Trump’s tax-cut plans could be slowed by a wary bond market WASHINGTON: Donald Trump’s Republicans are promising to hit the gas next year when they assume full control of the US Congress, with little to stop them from executing the president-elect’s promises to slash taxes and reorder the global trade landscape. But the $28 trillion Treasury debt market is flashing a red warning light against adding excessively to a debt load already expanding at a pace of $2 trillion a year.What is yet to be seen is whether these concerns will be enough to slow Republican lawmakers’ ambitions or push them to find offsetting savings on a tax break agenda estimated to cost nearly $8 trillion over 10 years. Markets are betting that Trump’s tax cuts and tariffs will fuel inflation as investors demand stronger returns on longer-term Treasuries. Yields on the benchmark 10-year US Treasury note have risen to 4.3 per cent, up about 70 basis points since ‘Trump trades’ began dominating Wall Street in September. Trump’s choice of hedge fund manager Scott Bessent as Treasury secretary prompted Treasuries to rally on Monday, erasing some of the recent increase in yields, as market analysts viewed him as a more traditional policymaker who is likely to try to control deficits. Still, the trend is driving higher interest rates for mortgages, car loans and credit card debt, counteracting Federal Reserve rate cuts and potentially putting US growth at risk.It is also raising the cost of financing US deficits and eating up the federal budget. Interest on the public debt topped $1 trillion for the first time during the fiscal year ended Sept 30, making it the second-largest single expenditure after the Social Security retirement programme. “In a weird way, the bond market is now on the verge of running this country,” said Republican Representative David Schweikert, who sits on the House of Representatives’ tax- and trade-focused Ways and Means Committee. The market signals mean there are no “blank checks” for Congress and the tax cuts will need to be paired with spending cuts, he said in an interview. “It is a hurdle in the financing of the US government.” Managing that hurdle will fall to Bessent, who has argued that Trump’s agenda will unleash stronger economic growth that will in turn drive up revenue and boost market confidence. His appointment could also reduce the chance of severe tariffs. The budget math is daunting. Trump has promised to extend the tax cuts passed in 2017, during his first term in the White House, for individuals and small businesses that are due to expire next year, which tax experts say will add $4 trillion to the current $36 trillion in total US debt over 10 years. That’s on top of debt already forecast by the Congressional Budget Office to grow by $22 trillion over the same period, based on current laws. Trump also promised voters generous new tax breaks, including ending taxes on Social Security, overtime and tip income and restoring deductions for car loan interest. The tab is likely to reach $7.75 trillion above the CBO baseline over 10 years, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a non-partisan fiscal watchdog group. GROWTH REVENUE Concern over the bond market’s influence on Trump’s agenda is more the exception than the rule among congressional Republicans interviewed some two weeks after he won the Nov 5 presidential election and his party took control of Congress. Some fell back on the party’s long-held view that tax cuts can pay for themselves with stronger growth - a line that was used to sell Trump’s original 2017 tax cuts. Budget forecasters including the Joint Committee on Taxation have estimated that those cuts added more than $1 trillion to deficits over 10 years. An analysis of economic feedback on extending the tax cuts by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget found that increased growth would only offset 1.0 per cent to 14 per cent of the revenues lost directly by the cuts, leaving the bulk to be financed through borrowing. Still, Republican Senator Mike Rounds said he believed the stability and growth that will come from extending Trump’s 2017 tax cuts will allay some market concerns. “What we have to do is show them that we’re going to build an economy so that the ratio between the size of the economy and the debt changes positively in our favor,” Rounds said. MUSK’S CUTS Republican House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington said accelerating economic growth to more than 3.0 per cent annually -- it’s already on that pace for the third quarter -- would increase revenues by $3 trillion over a decade, but that additional spending cuts would be needed. Rising bond market yields were “a motivating factor to rein in deficit spending”, he said. Arrington and fellow Republican Representative Joe Wilson said they were hopeful the non-government panel led by billionaire Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy would be able to find ways to cut the budget, including on “mandatory spending” programmes other than Social Security and the Medicare health insurance program for the elderly, which Trump has vowed to preserve. “With Elon Musk I think we have a real opportunity to actually identify waste and cut things that can be cut,” Wilson said. A key target is rescinding Democratic President Joe Biden’s clean energy subsidies, estimated by the CBO to cost nearly $800 billion over 10 years, and some $60 billion in funds to modernise the Internal Revenue Service, although that would expand deficits in the long run by curbing audits. AGENDA UNCLEAR Republicans in the new year will likely rely on budget procedures that bypass Senate rules requiring 60 of the 100 members in the chamber to agree on most legislation to pass Trump’s tax agenda with a simple majority. Republican Senator Mike Crapo, the incoming chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said it was too early to determine which tax policies would be included in initial legislation, adding that there was market “misinterpretation of what Trump is doing or going to do”. “A lot of people are saying, well, which tax policies are you going to do?” Crapo said. “And the answer to that is, the ones that we figure out are the right ones.” BOND VIGILANTES Former President Bill Clinton’s political strategist James Carville famously said in 1993 that he wanted to be reincarnated as the bond market, because “you can intimidate everybody”. If Congress’ moves signal too big of a deficit hike, some market analysts are concerned that excess debt issuance will cause market indigestion that drives up yields sharply. “One can’t exclude the risk that trust in US economic policymaking might be lost, the bond vigilantes could come out in full force and pressure rates significantly higher, and the US and global economies could be badly shaken,” said Mark Sobel, a former US Treasury official who is now the US chairman at the Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum, a think tank.Boeing is building new 737 Max planes for the first time since workers went on strikeGeeMee achieved major partnerships at Mobidictum Conference 2024-Boosting Growth with Ad Tech solutions

West Forsyth won the coin toss and has deferred to the second half. Follow along for live updates from Fred Lewis Stadium in Kernersville as East Forsyth takes on West Forsyth in the second round of the NCHSAA 4-A state playoffs. East Forsyth (11-0) beat West Forsyth (8-3) 48-42 on Nov. 1. The Eagles got a 3-yard touchdown pass from Bryce Baker to J.P. Gilchrist with 9.4 seconds left to pull out the win. mpruitt@wsjournal.com Sent weekly directly to your inbox!President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday nominated Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in-law Jared Kushner, as the US ambassador to France, in the latest of several controversial picks. Kushner "is a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker, who will be a strong advocate representing our Country & its interests," Trump said on his Truth Social website, adding that Jared "worked closely with me in the White House." The choice is in keeping with Trump's pattern, so far, of selecting people, often wealthy, who are close to his family or of proven loyalty. Kushner is a multimillionaire real estate executive and former attorney; his son was a senior adviser during Trump's first term. Trump did not mention, however, that the elder Kushner once served jail time -- a two-year sentence, most of it served in a federal prison. Kushner, who is now 70, pleaded guilty in 2004 to 18 counts of tax evasion, witness tampering and making illegal campaign contributions. The case, which was prosecuted by then US attorney Chris Christie, included sordid details, to which Kushner admitted: that he had hired a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law, a man cooperating in a campaign finance inquiry, and then videotaped the encounter and sent it to the man's wife, Kushner's sister, to dissuade her from testifying against him. Christie, who worked on Trump's first presidential transition team and then opposed him in this year's Republican primary contests, later said Kushner had committed a "loathsome" and "disgusting crime." In 2020, Trump issued a pardon to Kushner, whose conviction had resulted in him being disbarred in three states. Nominees for key ambassadorships are often business associates of a president-elect, or major political donors. But it is rare, if not unprecedented, to name a convicted felon. The first two men to fill the prestigious Paris post were famed inventor and statesman Benjamin Franklin and a future president, Thomas Jefferson. If confirmed, Kushner would succeed Denise Bauer, a former ambassador to Belgium who was a major Democratic fundraiser and donor. md/bbk/md

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Kylian Mbappe hoped his move to Real Madrid would finally see him end his wait to win the Champions League. Instead, the France international and defending champion Madrid are in danger of being eliminated from European club soccer's elite tournament at the first stage after Wednesday's 2-0 loss to Liverpool leaves them in a fight just to make the playoffs for the next round. And if Madrid does make an early exit, Mbappe may look back on a miserable night at Anfield where he was humbled by a young defender and then missed a penalty that would have leveled the score. World Cup winner Mbappe looked a shadow of himself against a Liverpool team that leads the way in the Premier League and the Champions League this season. He was brought crashing down by a crunching tackle from 21-year-old right back Conor Bradley when threatening to burst through on goal in the first half — sparking a huge cheer from the home crowd. It got worse for Mbappe after the break when he had the chance to make it 1-1 from the penalty spot after Alexis Mac Allister had given six-time European champion Liverpool the lead. But with Caoimhin Kelleher to beat, he saw his effort pushed away by Liverpool's back-up goalkeeper. Mohamed Salah also missed a spot kick of his own, but substitute Cody Gakpo doubled the home team's advantage. Record 15-time European Cup winner Madrid is 24th in the new-look 36-team league phase of the Champions League. The to the round of 16, while teams ranked ninth to 24th go into a playoff. Victory saw new Liverpool head coach Arne Slot manage something his predecessor Jurgen Klopp never could by beating Real in the Champions League. His team extended its perfect record in the competition and is top of the standings after five games. Each team plays eight games in the opening phase. Madrid plays Atalanta next month and Liverpool faces Girona. ___ James Robson is at ___ AP soccer: James Robson, The Associated PressLess than a month after winning the World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers are spending big again to add one of baseball's best pitchers to their star-studded roster. Blake Snell and the Dodgers agreed to a $182 million, five-year contract, according to a person with direct knowledge of the negotiations. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday night because the deal is subject to a successful physical. The two-time Cy Young Award winner broke the news personally by posting a photo of himself on social media in a Dodgers uniform — No. 7. Snell gets a $52 million signing bonus, payable on Jan. 20, and annual salaries of $26 million, of which $13 million each year will be deferred. Because Snell is a Washington state resident, the signing bonus will not be subject to California income tax. Snell would join two-way star Shohei Ohtani and fellow Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto atop Los Angeles' rotation, giving the Dodgers the first megadeal this offseason following Ohtani's $700 million, 10-year contract and Yamamoto's $325 million, 12-year agreement last offseason. Ohtani didn't pitch this year while recovering from right elbow surgery but is expected back on the mound in 2025. He won his third MVP award — first in the National League — following a huge season at the plate exclusively as a designated hitter. Yamamoto went 7-2 with a 3.00 ERA in 18 starts as a rookie, then won twice in four October outings. Down to three healthy starting pitchers during the postseason, Los Angeles overcame a string of injuries to its projected rotation in winning the franchise's second World Series title in five years. Right-handers Jack Flaherty and Walker Buehler then became free agents this fall, creating more voids on the staff. But the addition of Snell would fill a large one at the top with a legitimate ace. Snell's $36.4 million average salary would rank as the fifth-highest among active deals next year behind Ohtani ($70 million), Philadelphia pitcher Zack Wheeler ($42 million), New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge ($40 million) and Texas pitcher Jacob deGrom ($37 million). Among expired contracts, it also was exceeded by pitchers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander (both $43.33 million) under deals they agreed to with the New York Mets. ESPN first reported the details of Snell's contract. Earlier this month, Snell opted out of his deal with San Francisco to become a free agent for the second consecutive offseason after he was slowed by injuries during his lone year with the Giants. The left-hander agreed in March to a $62 million, two-year contract that included a $17 million signing bonus payable on Jan. 15, 2026, a $15 million salary for 2024 and a $30 million salary for 2025, of which $15 million would have been deferred and payable on July 1, 2027. Snell, who turns 32 next week, went 5-3 with a 3.12 ERA in 20 starts this year, throwing a no-hitter at Cincinnati on Aug. 2 for one of only 16 individual shutouts in the major leagues this season. He struck out 145 and walked 44 in 104 innings. He was sidelined between April 19 and May 22 by a strained left adductor and between June 2 and July 9 by a strained left groin. Snell won Cy Young Awards in 2018 with Tampa Bay and 2023 with San Diego. He is 76-58 with a 3.19 ERA in nine seasons with the Rays (2016-20), Padres (2021-23) and Giants. Because he turned down a qualifying offer from San Diego last November, the Giants were not eligible to give Snell another one and won’t receive draft-pick compensation. Los Angeles expects All-Star right-hander Tyler Glasnow and three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw back in the rotation next year. Other starting candidates if healthy include right-handers Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin and Bobby Miller. Ohtani is coming off right elbow surgery in September 2023 and left shoulder surgery on Nov. 5. Glasnow didn’t pitch after Aug. 11 because of right elbow tendinitis. Kershaw, who turns 37 in March, had foot and knee surgeries on Nov. 7. He declined a $10 million player option in favor of free agency, but is expected to return to Los Angeles. May is coming back from Tommy John surgery in July 2023 and from an operation this past July to repair a tear in his esophagus. Gonsolin spent 2024 rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. Miller, an 11-game winner as a rookie in 2023, was sidelined early this season by shoulder inflammation. He struggled to a 2-4 record with an 8.52 ERA in 13 big league starts and ended the regular season in the minors. Yamamoto was sidelined by right triceps tightness between June 15 and Sept. 10, then returned and went 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA in four postseason starts. AP Baseball Writers Janie McCauley and Mike Fitzpatrick contributed to this report. AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get local news delivered to your inbox!An Arizona man has been arrested for allegedly threatening to kill President-elect Donald Trump through “numerous lengthy videos” on Facebook, according to court documents. Manuel Tamayo-Torres was charged with one count of making threats against Trump, referred to in the documents as “Individual 1,” and a president’s successor. The documents allege he made “vague yet direct threats” toward the president-elect, his family and law enforcement agents. The documents state that on Thursday, Tamayo-Torres posted a video in which he said, “You’re gonna die, your son’s gonna die. Your whole family is going to die. This is reality for you now. This is the only reality you have in your future, dying.” He also claimed in the video that the “Secret Service, FBI, CIA and the military are all defenseless.” In another video, Tamayo-Torres was reportedly seen threatening to shoot Trump while holding “what appears to be a white AR-15-style rifle with a 30-round magazine inserted into it,” according to the documents. Officials said Tamayo-Torres posted “on a near-daily basis” about “[Individual 1] and his family kidnapping and sex-trafficking his children.” Tamayo-Torres also claimed in a video posted Aug. 23 from Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, where Trump was holding a rally, that he “observed [Individual 1] and Secret Service kidnap his daughter there.” While investigating the alleged threats, a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives task force officer said they found photos on Facebook showing Tamayo-Torres holding a bullpup-style shotgun, a rifle and the AR-15-style rifle seen in one of his videos. Tamayo-Torres was arrested in California after he posted a video from his vehicle indicating he was in San Diego. The charges against him were filed in Arizona. In recent months, Trump has faced two assassination attempts — one at a rally in Pennsylvania and another at a golf course in Florida. A report released earlier this month by the Secret Service highlighted “communication failures” that allowed Thomas Matthew Crooks to get close enough to shoot the president-elect in the ear and kill a man at the rally. Crooks was shot and killed by the Secret Service shortly after opening fire. In the second assassination attempt in West Palm Beach, authorities said Ryan Wesley Routh was captured after a Secret Service agent saw the barrel of a rifle poking out from trees. Routh allegedly waited on the golf course for 12 hours.None

No. 22 Xavier faces South Carolina St., eyes rebound from lone lossNoneDonald Trump is returning to the world stage. So is his trolling

‘Woke = snob’: Sneering progressives treat the rest of us like half-wits

Exhibitors, Investors Reel Out Gains As Beauty West Africa 2024 Opens With Pomp

President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday nominated Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in-law Jared Kushner, as the US ambassador to France, in the latest of several controversial picks. Kushner "is a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker, who will be a strong advocate representing our Country & its interests," Trump said on his Truth Social website, adding that Jared "worked closely with me in the White House." Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Get the latest need-to-know information delivered to your inbox as it happens. Our flagship newsletter. Get our front page stories each morning as well as the latest updates each afternoon during the week + more in-depth weekend editions on Saturdays & Sundays.DENVER (AP) — Highly touted high school quarterback Julian Lewis has committed to the University of Colorado, possibly an indicator that coach Deion Sanders does indeed plan to stick around in Boulder. The five-star recruit recently decommitted from Southern California to explore his options. He announced Colorado would be his destination Thursday on ESPN's “The Pat McAfee Show" as he donned a Buffaloes stocking cap. Lewis figures to be the heir apparent to Shedeur Sanders, who’s expected to be a top pick in the next NFL draft. There's an image of Sanders handing the keys over to the young QB in a video posted on Lewis' Instagram account. It gives Deion Sanders another elite quarterback to build around at Colorado. On Tuesday, Sanders tamped down speculation over his future. “I’m enthusiastic about where I am,” he said. "I love it here. Truly do.” His roster this season has several young players making significant contributions, including freshman left tackle Jordan Seaton. “We ain’t going nowhere,” Sanders said. “We’re about to get comfortable.” Lewis, whose nickname is “Ju Ju,” became the starting quarterback at Carrollton High School in Georgia as a freshman. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound player was the 2023-24 Gatorade Georgia football player of the year. This season, he's thrown for 2,842 yards and 40 touchdowns with only four interceptions, according to MaxPreps. He's completing 77.8% of his passes. “It's big for me, just coming in after Shedeur, seeing what he's done at Colorado, and what he's turned it into,” Lewis said on McAfee's show. “It's definitely a blessing to get to this position, coming in after him with his dad. “Coach Prime has always said the best man is going to play. That’s really what I wanted, was to be able to compete ... I don’t have much fun sitting on the bench, so I want to come to where I have a chance to play.” Lewis delivered the news to Deion Sanders over a phone call. He's set join the Buffaloes (8-2, 6-1 Big 12, No. 16 CFP ) this spring. “Julian loves to compete; he’s extremely excited for the challenge that lies ahead in college football,” said TC Lewis, Julian’s father. “What ‘Coach Prime’ and Colorado provide for him in regards to development and a path to play are exceptional.” Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

News: Optoelectronics 27 November 2024 Aeluma joins Optica as corporate member Aelum Inc of Goleta, CA, USA – which uses compound semiconductor materials on large-diameter substrates to develop technologies for mobile, automotive, AI, defense & aerospace, communication and quantum computing – has joined Optica, the global society dedicated to advancing optics and photonics worldwide. The corporate membership aligns Aeluma with a network of industry leaders in light science and technology. Aeluma’s CEO & director Dr Jonathan Klamkin has been appointed Industry Vice Chair of the 2025 Advanced Photonics Congress, a role within Optica’s Advanced Photonics Strategy Committee. He will assume the Chair position in 2026, driving new initiatives to increase industry engagement at Optica’s technical conferences. In addition, both Klamkin and board member Steven DenBaars Ph.D. were previously named Optica Fellows, underscoring their contributions and expertise in optics and photonics. Awarded to distinguished leaders in light science, the fellowship highlights Klamkin and DenBaars’ commitment to advancing photonics technology that meets the growing demands of critical markets. “Aeluma’s membership in Optica, combined with our leadership roles within the organization, highlights our dedication to advancing the semiconductor and photonic industries,” says Klamkin. “As we continue to expand our technology’s reach across high-growth markets, our collaboration with Optica reinforces our mission to drive scalable, high-performance semiconductor-based photonics solutions for next-generation mobile, automotive, AI, defense & aerospace, communication and quantum computing applications.” See related items: Aeluma wins NASA contract to advance quantum dot photonic integrated circuits for aerospace and AI Aeluma appoints Craig Ensley to board Tags: PICs Visit: www.optica.org Visit: www.aeluma.comIrish voters head to the polls on Friday. Taoiseach Simon Harris has said he is taking a “project truth” approach to calling out Sinn Fein’s spending pledges as fears over future economic threats took centre stage in the Irish General Election campaign. Election results on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean have set the background for the final stretch of campaigning for Irish parties ahead of polling day on Friday. Donald Trump’s presidential election victory in the US has brought heightened concern that his administration’s proposals around corporation tax and tariffs would significantly impact Ireland’s economic model. Mr Harris, leader of Fine Gael, has argued Ireland and other EU countries need to prepare for the possibility of trade shocks as he criticised the scale of Sinn Fein’s spending pledges as well as their saving plans. He said: “I think that is irresponsible, I think it is dangerous and I think it is reckless.” He accused Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald of not being able to say what her party was prepared to do in the event of an economic crash, adding that Fine Gael would borrow and stop putting money towards a rainy-day fund. Asked if the party was engaging in “project fear” to dissuade voters against Sinn Fein, Mr Harris said: “I call it ‘project truth’. It’s telling people what’s being discussed right across European capitals.” Ms McDonald told an RTE interview on Wednesday morning that a Sinn Fein government would also be prepared to start borrowing in the event of an economic downturn. Both Mr Harris and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin, who were partners in the last coalition government in Ireland, have made clear they will not countenance Sinn Fein as a potential partner in the next administration in Dublin. One day after the only three-way debate featuring the leaders of the main parties, Mr Martin accused Sinn Fein of being “dishonest” about how they will fund their manifesto plans. Speaking in Dublin on Wednesday, he said he is anxious to get clarity on the issue. “I think Sinn Fein have been very dishonest, frankly, in terms of the funds, because if you go through their figures, and this is a matter of fact, not opinion, they’re predicting a surplus of a billion in 2026, a billion in 2027. “Even in 2025, they’re talking about a mini budget, which would mean reducing the surplus that we’re anticipating in 2025. “There’s a legislative obligation now on any new government to put 0.8% of GDP to one side, and into the funds. There’s no way you can do that with a surplus of a billion in 2026 or 2027, and we would argue they would not have enough funds next year either to put into the funds.” He added: “It means they have no room to manoeuvre if things go wrong, if there’s headwinds come externally, or there are shocks internationally, Sinn Fein is not allowing any headroom at all in terms of room to respond or to move it.” Ms McDonald accused the other two parties of conspiring to keep Sinn Fein out of government and prevent change in Ireland. She said the two men were now “indistinguishable” from each other as she claimed they were suffering “acute amnesia” in regard to their records in government. On a visit to Naas fire station in Co Kildare, she said: “To listen to them, you’d imagine they had just arrived on the scene and that they were going to come up with all of these solutions. “They have had ample chances, ample opportunity, to make things better, and they have failed, and in between the two of them I make the case that now we ask for our chance, with our plans, with our team, to demonstrate how change can happen, how your community, your family, yourself, can be supported when the government is actually on your side.” Mr Martin’s and Mr Harris’ coalition partner Roderic O’Gorman, the leader of the Greens, issued a warning to the public over a future government without his party. On Wednesday, he said it is looking likely that Fianna Fail and Fine Gael will be returned to government – but cautioned they may not want the Greens to continue “fighting hard” on policies. He told reporters: “My sense is certainly the mood music from Fianna Fail and Fine Gael is that they’d like an easier life in the next government – and my concern is they use these small populist parties and right-wing independents.” Mr O’Gorman argued that the Greens could continue to provide stability to government at a time when economic shocks may be around the corner. As the Green leader suggested that relying on independents would be unstable, Mr Martin has also argued that “too much fragmentation would lead to incoherence in government”. Reflecting on Tuesday night’s debate, the Fianna Fail leader said the race remained “too close to call” while Mr Harris said it is “all to play for”. The leaders of Ireland’s three main political parties clashed on housing, healthcare and financial management in the last televised debate before Friday’s General Election. The tetchy debate, which was marked by several interruptions, saw the parties set out their stalls in a broadcast that commentators said did little to move the dial before polling day. The latest opinion poll on Wednesday put the parties in a tight grouping, with Fianna Fail slightly ahead of Sinn Fein and Fine Gael in joint second. After the 2020 general election delivered an inconclusive result, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, two parties forged from opposing sides of Ireland’s Civil War of the 1920s, agreed to set aside almost a century of animosity and share power – with the Greens as a junior partner. From 2016 to 2020, Fianna Fail had supported Fine Gael in power through a confidence-and-supply arrangement from the Opposition benches in the Dail parliament. Sinn Fein won the popular vote in 2020 but a failure to run enough candidates meant it did not secure sufficient seats in the Dail to give it a realistic chance of forming a government.

Retd Ship Captain Loses Rs 11 Cr in Cyber Fraud Promising Hefty Returns on Stock Investments; 1 HeldKing laughs at British comedian’s impression of Donald Trump at Royal Variety

Kingstone stock soars to 52-week high, hits $16.33Aston Villa denied last-gasp winner in Juventus stalemateBy MICHELLE L. PRICE and ROB GILLIES NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s recent dinner with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his visit to Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral were not just exercises in policy and diplomacy. They were also prime trolling opportunities for Trump. Related Articles National Politics | Trump names Andrew Ferguson as head of Federal Trade Commission to replace Lina Khan National Politics | Biden issues veto threat on bill expanding federal judiciary as partisan split emerges National Politics | Trump lawyers and aide hit with 10 additional felony charges in Wisconsin over 2020 fake electors National Politics | After withdrawing as attorney general nominee, Matt Gaetz lands a talk show on OANN television National Politics | What will happen to Social Security under Trump’s tax plan? Throughout his first term in the White House and during his campaign to return, Trump has spun out countless provocative, antagonizing and mocking statements. There were his belittling nicknames for political opponents, his impressions of other political figures and the plentiful memes he shared on social media. Now that’s he’s preparing to return to the Oval Office, Trump is back at it, and his trolling is attracting more attention — and eyerolls. On Sunday, Trump turned a photo of himself seated near a smiling first lady Jill Biden at the Notre Dame ceremony into a social media promo for his new perfume and cologne line, with the tag line, “A fragrance your enemies can’t resist!” The first lady’s office declined to comment. When Trudeau hastily flew to Florida to meet with Trump last month over the president-elect’s threat to impose a 25% tax on all Canadian products entering the U.S., the Republican tossed out the idea that Canada become the 51st U.S. state. The Canadians passed off the comment as a joke, but Trump has continued to play up the dig, including in a post Tuesday morning on his social media network referring to the prime minister as “Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada.” After decades as an entertainer and tabloid fixture, Trump has a flair for the provocative that is aimed at attracting attention and, in his most recent incarnation as a politician, mobilizing fans. He has long relished poking at his opponents, both to demean and minimize them and to delight supporters who share his irreverent comments and posts widely online and cheer for them in person. Trump, to the joy of his fans, first publicly needled Canada on his social media network a week ago when he posted an AI-generated image that showed him standing on a mountain with a Canadian flag next to him and the caption “Oh Canada!” After his latest post, Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller said Tuesday: “It sounds like we’re living in a episode of South Park.” Trudeau said earlier this week that when it comes to Trump, “his approach will often be to challenge people, to destabilize a negotiating partner, to offer uncertainty and even sometimes a bit of chaos into the well established hallways of democracies and institutions and one of the most important things for us to do is not to freak out, not to panic.” Even Thanksgiving dinner isn’t a trolling-free zone for Trump’s adversaries. On Thanksgiving Day, Trump posted a movie clip from “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” with President Joe Biden and other Democrats’ faces superimposed on the characters in a spoof of the turkey-carving scene. The video shows Trump appearing to explode out of the turkey in a swirl of purple sparks, with the former president stiffly dancing to one of his favorite songs, Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.” In his most recent presidential campaign, Trump mocked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, refusing to call his GOP primary opponent by his real name and instead dubbing him “Ron DeSanctimonious.” He added, for good measure, in a post on his Truth Social network: “I will never call Ron DeSanctimonious ‘Meatball’ Ron, as the Fake News is insisting I will.” As he campaigned against Biden, Trump taunted him in online posts and with comments and impressions at his rallies, deriding the president over his intellect, his walk, his golf game and even his beach body. After Vice President Kamala Harris took over Biden’s spot as the Democratic nominee, Trump repeatedly suggested she never worked at McDonalds while in college. Trump, true to form, turned his mocking into a spectacle by appearing at a Pennsylvania McDonalds in October, when he manned the fries station and held an impromptu news conference from the restaurant drive-thru. Trump’s team thinks people should get a sense of humor. “President Trump is a master at messaging and he’s always relatable to the average person, whereas many media members take themselves too seriously and have no concept of anything else other than suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome,” said Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director. “President Trump will Make America Great Again and we are getting back to a sense of optimism after a tumultuous four years.” Though both the Biden and Harris campaigns created and shared memes and launched other stunts to respond to Trump’s taunts, so far America’s neighbors to the north are not taking the bait. “I don’t think we should necessarily look on Truth Social for public policy,” Miller said. Gerald Butts, a former top adviser to Trudeau and a close friend, said Trump brought up the 51st state line to Trudeau repeatedly during Trump’s first term in office. “Oh God,” Butts said Tuesday, “At least a half dozen times.” “This is who he is and what he does. He’s trying to destabilize everybody and make people anxious,” Butts said. “He’s trying to get people on the defensive and anxious and therefore willing to do things they wouldn’t otherwise entertain if they had their wits about them. I don’t know why anybody is surprised by it.” Gillies reported from Toronto. Associated Press writer Darlene Superville contributed to this report.Tweet Facebook Mail A bipartisan committee has brushed aside concerns about unfairness to back the AUKUS treaty, while urging governments to make nuclear waste storage a "priority". The Senate's joint committee on treaties decided the agreement, and the nuclear-powered submarines it will eventually deliver, would give Australia a "clear advantage" in the "most complex and challenging strategic environment since the Second World War". The inquiry into the broad military alliance with the US and UK heard concerns from Australian National University law Professor Donald Rothwell and others about the wording of the agreement being too heavily in favour of London and Washington. Australia will purchase US Virginia-class submarines under the AUKUS defence pact. (AP) He said AUKUS offered "an enormous amount of flexibility" for the UK to US to withdraw, without giving Australia the same leeway, describing the agreement as "somewhat exceptional". The international law expert argued the deal handed Australia all the risks while indemnifying its allies and also raised concerns about a lack of certain mechanisms to resolve future disputes. The committee put concerns over the wording down to the treaties decades-long lifespan rather than it being "unfairly weighted" against Australia. It anticipated further agreements, called instruments, to emerge in the future and called for parliament to closely scrutinise them. Labor committee chair Lisa Chesters said the committee had determined the agreement was in the national interest. "Australia's acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines provides our nation with not only a strategic advantage, but also an opportunity to grow Australian jobs, education and infrastructure," she said, in a statement. "'The successful implementation of AUKUS will require upskilling the Australian workforce. This is an opportunity for our education sector and will create jobs that last for the life of the agreement and beyond. The staggering sums countries spend on defending themselves View Gallery "The 20,000 jobs added by the AUKUS program will diversify Australia's workforce and will provide high-paying jobs for trades and tertiary educated workers alike." She called for an education campaign to plug the deal's benefits and dispel "myths". The deal, signed three years ago with the aim of maintaining a "free and open Indo-Pacific" in the face of China's increasingly muscular stance, provides for a new fleet of eight nuclear-propelled submarines. The initial stage is set to cost up to $368 billion by 2055 to build, with the first vessels operating out of Adelaide by the 2040s. Australia and its AUKUS partners, the United States and Britain present the agreement. (AP) US and British nuclear submarines will deploy out of Western Australia from 2027 until the Royal Australian Navy until the nuclear-powered alternatives, whose advantages include increased range and being able to stay underwater for longer, are ready. The subs are nuclear-powered and won't carry nuclear weapons but running them out of a non-nuclear country will still require outside help for maintenance, raising concerns from some over sovereignty. Maintenance will also produce limited amounts of nuclear waste, something that was a concern at some of the hearings. "The issue of nuclear waste disposal needs to be addressed in a timely and transparent manner," the committee wrote. "While the committee acknowledges that the disposal of the nuclear fuel used to power the submarines will not be required until the 2050s or later, the decision of where to store the small amounts of low-level waste created during routine maintenance of the nuclear-powered submarines needs to be a priority." DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP : Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play .

As a — Ohio State taking umbrage at Michigan planting a victory flag at midfield of the Horseshoe — the Fox camera caught Ryan Day off to the side, wearing a look on his face that suggested, “What is happening?” It may prove to be the enduring image of this epic upset/collapse, depending on which side of Toledo border you reside. . Again. “I’m still trying to digest everything that just happened,” a shell-shocked Day said after his fourth consecutive defeat to the Wolverines. “[I have] a locker room full of guys who are just devastated ... There are a lot of guys who are crushed right now. There is nothing you can say at this point. You have to take the ownership of that and it starts with me.” The Buckeyes (10-2) will head to the College Football Playoff and may still go on to win a national championship this year but perhaps — — only that can answer for this disaster by Day. And the route to a title will be more arduous — no bye after failing to win the Big Ten (again), and maybe even a first-round road game. Michigan is headed to a meager bowl game at 7-5, but everything has been salvaged for first-year coach Sherrone Moore. They arrived as 19.5-point underdogs with a former walk-on, cancer-surviving quarterback who rarely throws the ball more than 10 yards in the air. Ohio State countered with a reported $20 million roster full of returning stars and portal kings, not to mention a coaching staff bolstered after hiring UCLA’s head coach (Chip Kelly) to call plays. It came with all the prerequisite focus that the Scarlet and Grey put on this rivalry — refusing to say the word "Michigan," X’ing out all the "M's" on campus, having Day compare his previous three defeats to the tragic death of his father. And yet in the end it was The Team, The Team, The Team from Up North. Again. “As you know, it isn’t easy to accept,” Day said. “I have to take the ownership and I am the one who makes the final decisions.” The second-ranked Buckeyes can’t blame this one on Jim Harbaugh. It can’t blame this one on Connor Stalions. They can’t chalk it up to, say, not being able to handle some all-time great such as Aidan Hutchinson or maybe that the law of averages finally played out and Michigan finally got one. This is four straight and this should have been a mismatch, a complete lopsided affair. The talent differential was stark. The seasons headed in different directions. Michigan quarterback Davis Warren — the aforementioned walk-on with an inspirational story — completed just nine passes for 62 yards and two picks. His longest went just 18 yards, caught by a receiver, Peyton O’Leary, who entered the game with just eight receptions and originally signed to be a lacrosse player at Massachusetts. That sounds like a story out of the MAC. Yet in the end The Game was the game — won by brute force and not recruiting rankings, by will and want, not NFL draft status. When the end of the season comes and the temperatures drop and the winds kick up, there aren’t a lot of tricks to be had. Michigan was again tougher, straight-up tougher. The Wolverines outrushed the Buckeyes 172-77, always the greatest predictor of success in this annual clash. Kalel Mullings had 116 yards all by himself. How Day hasn’t been able to address this, even acknowledging injuries to the offensive line, is what will haunt him until he does. “We just couldn’t control the game in the run game,” Day said. “The overall execution wasn’t good enough.” There was more, of course. Two interceptions, two missed field goals and zero sacks didn’t help. And a horrific 12-men-on-the-field penalty on Michigan’s final drive gave the Wolverines a first-and-goal and the chance to kill more clock. The nerves and pressure were at times one-sided, perhaps a sign not just of the losing streak but the unhealthy intensity Day puts on this game. By the end it was all too clear, even to disbelieving eyes everywhere. Ohio State was shut out in the second half and its last first down came with 5:59 in the third — the Michigan defense just shutting everything down as boos rained down on the Buckeyes and their coaches. Meanwhile Michigan pushed and pushed and overcame their own errors and turnovers and limitations and won again. Next year they welcome the No. 1 overall recruit and have upped their NIL recruiting game to match the money in Columbus. If there ever were a year for Ohio State to run it up, whip it up and celebrate it up, this was it. Ohio Stadium was packed and looking for revenge. By the end they were screaming at Day, who despite a 66-10 record is somehow on a hot seat that only a national title can cool. “Everyone wants to win this game in the worst way,” Day said. “No one wants to win it more than we do. It’s our No. 1 goal ... I don’t blame anybody for being upset.” That includes the Ohio State players who took great exception to Michigan trying to “plant” a flag on their logo postgame. A wild melee — complete with punches and pepper spray — ensued. A fight has broken out between Michigan and Ohio State after The Game — FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) Whether you find it Michigan’s fault for the flag antics or Ohio State’s fault for showing more fight after the game than during it hardly matters. That it could happen again is what will linger beyond the volleys of “classless” behavior. “Those guys are trying to put a flag on our field and our guys weren’t going to let that happen,” Day said. “This is our field and we are obviously disappointed we lost the game but we have some prideful guys on our team [that] just aren’t going to sit back and watch that happen.” “They got to learn how to lose, man,” Michigan's Mullings countered. The losing to Michigan part they have plenty of practice at and until Ryan Day learns how to win this game, even with a stacked roster, perhaps nothing can spare him.WASHINGTON (AP) — For years, Pat Verhaeghe didn’t think highly of Donald Trump as a leader. Then Verhaeghe began seeing more of Trump’s campaign speeches online and his appearances at sporting events. There was even the former president’s pairing with Bryson DeChambeau as part of the pro golfer’s YouTube channel series to shoot an under-50 round of golf while engaging in chitchat with his partner. “I regret saying this, but a while ago I thought he was an idiot and that he wouldn’t be a good president,” said the 18-year-old first-time voter. “I think he’s a great guy now.” Verhaeghe isn't alone among his friends in suburban Detroit or young men across America. Although much of the electorate shifted right to varying degrees in 2024, young men were one of the groups that swung sharply toward Trump. More than half of men under 30 supported Trump, according to AP VoteCast , a survey of more than 120,000 voters, while Democrat Joe Biden had won a similar share of this group four years earlier. White men under 30 were solidly in Trump’s camp this year — about 6 in 10 voted for Trump — while young Latino men were split between the two candidates. Most Black men under 30 supported Democrat Kamala Harris, but about one-third were behind Trump. Young Latino men’s views of the Democratic Party were much more negative than in 2020, while young Black men’s views of the party didn’t really move. About 6 in 10 Latino men under 30 had a somewhat or very favorable view of the Democrats in 2020, which fell to about 4 in 10 this year. On the other hand, about two-thirds of young Black men had a favorable view of the Democrats this year, which was almost identical to how they saw the party four years ago. “Young Hispanic men, and really young men in general, they want to feel valued," said Rafael Struve, deputy communications director for Bienvenido, a conservative group that focused on reaching young Hispanic voters for Republicans this year. “They're looking for someone who fights for them, who sees their potential and not just their struggles.” Struve cited the attempted assassination of Trump during a July rally in Pennsylvania as one of the catalyzing moments for Trump’s image among many young men. Trump, Struve said, was also able to reach young men more effectively by focusing on nontraditional platforms like podcasts and digital media outlets. “Getting to hear from Trump directly, I think, really made all the difference," Struve said of the former president's appearances on digital media platforms and media catering to Latino communities, like town halls and business roundtables Trump attended in Las Vegas and Miami. Not only did Trump spend three hours on Joe Rogan's chart-topping podcast, but he took up DeChambeau's “Break 50” challenge for the golfer's more than 1.6 million YouTube subscribers. Trump already had an edge among young white men four years ago, although he widened the gap this year. About half of white men under 30 supported Trump in 2020, and slightly less than half supported Biden. Trump's gains among young Latino and Black men were bigger. His support among both groups increased by about 20 percentage points, according to AP VoteCast — and their feelings toward Trump got warmer, too. It wasn’t just Trump. The share of young men who identified as Republicans in 2024 rose as well, mostly aligning with support for Trump across all three groups. “What is most alarming to me is that the election is clear that America has shifted right by a lot,” said William He, founder of Dream For America, a liberal group that works to turn out young voters and supported Harris’ presidential bid. With his bombastic demeanor and a policy agenda centered on a more macho understanding of culture , Trump framed much of his campaign as a pitch to men who felt scorned by the country’s economy, culture and political system. Young women also slightly swung toward the former president, though not to the degree of their male counterparts. It's unclear how many men simply did not vote this year. But there's no doubt the last four years brought changes in youth culture and how political campaigns set out to reach younger voters. Democrat Kamala Harris' campaign rolled out policy agendas tailored to Black and Latino men, and the campaign enlisted a range of leaders in Black and Hispanic communities to make the case for the vice president. Her campaign began with a flurry of enthusiasm from many young voters, epitomized in memes and the campaign's embrace of pop culture trends like the pop star Charli XCX's “brat” aesthetic . Democrats hoped to channel that energy into their youth voter mobilization efforts. “I think most young voters just didn’t hear the message,” said Santiago Mayer, executive director of Voters of Tomorrow, a liberal group that engages younger voters. Mayer said the Harris campaign’s pitch to the country was “largely convoluted” and centered on economic messaging that he said wasn’t easily conveyed to younger voters who were not already coming to political media. “And I think that the policies themselves were also very narrow and targeted when what we really needed was a simple, bold economic vision,” said Mayer. Trump also embraced pop culture by appearing at UFC fights, football games and appearing alongside comedians, music stars and social media influencers. His strategists believed that the former president’s ability to grab attention and make his remarks go viral did more for the campaign than paid advertisements or traditional media appearances. Trump's campaign also heavily cultivated networks of online conservative platforms and personalities supportive of him while also engaging a broader universe of podcasts, streaming sites, digital media channels and meme pages open to hearing him. “The right has been wildly successful in infiltrating youth political culture online and on campus in the last couple of years, thus radicalizing young people towards extremism,” said He, who cited conservative activist groups like Turning Point USA as having an outsize impact in online discourse. “And Democrats have been running campaigns in a very old fashioned way. The battleground these days is cultural and increasingly on the internet.” Republicans may lose their broad support if they don't deliver on improving Americans' lives, Struve cautioned. Young men, especially, may drift from the party in a post-Trump era if the party loses the president-elect's authenticity and bravado. Bienvenido, for one group, will double down in the coming years to solidify and accelerate the voting pattern shifts seen this year, Struve said. “We don’t want this to be a one and done thing,” he said. Associated Press writer Joey Cappelletti in Lansing, Michigan, and AP polling editor Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux contributed to this report.Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Belfast News Letter, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Kate Hoey was reacting to comments from the CEO of the Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland , Conal Heatley, in an interview with the News Letter. Mr Heatley had said that one of the reasons he wanted to drop the flag as the official emblem of Team NI was because it had been placed on the homes of ethnic minority people as part of a bid to force them out, and “that is not something we want to be associated with”. Advertisement Advertisement He said that the flag is offensive to “a considerable section of the community”, and had prepared to discuss a replacement for the Ulster Banner at the body’s AGM on Wednesday night. Baroness Hoey is an independent member of the Lords who had served as the Labour government’s minister for sports from 1999 to 2001. Reacting to Mr Heatley, she said: “The comments by the chief executive of the Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland were insulting to the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland who see the Ulster Banner as the flag to rally round in many sporting events. "We all shared in Rory McIlroy’s gesture of draping himself in the flag when winning a major golfing championship and the Northern Ireland football team celebrations with the flag in achieving qualification for the Euros. Advertisement Advertisement "There will always be a tiny minority who disgrace the flag but that is no reason to change its use in the Commonwealth Games. “The Republic of Ireland has chosen not to be one of the 56 independent countries of the Commonwealth, yet those athletes in Northern Ireland who choose to compete for Ireland in the Olympics are still able to compete for Northern Ireland in the Commonwealth Games. "I have yet to hear of any past eligible team members refuse a place because of the Ulster Banner flag. Rather the opposite: there is great enthusiasm to represent Northern Ireland in every Commonwealth Games from every sport. “Mr Heatley would be better spending his time ensuring that everyone in Northern Ireland has the right to choose who to compete for, as currently in many sports there is no option to compete for the British team at the Olympics unless moving to GB, because of the all-Ireland governing bodies of the sports. Advertisement Advertisement "I know of tennis clubs in Northern Ireland who would prefer to be affiliated to the Lawn Tennis Association in Britain rather than, or as well as, Tennis Ireland, but cannot because it is an all-Ireland governing body.” Mr Heatley said he did not wish to respond to Baroness Hoey. Making similar comments earlier on Wednesday was the leader of the DUP, Gavin Robinson. Speaking on Good Morning Ulster, he too had been asked about Mr Heatley’s remarks on racism and the flag. Advertisement Advertisement "I think that last comment was an appalling comment to make. Remember, there'd been a protest in front of City Hall during the summer on race issues, and a gentleman was holding an Irish tricolour, yet I don't hear such political commentary in that direction. "I think in Northern Ireland we've recognised over many years that sport unites people. And yet here we have somebody who's charged wth encouraging success through sport engaging in politics in the most unhelpful way. "I don't think this is a good initiaitive on his part. I don't think this assists in sport, nor does it assist in bringing people together, when this chief executive appears to believe it's his role to pick scabs on identity. "There are people in Northern Ireland who have the proud ability to showcase their talent be it for Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games, Team GB in the Olympics, or Team Ireland – and they do that without any thought whatsoever about constitutional politics. "He should leave it to politicians.” Advertisement Advertisement In his News Letter interview, published on Wednesday, Mr Heatley had been asked if he was planning to drop the Ulster Banner because of an upsurge in requests to do so. "There's always been chatter,” he said. "I'm trying to choose my words very carefully. "The Ulster Banner of late, and I'm sure people would be very aware of that, has been misappropriated by a small number of people. "And I refer to newcomers. We've had newcomers, NHS staff, chased out of their homes by having the Ulster Banner put on their windows. That is not something we want to be associated with. "And that's been part of the thought process where we need to be looking and saying 'How can we have something that is inclusive? How can we invite these people to take part in our sports and our clubs if that's the imagery that's around it?’" Advertisement Advertisement Mr Heatley told BBC News NI today that his organisation had received some “threatening and abusive language on social media” over the past couple of days since news of his flag plans had emerged. “For the safety of staff and the public who may be using the office, we have decided to keep it closed for the next few days and have reported those to the police,” he said.