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new jili slot Chicago forward Torrey Craig crashed into a camera on the baseline while pursuing a rebound during the Bulls' loss at Milwaukee on Wednesday. "I got a little blood on my elbow, a little blood on my nose. My ankle," Craig said. "I like games like that." Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Special counsel moves to dismiss election interference and classified documents cases against Trump

By ROB MAADDI Missed kicks. Poor tackling. Costly penalties. Week 12 was filled with sloppy play around the NFL, leading to some upsets and surprising outcomes. Jayden Daniels nearly led Washington to an improbable comeback down 10 in the final two minutes against Dallas only to fall short because Austin Seibert’s extra point sailed wide left. After a field goal and successful onside kick, Daniels connected with Terry McLaurin on an 86-yard catch-and-run touchdown to bring the Commanders within one point with 21 seconds remaining. But Seibert’s point-after attempt failed and the Cowboys returned the ensuing onside kick for a touchdown to seal a 34-26 victory. Special teams were atrocious for both teams. Seibert also missed his first extra point and Washington allowed KaVontae Turpin’s 99-yard kickoff return for a score earlier in the fourth quarter. The Cowboys missed a field goal, had another blocked and had a punt blocked. “What a wild special teams moment of blocked punts, kicks, kickoff returns, blocked field goals, just a number of things going to that spot,” Commanders coach Dan Quinn said. Washington (7-5) was a 10 1/2-point favorite over the undermanned Cowboys (4-7) but ended up losing a third straight game. The Houston Texans were 8-point favorites against the lowly Tennessee Titans and let the game come down to Ka’imi Fairbairn missing a 28-yard field goal that would have tied it with just under two minutes left. C.J. Stroud threw two interceptions, was sacked four times and the Texans (7-5) committed 11 penalties, including an illegal shift that negated a go-ahead 33-yard TD pass to Nico Collins on the drive that ended with Fairbairn’s miss in the 32-27 loss. The Titans (3-8) averaged just 17 points per game before putting 32 on the scoreboard against Houston’s defense that entered No. 4 in the league. “We didn’t do anything well enough to win this game,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Out of all the positives that we did have, there were way too many negatives. Too many negative plays. Score, get a penalty, get touchdowns called back. Get penalties on special teams. Just way too many negative plays defensively, like unexplainable explosives for touchdowns. We just didn’t play good across the board.” The San Francisco 49ers didn’t have quarterback Brock Purdy, star edge rusher Nick Bosa and All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams against Green Bay. That was no excuse for their undisciplined performance. The Niners committed nine penalties and their tackling was shoddy in a 38-10 loss to the Packers. The defending NFC champions are 5-6 with a trip to Buffalo (9-2) coming up. They’re still only one game behind Seattle and Arizona in the NFC West. “I’m really not concerned right now about how many guys were missing. We didn’t play good enough, so that’s not a factor. But, when you are missing some guys, you do have to be better. When you have those penalties and we didn’t stop the run like we did and we had those three turnovers in the second half, that’s how you get embarrassed.” Coming off their first loss of the season, the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs needed Patrick Mahomes’ heroics on the final drive to beat Carolina 30-27. Mahomes ran 33 yards to set up Spencer Schrader’s 31-yard field goal as time expired. Kansas City had 10 penalties, including a pass interference that gave the Panthers (3-8) another chance to make the 2-point conversion that tied the game with 1:46 remaining. On defense, the Chiefs (10-1) suddenly shaky unit gave up 334 total yards against Bryce Young and an offense that entered last in the NFL. “We’ve got to do better. We’re doing good in the red zone but that’s only a third of the field,” Chiefs safety Bryan Cook said. “We will go back and look at the film to see what we’re doing week to week, and see the tendencies that we’re giving up, and just move forward from there. At the end of the day, we’re all vets in the room for the most part. ... got to go back to the drawing board and see what we’re doing and correct it from there.” The Vikings allowed the Bears to recover an onside kick with 21 seconds left and Caleb Williams followed with a 27-yard pass to D.J. Moore to set up Cairo Santos’ tying 48-yard field goal. But Minnesota won in overtime, 30-27. The Chiefs and Vikings overcame their mistakes in narrow victories. The Commanders, Texans and 49ers couldn’t. They have to be better down the stretch to make a playoff run.Vanderpump Rules vet Scheana Shay breaks silence on James Kennedy's domestic violence arrest Have YOU got a story? Email tips@dailymail.com By ASHLEIGH GRAY FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 15:36 EST, 27 December 2024 | Updated: 15:47 EST, 27 December 2024 e-mail 7 shares View comments Scheana Shay has broken her silence on former Vanderpump Rules co-star James Kennedy 's recent domestic violence arrest. On the latest episode of her Scheananigans podcast, the 39-year-old host addressed the 32-year-old DJ's run-in with the law and explained what took her so long to respond. She said to listener's on Friday's episode: 'I did write out what I wanted to say because I want to try and be just as eloquent as possible. I want to get what I want to say out without stumbling over my words.' Kennedy's arrest came amid an argument with live-in girlfriend Ally Lewber, whose privacy Shay said she wanted to protect . 'I was respecting Ally’s privacy — as she requested,' Scheana explained. 'So I wasn’t going to say anything on the podcast, but I now see how that’s coming off by staying silent. So I have spoken to Ally. I check in with her often. I always have. But I know it seems like if I stay silent, you all somehow think I support his behavior, which I absolutely do not,' she clarified. Scheana Shay has broken her silence on former Vanderpump Rules co-star James Kennedy 's recent domestic violence arrest; pictured in November On the latest episode of her Scheananigans podcast, the 39-year-old host addressed the 32-year-old DJ's run-in with the law and explained what took her so long to respond; Kennedy pictured December 10, hours before his arrest Police were called to Kennedy’s home on December 10, hours after he attended Kathy Hilton and DIRECTV's Christmas At Kathy's 2024 event. Law enforcement received a call about an argument between a man and a woman, and allegedly a witness saw James grabbing the woman, though no visible injuries were found. While Scheana kept quiet initially, Kennedy’s exes Kristen Doute and Rachel 'Raquel' Leviss both released separate statements about their respective ups and downs with him. The reality television personality was released on $20,000 and later posted a statement of his own to social media. Scheana said on Friday: 'Obviously, I was very close with Raquel for years. And while she always told me that James was never physically abusive, as we all know, abuse isn’t limited to just physical. 'And ultimately it led to her exiting that relationship. I had a lot of empathy for her... I wanted to do anything I could to help and give her a safe space.' She continued, 'I do hope that James views this as a rock bottom moment and is serious about just committing to a healing plan versus just seeing this as something that’s gonna, like, "ruin the world tour" or residency or whatever.' The mother-of-one, who shares two-year-old daughter Summer with husband Brock Davies, noted, 'I’ve noticed his name has been taken off of certain shows and that is a direct consequence [of] his actions.' Kennedy's arrest came amid an argument with live-in girlfriend Ally Lewber, whose privacy Shay said she wanted to protect; pictured one week before the domestic violence incident In the wake of his arrest, James vowed to make 'meaningful changes in my life' Read More Lisa Vanderpump reignites Kristen Doute feud with pregnancy dig and The Valley star fires right back Days after his arrest, James took to social media to share a somber message with followers. 'I am committed to making meaningful changes in my life. I am taking time to focus on my sobriety, personal growth, and being present for my loved ones,' he vowed. The 'Bravo-lebrity' continued, 'Navigating challening moments is not easy, but I am determined to learn, grow, and move forward with the incredible support system around me.' Meanwhile, his lawyer stated they would be looking into the domestic violence complaint. 'We are in the process of conducting our own investigation into the allegations levied by the Burbank Police Department against James,' attorneys for Kennedy told DailyMail.com. 'We understand that there were no injuries and we are hoping that, after careful review, the city’s attorneys will decide not to file formal charges.' Kennedy has been dating Lewber since 2022, following the end of his engagement to Leviss. Scheana shares two-year-old daughter Summer with husband Brock Davies Shay encouraged Kennedy 'to get help' on her newest podcast release. She stressed, 'And not just to prevent Ally — or some other girl — from being subjected to abusive behavior in the future, but to give himself a chance to live life with healthy relationships. 'I know he wants those things for himself and he needs to give himself the proper tools to deal with his trauma that doesn’t involve projecting it on to others.' Speaking toward Ally, she shared, 'I want her to know that she is supported. I don’t want to say something that then puts her in a position where it’s like she has to choose between a friendship or a relationship. 'I just don’t want there to be one less mechanism of support for her. That’s just only going to make things harder.' Lewber previously made a statement via Instagram Stories that read, 'Thank you to everyone who has reached out with love and support and for checking in on me. 'I’m OK and taking the time I need right now. I deeply appreciate all the kindness and respect for my privacy during this time.' Scheana Shay James Kennedy Vanderpump Rules Share or comment on this article: Vanderpump Rules vet Scheana Shay breaks silence on James Kennedy's domestic violence arrest e-mail 7 shares Add comment

WASHINGTON — Special counsel Jack Smith moved to abandon two criminal cases against Donald Trump on Monday, acknowledging that Trump’s return to the White House will preclude attempts to federally prosecute him for retaining classified documents or trying to overturn his 2020 election defeat. The decision was inevitable, since longstanding Justice Department policy says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. Yet it was still a momentous finale to an unprecedented chapter in political and law enforcement history, as federal officials attempted to hold accountable a former president while he was simultaneously running for another term. Trump emerges indisputably victorious, having successfully delayed the investigations through legal maneuvers and then winning re-election despite indictments that described his actions as a threat to the country's constitutional foundations. FILE - Special counsel Jack Smith speaks to the media about an indictment of former President Donald Trump, Aug. 1, 2023, at an office of the Department of Justice in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) J. Scott Applewhite “I persevered, against all odds, and WON," Trump exulted in a post on Truth Social, his social media website. He also said that “these cases, like all of the other cases I have been forced to go through, are empty and lawless, and should never have been brought.” The judge in the election case granted prosecutors' dismissal request. A decision in the documents case was still pending on Monday afternoon. The outcome makes it clear that, when it comes to a president and criminal accusations, nothing supersedes the voters' own verdict. In court filings, Smith's team emphasized that the move to end their prosecutions was not a reflection of the merit of the cases but a recognition of the legal shield that surrounds any commander in chief. “That prohibition is categorical and does not turn on the gravity of the crimes charged, the strength of the Government’s proof, or the merits of the prosecution, which the Government stands fully behind,” prosecutors said in one of their filings. They wrote that Trump’s return to the White House “sets at odds two fundamental and compelling national interests: on the one hand, the Constitution’s requirement that the President must not be unduly encumbered in fulfilling his weighty responsibilities . . . and on the other hand, the Nation’s commitment to the rule of law.” In this situation, “the Constitution requires that this case be dismissed before the defendant is inaugurated,” they concluded. Smith’s team said it was leaving intact charges against two co-defendants in the classified documents case — Trump valet Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira — because “no principle of temporary immunity applies to them.” Steven Cheung, Trump's incoming White House communications director, said Americans “want an immediate end to the political weaponization of our justice system and we look forward to uniting our country.” Trump has long described the investigations as politically motivated, and he has vowed to fire Smith as soon as he takes office in January. Now he will start his second term free from criminal scrutiny by the government that he will lead. The election case brought last year was once seen as one of the most serious legal threats facing Trump as he tried to reclaim the White House. He was indicted for plotting to overturn his defeat to Joe Biden in 2020, an effort that climaxed with his supporters' violent attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. President-elect Donald Trump arrives before the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024 in Boca Chica, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Pool via AP) Brandon Bell But the case quickly stalled amid legal fighting over Trump’s sweeping claims of immunity from prosecution for acts he took while in the White House. The U.S. Supreme Court in July ruled for the first time that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution, and sent the case back to U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan to determine which allegations in the indictment, if any, could proceed to trial. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts The case was just beginning to pick up steam again in the trial court in the weeks leading up to this year’s election. Smith’s team in October filed a lengthy brief laying out new evidence they planned to use against him at trial, accusing him of “resorting to crimes” in an increasingly desperate effort to overturn the will of voters after he lost to Biden. In dismissing the case, Chutkan acknowledged prosecutors' request to do so “without prejudice,” raising the possibility that they could try to bring charges against Trump when his term is over. She wrote that is “consistent with the Government’s understanding that the immunity afforded to a sitting President is temporary, expiring when they leave office.” But such a move may be barred by the statute of limitations, and Trump may also try to pardon himself while in office. immunity afforded to a sitting President is temporary, expiring when they leave office. The separate case involving classified documents had been widely seen as legally clear cut, especially because the conduct in question occurred after Trump left the White House and lost the powers of the presidency. The indictment included dozens of felony counts accusing him of illegally hoarding classified records from his presidency at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, and obstructing federal efforts to get them back. He has pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing. The case quickly became snarled by delays, with U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon slow to issue rulings — which favored Trump’s strategy of pushing off deadlines in all his criminal cases — while also entertaining defense motions and arguments that experts said other judges would have dispensed with without hearings. In May, she indefinitely canceled the trial date amid a series of unresolved legal issues before dismissing the case outright two months later. Smith’s team appealed the decision, but now has given up that effort. Trump faced two other state prosecutions while running for president. One them, a New York case involving hush money payments, resulted in a conviction on felony charges of falsifying business records. It was the first time a former president had been found guilty of a crime. The sentencing in that case is on hold as Trump's lawyers try to have the conviction dismissed before he takes office, arguing that letting the verdict stand will interfere with his presidential transition and duties. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office is fighting the dismissal but has indicated that it would be open to delaying sentencing until Trump leaves office. Bragg, a Democrat, has said the solution needs to balance the obligations of the presidency with “the sanctity of the jury verdict." Trump was also indicted in Georgia along with 18 others accused of participating in a sprawling scheme to illegally overturn the 2020 presidential election there. Any trial appears unlikely there while Trump holds office. The prosecution already was on hold after an appeals court agreed to review whether to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis over her romantic relationship with the special prosecutor she had hired to lead the case. Four defendants have pleaded guilty after reaching deals with prosecutors. Trump and the others have pleaded not guilty. Associated Press writers Colleen Long, Michael Sisak and Lindsay Whitehurst contributed to this story. ___ Special Counsel Jack Smith plans to step down before Trump’s inauguration, according to The New York Times. Straight Arrow News 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. Evan Vucci, Associated Press Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Evan Vucci, Associated Press 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. Wilfredo Lee, Associated Press 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. George Walker IV, Associated Press 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. Derik Hamilton 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. Matt Rourke, Associated Press 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. AP Photo/Alex Brandon 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. Evan Vucci, Associated Press 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. Matt Kelley, Associated Press 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.” Andrew Harnik, Associated Press 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. Jacquelyn Martin, Associated Press 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. Andy Cross, The Denver Post via AP 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. Manuel Balce Ceneta, Associated Press 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. Evan Vucci 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. AP Photo/Evan Vucci Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. John Bazemore, Associated Press 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. Ted Shaffrey, Associated Press 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. Evan Vucci, Associated Press 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.” Manuel Balce Ceneta, Associated Press 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.” Matt Rourke, Associated Press 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. Jonathan Newton - pool, ASSOCIATED PRESS 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. Jose Luis Magana, Associated Press 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. Andrew Harnik, Associated Press A Republican congressman from Michigan who served from 1993 to 2011, Hoekstra was ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term. “In my Second Term, Pete will help me once again put AMERICA FIRST,” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice. “He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role.” Paul Sancya, Associated Press 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. Oded Balilty, Associated Press 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. Evan Vucci, Associated Press 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. Ted Shaffrey, Associated Press 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. Evan Vucci, Associated Press 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. John Bazemore, Associated Press 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. Matt Rourke, Associated Press 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.” Evan Vucci, Associated Press photos 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. Evan Vucci, Associated Press 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. William McGinley, White House counsel McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign. In a statement, Trump called McGinley “a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda, while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement.” Jose Luis Magana, Associated PressHere's what the H-1B visa debate with Musk and Ramaswamy is aboutVenezuelan Socialists Say ‘No More Elections’ After Presidential Sham

( MENAFN - Live Mint) WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau returned home Saturday after his meeting with Donald trump without assurances the president-elect will back away from threatened tariffs on all products from the major American trading partner. Trump called the talks“productive” but signaled no retreat from a pledge that Canada says unfairly lumps it in with Mexico over the flow of drugs and migrants into the United States. After the leaders' hastily arranged dinner Friday night at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, Trudeau spoke of“an excellent conversation” but offered no details. Trump said in a Truth Social post later Saturday that they discussed“many important topics that will require both Countries to work together to address.” For issues in need of such cooperation, Trump cited fentanyl and the“Drug Crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of Illegal Immigration," fair trade deals "that do not jeopardize American Workers” and the U.S. trade deficit with its ally to the north. Trump asserted that the prime minister had made“a commitment to work with us to end this terrible devastation” of American families from fentanyl from China reaching the United States through its neighbors. The U.S., he said,“will no longer sit idly by as our Citizens become victims to the scourge of this Drug Epidemic.” The Republican president-elect has threatened to impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders when he takes office in January. U.S. customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border last fiscal year, compared with 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border. On immigration, the U.S. Border Patrol made 56,530 arrests at the Mexican border in October alone and 23,721 arrests at the Canadian border between October 2023 and September 2024 - and Canadian officials say they are ready to make new investments in border security. Trudeau called Trump after the Republican's social media posts about the tariffs last Monday and they agreed to meet, according to a official familiar with the matter who was not authorized to publicly discuss detail of the private talks. The official said other countries are calling Canadian officials to hear how about how the meeting was arranged and to ask for advice. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, after speaking with Trump on the telephone, said Thursday she was confident a tariff war with Washington would be averted. At the dinner that was said to last three hours, Trump said he and Trudeau also discussed energy, trade and the Arctic. A second official cited defense, Ukraine, NATO, China, the Mideast, pipelines and the Group of Seven meeting in Canada next year as other issues that arose. Trump, during his first term as president, once called Trudeau“weak” and“dishonest,” but it was the prime minister who was the first G7 leader to visit Trump since the Nov. 5 election. "Tariffs are a crucial issue for Canada and a bold move was in order. Perhaps it was a risk, but a risk worth taking,” Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal. Trudeau had said before leaving from Friday that Trump was elected because he promised to bring down the cost of groceries but now was talking about adding 25% to the cost of all kinds of products, including potatoes from Prince Edward Island in Atlantic Canada. “It is important to understand that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out. There's no question about it,” Trudeau said. “Our responsibility is to point out that he would not just be harming Canadians, who work so well with the United States, but he would actually be raising prices for Americans citizens as well and hurting American industry and business,” he added. The threatened tariffs could essentially blow up the North American trade pact that Trump's team negotiated during his first term. Trudeau noted they were able to successfully renegotiate the deal, which he calls a“win win” for both countries. When Trump imposed higher tariffs as president, other countries responded with retaliatory tariffs of their own. Canada, for instance, announced billions of new duties in 2018 against the U.S. in a response to new taxes on Canadian steel and aluminum. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian worth of goods and services cross the border each day. About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electricity imports are from Canada. Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the U.S. and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing in for national security. Canada is one of the most trade-dependent countries in the world, and 77% of Canada's exports go to the U.S. ___ Gillies reported from Toronto. MENAFN30112024007365015876ID1108942014 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.Despite evidence of effectiveness, harm reduction measures have remained controversial and highly contested in many African countries, fueling the menace of substance abuse on the continent. The Founder/Executive Director, Global Initiative on Substance Abuse (GISA), Dr. Martin Agwogie, who disclosed this during his presentation at the fourth Harm Reduction Exchange, in Nairobi, Kenya, on Friday, attributed the challenge to government, faith based and social-cultural barriers. In the presentation titled, ‘Harm Reduction in Africa: Evolution, Concept, Principles, Practices, Barriers and Way Forward’, Agwogie said prejudices and stigma associated with drug use both from the public and practitioners have hindered the provision of adequate care, creating problems for both the patients and the harm reduction services. He said: “The restrictive policies of drug consumption rooms often place users in the situation of having to use the drug alone or in public spaces. Funding constraints are also not unconnected with public perception of harm reduction. In many countries in Africa, neither methadone nor buprenorphine for OST are on the Essential Medicines List (EML) largely due to negative perception/misconception and in some cases political reasons and myths. “There is also a similar negative perception/misconception about NRT. Funding for harm reduction has also significantly reduced as HIV to which it is tied has reduced. In many settings, the primary focus of treatment interventions still remains abstinence.” Agwogie, who described harm reduction as part of coordinated efforts to minimise the harms associated with drug use, said over 100 countries have now adopted at least one form of harm reduction or the other. On his part, Samuel Hanu from Harm Reduction Alliance, Ghana, who said there has been a slight increase in the availability of harm reduction services since the Global State of Harm Reduction report in 2022, noted that substantial regional differences still exist. He added that the stigmatisation and criminalisation of people who use drugs remain significant issues, noting that this impedes access to existing harm reduction services, which undermine the political and financial support needed to implement and expand these services. While speaking on the role of scientific evidence in shaping policy and regulation for tobacco harm reduction, Mr. Uche Olatunji, who lamented that eight million smoking-related deaths are record worldwide yearly, said while millions are spent on tobacco control efforts, the number of smokers is the same as it was over 10 years ago. He noted that over the past few decades, a wealth of scientific evidence has highlighted the risks associated with traditional cigarette products, while also paving new ways for harm reduction strategies. Olatunji stressed that as the market continues to evolve with the introduction of innovative nicotine delivery systems, additional research is essential, as well as regulations and policies to address possible challenges. He further said one of the main goals of public health research is to inform health-related policies. “Despite the evidence in favour of Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) using safer nicotine products – such as vaping devices, snus, nicotine pouches and heated tobacco products, the World Health Organisation remains opposed to these approaches in their regulation guidelines. Scientific evidence, like the highly respected and independent organisation – Cochrane, has consistently shown that switching to less harmful alternatives can dramatically reduce the risks associated with smoking,” Olatunji said.

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All Wrapped in Love: 16 Heartfelt Holiday Gifts for Your Big SisterIn mere months – March, to be exact – cult comedian Kate Berlant will complete her first-ever trip to Australia to perform. What she’ll perform when she gets here, though, she’s not yet sure. At this stage, she doesn’t even have the title. “What is the show?” Berlant deadpans, looking skyward as though contemplating a philosophical quandary she has no literal answer to. “That’s a really good question ... I mean, it’s just standup. I’m really just going to be doing standup.” Anyone familiar with Berlant’s comedy – her taped special , for example; or her decade-long partnership with outlandish foil John Early (including their sketch special ); even her podcast (a play on GOOP) with fellow comedian Jacqueline Novak, and its spin-off – would understand that “just standup” is a loaded concept with Berlant. Although well-recognised from her acting work – she’s starred in films including , and , and on TV in , and – her cerebral comedy, an act of onstage pomposity that folds the form in on itself with absurdist, and delightfully silly, abandon (“intellectual vaudeville”, a critic once branded it), has made Berlant a beatified icon of alt-comedy. If the fact she hasn’t got her new show sorted four months out from her booked dates fills you with secondhand anxiety, fear not: this is how Berlant works, working bits out on stage with the improvisational acuity of a surgeon. Since February, she’s been regularly taking the stage at Largo’s in Los Angeles, her hometown club, to riff on “themes of contemporary alienation”, with the goal of putting together a new hour. “Relying so much on improvisation is terrifying and oftentimes I’ve been doing standup and thought, wow, it would be so nice to just know what you’re gonna say every night,” says Berlant of her process. “But so much of standup is about hiding the work, hiding the fact that you’ve said this thing a million times, and I’ve always struggled with that because it’s just hard to keep up that performance in a way that feels authentic.” It’s a dry autumn afternoon in Los Angeles when we speak over Zoom, and the twilight sun splashes through Berlant’s bedroom window (not to mention her incredible curls) like Cheezel dust. She’s spent the day dealing with a sudden and, at 37, completely unexpected allergic reaction to tomatoes and nightshade. “If I sound a little weird it’s because my mouth is inflamed,” she offers apologetically. And yet, she’s eager to discuss her return to standup because for the past couple of years she’s been focused entirely on her play, . Berlant ended in February after a string of sold-out runs across New York, Los Angeles and London. A one-woman show about a flailing actor’s desperate bid to be taken seriously, the conceit went deep. Shows reportedly featured Berlant herself mingling in crowded foyers before doors opened, holding a sign saying “Ignore me”. It premiered off-Broadway in September 2022, and earned rave reviews for its metatextual skewering of artistic self-indulgence. labelled it the “one-woman show to end all one-woman shows”. Berlant says it was her biggest success yet. Which begs the question: why did she end it? Why is she not just bringing to Australia? “Again, a really good question,” Berlant jokes. “It’s not that I’ll never do it again, but I do think it’s healthy to step away from things. I think things ripen and they absolutely rot. It just felt to me like it was time to do something else, just for my own brain.” She very well could have kept going, Berlant concedes. But her hope is that, as the show operates in a separate universe to her standup, she can revive it a year from now, or two years from now, or even five years from now, and the material will organically grow with her. In the meantime, she’s been in discussions with her director, Bo Burnham, to potentially film and release it. “But that’s something for down the line. Because the show is extremely meta, it’s not just a show you throw a camera in front of,” says Berlant. “I just wanted to step away from it for a second and get back to what I really love doing the most, which is standup.” When I speak to Berlant, it’s the week after Donald Trump’s crushing win in the US election – a desolate new landscape in America made real. “It’s scary, it’s dark, it’s intensely depressing, and kind of just surreal. It’s such a bizarre time to be alive,” Berlant says, staring into the camera, eyes like saucers to underscore the understatement. “It’s a really bizarre, rather depressing time.” Is that mood already affecting her new standup? “I’m reacting to it maybe in, like, a subtextual way, but not directly,” says Berlant. “No, certainly the show I’ll be doing will not be about me wrestling with, like, how to live in America under Trump. Like, I would sooner die.” It’s for the best. Because if there’s a through line to Berlant’s work, it’s that her performances have always been about the act of performing. Onstage, whether in a scripted play or in a standup set, she’s Kate, but she’s also “Kate”. The persona she’s made her own is of the self-serious artist desperate for attention, for fame, to be noticed as special. A piss take of the narcissism inherent in showbiz, it’s also a well-wrought personification of today’s wider condition, where social media has given everyone main character syndrome. “It just turns out that way with everything I do. My comedy is often about comedy and my performance is usually about performance, and so inevitably with my standup it’s hard for me to ignore how bizarre standup is when I’m doing standup, and it’s hard for me to not kind of call out how inherently strange the dynamic is and how strange it is as a form,” says Berlant. “The idea of a person standing there and just talking about what’s on their mind, it denies that standup is such a highly constructed persona and performance, down to the shoes you wear. I’ve always looked at the conditions of performance as being really bizarre and also funny. And also just the fact that performance is, of course, a naked plea for attention and adoration. I can’t pretend that that’s not what’s going on in the room, you know?” The focus on performance is never far from Berlant; she’s been thinking about it forever (she even has degrees in the cultural anthropology of comedy and performance studies from New York University). A child actor, she scored her first onscreen gig at 15, playing Student #2 in an episode of , and believed it would set her on a path to screen stardom (it didn’t). There was enough self-awareness in her failure to fuel another mode of expression: when she started doing comedy at 17, she quickly found that her standup landed on a self-referential conceit. “I would end up kind of talking about standup in the standup. Which sounds awful,” Berlant laughs. “But, I mean, just talking about the encounter between performer and audience, and how performing is inherently embarrassing and, I would say, something to be avoided if you can.” She’d experienced something similar to that indescribable ick in her upbringing, too, as the only child of two artists – her father Tony Berlant is a prominent US sculptor; her mother Helen Mendez performed in experimental theatre before becoming a set designer. In an episode of Netflix’s , she portrayed an insufferable Marina Abramović type, lampooning the pretentious art world egos she’d witnessed growing up. “The self-importance of the art world, like the self-importance of Hollywood, there’s almost nothing to comment on because it’s so in plain sight,” Berlant says. “From an early age, I think I was aware of performance as not just being something people do on stage, but just as a child watching adults perform: perform being smart, perform being interesting, perform the performance of being an artist. “I mean, if you call yourself an ‘artist’ ...” she glances into the camera with an stare. “That’s quite a part to play.” Is she never not aware of the performance? Like, even in this interview: me, playing the role of the politely probing interviewer, trying to dig at some defining childhood trauma; she, the subject, playing at being revealing, as if she’s never considered these stories before. “Yeah, it’s hard to separate, I think I’m always aware of it,” says Berlant. “But what I really find funny are people who don’t know that we can see them performing. We live in a world now where everyone’s a performer, even people who aren’t performers are used to performing for social media. So there’s been a huge breakdown in those terms and in their definitions.” Complicating Berlant’s obsession with the artifice of authenticity in comedy and theatre is a sincere love of live performance. In a world where standup careers can thrive exclusively through crowd-work clips on TikTok, she still craves the sacredness of the club. “When I started standup, the only way to get good or build a career was to perform, do shows, as many shows as you could do. Even just, like, spiritually, I feel so lucky that was how I came up,” she says. “So I do think that in today’s world, it’s still very exciting when people show up physically to see a show. I think that’s something that will persist, but it is feeling more and more rarefied and less valued.” It’s why Berlant is excited for the set she’ll be bringing to Australia, whatever shape it ends up taking. After her journey with , a return to the spontaneous possibilities of her standup has been calling. “There’s something that feels good about just being like, okay, this is where I am right now in my life, this is how I’m reacting to it, and not being too precious about it or spending years crafting it. I think that’s what makes it feel alive, for me and the audience.”Aleppo bombed by Russian and Syrian airstrikes as rebels capture half of city

Editor's note: CGTN's First Voice provides instant commentary on breaking stories. The column clarifies emerging issues and better defines the news agenda, offering a Chinese perspective on the latest global events. A quarter century ago, Macao returned to the motherland, a milestone in the grand journey towards the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Since then, following the "One Country, Two Systems" policy, Macao has undergone a spectacular transformation, thanks to achievements across various domains, from politics, economy and society to culture. At a meeting celebrating the anniversary and the inaugural ceremony of the sixth-term government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) on December 20, Chinese President Xi Jinping praised the achievement and expressed high expectations from this "pearl on the palm" from the perspective of national development. Achievements and changes in the past 25 years 1. Economy Since its return, Macao has witnessed a remarkable surge in its economy. In the first half of 2024, Macao's GDP was approximately 204 billion Macanese pataca (MOP) (around $25.5 billion). In 1999, before the return, it was 51.9 billion MOP. The per capita GDP is even more impressive. After adjusting for purchasing power parity, Macao's real per capita GDP is around $134,000, the second highest in the world and topping in Asia. This achievement underscores the region's success in advancing the "One Country, Two Systems" policy with distinctive Macao features. Macao has diversified its economic development beyond its long-standing tourism and leisure industries. The convention and exhibition sector, financial services, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), cultural and innovation industries, and the burgeoning digital economy have emerged as pillars of its economic diversification. By the first half of 2024, Macao had 101 licensed financial institutions and the financial sector's total assets amounted to 2.6 trillion MOP. This signifies Macao's strategic shift towards a more balanced and resilient economy. 2. Society President Xi praised Macao's people-centered governance, highlighting its progress in employment, housing, education, healthcare, social security and other social programs. This comprehensive approach has fostered long-term social harmony and stability. Prior to 1999, Macao had limited higher education resources, with few residents going to university. Today, its gross enrollment ratio in higher education has crossed 95 percent. The number of universities in Macao has grown from a single institution to 10, playing a pivotal role in nurturing a pool of talents essential for Macao's ongoing development. The government has instituted a comprehensive medical welfare system that offers complimentary healthcare and additional benefits to residents aged 65 and above. This initiative provides a sense of security and reassurance. The robust economic growth has increased employment opportunities. In 2024, the unemployment rate was just 1.7 percent in 2024. The government is also advancing vocational training and re-employment programs to enhance residents' employability and job security. To ensure residents' well-being, there are comprehensive welfare policies, including housing subsidies and reductions in utility costs, all designed to enhance the living standards and the overall quality of life. 3. Culture Macao's rich history, culture and traditions have earmarked it as one of the 2025 culture cities of East Asia. Cultural events such as the Macao Arts Festival and the Macao International Music Festival enhance its attraction to international visitors. Macao is also capitalizing its geographical and cultural strengths by engaging in national development strategies, like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) integrated development strategy. It has been designated to serve as "one center, one platform and one base" – that is, to be a world center of tourism and leisure, a commercial and trade service platform for China and Portuguese-speaking countries, and an exchange and cooperation base with Chinese culture as its mainstream and the co-existence of different cultures. Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) boasts an abundance of both tangible and intangible cultural heritage. The Historic Center of Macao, which represents Macao's architectural legacy, has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Xi described Macao as "a city where cultures and arts from across the world mingle," and "a living example of harmonious coexistence and integrated development of different civilizations." 4. Urban construction Significant strides have been in transportation infrastructure, highlighted by the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. This engineering marvel has enhanced connectivity with the mainland and strengthened Macao's role as a regional transportation hub. Urban greening, beautification and lighting initiatives are making Macao more habitable and appealing for residents and visitors alike. Experience of the past 25 years 1. Committed to the "One Country, Two Systems" policy "The values embodied in the cause of 'One Country, Two Systems,' namely, peace, inclusiveness, openness and sharing, are relevant to not only China but also the whole world. These values should be cherished by us all," Xi said in his address. Upholding the policy has ensured Macao's prosperity and stability. Since the return, Macao remains committed to safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests, seamlessly integrating the central government's overall jurisdiction with the region's autonomy. On matters of national sovereignty, Macao aligns itself with the national policies, guaranteeing that its stability and development are in harmony with national interests. Within the "One Country, Two Systems" framework, Macao makes policies and regulations tailored to its unique developmental needs. Additionally, the SAR engages in cultural exchanges and collaborations with the Chinese mainland and the global community, amplifying Macao's cultural influence and soft power. 2. Integrating into the nation's development Macao is an active participant in the development of the GBA, leveraging its distinctive strengths to complement and achieve development with the other cities in the region. In the tourism sector, Macao has collaboratively created a world-class tourist destination with its GBA counterparts, introducing "multi-destination" routes that draw an increasing number of visitors from both the mainland and abroad. Macao and Guangdong have inked a series of cooperation agreements for joint endeavors in cross-border e-commerce and the traditional Chinese medicine industry. Education, science and technology, and cultural exchanges are also burgeoning between Macao and other mainland cities. A growing number of Macao's youth are venturing to the mainland for education and business opportunities, infusing fresh energy into its development, stimulating its innovation in science and technology, and enriching its cultural landscape. Macao is also aligned with the BRI, capitalizing on its role as a service platform for commercial and trade cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking economies, enhancing its role as a bridge for connectivity and collaboration with these regions. Macao has embraced Xi's call for alignment with national development strategies, accelerating its integration into China's broader development and enhancing its role as a bridge in the new development paradigm. It is expected to play a key role in the development of the GBA and contribute to national growth. 3. Promoting diversification Xi outlined four key expectations for Macao, including the promotion of "appropriate economic diversification." To achieve this, Macao is advised to focus on key sectors, improve development planning, and enhance policy and funding support to cultivate internationally competitive industries. While ensuring the steady growth of its tourism and leisure industries, Macao has been proactive in fostering appropriate economic diversification, cultivating emerging sectors such as the convention and exhibition industry, cultural and creative industries, and TCM. It has successfully hosted several high-profile MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) events, bolstering its international profile and influence in the MICE sector. In TCM, Macao has collaborated with the mainland to establish a science and technology industrial park, advancing the globalization of TCM. It is strategically enhancing its industrial structure through a multifaceted approach. This includes the development of targeted industrial policies, bolstering financial investments, and nurturing a skilled workforce. A dedicated special fund has been established to foster the growth of emerging industries. Additionally, it is strengthening partnerships with universities and research institutions to cultivate professionals who are equipped to drive the future of Macao's industrial development. 4. People-centered governance Macao has developed a comprehensive social security framework that encompasses pensions, medical care, unemployment and work-related injury protection. Together with its two-tier social security system, the SAR has provided its residents with a sense of belonging and security. In education, Macao has introduced 15 years of free education, ensuring access to high-quality resources for residents. In healthcare, the city offers free basic medical care and enhanced medical services. The government also prioritizes housing, advancing public housing projects for lower-income families. All these efforts are aligned with President Xi's people-centered philosophy. 5. Embracing national pride Xi mentioned "the principle of patriots administering Macao." The Macao SAR government places a high priority on fostering patriotic values. This commitment is woven into the curriculum and extracurricular activities from the earliest years of education through university, with the aim of nurturing a strong sense of national identity and pride among students. Through visits to iconic sites and activities such as the national flag-raising ceremony, students understand the grandeur of the Chinese nation and national pride. 6. Maintaining a stable political environment and efficient governance structure Since Macao's return, a stable political environment has been created with the executive, legislative and judicial sectors working in collaboration. A well-defined division among government departments that work in efficient coordination ensures that social and economic issues are addressed promptly and effectively. Political and social organizations take part in public affairs, offering insights and proposals to advance Macao's development. When significant policies and legislation are made, public opinion is sought, ensuring that people's voices are heard and considered. The government is also advancing e-government initiatives to improve efficiency and transparency in the delivery of public services. The management and oversight of public resources is being improved to ensure their equitable distribution and optimal utilization. Future prospects and tasks ahead Xi's speech highlighted four expectations for Macao, which could be also considered the main tasks for the newly established SAR government. 1. Appropriate diversification of the local economy For Macao’s economic diversification, Xi urged developing high-level economic synergy and alignment of regulations with the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin on the Chinese mainland, with efficient and smooth cross-border flow of various factors between the cooperation zone and Macao. The cooperation zone opened in 2021. Xi said the opportunities stemming from it should be seized to accelerate the development of a modern industrial system centered on scientific and technological innovation in Macao. This will optimize and upgrade Macao's economic structure, leading to sustainable growth. Macao should also strengthen in-depth cooperation with the Chinese mainland to make significant strides in synergistic scientific and technological innovation, complementary industrial development, and market connectivity. In this way, with the mainland it could jointly establish an internationally competitive science and technology innovation hub and a world-class city cluster. To achieve all this, Macao needs to advance integrated development of education, technology and talent, and do more to attract and nurture talent of various types, becoming a magnet for high-caliber talent from across the world. 2. Improving governance efficiency Macao should evolve its governance framework adhering to the "One Country, Two Systems" policy to meet contemporary demands and expand its practical applications. It should advance law-based governance, better respond to its economic and social development needs, improve its institutions, laws and regulations, and deepen public administration reform. It should also improve its organizational structure and the way of governance. By deepening the practice of "One Country, Two Systems," Macao can leverage its distinctive role within the national governance framework, contributing its experience and insights to the evolution of the "good system" that has provided the city with comparative advantages. 3. Building a platform for higher-level opening up The central government has a unique vision for Macao's economic diversification and sustainable growth as "one center, one platform, one base." This is the vision for Macao's development as a world center of tourism and leisure, a commercial and trade service platform for China and Portuguese-speaking countries, and an exchange and cooperation base with Chinese culture as its mainstream and the co-existence of different cultures. "With its development position as 'one center, one platform, one base,' Macao should enhance mechanisms through which it can better play its role in China's opening up, take steps to align with major national strategies, and continue to enhance its global competitiveness," Xi said. As a place where Chinese and Western cultures merge, Macao has great potential in promoting international people-to-people exchanges, better presenting itself and China to the world, and becoming an important window of exchanges between Chinese and Western civilizations. Macao should expand into international markets, enhance its status and influence on the international economic stage, and contribute more substantially to China's high-level opening up. Particularly, it can capitalize on its unique cultural strengths by delving deeper into its historical and cultural resources. By organizing culturally impactful events and exhibitions with international reach, it can showcase its multifaceted cultural attraction, facilitate cultural exchanges, and encourage East-West dialogue. 4. Safeguarding social harmony and stability Since its return, Macao has been doing well in improving public welfare by elevating the quality and standard of public services, particularly in education, healthcare, and social security. In the future, facing the challenges and risks ahead, Macao will promote positive interaction between regulations and residents' participation, guide the development of associations, and build a solid foundation for grassroots governance. With a people-centered approach, it will address the most urgent and practical issues that people are most concerned about, create a fairer social environment, and realize residents' yearning for a better life. Additionally, it will continue to refine opportunities for all talented personnel, focus on addressing the needs of the younger generation, and foster social equity, justice, harmony, and stability. (If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at opinions@cgtn.com. Follow @thouse_opinions on Twitter to discover the latest commentaries in the CGTN Opinion Section.)

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Mid-inclination orbit provides more SAR-imaging opportunities at middle latitudes of the globe for ICEYE customers. HELSINKI, Finland , Dec. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ICEYE, the global leader in SAR satellite operations for Earth Observation and persistent monitoring, announced today that it has launched two new satellites to its constellation of SAR satellites. Both satellites expand the availability of ICEYE's latest imaging technology to deliver additional 25 cm imaging capacity. The satellites were integrated via Exolaunch and launched as part of the Bandwagon-2 rideshare mission with SpaceX from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, USA . Both satellites have established communication, and early routine operations are underway. With today's launch, ICEYE has successfully launched 40 satellites into orbit since 2018, with nine satellites launched in 2024 alone. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.