NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks climbed Thursday after market superstar Nvidia and another round of companies said they’re making even fatter profits than expected. The S&P 500 pulled 0.5% higher after flipping between gains and losses several times during the day. Banks, smaller companies and other areas of the stock market that tend to do best when the economy is strong helped lead the way, while bitcoin briefly broke above $99,000. Crude oil, meanwhile, continued to rise.
Liverpool Fans Are Furious With Jamie Carragher’s Cole Palmer Comments
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jamichael Stillwell had 22 points in Milwaukee's 69-65 win over St. Thomas on Sunday. Stillwell added eight rebounds for the Panthers (5-2). Aaron Franklin had 15 points and eight rebounds. AJ McKee added nine points. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Mayor Adams leans in on unfounded claim that Biden Justice Department indicted him for political reasons
NoneReeves must unlock the magic of AI if she wants to meet her growth targets, says ALEX BRUMMER By ALEX BRUMMER FOR THE DAILY MAIL Updated: 22:01, 3 December 2024 e-mail 1 View comments Here is an idea for Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves if they are to have any realistic chance of achieving their growth mission. In the disparaged October 30 Budget, among the scraps of encouragement for business, amid the torrent of £40billion of tax increases, was a commitment to make permanent the Tory policy of ‘full expensing’ for companies investing in new plant and equipment. This is all very fine and dandy, but it shows a 20th Century rather than 21st Century mindset at the Treasury. Reeves must recognise by now, given surveys from the CBI, Institute of Directors and the S&P purchasing managers, that instead of boosting confidence, her Budget has had a baleful effect on investment and new orders. This despite the fact that the UK is an island of political stability compared to Continental rivals Germany and France. If Britain is to have any prospect of outperforming or keeping up with the best in class of the G7, it needs to embrace more strongly what the country does well and technologies which will turn on the boosters. Growth boost: One of the few positive parts of the budget was a commitment to make permanent the Tory policy of ‘full expensing’ for companies investing in new plant and equipment That means extending full expensing to innovations which will speed manufacturing processes, advertising and all manner of professional services. The UK is a pioneer in artificial intelligence (AI). Indeed, Reeves is known to refer to DeepMind, now part of Google parent Alphabet, as a British success story. The way then to boost productivity would be to bring AI investment, software, cybersecurity, connectivity and design costs (yes, even the new pink Jaguar) under the full expensing umbrella. It is not an accident that two of the most admired FTSE 100 companies are Relx and software group Sage, which have both pioneered AI in the UK. RELATED ARTICLES Previous 1 Next Elon Musk vows to fight as his record-breaking £80bn Tesla... Natwest set to return to full private ownership in first... Share this article Share HOW THIS IS MONEY CAN HELP How to choose the best (and cheapest) stocks and shares Isa and the right DIY investing account Among the reasons why the Elizabeth Line provides a tangible lift to output is that it is fully wired. Driving output through construction and house building is a slow burn, whereas tech, as the US and Israel show, brings much quicker payback. Britain’s second-class broadband, despite the efforts of Openreach, is not good enough. The sooner that Reeves and other members of a misfiring government recognise this, the more able Britain will be to escape Labour’s despond. NatWest redux As a pre-financial crisis shareholder in NatWest, who foolishly bought into disgraced banker Fred Goodwin’s last-ditch fund raising in 2008, one can only breathe a sigh of relief that the extraordinary lengthy period of part-government ownership is ending. Speaking to the FT’s banking conference, the current chief executive Paul Thwaite (they don’t usually last very long) predicted that, barring an economic shock, it will be back in private hands in 2025. It has been a long haul, and one cannot but think that if successive governments had not been scared of taking a loss, NatWest would have been on the road to recovery much earlier. It would not have suffered the slings and arrows which have held it back over a range of issues. It has been sad to watch promising enterprises such as fintech champion Worldpay ditched, at a low valuation, when it could have been a profit centre for the bank. NatWest has huge reach into Britain’s smaller- and medium-sized businesses and farms, but has long looked like a bank looking for a role. Services such as stock broking and document keeping have been slashed along with a vast branch network which could have been a great asset as it seeks to build-on wealth management. Some comfort can be drawn from a recovery in a sub-octane share price which is up 88 per cent this year. Along the way, NatWest has weathered the storm over debanking Nigel Farage at Coutts. The obsession with do-gooding is still rampant. Each time clients log on to online banking, they are greeted with the appearance of an ad for the DEC Middle East Humanitarian Appeal. That is a turn-off for many customers and needs a re-think. Bottoms-up Is the hospitality sector in danger of crying wolf? After the Budget, it seemed as if every pub in the country might be heading for the knacker’s yard. If that is the case, Marston’s, which operates 1,339 outlets, against all odds managed to record a 64.5 per cent jump in annual profits. It also revealed that the National Insurance increase was ‘manageable’. How curious. DIY INVESTING PLATFORMS AJ Bell AJ Bell Easy investing and ready-made portfolios Learn More Learn More Hargreaves Lansdown Hargreaves Lansdown Free fund dealing and investment ideas Learn More Learn More interactive investor interactive investor Flat-fee investing from £4.99 per month Learn More Learn More Saxo Saxo Get £200 back in trading fees Learn More Learn More Trading 212 Trading 212 Free dealing and no account fee Learn More Learn More Affiliate links: If you take out a product This is Money may earn a commission. These deals are chosen by our editorial team, as we think they are worth highlighting. This does not affect our editorial independence. Compare the best investing account for you Share or comment on this article: Reeves must unlock the magic of AI if she wants to meet her growth targets, says ALEX BRUMMER e-mail Add comment Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence.
WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump's transition team on Tuesday signed an agreement to allow the Justice Department to conduct background checks on his nominees and appointees after a weekslong delay. The step lets Trump transition aides and future administration staffers obtain security clearances before Inauguration Day to access classified information about ongoing government programs, an essential step for a smooth transition of power. It also allows those nominees who are up for Senate confirmation to face the background checks lawmakers want before voting on them. Teams of investigators have been standing by to process clearances for Trump aides and advisers. FILE - Susie Wiles watches as Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks at a caucus night party in Des Moines, Iowa, Jan. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) "This agreement with the Department of Justice will ensure President Trump and his team are ready on Day 1 to begin enacting the America First Agenda that an overwhelming majority of our nation supported on Election Day," said Susie Wiles, Trump's designate to be White House chief of staff. The announcement came a week after the Trump transition team signed an agreement with the Biden White House to allow transition staff to coordinate with the existing federal workforce before taking office Jan. 20. The White House agreement was supposed to have been signed by Oct. 1, according to the Presidential Transition Act, and the Biden White House issued both public and private appeals for Trump's team to sign on. Security clearances are required to access classified information, including on ongoing operations and threats to the nation, and the Biden White House and outside experts emphasized to Trump's team the importance of having cleared personnel before Inauguration Day so they could be fully briefed and ready to run the government. 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) Republican Senators also insisted on FBI background checks for Trump's nominees before they face confirmation votes, as has been standard practice for decades. Lawmakers were particularly interested in seeing the findings of reviews into Trump's designated nominee for defense secretary, former Fox News host Pete Hegseth, and for Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to be director of national intelligence. "That's why it's so important that we have an FBI background check, a committee review of extensive questions and questionnaires, and a public hearing," Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said Monday. John Thune, incoming Senate Republican leader, said the Trump team "understands there's going to have to be a thorough vetting of all these nominees." Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump 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. 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. 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.” 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. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
Tejashwi: After Jharkhand, GA will win assembly polls in BiharBarron Trump, the son of the president-elect , is using one strategy to make friends at New York University as sources claim he "hardly exists." The 18-year-old , who is following in the footsteps of his siblings Ivanka and Eric by studying at Stern Business School, is said to be struggling to connect with his peers and spends a lot of time off campus. Since starting at NYU, reports have emerged about his experience, including his refusal of selfie requests from classmates and being constantly surrounded by Secret Service agents . "He hardly exists," a student told TMZ . Barron Trump's voice heard for first time in 15 years as he asks to become UFC fighter Barron Trump's unexpected response when friends at his New York university ask who he votes for Barron reportedly uses video games as a means to socialize with other students. The college freshman is reportedly an avid gamer and often asks fellow students for their Discord usernames and gamer tags so they can play online games together. His favorite game is said to be the popular soccer game, FIFA . Click here to follow the Mirror US on Google News to stay up to date with all the latest news, sports and entertainment stories. It's fitting, as videos of Barron 's soccer prowess have been making a splash on the internet, with many people surprised by the former first child's skill on the field. However, some are pointing out his significant height as a potential mismatch for his chosen pastime, suggesting that perhaps another sport might be more suitable, reports the Irish Star . DAILY NEWSLETTER: Sign up here to get the latest news and updates from the Mirror US straight to your inbox with our FREE newsletter.
President Joe Biden has said the US will try to bring home one of the longest-held American hostages following the sudden collapse of the Syrian government. Speaking at the White House, Biden said the US must first pinpoint the location of Austin Tice, with Syria in chaos. Mr Tice, a freelance journalist, is thought to have been taken captive close to Damascus on 14 August 2012 while he was covering the country's civil war. On Sunday, rebel fighters seized the Syrian capital in the culmination of a lightning offensive launched two weeks ago. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has fled the country. Biden said Assad's exit was a "fundamental act of justice" after decades of repression, but also "a moment of risk and uncertainty" for the Middle East. "We are mindful that there are Americans in Syria," Biden said on Sunday, "including those who reside there, as well as Austin Tice, who was take captive more than 12 years ago. "We remain committed to returning him to his family." On his way out of the room, Biden turned to answer a question from the media about Tice. "We believe he's alive," said the president. "We think we can get him back, but we have no direct evidence of that yet." The president added: "We have to identify where he is." Mr Tice, 43, was last seen in a video, blindfolded and in apparent distress, posted online weeks after his capture. While no government or group claimed responsibility for his disappearance, US officials soon said they believed that the former US Marine was being held by the Syrian government. Mr Tice's sister, Abigail Edaburn, told the BBC on Friday they believe he is still in Syria. "We don't know the exact circumstances of the place that he's being held, but we do know it is in Syria and that he is healthy and well," she said. "I don't know how much I can say, but there have been independent, trusted sources that have been able to verify this information," she added. The US has about 900 troops in Syria, and Biden said on Sunday he planned for those forces to remain. The president also said US forces had conducted "dozens" of what he called "precision air strikes" on Sunday against Islamic State group camps and operations in eastern Syria. President-elect Donald Trump said on Saturday that the US should not intervene militarily in Syria. "THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT," he wrote on social media. The Syrian opposition that brought down Assad is led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which has been designated a terrorist group by the Biden administration. The US, UK, UN and others consider HTS as an al-Qaeda affiliate, though HTS says it broke off ties with the Sunni Islamist organisation years ago.
Pep Guardiola: It’s my responsibility to solve Manchester City’s poor runSEOUL, South Korea — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said he will lift his martial law decree, giving in to the parliament’s opposition, just hours after his dramatic move imposing it Tuesday. Yoon said in a televised address early Wednesday that he will “accept the National Assembly’s demand and lift the martial law through a cabinet meeting,” which he said he had called but its members hadn’t yet arrived. He will immediately lift the martial law when they convene, he said. Yoon, 63, stunned the nation, lawmakers and investors earlier by declaring martial law in a high-stakes move he claimed would prevent the opposition from trying to paralyze his administration amid a political rift that is set to deepen markedly. The South Korean leader’s political future will be put to test after his daring move, which caught even his fellow party members and foreign allies like the U.S. by surprise. “I request the National Assembly to immediately stop the reckless acts of paralyzing the functions of the state through repeated impeachments, legislative manipulation, and budget manipulation,” Yoon said in his earlier televised address. After Yoon announced he would lift the decree, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said its troops that had been mobilized for the martial law declaration have returned to their original posts as of 4:22 a.m., Yonhap reported. No unusual activities have been spotted from North Korea, it added. The move was viewed by analysts as a risky political play that was likely to backfire rather than an attempt to return to military-led regimes of the past. With his own government and party kept in the dark alongside the U.S. and other friendly nations, Yoon created a chaotic moment that left him isolated and even further from controlling the political agenda going forward. Early Wednesday morning, 190 lawmakers in the 300-seat parliament unanimously voted to demand the lifting of martial law. The president had said his move was intended to protect freedom and constitutional order, that it wouldn’t have an impact on South Korea’s foreign policy, and that it would help eradicate the influence of North Korean supporters. A proclamation released after the address banned all political activities and strikes and said media would be subject to control of the Martial Law Command. Korean assets were battered during New York trading. The won suffered its sharpest drop since the global financial crisis to hit 1444.65 its lowest in over two years, before paring losses. Samsung Electronics’ London-listed shares fell as much as 7.2% then regained some ground. The finance minister and central bank chief met and promised to provide unlimited liquidity to markets if needed. The Bank of Korea will meet early Wednesday, just a week after a surprise rate cut partly triggered by heightened uncertainty generated by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s election victory. Adding to the sense of chaos, the nation’s largest union federation called a general strike in defiance of Yoon’s order. The shock announcement to impose martial law for the first time since the democratization of South Korea in 1987 caught even Yoon’s own party off guard. Han Dong-hoon, leader of Yoon’s People Power Party, condemned the move and vowed to stop it, in a sign of the president’s increasing isolation and his lack of consultation. The move also surprised the White House, prompting Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell to say that the Biden administration was watching the developments with “grave concern.” Yoon’s abrupt decision came after months of wrangling and deadlock in parliament between the president’s minority government and the main opposition Democratic Party, but with little expectation that the president would take such a drastic step. The opposition has been trying to force its budget proposal through parliament and has submitted an impeachment motion against the chief prosecutor after months of also trying to get Yoon’s wife prosecuted. Adding to the fractious political rift, the DP’s leader has faced multiple court cases and was convicted last month of election-law violations, barring him from running for president if it is finalized. Amid the political standoff, Yoon had vetoed a string of bills passed by parliament and at times angering his own party. His latest act ramped up tensions considerably domestically, while also creating high uncertainty abroad for the outlook of one of the world’s key suppliers of semiconductors and a stalwart U.S. ally in an increasingly complex security environment in Asia. Even though the martial law order lasted less than a day, the political instability it will generate is set to last two or three years, according to Lee Won-Jae, a sociology professor at at Kaist Graduate School of Culture Technology in Daejeon. “Martial law has lost its effect, so from this moment on, all state institutions exercising physical force, including the military and police of the Republic of Korea, are obligated not to follow unlawful or unfair instructions,” Han, the leader of Yoon’s party, said in a Facebook post. Yoon’s moves came at a time of high uncertainty for the nation as its trade-dependent economy faces potential tariffs from Trump’s incoming U.S. administration. Bloomberg Economics estimates that full imposition of tariffs on China, South Korea and other U.S. trading partners could reduce Seoul’s exports to the U.S. by as much as 55%. Meanwhile, North Korea continues to present a security concern as it deepens its ties with Russia, having sent thousands of troops there to help in Moscow’s war against Ukraine. Russia’s defense minister visited Pyongyang last week in the latest sign of talks between the two countries. Russia may help provide North Korea key technology for its weapons programs including its intercontinental ballistic missiles. “We shouldn’t be fooled — this has nothing at all to do with North Korea and all to do with domestic politics,” said Defense Priorities Fellow Daniel DePetris. China suggested its citizens residing in South Korea keep calm and try to avoid going outdoors for anything non-essential, the country’s embassy said in a post on social media Tuesday night. The embassy also asked Chinese citizens to comply with official orders from the Korean government and “use caution” over sharing political opinions. “The domestic uncertainty adds to the external pressures in recent weeks as the market is starting to price in the rise of higher U.S. tariffs under the new Trump administration,” said Aroop Chatterjee, a strategist at Wells Fargo. “Korea is an open economy sensitive to shifts in global export demand and spillovers from a weaker China.” While it remains to be seen if the short-lived declaration of martial law will have a lasting impact on markets and the economy, Yoon’s high-stakes move is certain to knock confidence in his leadership and his reliability as a bullwark of democracy in a nation with many authoritarian neighbors. “U.S. officials look to South Korea now as a beacon of democracy so for a president to pull a fast one like this is certainly shocking and unprecedented,” said DePetris. Bank of Korea’s monetary board, which unexpectedly cut the key rate last week, will also hold an extraordinary meeting Wednesday morning to discuss steps to shield the economy and markets. “From a near-term policy standpoint, apart from the market disruptions, uncertainty could also arise in the event of cabinet changes,” Goldman Sachs Group Inc. analysts Goohoon Kwon and Kamakshya Trivedi wrote in a note Tuesday. (With assistance from Maria Elena Vizcaino.) ©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.The outcome of the Maharashtra and Jharkhand election has been both along expected lines and at the same time shocking. In Maharashtra, the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance has pulled off a stunning victory that far overshot the predictions. The BJP itself has won the largest number of seats, so it is no longer entirely dependent on the allies to form the government but whom it will still take along. As for the other parties, the election has thrown up an interesting outcome: the breakaway factions of Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) have bagged several times more seats than the parent parties. So, the rebels like Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar now effectively take over as the authentic leaders of Shiv Sena and the NCP while Udhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar now head the rumps of these organizations. Going forward, Thackeray and senior Pawar are likely to become irrelevant to Maharashtra politics and, in turn, to national politics. Congress, on the other hand, has been decimated in the state. The second successive loss for the party after Haryana and abysmally poor performance in J&K have left the party reeling. It is difficult to explain as to what happened in just four months after the general elections, in which the party had staged a comeback of sorts. It is almost as if the Congress gets its act together in spasms and then goes back into the complacent mode. In general elections, it was Maharashtra that along with Uttar Pradesh, had played a crucial role in stopping the BJP juggernaut short of an absolute majority. Now Maharashtra has given the saffron party most of the seats in the Assembly polls. What it shows is that the BJP has been quick to learn its lessons and tailor its election strategy to the aspirations of the voters. The BJP is also a 24×7 party. It’s already vaunted election machinery keeps working while other parties are fast asleep. More so, the Congress whose top leaders take a political sabbatical after every election. And if the Rahul Gandhi-led party and the larger opposition fail to dissect what went wrong in Maharashtra and then act on it, it bodes ill for their future.
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the flagbearer for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has declared himself the best candidate to make Ghana’s aspirations for greatness a reality. In a recent social media post, Bawumia shared the culmination of his nationwide constituency-focused campaign tour, which included stops in Juaben and Asante Akyem North, as well as a visit to the Philadelphia Church in Kenyasi, where he expressed gratitude for the Almighty’s blessings. Bawumia revealed that over the past 17 months, he has visited every constituency across the country, engaging with citizens from all walks of life. He has interacted with traditional authorities, religious leaders, youth groups, and ordinary Ghanaians in various settings, including markets, homes, lorry stations, and places of worship. Throughout these engagements, Bawumia emphasized his vision for a bold and prosperous future for Ghana, while listening to the concerns and aspirations of the people. He confidently stated that his experiences have reinforced his belief that he is the right leader to guide Ghana towards a brighter future. “I am the best option to make Ghana’s desire for greatness a reality,” he said. Bawumia is urging all eligible voters to come out in full force on December 7, advocating for a leader with a proven track record of clear, solutions-based thinking and achievements. He encouraged citizens to vote for him, stating, “Vote #1, and together, we will build a holistically developed Ghana for the present and the unborn generations.” He concluded his message with optimism, declaring, “It is possible!”Trump team signs agreement to allow Justice to conduct background checks on nominees, staff
More than 99 Million Ballots Processed During 2024 General Election On Average, Ballots Were Delivered from Voters to Election Officials Within One Day WASHINGTON , Dec. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the United States Postal Service released its 2024 Post-Election Analysis Report, outlining the agency's steps to process more than 99.22 million ballots in the 2024 general election. The full report can be read here: 2024 Post-Election Analysis Report . " In 2024, the Postal Service once again admirably performed our role of efficiently and effectively delivering the nation's ballots," said Postmaster General Louis DeJoy . "As we continue to transform the nation's postal network to better meet the demands of the modern mailing and shipping customer, we stand ready to work with policymakers at all levels to make the nation's effective vote by mail process even stronger." The Postal Service's success in 2024 was the result of a deepened focus on operational precision and integrated communications, the engagement of the USPS Election and Government Mail Services team and execution of longstanding, proven operational processes and procedures, including extraordinary measures. As in previous general elections, the Postal Service deployed extraordinary measures in the final weeks of the election season to swiftly move Ballot Mail entered close to or on Election Day and/or the state's return deadline. Extraordinary measures began on Monday, Oct. 21 , continued nationwide through Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 5 , and extended through the last day in each state that boards of elections accepted completed mail-in ballots as timely. In 2024, the Postal Service's extraordinary measures included but were not limited to: extra deliveries and collections; special pick-ups; specialized sort plans at processing facilities to expedite delivery to boards of elections; and local handling and transportation of ballots. Key 2024 Election Mail Performance Statistics As part of the nation's critical infrastructure, USPS is responsible for processing, transporting, and delivering the nation's Election Mail safely, securely, and on time. During the General Election, USPS processed more than 99 million ballots. On average, Ballot Mail sent from voters to election officials were delivered within one day. 99.22 Million Ballots Processed in the 2024 General Election: During the general election period of September 1 – November 15 , the Postal Service delivered at least 99.22 million ballots to or from voters.* 99.88 Percent of Ballots Delivered to Election Officials Within a Week: The agency successfully processed, transported and delivered 99.88 percent of ballots from voters to election officials within seven days, and 99.64 percent within five days.** 97.73 Percent of Ballots Delivered from Voters to Election Officials Within Three Days: The Postal Service successfully returned 97.73 percent of ballots from voters to local election officials in fewer than three days. 1 Day Average Delivery Time for Ballots from Voters to Election Officials: On average, the Postal Service delivered ballots from voters to election officials within one day. 3.37 Billion Pieces of Political and Election Mail Delivered in 2024: The total mail volume surpassed 3 billion mailpieces for both Political and Election Mail tracked. As an essential part of the nation's disaster response network, readiness and preparation for natural disasters are standard procedure for the Postal Service. In September and October 2024 , Hurricanes Helene and Milton devastated portions of Florida , South Carolina , and North Carolina just weeks before the election. However, through the deployment of extraordinary measures in the weeks before Election Day, voters in the impacted areas who chose to use the mail to vote received performance comparable with the rest of the nation. Recommendations To Improve the Nation's Vote by Mail System in Future Election Cycles The Postal Service is both a national service and a world-class logistics organization. As such, consistent policies are needed nationwide to ensure that operations run smoothly, that the 640,000 USPS employees understand what is expected of them, and the millions of customers can have trust in the Postal Service's ability to deliver for them. At the same time, when it comes to the delivery of Election Mail, there are 50 states and nearly 8,000 election jurisdictions that are far from uniform in their election laws and practices, and that often do not consider how the mail system works. This can result in a mismatch of timeframes, deadlines, ballot return suggestions and the practical reality of using the mail. Many of these laws and practices were not established with the Postal Service's operations in mind. As USPS continues to transform the nation's postal network to better meet the demands of the modern mailing and shipping customer, the organization stands ready to work with policymakers at all levels to continue educating them on how the mail works. While the Postal Service provides effective, efficient, and reliable service for all mail, including Election Mail, there are long-standing recommendations that policymakers should consider to help expedite the transport of mail-in ballots to and from voters including: Following and implementing USPS recommendations on mail piece preparation Applying visibility tools to Election and Ballot Mail Better understanding of Postal Operations Continuing voter education initiatives on state laws and reasonable mailing deadlines * Total volume reflects volume that was identifiable as Ballot Mail by the Postal Service. **Performance data for outbound Ballot Mail (sent from local boards of elections to voters) includes only those ballots that were properly identified as ballots and consistent with our service performance measurement rules. Performance data for inbound Ballot Mail (sent from voters to local boards of elections) includes both those ballots that were properly identified as ballots and consistent with our service performance measurement rules as well as the volume identified by a survey for which data is available from 10/21/2024 to 11/13/2024 . Please Note: The United States Postal Service is an independent federal establishment, mandated to be self-financing and to serve every American community through the affordable, reliable and secure delivery of mail and packages to nearly 169 million addresses six and often seven days a week. Overseen by a bipartisan Board of Governors, the Postal Service is implementing a 10-year transformation plan, Delivering for America , to modernize the postal network, restore long-term financial sustainability, dramatically improve service across all mail and shipping categories, and maintain the organization as one of America's most valued and trusted brands. The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. For USPS media resources, including broadcast-quality video and audio and photo stills, visit the USPS Newsroom . Follow us on Twitter , Instagram , Pinterest and LinkedIn . Subscribe to the USPS YouTube Channel and like us on Facebook . For more information about the Postal Service, visit usps.com and facts.usps.com . Contact: Martha Johnson [email protected] usps.com/news SOURCE U.S. Postal Service
Best bet: AGGELOS THE GREAT (8) Best value: CRAZY MASON (7) FIRST: Tiz the Prince drops and makes third start of form cycle; career-best predicted. Janssen bounced in last after game placing in prior; rebound threat. Unaffected could make forward move with return to dirt. SECOND: Puff'smagicdragon was nearly eight lengths clear of third finisher when a sharp second at Finger Lakes last time; ready for prime time. Hours in a Day was a determined maiden winner in last and now makes first start since re-claimed by Linda Rice; very dangerous. Conniving exits hard-charging placing in last; must be considered. THIRD: Sounds Like Fun outworked 237 rivals in crisp half-mile work last week; primed for first start since March. Elvis Himself could play out as the main speed in first local start. Party With Smarty owns competitive back numbers; worth long look at long price. FOURTH: Tap It Easy moves to dirt and gets added ground after useful sixth in debut; forward move predicted. New Matthew (late-running second last time) and Trinity River (just two lengths behind "Matthew" on Nov. 3) could easily impact if pace meltdown ensues. FIFTH: Patty Van Twinkle makes first start since moving to Charlie Baker barn; big effort on tap. Snappin Buttons owns a win and two seconds from three starts; likely underlay. Diamond Status could prove very tough on an unchallenged lead. SIXTH: Giant's Audible drops and moves to main track; breakthrough effort expected. Awesome Roberta was an improved third in last; big-time player. Take Me to Londyn makes second career start for Brad Cox; be no surprise. SEVENTH: Crazy Mason is training sharply for first start since May; ready. War Stride ships in from Finger Lakes after winning two in a row; very interesting. Vettriano has won three of last four starts; paltry price is the problem. EIGHTH: Aggelos the Great should pack intensified wallop with cutback to shorter sprint; 5-furlong bullet last week seals the deal. Yo Banana Boy , a front-running winner in last, could play out as the controlling speed once again. Flying Emperor also is fleet-footed and is working sharply; right in the thick of this. NINTH: Pretty Ana tallied swift late-pace figure when third in last; rail draw is the clincher. Audacious could play out as the main speed in field that's light on front-runners. Alpine Princess bested a next-out victor by nearly 10 lengths when winning Remington Park Oaks last time; must be factored into the mix. 10TH: Unlimitedpotential has the potential to deliver a huge effort based on front-end score on July 25; swift half-mile breeze for return seals it. Liberte de Bayeux owns sprinter's speed and must be given serious consideration. Striking Sparks owns three wins and three seconds from last seven starts; obvious threat. Smile Mon is another that holds razor-sharp current condition; hard to ignore.Ousted Syrian leader Assad flees to Moscow after fall of Damascus, Russian state media say DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Russia media say ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad has fled to Moscow and received asylum from his longtime ally. The reports came hours after a stunning rebel advance swept into Damascus to cheers and ended the Assad family’s 50 years of iron rule. Thousands of Syrians poured into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire, joyful after a stifling, nearly 14-year civil war. But the swiftly moving events raised questions about the future of the country and the wider region. The rebels face the daunting task of healing bitter divisions in a country still split among armed factions. One rebel commander said “we will not deal with people the way the Assad family did." The fall of Bashar Assad after 13 years of war in Syria brings to an end a decades-long dynasty BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian President Bashar Assad has fled the country. Assad’s departure on Sunday brings to a dramatic close his nearly 14-year struggle to hold onto power in a brutal civil war that became a proxy battlefield for regional and international powers. Assad’s exit stood in stark contrast to his first months as Syria’s unlikely president in 2000, when many hoped he would be a young reformer after three decades of his father’s iron grip. But faced with protests of his rule that erupted in March 2011, Assad turned to his father's brutal tactics to crush dissent. A long stalemate was quickly broken when opposition groups in northwest Syria launched a surprise offensive late last month. Who is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the insurgency that toppled Syria's Assad? BEIRUT (AP) — Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the militant leader who led the stunning insurgency that toppled Syria’s President Bashar Assad, has spent years working to remake his public image and that of his fighters. He renounced longtime ties to al-Qaida and depicts himself as a champion of pluralism and tolerance. The extent of that transformation from jihadi extremist to would-be state builder is now put to the test. The 42-year-old al-Golani is labeled a terrorist by the United States. He has not appeared publicly since Damascus fell early Sunday. But he and his insurgent force, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, stand to be a major player in whatever comes next. Trump says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise US prices and won't rule out revenge prosecutions WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump says he can’t guarantee his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won’t raise prices for American consumers. And he's suggesting once more that some political rivals and federal officials who pursued legal cases against him should be imprisoned. The president-elect made the comments in a wide-ranging interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday. He also touched on monetary policy, immigration, abortion and health care, and U.S. involvement in Ukraine, Israel and elsewhere. Trump often mixed declarative statements with caveats, at one point cautioning “things do change.” The hunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO's elusive killer yields new evidence, but few answers NEW YORK (AP) — Police don’t know who he is, where he is, or why he did it. As the frustrating search for UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s killer got underway for a fifth day Sunday, investigators reckoned with a tantalizing contradiction: They have troves of evidence, but the shooter remains an enigma. One conclusion they are confident of, however: It was a targeted attack, not a random one. On Sunday morning, police declined to comment on the contents of a backpack found in Central Park that they believe was carried by the killer. Thompson was shot and killed Wednesday outside of a hotel in Manhattan. Trump calls for immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and says a US withdrawal from NATO is possible WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump is pushing Russian leader Vladimir Putin to act to reach an immediate ceasefire with Ukraine. Trump describes it as part of his active efforts as president-elect to end the war despite being weeks from taking office. Trump also said he would be open to reducing military aid to Ukraine and pulling the United States out of NATO. Those are two threats that have alarmed Ukraine, NATO allies and many in the U.S. national security community. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says any deal would have to pave the way to a lasting peace. The Kremlin's spokesman says Moscow is open to talks with Ukraine. South Korean prosecutors detain ex-defense chief over martial law imposition SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean prosecutors have detained a former defense minister who allegedly recommended last week’s brief but stunning martial law imposition to President Yoon Suk Yeol. Local media say that ex-Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun voluntarily appeared on Sunday at a Seoul prosecutors’ office, where he had his mobile phone confiscated and was detained. A law enforcement official says Kim was later sent to a Seoul detention facility. Kim's detention came a day after Yoon avoided an opposition-led bid to impeach him, with most ruling party lawmakers boycotting a floor vote to prevent a two-thirds majority needed to suspend his presidential powers. Gaza health officials say latest Israeli airstrikes kill at least 14 including children DEIR AL BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinian health officials say Israeli airstrikes in central Gaza have killed at least 14 people including children, while the bombing of a hospital in northern Gaza has wounded a half-dozen patients. Israel’s military continues its latest offensive against Hamas militants in northern Gaza, whose remaining Palestinians have been almost completely cut off from the rest of the territory amid a growing humanitarian crisis. One airstrike flattened a residential building in the urban Bureij refugee camp Sunday afternoon. That's according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the nearby city of Deir al-Balah, where the casualties were taken. Trump's return may be a boon for Netanyahu, but challenges abound in a changed Middle East TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is jubilant about President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House. Trump's first term policies skewed heavily in favor of Israel, and he has picked stalwart Israel supporters for key positions in his administration. But much has transpired since Trump left office in early 2021. The turmoil in the Middle East, the lofty ambitions of Netanyahu’s far-right governing coalition and Netanyahu’s own personal relationship with the president-elect could dampen that enthusiasm and complicate what on the surface looks like a seamless alliance. First 12-team College Football Playoff set, Oregon seeded No. 1 and SMU edges Alabama for last spot SMU captured the last open spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff, bumping Alabama to land in a bracket that placed undefeated Oregon at No. 1. The selection committee preferred the Mustangs (11-2), losers of a heartbreaker in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game, who had a far less difficult schedule than Alabama (9-3) of the SEC but one fewer loss. The first-of-its-kind 12-team bracket marks a new era for college football, though the Alabama-SMU debate made clear there is no perfect formula. The tournament starts Dec. 20-21 with four first-round games. It concludes Jan. 20 with the national title game in Atlanta.
Police divers are combing through underwater areas of New York's Central Park in the hunt for evidence about the killer of a healthcare boss. Detectives searching for the man believed to have targeted UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson have found a backpack and have multiple images of the suspect. But, so far, they have not found the weapon used when Mr Thompson arrived at the Hilton hotel for his company's annual investor conference at 6.44am on Wednesday. Two sources have told Sky's' US partner NBC News that the New York Police Department's scuba team has now joined the investigation. The sources said they are specifically trained to recover evidence while diving, using specific techniques and equipment. Since the waters are likely murky, the source said, the divers will make an underwater grid pattern to search for evidence. They are also knowledgeable on how to preserve evidence if found underwater. It is understood there is a pond in Central Park close to the escape route used by the killer after the shooting. Pictures in some US media show divers searching around the boating lake in the famous New York park. The investigators believe the killer used a 9mm pistol that resembled a gun that farmers use to put down animals without causing a loud noise. They also know ammunition found near Thompson's body had been inscribed with the words "delay," "deny" and "depose", mimicking a phrase used by insurance industry critics. Among the theories being worked on are that the gunman knew UnitedHealthcare group was holding a conference at the hotel and the route Thompson took to get there, so he could possibly be a disgruntled employee or client, NYPD chief of detectives Joseph Kenny said. On Sunday afternoon, while they did , police declined to comment on the contents of the backpack, or on the results of the search in the pond. But the day before, sources told NBC News police found money from a Monopoly game inside the backpack they believe the gunman used. Hundreds of detectives are pouring over video recordings and social media posts, checking tips from the public and carrying out interviews. Among those being questioned are Thompson's family and co-workers and the gunman's randomly assigned roommates at the Manhattan hostel where he stayed. Police believe the killer likely took a bus out of New York soon after the brazen ambush. Before he arrived in New York, he travelled from Atlanta. Detectives are searching for video from that bus station and others along the Greyhound Bus route. Other video found by detectives shows the man riding a bicycle into the park and later taking a taxi to a bus station from where he could travel to New Jersey, Philadelphia, Boston and Washington DC, according to Mr Kenny.