution at his birthplace. He described Dr BR Ambedkar as an epitome of selfless service, who dedicated his life to social equality and empowerment. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)Jimmy Carter, a one-term president who became a globe-trotting elder statesman, dies at 100 | CNNManchester United Football Club is to cut the funding it provides to its charitable arm as part of a purge of costs being overseen by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, its newest billionaire shareholder. Sky News has learnt that the Premier League club plans to inform the Manchester United Foundation that it intends to curb the benefits it provides - which totalled close to £1m last year - from 2025 onwards. Sources close to the situation said a substantial element of the support given to the Foundation by the club would be axed, although Old Trafford insiders insisted on Sunday that it would still provide "significant" support to the charitable wing. A decision is said to have been made by the club's leadership to proceed with the cuts, with the Foundation expected to be informed about the scale of the reductions in the coming weeks. In 2023, the club paid the MU Foundation nearly £175,000 for charity services, which include managing the distribution of signed merchandise to individuals raising funds for charitable causes. Manchester United also provided gifts in kind amounting to £665,000 last year, which were understood to include use of the Old Trafford pitch and other facilities, alongside free club merchandise and the use of back-office services such as the club's IT capabilities. The MU Foundation works in local communities around Manchester and Salford to engage with underprivileged and marginalised people. Its projects include Street Reds, which is targeted at 8-18 year-olds, and Primary Reds, which works in school classrooms with 5-11 year-olds. It also organises hospital visits to support children with life-threatening illnesses. The disclosure about the latest target of cost-cutting by Sir Jim's Ineos Sports group, which now owns close to 29% of Manchester United's, comes just a day after The Sun revealed that an association set up to facilitate relations between former players, would see its club funding axed. A similar move has been made in relation to funding for the club's disabled fans' group, while hundreds of full-time staff have been made redundant in recent months and costs have been slashed across most areas of its operations. People close to the club anticipate further cost-cutting measures being introduced as soon as next month. One club source said it remained "proud of the work carried out by the Manchester United Foundation to increase opportunities for vulnerable young people across Greater Manchester". "All areas of club expenditure are being reviewed due to ongoing losses. "However, significant support for the Foundation will continue." Sir Jim has injected $300m of his multibillion pound fortune into Manchester United, although it will need to raise substantially more than that to fund redevelopments to Old Trafford or a new stadium. Last year, the club, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, lost more than £110m, with sizeable interest payments totalling tens of millions of pounds annually required to service its debt burden. The men's first team has seen an alarming run of results under Ruben Amorim, who was appointed to succeed Erik Ten Hag in the autumn. United have lost three of their last four matches - the exception being a derby win away at Manchester City - and lie 14th in the Premier League table. Mr Amorim has acknowledged that he could face the same fate as Mr Ten Hag unless results improve. Dan Ashworth, who was brought in from Newcastle United FC as sporting director in the summer, left after just five months. Manchester United declined to comment formally on the proposed cuts to the funding of its charitable arm.
Check your junk mail: Some affected by the Equifax data breach to get more moneyMichael Gray Jr., Byron Ireland rally Nicholls to 76-75 victory over Louisiana
A Democratic Florida state representative announced she is defecting from her party and joining the Republicans because the Democrats are too open to “extreme progressive voices.” Hillary Cassel, who is Jewish, said in a statement on X that she was “increasingly troubled by the Democratic Party’s failure to unequivocally support Israel” in its war with Hamas. “I’m constantly troubled by the inability of the current Democratic Party to relate to everyday Floridians,” she added. “I can no longer remain in a party that doesn’t represent my values. I know I won’t always agree on every detail with every Republican, but I do know that I will always have input, collaboration, and respect.” Cassel first won office in Florida’s 101st district in 2022, beating out her Republican opponent by seven points, according to Ballotpedia. She won re-election two months ago, running unopposed. Earlier this month, another Democrat in Florida’s house, Susan Valdes, announced that she would join the Republicans because she felt “ignored” by her party, according to the Tallahassee Democrat . Legendary sportscaster Greg Gumbel has died at age 78, his family confirmed in a statement Friday, according to CBS News . “He passed away peacefully surrounded by much love after a courageous battle with cancer,” they wrote. “Greg approached his illness like one would expect he would, with stoicism, grace, and positivity.” The veteran CBS Sports journalist, who spent more than 50 years in broadcasting, approached his job with the same regard, according to his colleagues who nicknamed him “Gumby” for his grace in front of the camera and behind the scenes. “He leaves behind a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication to over 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcast industry; and his iconic voice will never be forgotten,” added the post, authored by his wife Marcy and daughter Michelle. “Greg’s memory will forever be treasured by his family, dearest friends, colleagues and all who loved him.” No further details were given about his diagnosis. Gumbel is the older brother of fellow sportscaster and NBC host Bryant Gumbel, who is nicknamed “Never Stumble Gumbel.” After all the chaos of the holiday season, you and your loved one deserve a little one-on-one time. For 2025, make the resolution to create unforgettable date nights with The Fantasy Box . The subscription box comes with everything you need to spice up your love life, like step-by-step scenarios for role-playing, lingerie, accessories, lube, and props. Each box has a unique theme and there are over 30 different themed fantasies to pick. The Ride ‘Em Cowgirl scenario brings you to the wild west. She is a flirty cowgirl in sexy denim shorts and cow print pasties, while he is a charming bartender with a paddle. Perhaps you’re intrigued by the idea of exploring a more dominant and submissive dynamic. In the D is for Discipline box , she is the Mistress with drip candles and he is her toy in a satin blindfold and bondage collar. The Fantasy Box has created a quick quiz you can take to uncover you and your partner’s fantasies. After taking the quiz, you’ll be recommended three boxes. From there, you can buy any box you want directly. Don’t forget to use the code NEWYEAR at checkout to save $50 on your order. If you and your partner love it, try subscribing monthly or bi-monthly for only $99 the first month. Monthly subscriptions renew at $129 per box; bi-monthly at $139 per box. You’ll receive a new themed box, enjoy free shipping, and get up to 20% off at The Fantasy Box’s shop. Free Shipping Free Shipping If you buy something from this post, we may earn a small commission. Yet another billionaire is clambering to get into President-elect Donald Trump’s hyper-rich inner circle, the MAGA chief has claimed. Trump, who will take the hot seat on Jan. 20, 2025, has seen his popularity surge among Silicon Valley types after he was endorsed by the world’s richest man, Elon Musk . The number two, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos , soon made a beeline for the big man too, after he was spotted dining with Musk and Trump at Mar-a-Lago earlier this month. Now Bill Gates wants a slice, according to Trump. Writing on Truth Social, Trump said the former CEO of Microsoft— whom Forbes says is the 16th richest in the world— personally asked for an audience with him. In a somewhat incoherent post, he said: “Where are you? When are you coming to the ‘Center of the Universe,’ Mar-a-Lago. Bill Gates asked to come, tonight. We miss you and x! New Year’s Eve is going to be AMAZING!!! DJT.” The murder of health insurance CEO Brian Thompson is being blamed not just on the gunman–but on the industry the dead man worked for, a new poll has found. UnitedHealthcare CEO Thompson was gunned down from behind on a Manhattan street just before dawn on December 4, prompting a nationwide manhunt which ended five days later with the arrest of the suspected killer , 26-year-old Ivy League graduate Luigi Mangione . Now research by NORC at the University of Chicago published Friday shows that while 78 per cent of people said that the alleged killer, had a great deal or a moderate amount of responsibility for the death, almost as many blamed health insurance companies' denial of coverage for the death. And almost as many, 67 per cent, said profits by the insurers were to blame. A majority of people, 53 per cent, blamed “wealth or income inequality in general”–although it was Mangione who was the scion of a millionaire family , while Thompson was from rural Iowa and had been the first in his family to go to college. One in ten said that Thompson’s killer bore no responsibility at all–an issue which is likely to dog jury selection when Mangione goes on trial in Manhattan for the alleged murder. He is charged by both federal and state authorities with murder and in the federal case is eligible for the death penalty . Mangione has pleaded not guilty. Scouted selects products independently. If you purchase something from our posts, we may earn a small commission. Boxing Week sales are still in full swing, folks! As an avid J.Crew fan , I can honestly say that the brand’s discount-laden factory store (the brand’s online outlet) is a great way to get high-quality wardrobe staples without the big price tag. J.Crew Factory always offers discounts up to 40 percent off J.Crew, but for a limited time, you can unlock even more savings from already discounted items. Right now, J.Crew Factory is offering 70 percent off clearance items with the code SALE70 at checkout. Now’s the time to invest in evergreen staples like jeans and office-friendly blazers while they’re half off, or grab a few outwear essentials to round out your cold-weather lineup. The sale also includes tons of denim for just $50, pure cotton crewneck T-shirts for $20, and even new arrivals like NYE frocks and cashmere items. And the sale is not just for women; the gents’ and kids’ sections are equally full of additional savings. Tom Cruise ’s first movie project after wrapping up the Mission: Impossible franchise next year with The Final Reckoning has been revealed. And it could land him back in the Oscar conversation. Warner Bros. announced Friday that Cruise will star in an untitled film from two-time Academy Award-winning director Alejandro G. Iñárritu ( Birdman , The Revenant ), set to be released on Oct. 2, 2026. The logline reads: “The most powerful man in the world embarks on a frantic mission to prove he is humanity’s savior before the disaster he’s unleashed destroys everything.” Sandra Hüller, John Goodman, Michael Stuhlbarg, Jesse Plemons, Sophie Wilde, and Riz Ahmed are among the other actors in the cast. The project is Iñárritu‘s first English-language film since 2015’s The Revenant , which won Leonardo DiCaprio his first Oscar for Best Actor. Cruise has been nominated for three acting Oscars over the course of his long career—for Born on the Fourth of July , Jerry Maguire , and Magnolia —but has never received a trophy at the ceremony. Entire stalls were engulfed by flames at the Bryant Park holiday market in Manhattan on Friday morning, videos show. A cause for the blaze is yet to be determined, but a spokesperson for FDNY told Gothamist it’s under investigation. The fire broke out around 9:30 a.m. and nobody was injured, the spokesperson said, adding that the fire was between “six feet wide by 40 feet long” at its peak. Clips of the flames quickly went viral on social media and the market has been closed indefinitely. New York City Emergency Management advised people to avoid the area and warned there will be traffic delays while a probe is completed. It’s the second time this season a holiday market has gone up in flames in the city, coming a week-and-a-half after a fire ignited a swath of Herald Square’s festive shopping corridor. Eighteen shops—and their merchandise, ranging from shirts to glass ornaments—were reportedly razed by that blaze. Bryant Park Christmas Village is on fire 🔥 #whatisnewyork pic.twitter.com/031iZ2D6He Kevin O’Leary , of Shark Tank fame, says half of Canada is “interested” in merging with the U.S.—a longshot arrangement that topped Donald Trump ’s wishlist this Christmas. “Canadians over the holidays—the last two days—have been talking about this,” O’Leary told Fox Business. “They want to hear more.” The 70-year-old Montreal native said he’s headed to Mar-a-Lago to start a conversation that, at the least, may lead to his homeland and the U.S. striking a partnership agreement akin to the European Union. “So secure [the northern territories], give a common currency, figure out taxes across the board, get everything trading both ways, create a new, almost EU-like passport—I like this idea and at least half of Canadians are interested,” he said. O’Leary acknowledged there’d be “a lot of issues” with a merger, but suggested now’s the time to get a deal done with Trump returning to office as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s power is waning. O’Leary may not be the best barometer for what the average Canadian thinks, however. The businessman, worth an estimated $400 million , has ditched the great white north for sunny Miami Beach . He was also soundly rejected by voters when he ran for the leadership of the Canadian Conservative Party in 2017 and won just one percent of the vote. Elon Musk has further stoked the flames of the MAGA H1-B civil war after he agreed with a post that called Americans too “retarded” to exclusively fill the U.S. tech workforce. The eye-popping endorsement came after a pro-Musk account on X summed up the right-wing divide on visas to skilled workers as such: “So basically the right split into two factions, tech right and right right, and the tech right is like ‘hey we need h-1b visa people to do the jobs,’ and the right right was like ‘no you need to hire Americans,’ and the tech right is like “but you guys are retarded,” and the right right is like ‘well you don’t train us,’ and the tech right is like ‘you can’t outtrain being retarded,’ and while all this was going on we learned some people *really* don’t like Indians.” Musk, a 53-year-old South African who’s recently enjoyed a spot inside the “America First” Trump’s inner circle, apparently thought that assessment was a fair one. He responded, “That pretty much sums it up. This was eye-opening.” Trump is yet to weigh in on the latest right-wing divide that pits his longtime loyalists against his new tech bro faction. That pretty much sums it up. This was eye-opening. Scouted selects products independently. If you purchase something from our posts, we may earn a small commission. If you’re looking to revamp your at-home fitness lineup ahead of 2025 and don’t have hours to commit to exercising each day, allow us to introduce you to the CAROL Bike . The science-backed and AI-powered fitness bike is engineered to give you maximum results in the shortest time possible—and by the shortest time, we mean as little as five minutes. In fact, according to the brand, the CAROL bike is “proven to deliver double the health and fitness benefits in 90 percent less time compared to regular cardio.” Free Returns | Free Shipping Not only is it a huge time-saver, but the CAROL Bike is also designed to be personalized to the rider’s individual fitness levels, goals, and preferences, making the workouts easy to follow, time-efficient, and super effective. CAROL’s AI and Reduced Exertion HIIT (REHIT) technology optimizes the workout to your ability and fitness level, so every second matters. The personalized, optimal resistance levels are automatically adjusted as you work out—at exactly the right time—making the most efficient workouts easy to follow. “ CAROL Bike is designed to maximize training efficiency, with the shortest, most effective workouts, backed by science. And new rider-inspired features that give riders more flexibility to exercise their way,” says Ulrich Dempfle, CEO & Co-Founder at CAROL. You can try the CAROL Bike for yourself risk-free for 100 days, and the brand offers free shipping (7-10 business days) in the U.S. Several aviation experts said they believe that a Russian defense system caused the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash that killed 38 people on Christmas Day, according to the Associated Press. The flight was headed from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Russia, but diverted course amid bad weather before crash landing near Aktau, Kazakhstan. The incident left 29 survivors, all of whom are injured, the AP reported. With investigations underway in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia, officials in those countries have urged against speculation about the crash’s cause. Russia’s aviation authority has suggested, nevertheless, that a bird strike could have played a role. But aviation experts seem to disagree. Mark Zee, founder of the aviation safety organization OPSGroup, told the AP that based on images of the plane, he is “90-99%” sure it was struck by a missile. Independent Russian military expert Yan Matveyev agreed that the plane’s tail appeared to have been struck by shrapnel from a missile like the ones used by Russia’s defense system. Meanwhile, the UK aviation security firm Osprey Solutions reportedly cautioned its clients that “Azerbaijan Airlines flight was likely shot down by a Russian military air-defense system.” The man suspected of lighting a woman on fire in a Brooklyn subway car faces life without parole after he was charged with murder . Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, 33, has been indicted on charges of murder in the first and second degree and arson, according to Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. The horrific scene unfolded on an early morning F train stopped at the Coney Island-Stillwell Ave. stop in south Brooklyn on Dec. 22. Zapeta is accused of igniting the woman’s clothes and “fanning the flames” with a shirt. “These are significant counts. Murder in the first degree carries the possibility of life without parole. It’s the most serious statute in New York state law and my office is very confident about the evidence in the case and to hold Zapeta accountable for his dastardly deeds,” Gonzalez said. Zapeta, an undocumented immigrant from Guatemala, is scheduled to be arraigned Jan. 7.
Yellen Says US Will Hit Debt Ceiling Mid-January, Forcing Treasury To Employ 'Extraordinary Measures'Column: How to solve Americans’ crisis of beliefMILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo was available for the Milwaukee Bucks against the Washington Wizards Saturday night after missing one game with swelling in his left knee. Antetokounmpo sat out the Bucks' 106-103 NBA Cup victory at Miami on Tuesday. The two-time MVP had been listed as probable with tendinopathy in his right patellar tendon. “He's good,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said before the game. Antetokounmpo entered Saturday as the league's leading scorer at 32.4 points per game. He ranked fifth in rebounds (11.9) and 20th in assists (6.4). AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
REFORM, Ala. (AP) — A federal judge ruled that the family of former NFL player Glenn Foster Jr., who died in law enforcement custody in Alabama, can pursue a lawsuit alleging his death was the result of excessive force. Foster, a former New Orleans Saints defensive end, died on Dec. 6, 2021, three days after being arrested and taken to jail in rural Pickens County for alleged speeding and attempting to elude police. A judge ordered Foster taken to a medical facility in Tuscaloosa for a mental evaluation. Foster was found unresponsive in the back of a law enforcement vehicle when he arrived at the facility. He was pronounced dead about 30 minutes later. His widow, Pamela Foster, filed a lawsuit against officers at the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office and jail saying Foster had been beaten, shocked with a Taser and strangled while at the jail. The defendants then asked a federal judge to dismiss the case. U.S. District Judge Annemarie Carney Axon ruled Thursday refused to dismiss allegations of excessive force and failure to intervene. Axon dismissed other portions of the lawsuit. The ruling came a day before the third anniversary of Foster’s death. Foster appeared in 17 games for the Saints in 2013 and 2014.Winston Churchill is credited with saying that history is written by the victors. And in the world of major labels, these corporate entities have a long history of emerging as top dogs by controlling artist’s musical output and writing contracts that give acts the short end of the stick. David Lowery and his band Cracker, who will perform Monday at Lulu’s Downtown in Colorado Springs, had some of those experiences following a wild and often successful ride signed to Virgin Records. But Lowery and fellow founding member Johnny Hickman have managed to take the wheel of their band’s narrative in recent years. A case in point is the recently released “Alternative History: A Cracker Retrospective,” a three-LP/two-CD set that serves as a proxy version of the band’s canon. For Lowery, the impetus for this undertaking can be traced to the most nefarious modern-day anti-musician piece of technology — streaming services. “Part of this grew out of me talking to our students where they would sort of go on a streaming service to see the Cracker best of algorithmic playlists,” he said. “Based on the number of streams, it tends to favor the older stuff. It was sort of skewed and not really representing (us). And then two of our three greatest hits compilations were also kind of 2002 backwards. We felt there needed to be another compilation. We got into talking about licensing some with Universal Music Group and Concord in conjunction with Cooking Vinyl, but it seemed like it was going to eat up all the money if we licensed the tracks.” Rather than funnel money to their former labels, Lowery decided to sift through re-recordings, demos, outtakes and live tracks for a set that ranges far and wide throughout the Cracker catalog. “This turned out to be an interesting project because basically what we were doing was telling the story of Cracker sort of using alternate takes like the stuff we did with Leftover Salmon re-records we’d done through the years, rare B-sides and a few unreleased things,” Lowery said. “There are songs that over the years have become fan favorites, and while they were never singles, they were important live songs we do.” With “Alternative History” out, Lowery and Hickman are back on tour fronting Cracker. They’re also adding a twist by bringing out Chicago-based fiddler Anne Harris. “The setlist will be a pretty strict retrospective approach with a little bit from every part of the catalog. Having Anne play with us means we’ve been able to incorporate some of the Camper stuff as well,” Lowery said, referencing his other band, Camper Van Beethoven. “ She’s actually a very interesting and versatile artist in her own right. It’s a little bit of a different show when we play with her.”
Former PTI leader and Senator Faisal Vawda has expressed serious concerns over the safety of PTI founder Imran Khan, alleging that his life is at risk from members of his own party, including Bushra Bibi, Ali Amin Gandapur, Express News reported. In a statement on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Vawda reiterated his previous claims, saying, “I still stand by my statement that Khan’s life is in danger from Bibi, Gandapur, and their supporters.” Vawda further pointed to a tweet by former Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Qasim Suri, as evidence of the threat. Suri, whom Vawda referred to as a “fugitive”, had posted a tweet suggesting that Khan had lost his mental stability, even implying that he was “mad.” “The first indication of the threat to Imran Khan’s life is the tweet from the absconding fugitive Qasim Suri, in which he started spreading the narrative that Khan has lost his mental balance,” Vawda said. The senator emphasised that the nation is now beginning to understand the implications of such statements and actions. “But we must protect Khan’s life and save the founder of PTI from these individuals,” Vawda stated. On the other hand, Aliya Khan, Imran Khan’s sister, publicly denounced Suri’s tweet, labelling it as baseless and irresponsible.WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump's supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in his political movement into public display, previewing the fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare the tensions between the newest flank of Trump's movement — wealthy members of the tech world including billionaire Elon Musk and fellow entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and their call for more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump's Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. The debate touched off this week when Laura Loomer , a right-wing provocateur with a history of racist and conspiratorial comments, criticized Trump’s selection of Sriram Krishnan as an adviser on artificial intelligence policy in his coming administration. Krishnan favors the ability to bring more skilled immigrants into the U.S. Loomer declared the stance to be “not America First policy” and said the tech executives who have aligned themselves with Trump were doing so to enrich themselves. Much of the debate played out on the social media network X, which Musk owns. Loomer's comments sparked a back-and-forth with venture capitalist and former PayPal executive David Sacks , whom Trump has tapped to be the “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar." Musk and Ramaswamy, whom Trump has tasked with finding ways to cut the federal government , weighed in, defending the tech industry's need to bring in foreign workers. It bloomed into a larger debate with more figures from the hard-right weighing in about the need to hire U.S. workers, whether values in American culture can produce the best engineers, free speech on the internet, the newfound influence tech figures have in Trump's world and what his political movement stands for. Trump has not yet weighed in on the rift. His presidential transition team did not respond to questions about positions on visas for highly skilled workers or the debate between his supporters online. Instead, his team instead sent a link to a post on X by longtime adviser and immigration hard-liner Stephen Miller that was a transcript of a speech Trump gave in 2020 at Mount Rushmore in which he praised figures and moments from American history. Musk, the world's richest man who has grown remarkably close to the president-elect , was a central figure in the debate, not only for his stature in Trump's movement but his stance on the tech industry's hiring of foreign workers. Technology companies say H-1B visas for skilled workers, used by software engineers and others in the tech industry, are critical for hard-to-fill positions. But critics have said they undercut U.S. citizens who could take those jobs. Some on the right have called for the program to be eliminated, not expanded. Born in South Africa, Musk was once on an a H-1B visa himself and defended the industry's need to bring in foreign workers. “There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent," he said in a post. “It is the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley.” Trump's own positions over the years have reflected the divide in his movement. His tough immigration policies, including his pledge for a mass deportation, were central to his winning presidential campaign. He has focused on immigrants who come into the U.S. illegally but he has also sought curbs on legal immigration , including family-based visas. As a presidential candidate in 2016, Trump called the H-1B visa program “very bad” and “unfair” for U.S. workers. After he became president, Trump in 2017 issued a “Buy American and Hire American” executive order , which directed Cabinet members to suggest changes to ensure H-1B visas were awarded to the highest-paid or most-skilled applicants to protect American workers. Trump's businesses, however, have hired foreign workers, including waiters and cooks at his Mar-a-Lago club , and his social media company behind his Truth Social app has used the the H-1B program for highly skilled workers. During his 2024 campaign for president, as he made immigration his signature issue, Trump said immigrants in the country illegally are “poisoning the blood of our country" and promised to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. But in a sharp departure from his usual alarmist message around immigration generally, Trump told a podcast this year that he wants to give automatic green cards to foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges. “I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country," he told the “All-In" podcast with people from the venture capital and technology world. Those comments came on the cusp of Trump's budding alliance with tech industry figures, but he did not make the idea a regular part of his campaign message or detail any plans to pursue such changes.
US to send $1.25 billion in weapons to Ukraine, pushing to get aid out before Biden leaves office WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is expected to announce that it will send $1.25 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, U.S. officials said Friday, as the Biden administration pushes to get as much aid to Kyiv as possible before leaving office on Jan. 20. The large package of aid includes a significant amount of munitions, including for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems and the HAWK air defense system. It also will provide Stinger missiles and 155 mm- and 105 mm artillery rounds, officials said. The officials, who said they expect the announcement to be made on Monday, spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public. The new aid comes as Russia has launched a barrage of attacks against Ukraine’s power facilities in recent days, although Ukraine has said it intercepted a significant number of the missiles and drones. Russian and Ukrainian forces are also still in a bitter battle around the Russian border region of Kursk, where Moscow has sent thousands of North Korean troops to help reclaim territory taken by Ukraine. Earlier this month, senior defense officials acknowledged that that the Defense Department may not be able to send all of the remaining $5.6 billion in Pentagon weapons and equipment stocks passed by Congress for Ukraine before President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in. An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalition WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump's supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in his political movement into public display, previewing the fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare the tensions between the newest flank of Trump's movement — wealthy members of the tech world including billionaire Elon Musk and fellow entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and their call for more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump's Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. The debate touched off this week when Laura Loomer, a right-wing provocateur with a history of racist and conspiratorial comments, criticized Trump’s selection of Sriram Krishnan as an adviser on artificial intelligence policy in his coming administration. Krishnan favors the ability to bring more skilled immigrants into the U.S. Loomer declared the stance to be “not America First policy” and said the tech executives who have aligned themselves with Trump were doing so to enrich themselves. Much of the debate played out on the social media network X, which Musk owns. A 9th telecoms firm has been hit by a massive Chinese espionage campaign, the White House says WASHINGTON (AP) — A ninth U.S. telecoms firm has been confirmed to have been hacked as part of a sprawling Chinese espionage campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans, a top White House official said Friday. Biden administration officials said this month that at least eight telecommunications companies, as well as dozens of nations, had been affected by the Chinese hacking blitz known as Salt Typhoon. But deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger told reporters Friday that a ninth victim had been identified after the administration released guidance to companies about how to hunt for Chinese culprits in their networks. The update from Neuberger is the latest development in a massive hacking operation that has alarmed national security officials, exposed cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the private sector and laid bare China's hacking sophistication. The hackers compromised the networks of telecommunications companies to obtain customer call records and gain access to the private communications of what officials have said is a a limited number of individuals. Though the FBI has not publicly identified any of the victims, officials believe senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures are among those whose whose communications were accessed. Warren Upton, the oldest living survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor, dies at 105 HONOLULU (AP) — Warren Upton, the oldest living survivor of the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the last remaining survivor of the USS Utah, has died. He was 105. Upton died Wednesday at a hospital in Los Gatos, California, after suffering a bout of pneumonia, said Kathleen Farley, the California state chair of the Sons and Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors. The Utah, a battleship, was moored at Pearl Harbor when Japanese planes began bombing the Hawaii naval base in the early hours of Dec. 7, 1941, in an attack that propelled the U.S. into World War II. Upton told The Associated Press in 2020 that he had been getting ready to shave when he felt the first torpedo hit the Utah. He recalled that no one on board knew what made the ship shake. Then, the second torpedo hit and the ship began to list and capsize. The then-22-year-old swam ashore to Ford Island, where he jumped in a trench to avoid Japanese planes strafing the area. He stayed for about 30 minutes until a truck came and took him to safety. Israeli troops forcibly remove staff and patients from northern Gaza hospital, officials say DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli troops stormed one of the last hospitals operating in northern Gaza on Friday, forcing many staff and patients outside to strip in winter weather, the territory’s health ministry said. The army denied claims it had entered or set fire to the complex and accused Hamas of using the facility for cover. Kamal Adwan Hospital has been hit multiple times over the past three months by Israeli troops waging an offensive against Hamas fighters in surrounding neighborhoods, according to staff. The ministry said a strike on the hospital a day earlier killed five medical staff. Israel's military said it was conducting operations against Hamas infrastructure and militants in the area and had ordered people out of the hospital, but said it had not entered the complex as of Friday night. It repeated claims that Hamas militants operate inside Kamal Adwan but provided no evidence. Hospital officials have denied that. The Health Ministry said troops forced medical personnel and patients to assemble in the yard and remove their clothes. Some were led to an unknown location, while some patients were sent to the nearby Indonesian Hospital, which was knocked out of operation after an Israel raid this week. Israeli troops during raids frequently carry out mass detentions, stripping men to their underwear for questioning in what the military says is a security measure as they search for Hamas fighters. Azerbaijani and U.S. officials suggest plane that crashed may have been hit by weapons fire Russian air defense systems may have brought down an Azerbaijani airliner this week, a U.S. official said Friday after an Azerbaijani minister also suggested the plane was hit by a weapon, citing expert analysis and survivor accounts. Friday's assessments by Rashan Nabiyev and White House national security spokesman John Kirby echoed those made by outside aviation experts who blamed the crash on Russian air defense systems responding to a Ukrainian attack. These statements raised pressure on Russia, where officials said a drone attack was underway in the region where the Azerbaijan Airlines flight was heading for a landing. They did not address statements blaming air defenses. Kirby told reporters on Friday that the U.S. "have seen some early indications that would certainly point to the possibility that this jet was brought down by Russian air defense systems,” but refused to elaborate, citing an ongoing investigation. Pressed on whether the U.S. has intelligence that helped lead to that conclusion, or was simply relying on informed speculation from experts based on visual assessments of the crash, Kirby characterized the short answer as “yes” but said he’d “leave it at that,” without providing further details. The plane was flying from Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku to Grozny, the regional capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya, on Wednesday when it turned toward Kazakhstan and crashed while making an attempt to land. The crash killed 38 people and left all 29 survivors injured. Court rules Georgia lawmakers can subpoena Fani Willis for information related to her Trump case ATLANTA (AP) — A judge has ruled that the Georgia state Senate can subpoena Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis as part of a inquiry into whether she has engaged in misconduct during her prosecution of President-elect Donald Trump but is giving Willis the chance to contest whether lawmakers' demands are overly broad. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Shukura Ingram filed the order Monday, telling Willis she has until Jan. 13 to submit arguments over whether the subpoenas seek legally shielded or confidential information. Ingram wrote that the would issue a final order later saying what Willis had to respond to. Willis, though, wants the ruling overturned. “We believe the ruling is wrong and will appeal,” former Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes, who is representing Willis in the case, wrote in an email to The Associated Press. A state appeals court earlier this month removed Willis from the Georgia election interference case against Donald Trump and others, citing an “appearance of impropriety” that might not typically warrant such a removal. The Georgia Court of Appeals panel said in a 2-1 ruling that because of the romantic relationship Willis had with special prosecutor Nathan Wade “this is the rare case in which disqualification is mandated and no other remedy will suffice to restore public confidence in the integrity of these proceedings.” US homelessness up 18% as affordable housing remains out of reach for many people The United States saw an 18.1% increase in homelessness this year, a dramatic rise driven mostly by a lack of affordable housing as well as devastating natural disasters and a surge of migrants in several parts of the country, federal officials said Friday. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said federally required tallies taken across the country in January found that more than 770,000 people were counted as homeless — a number that misses some people and does not include those staying with friends or family because they do not have a place of their own. That increase comes on top of a 12% increase in 2023, which HUD blamed on soaring rents and the end of pandemic assistance. The 2023 increase also was driven by people experiencing homelessness for the first time. The numbers overall represent 23 of every 10,000 people in the U.S., with Black people being overrepresented among the homeless population. “No American should face homelessness, and the Biden-Harris Administration is committed to ensuring every family has access to the affordable, safe, and quality housing they deserve,” HUD Agency Head Adrianne Todman said in a statement, adding that the focus should remain on “evidence-based efforts to prevent and end homelessness.” Among the most concerning trends was a nearly 40% rise in family homelessness — one of the areas that was most affected by the arrival of migrants in big cities. Family homelessness more than doubled in 13 communities impacted by migrants including Denver, Chicago and New York City, according to HUD, while it rose less than 8% in the remaining 373 communities. Nearly 150,000 children experienced homelessness on a single night in 2024, reflecting a 33% jump from last year. What Snoop wants: Arizona Bowl gives NIL opportunities to players for Colorado State, Miami (Ohio) TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Snoop Dogg has nearly as many ties to football as he does to rap music. The entertainer coached youth football for years and created the Snoop League, an after-school program for inner city Los Angeles youths. Snoop has been a guest analyst on football broadcasts and his son, Cordell Broadus, played Division I football. When Snoop took his latest step, becoming the sponsor of a bowl game, he had a demand: Find a way for all players in the game to receive name, image and likeness (NIL) money. “This was Snoop's idea,” said Kym Adair, executive director of the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl presented by Gin & Juice. “He was having conversations with people he knows in the college football world and I got a call that said he wants us to be the first bowl to make this commitment and that's what we did.” The beneficiaries are Colorado State and Miami (Ohio), who will conclude their seasons Saturday at Arizona Stadium in the Arizona Bowl. The bowl is classified as a 501(c)(3), so all revenue goes to charity. And, being one of the few bowls not tied to ESPN, it opens the door for unique sponsorship opportunities. Alex Ovechkin is on track to break Wayne Gretzky's NHL career goals record Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals is closing in on the NHL career goals record of 894 held by Wayne Gretzky. Ovechkin has 868 goals after scoring 15 in the first 18 games this season. He needs 27 to set a new record. Ovechkin entered the season 42 short of breaking a record by “The Great One” that long seemed unapproachable. The 39-year-old Russian is in his 20th NHL season and was on pace to get to 895 in February before breaking his left leg in a shin-on-shin collision in November. Ovechkin could resume his pursuit as soon as Saturday night at Toronto in the Capitals' first game out of the Christmas break. Ovechkin scored twice in a 6-2 win over the Utah Hockey Club on Nov. 18, getting goals 867 and 868 in his first game in Salt Lake City before leaving in the third period. Ovechkin seems on track to play Saturday at the Maple Leafs. He has scored 44 goals against them during his career, tied for the fifth-most among all opponents. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.