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best time to play super ace jili NEW YORK — President-elect Donald Trump's lawyers urged a judge again Friday to throw out his hush money conviction, balking at the prosecution's suggestion of preserving the verdict by treating the case the way some courts do when a defendant dies. They called the idea "absurd." The Manhattan district attorney's office asked Judge Juan M. Merchan to "pretend as if one of the assassination attempts against President Trump had been successful," Trump's lawyers wrote in a 23-page response. In court papers made public Tuesday, District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office proposed an array of options for keeping the historic conviction on the books after Trump's lawyers filed paperwork this month asking for the case to be dismissed. They include freezing the case until Trump leaves office in 2029, agreeing that any future sentence won't include jail time, or closing the case by noting he was convicted but that he wasn't sentenced and his appeal wasn't resolved because of presidential immunity. Former President Donald Trump appears May 30 at Manhattan criminal court during jury deliberations in his criminal hush money trial in New York. Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove reiterated Friday their position that the only acceptable option is overturning his conviction and dismissing his indictment, writing that anything less will interfere with the transition process and his ability to lead the country. The Manhattan district attorney's office declined comment. It's unclear how soon Merchan will decide. He could grant Trump's request for dismissal, go with one of the prosecution's suggestions, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump's parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court, or choose some other option. In their response Friday, Blanche and Bove ripped each of the prosecution's suggestions. Halting the case until Trump leaves office would force the incoming president to govern while facing the "ongoing threat" that he'll be sentenced to imprisonment, fines or other punishment as soon as his term ends, Blanche and Bove wrote. Trump, a Republican, takes office Jan. 20. The prosecution's suggestion that Merchan could mitigate those concerns by promising not to sentence Trump to jail time on presidential immunity grounds is also a non-starter, Blanche and Bove wrote. The immunity statute requires dropping the case, not merely limiting sentencing options, they contend. Attorney Todd Blanche listens May 30 as his client Donald Trump speaks at Manhattan criminal court during jury deliberations in his criminal hush money trial in New York. Blanche and Bove, both of whom Trump tapped for high-ranking Justice Department positions, expressed outrage at the prosecution's novel suggestion that Merchan borrow from Alabama and other states and treat the case as if Trump died. Blanche and Bove accused prosecutors of ignoring New York precedent and attempting to "fabricate" a solution "based on an extremely troubling and irresponsible analogy between President Trump" who survived assassination attempts in Pennsylvania in July and Florida in September "and a hypothetical dead defendant." Such an option normally comes into play when a defendant dies after being convicted but before appeals are exhausted. It is unclear whether it is viable under New York law, but prosecutors suggested that Merchan could innovate in what's already a unique case. "This remedy would prevent defendant from being burdened during his presidency by an ongoing criminal proceeding," prosecutors wrote in their filing this week. But at the same time, it wouldn't "precipitously discard" the "meaningful fact that defendant was indicted and found guilty by a jury of his peers." Prosecutors acknowledged that "presidential immunity requires accommodation" during Trump's impending return to the White House but argued that his election to a second term should not upend the jury's verdict, which came when he was out of office. Longstanding Justice Department policy says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. Other world leaders don't enjoy the same protection. For example, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on trial on corruption charges even as he leads that nation's wars in Lebanon and Gaza. President-elect Donald Trump attends a Dec. 7 meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris. Trump has fought for months to reverse his May 30 conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records. Prosecutors said he fudged the documents to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier, which Trump denies. Trump's hush money conviction was in state court, meaning a presidential pardon — issued by Biden or himself when he takes office — would not apply to the case. Presidential pardons only apply to federal crimes. Since the election, special counsel Jack Smith ended his two federal cases, which pertained to Trump's efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss and allegations that he hoarded classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate. A separate state election interference case in Fulton County, Georgia, is largely on hold. Trump denies wrongdoing in each case. Trump was scheduled for sentencing in the hush money case in late November, but following Trump's Nov. 5 election win, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed the former and future president's sentencing so the defense and prosecution could weigh in on the future of the case. Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office. Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. FILE - Former Rep. Doug Collins speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at a campaign event at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Oct. 15, 2024, in Atlanta. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Kash Patel spent several years as a Justice Department prosecutor before catching the Trump administration’s attention as a staffer on Capitol Hill who helped investigate the Russia probe. Patel called for dramatically reducing the agency’s footprint, a perspective that sets him apart from earlier directors who sought additional resources for the bureau. Though the Justice Department in 2021 halted the practice of secretly seizing reporters’ phone records during leak investigations, Patel said he intends to aggressively hunt down government officials who leak information to reporters. Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump 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. Trump said Atkins, the CEO of Patomak Partners and a former SEC commissioner, was a “proven leader for common sense regulations.” In the years since leaving the SEC, Atkins has made the case against too much market regulation. “He believes in the promise of robust, innovative capital markets that are responsive to the needs of Investors, & that provide capital to make our Economy the best in the World. He also recognizes that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The commission oversees U.S. securities markets and investments and is currently led by Gary Gensler, who has been leading the U.S. government’s crackdown on the crypto industry. Gensler, who was nominated by President Joe Biden, announced last month that he would be stepping down from his post on the day that Trump is inaugurated — Jan. 20, 2025. Atkins began his career as a lawyer and has a long history working in the financial markets sector, both in government and private practice. In the 1990s, he worked on the staffs of two former SEC chairmen, Richard C. Breeden and Arthur Levitt. Jared Isaacman, 41, is a tech billionaire who bought a series of spaceflights from Elon Musk’s SpaceX and conducted the first private spacewalk . He is the founder and CEO of a card-processing company and has collaborated closely with Musk ever since buying his first chartered SpaceX flight. He took contest winners on that 2021 trip and followed it in September with a mission where he briefly popped out the hatch to test SpaceX’s new spacewalking suits. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. President-elect Donald Trump tapped former Sen. David Perdue of Georgia to be ambassador to China, saying in a social media post that the former CEO “brings valuable expertise to help build our relationship with China.” Perdue lost his Senate seat to Democrat Jon Ossoff four years ago and ran unsuccessfully in a primary against Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Perdue pushed Trump's debunked lies about electoral fraud during his failed bid for governor. 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. Guilfoyle is a former California prosecutor and television news personality who led the fundraising for Trump's 2020 campaign and became engaged to Don Jr. in 2020. Trump called her “a close friend and ally” and praised her “sharp intellect make her supremely qualified.” Guilfoyle was on stage with the family on election night. “I am so proud of Kimberly. She loves America and she always has wanted to serve the country as an Ambassador. She will be an amazing leader for America First,” Don Jr. posted. The ambassador positions must be approved by the U.S. Senate. Guilfoyle said in a social media post that she was “honored to accept President Trump’s nomination to serve as the next Ambassador to Greece and I look forward to earning the support of the U.S. Senate.” Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump said Wednesday that he will nominate Gen. Keith Kellogg to serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as National Security Advisor to Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence. For the America First Policy Institute, one of several groups formed after Trump left office to help lay the groundwork for the next Republican administration, Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Customs and Border Protection, with its roughly 60,000 employees, falls under the Department of Homeland Security. It includes the Border Patrol, which Rodney Scott led during Trump's first term, and is essentially responsible for protecting the country's borders while facilitating trade and travel. Scott comes to the job firmly from the Border Patrol side of the house. He became an agent in 1992 and spent much of his career in San Diego. When he was appointed head of the border agency in January 2020, he enthusiastically embraced Trump's policies. After being forced out under the Biden administration, Scott has been a vocal supporter of Trump's hard-line immigration agenda. He appeared frequently on Fox News and testified in Congress. He's also a senior fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Former Rep. Billy Long represented Missouri in the U.S. House from 2011 to 2023. Since leaving Congress, Trump said, Long “has worked as a Business and Tax advisor, helping Small Businesses navigate the complexities of complying with the IRS Rules and Regulations.” Former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler was appointed in January 2020 by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and then lost a runoff election a year later. She started a conservative voter registration organization and dived into GOP fundraising, becoming one of the top individual donors and bundlers to Trump’s 2024 comeback campaign. Even before nominating her for agriculture secretary, the president-elect already had tapped Loeffler as co-chair of his inaugural committee. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Trump says he’s picking Kari Lake as director of Voice of America, installing a staunch loyalist who ran unsuccessfully for Arizona governor and a Senate seat to head the congressionally funded broadcaster that provides independent news reporting around the world. Lake endeared herself to Trump through her dogmatic commitment to the falsehood that both she and Trump were the victims of election fraud. She has never acknowledged losing the gubernatorial race and called herself the “lawful governor” in her 2023 book, “Unafraid: Just Getting Started.” 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. Ron Johnson, Ambassador to Mexico Johnson — not the Republican senator — served as ambassador to El Salvador during Trump's first administration. His nomination comes as the president-elect has been threatening tariffs on Mexican imports and the mass deportation of migrants who have arrived to the U.S.-Mexico border. Johnson is also a former U.S. Army veteran and was in the Central Intelligence Agency. Tom Barrack, Ambassador to Turkey Barrack, a wealthy financier, met Trump in the 1980s while helping negotiate Trump’s purchase of the renowned Plaza Hotel. He was charged with using his personal access to the former president to secretly promote the interests of the United Arab Emirates, but was acquitted of all counts at a federal trial in 2022. Trump called him a “well-respected and experienced voice of reason.” Andrew Ferguson, Federal Trade Commission Ferguson, who is already one of the FTC's five commissioners, will replace Lina Khan, who became a lightning rod for Wall Street and Silicon Valley by blocking billions of dollars worth of corporate acquisitions and suing Amazon and Meta while alleging anticompetitive behavior. “Andrew has a proven record of standing up to Big Tech censorship, and protecting Freedom of Speech in our Great Country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding, “Andrew will be the most America First, and pro-innovation FTC Chair in our Country’s History.” Jacob Helberg, undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment Dan Bishop, deputy director for budget at the Office of Budget and Management Leandro Rizzuto, Ambassador to the Washington-based Organization of American States Dan Newlin, Ambassador to Colombia Peter Lamelas, Ambassador to Argentina We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

Mystery drone sightings perplex AmericansMIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said he was caught off guard by reports early Tuesday that linebacker Shaq Barrett wants to unretire. The two-time Super Bowl winner signed a one-year deal with the Dolphins in March, then abruptly announced his retirement on social media in July, just days before the start of Miami's training camp. “Just to be candid, obviously there's a reason why you target and sign somebody," McDaniel said Tuesday afternoon. “I was fully caught off guard, or caught by surprise this morning as I found out.” McDaniel indicated the Dolphins have not had any conversations with Barrett recently. Miami holds the 32-year-old’s contractual rights. ESPN first reported the news. “It was kind of news as you guys got it,” McDaniel said. He also said he hasn't had a chance to think about Barrett potentially rejoining the team, and that his immediate focus is on Miami's Thursday night game at Green Bay. “The team is counting on me to think about the Packers,” he said. "I'll get with (GM) Chris (Grier), and we'll work through that. There's a ton of implications that go along with it in terms of team and roster stuff, so we'll work through that as we just got the news today.” Barrett has 400 tackles, 59 sacks, 22 forced fumbles and three interceptions in nine seasons — four with Denver and five with Tampa Bay. He was a second-team All-Pro with the Buccaneers in 2019, with a league-high 19 1/2 sacks. The Dolphins waived veteran safety Marcus Maye on Tuesday and activated rookie safety Patrick McMorris from injured reserve. Maye, who signed with the Dolphins in June, played in 11 games with three starts for Miami this season. He had 30 tackles and a tackle for loss. He could re-sign to the team's practice squad if he clears waivers. Maye previously played for New Orleans, but was cut in a money-saving move in March after two seasons with the Saints. Maye's release made room on the roster for McMorris, who was drafted in the sixth round by Miami in April. He began the season on injured reserve because of a calf injury. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel says he was surprised by reports of Shaq Barrett's unretirement plan

Lewandowski scores his 100th Champions League goal. He is the 3rd player to reach the milestoneThere's been some easing on the block on swimming in Canberra lakes and rivers but the bacteria may yet stay for a couple of weeks, so a full-freedom dive in wherever will take a while. Subscribe now for unlimited access . Login or signup to continue reading All articles from our website & app The digital version of Today's Paper Breaking news alerts direct to your inbox Interactive Crosswords, Sudoku and Trivia All articles from the other regional websites in your area Continue The unpleasant cause of the problem is delicately described by scientists as "faecal indicator bacteria" - or poo, as it's normally politely described. Indelicate words are also available. But whose poo is a mystery. When rain falls heavily, excrement from animals and humans ends up in ACT lakes and rivers, and that's what's happened this time. The non-human animals include cows, kangaroos and wombats, both wild animals and stock. All that the scientists know is that there is a high level of faecal matter in Lake Burley Griffin and in waterways like the Murrumbidgee and Molonglo rivers and lakes Tuggeranong and Ginninderra. And where there's faecal matter, there's a risk of swimmers swallowing bacteria which would make them ill. "Generally, after a big rain you are going to have poo in the waterways so we adopt a safety-first approach," Ralph Ogden, the ACT Healthy Waterways manager, said. There are two sewage treatment plants which might impact ACT waterways, one in Fyshwick and the other in Queanbeyan, but there are no indications that overflows from them are responsible for the current pollution. The contamination is spread across waterways in the ACT, even those not downstream of overflows from the treatment plants, and that indicates that the poo comes from animals. What about algae? The current contamination is nothing to do with the usual unloved green-blue algae which plagues the lakes in Canberra. The algae is caused by the interaction between mostly phosphorus in the water and warmth through sunlight. Some of that phosphorus occurs naturally in leaves and grass but much also comes from fertilisers. The ACT government (which is not responsible for Lake Burley Griffin) has two strategies: it wants to create wetlands which act as filters to cleanse storm water - but it is also urging householders to consider what drains from their property. "The water that drains from our houses ends up in the waterways, sometimes within one or two hours." Most people use little or not much fertiliser in their gardens, he reckoned, but some overuse it. He urged those bigger users to "join your neighbours" in cutting back on fertiliser. ACT Healthy Waterways manager Ralph Ogden. Picture by Keegan Carroll "The message is, 'Join the majority of Canberrans who use little or no fertiliser'. We encourage the use of compost if you need to nourish your garden," Dr Ogden said. But it's not just fertiliser There is naturally occurring phosphorus in grass and leaves, and the ACT government is very keen that people don't sweep those grass and leaves off their driveways into the street, and so into drains and quickly into lakes, rivers and swimming spots. If they do sweep the leaves away, the natural phosphorus gets released into the water system - and, with a bit of warmth, turns into the ghastly green algae that disfigures, particularly Lake Tuggeranong and Lake Burley Griffin. "Leaf and grass litter is the main culprit. We need to keep that out of our driveways and roadside drains because it releases large amounts of nutrients that stimulate algal growth." The government is also looking at the effect of street sweeping, mowing verges and the use of fertiliser. But it wants citizens to be more involved, too. "We really want residents to think of themselves as waterway managers," Dr Ogden said. Share Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Email Copy Steve Evans Reporter Steve Evans is a reporter on The Canberra Times. He's been a BBC correspondent in New York, London, Berlin and Seoul and the sole reporter/photographer/paper deliverer on The Glen Innes Examiner in country New South Wales. "All the jobs have been fascinating - and so it continues." Steve Evans is a reporter on The Canberra Times. He's been a BBC correspondent in New York, London, Berlin and Seoul and the sole reporter/photographer/paper deliverer on The Glen Innes Examiner in country New South Wales. "All the jobs have been fascinating - and so it continues." More from Canberra This childcare overhaul will actually do very little for parents 1hr ago No comment s All you need to know about the nasty stuff in Canberra's waterways 1hr ago No comment s The RSPCA is looking for foster carers over Christmas 1hr ago No comment s Alex thought he was helping, and had approval - until almost the last minute 1hr ago No comment s Like the 'English aristocracy', but in 1940s Canberra 1hr ago No comment s If anyone else saw my 'for you' timeline, they'd be radicalised before breakfast 1hr ago No comment s Newsletters & Alerts View all DAILY Your morning news Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. Loading... WEEKDAYS The lunch break Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. Loading... DAILY Sport The latest news, results & expert analysis. Loading... WEEKDAYS The evening wrap Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. Loading... 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TWICE WEEKLY The Informer Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. Loading... WEEKLY Motoring Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. Loading... TWICE WEEKLY Voice of Real Australia Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. Loading... AS IT HAPPENS Breaking news alert Be the first to know when news breaks. Loading... DAILY Today's Paper Alert Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! Loading... DAILY Your favourite puzzles Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily! Loading...A California man who prosecutors alleged lied to federal agents and pushed fake criminal allegations against President Biden and his son Hunter now faces new charges of tax evasion from special counsel David Weiss, according to court records. Alexander Smirnov was an FBI informant for about a decade, providing information to federal investigators in what his defense attorneys claimed in court filings demonstrated an "undivided, years-long loyalty to the United States." But Weiss — the Trump-appointed Delaware U.S. attorney who was kept on during the Biden administration and later elevated to the role of special counsel by Attorney General Merrick Garland to continue the Hunter Biden probes — alleged in a February 2024 indictment that Smirnov illegally made false claims to FBI handlers about Hunter and Mr. Biden that dated back to 2020. Smirnov was accused of lying to investigators when he told them the two Bidens had each accepted $5 million from the Ukrainian energy company Burisma. The claims "were false, as the Defendant knew," according to the charging documents filed against him. Smirnov, who court records say was born in Ukraine, pleaded not guilty to the charges and in court filings, his defense team has accused prosecutors of charging their client "as a result of the rejection of Hunter Biden's plea resolutions." He remains in pretrial detention pending trial. On Nov. 21, just weeks before he was set to go to trial on Dec. 3, federal prosecutors in Weiss' office filed a little-noticed indictment in a separate case against Smirnov, alleging he had illegally concealed from the IRS millions of dollars in income between 2020 and 2022. Court records alleged Smirnov spent unreported income on a Las Vegas apartment, a Bentley and payments on credit card debt. Prosecutors did not name the alleged source of the funds, but the dates and amounts of his payments to him from a single company identified in their filing as "Company 1" coincide with payments they alleged Smirnov received from the Economic Transformation Technologies Corporation, which was named in court records filed in Smirnov's other case. The new charges do not indicate any wrongdoing by Economic Transformation Technologies Corporation. Other income came from an unnamed individual, the new indictment said. "In order to conceal the millions of dollars he received in income in 2020, 2021 and 2022, the Defendant created and filed false Forms 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns, for himself and in Domestic Partner's name that included false and fictitious income and expenses," the 27-page indictment filed last week said. According to newly published court records, the judge overseeing Weiss' first case against Smirnov — District Court Judge Otis Wright — held a status conference on Tuesday and delayed his upcoming trial on the false statements charges until January. Responding to the new tax charges, David Chesnoff, Smirnov's attorney, told CBS News, "Mr. Smirnov intends to vigorously defend this case as he is vigorously defending the first case." A spokesperson for Weiss declined to comment when contacted by CBS News. Prosecutors alleged earlier this year that Smirnov's false claims against the Bidens were memorialized in an FBI document known as an FD 1023. Congressional Republicans previously pointed to that document's allegations of bribery as evidence of misdeeds and fought with the FBI to publicly release the document, which investigators now say contained fake allegations. Smirnov's attorneys have argued in court records that the case "smacks of political bias." But prosecutors pushed back, writing this month that Smirnov, "has never provided any discovery to the government or evidence to this Court supporting his baseless claims—indeed, there is no such evidence because the claims are meritless." In court records filed earlier this year, the special counsel said Smirnov told the FBI about contacts with foreign intelligence officials, "including Russian intelligence agencies, and has had such contacts recently." Defense attorneys in court filings of their own called allegations of Russian ties baseless. Apart from the specific charges at issue, law enforcement experts told CBS News earlier this year that the mounting questions about Smirnov's truthfulness should trigger an audit of every case in which he was involved. A CBS News investigation published earlier this year revealed that serious doubts about Smirnov's credibility were raised almost a decade ago. The FBI declined to comment on the results of the CBS News investigation earlier this year. Weiss secured a conviction against Hunter Biden in Delaware on illegal gun charges and a guilty plea from the president's son in a second case in California in which Hunter Biden admitted to tax fraud . He is set to be sentenced in both cases later this month. The trial conviction and guilty plea were the results of a protracted legal battle between Weiss's office and Hunter Biden's legal team after an initial plea and diversion agreement fell apart and ultimately were rejected by a federal judge in 2023. The special counsel has faced criticism from members of Congress and whistleblowers over his handling of the Hunter Biden probe. Daniel Klaidman , Scott MacFarlane , Jessica Kegu and Pat Milton contributed to this report. Robert Legare is a CBS News multiplatform reporter and producer covering the Justice Department, federal courts and investigations. He was previously an associate producer for the "CBS Evening News with Norah O'Donnell."

Will Utah State or Boise State forfeit vs. San Jose State in the Mountain West semifinals?Colorado hands No. 2 UConn second straight loss in Maui

OTTAWA — Team Canada made its final cuts for its roster for the 2025 World Juniors on Friday afternoon, narrowing the 32 players invited to selection camp down to the 25 who will represent Canada at this year’s tournament. The Athletic ’s Scott Wheeler and Corey Pronman were in Ottawa for selection camp. Here are their standouts, thoughts on the cuts and an updated lineup projection. Up next for Canada: Three pre-tournament games (Dec. 19 vs. Switzerland, Dec. 21 vs. Sweden and Dec. 23 vs. Czechia) ahead of their Boxing Day opener against Finland. Camp standouts Wheeler: Carson Rehkopf wasn’t a lock to make Team Canada as a returnee coming into camp but he was one of the standouts in the red-white scrimmages (he scored a goal in both and in the shootout) and then scored a hat trick and added a primary assist in overtime of the first USports game. He flashed his speed speed, skill and release but I was particularly impressed by the way he supported play, forechecked, and finished all of his checks, which were more important elements for him to show Hockey Canada. Advertisement I thought Ethan Gauthier really cemented his role with his competitiveness and his work ethic this week as well. Hockey Canada brass have talked a lot about how they were disappointed in last year’s team’s jam, competitiveness and ability to get to the inside. Gauthier leads by example with his play and looks now like he’ll be an important bottom-six guy for this year’s team after not being invited to the World Junior Summer Showcase in August. Denver Barkey, Mathieu Cataford, Tanner Howe and Luca Pinelli also showed similar elements and all played well, though it wasn’t enough for Barkey, who was one of the final cuts for a second year in a row. Pronman: Cole Beaudoin gave his absolute all to trying to make Team Canada. He was a relentless player throughout the camp, leading Canada in physical play by a significant margin. He didn’t generate a ton of offense, but he clearly demonstrated he could play a bottom-six energy role due to his size and compete. As one scout in attendance put it, “he was the only one on the ice trying to win the role he was playing for.” For a 17-year-old, Matthew Schaefer absolutely looked like he belonged on Team Canada. It would not be unreasonable to suggest he could be their best defenseman at the tournament by the end of it. He didn’t create a ton of offense, but he was so smooth and effective due to his skating and hockey sense. He broke up plays, got the puck up ice and never seemed to be at issue on the ice. He looked like a player strongly in the mix to be the No. 1 selection in June. I like the energy Gauthier brought to his shifts. He played hard, with good tempo, and was involved in just enough offense. He won a job in the bottom six and will likely be killing penalties. Canada was searching for some grit on the blue line, and Andrew Gibson showed he could provide that. He will be a stopper/PK type for them using his size and mobility. Advertisement Canada will get accused of playing favorite with Pinelli who their coach Dave Cameron works with in Ottawa. That said I thought Pinelli earned his spot. He was involved in a lot of scoring chances, played fast and competed well. I may have gone in another direction, but it was a reasonable invite. In the first camp game, the line with him, Beckett Sennecke and Rehkopf was buzzing and was arguably the best overall line in the camp. Thoughts on the picks and the cuts Wheeler: The only pick that surprised me a little was Pinelli’s. I thought he had a really positive camp. He plays with great energy and he’s got some skill. But if it came down to him and Barkey (two similar players in makeup and style vying for the same type of bottom-six role), I think Barkey excels in that role more than Pinelli. Barkey’s also one of the top penalty killers in the CHL and was excellent at last year’s selection camp. I thought Zayne Parekh struggled in his own zone and got pushed around a little throughout camp this week and just wasn’t at his best, so that cut after the late invite comes as no surprise. Sennecke played well though and felt like he was a goal away in the second USports game from maybe forcing their hand. And then there’s Andrew Cristall and Matthew Wood. Wood’s lack of pace was evident throughout camp and I think they just want the identity of this team to look a little different. Cristall’s the one forward who would have been on my team, though. His skating has come a long way, he was excellent at the summer showcase in August, he nearly made the Capitals out of camp, and he’s the top offensive forward in the CHL this year. I thought his vision was noticeable throughout camp, he played hard, and he would have been an asset to their top-six or a useful extra to have if the top-six wasn’t clicking, plus an asset to the power play. I’m not sure you needed to bring all of Howe, Beaudoin, Gauthier, Cataford and Pinelli for bottom-six roles, even if they all made strong cases and played well. Pronman: After being an initial cut from the camp roster, Sennecke made a strong case to make the final team. He was the best forward in the first game, showing his high-end skill and offensive IQ making a lot happen around the puck. He wasn’t as good in the second game and is mediocre off the puck, but I thought the high-end talent, the body of work and the recent play by him should have given him the nod. Advertisement Canada will get criticized for leaving off Parekh but I was fine with the decision. He hasn’t been amazing this season in Saginaw like he was in his draft year, and his defensive issues at even strength showed at times in this camp. He will be a prominent part of this team next year. Cristall and Riley Heidt have torn up the WHL, but I was never fully convinced they were going to make this team. They lacked size, pace and compete to drive play at even strength. They are skill and scoring-based players who needed to generate a lot of offense to tilt the needle their way, and their camps were rather average in that department. Wood being a cut was also not a huge surprise to me. He was a returning member of last year’s Canada team, but that wasn’t a great Canada team and he played limited minutes for them. He’s a super-skilled big man, but his feet are very heavy, and he was struggling to create chances at evens due to his lack of pace. Overall outlook Wheeler: This is a stronger team than last year’s and has a good mix of player types and balance across the lineup. They are weaker on the right side than the left and only three of the eight D who made the team are righties, so I do wonder if we see a lefty play their off-side at some point. They’ve clearly prioritized mobility on the back end (Tanner Molendyk, Sam Dickinson, Schaefer, Beau Akey and Sawyer Mynio are all high-end skaters and Gibson’s a strong skater as well). Up front, they’re going to rely on Berkly Catton, Bradly Nadeau, Gavin McKenna and Calum Ritchie to be their skill guys, Rehkopf’s going to have to put the puck in the net, and Easton Cowan, Brayden Yager and Jett Luchanko are all going to play important roles to round out the top nine. It’s a very good group. Pronman: Canada enters the tournament as the favorite. It’s a young team, with several draft eligibles and one draft-minus-one player in notable roles. It’s also a small center group. But they have great talent up and down the lineup. They have two reliable goalies as well. I don’t think this forward group is full of game-breakers, but it’s a highly competitive and fast group that can score a lot. The defense group will be more interesting. Canada wanted excellent two-way defenders, and they brought a lot of those types. By cutting Parekh (and Carter Yakemchuk prior to camp) they went without a traditional power play QB type on their blue line. If their power play doesn’t score, that decision will be micro-analyzed. That said they do have plenty of skill on defense. Dickinson has scored more than Parekh this season. Schaefer has a ton of offense in him, and both Molendyk and Oliver Bonk can help a power play. New lineup projection (Photo: Sean Kilpatrick / The Canadian Press via AP)None

The Essential Pen Tablet in Its Simplest Form: Huion Inspiroy Frego Pen Tablet Review

This week has seen a flurry of activity within Lego Fortnite, the game's ever-expanding corner in which several major game modes now sit. First, there was the arrival of a major update for Lego Fortnite Odyssey (the mode previously also simply known as 'Lego Fortnite') that adds the Storm King boss as a big endgame challenge, akin to the Ender Dragon in Minecraft. On top of that, there's now a whole new and separate Lego Fortnite offering to explore: Brick Life, a colourful mash-up of gameplay that feels like a family friendly GTA Online mixed with The Sims. How did these changes and new features come about? And what does the future have in store for Lego and Fortnite's popular crossover? I sat down with Epic Games EVP of game development Devin Winterbottom and Remi Marcelli, SVP and head of Lego gaming at the Lego group, to find out more. To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Manage cookie settings Lego Fortnite Odyssey: Storm Chasers update trailer.Watch on YouTube How did you come up with the new name for Lego Fortnite Odyssey? And why Odyssey? Marcelli: Finding new brands is always a bit of a challenge for The Lego Group. Lego Fortnite is those two brands coming together, but it's not specific to a genre. At the time we chose that name, it was an obvious one just because we have two very powerful brands - it would have been a missed oppurtunity! We didn't know we would have a collection of games, potentially, that would sit under that umbrella. So what we really needed to find was one calling out the genre you'd expect to find when launching [the old] Lego Fortnite. Odyssey came about because that's what players love the most - the adventures. The adventure play is the most loved part of that game and we've dialled up that with the Storm King. We wanted to just make sure people understood it was an adventure game. And with Brick Life, hopefully it's self-explanatory - it says social roleplay. Did you always know you wanted the Storm King... Tom PhillipsALBANY 93, PUERTO RICO-MAYAGUEZ 50

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said he was caught off guard by reports early Tuesday that linebacker Shaq Barrett wants to unretire. The two-time Super Bowl winner signed a one-year deal with the Dolphins in March, then abruptly announced his retirement on social media in July, just days before the start of Miami's training camp. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

SEC commentator Paul Finebaum doesn’t like Indiana’s chances to pull off the upset against Ohio State. Appearing on ESPN Friday morning, Finebaum broke down why he is picking Ohio State despite the Hoosiers’ undefeated season thus far. “If it is respectable then Indiana can start punching tickets to the CFP,” Finebaum said . “But, if it’s a blowout... I would recommend getting rid of Indiana.” Finebaum added he expects the Buckeyes to control the game throughout, giving Indiana no space to put its dynamic offense to get to work. “I think Ohio State is going to win this game convincingly,” Finebaum said. The point spread aligns directly with Finebaum’s comments. The Buckeyes are a double-digit favorite and were two touchdowns better than Indiana earlier in the week. The spread has come down since then, which sees the Buckeyes as 10.5-point favorites. Given Ohio State has lost to Oregon, who already clinched its spot in the Big Ten title game with one game remaining, a Buckeye loss would eliminate them from contention. Therefore, there is no room for error moving forward. Kickoff is set for noon ET on Fox, which headlines “Big Noon Kickoff.”Elon Musk Claims US Demanding Penalty Over Twitter Stock Disclosures

David J. Neal | (TNS) Miami Herald Stanley — whose cups have become almost as popular as the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup — recalled 2.6 million travel mugs because their burn count got too high. As explained in the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recall notice, “These mugs’ lid threads can shrink when exposed to heat and torque, causing the lid to detach during use, posing a burn hazard.” According to what Stanley told the CPSC, the lids on recalled travel mugs have detached 16 times in the United States and 91 times worldwide, causing two burn injuries in the United States and 38 worldwide. Of those 38, 11 “required medical attention.” Related Articles National News | How to protect your communications through encryption National News | Companies tighten security after a health care CEO’s killing leads to a surge of threats National News | Military service academies see drop in reported sexual assaults after alarming surge National News | Unidentified drones spotted flying at locations across NYC, including LaGuardia Airport National News | Woman who falsely accused Duke lacrosse players of rape in 2006 publicly admits she lied This involves the Switchback model, ID No. 20-01437 in the 12-ounce size and Nos. 20-01436 and 20-02211 in the 16-ounce size; and the Trigger Action model, ID Nos. 20-02033, 20-02779 and 20-02825 in the 12-ounce size; Nos. 20-02030, 20-02745 and 20-02957 in the 16-ounce size; and 20-02034 and 20-02746 in the 20-ounce size. Stanley wants customers to contact the company to receive a free replacement lid by either going to the website to enter your product identification number and place of purchase (if you remember) or calling (866) 792-5445, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Eastern time. ©2024 Miami Herald. Visit at miamiherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.With Long Island Lutheran's Kiyan Anthony (son of Carmelo) and Sierra Canyon's Bryce James (son of LeBron) sitting out Friday night's boys basketball matchup at UBS Arena, it was Kayden and Dylan Mingo who put on a show. Kayden Mingo scored 20 points and younger brother Dylan had 14 as No. 7-ranked Long Island Lutheran defeated Sierra Canyon (California), 65-50, in the LuHi Holiday Invitational. “It’s a blessing to be able to play alongside my brother,” Dylan Mingo said. “It’s not something that a lot of people get to experience and it’s a great thing to be able to do.” MJ Madison scored 12 of his 14 points in the first half and Nigel James had 12 for the Crusaders. “We came in with a chip on our shoulder after losing two games last weekend,” said James, a Marquette recruit. “We put pressure on the ball, played more aggressive and with more intensity.” “It was just a little bit of grit and grind that we had to display,” Dylan Mingo said. “The feeling of losing our last two games, we didn’t want to feel that again.” Long Island Lutheran (4-2) had lost its last two matchups against teams ranked within the top 15 of ESPN’s national rankings, Brewster Academy and Montverde Academy. The Crusaders will face another top 15-ranked team when they take on Link Academy (Missouri) on Sunday. Kayden Mingo, a Penn State commit, scored nine points in the fourth quarter for the Crusaders. “We responded with some great stretches during this game,” coach John Buck said. “I don’t think we played 32 minutes of Lutheran basketball, but for significant stretches, we were able to." Chris Nwuli, a Rutgers commit, made a three-pointer to give Sierra Canyon (7-2) a 3-2 lead in the first quarter. Nigel James found Dylan Mingo for a three-pointer to give the Crusaders a 5-3 lead, and they wouldn’t trail again. Nwuli cut the deficit to 20-18 after back-to-back baskets, but the Crusaders responded with a 13-0 run to end the quarter. Kayden Mingo found his brother on a fast break for a layup with 50 seconds remaining in the half and James scored on the Crusaders' next possession to give Lutheran a 33-18 lead going into the half. Maxi Adams trimmed the deficit to 52-42 with a three-pointer in the fourth quarter, but James found Dylan Mingo for a three-pointer on the next possession. It was unclear why Anthony and Bryce James did not play. “We were blessed with an opportunity to play here at UBS in one of the first high school basketball games at the arena,” Nigel James said. “Obviously, some players weren’t available, but this was worth the wait.” Christopher Matias covers high school sports for Newsday after spending time in Athletic Facilities and Operation at St. John’s and in Sports Information at CUNY York college.

Brazil’s Bolsonaro planned and participated in a 2022 coup plot, unsealed police report saysJapan's famous sake joins UNESCO's cultural heritage list, a boost to brewers and enthusiasts

3D Systems Reports Third Quarter 2024 Financial ResultsIn this article JWN Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT A sign marks the location of a Nordstrom store in a shopping mall on March 20, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. Scott Olson | Getty Images Nordstrom on Tuesday beat Wall Street's quarterly sales expectations, as revenue grew about 4% year over year from shoppers buying clothing, shoes and activewear at both the company's namesake department store and its off-price chain. Yet despite its better-than-expected quarter, the Seattle-based retailer gave only a slightly rosier full-year sales forecast — taking a conservative stance as it gears up for the busiest weeks of the holiday season. The company said it now expects full-year revenue, which includes retail sales and credit card revenue, to range from flat to up 1% for the full year. That compares to its previous range of a 1% decline to 1% growth. However, it stuck by its adjusted earnings outlook for the year of between $1.75 and $2.05 per share. In a news release, CEO Erik Nordstorm said the company's results show efforts to appeal to selective shoppers are paying off. Sales of women's apparel and activewear shot up by double digits year over year. Shoes, men's apparel and kids grew by mid-to-high single digits year over year. Compared with the second quarter, women's apparel, shoes and men's apparel sales in the fiscal third quarter also grew sequentially. "Our customers have a lot of choices, and our results give us encouragement that we're on the right path," he said. "Looking ahead, we'll continue to improve our shopping experience as we strive to maintain the positive momentum we've worked towards all year." Here is how Nordstrom did in the three-month period that ended Nov. 2 compared to what Wall Street anticipated, based on a survey of analysts by LSEG: Earnings per share: 33 cents adjusted, it was not immediately clear if it was comparable with analysts' estimates Revenue: $3.46 billion vs. $3.35 billion expected Nordstrom's net income for the fiscal third quarter was $46 million, or 27 cents per share, compared with $67 million, or 41 cents per share, in the year-ago period. Revenue rose from $3.32 billion in the year-ago quarter. After excluding a charge related to accelerated depreciation of technology, Nordstrom reported adjusted earnings per share of 33 cents. Comparable sales increased 4% across Nordstrom's two brands, its namesake and its off-price chain, Nordstrom Rack. That easily topped analysts' expectations for 0.7% gains in comparable sales, according to StreetAccount. Nordstrom's sales growth, while modest, is notable at a time when sales of discretionary merchandise and the luxury category have been under pressure. Retailers including Walmart, Best Buy and Target have reported over the past week that customers remain choosy when it comes to buying items that are wants, not needs, and have paid more attention to price. Nordstrom's sales growth also grew, despite a calendar shift with its Anniversary Sale. In the year-ago quarter, eight days of the sale fell into the three-month period, but only one day fell in the quarter this year. That had a negative impact on net sales of about 1%. Macy's, which postponed its full earnings , said third-quarter sales fell 2.4% and comparable sales for its owned and licensed businesses plus online marketplace dropped 1.3%, Nordstrom has leaned on its off-price chain, Nordstrom Rack, to drive both sales growth and new store locations. Yet in the third quarter, the two banners reported similar comparable sales – with the namesake store's up 4% and Nordstrom Rack up 3.9%. Nordstrom's latest quarterly update comes about two months after Nordstrom's founding family made a fresh bid to take the company private. According to a filing in September, CEO Erik Nordstrom, President Peter Nordstrom and Mexican retailer El Puerto de Liverpool sent a non-binding letter to form an entity that would buy the chain for $23 per share. Shares of the company have shot up since a Reuters report in March that Nordstrom's founding family wanted to take the company private. As of Tuesday's close, the company's stock has risen 32% so far this year, outpacing the S&P 500's 26% gains. This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.