MONTREAL — A childhood friend of the Quebec man killed in a Florida boat explosion earlier this week says one of the victim's sisters was among the other six passengers injured in the blast. Thi Cam Nhung Lê says she grew up with Sebastien Gauthier in Quebec City and considered him her best friend. Lê says Gauthier’s older sister was also on the boat in Florida's Broward County when it exploded and she was taken to a hospital. She says Gauthier’s family was in Florida to celebrate the holidays and that his sudden death feels “unimaginable.” Video posted on social media Monday shows the vessel engulfed in flames following the explosion, with a thick column of black smoke billowing into the sky. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has confirmed that Gauthier died of his injuries, saying a preliminary investigation shows the 37-foot vessel exploded after its engines were started. Lê remembers Gauthier as someone who was always smiling and says she is waiting for answers about what led to her friend’s death. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 28, 2024. Joe Bongiorno, The Canadian Press
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Arkansas defensive end Landon Jackson was carted off the field and taken to a hospital with a neck injury late in the first half of Saturday's game at No. 24 Missouri. Jackson appeared to injure his neck while trying to tackle Missouri running back Jamal Roberts. Medical personnel tended to Jackson for approximately 10 minutes before he was placed on a backboard and driven to a waiting ambulance. Jackson gave a thumbs-up sign as he was carted off the snow-covered field. Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek said Jackson had movement in his arms and legs but was experiencing pain in his neck. He said Jackson was taken to the hospital as a precaution. Jackson leads the Razorbacks with 9 1/2 tackles for loss and 6 1/2 sacks, and is considered a potential first-round pick in next year's NFL draft. 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-footballCOLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Arkansas defensive end Landon Jackson was carted off the field and taken to a hospital with a neck injury late in the first half of Saturday's game at No. 24 Missouri. Jackson appeared to injure his neck while trying to tackle Missouri running back Jamal Roberts. Medical personnel tended to Jackson for approximately 10 minutes before he was placed on a backboard and driven to a waiting ambulance. Jackson gave a thumbs-up sign as he was carted off the snow-covered field. Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek said Jackson had movement in his arms and legs but was experiencing pain in his neck. He said Jackson was taken to the hospital as a precaution. Jackson leads the Razorbacks with 9 1/2 tackles for loss and 6 1/2 sacks, and is considered a potential first-round pick in next year's NFL draft. 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-footballTopline President-elect Donald Trump selected Charles Kushner, the father of Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, as the U.S. ambassador to France on Saturday, the latest nomination as Trump has filled out most of his key Cabinet positions. Key Facts Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We’re launching text message alerts so you'll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here . Ambassador To France: Charles Kushner Trump nominated Charles Kushner , founder of the real estate firm Kushner Companies and the father of Trump's son-in-law Jared, as U.S. ambassador to France. Kushner was pardoned by Trump in 2020 after serving a prison sentence on federal charges of tax evasion and illegal campaign donations. He pleaded guilty to 18 counts, including tax evasion and witness tampering. Special Envoy For Ukraine And Russia: Keith Kellogg Trump named Keith Kellogg , a retired lieutenant general and former chief of staff for the White House National Security Council during Trump’s first term, as special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, a newly created position. Kellogg has presented Trump with a plan for ending the war and forcing Ukraine and Russia to the negotiating table, Reuters reported previously, citing unnamed sources. National Institutes Of Health Director: Dr. Jay Bhattacharya Stanford professor and vocal Covid-19 lockdown critic Dr. Jay Bhattacharya is Trump’s pick to lead the National Institutes of Health. In his announcement, Trump also mentioned his pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and said: “Together, Jay and RFK Jr. will restore the NIH to a Gold Standard of Medical Research as they examine the underlying causes of, and solutions to, America’s biggest Health challenges, including our Crisis of Chronic Illness and Disease.” In 2020, Bhattacharya co-authored an open letter titled the “Great Barrington Declaration” which argued against the effectiveness of Covid-19 lockdowns. The letter, which was criticized by health experts including Dr. Anthony Fauci, argued for “herd immunity” for most of the population “through natural infection” while sheltering vulnerable populations. According to his profile page on Stanford Medicine, the India-born Bhattacharya serves as professor of health policy at the university. United States Trade Representative: Jamieson Greer Washington lawyer Jamieson Greer is Trump’s pick to lead international trade negotiations. An Air Force veteran and former chief of staff to Trump’s former trade representative, Robert Lighthizer, Greer “played a key role during my First Term in imposing Tariffs on China and others to combat unfair Trade practices,” Trump said in a statement. National Economic Council Director: Kevin Hassett Trump announced late Tuesday that he picked Kevin Hassett to lead the National Economic Council, giving him significant sway over policy decisions surrounding trade, taxes and deregulation. Trump said Hassett “will play an important role in helping American families recover from the Inflation that was unleashed by the Biden Administration.” Hassett, who led the Council of Economic Advisers during Trump’s first term, recently expressed some skepticism about some of Trump’s economic proposals, telling Goldman Sachs last month Trump’s proposal to reduce the corporate tax rate to 15% was unlikely to net the same “dynamic effects” as the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act, and Trump’s tariffs proposals would likely require legislation, Politico reported . Hassett also told Goldman that Federal Reserve leadership should be “neutral” from the administration and said “suspicions” about Trump’s desire for coordination between the Fed and the White House in setting interest rates “should be taken seriously.” Domestic Policy Council Director: Vince Haley Vince Haley, who served as adviser and speechwriter during Trump’s first term was named as the head of the Domestic Policy Council. Trump said Haley had a “brilliant mind for Policies that work for the American People.” Trump did not outline any specific issues that Haley will focus on, but according to the Wall Street Journal the council will oversee several key domestic issues, including “healthcare, immigration and education.” Haley has worked with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., for several decades and even served as the campaign manager of his 2012 presidential bid. Haley also worked under Stephen Miller—who Trump named as his Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy— while writing Trump’s speeches during his first term in office. Department Of Health And Human Services Deputy Secretary: Jim O’neill Silicon Valley investor Jim O’Neill , who is a close associate of billionaire and Trump backer Peter Thiel, was named as the pick for the Department of Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary. In his announcement Trump said O’Neill will work alongside his HHS Secretary pick Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and “oversee all operations and improve Management, Transparency, and Accountability to, Make America Healthy Again.” O’Neill previously served as the CEO of the Thiel Foundation and was up for consideration for the FDA commissioner role during Trump’s first term. O’Neill also worked as the HHS principal associate deputy secretary during the George W. Bush administration. The Silicon Valley investor has called for major reform at the FDA in the past and argued that the efficacy of drugs should be measured after they have been allowed on market. O’Neill said the agency should approve drugs once its been demonstrated as being safe. Section Title Financier John Phelan was named as Trump’s Secretary of the Navy nominee. In his announcement, Trump called Phelan a “tremendous force for our Naval Servicemembers” and said he would, “put the business of the U.S. Navy above all else. The financier founded MSD Capital more than two and half decades to manage the fortune of billionaire Michael Dell. According to the Hill, Phelan was a key donor to Trump’s campaign during this election season and contributed $834,600 to the president-elect’s joint fundraising committee, Trump 47. Treasury Secretary: Scott Bessent Hedge fund executive Scott Bessent is Trump’s pick for treasury secretary. Bessent—who spoke recently with Forbes—had long been seen as a top choice for the role, especially as it was reported Trump was leaning toward someone with Wall Street experience. Bessent is the founder of Key Square Management, a hedge fund that had less than $600 million in assets under management at the end of last year, and worked for Democratic megadonor George Soros for years before that. Bessent donated about $3 million to Trump and other Republican causes this election season and previously said Trump was “very sophisticated on economic policy.” Bessent is known for being pro-tariff—tariffs are at the center of Trump’s economic policies—and called the import taxes a “negotiating tool with our trading partners” in a Fox News column last week. If confirmed, Bessent would make history as the first Senate-confirmed LGBTQ+ Republican Cabinet member. Attorney General: Pam Bondi Trump announced former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi as his pick to lead the Justice Department—elevating an ally shortly after former Rep. Matt Gaetz’s withdrawal. Bondi served as Florida’s top lawyer from 2011 to 2019, and later joined Trump’s defense team in his first Senate impeachment trial in 2020. She also served on a Trump-era commission on opioids and drug addiction. Attorney general is one of the most high-profile and highly anticipated appointments, as Trump has fiercely criticized the Justice Department for prosecuting him and is expected to drastically change its makeup—and possibly push for retribution against his opponents. In a Truth Social post , Trump said Bondi will “refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again.” Secretary Of Defense: Pete Hegseth Trump selected Pete Hegseth as his secretary of defense, praising his status as a combat veteran and role as a co-host on Fox & Friends Weekend. Revelations subsequently emerged that Hegseth was accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a Monterey, California, hotel in 2017. The Monterey Police Department confirmed in a statement that it investigated the incident, but did not bring charges. Hegseth has denied the allegations through his attorney, Timothy Parlatore, who told multiple outlets last week he paid his accuser a settlement to avoid a lawsuit over the matter. Health And Human Services Secretary: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Trump nominated Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Health and Human Services Department, making good on his promise to give Kennedy broad leeway over public health. Kennedy, who ran for the Democratic nomination then as an independent candidate before dropping out and endorsing Trump, espouses debunked views on public health—including skepticism about the efficacy of childhood vaccines and the Covid-19 vaccine. He has also advocated for removing fluoride from public water, an idea Trump said he as open to. As HHS secretary, Kennedy would oversee 13 public health-related agencies, and has expressed plans to upend many of them, telling an audience at a conference in November he would halt infectious disease studies at the National Institutes of Health if given a role in the Trump administration. “I’m going to say to NIH scientists, God bless you all . . . thank you for your public service,” NBC reported. The surprise selection drew criticism from many Democrats, and some Republicans expressed wariness about the pick. Trump’s former Vice President Mike Pence spoke against Kennedy as the pick to lead HHS in a statement and urged Senate Republicans to reject the nomination, citing Kennedy’s support of abortion rights. Secretary Of State: Marco Rubio Trump nominated Sen. Marco Rubio , R-Fla., as secretary of state. Rubio and Trump feuded when they both ran for president in 2016, but the two smoothed over their relationship during Trump’s most recent White House run. Rubio frequently campaigned for Trump and was said to be in the running to be his vice presidential pick. Some of Rubio’s foreign policy stances break with Trump, including his co-sponsorship of legislation last year that would prohibit a president from exiting NATO without congressional approval. Rubio would be the first Latino to hold the position, which is subject to Senate confirmation. Forbes estimated Rubio’s net worth at over $1 million—significantly less than some other members of Trump’s inner circle, but a jump since 2015, when he was worth just $100,000. Director Of National Intelligence: Tulsi Gabbard Trump announced Tulsi Gabbard will serve as his Director of National Intelligence, a role that puts her at the head of the U.S. intelligence community. Gabbard is a former Democratic representative from Hawaii and a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, perhaps best-known for clashing with Kamala Harris on the debate stage in 2019. She left the party in 2022 and became an independent, before endorsing Trump in August and announcing she had joined the Republican Party. A critic of U.S. military interventions, Gabbard has drawn intense scrutiny for her foreign policy views, including for meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in 2017 . Education Secretary: Linda Mcmahon Trump tapped former WWE CEO Linda McMahon as secretary of the Department of Education in an announcement Tuesday. McMahon is Trump’s transition co-chair alongside Lutnick and served as the administrator of the Small Business Administration from 2017 to 2019. The nomination came after Lutnick was picked as commerce secretary over McMahon, who was “privately frustrated” she was not offered the position before Lutnick was tapped for it, Semafor reported, citing two unnamed people familiar with the matter. McMahon is also the America First Policy Institute’s board chair, helping lead the think tank that has raised millions in support of Trump, according to CNN . Commerce Secretary: Howard Lutnick Howard Lutnick is Trump’s pick for commerce secretary, Trump confirmed Tuesday—picking him for the commerce role instead of treasury secretary. Trump, in a statement, called Lutnick “the embodiment of resilience in the face of unspeakable tragedy,” referencing his charitable contributions to 9/11 families after 658 Cantor Fitzgerald employees, including Lutnick’s brother, died in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, while Lutnick was CEO. Lutnick, who rebuilt the company after 9/11, has spent his entire career at Cantor Fitzgerald and became president and CEO of the financial services firm at the age of 29. His special purposes acquisition company, Cantor Fitzgerald Acquisition Corp., took the Rumble video platform popular among right-wing influencers public in 2022. As commerce secretary, Lutnick will play a role in implementing Trump’s plans for steeper tariffs and he has expressed broad support for the proposal. Lutnick was previously under consideration for treasury secretary—typically a more prominent Cabinet job—and earned support from Musk and Kennedy, but Trump ultimately turned his attention to other candidates after he reportedly became annoyed with Lutnick’s aggressive campaign for the treasury role. Homeland Security Secretary: Kristi Noem Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem for the role of secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Noem is a long-time Trump loyalist who was believed be a contender for Vice President. The appointee will be essential in carrying out Trump’s aggressive immigration plans, in addition to the agency’s duties surrounding cybersecurity, antiterrorism and emergency response. Agriculture Secretary: Brooke Rollins Trump announced Brooke Rollins as his pick for agriculture secretary. Rollins served as a policy advisor during Trump’s first administration and is the president of the America First Policy Institute, a think tank founded by former Trump administration officials that has advocated against foreign ownership of U.S. farmland. She was reportedly considered for White House chief of staff before Susie Wiles was named to the role. Centers For Medicare And Medicaid Services Administrator: Mehmet Oz Trump announced Tuesday that Mehmet Oz , the celebrity doctor who lost his 2022 Senate bid to Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., will fill the role. Oz will work closely with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who Trump announced last week as his pick for Health and Human Services secretary. Oz’s rise to fame is largely tied to his frequent appearances on the Oprah Winfrey show in the early 2000s and his own subsequent daytime talk show. He’s accused of espousing questionable medical claims, including promoting the debunked theory that the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine could treat Covid-19, and pushing so-called miracle weight loss products unsupported by scientific research. Trump endorsed Oz in his 2022 Senate campaign. Chief Of Staff: Susie Wiles Trump named his campaign co-manager Susie Wiles chief of staff two days after his election win, marking his first major administrative pick. Wiles will be the first woman to hold the position. Department Of Government Efficiency: Elon Musk And Vivek Ramaswamy Trump announced Elon Musk , the world’s wealthiest person, will run a new Department of Government Efficiency (or “DOGE”) alongside investor and former Republican primary candidate Vivek Ramaswamy . Trump said in a statement the department—which has not yet been created—will offer “advice and guidance from outside of Government” and focus on “making changes to the Federal Bureaucracy with an eye on efficiency,” including through spending and regulatory cuts. Musk, a vocal Trump backer who donated over $100 million to a pro-Trump super PAC, has pitched the department in the past, seemingly naming it after the meme cryptocurrency dogecoin. Office Of Management And Budget Director: Russell Vought Trump nominated Russell Vought as director of the Office of Budget and Management, potentially marking his second time in the role. Vought was the office’s director from 2020 to 2021 after serving as deputy director and acting director. Vought authored a chapter in the controversial Project 2025 policy agenda on the Executive Office of the President of the United States and will be in charge of overseeing the White House budget and implementation of Trump’s policies throughout the executive branch. He also reportedly said in secret camera footage published by the Centre for Climate Reporting that Trump “blessed” Project 2025 despite distancing himself from it on the campaign trail. Vought is expected to push for policy restructuring that provides more power to the president. Homeland Security Adviser And Deputy Chief Of Staff For Policy: Stephen Miller Trump announced Stephen Miller as White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, plus the additional role of homeland security adviser. Miller was a senior adviser to Trump during his first administration and one of the architects of some of his most controversial immigration policies, including his family separation program. Border Czar: Tom Homan Trump appointed his former Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Tom Homan to newly created role, he announced , as Trump plans a mass deportation of undocumented migrants during his second term. Cdc Director: Dave Weldon, Fda Commissioner: Marty Makary, Surgeon General: Janette Nesheiwat Trump announced former Rep. Dave Weldon , R-Fla.—who served in Congress from 1995 to 2009—as CDC director, and tapped Marty Makary , who became known for opposing vaccine mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic, as FDA commissioner. He also named former Fox News contributor Janette Nesheiwat as his pick for surgeon general. Secretary Of Labor: Lori Chavez-Deremer Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer , R-Ore., was nominated as Trump’s secretary of labor. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2022 to represent Oregon’s 5th Congressional District and recently lost her reelection bid. Senior Director For Counterterrorism: Sebastian Gorka Sebastian Gorka was appointed as the deputy assistant to the president and senior director for counterterrorism. He previously served as strategist to the president in the first Trump administration and is the host of his own radio show, “America First with Sebastian Gorka.” Hud Secretary: Scott Turner Trump named former NFL player Scott Turner as his pick for secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Turner served in the first Trump administration as the executive director of Trump’s White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council. National Security Adviser: Mike Waltz Trump appointed Rep. Mike Waltz , R-Fla., to serve as his national security adviser. In recent months, Waltz—a former Army Green Beret—has frequently criticized China, urged NATO members to pay more for defense and said he expects Trump to push Ukraine and Russia toward a negotiated end to the war in Ukraine. Interior Secretary: Doug Burgum (and Head Of New National Energy Council) Trump nominated North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum as secretary of the interior. If confirmed by the Senate, he’ll be responsible for managing vast swaths of federally owned land, administering national parks and handling oil and gas drilling on federal property—which Trump has vowed to ramp up . Trump also tapped Burgum as chairman of the new National Energy Council, which will cut down on regulations and “oversee the path to U.S. ENERGY DOMINANCE,” according to Trump . The position will also provide Burgum a seat on the National Security Council. First elected North Dakota governor in 2016, Burgum briefly ran against Trump in the 2024 GOP primaries, but dropped out and endorsed Trump. A tech executive and investor by trade, Burgum previously ran Great Plains Software, remaining at the company after it was acquired by Microsoft. Last year, Forbes estimated his net worth at at least $100 million. Energy Secretary: Chris Wright Chris Wright , chief executive of the oilfield services group Liberty Energy, was named Trump’s nominee for secretary of energy. Wright has argued against climate change’s role in causing extreme weather events, saying in a video posted to LinkedIn last year “there is no climate crisis, and we’re not in the midst of an energy transition either.” He later disputed he was “[fighting] climate science,” despite saying the claims he made were “correct.” Transportation Secretary: Sean Duffy Trump nominated former Rep. Sean Duffy , R-Wisc., as secretary of transportation, lauding his time in Congress and his role as a member of the House Financial Services Committee. Following his resignation from Congress in 2019, Duffy registered as a lobbyist and continued spending campaign funds on Trump’s D.C. hotel. The campaign spent more than $22,000 at Trump’s D.C. hotel between 2017 and 2020, $17,000 of which was spent in a single day in July 2019. Duffy is a co-host of Fox Business’ “The Bottom Line” and has contributed to Fox News since 2020. He is married to “Fox & Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. Veterans Affairs Secretary: Doug Collins Trump picked former Rep. Doug Collins , R-Ga., as his secretary for veterans affairs. Collins served as a congressman from 2013 to 2021, and was known as a vocal backer of Trump in the chamber during his first administration. He is also a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. Collins vowed to “streamline and cut regulations in the VA, root out corruption, and ensure every veteran receives the benefits they've earned.” The former congressman was deployed to Iraq in 2008 as a member of the Air Force’s 94th Airlift Wing. Cia Director: John Ratlciffe Former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe will serve as CIA director. A former Texas congressman, Ratcliffe served as the director of national intelligence from 2020 to 2021 and acted as Trump’s primary intelligence adviser during his last presidency. During his time as director of national intelligence, Ratcliffe declassified unverified Russian intelligence information that claimed Hillary Clinton approved a plan to link Trump to Russia and the Democratic National Committee cyberattacks in 2016. Democrats criticized Ratcliffe’s decision to publicly release the information, alleging he was politicizing unverified information to aid Trump. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator: Lee Zeldin Trump tapped former Rep. Lee Zeldin , R-N.Y., to lead the EPA, citing his “very strong legal background” and calling him “a true fighter for America First policies” in a statement. Zeldin—a Trump ally who ran for New York governor two years ago—“will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American business while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards,” the statement said. Fcc Chair: Brendan Carr Trump named Brendan Carr to chair the Federal Communications Commission. Carr has served as one of the FCC’s five commissioners since 2017, when Trump first appointed him to the agency. He’s known as a critic of big tech companies, writing a chapter of the controversial Project 2025 agenda—which Trump has broadly disavowed—that argued the FCC should narrow the immunity enjoyed by tech platforms and require companies to be transparent about their content moderation decisions. He’s also used his platform at the FCC to back Musk. He’ll take over the FCC as Trump pushes the agency to revoke the licenses of broadcast TV stations whose coverage he claims is unfair—though that could be very difficult in practice . Un Ambassador: Elise Stefanik Trump nominated GOP Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik , R-N.Y., for the United Nations ambassador role. Stefanik is known as a staunch Trump ally. Special Envoy To The Middle East: Steven C. Witkoff Trump tapped Steven Witkoff , a GOP donor and real estate investor, for special envoy to the Middle East. Witkoff is chairman of the University of Miami Business School Real Estate Advisory Board and the CEO of Witkoff, a real estate firm he founded in 1997. He is also a longtime friend of Trump’s and one of the president-elect’s golf partners . Witkoff was with Trump during the apparent second assassination attempt on his life, telling NBC that Secret Service agents dived on Trump and got him off his Florida golf course in under 20 seconds. U.s. Nato Ambassador: Matthew Whitaker Trump announced on Wednesday Matthew Whitaker will serve as the official U.S. representative to NATO. Whitaker was the former U.S. acting attorney general appointed after former Attorney General Jeff Sessions resigned and before former Attorney General William Barr was sworn in during Trump’s first term. Whitaker oversaw the DOJ during former Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and was heavily scrutinized by Democrats over whether he sought to interfere in the probe on Trump’s behalf, allegations he denied. Whitaker frequently appears on Fox News as an advocate for Trump, defending his decision to tap Gaetz as attorney general last week and broadly criticizing the Justice Department over its various investigations into Trump’s conduct. Ambassador To Israel: Mike Huckabee Trump announced former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as his envoy to Israel last week, touting his military service as he served in the Army Special Forces for 27 years. Huckabee is a staunch supporter of Israel and has criticized the Biden administration’s calls for a cease-fire with Hamas. Huckabee has advocated for Israel to annex parts of the West Bank, which Israel occupied in 1967, and has backed Israeli settlers in the territory. A former Southern Baptist pastor, Huckabee regularly leads evangelicals on visits to Israel. White House Press Secretary: Karoline Leavitt Karoline Leavitt , the Trump campaign’s national press secretary, will serve as White House Press Secretary once the president-elect assumes his office. Leavitt, 27, was an assistant press secretary during Trump’s first presidency. She also won the Republican primary in New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District in 2022, becoming the second Gen Z candidate to win a House primary . White House Communications Director: Steven Cheung Trump picked his campaign spokesman, Steven Cheung , to serve as his communications director at the White House. Cheung was the director of communications for the president-elect’s 2024 presidential campaign and served as director of strategic response during Trump’s last term, after working in communications for the Ultimate Fighting Championship previously. Other White House Jobs Other Justice Department Jobs Key Background Trump decamped to Mar-a-Lago after his win, holding meetings with his inner circle, administration hopefuls and transition team to craft his second term agenda and build out his staff. Trump is shaping his second-term agenda with the help of several right-wing groups, his closest allies and billionaire backers. Musk, who has been spotted on numerous occasions alongside Trump since his election, is among those who appear to be influencing Trump’s policy and personnel decisions. Lutnick is also overseeing a team making recommendations for personnel picks and vetting potential candidates, and Miller is expected to play a key role in making the final decisions. The right-wing think tank America First Policy Institute is reportedly the primary driver of Trump’s transition plans and has been crafting possible executive actions for Trump once he takes office. The organization is chaired by McMahon and led by former Trump Domestic Policy Counsel Director Brook Rollins. Further Reading What We Know About Trump’s Potential Cabinet—With RFK Jr. And Elon Musk Among The Candidates (Forbes) Who Will Help Shape Trump’s Policy Agenda? Here Are The Key Groups And Players (Forbes) Stephen Miller Will Reportedly Lead Trump’s Policy Agenda—Here’s Who Else Could Help Him (Forbes)
U.S. stocks wrapped up Christmas week on Friday with retracements of double-digit uptrends, and, alongside the dollar to a smaller degree, succumbed to profit taking in illiquid markets heading into the last weekend of 2024. Even with its slight loss on Friday, the U.S. dollar was headed for an almost 7% annual gain, as traders anticipated robust U.S. growth, as well as tax cuts, tariffs and deregulation by the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump, would make the Federal Reserve cautious on rate-cutting well into 2025. Selling in Wall Street’s main indexes gathered steam through the morning, chilling the mood after the week started out showing the hallmarks of a classic year-end rally to crown what was already a stellar year. “The Santa Claus rally came a bit earlier this year, and I think this is profit taking ahead of another holiday-shortened week next week,” said Jeff Schulze, head Of economic and market strategy at Clearbridge Investments. “That’s another reason I think this isn’t causing more apprehension heading into a weekend. It’s not uncommon for the market to hit air pockets when the volumes are light.” Leading the decline were high-flying “Magnificent 7” stocks like Tesla O> which slid 4.9%, along with Amazon.com, Microsoft and Nvidia. The S&P 500 fell 1.11%, leaving Wall Street’s benchmark with a 0.67% weekly gain. The Nasdaq Composite ended down 1.49%, having been down more than 2% during the session. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.77%. For 2024, the Dow is up 14%, the S&P 500 is up 25% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq is up 31%. “I’ve heard anecdotes that pension funds are rebalancing ahead of year-end, selling stocks and buying bonds,” said Steve Sosnick, chief market strategist at Interactive Brokers, who added he could not verify. “It would explain the sudden sell-off on no news. And of course, if large funds are selling stocks en masse, the megacap tech stocks would bear the brunt because of their heavy weighting in major indices.” MSCI’s broad global share index (.MIWO00000PUS) fell 0.59% on Friday, and was 1.45% higher for the week. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) eased 0.1%, marking a 1.5% weekly rise, while Tokyo’s Nikkei rose 1.8%. Europe’s Stoxx 600 rose 0.67% on Friday and was about 1% higher for the week. “There is some potential upside left for this bull market, but it is limited,” said Luca Paolini, chief strategist at Pictet Asset Management “(Trump’s) inauguration day is a potential inflection point and all the (prospective) good news will be in the price by then,” Paolini added. The dollar index, which measures the currency against six other major currencies, eased 0.06%, with a 0.2% weekly gain, and showed a 6.6% 2024 gain. Dollar/yen was down 0.06%, but near Tuesday’s 5-1/2 month high. The greenback was also showing a 5.4% gain this month against the beleaguered yen and a near 12% advance for 2024. The euro, was steady, not far from November’s two-year low and showing a 5.6% loss year to date. The BoJ held back from a rate hike this month, which weighed on the yen. Governor Kazuo Ueda said he preferred to wait for clarity on Trump’s policies, underscoring rising angst among central banks worldwide of U.S. tariffs hitting global trade. Fed Chair Jerome Powell said earlier this month that U.S. central bank officials “are going to be cautious about further cuts” after an as-expected quarter-point rate reduction. The U.S. economy also faces the impact of Donald Trump, who has proposed deregulation, tax cuts, tariff hikes and tighter immigration policies that economists view as both pro-growth and inflationary. Traders, meanwhile, anticipate the Bank of Japan will keep its monetary policy settings loose and the European Central Bank will deliver further rate cuts, neither positive for their currencies. Traders are pricing in 37 basis points of U.S. rate cuts in 2025, with no reduction fully priced into money markets until May, by which time the ECB is expected to have lowered its deposit rate by a full percentage point to 2% as the euro zone economy slows. Higher U.S. rate expectations pulled the 10-year Treasury yield, which rises as the price of the fixed income instrument falls, to its highest since early May early on Thursday, at 4.641%. It was last up 4.6 basis points at 4.625%. The two-year Treasury yield, which tracks interest rate forecasts, eased 0.4 bp to 4.328%. U.S. debt trends also sent euro zone yields higher, with Germany’s benchmark 10-year bund yield rising 7.6 bp to 2.401% on Friday. Elsewhere in markets, gold prices dipped 0.74% to $2,615.54 per ounce, set for about a 27% rise for the year and the strongest yearly performance since 2011 as geopolitical and inflation concerns boosted the haven asset. Oil prices firmed as investors awaited news of economic stimulus efforts in China, the world’s biggest crude importer. Brent crude futures rose 0.67% on the day to $73.75 a barrel, and was 1.14% higher for the week. In cryptocurrencies, bitcoin fell 1.26% to $94,485.00. Source: ReutersAidan O'Connell threw two touchdown passes, Daniel Carlson kicked four field goals, Ameer Abdullah had the first 100-yard rushing game of his career and the visiting Las Vegas Raiders defeated the New Orleans Saints 25-10 on Sunday afternoon. Abdullah, playing in the 141st game of his 10-year career, finished with 115 yards on 20 carries. O'Connell completed 20 of 35 passes for 242 yards as the Raiders (4-12) won their second straight after a 10-game losing streak. Brock Bowers added seven receptions for 77 yards, giving him 1,144 receiving yards, which broke the NFL single-season record for a rookie tight end, set by Mike Ditka with 1,076 yards in 14 games in 1961. Rookie Spencer Rattler passed for 218 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions and fell to 0-5 as the starter for the Saints (5-11). Las Vegas's first possession of the third quarter resulted in Carlson's 54-yard field goal, which increased its lead to 16-10 at the end of the period. Carlson's 25-yard field goal pushed the lead to 19-10 on the third play of the fourth quarter. O'Connell added an 18-yard touchdown pass to Tre Tucker to complete the scoring. The Raiders received the opening kickoff and held the ball for 17 plays before stalling. Carlson kicked a 31-yard field goal and the 3-0 lead held up through the end of the first quarter. On the first play of the second quarter, Rattler threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to former Raiders tight end Foster Moreau and the Saints took a 7-3 lead with their first points in the first half in three games. The ensuing possession ended with Carlson kicking a 39-yard field goal that trimmed the lead to 7-6. O'Connell threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Jakobi Meyers to give Las Vegas a 13-7 lead with 57 seconds left in the second quarter. Rattler completed 5 of 7 for 54 yards in driving New Orleans to Blake Grupe's 34-yard field goal as time expired that trimmed the lead to 13-10 at halftime. --Field Level MediaSYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Eddie Lampkin Jr. and Donnie Freeman each posted a double-double and Jaquan Carlos finished an assist shy of joining them as Syracuse closed out its nonconference schedule with a 75-63 win over Bucknell on Saturday. The Orange evened their record at 6-6 with their sixth win in seven home games, taking a 12-point lead at intermission and maintaining it through the second half, handing the Bison (4-9) their seventh straight loss. Syracuse, which lost its Atlantic Coast Conference opener to Notre Dame, finished nonconference play 6-5. Lampkin and Freeman combined to score 24 first-half points and helped the Orange dominate the boards in the first half, 18-11. Pip Ajayi dunked near the 14-minute mark to get Bucknell within five, 48-43, but Elvin Edmonds IV missed a 3-point attempt to make it a one-possession game a minute later and Lampkin scored to push the lead to seven. Kyle Cuffe Jr. scored back-to-back baskets and Carlos added a layup to push the Syracuse lead back to a dozen points, 56-44. Lampkin finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds scored 15 points, grabbed 11 boards and dished three assists with a steal. Carlos posted 11 points with nine assists and three steals. Syracuse outrebounded Bucknell 43-27. John Bascoe hit 6 of 11 from behind the arc and led the Bison with 22 points. Noah Williamson finished with 12 points and eight rebounds. Syracuse opens the heart of its ACC schedule when it plays host to Wake Forest on New Year's Eve. Bucknell opens Patriot League play January 2 at Lehigh. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . 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The Taipei District Prosecutors Office (TDPO) on Thursday Ko Wen-je, the former mayor of Taipei and leader of the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), for bribery and other corruption offenses in connection with a real estate development project known as the Core Pacific City redevelopment project. The prosecutors sought an imprisonment sentence of 28 years and six months for Ko Wen-je. Taipei’s prosecutors accused Ko Wen-je of accepting bribes exceeding $500.000 related to a property development project in Taipei during his tenure as the city’s mayor from 2018 to 2022. Additionally, Ko Wen-je was indicted for embezzling $2 million in political donations to pay the salaries of his campaign staff during the 2024 presidential election. Taipei’s District Chief Prosecutor Kao Yi-shu in a press conference that Wen-je violated his oath of office and Taiwanese law by accepting bribes. He added that authorities possessed sufficient evidence, including excuses and pretense, pointing out the politician’s poor attitude following the crime. The requested prison sentence for Ko Wen-je 15 years for bribery along with sentences of five years and six years for two cases of embezzlement and two and a half years for breach of public trust. These charges fall under and . In response, the TPP its leader’s indictment, asserting it is politically motivated. The party criticized the prosecutors for failing to provide evidence or a money trail to prove that Ko Wen-je received bribes and claimed that the proposed 28-year prison sentence was based on “fabricated charges”. Ko Wen-je is a Taiwanese politician who served as the mayor of Taipei from 2014 to 2022 and founded the in 2019. He was also the TPP’s candidate for the 2024 presidential election, which he lost to the current President Lai Ching-te. His indictment comes four months after his in August due to corruption suspicions in Taipei’s shopping center project, known as the . The prosecution office accused Ko Wen-je and several other officials of illegally increasing the floor area ratio of the Core Pacific City redevelopment project when he was mayor in collusion with the real-estate company to raise the property’s financial value. However, he was a few days after his arrest based on an order from the Taipei District Court due to a lack of evidence, as investigators could not prove that he was aware his decisions were illegal and that they benefited the developers. 38 Santee Sioux hanged by US for rebellion On December 26, 1862, 38 Santee Sioux men were hanged in a mass execution for their roles in a rebellion against US authorities in Minnesota which left hundreds dead and made refugees of some 40,000 white settlers.Government annuities promised under a treaty with the Sioux had failed to arrive on schedule and credit for purchases was not advanced in the meantime, threatening the tribe with starvation. The Santee Sioux Tribe's members were deported first to South Dakota and ultimately to Nebraska, where they remain today.Learn more about the . Louis XVI put on trial during French Revolution On December 26, 1792, Romain de Sèze, a defense attorney for deposed King Louis XVI, presented a defense of his client. The former King was on before a French Revolutionary court on thirty-three charges, including treason and other crimes against the state. He was convicted on January 15, 1793 executed by guillotine on the following January 21.
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — 2024 was a brutal year for the Amazon rainforest, with rampant wildfires and extreme drought ravaging large parts of a biome that’s a critical counterweight to climate change. A warming climate fed drought that in turn fed the worst year for fires since 2005. And those fires contributed to deforestation, with authorities suspecting some fires were set to more easily clear land to run cattle. The Amazon is twice the size of India and sprawls across eight countries and one territory, storing vast amounts of carbon dioxide that would otherwise warm the planet. It has about 20% of the world’s fresh water and astounding biodiversity, including 16,000 known tree species. But governments have historically viewed it as an area to be exploited, with little regard for sustainability or the rights of its Indigenous peoples, and experts say exploitation by individuals and organized crime is rising at alarming rates. “The fires and drought experienced in 2024 across the Amazon rainforest could be ominous indicators that we are reaching the long-feared ecological tipping point,” said Andrew Miller, advocacy director at Amazon Watch, an organization that works to protect the rainforest. “Humanity’s window of opportunity to reverse this trend is shrinking, but still open.” There were some bright spots. The level of Amazonian forest loss fell in both Brazil and Colombia. And nations gathered for the annual United Nations conference on biodiversity agreed to give Indigenous peoples more say in nature conservation decisions. “If the Amazon rainforest is to avoid the tipping point, Indigenous people will have been a determinant factor,” Miller said. Wildfires and extreme drought Forest loss in Brazil’s Amazon — home to the largest swath of this rainforest — dropped 30.6% compared to the previous year, the lowest level of destruction in nine years. The improvement under leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva contrasted with deforestation that hit a 15-year high under Lula’s predecessor, far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro, who prioritized agribusiness expansion over forest protection and weakened environmental agencies. In July, Colombia reported historic lows in deforestation in 2023, driven by a drop in environmental destruction. The country’s environment minister Susana Muhamad warned that 2024’s figures may not be as promising as a significant rise in deforestation had already been recorded by July due to dry weather caused by El Nino, a weather phenomenon that warms the central Pacific. Illegal economies continue to drive deforestation in the Andean nation. “It’s impossible to overlook the threat posed by organized crime and the economies they control to Amazon conservation,” said Bram Ebus, a consultant for Crisis Group in Latin America. “Illegal gold mining is expanding rapidly, driven by soaring global prices, and the revenues of illicit economies often surpass state budgets allocated to combat them.” In Brazil, large swaths of the rainforest were draped in smoke in August from fires raging across the Amazon, Cerrado savannah, Pantanal wetland and the state of Sao Paulo. Fires are traditionally used for deforestation and for managing pastures, and those man-made blazes were largely responsible for igniting the wildfires. For a second year, the Amazon River fell to desperate lows , leading some countries to declare a state of emergency and distribute food and water to struggling residents. The situation was most critical in Brazil, where one of the Amazon River’s main tributaries dropped to its lowest level ever recorded. Cesar Ipenza, an environmental lawyer who lives in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon, said he believes people are becoming increasingly aware of the Amazon’s fundamental role “for the survival of society as a whole.” But, like Miller, he worries about a “point of no return of Amazon destruction.” It was the worst year for Amazon fires since 2005, according to nonprofit Rainforest Foundation US. Between January and October, an area larger than the state of Iowa — 37.42 million acres, or about 15.1 million hectares of Brazil’s Amazon — burned. Bolivia had a record number of fires in the first ten months of the year. “Forest fires have become a constant, especially in the summer months and require particular attention from the authorities who don’t how to deal with or respond to them,” Ipenza said. Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Guyana also saw a surge in fires this year. Indigenous voices and rights made headway in 2024 The United Nations conference on biodiversity — this year known as COP16 — was hosted by Colombia. The meetings put the Amazon in the spotlight and a historic agreement was made to give Indigenous groups more of a voice on nature conservation decisions , a development that builds on a growing movement to recognize Indigenous people’s role in protecting land and combating climate change. Both Ebus and Miller saw promise in the appointment of Martin von Hildebrand as the new secretary general for the Amazon Treaty Cooperation Organization, announced during COP16. “As an expert on Amazon communities, he will need to align governments for joint conservation efforts. If the political will is there, international backers will step forward to finance new strategies to protect the world’s largest tropical rainforest,” Ebus said. Ebus said Amazon countries need to cooperate more, whether in law enforcement, deploying joint emergency teams to combat forest fires, or providing health care in remote Amazon borderlands. But they need help from the wider world, he said. “The well-being of the Amazon is a shared global responsibility, as consumer demand worldwide fuels the trade in commodities that finance violence and environmental destruction,” he said. Next year marks a critical moment for the Amazon, as Belém do Pará in northern Brazil hosts the first United Nations COP in the region that will focus on climate. “Leaders from Amazon countries have a chance to showcase strategies and demand tangible support,” Ebus said. ___ The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org .Lampkin, Freeman power Syracuse past Bucknell, 75-63 in final nonconference tune-up
MONTREAL — A childhood friend of the Quebec man killed in a Florida boat explosion Monday said one of the victim’s sisters was among the other six passengers injured in the blast. Thi Cam Nhung Lê said 41-year-old Sebastien Gauthier was celebrating the holidays with his family when the explosion occurred in Fort Lauderdale. Lê said Gauthier’s older sister was also on the boat when it erupted into flames, and she was taken to a hospital. “It’s unimaginable, incomprehensible,” Lê said Saturday, adding that Gauthier’s family and mutual friends informed her about his death. Lê, 40, said she first met Gauthier in her early adolescence and they grew up together in Quebec City. She remembers him as a globetrotter who always had a smile on his face. “He’s still my best friend. It’s always him I call if I need something, but he’s no longer with us,” she said. The last time the two friends saw each other face-to-face was about two years ago, Lê said, but she last messaged Gauthier on social media in the days before Monday’s explosion. And on Jan. 1, her birthday, she would have expected a call from him, just like every year. “I’m shocked, surprised, and feeling a little bit of regret,” she said. “You regret not having seen him more. I spent yesterday crying. You can’t believe your friend disappears from one day to the next.” Earlier this week, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission confirmed that Gauthier died of his injuries in Broward County. The FWC said its preliminary investigation in Fort Lauderdale showed a 37-foot vessel exploded after its engines were started, injuring all seven passengers on board. Video posted on social media Monday showed the vessel engulfed in flames, with a thick column of black smoke billowing into the sky. However, Florida authorities have not provided The Canadian Press with more information about the investigation. Searching for an explanation has also left Lê angry. As she mourns the loss of her longtime friend, she said she’s still waiting for answers about what led to his unexpected death. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 28, 2024. Joe Bongiorno, The Canadian Press
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NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 30 – Tech firm Zoho has entered into a strategic partnership with the Kenya Network Information Centre (KeNIC), the registry managing Kenya’s .ke domains, to offer enhanced value to local businesses. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp Under the agreement, Zoho will provide wallet credits worth KSh 50,000 to individuals or organizations owning or purchasing a .ke domain, whether directly from KeNIC or through its registrars. The partnership also includes training programs to help .ke domain users leverage cloud technology for accelerated growth. Zoho Kenya Country Head Veerakumar Natarajan said the initiative supports Kenya’s push towards a digital-first economy by empowering local businesses to embrace digital transformation and e-commerce. “This initiative aligns with Zoho’s commitment to serve local communities as part of its transnational localism strategy of being locally rooted while staying globally connected,” he said. Andrew Lewela Mwanyota, CEO of KeNIC, emphasized that Zoho’s comprehensive portfolio will enable businesses to kickstart their digital journeys, harness automation, and gain real-time access to critical business data. “Through our partnership with Zoho, we provide access to over 55 products designed to meet virtually every business need, streamlining processes across departments on a unified platform,” Mwanyota said. Users of .ke domains will be able to utilize Zoho Wallet Credits to purchase Zoho’s suite of products, including Zoho One, an integrated platform of over 50 apps, and Zoho Workplace, a collaboration and productivity platform. Built on a unified technology stack, Zoho applications ensure seamless integration and data flow between tools, enhancing operational efficiency. Zoho also owns and operates its own data centers, ensuring robust customer data privacy and security, with all products offered at locally adapted pricing. This collaboration aims to bolster Kenyan businesses in their digital transformation journeys, driving growth and competitiveness. 0 SHARES Share TweetUpcoming smartphones launching in India in December 2024: OnePlus 13, Vivo X200 Series, and moreLongtime Tesla investor Ross Gerber on why Musk's ties to Trump might not boost the EV maker