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Eli Lilly is spending another $3 billion to bulk up manufacturing as the drugmaker seeks to stoke production of some blockbuster drugs and future products. Lilly said Thursday it will expand a Kenosha County, Wisconsin, factory it bought early this year, and the investment will help meet growing demand for injectable products like its diabetes and obesity drugs, Mounjaro and Zepbound. Those drugs brought in a combined $4.4 billion in sales for Lilly in this year’s third quarter. The drugmaker plans to start construction of the expansion next year. Lilly also announced other multibillion-dollar manufacturing expansion projects near its Indianapolis headquarters earlier this year. Eli Lilly and Co. said Thursday that it has slated more than $23 billion to construct, expand or acquire manufacturing sites worldwide since 2020. The Nov. 29 print edition of The Business Journal included The huge rally for U.S. stocks lost momentum on Thursday Eli Lilly is spending another $3 billion to bulk up Known across the globe as the stuck astronauts, Butch Wilmore
Four nights removed from another rough performance, the New York Rangers hope a few days of extra rest and practice can get them trending upward Friday night when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins, who are on a season-high four-game winning streak. The Rangers are 1-6-0 in their past seven games while getting outscored 26-11 in those losses, including 9-2 in the first period. New York stopped a five-game losing streak Saturday when Kaapo Kakko scored with 24 seconds left in a 4-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens, but there was little carryover Monday night. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Stacker analyzed data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to identify drops in HIV-related deaths and look at the causes and impacts. Click for more. HIV isn't the death sentence it once was: How related deaths are dropping in the US
-- Shares Facebook Twitter Reddit Email For most American homebuyers , 2024 was a tough year. The U.S. is on track to record 4 million home sales in 2024 — the lowest volume in nearly 30 years . But among the country’s wealthiest homebuyers , the market is booming. Luxury home sales — including properties listed for $1 million or more — were up 5.2% in the first half of 2024. That’s compared to overall home sales volume dropping 12.9% over that same period, according to data from The Agency , a global luxury real estate brokerage. Mind-boggling records were broken in 2024 in the luxury home sales market. In Colorado, an Aspen megamansion was the state’s most expensive home sale ever. In New York City, a penthouse unit in the tallest residential building in the world found a deep-pocketed buyer. And a Malibu mansion in California sold for a whopping $210 million, breaking a record once held by Beyoncé and Jay-Z as the priciest home sale in the state’s history. Related Politics, discos, private islands: Billionaires spent big in 2024 Economic challenges keeping the average homebuyer out of the market — including higher mortgage rates , fewer available homes and flattening wage growth — aren’t deterring those with more resources at their disposal. In August, ultra luxury home sales — properties listed at $100 million or more — were on pace to break a yearly sales record set in 2021, per Bloomberg . Here are some of the priciest deals that closed in the U.S. this year. May they inspire a fair amount of envy, but not too much. Because a home is what you make it, and who says you need an in-house sauna when your apartment comes with in-unit laundry? Kendrick Lamar's $40M mansion Before dropping his sixth studio album this year, Kendrick Lamar dropped a cool $40 million on a 16,000-square-foot compound in Brentwood, one of Los Angeles’ most exclusive neighborhoods, according to Mansion Global , a trade magazine covering luxury real estate. A property listing from 2019 describes the Brentwood mansion as an eight-bedroom main house with a gym, wine cellar, pool and separate guest house. Room for a home recording studio, perhaps? We need your help to stay independent Subscribe today to support Salon's progressive journalism Ellen's high-end swap A couple hours down the coast, Ellen DeGeneres and mining tycoon Robert Friedland — more specifically, a shell company linked to Friedland — engaged in a high-end home swap in Santa Barbara. In August, Friedland’s company spent $96 million on Degeneres and her wife Portia de Rossi’s former digs: a 10-acre property with an 8,000-square-foot house and guest cottage, per Mansion Global . In exchange, DeGeneres and de Rossi paid Friedland $32 million to buy back the home they sold him earlier this year, also in Santa Barbara, Mansion Global reports. Kind of like a secondhand clothing swap, but presumably with more chandeliers. California dreamin' A few hours north, Laurene Powell Jobs — the philanthropist and widow of Steve Jobs — bought a mansion in San Francisco at 2840 Broadway for $70 million , representing the priciest home sale to have ever closed in the city. Powell Jobs’ new block boasts at least a couple tech titan neighbors; Larry Ellison, co-founder of Oracle, owns the property next door, and Johnathan Ive, the prolific Apple designer who worked on the iMac and iPhone, also has a property on the block, The Wall Street Journal reports . A Malibu mansion that sold for a whopping $210 million in June is the most expensive home to ever sell in California But those deals pale in comparison to the Malibu mansion that sold for a whopping $210 million in June — the most expensive home to ever sell in California. James Jannard, who founded the sunglasses brand Oakley, sold the property, which Architectural Digest describes as a sprawling, 15,000-square-foot mansion with eight bedrooms and fourteen bathrooms. The buyer wasn’t disclosed, and Jannard’s sale broke a statewide record set by Beyoncé and Jay-Z, who spent $200 million on their Malibu compound in 2023. Central Park Tower sunset over Central Park (Courtesy of Evan Joseph/M18 PR) $115M for the nosebleed section In New York City, an undisclosed buyer shelled out $115 million for the two-story penthouse in Central Park Tower, the tallest residential building in the world. The duplex spans roughly 12,560 square feet and includes seven bedrooms, eight bathrooms, a library, conservatory, home theater, an in-unit elevator and two massive terraces. (The jury’s still out as to whether the home includes a stock supply of Dramamine — apparently, the tower is so tall that “a high-pitch whistling noise” can be heard near the windows overlooking Central Park, The Daily Mail wrote in 2022.) Aman New York Hotel Exterior, Crown Building (Courtesy of Aman) It wasn’t the city’s priciest deal of the year. That moniker goes to yet another penthouse in the Aman New York Hotel that sold for $135 million . Remarkably, the buyer was none other than the penthouse’s developer, the Russian billionaire and CEO of Aman Resorts Vladislav Doronin, The Wall Street Journal reported in July. (Doronin didn’t respond to a request for comment from the Journal.) 4736 North Bay Road (Courtesy of Luxhunters / Choeff Levy Fischman Architecture + Design) A "Posh" $80M mansion Down in south Florida, David and Victoria Beckham bought a Miami Beach mansion that includes nine bedrooms, nine bathrooms (and an additional four half-bathrooms!) for $80 million in October, Page Six reported . It’s a fitting addition to the couple’s ultra-luxe real estate portfolio, which includes a condo in Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, a London townhouse and the five-bedroom penthouse in Miami’s One Thousand Museum tower, according to Mansion Global . Bezos' $90M bunker Also in Florida, billionaire Jeff Bezos snagged a $90 million mansion in Indian Creek, a 300-acre man-made island in Miami-Dade County known as “Billionaire Bunker” that counts the likes of Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, Tom Brady and Carl Icahn as residents. Bezos reportedly plans to live in his new $90 million home while he demolishes his other two Bezos has other property in Indian Creek — specifically, two other mansions for a combined $147 million — and he reportedly plans to live in the $90 million home while he demolishes the other two, Bloomberg reported , citing a person close to the deal. And about an hour and a half north of Miami, Australian investment magnate Michael Dorrell shelled out $150 million for a two-acre private island in Palm Beach and the megamansion atop it, according to The Wall Street Journal . The property, Tarpon Island, is accessible by bridge and includes an 11-bedroom mansion spanning nearly 29,000 square feet. 419 Willoughby Way in Aspen (Courtesy of Staslove & Warwick) Shelling out for snow In the mountains of Aspen, Colorado, two billionaire buyers paid $108 million for the sprawling compound at 419 Willoughby Way, setting a record for the most expensive home sale ever in the state of Colorado. Casino tycoon Steve Wynn and billionaire stock trading executive Thomas Peterffy bought the property, which spans 22,405 square feet and boasts 11 bedrooms and 17 bathrooms. It sits on 4.5 acres in Red Mountain, one of Aspen’s wealthiest neighborhoods that includes Bezos and Michael Dell. Read more about personal finance House hunting? This app shows how your future neighbors voted Moving to NYC cost us $10k in fees. Those fees are now banned Homeownership: tougher for millennials? By Cara Michelle Smith Cara Michelle Smith is a writer, reporter and performer living in Brooklyn. She’s spent more than a decade in financial journalism; her award-winning reporting can be found in NerdWallet, Yahoo! Finance, MarketWatch, the Houston Business Journal, CoStar News and other outlets. MORE FROM Cara Michelle Smith Related Topics ------------------------------------------ Best Of 2024 Home Sales Real Estate Related Articles Advertisement:Julen Lopetegui has urged West Ham to have no fear against Liverpool on Sunday despite the absence of six first-choice players from the game against the league leaders amid a growing injury crisis. With his job on the line after the defeat by Leicester at the start of December, Lopetegui has eased the pressure slightly over the festive period, with the 1-0 Boxing Day triumph at Southampton making it four games without defeat. That hard-fought win came at a cost, however. Lukasz Fabianski departed the field in a neck brace after a nasty head collision and is sure to miss the Liverpool match, although Lopetegui confirmed the goalkeeper was conscious and talking in the changing room after the match. Maximilian Kilman (shoulder) and Carlos Soler (knee) also went off injured, joining the long-term absentee Michail Antonio on the sidelines. Tomas Soucek and Guido Rodríguez picked up their fifth bookings of the season at St Mary’s, ensuring they will be suspended for Liverpool’s visit. “We were resilient and were able to suffer as a team to achieve three important points with a lot of problems,” said Lopetegui of the win over Southampton. “Now we have to manage, to handle these problems for the next big challenge against Liverpool. We have problems. We have a lot of defenders out, only two centre-backs. But it happens. We have to be ready.” West Ham have won just one of their past 16 Premier League meetings with Liverpool – a 3-2 victory in November 2021 – and Arne Slot’s side are flying high at the top of the table. But Lopetegui insists his team must go toe-to-toe with the league leaders. “To be afraid?” he said. “No. We have a big respect for all the teams but we have the same respect for Southampton, for Liverpool, all of them. “It’s different because we are talking about the best team in the Premier League: top players, a very good coach. They are now in the heights. But we have to believe in our strengths and opportunities, to take solutions and decisions for the next challenge. We are happy to have these kinds of matches at home. We have belief in our players. No fear. We fear only other things – in football, no fear. Never.” Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion In Antonio’s absence after a car crash in early December, Niclas Füllkrug again led the line against Southampton, flicking on the ball for Jarrod Bowen to prod home the only goal of the game. While it was another step in the right direction for the German after prolonged injury struggles at the start of his West Ham career, he was largely ineffectual amid calls for the club to target a new striker in the January transfer window.
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel gets 5-year contract extensionMohamed A. El-Erian It is something of a tradition every December to take stock of the year that is ending and consider what might lie ahead. This is true on a personal level: In my family, we tend to do this around the dinner table. But it is also true more broadly, with the time of year inviting an examination of the intersection of economics, national politics, and global geopolitics. You would be forgiven if, as a starting point, you expected these three areas to be in alignment. After all, they are deeply interconnected, which suggests self-reinforcing dynamics. But 2024 brought some unusual dispersion in this relationship that actually widened, rather than narrowed, over the course of the year. Begin with geopolitics. In 2024, Russia secured a greater advantage in the Ukraine war than the consensus forecasts of a year ago anticipated. Similarly, the human suffering and physical destruction resulting from the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza exceeded most observers’ already grim expectations, and spread to other countries, such as Lebanon. The apparent impunity of the strong, together with the absence of effective means of preventing dire humanitarian crises, has deepened the sense for many that the global order is fundamentally imbalanced, and lacks any enforceable guardrails. As for domestic politics, upheaval has been the order of the day in many countries. Governments have collapsed in both France and Germany — Europe’s largest economies — leaving the EU without political leadership. And following Donald Trump’s victory in last month’s presidential election, the US is preparing for a political transition that is likely to bring a significant increase in the influence of a new “counter-elite.” Meanwhile, an “axis of convenience,” comprising China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia, is seeking to challenge the Western-dominated international order. Other recent developments — from the now-impeached South Korean president’s abrupt declaration of martial law, a move that was quickly reversed, to the collapse of Bashar Assad’s regime in Syria — have reinforced the impression that we are living at a time of exceptional geopolitical and political volatility. The past year also brought some worrisome macroeconomic developments. Europe’s malaise has deepened, as countries grapple with low growth and large budget deficits. Meanwhile, China has failed to respond credibly to the clear and present danger of “Japanification,” with unfavorable demographics, a debt overhang, and a prolonged property market downturn undermining growth, economic efficiency, and consumer confidence. And yet, stock markets have remained relatively stable and delivered high returns, including almost 60 record-high closes for the S&P index. The US economy’s exceptional performance is a major reason. Far from weakening, as most economists expected, the US pulled even further ahead. Given the amount of foreign capital the US is attracting, and the scale of its investment in the future drivers of productivity, competitiveness, and growth, it is likely to continue outperforming other major economies in 2025. One consequence of this success is that the US Federal Reserve did not deliver the soothing 1.75-2-percentage-point interest rate cuts that markets were pricing in a year ago. This trend, too, is set to continue. At December’s policy meeting, the Fed signaled fewer cuts in 2025, and a higher terminal (long-run) rate. But political and geopolitical upheaval — and the limited prospects for significant improvements — does pose a risk to the endurance of US economic exceptionalism. Even if the US continues outperforming its peers, as expected, the range of possible outcomes, in terms of both growth and inflation, has widened. In fact, global economic and policy outcomes as a whole are now subject to a larger possibility set, both because the downside risks have grown and because upside innovations, such as in artificial intelligence, life sciences, food security, healthcare, and defense, could transform sectors and accelerate productivity gains. Absent a major policy reset, my baseline scenario for the US includes a somewhat lower immediate growth rate, even as the economy outperforms its peers, and sticky inflation. This will present the Fed with a choice: Accept above-target inflation or attempt to bring it down and risk tipping the economy into recession. Globally, economic fragmentation will continue, pushing some countries to diversify their reserves further away from the US dollar and explore alternatives to Western payment systems. Yields on US 10-year government bonds, a global benchmark, will edge higher, trading mostly in the 4.75-5 percent range. As for financial markets, they might find it more challenging to maintain their status as the “good house” in a challenging geo-economic neighborhood. This is how things appear now. But, beyond recognizing the wider dispersion of possible economic outcomes in 2025, it will be crucial regularly to test whichever baseline one embraces against actual developments. Courtesy: arabnewsBritain’s 20 best high streets
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On a September morning in 2024, two Jonathan Cohens — one from the Rockaways in Queens, the other from London — stood in an empty 15,000-square-foot parking garage near Hudson Yards in New York City. As they walked over chipped yellow lines, they explained how the space would help Joco, their shared e-bike startup for delivery workers, continue to scale. “We’re removing all the cars, and it’s gonna be fully dedicated to electric two-wheelers, three-wheelers, four-wheelers, and charging light electric vehicles,” Cohen (NY), Joco’s chief growth officer, told TechCrunch, beaming. The two paced the cavernous lot, interrupting each other like a married couple telling a story to friends as they set the scene of a place that would be as much about utility as community: A mechanic workshop towards the back, several rooms with charging cabinets so riders could swap out e-bike batteries, docking stations, two bathrooms. Cohen (London), Joco’s CEO, pointed towards an area not far from the front that would be designated for a Joco concierge service, where delivery riders could check in, pick up supplies, and take a breather from the chaos of the city. “Think about it like a gas station [for delivery riders],” Cohen (NY) added. “They’ll use it as a place to just relax and take a break.” The concept of providing gig workers with a pit stop — a place to use the bathroom, charge their phones, and even pray — isn’t new to Joco, which already offers this service in partnership with Grubhub at two locations in Alphabet City and Midtown West. And after the business almost died several times in its first year, such duties of care to the customer are a big reason why Joco is still alive today. Joco — named after its two co-founders, who met at Columbia Business School in 2017 — launched in 2021 in NYC with a mission to compete against Lyft-owned Citi Bike with shared, docked e-bikes. The Cohens thought that placing Joco’s docking stations on private property would allow them to avoid both Citi Bike’s territory and the city’s regulatory eye. They were wrong. The NYC Department of Transportation promptly sued Joco for operating a bikeshare without prior authorization from the agency, forcing the startup to pivot away from offering consumer rides towards last-mile delivery. Now, Joco serves both gig workers who rent e-bikes at daily or weekly rates and enterprise customers that order dedicated fleets from the startup. Joco counts about 18 enterprise customers — including Grubhub, Reef, Fresh Direct, and other large logistics companies — across New York, Chicago, and Miami. As part of its B2B package, Joco also provides fleet management technology, servicing and maintenance, docking stations, and, increasingly, battery charging cabinets. Those cabinets, which Joco says are FDNY-approved, are a growing vertical for the startup, particularly in NYC where battery fires have run rampant due to unsafe charging practices, leading many buildings to ban e-bikes and e-scooters. Joco has sold roughly 100 battery cabinets to residential buildings, like those owned by Related Companies, and last-mile logistics companies, like Travis Kalanick’s Cloud Kitchens, across the country with plans for international expansion. From cease and desist to cash flow expansion The Cohens say the DOT’s pushback was a “blessing in disguise” that helped them become profitable – not EBITDA profitable, “net, net, net profitable” with “real salaries” — despite having raised only $7.5 million in VC money. Other similar hardware-as-a-service startups have raised many millions — even billions — more in venture capital, and just as many have gone under due to the high capex, low margin nature of the business. “It forced us to focus,” Cohen (London) told TechCrunch. “That’s one lesson that we got to faster than we should have, inadvertently. The other lesson we learned is to really pay attention to the customer. Because we go crazy for our customers. Just this Sunday, we had a guy whose bike broke down in Queens, and I rented a car, I went there, I picked up his bike, and I brought him back to another station in Manhattan.” “When our customers see that, they freak out, and they tell everyone else,” he continued. “We do unusual things for the customer, stuff they wouldn’t expect.” Cohen (London) noted that on its face, some of those decisions don’t necessarily make “financial sense” but have created customer loyalty. The concierge service — which involves having several staffers onsite to help address delivery riders needs — is an example. Joco also hands out free bike helmets, visibility vests, hand warmers, and through the partnership with Grubhub, free temperature-controlled backpacks. There are other startups that offer couriers e-bike rentals. Whizz and Zoomo come to mind, but those offer longer-term rentals where the delivery worker has to store the bike, lock it up, and charge the battery. With Joco, gig workers can access high quality e-bikes at a reasonable cost and they never have to worry about locking them up or carrying them up stairs – Riders can lock and unlock the bikes with an app — a small, but effective convenience when making deliveries all day. “We make a lot more money per bike than another company where you rent the bike and take it home for a month because we have multiple people using the same vehicle, and they’re delivering around the clock,” Cohen (London) said, noting that the life cycle of the new Segway bikes is three to five years. There also appears to be a quiet community among Joco riders. Workers picking up bikes from the Alphabet City concierge can be seen chatting and fist bumping, and when they catch another Joco rider in the streets, they often wave and say hello to each other. Joco’s customer obsession is clearly manifesting in growth. That empty parking garage? Flash forward two months later, and it is now almost open for business, with 1,000 new Segway e-bikes lined up and another 1,000 on the way. That location is one of almost 50 docking stations, large and small, accessible to couriers across the city. And the Cohens say that’s still not enough to meet the demand for their service. “Every one of our vehicles is getting used every single day,” Cohen (NY) said, noting that Joco has “spent $0 on marketing” since launching. He says the team has managed to grow the company’s gig worker vertical double digits every month mainly through word of mouth. That’s one of the Cohens’ tips for early-stage founders: Don’t blow your money on marketing too early in an attempt to garner attention and raise capital. Just put your head down and focus on execution. That’s how the two said they got to where they are today, where cash flow is funding their expansion, rather than venture money. To them, “founder mode” is essential, because it means always being available to roll up your sleeves, even on Thanksgiving and Christmas or at 3 in the morning. “Like when we switched from the old Acton bikes to these Segway bikes, it was a full all-nighter,” Cohen (NY) said. Joco still runs a lean ship, with about seven people on the corporate team. In total, they have about 50 employees across maintenance, call center, operations, warehouse management, software, and supply chain. And many of those teams are outsourced to employees outside of the U.S., which the co-founders say saves them money as they work to grow the business. They also hire fractional employees, like their CFO, a good strategy for early-stage startups that want to bring on a seasoned C-suite executive on a part-time basis. That financial prudence is what will help Joco to scale in 2025. The founders said their plans for near-term growth comes from cash on hand and potentially some debt, but that they don’t intend to raise more equity. Their goal for the next year is to grow Joco’s gig worker fleet from 3,000 today to 10,000 by the end of 2025 and build out new docking stations in Brooklyn and Queens. Joco also wants to get 1,000 battery charging cabinets in buildings and double its B2B footprint in the next 13 months, in part by bringing more four-wheeler cargo bikes to its lineup. And Joco has some tailwinds at its back, especially in NYC where a congestion pricing plan is set to go into effect in January. “There will be more opportunities for us to get garage space at better prices,” Cohen (NY) said. “You don’t need a two-ton vehicle for short delivery commutes. And so the more we can do to build infrastructure and the tech, the more convenient it will be for the riders.”
People think I’m a city boy, but I’m a nature-lover. We lived in Bushey until I was seven, then we moved to a little village called Bedmond, in the countryside just outside Watford. Now, I live on a farm in West Sussex and I find it hard to leave. I prefer to talk to my dog than to a human being. My parents split when I was 12. It happens all the time now, but in those days it was hard. I went my own way after that: teenage rebellion, rowing with my old man. At 15, I packed my bags and went to Pangbourne, washing pots and pans at Bradfield College. I’m very determined when I put my mind to something. My sobriety is going well, but you never beat the drinking. I’m always working on it. You’ve got to keep busy. At the moment, touch wood, I’m healthy. When I lost my wife it was hard getting out of bed. I was inspired by a speech by Admiral William McRaven, who said that if you set yourself a mission to get up and make your bed properly in the morning, you’ve accomplished your first assignment of the day. Grief humbles you. As long as it helps people, I don’t mind them seeing me emotional. Working with men’s bereavement charities makes you a band leader of sorts. I tell my stories and try to get the other lads to play along. I get some fantastic letters. We’ve saved quite a few lives. I don’t like the “hard man” label. I played tough-but-fair football and I had my share of bar fights, but I’ve come out the other side... A lot of lads are physically tougher than me. But are they mentally as tough? Maybe not. Regrets aren’t going to be a monkey on my shoulder. I’m remorseful in some cases, but I don’t dwell on it. The Crazy Gang era was a fantastic time in my life. I was a young man causing absolute mayhem. It was brilliant. Footballers now are rock stars. They’re in a goldfish bowl with very short careers; they deserve everything they get. People say they’re on lots of money, but if you take everything they earn in 10 years and spread it across a lifespan, it evens out. My favourite film I worked on is Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels . It was the start of everything. We did that little movie, with a load of unknowns and then the next one was Snatch with Brad Pitt and Benicio del Toro. Everybody wanted to be in it. That was testament to us. I overload myself with work sometimes. Taking the dog for a walk helps me to stay calm. I like to walk through the fields and woods and sit on the riverbank – watching trout rise and leap is my meditation. Winning the FA Cup final in 1988 was a defining moment. We defeated the greatest team in Europe against all the odds. David had conquered Goliath. It’s so emotional, you’re riding high on adrenaline, you don’t need alcohol. Then you just crash. I had a two-week bender after that. Vinnie Jones has partnered with McCain to highlight the brand’s journey to implement regenerative agricultural practices at 100% of the farms they partner with by 2030. . Find more at mccain.co.uk/sustainability
WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump offered a public show of support Friday for Pete Hegseth, his choice to lead the Defense Department, whose confirmation by the Senate is in doubt as he faces questions over allegations of excessive drinking, sexual assault and his views on women in combat roles. Hegseth, a former Fox News host, Army National Guard major and combat veteran, spent much of the week on Capitol Hill trying to salvage his Cabinet nomination and privately reassure Republican senators that he is fit to lead Trump's Pentagon. "Pete Hegseth is doing very well," Trump posted on his social media site. "He will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense." The president added that "Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!" The nomination battle is emerging not only as a debate about the best person to lead the Pentagon, but an inflection point for a MAGA movement that appears to be relishing a public fight over its hard-line push for a more masculine military and an end to the "woke-ism" of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be defense secretary, responds to reporters during a meeting with Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Military leaders are rattled by a list of “woke” senior officers that a conservative group urged Hegseth to dismiss for promoting diversity in the ranks if he is confirmed to lead the Pentagon. The list compiled by the American Accountability Foundation includes 20 general officers or senior admirals and a disproportionate number of female officers. It has had a chilling effect on the Pentagon’s often frank discussions as leaders try to figure out how to address the potential firings and diversity issues under Trump. Those on the list in many cases seem to be targeted for public comments they made either in interviews or at events on diversity, and in some cases for retweeting posts that promote diversity. Tom Jones, a former aide to Republican senators who leads the foundation, said Friday those on the list are “pretty egregious” advocates for diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, policies, which he called problematic. “The nominee has been pretty clear that that has no place in the military,” Jones said of Hegseth. Hegseth embraced Trump’s effort to end programs that promote diversity in the ranks and fire those who reflect those values. Other Trump picks, like Kash Patel for FBI director, have suggested targeting those in government who are not aligned with Trump. Trump's allies forcefully rallied around Hegseth — the Heritage Foundation's political arm promised to spend $1 million to shore up his nomination — as he vows to stay in the fight, as long as the president-elect wants him to. Vice President-elect JD Vance offers a public show of support for Pete Hegseth, the embattled choice to lead the Defense Department. "We're not abandoning this nomination," Vance told reporters during a tour of western North Carolina. "We're not abandoning this nomination," Vice-President-elect JD Vance said as he toured post-hurricane North Carolina. He said he spoke with GOP senators and believes Hegseth will be confirmed. The effort became a test of Trump's clout and of how far loyalty for the president-elect goes with Republican senators who have concerns about his nominees. Two of Trump's other choices stepped aside as they faced intense scrutiny: former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., his first choice for attorney general, and Chad Chronister, a Florida sheriff who was Trump's first choice to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration. Thanking the president-elect for the support, Hegseth posted on social media, "Like you, we will never back down." Hegseth faces resistance from senators as reports emerged about his past, including the revelation that he made a settlement payment after being accused of a sexual assault that he denies. He promised not to drink on the job and told lawmakers he never engaged in sexual misconduct, even as his professional views on female troops came under intensifying scrutiny. He said as recently as last month that women "straight up" should not serve in combat. He picked up one important endorsement from Republican Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama, whose support was seen as a potentially powerful counterweight to the cooler reception Hegseth received from Sen. Joni Ernst, a former Army National Guard lieutenant colonel. Ernst, who is also a sexual assault survivor, stopped short of an endorsement after meeting with Hegseth this week. On Friday, Ernst posted on X that she would meet with him again next week. “At a minimum, we agree that he deserves the opportunity to lay out his vision for our warfighters at a fair hearing,” she wrote. On Friday, Trump put out the statement in response to coverage saying he lost faith in Hegseth, according to a person familiar with his thinking who was not authorized to discuss it publicly. The president-elect and his team were pleased to see Hegseth putting up a fight and his performance this week reiterates why he was chosen, the person said. They believe he can still be confirmed. Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be defense secretary, left, joined by his wife Jennifer Rauchet, attends a meeting with Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) If Hegseth goes down, Trump's team believes the defeat would empower others to spread what they cast as "vicious lies" against every candidate Trump chooses. Still, Trump's transition team is looking at potential replacements, including former presidential rival Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. DeSantis plans to attend the Dec. 14 Army-Navy football game with Trump, according to a person familiar with the Florida governor's plans who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. DeSantis and Trump spoke about the defense secretary post Tuesday at a memorial service for sheriff deputies in West Palm Beach, Fla., according to people familiar with the matter who said Trump was interested in DeSantis for the post, and the governor was receptive. DeSantis is poised to select a replacement for the expected Senate vacancy to be created by Marco Rubio becoming secretary of state, and Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump is seen as the preferred choice by those in Trump's orbit. 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.” Kash Patel spent several years as a Justice Department prosecutor before catching the Trump administration’s attention as a staffer on Capitol Hill who helped investigate the Russia probe. Patel called for dramatically reducing the agency’s footprint, a perspective that sets him apart from earlier directors who sought additional resources for the bureau. Though the Justice Department in 2021 halted the practice of secretly seizing reporters’ phone records during leak investigations, Patel said he intends to aggressively hunt down government officials who leak information to reporters. Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Trump said Atkins, the CEO of Patomak Partners and a former SEC commissioner, was a “proven leader for common sense regulations.” In the years since leaving the SEC, Atkins has made the case against too much market regulation. “He believes in the promise of robust, innovative capital markets that are responsive to the needs of Investors, & that provide capital to make our Economy the best in the World. He also recognizes that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The commission oversees U.S. securities markets and investments and is currently led by Gary Gensler, who has been leading the U.S. government’s crackdown on the crypto industry. Gensler, who was nominated by President Joe Biden, announced last month that he would be stepping down from his post on the day that Trump is inaugurated — Jan. 20, 2025. Atkins began his career as a lawyer and has a long history working in the financial markets sector, both in government and private practice. In the 1990s, he worked on the staffs of two former SEC chairmen, Richard C. Breeden and Arthur Levitt. Jared Isaacman, 41, is a tech billionaire who bought a series of spaceflights from Elon Musk’s SpaceX and conducted the first private spacewalk . He is the founder and CEO of a card-processing company and has collaborated closely with Musk ever since buying his first chartered SpaceX flight. He took contest winners on that 2021 trip and followed it in September with a mission where he briefly popped out the hatch to test SpaceX’s new spacewalking suits. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. President-elect Donald Trump tapped former Sen. David Perdue of Georgia to be ambassador to China, saying in a social media post that the former CEO “brings valuable expertise to help build our relationship with China.” Perdue lost his Senate seat to Democrat Jon Ossoff four years ago and ran unsuccessfully in a primary against Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Perdue pushed Trump's debunked lies about electoral fraud during his failed bid for governor. A Republican congressman from Michigan who served from 1993 to 2011, Hoekstra was ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term. “In my Second Term, Pete will help me once again put AMERICA FIRST,” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice. “He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role.” 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. Former Rep. Billy Long represented Missouri in the U.S. House from 2011 to 2023. Since leaving Congress, Trump said, Long “has worked as a Business and Tax advisor, helping Small Businesses navigate the complexities of complying with the IRS Rules and Regulations.” Former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler was appointed in January 2020 by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and then lost a runoff election a year later. She started a conservative voter registration organization and dived into GOP fundraising, becoming one of the top individual donors and bundlers to Trump’s 2024 comeback campaign. Even before nominating her for agriculture secretary, the president-elect already had tapped Loeffler as co-chair of his inaugural committee. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. James Blair, deputy chief of staff Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Marty Makary, Food and Drug Administration Makary is a Johns Hopkins surgeon and author who argued against pandemic lockdowns. He routinely appeared on Fox News during the COVID-19 pandemic and wrote opinion articles questioning masks for children. He cast doubt on vaccine mandates but supported vaccines generally. Makary also cast doubt on whether booster shots worked, which was against federal recommendations on the vaccine. Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, Surgeon General Nesheiwat is a general practitioner who serves as medical director for CityMD, a network of urgent care centers in New York and New Jersey. She has been a contributor to Fox News. Dr. Dave Weldon, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Weldon is a former Florida congressman who recently ran for a Florida state legislative seat and lost; Trump backed Weldon’s opponent. In Congress, Weldon weighed in on one of the nation’s most heated debates of the 1990s over quality of life and a right-to-die and whether Terri Schiavo, who was in a persistent vegetative state after cardiac arrest, should have been allowed to have her feeding tube removed. He sided with the parents who did not want it removed. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.PRATTVILLE, Ala. (AP) — A federal judge has ordered an Alabama city to allow an LGBTQ+ pride group to participate in the city’s Christmas parade on Friday, after the mayor initially blocked the group from the annual event citing unspecified “safety concerns.” U.S. District Judge R. Austin Huffaker Jr. ruled that the City of Prattville violated Prattville Pride’s First Amendment right to free speech and 14th Amendment right to equal protection under the law when it a float in the annual Christmas parade one day before the event was set to take place. “The City removed Prattville Pride from the parade based on its belief that certain members of the public who oppose Prattville Pride, and what is stands for, would react in a disruptive way. But discrimination based on a message’s content ‘cannot be tolerated under the First Amendment,’ ” Huffaker wrote in his opinion. The ruling required the city to provide at least two police officers to escort the float throughout the parade. On Thursday, Prattville Pride requested additional security measures from law enforcement. In response, Mayor Bill Gillespie Jr released a statement banning the group from the parade altogether, citing “serious safety concerns.” Huffaker’s ruling said that, leading up to the event, some community members “voiced vehement opposition” to the group’s inclusion in the parade, but that “the City has presented no evidence of legitimate, true threats of physical violence.” Gillespie’s office referred to a statement posted on the city’s social media in response to a request for comment. “The City respects the ruling of the Court and will comply with its order. The safety of everyone involved with the parade is a priority,” city officials said in a statement on social media. Prattville Pride celebrated the ruling on social media. “The Christmas parade is a cherished holiday tradition, and we are excited to celebrate alongside our neighbors and friends in the spirit of love, joy, and unity,” the group wrote. Prattville is a small city of about 40,000 people, just north of the capital of Montgomery. The Associated Press
arrives in Bermuda, on 2024 Joint Ministerial Council, meets with St. George’s Prep PTA, on Govt Mortgage Guarantee Programme, on climate change report, donate groceries to families, assembly & award ceremony and to compete in 2024 Optimist World are some of the stories in this morning’s [Nov 30] . The Bernews Morning Newsflash includes an overview of the latest Bermuda news, the local weather forecast for today, local stock report, our photo of the day, as well as a look at news headlines from around the world. In addition to being available each morning on the website, the Newsflash is designed to suit your favourite social media network, so is also available directly on the main feed, our channel, and our account. : , ,
Middle East latest: Lebanon closes all its land border crossings with Syria except one
David Beckham called Kath Phipps “the heartbeat of Manchester United” as tributes from players past and present poured in following the long-serving receptionist’s death at the age of 85. A lifelong fan, she was an immensely popular figure with players, managers and staff at a club she joined four months after Sir Matt Busby led them to European Cup glory in 1968. Phipps initially worked at Old Trafford in the stadium offices and on matchdays, before Sir Alex Ferguson brought her to their Carrington training ground in 2000. The United great presented her with the League Managers Association’s Service to Football award in 2022, when Beckham was among those to pay tribute. “Forever in our hearts...,” the former midfielder posted on Instagram with a photo holding Phipps’ hand. “The first and last face I would always see was Kath sat at reception at Old Trafford waiting to give me my tickets for the game. “She was the heartbeat of Manchester United, everyone knew who Kath was and everyone adored her. “I moved up to Manchester at 15 and Kath made a promise to my mum and dad ‘I’ll look after your boy for you don’t you worry’ and from that first day till the last day I spent with her that’s exactly what she did. “Old Trafford will never be the same without your smile as we walk through those doors... We love you.” The club confirmed Phipps’ death on Thursday, leading to a flood of tributes on social media from those that worked with her. United’s record goalscorer Wayne Rooney said: “The heart and soul of Manchester United. Everything what the club is about. “A legend who will be greatly missed. Thanks for the memories Kathy. Thoughts with family and friends.” Fellow United former player Patrice Evra said “losing a family member (is) never easy” alongside a photo with Phipps, who David De Gea thanked “for taking care of everyone”. Ex-United defender Rio Ferdinand said: “An absolute mainstay of Manchester United... Always welcomed me and everyone else who visited with a warm smile! Looked at life positively, incredibly selfless & would put others first! RIP.” Current squad members were also quick to pay their respects to Phipps. United skipper Bruno Fernandes reposted the club’s announcement with a heart emoji and Marcus Rashford said: “Awful news, admired by all at the club and beyond, you will be missed.” United defender Harry Maguire posted: “A legend that will never be forgotten. I will miss you. We will miss you. RIP Kath.” Right-back Diogo Dalot wrote: “We love you Kath. Thank you for showing everyday what this club is about and taking care of us.” Jadon Sancho, who is on loan at Chelsea ahead of a permanent United exit, said of Phipps: “I’m grateful that I’ve had the pleasure of meeting you, such a lovely kind hearted soul. “She always made sure I was OK and always put a smile on my face whenever I felt down, I appreciate you Kath. My condolences go out to her family through this tough time.” United have yet to confirm what tribute will be paid at Saturday’s Premier League match against Nottingham Forest. “An omnipresent figure at Manchester United since the late 1960s, Kath worked for the club for over 55 years in a variety of roles, but her contribution went beyond any particular job title. “Kath was a one-woman institution, whose memory will be cherished by everyone at the club who had the privilege of knowing her. “She said last year: ‘I can’t imagine doing anything else’. Well, we can’t imagine the place without her.”Maxeon’s 8-day Rally Ends As Biden’s Tax Plan For Mexico Imports Remains In Limbo, But Retail Sentiment Shifts Bullish
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