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Rangers return from break desperate for turnaround, face LightningWASHINGTON — When Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, the businesspeople whom President-elect Donald Trump tapped to lead his new Department of Government Efficiency, met with lawmakers in early December, they laid out their plans for cutting federal spending and eliminating waste. Less than two weeks later, they helped topple a 1,500-page spending bill and brought the federal government to the brink of a shutdown over objections to the billions of dollars of so-called pork spending in the legislation. But the streamlined package that lawmakers ultimately passed failed to offer spending restraint. During the negotiations, Trump even called for abolishing the nation’s statutory debt limit, which Republicans have long used as a tool for forcing painful budget cuts. The frenzy demonstrated the clout Musk and Ramaswamy have as they establish their new waste-cutting enterprise. But the outcome also underscored the limits the initiative will face as it tries to curb spending. In recent decades, the federal government has become increasingly sprawling and Congress has become more fractious, making it difficult to put a dent in a national debt that has topped $36 trillion. In under a month, Trump will assume the presidential megaphone with Musk and Ramaswamy as his spending enforcers. But budget experts see little hope that the three will be able to meaningfully shift the nation’s fiscal trajectory. The Congressional Budget Office projects that the national debt will reach 166% of gross domestic product by 2054, up from about 99% of GDP at the end of 2024. “They have no authorities whatsoever,” said Douglas Holtz-Eakin, who served as chief economist in President George W. Bush’s Council of Economic Advisers. “They don’t control the scope of government. They don’t control the size of government.” Holtz-Eakin, who also served as the director of the Congressional Budget Office, noted that Congress has the power of the purse and suggested that the Department of Government Efficiency would be little more than a think tank. “They have the bully pulpit, but that’s truly it,” he said. Musk and Ramaswamy have said that they want to cut $2 trillion of federal spending over an unspecified period of time by shrinking government agencies and eliminating fraud and waste. That is nearly the size of the 2024 fiscal year deficit alone and just a sliver of the $20 trillion that the U.S. is projected to borrow over the next decade. House Republican leaders have floated a pledge to cut $2.5 trillion in “mandatory” spending, which typically goes toward programs such as Medicaid and food stamps, and to raise the debt limit in separate legislation next year. The United States spent $6.7 trillion in 2024, including more than $800 billion on the military. But the bulk of the country’s spending comes from mandatory programs including Social Security and Medicare, along with soaring interest expenses. Those costs are expected to continue rising as the population ages and more people begin claiming retirement and health care benefits. Trump has pledged not to cut entitlement programs, and Republicans are loath to slash military spending. That leaves scant space to scale back the biggest drivers of the debt. “While it’s good to improve the efficiency and effectiveness, to the extent that you are not focusing on the 50% of the federal spending, which is entitlement programs, you’re not really going to make a big dent in our debt and deficits,” said William Hoagland, a senior vice president at the Bipartisan Policy Center. Hoagland recalled that fiscal commissions had been tried before and often with only limited success. In 1982, for instance, President Ronald Reagan created the Grace Commission, in which a group of business leaders were asked to work like “tireless bloodhounds” to root out inefficiency. Most of the group’s recommendations never came to fruition, however, because Congress would have been required to change laws. A slew of fiscal reform commissions have been formed and disbanded over the past 40 years as the national debt as a share of the economy has only continued to grow. The United States has not had an annual budget surplus since 2001. The Department of Government Efficiency is not an official government agency and will have no formal power to cut federal spending. The group intends to work with lawmakers in Congress and the Office of Management and Budget to look for federal rules that can be changed to reduce spending. Trump has also discussed “impounding” funds that were allocated by Congress for certain programs and redirecting the money to pay down debt. And Musk and Ramaswamy have been combing through Government Accountability Office reports as they seek out parts of the government that they believe are mismanaging taxpayer money. Groups that promote fiscal restraint such as the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget have suggested as much as $700 billion of deficit reduction measures, but many of them would be politically arduous to enact. Some of the policies of Trump and Republicans are at odds with the public mantra of belt tightening and eliminating fraud. The president-elect has made clear that he wants to weaken the enforcement powers of the IRS, which would make it harder for the agency to track down tax evaders and to efficiently collect tax revenue. Rescinding more of the $80 billion the IRS was allocated in 2022 to crack down on tax cheats and modernize technology is projected to add to deficits. As lawmakers talk about spending cuts and deficit reduction, they are preparing an expansion of the 2017 tax cuts that could cost more than $4 trillion over a decade. That would far surpass the $2.5 trillion of spending cuts that House Republicans pledged during the latest spending fight to enact early next year. “I do worry that they’re going to talk about government efficiency and trying to lower spending and then use that money to pay for things like tax cuts,” said Keith Hall, who served as director of the Congressional Budget Office from 2015 to 2019. Despite Trump’s recent interest in shrinking government, the self-described “king of debt” has not shown a propensity for fiscal restraint. The national debt grew by nearly $8 trillion during Trump’s first term as a result of tax cuts and increased government spending, including two rounds of pandemic aid. In 2018, Trump called for a return to earmarks, the practice of stealthily stuffing funding for pet projects into legislation, to help ease gridlock in Congress. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimated that his policies could add as much as $15 trillion to the debt over a decade. During the most recent spending fight, Trump broke with conservative orthodoxy on the debt limit. The borrowing cap has long been a prized source of leverage for Republicans to exact spending cuts from Democrats, but Trump urged his party to suspend the cap beyond his term or do away with it entirely. “For years Congress, and everyone else, wanted to terminate ‘the Debt Ceiling,’ and this is the time to do so!” Trump wrote on social media. Fiscal hawk Republicans rebuffed that idea this time, but Trump could in the future try to work with Democrats, who have for years called for abolishing the debt limit, to eliminate it. Bharat Ramamurti, who was deputy director of the National Economic Council in the Biden administration, said the outcome of the fiscal showdown showed that Musk and Ramaswamy would have minimal influence to force Congress to spend less. The changes that they helped impose on the legislation, he added, did not actually lower its cost. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you see largely a repeat of Trump Term 1, where at the end of the day, it’s a bunch of spending increases, tax cuts and a large increase to the debt,” Ramamurti said.RACINE, Wis. — Former Wisconsin State Sen. George Petak, known for his pivotal role in securing funding for Miller Park, died peacefully in his sleep early on Christmas Eve, his family announced in a Facebook post. He was 75. Petak made headlines nearly 30 years ago when he changed his vote on Oct. 6, 1995, to approve a bill funding the construction of Miller Park, now known as American Family Field, ensuring the Milwaukee Brewers would remain in Wisconsin. Initially promising to vote against the measure, Petak flipped his vote to a yes, citing the broader benefits for the state. The decision imposed a sales tax on five counties, including his home in Racine County, and ultimately cost him his seat in a recall election nine months later. MILWAUKEE, WI - APRIL 04: Milwaukee Brewers fans file into Miller Park Before the game between the San Francisco Giants and the Milwaukee Brewers on Opening Day at Miller Park on April 04, 2016 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Mike McGinnis/Getty Images) “I felt that back then it was the right thing to do,” Petak told TMJ4 News in 2018, reflecting on the vote 23 years later. “At the time of the vote in early October, I didn’t anticipate a recall election based on that, although I knew it was a very contentious issue.” Petak represented Wisconsin’s 21st Senate District from 1991 to 1996. His son, Brian Petak, shared a heartfelt tribute on social media, thanking the community for their prayers and support and noting a significant milestone in his father’s life. “Today is the 53rd anniversary of Dad surrendering his life to Jesus on Christmas Eve 1971,” Brian wrote. “He went home to be with Him on Christmas Eve 2024. I think God enjoys sweet timing like this, and we all now believe Dad wanted this timing as well.” Gov. Tony Evers also issued a statement honoring Petak’s life and legacy. “Kathy and I join the people of Wisconsin in mourning the loss of Sen. Petak today,” Evers said. “Sen. Petak was a man of faith, courage, and principle. He truly had a servant’s heart, always leading with empathy and integrity to give back and do more for others. We extend our deepest sympathies to his wife, children, loved ones, and the many lives he touched.” Details about a memorial service have not yet been announced. It’s about time to watch on your time. 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4 Promising Cryptos for the New Year: Build a Portfolio That Stands Out in 2025Eighty-eight years ago, in 1936, the nation was mired in the Great Depression, then in its seventh year. Yet Nov. 26, Thanksgiving Day, arrived with growing optimism and a feeling of hopefulness among many Americans. The economic outlook was finally, slowly getting better in places like Bloomington-Normal, especially when compared to the darkest days of the Depression. After all, four years earlier dozens of area banks collapsed, and things were so bad that Illinois Wesleyan University accepted farm produce in lieu of tuition. That year, 1932, saw the election of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, whose first-term New Deal relief programs provided jobs for millions of unemployed Americans. A little more than three weeks before Thanksgiving 1936, FDR trounced Republican challenger Alfred M. “Alf” Landon to earn a second term in the White House. By this time several of Roosevelt’s New Deal “alphabet agencies” had a heavy presence in McLean County. For example, around 2,000 Work Projects Administration employees in the county were given the Nov. 26 holiday off —though M.L. Houser, McLean County WPA supervisor, noted that the lost time would be made up later. Okay, enough with economics and politics and onto more important things —like the 1936 Thanksgiving turkey! At this time, “mom-and-pop” corner groceries were still found in every neighborhood in the Twin Cities, though regional and national chains were beginning to make significant inroads. By Thanksgiving 1936 there were eight Piggly Wiggly grocery stores in Bloomington-Normal selling “scientifically fed and fattened” Cimco Farm turkeys for 27 cents a pound. Twenty-seven cents a pound may sound like one heck of a bargain to us today, but it’s actually the equivalent of $6.09 in inflation-adjusted 2024 dollars, since $1 in 1936 would be worth around $22.55 today, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2024, the American Farm Bureau Federation says a 16-pound turkey costs $25.67, on average, or about $1.60 a pound. In other words, today’s turkey cost about one fourth of one carved and served in 1936. Seeger’s Groceries and Meats, located at the corner of Morris Avenue and Jackson Street (and one of no less than 110 local Twin City groceries in 1936), sold fancy, northern U.S. No. 1 prime turkey for 29 cents a pound, and fresh oysters for 25 cents a pint. Although department stores and other retail outlets did not open their doors for pre-“Black Friday” sales, plenty of restaurants and other businesses were open and crowded with local residents and visiting friends and family. Billing itself as “Bloomington’s finest restaurant,” the Green Mill Cafe, 212 W. Washington St., offered an expansive Thanksgiving Day dinner for 65 cents. The menu included chicken gumbo or okra soup, roast young tom turkey with chestnut dressing, baked Watertown goose, chicken fricassee, broiled lamb chops, homemade hot mince pie, burnt almond ice cream, and other delectables. For many Americans in 1936, Thanksgiving Day also meant attending a worship service. At Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Bloomington, three young out-of-town priests, Raymond Schueth, Edmund Sweeney and Leo F. Dee — all former members of the parish — conducted Thanksgiving Mass. Trinity Lutheran Church in the old German South Hill neighborhood held both German-language and English-language services. Traditionally, the Community Thanksgiving, a nondenominational service sponsored in part by the Bloomington and Normal Ministerial Association, served as the main public observance. The annual program emphasized the holiday “as an American tradition, shared equally by persons of all creeds and races.” The 1936 Community Thanksgiving was held at Second Presbyterian Church in downtown Bloomington. The program, attended by some 700 area residents and guests, included music by the 50-strong Philharmonic Society chorus, with Cliffine Ball as soloist. The featured speaker was Burris A. Jenkins, a progressive Disciples of Christ minister from Kansas City, Mo. His address, “Let’s Build a New World,” included a 17-point social justice program infused with the optimism and lofty goals of the New Deal. Jenkins called for less emphasis on profit and more on “creative and cooperative living”; the distribution of wealth to reduce inequality; the right of workers to unionize; “tolerance and justice between racial and religious groups”; and “repudiation of war, the construction of peace machinery and gradual disarmament.” Much like today, football was an integral part of Thanksgiving for many Americans, though back in 1936 several local teams were in on the action. There were 1,500 hardy fans at Bloomington High School’s athletic field to watch the hometown boys battle the visitors from University High to a 6-6 tie. “U High’s hopes for a clear-cut victory went glimmering in the closing minutes of the game when Johnny Blum missed a field goal from the 15 yard line,” reported The Pantagraph. Though this “frigid melee” ended in deadlock, Bloomington retained possession of the Wollrab trophy, given annually to the intercity gridiron champs. And the Illinois Wesleyan University Titans, Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champions, were in Ruston, La., pitted against Louisiana Polytechnic Institute (now Louisiana Tech University). Unfortunately, the Yankee visitors fell 12-0 before 6,000 spectators at the “Tech Bowl.” Billy Shelper’s Home Sweet Home City Rescue Mission, then located in the 200 block of South Main Street, served Thanksgiving meals to more than 600 adults and children. “In shifts of 200 each,” reported The Pantagraph, “they feasted on young turkey, roast beef, baked chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, peas, noodles, cranberries, ice cream, cake, cookies, candy and several kinds of bread — and sauces.” Meanwhile, over at the McLean County jail some 35 inmates enjoyed a dinner of fried chicken and all the fixings. “The number of prisoners, reduced just before the holiday, is expected to increase Friday as it does after every holiday,” noted The Pantagraph. That’s true, because in addition to turkey, church and football, this American holiday has long been associated with liquor, both its use and abuse. And indeed, in 1936 10 “Turkey Day tipplers” were arrested for drunken and disorderly conduct. One west-side resident charged with drunken driving plowed into four parked autos on the 1300 block of North Lee Street. Takesha Stokes talks about the Thanksgiving food giveaway at Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church. The 98th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade coverage is slated from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. EST Thursday, Nov. 28. This year's event will feature 28 clown crews, 26 floats, 16 giant balloons, 11 marching bands, five performance groups, three "baloonicles"—cold-air inflatables driven down the parade route, and numerous performers. Stacker curated a selection of photographs from the past century of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade to help illustrate the history of the iconic event. The parade in New York City, presented by department store chain Macy's, was first held in 1924 under the heading "Macy's Christmas Parade" to promote holiday sales and spotlight the newly expanded and, at the time, largest in the world Herald Square store in Manhattan. The success of the event led organizers to turn the spectacle into an annual tradition. Each year, the parade ends outside the same Herald Square Macy's location. The event has been televised nationally since 1953 on NBC. The parade at first featured Central Park Zoo animals escorted by Macy's employees and professional entertainers for 6 miles from 145th Street in north Manhattan's Harlem to Macy's. A quarter of a million onlookers lined the streets. Real animals were replaced with balloons in 1927; that same year, the name of the event was changed to Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The longest-running parade float is the event's unofficial mascot, Tom Turkey. Tom features moving wings, head, and eyes and usually functions as the lead float in the parade. Bringing up the caboose in virtually all the parades is Santa Claus who ushers in the holiday shopping season with his arrival at Macy's Herald Square. The parade offers a glimpse into pop culture of the time, from beloved children's entertainment to hit Broadway shows and musical acts. The Radio City Rockettes, formed in 1925, have performed in the parade annually since 1957. In 1933, the outside temperature was 69 degrees F, the warmest it's been; 2018 was the coldest day in parade history at 19 degrees F. In 2022, for the first time, the event featured a trio of women hosts. Today, more than 44 million people tune in to watch the parade. Keep reading to learn more about the parade's history and see some iconic shots of the event. You may also like: Game on: The booming growth of online gaming In Macy's first Thanksgiving parade, Santa Claus sat atop a float pulled by a team of horses down Broadway. That year floats, bands, and Central Park Zoo animals were featured in the procession. At the parade's end, Santa Claus was crowned "King of the Kiddies" on Macy's balcony at the 34th Street entrance. Macy's quickly announced the parade would be an annual event. The large balloons that replaced live zoo animals in 1927 were filled with regular air and had no release valves—they were simply let go to pop in the air following the parade. 1928 marked the first year of Macy's inflating balloons with helium to allow them to float. They were also outfitted with valves so the helium could gradually escape rather than waiting for the balloon to inevitably pop, and featured a return address so anyone who found them could return them and receive a reward. In this photo from 1928, a 35-foot fish and 60-foot-long tiger were featured prominently in the parade. A $100 prize was offered for each balloon recovered after its release. The Thanksgiving parade enjoyed rapid growth throughout the 1930s, with more than 1 million revelors lining the parade route in 1933. In this 1931 photo, a giant hippopotamus balloon makes its way down Broadway. A blue hippo balloon—possibly this one—released after the parade was still at large several days later, thought to be somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean. In this image, the Felix the Cat balloon is led down Broadway by its four handlers tailed by Terrible Turk and Willie Red Bird. The original Felix the Cat character balloon made its parade debut in 1927, but was destroyed after its post-parade release by a high tension wire in 1931. The Terrible Turk also was destroyed the same year by an electric sign. In 1932, Macy's Tom Cat balloon got stuck in the propeller of a plane when the aviator flying the plane tried recovering the balloon for a reward. While the plane eventually landed safely, that event marked the final year of releasing balloons after the parades and offering prizes for their return to Macy's. Pinnochio, Tin Man, and Uncle Sam make their way along the parade route in 1939. Mickey Mouse made his debut five years earlier with a balloon designed in part by Walt Disney; Mickey's handlers were also dressed as mice. New iterations of Mickey appeared over the next 70 years as the character evolved. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was canceled from 1942-1944 because of supply shortages during World War II, namely helium and rubber. Festivities returned in 1945. The Christmas classic "Miracle on 34th Street" was released in 1947 and prominently features actual footage from the 1946 parade. 1948 marked the parade's first network television broadcast. You may also like: Legendary interior designers from every decade of the 20th century Macy's original character The Giant Spaceman made his debut in 1952's parade, measuring 70 feet long and 40 feet wide and weighing 600 pounds. More than 25 gallons of paint went into painting the astronaut. An estimated 2.25 million people lined the streets for the festivities that year. Throngs of onlookers pack the sidewalks in Manhattan's Times Square during this 1955 parade. Mighty Mouse, an animated superhero created by Terrytoons, is seen in the back left of the photo. Mighty Mouse made his debut in the Thanksgiving Day parade in 1951; he appeared in 80 short films between 1942-1961. Popeye makes his way through Times Square in the 1959 parade. A year earlier, another helium shortage meant balloons were inflated with air and hung from construction cranes to make their way through the parade route. Also in 1958, the first celebrity performances were added with the Benny Goodman sextet. Live music proved a challenge technically and logistically. The parade was transitioning to the now-familiar lip syncing by 1964. The iconic peacock float makes its debut in this photo of the 1961 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. That same year, Miss Teenage America Diane Lynn Cox appeared in princess attire sharing a float with "Prince Charming" actor Troy Donahue. You may also like: Baltimore buried its urban streams—now an artist is bringing one back Teen performers appear in classic roller skates in this image from the 1961 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The sign above the skaters reads "Macy's presents A Fantasy of Christmas in New York." This 1961 photo shows shoulder-to-shoulder parade onlookers at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The year marks the first balloon featuring Bullwinkle Moose and the first year for floats with Pinocchio, The Racetrack Grandstand, Cinderella, Peacock, Ferris Wheel, Brigadoon, Meet the Mets, and Santa's Sleigh. Several years later, in 1968, Macy's creative team figured out how to design floats up to 40 feet tall and 28 feet wide that could fold into 12.5-by-8-foot boxes for strategic transportation from New Jersey to Manhattan via the Lincoln Tunnel. A Bullwinkle Moose balloon floats down Broadway in this 1972 photograph of the parade. The 46th annual parade featured five firsts for floats: Alphabet Blocks, Snow Mountain, Windmill, Curious George, and Santa's Holiday Home. A solo tortoise float makes its way down the street near Columbus Circle in this 1974 parade photo. Not pictured is the accompanying hare. This marked the seventh appearance of the duo. A giant inflatable balloon of Kermit the Frog makes its way down the 1982 parade route in this photo. The parade marked Kermit's sixth appearance. First-time balloons included Olive Oyl and Woody Woodpecker. You may also like: Far from making their last calls, LGBTQ+ bars evolve to imagine a new world Woody Woodpecker greets the crowd as he floats past One Times Square during the 63rd annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1989. In the coming years, safety concerns troubled '90s-era parades—namely the wind. Strong gusts in 1993 pushed a Sonic the Hedgehog balloon into a Columbus Circle lamppost that broke and hurt a child and off-duty police officer. Four years later, intense winds caused a Cat in the Hat balloon to hit a lamppost, hurling debris into the air that fractured the skull of a spectator who spent 24 days in a coma. The incident, among others, led then-New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani to form a task force. The Soaring Spirit Canoe float, pictured here in 1995, made its debut in the parade in 1986. Popular '90s balloons included Bart Simpson, Cat in the Hat, and The Rugrats. New York City first responders carry two American flags during the Nov. 22, 2001, 75th Anniversary of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which was also held on the heels of 9/11. They honored those killed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that year. New Yorkers crowded the streets to watch the parade, which featured 15 giant balloons and marching bands that all added an air of patriotism to the event. Dora the Explorer makes her balloon debut in this 2005 photo. That same year, the M&M 's chocolate candies balloon collided with a streetlight in Times Square, and debris from it injured two siblings. A woman dressed in an elf costume sprinkles spectators with confetti in Times Square during Macy's 85th Thanksgiving Day parade on Nov. 24, 2011. Sonic the Hedgehog and Julius the sock monkey, which was created by Paul Frank, made their balloon entrances that year. You may also like: 5 tips for making your next event more affordable In this 2016 photo, spectators like this one recorded videos of the parade on their phones. More than 24 million people were estimated to have streamed the parade that year on TV. Santa Claus celebrates at the 97th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in this photo from Nov. 23, 2023. First-time giant balloons included Beagle Scout Snoopy, Leo (Netflix), Monkey D. Luffy, Po from "Kung Fu Panda," and The Pillsbury Doughboy. Copy editing by Lois Hince. You may also like: From the Roman Empire to your therapist's office: The history of the chaise lounge The 23rd annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was held Nov. 24, 1949. In this photo, a teddy bear makes its way through Times Square. This parade marked the second appearance for the bear. Other balloons made their debut: Freida the Dachshund, Howdy Doody on the Flying Trapeze, and Macy's Hobo Clown. Snoopy and Woodstock made their way along the 89th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade route Nov. 26, 2015. To date, Snoopy boasts the most years flown as a character balloon in the event. The Pikachu balloon floats down Central Park West for its fourth time during the 91st annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2017. That year's lineup featured 1,100 cheerleaders and dancers, more than 1,000 clowns, 28 legacy balloons, 26 floats, 17 giant helium balloons, 12 marching bands, and six performance groups. Performers in this photo prepare at the 94th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 26, 2020. The event was one of few public occasions to be kept on schedule during the COVID-19 pandemic, albeit in a tempered manner. Much of the performances were pre-taped and the parade route was massively reduced. Participants wore masks and balloon handlers were cut by nearly 90%. Pieces From Our Past is a weekly column by the McLean County Museum of History. Bill Kemp is the librarian at the museum. Dive into hometown history With a weekly newsletter looking back at local history. Digital Producer {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.

'Economic stability depends on peace, harmony'The request came as TikTok and the Biden administration filed opposing briefs to the court, in which the company argued the court should strike down a law that could ban the platform by January 19 while the government emphasised its position that the statute is needed to eliminate a national security risk. “President Trump takes no position on the underlying merits of this dispute. Instead, he respectfully requests that the court consider staying the Act’s deadline for divestment of January 19 2025, while it considers the merits of this case,” said Mr Trump’s amicus brief, which supported neither party in the case. The filings come ahead of oral arguments scheduled for January 10 on whether the law, which requires TikTok to divest from its China-based parent company or face a ban, unlawfully restricts speech in violation of the First Amendment. Earlier this month, a panel of three federal judges on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit unanimously upheld the statute, leading TikTok to appeal to the Supreme Court. The brief from Mr Trump said he opposes banning TikTok at this junction and “seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office”.

By HALELUYA HADERO, Associated Press President-elect Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court on Friday to pause the potential TikTok ban from going into effect until his administration can pursue a “political resolution” to the issue. The request came as TikTok and the Biden administration filed opposing briefs to the court, in which the company argued the court should strike down a law that could ban the platform by Jan. 19 while the government emphasized its position that the statute is needed to eliminate a national security risk. “President Trump takes no position on the underlying merits of this dispute. Instead, he respectfully requests that the Court consider staying the Act’s deadline for divestment of January 19, 2025, while it considers the merits of this case,” said Trump’s amicus brief, which supported neither party in the case. The filings come ahead of oral arguments scheduled for Jan. 10 on whether the law, which requires TikTok to divest from its China-based parent company or face a ban, unlawfully restricts speech in violation of the First Amendment. Earlier this month, a panel of three federal judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit unanimously upheld the statute , leading TikTok to appeal the case to the Supreme Court. The brief from Trump said he opposes banning TikTok at this junction and “seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office.”CM Omar Abdullah urges officials to take swift action to restore essential services in J&K

A top hedge fund manager who once likened China 's human rights abuses to being a "strict parent" sits on the board of an NGO whose goal is to advance the priorities of the Chinese Communist Party. Ray Dalio, a self-described moderate who has been critical of Democrats and Republicans, sits alongside several Chinese businessmen with ties to the CCP on the board of the China Global Philanthropy Institute. CGPI, which has received accolades from the Chinese government for its work, conducts research and educates professionals intending to help the CCP achieve its goals in the realm of civil society. Ma Weihua, the chairman of the organization’s board of directors, previously served in China’s National People’s Congress and was a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, a government body which describes itself as “a major achievement of the Communist Party of China” that exists to integrate “Marxist-Leninist theories on the united front, political parties, and democratic politics with the unique realities and fine traditional culture of China.” Dalio sits alongside Ma and a number of others with links to the Chinese government on CGPI’s board of directors. Trustee Shen Xuxin is also a member of the CPCC, board supervisor Liu Jing held leadership roles in the Chinese government before joining the CGPI, and trustee Lei Yongsheng is the chief supervisor of the China Charity Alliance, an organization led by China’s minister of civil affairs that undertakes tasks “assigned by the government.” Wang Zhenyao, the founding president of the CGPI and the man who convinced Dalio to co-found the NGO, served as the director of China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs before embarking on transforming Chinese philanthropy. Dalio has landed himself in hot water for his comments on China’s approach to human rights. In 2021, Dalio likened China to a "strict parent" when discussing the disappearances of political dissidents in the country, sparking backlash. He later walked these comments back, saying that he "sloppily answered a question” and affirming his commitment to human rights. Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT), who also has a background in finance, has criticized Dalio for his activities in China. “Ray Dalio is brilliant and a friend, but his feigned ignorance of China’s horrific abuses and rationalization of complicit investments, there is a sad moral lapse,” the senator wrote in 2021. “Tragically, it is shared by far too many here and throughout the free world.” In addition to being led by former members of the Chinese government, CGPI has also won the praise of the Chinese government for its operations, with the Ministry of Civil Affairs granting it an award for its research on public services. More than 20 individuals trained by CGPI received awards at the state-run China Charity Awards in 2021. The admiration goes both ways as Ma, the CGPI chairman, praised the CCP in 2019 for making “historic progress in its fight against poverty.” The warm relationship between CGPI and the CCP is reflected in the organization’s operations. CGPI is a proponent of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, a state-funded global infrastructure investment project that critics argue is being used by China to build political influence in foreign nations. “With the wisdom and responsibility of a great power, China is strengthening international cooperation and promoting exchange and integration of economy and culture of the Belt and Road countries with win-win cooperation,” a 2019 press release reads , describing the infrastructure program. “CGPI is willing to provide academic support for the ‘Belt and Road’ World Charity Journey, jointly contribute to Belt and Road construction, and contribute to the development of philanthropy in China and the world.” CGPI believes in “integrating charity into the Belt and Road Initiative” to help "guarantee" its success in part by encouraging “private foundations to take part in and contribute to the initiative.” In 2019, the organization signed a memorandum of understanding with Italian philanthropists to commemorate Italy’s entrance into the global infrastructure program. It was joined by the China Development Research Foundation in signing the memorandum. The China Development Research Foundation operates under the State Council, which is the “executive body of the supreme organ of state power,” according to the National People’s Congress. The Dalio Foundation granted nearly $6 million to the state-run research foundation between 2018 and 2023, according to tax forms. The Government Accountability Office, the U.S. federal government’s official watchdog agency, worries that China is using the Belt and Road Initiative to purchase influence in the developing world by shackling nations with infrastructure debt, according to a report released in October. CGPI launched a “Global Climate Action” initiative alongside the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2018. The State Council oversees the Chinese Academy of Sciences , and its president, a member of the CCP, wrote that the agency “will be guided by Xi Jinping’s thoughts on socialism with Chinese characteristics for [a] new era.” Among the initiative’s goals were building a “green” Belt and Road Initiative. Aside from lending his name and labor to CGPI, Dalio also donates a considerable amount of wealth to the organization. The Dalio Foundation has donated about $2.2 million to the NGO since 2018, according to the most recently available tax forms. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, who helped Dalio found CGPI, himself directs millions of dollars into the arms of the Chinese government and organizations that collaborate with the Chinese military through the Gate Foundation. Robert Rosen, the director of philanthropic partnerships at the Gates Foundation, also sits on CGPI’s board of directors. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Politically, Dalio positions himself as a moderate. He has called the Republican Party “unethical” and “almost fascist” while lambasting Democrats for being “untruthful and enigmatic.” “What the country needs is the moderates coming together to be able to work together and make great reform,” Dalio said in September, criticizing both Vice President Kamala Harris and President-elect Donald Trump. “What the country needs is broad-based prosperity.” Trump and Harris were both critical of China on the campaign trail, often accusing each other of being too weak on the CCP. CGPI and the Dalio Foundation did not respond to the Washington Examiner’s requests for comment.

Ensuring your retirement is happy, healthy and fulfillingCLEVELAND, Ohio — Left-hander Sam Hentges, who will miss the 2025 season, avoided arbitration Friday by agreeing to a one-year deal with the Guardians wokrth $1,377,500. The Guardians, as of Thursday, had seven players eligible for arbitration who had to be offered contracts by Friday’s 8 p.m. deadline. If not, they could become free agents. More Guardians coverage Are the Guardians betting on a bounce-back season for Triston McKenzie in 2025? (Podcast) Guardians hire first female MLB coach for front office position Triston McKenzie, coming off poor 2024 season, signs one-year deal to avoid arbitration Who are The 40 Most Influential People in Cleveland Sports when it comes to fan happiness? See our list and how we ranked them. Hentges, along with Triston McKenzie , have agreed to one-year deals. McKenzie signed for $1.95 million on Thursday. The 2024 season was a tough one of Hentges. He opened the year on the injured list with a injury to middle finger of his pitching hand. He didn’t rejoin the Guardians’ bullpen until May 6 only to have his season end on July 10 because of pain in his left shoulder. The 6-6, 245-pound Hentges eventually had surgery to repair damage to the capsurel and labrum of his left shyoulder. The surgery was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles on Sept. 18. The recovery time for Hentges is expected to be 14 to 19 months. Hentges, 28, was a fourth round pick of Cleveland’s in 2014. His best season came in 2022 when he went 3-2 with a 2.32 ERA in 57 games. He struck out 72 and walked 19 in 62 innings. The opposition hit .186 against him. In the 2022 postseason Hentges went 1-0 with a 2.84 ERA in three appearances against the Rays and Yankees. Josh Naylor, Steven Kwan, Lane Thomas, Nick Sandlin and Ben Lively were all eligible for arbitration.

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Goodbye Social Security checks in 2025 – Things have changed and you could be left without your $1,960 checkWASHINGTON — State Rep. Brian Harrison, a Republican, said Friday he plans to meet with top University of Texas System officials after they announced a plan to provide free tuition and waived fees to students whose families make $100,000 or less. While many elected officials have praised the initiative , Harrison criticized it as an “abuse of power” that makes Texas higher education “more socialist than California.” Harrison said Friday he’s unswayed by statements from the system and supporters who say the move will be funded from university endowments, not taxpayers. Harrison compared such statements to someone saying they’re removing water from the shallow side of a pool, not the deep end. It’s all the same water. “Money is fungible, so that doesn’t satisfy me in the slightest,” Harrison said. The new initiative is an expansion of the Promise Plus Program, a needs-based financial aid initiative, and comes amid widespread concerns about the effect of inflation and college costs on families. Gov. Greg Abbott recently prohibited Texas colleges and universities from raising tuition for the next two years. UT System Chancellor James B. Milliken hailed the expansion as a “game changer” that will make “enormous, real difference” to improve college access for all Texans. Not everyone is a fan. Harrison and like-minded House colleagues have compared it to President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan that drew intense blowback from conservatives and was largely struck down by the courts . They also said such a consequential change in policy should come from the elected lawmakers serving in the Legislature. “There must be consequences,” Harrison said on X . “UT’s budget must be cut, and bureaucrats should be fired.” He led 10 Republican lawmakers, most of them incoming freshmen, in a letter to the regents demanding answers to a litany of questions, including the price tag of the expansion and the source of that money. “What specific statutory authority did the regents rely on to make a decision this consequential, which will have direct financial consequences for our constituents, many of whom are already struggling to put gas in their tanks and food on their tables?” the lawmakers wrote. UT System spokesman Paul Corliss has said the program is not funded through taxes or any kind of public subsidy. “Rather it is funded through existing UT System endowments,” Corliss said. Rep. Donna Howard, a Democrat, hammered that point in a response to Harrison on social media. “There are no tax dollars involved,” Howard said on X . “Higher Ed institutions are already helping families afford college. This expands philanthropic endowments and helps meet affordability goals of (Abbott and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board).” Harrison and his colleagues will have to contend with many members of the public embracing a plan that already is encouraging young people to adjust their higher education aspirations. Frank Whitefeather, a high school senior, stayed up until 2:30 a.m. Friday working on his college application essay. He was freshly motivated after the announcement that students whose families make less than $100,000 annually will get free tuition and waived fees at the University of Texas, Austin and other schools in the UT System. “I wouldn’t be in debt,” said Whitefeather, 17. “I wouldn’t have to have student loans.” Whitefeather, who attends Dallas ISD’s Sunset High School, thinks the UT news also could change many of his peers’ lives. It’s already changing his plans. Whitefeather hopes to study engineering and be his own boss one day. Texas A&M and UT Austin were his top two choices, but the free tuition announcement has pushed UT ahead. Harrison said the university system is being contradictory by simultaneously saying it has enough money to offer tuition-free education, but also that a tuition freeze could leave it cash strapped and require more funding from the Legislature. “I guarantee you they’re going to be requesting more tax money from the Legislature next session,” he said. ©2024 The Dallas Morning News. Visit dallasnews.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Athos Salomé, a self-proclaimed paranormal expert and fortune teller, has stirred global attention with his latest prediction: World War III is imminent. Referred to by his supporters as the "New Nostradamus," Salomé asserts that he predicted significant global occurrences, such as the coronavirus pandemic, Elon Musk's purchase of X (previously Twitter), and the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. His most recent warning, however, is much more serious, indicating that the worst is still ahead. Salomé’s forecasts stem from his conviction that global security is currently encountering its most significant dangers. He considers cyber warfare a major issue, cautioning that it has intensified to rank as one of the "greatest dangers to international safety." As technology progresses quickly, he stresses that upcoming conflicts might not just encompass military personnel but also machines, which he thinks could fundamentally change the essence of warfare. During an interview, Salomé expressed concern about the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine, highlighting the significant deployment of advanced weaponry such as drones and supersonic missiles. These contemporary technologies have already taken tens of thousands of lives. He referred to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's remarks, claiming that Russia is ready to "defend itself by any means," indicating that advancements in military technology might intensify the ongoing conflict. Salomé emphasized the increasingly strained standoff reminiscent of the Cold War between the United States and China, pointing out rising worries about cyber espionage. Both countries have traded allegations of hacking and espionage, which Salomé thinks might lead to a disastrous cyberattack. An occurrence like this could incapacitate vital defense mechanisms and structures, resulting in a worldwide breakdown of military and communication systems. He contends that this might be the catalyst for a more extensive conflict. Another point of worry for Salomé is the South China Sea, which he anticipates will become the location of a "critical event." He asserts that an unidentified group might initiate a coordinated assault on space and maritime communication networks, which could interfere with the military activities of significant global powers. Such an act might result in chaos among superpowers, exacerbating global instability. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from World and around the world.