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WASHINGTON — Special counsel Jack Smith moved to abandon two criminal cases against Donald Trump on Monday, acknowledging that Trump’s return to the White House will preclude attempts to federally prosecute him for retaining classified documents or trying to overturn his 2020 election defeat. The decision was inevitable, since longstanding Justice Department policy says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. Yet it was still a momentous finale to an unprecedented chapter in political and law enforcement history, as federal officials attempted to hold accountable a former president while he was simultaneously running for another term. Trump emerges indisputably victorious, having successfully delayed the investigations through legal maneuvers and then winning re-election despite indictments that described his actions as a threat to the country's constitutional foundations. FILE - Special counsel Jack Smith speaks to the media about an indictment of former President Donald Trump, Aug. 1, 2023, at an office of the Department of Justice in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) “I persevered, against all odds, and WON," Trump exulted in a post on Truth Social, his social media website. He also said that “these cases, like all of the other cases I have been forced to go through, are empty and lawless, and should never have been brought.” The judge in the election case granted prosecutors' dismissal request. A decision in the documents case was still pending on Monday afternoon. The outcome makes it clear that, when it comes to a president and criminal accusations, nothing supersedes the voters' own verdict. In court filings, Smith's team emphasized that the move to end their prosecutions was not a reflection of the merit of the cases but a recognition of the legal shield that surrounds any commander in chief. “That prohibition is categorical and does not turn on the gravity of the crimes charged, the strength of the Government’s proof, or the merits of the prosecution, which the Government stands fully behind,” prosecutors said in one of their filings. They wrote that Trump’s return to the White House “sets at odds two fundamental and compelling national interests: on the one hand, the Constitution’s requirement that the President must not be unduly encumbered in fulfilling his weighty responsibilities . . . and on the other hand, the Nation’s commitment to the rule of law.” In this situation, “the Constitution requires that this case be dismissed before the defendant is inaugurated,” they concluded. Smith’s team said it was leaving intact charges against two co-defendants in the classified documents case — Trump valet Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira — because “no principle of temporary immunity applies to them.” Steven Cheung, Trump's incoming White House communications director, said Americans “want an immediate end to the political weaponization of our justice system and we look forward to uniting our country.” Trump has long described the investigations as politically motivated, and he has vowed to fire Smith as soon as he takes office in January. Now he will start his second term free from criminal scrutiny by the government that he will lead. The election case brought last year was once seen as one of the most serious legal threats facing Trump as he tried to reclaim the White House. He was indicted for plotting to overturn his defeat to Joe Biden in 2020, an effort that climaxed with his supporters' violent attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. President-elect Donald Trump arrives before the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024 in Boca Chica, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Pool via AP) But the case quickly stalled amid legal fighting over Trump’s sweeping claims of immunity from prosecution for acts he took while in the White House. The U.S. Supreme Court in July ruled for the first time that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution, and sent the case back to U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan to determine which allegations in the indictment, if any, could proceed to trial. The case was just beginning to pick up steam again in the trial court in the weeks leading up to this year’s election. Smith’s team in October filed a lengthy brief laying out new evidence they planned to use against him at trial, accusing him of “resorting to crimes” in an increasingly desperate effort to overturn the will of voters after he lost to Biden. In dismissing the case, Chutkan acknowledged prosecutors' request to do so “without prejudice,” raising the possibility that they could try to bring charges against Trump when his term is over. She wrote that is “consistent with the Government’s understanding that the immunity afforded to a sitting President is temporary, expiring when they leave office.” But such a move may be barred by the statute of limitations, and Trump may also try to pardon himself while in office. immunity afforded to a sitting President is temporary, expiring when they leave office. The separate case involving classified documents had been widely seen as legally clear cut, especially because the conduct in question occurred after Trump left the White House and lost the powers of the presidency. The indictment included dozens of felony counts accusing him of illegally hoarding classified records from his presidency at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, and obstructing federal efforts to get them back. He has pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing. The case quickly became snarled by delays, with U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon slow to issue rulings — which favored Trump’s strategy of pushing off deadlines in all his criminal cases — while also entertaining defense motions and arguments that experts said other judges would have dispensed with without hearings. In May, she indefinitely canceled the trial date amid a series of unresolved legal issues before dismissing the case outright two months later. Smith’s team appealed the decision, but now has given up that effort. Trump faced two other state prosecutions while running for president. One them, a New York case involving hush money payments, resulted in a conviction on felony charges of falsifying business records. It was the first time a former president had been found guilty of a crime. The sentencing in that case is on hold as Trump's lawyers try to have the conviction dismissed before he takes office, arguing that letting the verdict stand will interfere with his presidential transition and duties. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office is fighting the dismissal but has indicated that it would be open to delaying sentencing until Trump leaves office. Bragg, a Democrat, has said the solution needs to balance the obligations of the presidency with “the sanctity of the jury verdict." Trump was also indicted in Georgia along with 18 others accused of participating in a sprawling scheme to illegally overturn the 2020 presidential election there. Any trial appears unlikely there while Trump holds office. The prosecution already was on hold after an appeals court agreed to review whether to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis over her romantic relationship with the special prosecutor she had hired to lead the case. Four defendants have pleaded guilty after reaching deals with prosecutors. Trump and the others have pleaded not guilty. Associated Press writers Colleen Long, Michael Sisak and Lindsay Whitehurst contributed to this story. ___ Special Counsel Jack Smith plans to step down before Trump’s inauguration, according to The New York Times. Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. A Republican congressman from Michigan who served from 1993 to 2011, Hoekstra was ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term. “In my Second Term, Pete will help me once again put AMERICA FIRST,” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice. “He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role.” Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign. In a statement, Trump called McGinley “a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda, while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement.” Associated Press writer Colleen Long contributed to this story. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
Chris Logan out as UND soccer coach
The scammers are getting better and shoppers are increasingly falling for fake online selling sites as it becomes harder to tell what's real and what's not New research by Avast Malware identifies nearly 80,000 counterfeit websites posing as genuine retailers that are targeting New Zealand shoppers of well-known brands like Pandora, Zara, Swatch and H&M. Netsafe's chief online safety officer Sean Lyons says these sites are set up with one purpose - to make people part with their hard-earned money. "The numbers are really quite significant ... we did some research last year and the year before with the Global Anti-Scam Alliance and they've estimated it could be over $2 billion worth of loss to New Zealanders," he says. But according to Jessica Walker, acting head of research and advocacy at Consumer NZ, that figure could be even higher. "There is no central repository gathering this information, so we know what the big financial institutions are being told but that's only based on what's being reported to them, so we think the figure is likely to be staggeringly high." Walker would like to see New Zealand follow Australia and centralise all the work being done in this area. "Having that one stop shop would make such a difference. It's really hard to know where to go and especially when you have a near miss," she says. "People don't have the time to go looking for where to report it, so they don't, which means more and more people are at risk of being harmed." Scammers can strike at any time of the year, but they really up their game during certain holiday periods. "There's definitely a boost around any time when people are shopping more, so Black Friday and Cyber Monday, there is probably an increase in the number of reports we see and then there's probably an increase in the proliferation of these sites themselves," Lyons says. He adds that scammers rely on people being more rushed and eager to make purchases, because they are less likely to take the time to properly check a website's credibility. With the evolution of technology, it is becoming easier for scammers to scam, and harder for customers to see red flags. "[The scammers] are putting a lot of time and effort into creating these scams, but they're putting a lot of time and effort in because they are profitable endeavours," Lyons says. One green flag many Kiwis look for when checking a website's legitimacy is a .nz domain name. But Domain Name Commissioner Barbara Pearse says that is not necessarily a good marker. It does not even guarantee the website is being operated in New Zealand. "To have a .nz domain name, you don't have to be located in New Zealand or be a New Zealand business, they're available globally," she explains. While online scams occur in less than 1 percent of websites in the .nz domain, Pearse says it is still important to check a site's credibility in other ways. Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here . You can also stay up-to-date by liking us on Facebook or following us on X .
Michigan aims to cap lost season by beating Ohio State
In a notable update to the Files by Google app , Gemini, Google's advanced AI assistant, now boasts the ability to recognise when a PDF is open on your screen, enabling users to directly query the file's contents. According to The Verge, this feature is part of a broader rollout of context-aware capabilities in Gemini, designed to enhance the way users interact with their digital files. The functionality has begun rolling out to Gemini Advanced subscribers, The Verge reports. When users view a PDF within the Files by Google app, they can summon Gemini and tap a new button labelled "Ask about this PDF." This option allows users to pose specific questions about the PDF's contents, similar to how one would engage with a conversational AI like ChatGPT. This feature significantly improves how users interact with their files. For instance, you could open a PDF--be it a research paper, eBook, or report--and seamlessly ask Gemini, "What's the summary of this document?" or "Can you explain this section?" The assistant responds with a detailed summary or clarifications, much like having a personal assistant interpret the file for you. Google had first teased this functionality during its I/O developer conference in May 2024, and it is now becoming available to Gemini Advanced subscribers. While currently limited to this group, the feature is expected to expand to a broader audience in the future. Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Pam Moore By - Pam Moore, Digital Transformation and Social Media Expert View Program Strategy Succession Planning Masterclass By - Nigel Penny, Global Strategy Advisor: NSP Strategy Facilitation Ltd. 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Previously, Gemini allowed users to ask questions about web pages and YouTube videos. Now, it can interpret content displayed on a device's screen, opening up new possibilities for mobile users. Discover the stories of your interest Blockchain 5 Stories Cyber-safety 7 Stories Fintech 9 Stories E-comm 9 Stories ML 8 Stories Edtech 6 Stories For apps or files that do not yet support Gemini's context-aware functionality, the assistant can still help by capturing a screenshot of the screen and offering to answer questions based on it. For instance, while reading an article in a web browser or watching a YouTube video, users can tap on "Ask about this screen" to have Gemini analyse the content and respond. This interactive feature positions Gemini as more than just an assistant; it becomes a highly intuitive tool for navigating digital content across devices. To access this new functionality, users need a subscription to Gemini Advanced, Google's premium AI assistant service. While the feature is still being rolled out, it marks a significant advancement in how digital assistants can interpret and interact with content, streamlining information retrieval and daily tasks. Integrating AI-driven tools like these into widely used apps, such as Files by Google, reflects a growing trend of digital assistants becoming indispensable for productivity and content management. Whether reviewing a report, reading a PDF for work, or navigating complex information, Gemini's capabilities are designed to make the process faster, more efficient, and interactive.
Trump's surgeon general pick accuses CDC of profiting off of unnecessary vaccines on kids READ MORE: Florida backs radical change to tap water over brain damage fears By SADIE WHITELOCKS FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 16:57 EST, 25 November 2024 | Updated: 17:01 EST, 25 November 2024 e-mail 6 View comments A resurfaced clip shows Donald Trump 's surgeon general pick Dr Janette Nesheiwat accusing the CDC of forcing unnecessary vaccines on children in a bid to potentially profiteer. The Fox News medical contributor and assistant medical director of CityMD appeared on Tucker Carlson Tonight in 2022 to discuss the announcement that the CDC advisory committee voted unanimously to add the Covid shot to the childhood immunization schedule. Asked by Fox News host Tucker Carlson why the CDC would put this on their schedule, Ms Nesheiwat suggested that it did not make sense and it was 'maybe [to] profit.' She continued: 'There's no good reason to have a vaccine that can't stop disease, can't stop transmission of disease.' She said while vaccines for Polio and measles 'actually help prevent... paralysis [or] inflammation of your brain,' the Covid vaccine could likely only 'help reduce [the virus] to a sniffle.' The physician called the unanimous decision 'irresponsible and illogical.' Dr Nesheiwat also argued the vaccine is unnecessary, as nearly 86 percent of children have natural immunity, as shown in a 2022 analysis by the CDC . She said: 'And a recent study out of the University of Indiana just found that that natural immunity in children is actually stronger and and lasts longer for protection than compared to adults.' A resurfaced clip shows Trump's surgeon general pick Janette Nesheiwat accusing the CDC of forcing extra unnecessary vaccines on children in a bid to potentially profiteer Your browser does not support iframes. The physician added: 'So we need to keep that in mind, but yet they want to put this vaccine on the schedule. There's no data or evidence that shows it's of benefit... that it can prevent disease, that it can prevent death. 'We need to stop with the fear mongering. We're no longer in a Covid emergency [and] it's time to get back to the basics. 'We are putting these stringent restrictions and guidelines on the lowest risk population, our children. They've already suffered enough.' Dr Nesheiwat said at the time, she had taken care of 'thousands of Covid patients... many of which were children' and she had not had to hospitalize any of them. In the clip, father-of-four Mr Carlson also vented his outrage to the CDC's vote, telling viewers: 'That means children will be forced to get this vaccination which is unnecessary, scientifically unjustifiable and dangerous in order to get an education in this country.' Despite Ms Nesheiwat and Mr Carlson's comments and wider backlash across the nation, the committee's vote went into effect. Under the CDC's current recommendations, all children should be vaccinated with 'at least one dose of the current COVID-19 ' at six months old. The decision added the vaccine to the schedule along with a number of other childhood vaccines including those to protect against chicken pox, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis, or whopping cough. If the Republican-controlled Senate approves her nomination as the surgeon general, Ms Nesheiwat will oversee 6,000 US Public Health Service Corps members Each state has different guidelines when it comes to vaccination requirements for schools and exemption guidelines. While some states may require all vaccines for kindergarten admission, others may only require a handful at the time, postponing others to future grades. When it comes to exemptions, they fall into two categories: medical and non-medical. Only a handful of states do not allow both religious or philosophical exemptions, including New York, California, Connecticut, Maine, Mississippi and West Virginia. Exemptions can be from one, multiple or all required childhood vaccines. While rules differ state by state, in most cases, parents must receive documentation from a medical doctor stating a child should be exempt from vaccinations. The exemptions are then reviewed and granted by the child's school. However, as the antivax movement has grown, so has the number of people applying for fake exemptions, with some even willing to pay off doctors to make up bogus medical excuses in order to get their child out of having to be vaccinated. According to the CDC, 8.8 percent of children in the US have received the updated Covid vaccine. Earlier this month Trump named Ms Nesheiwat as his nominee for surgeon general in his second administration. 'I am proud to announce that Dr. Janette Nesheiwat will be the Nation's Doctor as the United States Surgeon General. Dr. Nesheiwat is a double board-certified Medical Doctor with an unwavering commitment to saving and treating thousands of American lives,' Trump said in a press release. Touching on her personal journey, he added: 'A proud graduate of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Dr. Nesheiwat’s journey began with humble roots as one of five children raised by a widowed immigrant mother who worked as a nurse. 'Inspired by her mother’s resilience and compassion, Dr. Nesheiwat pursued a life of service, transforming her deep-seated desire to help others into a distinguished medical career. 'Dr. Nesheiwat will play a pivotal role in MAKING AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN!' Ms Nesheiwat, 48, is a general practitioner who serves as medical director for CityMD, a network of urgent care centers in New York and New Jersey. She appears regularly on Fox News and has expressed frequent support for Trump, sharing photos of them together on her social media pages. If the Republican-controlled Senate approves her nomination as the surgeon general, Ms Nesheiwat will oversee 6,000 US Public Health Service Corps members. Surgeons general also have the power to issue advisories, warning of public health threats in the U.S. Their role is to 'motivate and guide public health officials on urgent public problems.' Those advisories can influence how the government, public and medical community respond to health crises in the country. Fox News Share or comment on this article: Trump's surgeon general pick accuses CDC of profiting off of unnecessary vaccines on kids e-mail Add commentBarclays PLC purchased a new position in shares of Astrana Health, Inc. ( NASDAQ:ASTH – Free Report ) in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor purchased 76,916 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,457,000. Barclays PLC owned about 0.14% of Astrana Health as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Janus Henderson Group PLC acquired a new stake in shares of Astrana Health in the third quarter valued at about $1,164,000. Royce & Associates LP acquired a new position in shares of Astrana Health during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $6,661,000. Amalgamated Bank bought a new stake in shares of Astrana Health during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $713,000. Principal Financial Group Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Astrana Health in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $13,383,000. Finally, Diamond Hill Capital Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of Astrana Health in the third quarter valued at $8,245,000. 52.77% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Astrana Health Stock Performance Shares of NASDAQ ASTH opened at $33.70 on Friday. Astrana Health, Inc. has a one year low of $33.44 and a one year high of $63.20. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60, a current ratio of 1.91 and a quick ratio of 1.91. The firm has a market cap of $1.90 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.92, a P/E/G ratio of 1.80 and a beta of 1.13. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $47.22 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $47.88. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of brokerages have commented on ASTH. TD Cowen began coverage on shares of Astrana Health in a research note on Monday, October 14th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $66.00 price target for the company. Robert W. Baird raised their target price on shares of Astrana Health from $67.00 to $86.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 13th. BTIG Research boosted their price target on Astrana Health from $60.00 to $70.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 3rd. KeyCorp assumed coverage on Astrana Health in a research report on Friday, October 11th. They issued a “sector weight” rating for the company. Finally, Macquarie raised Astrana Health to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, December 16th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $65.17. Get Our Latest Report on Astrana Health Astrana Health Profile ( Free Report ) Astrana Health, Inc, Inc, a physician-centric technology-powered healthcare management company, provides medical care services in the United States. It operates through three segments: Care Partners, Care Delivery, and Care Enablement. The company is leveraging its proprietary population health management and healthcare delivery platform, operates an integrated, value-based healthcare model which empowers the providers in its network to deliver care to its patients. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ASTH? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Astrana Health, Inc. ( NASDAQ:ASTH – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Astrana Health Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Astrana Health and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
Time is running out for traditional foreign automakers to adapt to China's electric car market, signaling to industry analysts that companies must double down on local partnerships to survive. U.S. automaker General Motors, Germany's Volkswagen and Japan's Nissan each saw their China revenue drop between 2019 and 2023, according to CNBC's calculations of company data. "Western [automakers] are waking up to the fact that they can't just sit here and watch their market positions just erode and erode," said David Norman, a Hong Kong-based mergers and acquisitions lawyer at A&O Sherman. BEIJING — Time is running out for traditional foreign automakers to adapt to China's electric car market, signaling to industry analysts that companies must double down on local partnerships to survive. 24/7 San Diego news stream: Watch NBC 7 free wherever you are Fossil fuel-based automakers have struggled to hold their ground in the world's largest car market, which has swiftly transformed into one where new energy vehicles now account for more than half the country's car sales . If the foreign brands "can't launch competitive clean energy vehicles in the China market soon, the only hope for salvaging any market share is likely via partnership with a domestic player," said Tu Le, founder and managing director of Sino Auto Insights. "But is it too little too late? Perhaps for a number of foreign brands," he said. U.S. automaker General Motors , Germany's Volkswagen and Japan's Nissan each saw their China revenue drop between 2019 and 2023, according to CNBC's calculations of company data. In 2023, South Korea's Kia reported China sales more than 30% lower than 2020 levels . Tesla in comparison said its China sales surged by more than six times between 2019 and 2023. Money Report See some of the best photos from National Geographic's ‘Pictures of the Year' CNBC Daily Open: Expectations can be an irrational thing. Just look at Nvidia As investor concerns grow , management are deliberating plans. GM CEO Mary Barra said on an earnings call last month the company had meetings lined up with shareholders and joint venture board members to discuss "restructuring" in order to improve profits in China, once GM's top market by revenue . U.S., German and other foreign automakers that entered China decades ago were required by Beijing to form joint ventures with local companies, typically state-owned. Only in 2022 did Chinese authorities allow foreign car companies to fully own their local production. But it was a lucrative market, with GM and Volkswagen holding the top two spots by market share as recently as 2022 . China's BYD and Geely have since climbed, cementing their first and second places in the market, respectively, according to October data from the country's passenger car association. "Western [automakers] are waking up to the fact that they can't just sit here and watch their market positions just erode and erode, and they have to do something, they have to do something big," said David Norman, a Hong Kong-based mergers and acquisitions lawyer at A&O Sherman. He represented Netherlands-based Stellantis last year in its roughly $1.59 billion purchase of a 20% stake in Chinese electric car company Leapmotor. "To take the crystal ball out, I think we will see more tie-ups for sure," said Norman. "The technology lead that Chinese NEV companies have is substantial and growing." Chinese electric car companies have integrated smartphone-like entertainment displays , projectors and driver-assist technology into their vehicles to stay afloat in a fiercely competitive local market. While Tesla's version of driver-assist has yet to gain full approval in China, domestic players have developed their own. Xpeng, BYD and other local companies use Nvidia 's chips, while Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei has built driver-assist and in-car entertainment systems for other automakers. "I think to have competitive vehicles in China, [foreign] companies need to have an advanced driver system that's comparable to what you see on some of the Chinese vehicles," said Stephen Dyer, co-leader and head of AlixPartners' Asia automotive practice. He expects foreign automakers will partner with Chinese companies on driver-assist, not just for the local market but also overseas. Already, Volkswagen last year invested $700 million in Chinese electric car startup Xpeng to create models for delivery in China in 2026. The prior year, the German automaker announced plans to invest 2.4 billion euros ($2.5 billion) for a partnership between its car software subsidiary and Chinese autonomous driving chipmaker Horizon Robotics . Other significant partnerships in advanced driver-assist technology include Toyota's announcement last year for a joint venture to mass produce cars with Chinese autonomous driving startup Pony.ai. It remains to be seen whether foreign automakers can build an effective edge by partnering with Chinese companies that are selling their own cars or tech in the same market. "Domestic new energy vehicle brands are too competitive," Weng Yajun, a Shanghai-based partner in M&A at JunHe Law, said in Chinese, translated by CNBC. "You may put in all your effort but still only sell a few cars." Weng expects industry players will fight "to death" for survival, rather than acquisitions in the near term Automakers in China have slashed prices in order to attract buyers, while launching a slew of new models in just one year. Even state-owned car companies are struggling . That means foreign automakers must compete with state-owned ones for any local acquisitions, said Yiming Wang, analyst at China Renaissance Securities. He added that the Chinese startups are also not yet at a point where they want to sell themselves, despite operating at losses. Volkswagen's stake in Xpeng remains the most high-profile tie-up so far between a foreign automaker and Chinese electric car startup in the China market. The German company is trying other strategies to recover its market share. Its Audi brand, together with partner SAIC, a Chinese state-owned automobile manufacturer, this month launched a new electric car brand in China that does away with the four-ring logo, instead spelling out "AUDI" in rounded capital letters. Foreign automakers' market share in China will likely drop next year, with some brands essentially exiting the country, said Jing Yang, director of Asia-Pacific corporate ratings at Fitch Ratings. Global car companies also face competition from Chinese automakers that are expanding abroad, Yang pointed out. She noted that despite tariffs, such as in the European Union, "Chinese companies will not easily give up overseas expansion for the sake of higher profitability." Also on CNBC Hyundai reveals all-electric Ioniq 9 three-row SUV Act now for $7,500 EV tax credit: There's risk Trump will axe funding Stellantis delays Ram electric pickup truck until 2025The Vikings have prepared for the game against the Atlanta Falcons without veteran quarterback Stephon Gilmore this week, and on Friday he was officially ruled out ahead of the matchup on Sunday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium. ADVERTISEMENT The news isn’t surprising given the fact that Gilmore hasn’t practiced at all this week at TCO Performance Center. He’s been nursing a hamstring injury since last week when he left a victory over the Arizona Cardinals. Though the Vikings believe that Gilmore has avoided anything serious, they are clearly being cautious with him so not to make anything worse. The loss of Gilmore in the short term will thrust veteran cornerback Fabian Moreau into a bigger role on defense. ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .UConn quarterback Joe Fagnano threw for two touchdowns and the Huskies' defense overwhelmed North Carolina for a 27-14 victory in the Fenway Bowl on Saturday in Boston. Mel Brown ran for 96 yards and the Huskies (9-4) reached the nine-win level for the third time in program history. It was a miserable day for the Tar Heels (6-7), who are in transition as they await Bill Belichick, who now takes over as head coach. Freddie Kitchens served as interim coach on Saturday following Mack Brown's departure at the end of the regular season and had praise for his team despite the loss. "I commend them for everything they've done the last three weeks. We didn't really catch any breaks today," Kitchens told reporter after the game. "You've got to make your own breaks sometimes. These guys just kept fighting." North Carolina's Chris Culliver returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown and backup quarterback Michael Merdinger threw for 86 yards. Six of the team's 10 first downs came in the final 11 minutes. Fagnano finished 16-for-23 for 151 yards for the Huskies, who were limited to a field goal in the second half after rolling up a 24-7 haltime lead. North Carolina lost starting quarterback Jacolby Criswell to an apparent shoulder injury on the team's second offensive series. The Tar Heels, who were without running back Omarion Hampton (going into NFL draft), didn't pick up a first down until less than 30 seconds remained in the first half, and that was followed by an interception. UConn's first points came on Chris Freeman's 32-yard field goal. Then, with 3:45 left in the quarter, Fagnano connected with Skyler Bell on a 38-yard touchdown. The Huskies led 10-0 before Culliver's ensuing kickoff return, the only glitch for UConn in the first quarter. Fifty seconds into the second quarter, Fagnano hit Alex Honig with a pass for a 4-yard touchdown. The final first-half touchdown came on running back Cam Edwards' leap into the end zone to complete a fourth-and-2 snap. That capped a 14-play drive that consumed almost six minutes. "I feel like a proud father towards this team," UConn head coach Jim Mora Jr. "We ran for 210 yards. That's how you win a football game." North Carolina, which lost its fifth consecutive bowl outing, was credited with 1 rushing yard in the first half. The Tar Heels drove 98 yards on eight plays to score on running back Caleb Hood's 17-yard pass to John Copenhaver with 6:46 left in the game. Hood rushed for a team-high 78 yards. UConn had gone 0-3 against teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference this season, but it had no trouble in snapping that streak against the Tar Heels. --Field Level Media
NEW YORK — If you're planning on ringing in the new year quietly at home, you're not alone. A majority of U.S adults intend to celebrate New Year’s Eve at home, according to a new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research . “As I’ve gotten older over the last few years, it’s like if I don’t make it to midnight, it’s not a big deal, you know?” says Carla Woods, 70, from Vinton, Iowa. Nearly 2 in 10 will be celebrating at a friend or family member’s home, and just 5% plan to go out to celebrate at a bar, restaurant or organized event, the poll found. But many U.S. adults will celebrate the new year in a different way — by making a resolution. More than half say they'll make at least one resolution for 2025. There's some optimism about the year ahead, although more than half aren't expecting a positive change. About 4 in 10 say 2025 will be a better year for them personally. About one-third don’t expect much of a difference between 2024 and 2025, and about one-quarter think 2025 will be a worse year than 2024. Kourtney Kershaw, a 32-year-old bartender in Chicago, often fields questions from customers and friends about upcoming events for New Year's Eve. She said this year is trending toward low-key. “A majority of who I’ve spoken to in my age range, they want to go out, but they don’t know what they’re going to do because they haven’t found anything or things are just really expensive,” she said. “Party packages or an entry fee are like a turnoff, especially with the climate of the world and how much things cost.” As expected, younger people are more interested in ringing in the new year at a bar or organized event — about 1 in 10 U.S. adults under 30 say they plan to do that. But about 3 in 10 older adults — 60 and above — say they won’t celebrate the beginning of 2025 at all. Anthony Tremblay, 35, from Pittsburgh, doesn't usually go out to toast the arrival of the new year, but this year he's got something special cooked up: He and his wife will be traveling through Ireland. “I don’t do anything too crazy for New Year’s, usually. So this is definitely a change,” he said. “I wanted to do something unique this year, so I did.” Woods will be working New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. She answers calls on The Iowa Warmline, a confidential, noncrisis listening line for people struggling with mental health or substance use issues. “Holidays are really hard for people, so I don’t mind working,” she said. “I’m passionate about it because I have mental health issues in the family and so being able to help people is rewarding to me.” Every New Year's also triggers the eternal debate about resolutions. A majority of U.S. adults say they intend to make a New Year’s resolution of some type, but millennials and Gen Z are especially likely to be on board — about two-thirds expect to do so, compared to about half of older adults. Women are also more likely than men to say they will set a goal for 2025. Tremblay hopes to lose some weight and focus more on self-care — more sleep, meditation and breathing exercises. “It’s probably a good year to focus on mental health,” he said. Many others agree. About 3 in 10 adults choose resolutions involving exercise or eating healthier. About one-quarter said they'll make a resolution involving losing weight and a similar number said they'll resolve to make changes about priorities of money or mental health. Woods' resolutions are to stay social and active. As a mental health counselor, she knows those are key to a happy 2025 and beyond: “Probably one of my biggest resolutions is trying to make sure I stay social, try to get out at least once a week — get out and either have coffee or do something with a friend. That’s not only for the physical but also for the mental health part.” Kershaw, the bartender, says weight loss and better health are the top resolutions she hears people make. “Mental health is the new one, but I think it’s high up there as well as with regular health,” she said. She prefers more goal-oriented resolutions and, this time, it's to do more traveling and see more of the world: “I don’t know if that’s really a resolution, but that’s a goal that I’m setting.” And how will she welcome the arrival of 2025? Usually, she takes the night off and stays home watching movies with plenty of snacks, but this year Kershaw has a different plan, maybe one of the most Chicago things you can do. This die-hard sports fan will be at Wrigley Field on Tuesday watching the Chicago Blackhawks take on the St. Louis Blues. “Hockey’s my favorite sport. So I will be watching hockey and bringing in the new year,” she said. ___ The AP-NORC poll of 1,251 adults was conducted Dec. 5-9, 2024, using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 3.7 percentage points. ___ Sanders reported from Washington.BIRD ISLAND — The puzzle pieces are there for the BOLD boys basketball team. It is just a matter of if the Warriors can put them all together. BOLD, which finished 5-9 in the West Central Conference and 14-13 overall in 2023-24, has four starters back in the mix and a new head coach in Dan Gross. He will be assisted by Mike Palm and Alex Smoothers. “We’ll be a very experienced team with a deeper bench,” Gross said. “We hope to use our athleticism and strength to wear teams down.” The Warriors will lean on their biggest puzzle piece, Jack Gross, in pursuit of a strong season. The 6-foot-5 senior guard is coming off a junior year where he averaged 24.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.5 steals per game. His 673 points for the season were the most in BOLD program history. He was an All-Area Second Team pick.Jack is Dan’s son. Will Penkert also will provide experience and physicality in the paint for the Warriors. He is a 6-3 senior forward who averaged 17.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game as a junior. That earned him recognition as an All-WCC Honorable Mention. “We know that Jack and Will are proven players, but we will need others to continue to grow and contribute the way we feel they can,” Dan Gross said. Owen Baumgartner and Hudson Vosika round out BOLD’s returning starters. Baumgartner is a 6-3 junior forward who averaged 7.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. Vosika is a 5-9 senior guard who averaged 5.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. The Warriors will also lean on Mathew Jacobs, Dalan Weber, Tyler Ruschen, Owen Flann and John Morse for contributions. “The conference will be tough, as always,” Gross said. “We will need to fight for everything every night. Ultimately, we hope to fight for a run in the section playoffs.”Russia Launches 100 Drones At Ukraine, Targets Residential Areas
