Even in this banner season for military academy football — complete with winning streaks, national rankings and a conference championship — the biggest goal remains the same. For Army: Beat Navy. For Navy: Beat Army. With the college football landscape changing at a furious rate, the significance of this matchup adds a dose of tradition to mid-December, amid all that talk about the transfer portal and the new expanded playoff. "We've had a good year. You make it a great year by winning this game coming up on Saturday. Frankly, that's just the way it goes around here," Army coach Jeff Monken said. "It's a game and a season really all of its own. We don't apologize for talking about it all the time. We talk about it all the time, and it's 365 days a year." Saturday in Landover, Maryland, is the 125th matchup between Army and Navy, and although these two programs are long removed from their days winning national titles and Heisman Trophies, this is a historic moment in the rivalry. The Black Knights and Midshipmen have combined for 19 wins this season, their highest total ever entering this game. Army (11-1) is ranked 19th in the AP poll after beating Tulane last week to win the American Athletic Conference — the first league title of any kind in the team's 134-year history. Navy (8-3) was ranked as well earlier this season after starting with six straight victories. "I knew we were going to be an improved football team," Navy coach Brian Newberry said. "Didn't know exactly what that was going to look like. I think certainly we've improved in a lot of different areas. I'm excited about the season we've had." This was Army's first season in the AAC, putting the Black Knights and Midshipmen in the same league, although their annual matchup is considered a nonconference game. For a while, there was a chance the teams could meet twice, with a conference championship clash coming before the regularly scheduled Army-Navy game, but that didn't happen. Their most prominent common opponent came from outside the league. Notre Dame handed both Navy and Army its first loss, beating the Midshipmen 51-14 and the Black Knights 49-14. Within the AAC, both teams beat Temple, UAB and East Carolina. Army beat Tulane and Rice and Navy lost to those two teams. Army and Navy also each won its nonconference game against Air Force. Those victories over Air Force mean this season's Commander-In-Chief's Trophy comes down to the Army-Navy game. It's the first time since 2017 that both teams enter this game with a shot at the trophy. It's also the first time since 2017 that both teams enter the game with bowl bids secured. Navy faces Oklahoma in the Armed Forces Bowl and Army takes on Marshall in the Independence Bowl. This year's Army-Navy game is at the Washington Commanders' home stadium in Landover. It was also held there in 2011. This is the first time the game has been in Maryland since Baltimore hosted it in 2016. Baltimore is also up next in 2025. Army quarterback Bryson Daily has 29 rushing touchdowns this season, which is tied for the FBS lead with running back Ashton Jeanty, Boise State's Heisman finalist. Only one QB in FBS history has run for more TDs in a season than Daily. That was Navy's Keenan Reynolds, with 31 in 2013. "You come here to play in this game. The biggest stage possible, millions of people watching and a sold-out NFL stadium. It's awesome," Daily said. "None of the games that happened before this matter. We're going into this game like we're 0-0, they're 0-0 because that's just how you have to come into this game." Navy's closest game this season — win or lose — was a 56-44 win over Memphis. The Midshipmen are the only FBS team that hasn't had a game this season decided by eight points or fewer. AP Sports Writer Stephen Whyno contributed to this report. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!ABC has made the holiday season a little brighter thanks to The Great Christmas Light Fight . Season 12 is currently underway with more elaborate and unique displays. Even though Carter Oosterhouse has been judging for more than a decade, the longtime judge continues to be impressed. The construction expert and interior designer Taniya Nayak has the difficult task of deciding who out of the four families they visit in each episode takes home $50,000 and the coveted trophy. Here Oosterhouse talks about the show’s longevity and what his residence looks like during the holidays with his wife, actress Amy Smart . It’s amazing how this show has become such an annual holiday tradition for families to watch together. Carter Oosterhouse: The Great Christmas Light Fight is the gift that keeps on giving. The more we are on, the more people come up to me at the airport and reflect on how it’s a tradition for them. They tell me, “We know it’s Christmas time when we see this show come on air.” The family programming this embodies is so sweet and perfect for the holiday season. You have the holiday movies on, which are nostalgic and fun. This is a little bit different, yet gives the same moment for families to gather and have a nice little night at home. Disney/Jim Gensheimer How would you say your judging eye has evolved? That’s a good question. I think sometimes as a judge you don’t even realize how these displays continue to get better. And it’s not just bigger. It’s more than more lights. I always say I can pick the winner right when the lights go on, but that’s not always true because now what I’ve seen is the creativity level has skyrocketed. People are more and more creative than ever before. It’s not just about putting lights on a tree or making sure the balance is correct or the color profile is engaging and interesting. It’s really about creativity. What that means is people are starting to tell stories with their lights. That’s fascinating. In scripted or nonscripted TV, it’s all about telling a story. When you watch something, that is why you keep going back to it. Now these families with these light displays are telling stories. As the viewer, it’s so much more dynamic and interesting to the point you have to scratch your head and say, “I’m blown away. I’m shocked. Just when you think you’ve seen them all, you haven’t.” Technology has also advanced within these displays through computer programming and drones. The technology is there and every year it gets better. Sometimes we do have people who are extremely good with computers and putting light and synchronized lights together, but that’s not always the winner. I don’t want to say it’s usually not the winner, but it seems to me what I have learned is over time I go back to the creative ones. Those are going to be the winners. If they can throw tech in there, even better because it makes it faster, more efficient maybe, and more interesting to some degree. As far as technology goes, every year we’re seeing something different. The light fighters who have been doing it for decades and are at the forefront of this technology, really geek out over that. I do too. I love learning more about it. Then some people who are doing it for the first time knock your socks off because they have no frame of reference. They just want to do something they want to do and in their mind is really cool. I’m always amazed at the dedication of these participants. The light fighters work extremely hard. They are very diligent with what they are doing. The families are in the grind. When September comes around, they are starting to put their lights up and it’s all hands on deck. It’s a lot of work. As a judge too, I want to make sure I applaud them and give them the credit they deserve. It is impressive to see the lengths they go. These guys are beyond the next level. They know the drill. They take the kids to school, go to work, and then come home to start working on their display at all hours of the night. Then they get up the next day and do the same thing. The cool thing is I’d say 99 percent of the people are happy to do this for their community. That’s the best part. On your travels, have there been places you never thought about going but are glad you went? For Trading Spaces , we traveled all over the United States. I think that was the indoctrination of a really crazy travel schedule. I’d say the good thing is I can go back to some of these areas. To your point, I do get to see areas that have lit up these lights or sometimes they are theme parks because we do heavyweights as well. We get into bigger areas that have the capability of dressing it up. Those are eye-opening. I’m in this last round of shooting right now where there are plenty of places I’ve said, “I want to bring my daughter back here.” That’s a sign they’ve done a really good job. You and Taniya are solo judging in these episodes, but do you talk much? We touch base a couple of times during the season and before. It’s funny because it is all very similar for us. There is a progression of what these light fighters are doing. I always feel like I can figure it out if they are going to be a top tier when the lights go on. Lately, I feel as you’ve gotten into it, this is not what I expected at all and even better. That’s fun. Taniya and I have been on the same page with all that. Carter Oosterhouse and Amy Smart at “Common Ground” Screening. (Gregg DeGuire/Variety via Getty Images) Does this being known for this show put pressure on you at home to deliver a good display? Does Amy get you to work? Good question. It used to be my wife saying, “So what are we doing? Why aren’t we having any lights?” I say, “I am the judge of The Great Christmas Light Fight . I feel like I would not do a service and carry out the oath of being a judge and fail miserably putting lights up.” Usually, when I get home it’s a lot closer to Christmas. So, we do the inside. I’ve been trying to bring back things people make as a builder and duplicate them. There are a lot of makers out there. You see this guy who has been working in his workshop, who has this crazy Santa Claus walking up a ladder built on a timing system. I think that’s really cool that I want to go home and do that. So I have dabbled in those. You mentioned you’re filming right now for next year. Do you go back and watch the episodes airing as a family at home? We try to, absolutely, when I’m not shooting for next year. We critique. If my daughter is into it, I feel like I’m doing my job. There are tons of shows she can watch, especially during the holidays. I feel if she is into it, I’m doing alright. What’s your go-to Christmas movies to watch? Do you watch Amy’s movie Just Friends ? I feel sometimes people forget that is a Christmas movie. Just Friends , we do watch that. That is definitely a Christmas movie. We go back to all the nostalgic movies. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation , we run back through all that. Now there are all these shows, too. Like these Christmas baking shows. I feel like those are of interest to us too. I guess we’re finding shows I never thought I would watch and falling into. Also, being on a show this long, we’re so thankful it has been on the air this long and having such a successful run. You go through a rollercoaster of emotions. Right now, we’re doing great. It’s fun. It’s a new interest not just on the show but on Christmas too. It’s all about being loved ones. This experience has really helped me dive deeper into the whole Christmas world and look at it from other angles compared to when I first started on the show. Related 2024 Holiday TV Roundup: Full Schedules for NBC, CBS, ABC, More Anything you can tease about the episodes to come? There is one episode that is coming up, and what was really of interest was the coordination. Not just of the lights but things that these blow molds were doing within the light display. We see a lot of coordination from the tech world, but when you can take traditional elements and mix those into a newer feel, that was really impressive. There was this choir of blow molds in the show, and that was so dynamic because you think, “Wait? Are those blow molds singing to me now?” There was a ton of them. Not only was it visually interesting but to hear it was amazing. What do you want to see from the show moving forward? I do like the heavyweights. Those are really fun to shoot because they are on such a different level. It’s also the community is helping out as well. You just have more people involved. I’d like to see more of those to tell you the truth because there seems to be a lot more people, which creates a bigger energy. That’s not to say the homes don’t do that. We only do one of these types of episodes a year, but I’d love to see more of them. The Great Christmas Light Fight , Thursdays, 8/7c, ABC More Headlines: ‘Firefly’ Reunion! Who Will Be at Emerald City Comic Con 2025 for ‘Serenity’s 20th Anniversary? ‘Christmas Light Fight’ Host Carter Oosterhouse on Holiday Traditions, Marriage to Amy Smart & More Snoop Dogg Gives Daughter Pre-Wedding Pep Talk in E! Docuseries Sneak Peek (VIDEO) ‘Bold and the Beautiful’ Breakup? Thorsten Kaye on Ridge’s Blowup With Brooke and If He’d Go Back to Taylor ‘Farmer Wants a Wife’ Renewed for Season 3 With a New Host: All the Updates
Putin Apologizes Amid Tensions: Investigation Into Azerbaijani Airliner Crash IntensifiesReport: UCF HC Gus Malzahn to become Florida State OCTORONTO — Two Canadian Cabinet ministers met with President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for commerce secretary at Mar-a-Lago on Friday as Canada tries to avoid sweeping tariffs when Trump takes office. Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly met with Howard Lutnick, Trump’s nominee for commerce secretary, as well as North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Trump’s pick to lead the Interior Department. Trump has threatened to impose 25% tariffs on all Canadian products if Canada does not stem what he calls a flow of migrants and fentanyl into the United States — even though far fewer of each cross into the U.S. from Canada than from Mexico, which Trump has also threatened. “Minister LeBlanc and Minister Joly had a positive, productive meeting at Mar-a-Lago with Howard Lutnick and Doug Burgum, as a follow-up to the dinner between the Prime Minister and President Trump last month,” said Jean-Sébastien Comeau, a spokesman for LeBlanc. Comeau said both ministers outlined the measures in Canada's billion-dollar plan to increase security at the border and reiterated “the shared commitment to strengthen border security as well as combat the harm caused by fentanyl to save Canadian and American lives.” Get the latest breaking news as it happens. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy . Comeau said Lutnick and Burgum agreed to relay the information to Trump. The Trump transition team did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Finance, Public Safety and Intergovernmental Affairs, participates in a news conference after a swearing in ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa, Ontario, Dec. 16, 2024. Credit: AP/Justin Tang Further discussions are expected in the coming weeks. Joly will also have dinner with U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham on Friday. Trump has been trolling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on social media in recent weeks by calling him the Governor of the 51st state. Trudeau has not directly responded, but did post a link Thursday to a six-minute video on YouTube from 2010 in which American NBC journalist Tom Brokaw “explains Canada to Americans.” “Some information about Canada for Americans” Trudeau wrote in the post on X. Commerce Secretary nominee Howard Lutnick speaks during a news conference with President-elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, Monday, Dec. 16, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. Credit: AP/Evan Vucci The video, which originally aired during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, explains similarities between the two countries, the massive trading relationship and the actions of the Canadian military in World War 2 and Afghanistan. “In our darkest hours Canada has been with us,” Brokaw says in the video. “In the long history of sovereign neighbors there has never been a relationship as close, productive and peaceful as the U.S. and Canada.” Trudeau has told Trump that Americans would also suffer if the president-elect follows through on a plan to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian products. About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports and 85% of U.S. electricity imports are from Canada. Alberta alone sends 4.3 million barrel s of oil per day to the U.S which tends to consume about 20 million barrels a day. Trump has also made an issue of the U.S. trade deficit with Canada, erroneously calling it a subsidy. Canada’s ambassador to Washington, Kirsten Hillman, has said the U.S. had a $75 billion trade deficit with Canada last year. But she noted a third of what Canada sells into the U.S. are energy exports and said there is a deficit when oil prices are high. Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian dollars ($2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Flows of migrants and seizures of drugs are vastly different at the U.S.’s two land borders. U.S. customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border during the last fiscal year, compared with 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border. Most of the fentanyl reaching the U.S. — where it causes about 70,000 overdose deaths annually — is made by Mexican drug cartels using precursor chemicals smuggled from Asia. On immigration, the U.S. Border Patrol reported 1.53 million encounters with migrants at the southwest border with Mexico between October 2023 and September 2024. That compares to 23,721 encounters at the Canadian border during that time.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday that he wants real estate developer Charles Kushner , father of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, to serve as ambassador to France. Trump made the announcement in a Truth Social post, calling Charles Kushner “a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker." Kushner is the founder of Kushner Companies, a real estate firm. Jared Kushner is a former White House senior adviser to Trump who is married to Trump’s eldest daughter, Ivanka. The elder Kushner was pardoned by Trump in December 2020 after pleading guilty years earlier to tax evasion and making illegal campaign donations. Charles Kushner arrives July 20, 2022, for the funeral of Ivana Trump in New York. Prosecutors alleged that after Charles Kushner discovered his brother-in-law was cooperating with federal authorities in an investigation, he hatched a scheme for revenge and intimidation. Kushner hired a prostitute to lure his brother-in-law, then arranged to have the encounter in a New Jersey motel room recorded with a hidden camera and the recording sent to Kushner's own sister, the man’s wife, prosecutors said. Kushner eventually pleaded guilty to 18 counts including tax evasion and witness tampering. He was sentenced in 2005 to two years in prison — the most he could receive under a plea deal, but less than what Chris Christie, the U.S. attorney for New Jersey at the time and later governor and Republican presidential candidate, sought. Christie blamed Jared Kushner for his firing from Trump’s transition team in 2016, and called Charles Kushner’s offenses “one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes that I prosecuted when I was U.S. attorney.” Trump and the elder Kushner knew each other from real estate circles and their children were married in 2009. Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” 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 said Wednesday that he will nominate Gen. Keith Kellogg to serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as National Security Advisor to Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence. For the America First Policy Institute, one of several groups formed after Trump left office to help lay the groundwork for the next Republican administration, Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. James Blair, deputy chief of staff Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. William McGinley, White House counsel 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.” Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. 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.‘Christmas Light Fight’ Host Carter Oosterhouse on Holiday Traditions, Marriage to Amy Smart & MoreTech slump slays Santa rally, weak yen lifts Japan stocks higher
Google is ramping up its push into smart glasses and augmented reality headgear, taking on rivals Apple and Meta with help from its sophisticated Gemini artificial intelligence. The internet titan on Thursday unveiled an Android XR operating system created in a collaboration with Samsung, which will use it in a device being built in what is called internally "Project Moohan," according to Google. The software is designed to power augmented and virtual reality experiences enhanced with artificial intelligence, XR vice president Shahram Izadi said in a blog post. "With headsets, you can effortlessly switch between being fully immersed in a virtual environment and staying present in the real world," Izadi said. "You can fill the space around you with apps and content, and with Gemini, our AI assistant, you can even have conversations about what you're seeing or control your device." Google this week announced the launch of Gemini 2.0, its most advanced artificial intelligence model to date, as the world's tech giants race to take the lead in the fast-developing technology. CEO Sundar Pichai said the new model would mark what the company calls "a new agentic era" in AI development, with AI models designed to understand and make decisions about the world around you. Android XR infused with Gemini promises to put digital assistants into eyewear, tapping into what users are seeing and hearing. An AI "agent," the latest Silicon Valley trend, is a digital helper that is supposed to sense surroundings, make decisions, and take actions to achieve specific goals. "Gemini can understand your intent, helping you plan, research topics and guide you through tasks," Izadi said. "Android XR will first launch on headsets that transform how you watch, work and explore." The Android XR release was a preview for developers so they can start building games and other apps for headgear, ideally fun or useful enough to get people to buy the hardware. This is not Google's first foray into smart eyewear. Its first offering, Google Glass, debuted in 2013 only to be treated as an unflattering tech status symbol and met with privacy concerns due to camera capabilities. The market has evolved since then, with Meta investing heavily in a Quest virtual reality headgear line priced for mainstream adoption and Apple hitting the market with pricey Vision Pro "spacial reality" gear. Google plans to soon begin testing prototype Android XR-powered glasses with a small group of users. Google will also adapt popular apps such as YouTube, Photos, Maps, and Google TV for immersive experiences using Android XR, according to Izadi. Gemini AI in glasses will enable tasks like directions and language translations, he added. "It's all within your line of sight, or directly in your ear," Izadi said. gc/dwRizal Commercial Banking Corporation’s (RCBC) Executive Vice President and Chief Innovations and Inclusion Officer Lito Villanueva, stressed the importance of adapting Artificial Intelligence technologies and strengthening public-private task forces to accelerate the fight versus fraud and scams during a dialogue held at the GSMA Digital Nation Summit Manila at Shangri-La The Fort. GSMA research reveals that 29 percent of Filipino consumers have fallen victim to financial crimes like identity theft and security breaches. Similarly, the Digital Nations report shows a 4,500 percent surge in deepfake cases in the Philippines. The fintech visionary bannered RCBC’s use of AI to elevate the bank’s overall productivity, customer engagement, and management of risks. The emergent innovative technology is taking not only the developed world by storm, but even developing countries such as the Philippines. Villanueva shared that the country’s leading digital challenger bank continues to prioritize upskilling of all its top officers in the field of AI. “In fraud detection, AI's use of anomaly detection and behavioral biometrics has increased accuracy rates to as much as 85 percent. To bolster these efforts, under the leadership of our President and CEO Eugene S. Acevedo, we’ve prioritized upskilling—ensuring all senior officers undergo AI certification to strengthen expertise and align with our vision of building a workforce adept in data science and AI,” Villanueva said. Aside from AI-powered initiatives, Villanueva also said that the bank is committed to contributing to collaborative initiatives with other private sector players, members of civil society, and the Philippine government to address the rise of fraud and empower ordinary citizens. “Our collaboration with industry players and government agencies through Fintech Alliance.Ph has been instrumental in championing public awareness and financial literacy. Last year, we launched the “#WagMagpaLokoMagingScamAlerto” campaign. This advocacy promotes financial literacy and fraud awareness through multi-channel efforts, including social media, school partnerships, and community outreach programs,” Villanueva added. Villanueva joined other leaders such as Ret. Justice Andres Reyes Jr., a consultant of the Cybercrime investigation and Coordinating Center, and Mr. John Gonzales, President and CEO, PLDT ClarkTel, and FVP of Strategic Business Development for PLDT Enterprise in a panel discussion entitled “United Against Scams: Technological Solutions and Partnerships” moderated by Ewan Lusty, Director at Flint Global. The one-day summit gathered leaders from the Philippines’ Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Globe Telecom, Smart Communications, Meta, the Asian Development Bank, and RCBC to discuss the critical role of technology and collaboration in safeguarding consumers and sustaining trust in digital platforms.
Ex-Colorado footballer Bloom dedicates time to fulfilling wishes for older adultsGoogle renews push into mixed reality headgearCM Omar Abdullah Chairs Meeting To Review Snow Clearance, Restoration Of Power & Water Supply Across J&K
As New York City prosecutors worked Thursday to bring murder charges against Luigi Mangione in the brazen killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson , supporters of the suspect are donating tens of thousands of dollars for a defense fund established for him, leaving law enforcement officials worried Mangione is being turned into a martyr. Several online defense funds have been created for Mangione by anonymous people, including one on the crowdfunding website GiveSendGo that as of Thursday afternoon had raised over $50,000. The GiveSendGo defense fund for the 26-year-old Mangione was established by an anonymous group calling itself "The December 4th Legal Committee," apparently in reference to the day Mangione allegedly ambushed and gunned down Thompson in Midtown Manhattan as the executive walked to his company's shareholders conference at the New York Hilton hotel. "We are not here to celebrate violence, but we do believe in the constitutional right to fair legal representation," the anonymous group said in a statement. The crowdfunding campaign prompted donations from more than 1,500 anonymous donors across the country, many of them leaving messages of support for Mangione, including one person who called themselves "A frustrated citizen" and thanked Mangione for "sparking the awareness and thought across this sleeping nation." The GiveSendGo fund for Mangione appeared to be briefly taken down before it was restored on Thursday. GiveSendGo did not immediately respond to ABC News' requests for comment. Other crowdfunding sites such as GoFundMe have also taken down campaigns soliciting donations for Mangione's defense. "GoFundMe's Terms of Service prohibit fundraisers for the legal defense of violent crimes," the crowdfunding website said in a statement. "The fundraisers have been removed from our platform and all donors have been refunded." Amazon and Etsy have removed from their websites merchandise featuring Mangione, including T-shirts and tote bags reading "Free Luigi" and the phrase "Deny, Defend, Depose," words police said were etched in the shell casings discovered at the scene of Thompson's homicide. "Celebrating this conduct is abhorrent to me. It's deeply disturbing," Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg told ABC News senior investigative reporter Aaron Katersky in an interview Wednesday night. "And what I would say to members of the public, people who as you described are celebrating this and maybe contemplating other action, that we will be vigilant and we will hold people accountable. We are at the ready." Prosecutors at the Manhattan district attorney's office have begun presenting evidence to a grand jury as they work to try to secure an indictment against Mangione, sources told ABC News on Thursday. Mangione's attorney, Thomas Dickey of Altoona, Pennsylvania, where Mangione was arrested Monday following a five-day manhunt, said his client is presumed innocent and will plead not guilty to any charges filed against him. Mangione is contesting extradition to New York. Asked about people contributing to Mangione defense funds that have popped up, Dickey said, "People are entitled to their opinion and, like I said, if you're an American and you believe in the American criminal justice system, you have to presume him to be innocent and none of us would want anything other than that if that were us in their shoes. So, I'm glad he had some support." But law enforcement officials have expressed concern that Mangione is being turned into a martyr. Someone this week pasted "wanted posters" outside the New York Stock Exchange naming other executives. A bulletin released Wednesday by the Delaware Valley Intelligence Center, a multi-agency law enforcement intelligence-sharing network based in Philadelphia, included a photo of a banner hanging from an overpass reading, "Deny, Defend, Depose." "Many social media users have outright advocated for the continued killings of CEOs with some aiming to spread fear by posting 'hit lists,'" the bulletin, obtained by ABC News, reads. Meanwhile, New York Police Department investigators continue to build a murder case against Mangione, who is being held in Pennsylvania on charges stemming from his arrest there, including illegal possession of ghost gun and fraudulent identification. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to the charges in Pennsylvania. On Wednesday, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said that the three shell casings recovered at the scene of Thompson's shooting matched the gun found in Mangione possession when he was arrested. She also confirmed that Mangione's fingerprints were recovered from a water bottle and the wrapper of a granola bar found near the crime scene.Mount Anthony girls basketball should benefit from some stability
ATALANTA KEPT HOLD of top spot in Serie A on Saturday after escaping Lazio with a 1-1 draw which kept Inter Milan at bay but ended their club-record league winning streak at 11 matches. Marco Brescianini tapped home into an open goal with two minutes remaining to snatch a point from the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, where a passionate crowd thought a big win was coming their way. Instead Atalanta are a point ahead of Inter, who have a game in hand, after the champions briefly drew level on points with a 3-0 win at Cagliari. Atalanta will lead the league even if Napoli beat Venezia on Sunday and draw level on 41 points with Gian Piero Gasperini’s side due to their significantly better goal difference. Should two teams finish level at the top of Serie A come the end of the season they will face off in a single match to decide the destination of the Scudetto. Atalanta showed great character to battle back from Fisayo Dele-Bashiru’s 27th-minute opener which came in an intense opening period from Lazio. The away side were initially blitzed by Lazio, with Marco Carnesecchi making two sensational stops before Matteo Guendouzi curled a great strike off the post in the 11th minute. But as the match wore on Atalanta, who were without injured star striker Mateo Retegui, grew into the game and deservedly drew level in front of a boisterous and hostile crowd in the Italian capital. Brescianini netted his third goal of the season thanks largely to Ademola Lookman, who beat Lazio’s offside trap to meet Nicolo Zaniolo’s hooked pass and rolled across to his teammate to salvage a precious point. Lautaro Martinez ended an eight-match scoring drought at Cagliari, netting Inter’s second in an engaging contest in Sardinia which Inter won with second-half goals from the Argentina striker, Alessandro Bastoni and Hakan Calhanoglu. Inter have won their last five in Italy’s top flight, scoring 19 and conceding just once, a burst in form which has re-established Inter as favourites to retain the Scudetto. The only thing missing for Inter were goals from captain Martinez, who hadn’t scored since November 3 before prodding home Nicolo Barella’s cross in the 71st minute on Saturday. “The most important thing is that Inter win. If I get a goal too, then that’s a bonus,” said Martinez, who broke an eight-match scoring drought with his 71st-minute strike. “We work hard every day to win trophies and anyone who sets foot on the pitch will give their all for the team. We’ve just got to keep going and make 2025 like this year.” Inter could have won by an even more convincing margin at the Unipol Domus stadium had captain Martinez not wasted great chances in each half and Cagliari goalkeeper Simone Scuffet not pulled off superb saves to deny Marcus Thuram and Barella. But the Argentinian did net his seventh goal this season in all competitions and seven minutes later Calhanoglu made absolutely sure of the points from the penalty spot. Next up, Inter travel to play the Italian Super Cup in Saudi Arabia, where Simone Inzaghi’s side take on Atalanta on Thursday. Cagliari are just inside the relegation zone after a fourth consecutive defeat for Davide Nicola’s side, a point behind Verona and Como who both play on Monday.
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ABC has made the holiday season a little brighter thanks to The Great Christmas Light Fight . Season 12 is currently underway with more elaborate and unique displays. Even though Carter Oosterhouse has been judging for more than a decade, the longtime judge continues to be impressed. The construction expert and interior designer Taniya Nayak has the difficult task of deciding who out of the four families they visit in each episode takes home $50,000 and the coveted trophy. Here Oosterhouse talks about the show’s longevity and what his residence looks like during the holidays with his wife, actress Amy Smart . It’s amazing how this show has become such an annual holiday tradition for families to watch together. Carter Oosterhouse: The Great Christmas Light Fight is the gift that keeps on giving. The more we are on, the more people come up to me at the airport and reflect on how it’s a tradition for them. They tell me, “We know it’s Christmas time when we see this show come on air.” The family programming this embodies is so sweet and perfect for the holiday season. You have the holiday movies on, which are nostalgic and fun. This is a little bit different, yet gives the same moment for families to gather and have a nice little night at home. Disney/Jim Gensheimer How would you say your judging eye has evolved? That’s a good question. I think sometimes as a judge you don’t even realize how these displays continue to get better. And it’s not just bigger. It’s more than more lights. I always say I can pick the winner right when the lights go on, but that’s not always true because now what I’ve seen is the creativity level has skyrocketed. People are more and more creative than ever before. It’s not just about putting lights on a tree or making sure the balance is correct or the color profile is engaging and interesting. It’s really about creativity. What that means is people are starting to tell stories with their lights. That’s fascinating. In scripted or nonscripted TV, it’s all about telling a story. When you watch something, that is why you keep going back to it. Now these families with these light displays are telling stories. As the viewer, it’s so much more dynamic and interesting to the point you have to scratch your head and say, “I’m blown away. I’m shocked. Just when you think you’ve seen them all, you haven’t.” Technology has also advanced within these displays through computer programming and drones. The technology is there and every year it gets better. Sometimes we do have people who are extremely good with computers and putting light and synchronized lights together, but that’s not always the winner. I don’t want to say it’s usually not the winner, but it seems to me what I have learned is over time I go back to the creative ones. Those are going to be the winners. If they can throw tech in there, even better because it makes it faster, more efficient maybe, and more interesting to some degree. As far as technology goes, every year we’re seeing something different. The light fighters who have been doing it for decades and are at the forefront of this technology, really geek out over that. I do too. I love learning more about it. Then some people who are doing it for the first time knock your socks off because they have no frame of reference. They just want to do something they want to do and in their mind is really cool. I’m always amazed at the dedication of these participants. The light fighters work extremely hard. They are very diligent with what they are doing. The families are in the grind. When September comes around, they are starting to put their lights up and it’s all hands on deck. It’s a lot of work. As a judge too, I want to make sure I applaud them and give them the credit they deserve. It is impressive to see the lengths they go. These guys are beyond the next level. They know the drill. They take the kids to school, go to work, and then come home to start working on their display at all hours of the night. Then they get up the next day and do the same thing. The cool thing is I’d say 99 percent of the people are happy to do this for their community. That’s the best part. On your travels, have there been places you never thought about going but are glad you went? For Trading Spaces , we traveled all over the United States. I think that was the indoctrination of a really crazy travel schedule. I’d say the good thing is I can go back to some of these areas. To your point, I do get to see areas that have lit up these lights or sometimes they are theme parks because we do heavyweights as well. We get into bigger areas that have the capability of dressing it up. Those are eye-opening. I’m in this last round of shooting right now where there are plenty of places I’ve said, “I want to bring my daughter back here.” That’s a sign they’ve done a really good job. You and Taniya are solo judging in these episodes, but do you talk much? We touch base a couple of times during the season and before. It’s funny because it is all very similar for us. There is a progression of what these light fighters are doing. I always feel like I can figure it out if they are going to be a top tier when the lights go on. Lately, I feel as you’ve gotten into it, this is not what I expected at all and even better. That’s fun. Taniya and I have been on the same page with all that. More from this section Carter Oosterhouse and Amy Smart at “Common Ground” Screening. (Gregg DeGuire/Variety via Getty Images) Does this being known for this show put pressure on you at home to deliver a good display? Does Amy get you to work? Good question. It used to be my wife saying, “So what are we doing? Why aren’t we having any lights?” I say, “I am the judge of The Great Christmas Light Fight . I feel like I would not do a service and carry out the oath of being a judge and fail miserably putting lights up.” Usually, when I get home it’s a lot closer to Christmas. So, we do the inside. I’ve been trying to bring back things people make as a builder and duplicate them. There are a lot of makers out there. You see this guy who has been working in his workshop, who has this crazy Santa Claus walking up a ladder built on a timing system. I think that’s really cool that I want to go home and do that. So I have dabbled in those. You mentioned you’re filming right now for next year. Do you go back and watch the episodes airing as a family at home? We try to, absolutely, when I’m not shooting for next year. We critique. If my daughter is into it, I feel like I’m doing my job. There are tons of shows she can watch, especially during the holidays. I feel if she is into it, I’m doing alright. What’s your go-to Christmas movies to watch? Do you watch Amy’s movie Just Friends ? I feel sometimes people forget that is a Christmas movie. Just Friends , we do watch that. That is definitely a Christmas movie. We go back to all the nostalgic movies. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation , we run back through all that. Now there are all these shows, too. Like these Christmas baking shows. I feel like those are of interest to us too. I guess we’re finding shows I never thought I would watch and falling into. Also, being on a show this long, we’re so thankful it has been on the air this long and having such a successful run. You go through a rollercoaster of emotions. Right now, we’re doing great. It’s fun. It’s a new interest not just on the show but on Christmas too. It’s all about being loved ones. This experience has really helped me dive deeper into the whole Christmas world and look at it from other angles compared to when I first started on the show. 2024 Holiday TV Roundup: Full Schedules for NBC, CBS, ABC, More Anything you can tease about the episodes to come? There is one episode that is coming up, and what was really of interest was the coordination. Not just of the lights but things that these blow molds were doing within the light display. We see a lot of coordination from the tech world, but when you can take traditional elements and mix those into a newer feel, that was really impressive. There was this choir of blow molds in the show, and that was so dynamic because you think, “Wait? Are those blow molds singing to me now?” There was a ton of them. Not only was it visually interesting but to hear it was amazing. What do you want to see from the show moving forward? I do like the heavyweights. Those are really fun to shoot because they are on such a different level. It’s also the community is helping out as well. You just have more people involved. I’d like to see more of those to tell you the truth because there seems to be a lot more people, which creates a bigger energy. That’s not to say the homes don’t do that. We only do one of these types of episodes a year, but I’d love to see more of them. The Great Christmas Light Fight , Thursdays, 8/7c, ABC More Headlines: ‘Firefly’ Reunion! Who Will Be at Emerald City Comic Con 2025 for ‘Serenity’s 20th Anniversary? ‘Christmas Light Fight’ Host Carter Oosterhouse on Holiday Traditions, Marriage to Amy Smart & More Snoop Dogg Gives Daughter Pre-Wedding Pep Talk in E! Docuseries Sneak Peek (VIDEO) ‘Bold and the Beautiful’ Breakup? Thorsten Kaye on Ridge’s Blowup With Brooke and If He’d Go Back to Taylor ‘Farmer Wants a Wife’ Renewed for Season 3 With a New Host: All the UpdatesMILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo was available for the Milwaukee Bucks against the Washington Wizards Saturday night after missing one game with swelling in his left knee. Antetokounmpo sat out the Bucks' 106-103 NBA Cup victory at Miami on Tuesday. The two-time MVP had been listed as probable with tendinopathy in his right patellar tendon. “He's good,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said before the game. Antetokounmpo entered Saturday as the league's leading scorer at 32.4 points per game. He ranked fifth in rebounds (11.9) and 20th in assists (6.4). AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
MORGANTOWN -- Normally, it's fun to look back upon Yogi Berra-isms. Not today. Not on the day West Virginia's football team went out and proved Yogi Berra wrong. See, Berra's credited with the quote "It's not over until it's over." He was wrong ... wrong about Saturday's football game in Lubbock, Texas, when West Virginia''s completed the regular season in the ashes of a 52-15 defeat to Texas Tech, leaving them at 6-6. The address there is "Nowheresville." But this game didn't end with the final gun; moments after quarterback Garrett Greene gave it a symbolic ending by throwing an interception. It ended far before that, when the deflated and defeated Mountaineers headed for the safety of their locker room at halftime, shell shocked by a 29-0 second quarter that left them red-faced at their performance and with no chance to win the game. The score at halftime was 35-3 and, folks, it was over then. They played the second half not to decide the outcome, only to sell beer, whiskey, automobiles and promote upcoming television programs. Berra's statement was wrong not only about the game, but about the entire Mountaineer season. They had come out of the heat of summer living in what proved to be a fantasy world, thinking they would contend for a spot in the Big 12's Championship game. Then they were smacked back to reality by Penn State and Pittsburgh and, whether they want to admit it or not, it was over ... yes,Yogi, it was over before it was over. Oh, they put together a nice mid-year run but the truth was that it really wasn't meaningful for this team never had an occasion where it rose up to pull off an upset. And while there is nothing to be proud of from a 6-6 season, when you analyze it closely you note they did not play Colorado, BYU and Arizona State. Those are arguably the three best teams in the conference and WVU's schedule did not include them. The Mountaineers beat teams they were supposed to beat, lost to teams they were supposed to lose to. They were the definition of a .500 team. "Our record wasn't what we hoped for," Brown admitted. "I will say this. Over the course of the year there were times when people counted us out and we bounced back. We have some good people in the locker room. We have some where we have to do some work. I'm talking about personnel areas. "We're very cognizant of it. We're not covering our eyes. There's areas where we have to get better. We won five games in the league. There were some games there we were capable of winning. So, I don't think we're miles away but there are some critical areas where we have to improve." Brown won't accept what most people are thinking:That this year's WVU team, his sixth as head coach, that this game and this season defined his team. "I don't think the first half of football defined who we are," Brown said. "It didn't define who we are as individuals and it didn't define who we are as a team," But you can't ignore reality. You are what you are and six years in Neal Brown's record in Big 12 games is 37-36. He hasn't beaten any Top 10 teams. They are far better than the first team he inherited from Dana Holgorsen, but they are not a contender in the conference and that's not opinion, it's there in the standings. The fans' frustration is warranted. Now what? "It's been a long season. They have to catch their breath. The positive is this is not the end of it. We have another game. Our guys will bounce back. They bounced back in the second half," Brown said. Certainly he wasn't talking about this game. True, they weren't blitzed 29-0 as they had been in the second quarter, but what kind of bounce back is it when you get outscored 17-12 in the second half. And, yeah, you can look at the stat sheet and see that WVU finished with 405 yards gained, which is not a bad offensive day ...until you realize it produced only 15 points against the team that ranked 125th in the nation in points allowed. The truth was, most of those yards were picked up, if you will pardon the expression, after this game was over. --- Follow @bhertzel on X (formerly Twitter)Fetterman rips Democrats’ ‘freakouts’ about his tentative support for OzABC has made the holiday season a little brighter thanks to The Great Christmas Light Fight . Season 12 is currently underway with more elaborate and unique displays. Even though Carter Oosterhouse has been judging for more than a decade, the longtime judge continues to be impressed. The construction expert and interior designer Taniya Nayak has the difficult task of deciding who out of the four families they visit in each episode takes home $50,000 and the coveted trophy. Here Oosterhouse talks about the show’s longevity and what his residence looks like during the holidays with his wife, actress Amy Smart . It’s amazing how this show has become such an annual holiday tradition for families to watch together. Carter Oosterhouse: The Great Christmas Light Fight is the gift that keeps on giving. The more we are on, the more people come up to me at the airport and reflect on how it’s a tradition for them. They tell me, “We know it’s Christmas time when we see this show come on air.” The family programming this embodies is so sweet and perfect for the holiday season. You have the holiday movies on, which are nostalgic and fun. This is a little bit different, yet gives the same moment for families to gather and have a nice little night at home. Disney/Jim Gensheimer How would you say your judging eye has evolved? That’s a good question. I think sometimes as a judge you don’t even realize how these displays continue to get better. And it’s not just bigger. It’s more than more lights. I always say I can pick the winner right when the lights go on, but that’s not always true because now what I’ve seen is the creativity level has skyrocketed. People are more and more creative than ever before. It’s not just about putting lights on a tree or making sure the balance is correct or the color profile is engaging and interesting. It’s really about creativity. What that means is people are starting to tell stories with their lights. That’s fascinating. In scripted or nonscripted TV, it’s all about telling a story. When you watch something, that is why you keep going back to it. Now these families with these light displays are telling stories. As the viewer, it’s so much more dynamic and interesting to the point you have to scratch your head and say, “I’m blown away. I’m shocked. Just when you think you’ve seen them all, you haven’t.” Technology has also advanced within these displays through computer programming and drones. The technology is there and every year it gets better. Sometimes we do have people who are extremely good with computers and putting light and synchronized lights together, but that’s not always the winner. I don’t want to say it’s usually not the winner, but it seems to me what I have learned is over time I go back to the creative ones. Those are going to be the winners. If they can throw tech in there, even better because it makes it faster, more efficient maybe, and more interesting to some degree. As far as technology goes, every year we’re seeing something different. The light fighters who have been doing it for decades and are at the forefront of this technology, really geek out over that. I do too. I love learning more about it. Then some people who are doing it for the first time knock your socks off because they have no frame of reference. They just want to do something they want to do and in their mind is really cool. I’m always amazed at the dedication of these participants. The light fighters work extremely hard. They are very diligent with what they are doing. The families are in the grind. When September comes around, they are starting to put their lights up and it’s all hands on deck. It’s a lot of work. As a judge too, I want to make sure I applaud them and give them the credit they deserve. It is impressive to see the lengths they go. These guys are beyond the next level. They know the drill. They take the kids to school, go to work, and then come home to start working on their display at all hours of the night. Then they get up the next day and do the same thing. The cool thing is I’d say 99 percent of the people are happy to do this for their community. That’s the best part. On your travels, have there been places you never thought about going but are glad you went? For Trading Spaces , we traveled all over the United States. I think that was the indoctrination of a really crazy travel schedule. I’d say the good thing is I can go back to some of these areas. To your point, I do get to see areas that have lit up these lights or sometimes they are theme parks because we do heavyweights as well. We get into bigger areas that have the capability of dressing it up. Those are eye-opening. I’m in this last round of shooting right now where there are plenty of places I’ve said, “I want to bring my daughter back here.” That’s a sign they’ve done a really good job. You and Taniya are solo judging in these episodes, but do you talk much? We touch base a couple of times during the season and before. It’s funny because it is all very similar for us. There is a progression of what these light fighters are doing. I always feel like I can figure it out if they are going to be a top tier when the lights go on. Lately, I feel as you’ve gotten into it, this is not what I expected at all and even better. That’s fun. Taniya and I have been on the same page with all that. Carter Oosterhouse and Amy Smart at “Common Ground” Screening. (Gregg DeGuire/Variety via Getty Images) Does this being known for this show put pressure on you at home to deliver a good display? Does Amy get you to work? Good question. It used to be my wife saying, “So what are we doing? Why aren’t we having any lights?” I say, “I am the judge of The Great Christmas Light Fight . I feel like I would not do a service and carry out the oath of being a judge and fail miserably putting lights up.” Usually, when I get home it’s a lot closer to Christmas. So, we do the inside. I’ve been trying to bring back things people make as a builder and duplicate them. There are a lot of makers out there. You see this guy who has been working in his workshop, who has this crazy Santa Claus walking up a ladder built on a timing system. I think that’s really cool that I want to go home and do that. So I have dabbled in those. You mentioned you’re filming right now for next year. Do you go back and watch the episodes airing as a family at home? We try to, absolutely, when I’m not shooting for next year. We critique. If my daughter is into it, I feel like I’m doing my job. There are tons of shows she can watch, especially during the holidays. I feel if she is into it, I’m doing alright. What’s your go-to Christmas movies to watch? Do you watch Amy’s movie Just Friends ? I feel sometimes people forget that is a Christmas movie. Just Friends , we do watch that. That is definitely a Christmas movie. We go back to all the nostalgic movies. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation , we run back through all that. Now there are all these shows, too. Like these Christmas baking shows. I feel like those are of interest to us too. I guess we’re finding shows I never thought I would watch and falling into. Also, being on a show this long, we’re so thankful it has been on the air this long and having such a successful run. You go through a rollercoaster of emotions. Right now, we’re doing great. It’s fun. It’s a new interest not just on the show but on Christmas too. It’s all about being loved ones. This experience has really helped me dive deeper into the whole Christmas world and look at it from other angles compared to when I first started on the show. Anything you can tease about the episodes to come? There is one episode that is coming up, and what was really of interest was the coordination. Not just of the lights but things that these blow molds were doing within the light display. We see a lot of coordination from the tech world, but when you can take traditional elements and mix those into a newer feel, that was really impressive. There was this choir of blow molds in the show, and that was so dynamic because you think, “Wait? Are those blow molds singing to me now?” There was a ton of them. Not only was it visually interesting but to hear it was amazing. What do you want to see from the show moving forward? I do like the heavyweights. Those are really fun to shoot because they are on such a different level. It’s also the community is helping out as well. You just have more people involved. I’d like to see more of those to tell you the truth because there seems to be a lot more people, which creates a bigger energy. That’s not to say the homes don’t do that. We only do one of these types of episodes a year, but I’d love to see more of them. The Great Christmas Light Fight , Thursdays, 8/7c, ABC More Headlines:
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday that he wants real estate developer Charles Kushner , father of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, to serve as ambassador to France. Trump made the announcement in a Truth Social post, calling Charles Kushner “a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker." Kushner is the founder of Kushner Companies, a real estate firm. Jared Kushner is a former White House senior adviser to Trump who is married to Trump’s eldest daughter, Ivanka. The elder Kushner was pardoned by Trump in December 2020 after pleading guilty years earlier to tax evasion and making illegal campaign donations. Charles Kushner arrives July 20, 2022, for the funeral of Ivana Trump in New York. Prosecutors alleged that after Charles Kushner discovered his brother-in-law was cooperating with federal authorities in an investigation, he hatched a scheme for revenge and intimidation. Kushner hired a prostitute to lure his brother-in-law, then arranged to have the encounter in a New Jersey motel room recorded with a hidden camera and the recording sent to Kushner's own sister, the man’s wife, prosecutors said. Kushner eventually pleaded guilty to 18 counts including tax evasion and witness tampering. He was sentenced in 2005 to two years in prison — the most he could receive under a plea deal, but less than what Chris Christie, the U.S. attorney for New Jersey at the time and later governor and Republican presidential candidate, sought. Christie blamed Jared Kushner for his firing from Trump’s transition team in 2016, and called Charles Kushner’s offenses “one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes that I prosecuted when I was U.S. attorney.” Trump and the elder Kushner knew each other from real estate circles and their children were married in 2009. Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” 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. Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump said Wednesday that he will nominate Gen. Keith Kellogg to serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as National Security Advisor to Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence. For the America First Policy Institute, one of several groups formed after Trump left office to help lay the groundwork for the next Republican administration, Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. James Blair, deputy chief of staff Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. William McGinley, White House counsel 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.” Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.Fetterman rips Democrats’ ‘freakouts’ about his tentative support for Oz
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A fight broke out at midfield after Michigan stunned No. 2 Ohio State 13-10 on Saturday as Wolverines players attempted to plant their flag and were met by Buckeyes who confronted them. Related Articles College Sports | Michigan shocks No. 2 Ohio State, 13-10, wins fourth straight in heated rivalry College Sports | Michigan State holds off No. 12 North Carolina 94-91 in overtime for 3rd at Maui Invitational College Sports | Danny Wolf scores 20 and Michigan knocks off No. 22 Xavier 78-53. College Sports | SEC losses are big gains for SMU and Indiana in latest College Football Playoff rankings College Sports | Hunter, Haggerty again lead way for Memphis in 71-63 win over Michigan State to reach Maui finale Police had to use pepper spray to break up the players, who threw punches and shoves in the melee that overshadowed the rivalry game. Ohio State police said in a statement “multiple officers representing Ohio and Michigan deployed pepper spray.” Ohio State police will investigate the fight, according to the statement. After the Ohio State players confronted their bitter rivals at midfield, defensive end Jack Sawyer grabbed the top of the Wolverines’ flag and ripped it off the pole as the brawl moved toward the Michigan bench. Eventually, police officers rushed into the ugly scene. Ohio State coach Ryan Day said he understood the actions of his players. “There are some prideful guys on our team who weren’t going to sit back and let that happen,” Day said. The two Ohio State players made available after the game brushed off questions about it. Michigan running back Kalel Mullings, who rushed for 116 yards and a touchdown, didn’t like how the Buckeyes players involved themselves in the Wolverines’ postgame celebration. He called it “classless.” “For such a great game, you hate to see stuff like that after the game,” he said in an on-field interview with Fox Sports. “It’s just bad for the sport, bad for college football. But at the end of the day, you know some people got to — they got to learn how to lose, man. ... We had 60 minutes, we had four quarters, to do all that fighting.” Michigan coach Sherrone Moore said everybody needs to do better. “So much emotions on both sides,” he said. “Rivalry games get heated, especially this one. It’s the biggest one in the country, so we got to handle that better.” — By MITCH STACY, Associated Press
Will Kamala Harris run for California governor in 2026? The question is already swirlingThis transcript is from a CSIS event hosted on December 10, 2024. Watch the full video here. Stephen Morrison: Today we have the great pleasure of being joined by Loyce Pace, assistant secretary at Health and Human Services department for global affairs. (Music plays.) This is the CommonHealth from the CSIS Bipartisan Alliance for Global Health Security, engaging senior leaders on questions of how to address our common health security challenges in this post-COVID moment. (Music ends.) Hello and welcome. I’m J. Stephen Morrison, senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies – CSIS – based in Washington, D.C. CommonHealth Live! is a series of the CSIS Bipartisan Alliance for Global Health Security. Today we have the great pleasure of being joined by a close friend and much-admired colleague and leader in global health, Assistant Secretary at HHS for – in the Office of Global Affairs Loyce Pace. Welcome, Loyce. Thanks so much for joining us today. Loyce Pace: Thank you, Steve. Dr. Morrison: We’re here to talk about the newly released strategy, the Global Strategy of the Department of Health and Human Services, which is fresh out. Just came out a few days ago. We’re going to talk about that strategy and we’re going to talk about some of the bigger dimensions in which it sits. Loyce has been in this position since March of 2021 so she’s been in this leadership role continuously for almost the entire duration of this Biden administration, which brings enormous perspective, I think, across the span of work. This has been an exceedingly busy era in terms of both bilateral and multilateral diplomacy. Loyce has been at the center of all of those affairs. That’s her job – (laughter) – at HHS. That was her job was to lead in many, many different fora. We’ll hear more about that. Now, the global strategy, which I encourage all of you to read – the global strategy is new. It’s new and it’s meant to mark this moment. It comes on the heels of many other strategies that we’ve had issued in the course of this administration in which you participated. We had the National Health Security Strategy for 2023 to 2026. We had the Global Health Security Strategy of 2024. We had the National Biodefense Strategy and Implementation Plan in 2022. We had the Biodefense Posture Review at the DOD that was concluded last year. So there’s been a lot of thinking, a lot of policy formulation. I mean, in this administration it’s remarkable how much of this has happened and been instituted, and all of these efforts require a prodigious amount of work across a span of different actors. You at the top of the frame are trying to fuse these opinions into this consolidated strategy. Congratulations on that. Ms. Pace: Thank you. Dr. Morrison: It’s a remarkable amount of work and it comes on the backdrop of a lot of other remarkable work. So let’s start with as you look at this – this is going to be one of your legacies. You can point to this as a culmination of a lot of work. What are the two to three most significant elements or changes within this which are going to distinguish it as people look at this and they go, OK, well, that marked a certain passage in our thinking? So tell us about that. Ms. Pace: Well, thanks very much, first of all, for the introduction, Steve, and just acknowledging all of the work – the painstaking but rewarding work that we’ve been about this administration. With this global strategy coming out of the Department of Health and Human Services I think, first and foremost, people are going to see equity front and center and that’s something that’s different. It’s not that we haven’t been focused on equity or health equity, broadly speaking, for decades but now we’re finally talking about it, from this president to Secretary Becerra to others across the administration and, certainly, throughout the department. We’re saying, look, we can’t get this work done to protect Americans or to protect Americans by protecting the world unless we have an equity lens. So that’s number one. I think number two in the strategy people might see an increased focus on innovation. When we looked back at the last strategy that we published as a department – the last global strategy back in 2016 – I think we even did a word search to understand how many times innovation, technology, and other such terms were used or referenced and it wasn’t that much, surprisingly. So we wanted to bring this particular version of the document current to reflect all the innovations that we’ve been able to realize, right, and benefit from in the past decade or so and that includes very current information technologies like artificial intelligence and how that can be leveraged to advance global health, let alone the sort of bread and butter manufactured technologies and other very basic, tangible innovations that we lived through with COVID-19. So that’s another important focus. And then I think, finally, we really wanted to pull together themes and kind of connect dots across various priorities. What do I mean by that? We have done a good job, I think, in the global health community talking about the spectrum of diseases, right, from infectious diseases to, say, noncommunicable diseases, from maternal child health to other matters along the spectrum. But we haven’t always leaned into the intersection of, say, health and migration or health and climate. And so we’re able to lift up the work that the department is doing, understanding that the world is multifaceted and complex, and there are agencies within the department that are able to focus at the intersection of health and these other development issues. Dr. Morrison: Thank you. Let me take each of those and dive a little more deeply. On the equity norm it comes through loud and clear, right? Ms. Pace: Good. Dr. Morrison: I mean, it’s right at the front end but it runs through all of the argumentation, and when I ask myself, OK, what in practical terms are we talking about here on equity there were a couple things that I took away as what you mean by equity in actual action – concrete action. One is sexual and reproductive rights. A second is LGBTQ+ rights and protections. A third is low income countries and a right to universal health coverage. Maybe right is not the correct term, but provision. In other words, inequity in terms of the absence of something that should be there as a fundamental basis of our strategy of engagement with our partner countries. And the last is something that you’ve referenced which is manufacturing capabilities in low income countries. Those are the things that I think are the manifestations in concrete terms of this equity norm. And the other thing I wanted to mention is it seems to me the aftermath of COVID equity became a driving preoccupation across the diplomatic domain, right – I mean, in the pandemic treaty negotiations, in the IHR, you know, modifications. In many, many fora that you were in, that you serve in on the boards of the different organizations, of SEFI, Global Fund – that all of the different bilateral regional bodies that you find yourself in there was a surge. This marched forward to become a dominant concern normatively, it seems to me, and that has settled. It has become a process of consolidation of this into things like this, just strategy. Ms. Pace: Sure. Yeah. Dr. Morrison: But say a few words more about that. Ms. Pace: Well, I’m really glad to know that’s come through because that’s exactly what we wanted to do was to take equity from headline to implementation and execution because there’s a real need for equity as strategy, right, and not just this principle that we tout. Of course, there is a moral imperative to a lot of the work that we do but there’s a very strategic imperative, as you well know. So let’s take HIV and the decades of work that we’ve done in that space. One of the reasons we did what we did to try and respond to the crisis in the way that we have and continue to do is because we know that unless we truly reach those who have traditionally or historically been left behind we’re not going to be able to finish this fight and that’s going to have ramifications for these communities, for countries, and for the world. We saw it with COVID, right? One of the reasons that we were also seized with ensuring that we had vaccines at home and abroad is because we wanted to stop this virus in its tracks. And, of course, vaccines weren’t the only answer but they were an important part of the equation once they became available and I often would talk about in the absence of vaccines there’s this risk or opportunity for variants to emerge, right, and we saw that happening as the longer we took to ensure that there was equitable access. So to your point, we are very much focused on how we can improve or drive access to health – health care, health services, public health – through these strategic objectives because that’s the only way we’re going to be able to make progress overall. Dr. Morrison: Thank you. On the innovation and the special focus on AI that, of course, has entered the mainstream discussion of almost everything, right, and it also is – there’s an equity concern in terms of affordable access on new technologies, right? So equity carries into that but it’s also something that is celebratory in the sense that there’s – a certain pessimism has settled into our thinking. Resources have become very tight, the cycle of crisis followed by neglect, the, you know, global health security, global health – what we think of as global health traditionally has entered a period of peril, in a sense, in terms of trying to preserve its prioritization. It’s a slipping priority and the like. Putting innovation forward, it seems to me, is a very good strategy for preserving an optimism and a forward look. It’s also a faith in our capacity as a nation to bring forward new solutions that have not just benefits for Americans but to others. Say more about that because, you know, this strategy is not a pessimistic strategy but it’s occurring in a very pessimistic time. Ms. Pace: Yeah, that’s an important point. I mean, look, America has always led the world in very important ways and I think what we’re trying to do is bring that forward, especially when you think about the history of many of our agencies within the Department of Health, right? You think about the NIH and how historic their innovations have come to be including as recently as with COVID-19 but stretching back, again, decades. But then you have newer agencies like ARPA-H, right, this new research agency and authority that is looking at these sort of Moonshot Initiatives and carrying forward things like the president’s Moonshot Initiative or agenda but also looking at other interesting investments in antimicrobial resistance and Alzheimer’s and the like. And that is exciting, right, because there’s an opportunity for us to translate these innovations in the world and also, let’s not forget, learn from the exchanges we have internationally to benefit what we do here at home. And so coming back to ARPA-H, let alone with our National Institutes of Health, they have these broad-based research communities that they’ve been able to foster over time and they’re purposely and intentionally multinational because we know that genius has no borders, right? We know that the next innovation can truly come from anywhere. But it’s always been the spirit of America, I think, to harness that in thoughtful, meaningful, and really impactful ways. And so I do think that’s the promise – one of the great promises of this strategy and of the innovation that we have. But one more thing about that, too, that I think is important we have to tie it to the equity lens that we were just talking about before. You know, innovation without equity really has no impact, right? It’s really just a good idea that is for the few and not the many, and so it’s important that we have this ethical, equitable approach to anything that we do to understand who benefits. You know, even in the planning phase, right, how we develop these innovations is critically important, who is engaged in that process, so that it does reach the right folks. But regulation and other important components also need to be key as part of this enabling environment for the innovation. It’s not just sort of the products or ideas themselves. Dr. Morrison: Yeah. I’m glad you brought up ARPA-H if only because, you know, we’re entering a period now of a reconsideration of how fast should science be and how big and bold versus slow and incremental, the discovery phase, and how do we invest to bring innovation forward at a faster rate, safer rate, but also have it be of use in low and middle – within partnerships with low and middle income countries. And I wanted to ask you, do you have in your mind a few of the most choice technological challenges, whether we’re talking vaccines, countermeasures, diagnostics. There’s any number of types of innovations. But if you look, like, at the Mpox outbreak, right, which has now become embedded in the Kivus – it’s become embedded in Burundi, in Uganda – it’s a long-term problem. When you talk to folks in the – who are managing that response one question that comes up is, OK, over the long term we need a vaccine that can be used continental wide that’s cheap and affordable and usable. We don’t have that today. We do have a very good JYNNEOS – Ms. Pace: Stand in, yeah. Dr. Morrison: – vaccine, but it doesn’t fit that requirement. We need a level of innovation that’s going to bring that forward. So is it that sort of thing that you – when you’re thinking about accelerating the innovation for the purposes of our global strategy of engagement with our partners in low and middle income countries is that the sort of thing you have in mind is let’s prioritize two or three things that – where we really do want to push hard? Ms. Pace: I think innovation can run the gamut. So you can be referring to products like new vaccines and, of course, there have been endless conversations about what actually deserves or requires investment. I talked about antimicrobial resistance earlier. Speaking of outdated products and the need to innovate in this space, you know, AMR being potentially the next big thing is something that requires that investment and attention, which is why we’ve been making it. But there have been conversations – global conversations – whether they be at WHO or at the G-20 that have asked this very question, right, where do we really make these investments. But what’s exciting about the focus on innovation as well is the ability and even obligation to crowd in other actors to answer this question. This is not just a public sector problem and solution. We have to draw from universities and academia. We need to be drawing from the private sector and industry, and they’re coming forth with these ideas around where we can make these investments and, importantly, making it possible for us to make multiple investments across the board. In other words, we don’t just have to make one bet in one space like in Mpox, which is a good example. But there are other needs, right? Think about the investments we’ve been able to make in the newer dengue vaccine, right, and actually given the outbreaks and increasing outbreaks globally really provide hope and promise in that space. And so it’s – there’s a bit of both/and in this when it comes to kind of where we place those bets. But I want to be sure we’re also talking about, I guess, small I innovation as well, how the workforce – the global health workforce – operates in an environment where you have more climate disasters and conflicts. You know, that in itself is another innovation, right, understanding how we sustain the capacity and also stamina, frankly, of our frontline workers. What are the innovations that can be deployed when it comes to surveillance and testing, for example? How can we even leverage artificial intelligence or some of these larger data models or capacities to innovate in that way, right? So it’s, you know, there are people much smarter than me who are thinking about this every day and that’s one of the reasons why you will see that as a focus in what we’ve put together. Dr. Morrison: Thank you. You mentioned – in your third area around connecting dots and integrating you mentioned health and climate and so I wanted to just touch on that briefly. This is an issue that’s of great concern for us. We’ve created within our Bipartisan Alliance a very ambitious working group around health and climate. We’ve spoken with one of your colleagues, John Balbus, who came on camera earlier. So you’re – this is a nice broadcast companion to hearing from him, who was very impressive and visionary running that new office of climate health and equity at HHS. You mentioned in the report the need for greater support to prepare to the President’s Emergency Plan on Resilience and Equity. Ms. Pace: Adaptation and Resilience. (Laughs.) Dr. Morrison: Adaptation. The President’s Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience. Ms. Pace: Yes. Dr. Morrison: Say a bit more about what has been possible so far. I mean, John was very candid about the limitations but he was very energetic and committed, as you have been. What has been possible in this period up to now and what would you hope for, looking ahead? Ms. Pace: Well, I’m glad you had Dr. Balbus on. He is the best and brightest in this space and has been working tirelessly on this effort. As you mentioned, we have had the – been able to stand up, excuse me, the office of climate change and health equity in the department and, again, recognizing the important intersection of those two pieces. But I would say that we go about this work globally in a couple of different ways. There’s the mitigation track, which John probably talked extensively about, in terms of our decarbonization efforts, let alone the ways that we are trying to work with global partners to forecast what’s coming, right. Unfortunately, we are getting used to some of these weather patterns globally and how they affect quality of life. There are pollution patterns that we can track. There are, obviously, wildfires and huge – Dr. Morrison: Huge migration and demographic changes. Ms. Pace: Exactly. So there’s so much that we can start to get ahead of knowing what’s coming, and our CDC really can do a lot to borrow from partners around the world to inform our work here, right, in this country and vice versa, kind of have that exchange with partners globally based on what we’re doing and learning it inside of the U.S. But then there is an important adaptation component, too, and I talked about workforce a little bit. But I think even when we consider people’s health records what happens when people are fleeing a fire or a flood? What happens to their health information? How can they track their treatment courses and ensure that they are – those are sustained? There are other important components to adaptation as well when we think about the ways we need to just really understand how people are affected by climate disasters and ensure that there is a ready workforce and health infrastructure that can support them in the event of an emergency. So those are the types of ways we’re trying to ensure those pieces are in place. We’ve been able to work with the World Health Organization in there and how this has emerged as well because some of the things that we’re able to do out of the office of global affairs is partner with multilateral institutions in this space. We’ve engaged in the COP conferences the past several years. Obviously, Brazil’s G-20 focused on climate and, you know, you have WHO’s special envoy on climate and health with Dr. Vanessa Kerry. So all of these issues have emerged as priorities across our partners and so it has behooved us as the department of health to meet the moment ourselves and liaise accordingly. Dr. Morrison: Do you – you know, there’s climate as a – climate change as a topic is a polarized, politicized term and so we do run headlong into a very partisan set of divisions within our own society. Language becomes very important in trying to not trigger a negative and immediate negative reaction to get a focus on these issues of what the health impacts are of extreme weather and of rising infectious diseases – dengue and malaria and other things – and what the global demographic changes are looking like, and how do you – what’s your advice on finding the right language to bring a consensus together? Because we’re not going to be able to be effective, I don’t think, in devising a foreign policy around climate and health if we can’t figure out a language that draws both division – both sides of our deeply divided society into support. What are your thoughts on that? I know there’s no easy answer so I’m not pretending that but I would like your thoughts because you’ve had to engage, and we’ve gone through a period where extreme weather has had profoundly destabilizing impacts on populations in red, blue, and purple states in our country. Ms. Pace: Right. (Laughs.) That’s right. Dr. Morrison: Massive numbers of people impacted – Ms. Pace: Right. Dr. Morrison: – in places that they never expected. Asheville, North Carolina never expected they would be at the forefront of this. Ms. Pace: Exactly. And think about the fallout there when it comes to adaptation, right? We needed to be mindful of the supply chain in that very scenario and we’ve seen that play out all over the world. You know, it’s an important question without an easy answer but I think one way we could go about getting past the language and the debate around that language is by focusing more on One Health. I mean, this – you know, honestly, the intersection of climate and health isn’t necessarily a new idea and there are plenty of folks both in the human health and environmental health space that have recognized this intersection for years. Just think about zoonotic spillover, right? (Laughs.) Dr. Morrison: Right. Right. Ms. Pace: We are seeing diseases move between animals and humans. That is a climate and health priority or agenda. That is a One Health agenda, and the more, I think, we can really point to where it’s playing out and, importantly, what that risk entails to either side of that equation the better off we are in trying to at least have a conversation – a constructive conversation about what can be done, and I’ve seen that work, right, when you can really break down for people what the priorities should be given that intersection, given that interplay. It’s worked. You know, we have field epidemiologists now, excuse me, who don’t just focus on kind of the disease detection amongst humans but we are now training our CDC is working with partners to train people in the ag sector to do the same thing amongst animals and to really work together in a meaningful intentional way to stop this spillover where it starts. So that alone is a version of this that we’re talking about. But I think we can take that further to some of these other examples when it comes to extreme weather events and other issues, like you said, that, you know, affect all of us no matter where we’re coming at this issue. Dr. Morrison: Yes. Let’s shift to your diplomatic role. I mean, you’re the lead diplomat from HHS. Many different fora. I want to mention also you have these six attachés around the world. We’ve worked very closely with Erika Elvander in Beijing who has done a spectacular job in the last three and a half, four years in that role. She came in, I think, pretty close in time to that role as your arrival. We hosted the – I think there was – we had the – five of the regional attachés plus Dr. Lim from Geneva here for a forum end of last week and it was quite extraordinary. They were so impactful. They were so strategic in their orientation. They were able to tell these stories around the role they played in these big embassies, really important places, right – South Africa, Kenya, New Delhi, Beijing, Mexico City. Ms. Pace: Mmm hmm. Brasilia. Dr. Morrison: Geneva, Brasilia. I mean, it was very impressive in terms of having a capability that really could recount in specific detail their contribution to advancing our agenda. So kudos to them. I know they fall under your office. They’re an enormous asset, sometimes not very well appreciated either, I think. (Laughter.) So kudos to you. Ms. Pace: Thank you. Dr. Morrison: I just wanted to mention that because it was very – it was really quite inspiring to hear that, to understand the power of this capability, which we did not always have. Ms. Pace: That’s true, and they’re incredible. I mean, it’s – and where they are placed is quite strategic, right? I mean, these are not – these are people who truly partner with the countries where they’re serving. This is not a development sort of top down operation but, rather, when you think about the Mexicos and Brazils or the Indias and the Chinas and other countries you mentioned we are able to have this real partnership because of their advancement in health as well, and whether we’re talking about innovation or immunizations and surveillance and other important components of health these countries are leading the way in their own right and so it behooves us to have this strong tie, and it’s played out in really important ways even in recent years including during COVID. I like to say these attachés were holding up the sky in some cases as Delta was hitting India, right, and these waves were hitting some of these other countries as Omicron was hitting South Africa. So it’s really important to – that we do acknowledge the boots on the ground, the people who are serving as the node for U.S. health initiatives and working, of course, with other U.S. agencies accordingly but are just a critical touch point for us. Dr. Morrison: For us this year, I mean, one of the highlights of our year, 2024, was the ability to host on September 27th the Chinese vice minister of the National Health Commission. Now, there had not been in Washington, D.C., a ministerial level Chinese health official in Washington since 2017. There had been a seven-year gap of that level of contact. Now, we all know what happened, right? We had COVID. We had geopolitical confrontations. We had President Biden and President Xi meet twice and pledge to renew and elevate cooperation on health. But politics kept getting in the way. But we were able to do that. We were able to host the vice minister here at CSIS who then went on to meet with Deputy Secretary Andrea Palm at HHS as well as leadership from four of the National Institutes of Health, also very significant, and to go to the – meet with Victor Dzau at the National Academy of Medicine. Now, I raise all of this because we could never have done this without the help of Erika Elvander, the health attaché in Beijing, and with the support of Ambassador Nick Burns and his whole team. But it took two trips out there. It took endless amounts of consultation. But we are very indebted, very grateful, to the fact that you have these remarkable people in place and that they actually are very responsive and creative in that way. Ms. Pace: That’s good. Dr. Morrison: Tell us about WHO. You know, WHO, you – you’re at the front face of the relationship. It’s a difficult relationship. It may be that when incoming President Trump is inaugurated on January 20th there’s an expectation he may snap back to end the membership, which may start a process of negotiation around reform, a 12-month string in which there could be negotiation. We don’t know. But it’s important for us to be talking now about how healthy is WHO, how important is WHO to U.S. global interests and if there is a quest to strengthen WHO through reform. In your view, what should be the – is it the prequalification process? Is it – what is it that – concretely because these terms get thrown around and WHO is terribly important to U.S. interests. If we walk away we’re handing – we’re ceding a space to our rivals, right – to our adversaries. We’re opening space for heightened influence by both China and Russia. Say a few words about WHO and how you see it today and what would a reform agenda look like. Ms. Pace: Well, I have to say I’ve been really proud of the way we’ve been able to reengage with WHO. It’s critically important and it demonstrates the power of health diplomacy. But health diplomacy or diplomacy overall is not about always going easy on your partners and friends or agreeing, right? Sometimes you have to have tough conversations, and while we’ve applauded a lot of the work that WHO has done we’ve had to have some constructive, productive conversations about how they can improve that work and we’ve done that alongside other member states, importantly, because we’ve remained at the table, and WHO, to their great credit, has been incredibly receptive to it. These are conversations that even stretch back to the previous administration, and so we were happy to continue those discussions, to continue driving that reform agenda and that reform agenda really encompasses quite a bit, right? You think about all of the internal workings of the organization – staffing, budgeting, and the like. You think about the governing practices or the model with the executive board on which I’ve been sitting the past several years and then, obviously, you think about their programmatic agenda and priorities. And so across all of these different areas WHO has been pushing forward to continue to either streamline their work, to look more closely at how those resources are allocated and leveraged, and really look at how – the impact that they have and how that’s communicated. You know, sometimes it’s a matter of us not fully appreciating or understanding why the organization is pursuing what it’s doing, what sort of challenges they’re facing. Sometimes it’s a matter of them just really leaning on the board that much more and the member states more broadly to make tough decisions. You know, they are a member-led organization – Dr. Morrison: Right. Ms. Pace: – and there are 190-plus member states all with different perspectives and priorities. Sometimes it takes a lot of wrangling to ensure that we are doing right by the institution and it doesn’t mean they don’t have a role in making these changes as well but we all have to be a part of that reform effort. So that’s been our approach to our work with WHO and it’s our hope that that is what can continue. Dr. Morrison: So what would you say – what would you identify as the areas where if we want to salvage this relationship and preserve membership what would be the things that, in your view, should be a priority for negotiation? Ms. Pace: Well, I think what we’ve worked with WHO on and what we’ve seen them do, for example, is really – I mean, look, they’ve launched a new global program of work that sets out some clear priorities according to where the needs are globally when it comes to health and well-being. Importantly, they are looking more closely at these social determinants of health, kind of the root causes of issues around health. That way I think while they might have specific programs in a number of disease areas they’re not just playing this game of whack-a-mole trying to save all of these lives from these different conditions or risk, but they can step back and say, well, what is actually driving poor health and well-being globally? What is at the root of this? So that, I think, is going to be important for them to sort of demonstrate that greater return on investment, frankly. You know, the inner workings – the operational pieces – are also quite important. It’s, perhaps, boring to talk about but that is going to be where they can do a lot of convincing to show, hey, we have used this one dollar to do – to save this many lives, to do this many things, and that can be sustained over time. A lot of the work at this point in global health by WHO and a range of other actors is going to need to be structural, right? It’s great when we can provide products and supplies, let alone, you know, providers and other sort of tangible pieces to people all over the world. But it’s more important that WHO, working with partners, can really invest in the capacity of these countries and ensure that countries can take on this work for themselves, which is exactly what they want to do. So the more WHO and its regional offices can demonstrate that evolution and that even independence of partners globally I think that is a winning case that they can make in Washington. Dr. Morrison: Let’s turn to your reflections on the last few years. Let’s start with, like, what are your proudest achievements? Like, what are the two or three proudest – when you’re talking to your grandchildren or your nephews and nieces, you know, and they say, well, what did you actually do on those – in those almost four years? What are going to – what are you going to say? Ms. Pace: You know, I’m proud of the IHRs – the international health regulations – and the way that our team worked so hard with their counterparts around the world to update those, and I will explain to the nieces and nephews and others around me that once upon a time we had a pandemic hit us and we had a plan to fight that pandemic, and we did OK in some ways – we meaning the world, right. There were countries that could use these rules that were in place to tell us what was going on, to protect their people, to protect others. But there were ways that we didn’t quite get it right, and some of that was because we weren’t taking into account the speed of information and the way that moved around the world. We weren’t taking into account the ways that WHO and other actors needed to understand that information, to have access to that information so that they could take actions, right? We weren’t taking into account some of the other core pieces around resources or capacity for countries not only to report what’s happening but then to be supported in that reporting. So those are all the things we were able to do through the amendments to the IHRs was bring them to the present to ensure that if we are affected by something like COVID again we get that much closer to perfect in a way that we – you know, we didn’t quite do this time. But I think it’s important to know that we had a strong base and thank goodness we didn’t have to start from scratch when it came to those amendments. Dr. Morrison: OK. So the IHR reform process. Ms. Pace: Yeah. Dr. Morrison: What are the other items that you’re going to brag about? Ms. Pace: I would say, you know – (laughs) – I’m not good at bragging but I’m thinking about this being Human Rights Day, and something we have done in this administration is really make that connection between health and rights in a way that, again, we’ve seen and heard from our leadership, and in a way that felt surprising, honestly. It was – it seemed that it was a given that we were all here trying to save lives and acknowledging that we would save lives whoever they were, wherever they were. But it started to creep into some of these discussions at WHO and in other forums that, well, wait a minute. You know, do we really want to focus on, for example, LGBTQI+ populations and communities? How much do we need to even sort of gear our work towards these special populations? You and I know that that’s been critical to the health response and health agenda over time but I think there are people who have come into this space who don’t remember that history, who don’t necessarily appreciate the data and evidence around the importance of focusing on these groups. And there was a moment even in the World Health Assembly. I remember speaking up because there was a debate not just over whether we should focus on these communities but whether or not they even existed, and that was heartbreaking to hear because my values and faith tell me that if I can’t see someone I can’t serve them. And so one of my proudest moments is reminding my colleagues that we have to see everyone we are trying to serve. Dr. Morrison: Mmm hmm. Thank you. We’ve done a lot of work on Gaza. We have a series, “Gaza: The Human Toll.” Ms. Pace: Mmm hmm. Yeah. Dr. Morrison: We’ve done 21 one-hour broadcasts. The principal focus is pulling people in from Gaza who are operationally struggling under the worst imaginable circumstances to deal with this humanitarian and health catastrophe that is – you know, that is going to be with us for a very long time. The U.S. policy on this has been very controversial, and will remain very controversial as people sift through what happened and why did this happen in the level of devastation and harm to innocent civilians in this period. One bright spot, it seems to me, in a what otherwise very, very disappointing diplomatic record around in responding to these crises – one bright spot was some work that you did and I want you to talk about that. Ms. Pace: Well, thank you for raising that. Back in ’23 – in the fall of ’23 as things were unfolding in the region the executive board of WHO had a debate and ultimately made a decision to host a special session to discuss what was happening in Gaza in particular and, you know, what happens in these special sessions, I think as you know, is it allows us to shine a light on issues of importance to the health community and it was determined and agreed as part of those discussions leading up to that session that we needed to take a hard look at what the health impact really was as a result of the conflict and this is, you know, citizens or civilians everywhere and anywhere in the region who were being affected. What came of it was the U.S. joined consensus around the need for WHO to continue monitoring that situation, the impact that the conflict was having on health providers and health facilities and, more broadly, on civilians, whether we look at access to food and nutrition, water sanitation, or other very critical aspects that, you know, as you mentioned, have unfolded over, you know, the months – now, you know, more than a year. And so it was important, I think, for us in the health community to set that tone to make it clear that regardless of the very tough geopolitical and diplomatic issues we were going to stand strong and hold the line when it came to health and the importance of focusing on health in whatever space however difficult it is. Dr. Morrison: Well, thank you. You know, the issue of U.S. policy towards Gaza has been, obviously, very divisive across America. It’s been very divisive internally within the U.S. government and we’re going to see a lot of postmortems on this in the coming months and years around all of this and you taking that stand is terribly important. Ms. Pace: Thank you. Dr. Morrison: I just want to say that WHO in this period has been courageous and sustained in its work, from Rik Peeperkorn who’s come on – who’s the head of the operations for WHO in Gaza, to Richard Brennan in Cairo, the head of our emergency operations, to Hanan Balkhy, the head of the EMRO, the regional office in Cairo – we hosted her here, she was very powerful and eloquent. To Dr. Tedros, the secretary general of WHO – the director general of WHO has been consistently on point about what this all means and vocal about all of this, to the polio team, to Hamid Jafari out of Jordan. This has been a terrible and tragic and terribly dangerous and frustrating situation but WHO has just really distinguished itself in this period, and with your support – and I’m grateful that you did what you did – is quite important. Ms. Pace: Thank you. Dr. Morrison: So we’re at the closing moments now and – of this interview and we’re approaching the conclusion of the Biden administration. Tell us what gives you hope and optimism now, looking ahead – what parting advice you have to anyone who is thinking about the future around U.S. leadership in global health. You have laid out a very nice strategy here. You’ve made the case that we’ve covered here around equity, around innovation, around paying attention to the things that now are very much connecting like climate and health. Give us your parting thoughts. Ms. Pace: Well, look, I never imagined that I would be sitting in this chair doing this work, and it’s funny because I, as an advocate, liaise with the office of global affairs all the time and I love that I came to know each of the directors of the office, going back decades, and I’m grateful to them for the – you know, what I was able to step into, I guess. And so my hope even in publishing this strategy now is leaving something for the next person, right, so that they can build on this legacy that we have left over multiple administrations. I think anyone coming into this role or the U.S. government overall I trust that they will focus on the mission and on the people who drive that mission, right. I mean, that’s really what we have, particularly when we talk about health diplomacy. Our currency is our people. You talked about our attachés. We have a whole team of people here in Washington, D.C. We, obviously, have a range of partners abroad, especially when you think about our Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But that’s the work, you know, and the work has been underway in a way that has been making progress over time and I hope that we can all sort of look back and celebrate that progress but, importantly, look forward to know that that progress can be sustained and even elevated in the months and years to come. Thanks a lot for having me. Dr. Morrison: Thank you. Thank you. I want to offer a special thanks to a number of colleagues who pulled all of this together: Sophia Hirshfield and Maclane Speer; my colleagues in the Bipartisan Alliance; our terrific production team – Dhanesh Mahtani, Alex Brunner, Theo Chavez; to your colleagues at OGA who worked very closely with us to make all of this happen. This has been a wonderful conversation. Congratulations on the strategy. Congratulations on your tenure and achievements in this period and thank you for coming and spending time with us today. Ms. Pace: I appreciate it, Steve. Good to see you. Dr. Morrison: Thank you. (END.)Bruno Fernandes has revealed that Rodri, Declan Rice and N'golo Kante have been his toughest ever opponents in the Premier League since he made the switch to England to join Manchester United from Portuguese side Sporting CP back in January 2020. The Portuguese midfielder has been integral to Man United's - albeit limited - success since his arrival at the club, almost single-handedly changing their fortunes. In six seasons at Old Trafford, Fernandes has registered 161 goal involvements in 259 appearances - a mightily impressive return for a midfielder - which has helped the club achieve some domestic cup success over the last few seasons. This includes winning the 2023 League Cup and 2024 FA Cup, the latter of which they did by getting one over on their neighbouring rivals, Manchester City . Since his move over to the English top flight, Fernandes has come up against some stiff opposition in the midfield, with world-class talent on display across multiple teams. However, when asked who his toughest ever opponents have been in the Premier League, he didn't hesitate in naming the three brilliant midfield players. Fernandes Named His Three Toughest Premier League Opponents In his six seasons as a member of Man United, Fernandes has come up against his fair share of elite-level competition in the midfield. But when asked who his toughest opposition has been during an appearance on Sky Sports' Saturday Social , names immediately sprung to the mind of the Red Devils skipper , who said: "In the Premier League, you play against top players. [N'Golo] Kante was difficult, Rodri is really difficult, Declan Rice is really difficult. Declan and Rodri are physically very similar, Kante more small, but quick and sharp. But, there are many players because we play in the best league in the world, so you get to play against the best players." Fernandes and the very likeable Kante who has one of the most tireless engines in all of football have faced each other eight times for both club, when the Frenchman was with Chelsea , and country, with the Portuguese midfielder being on the winning side on just one of those occasions, with the pair drawing five times. But, the Man United captain has been involved in more meetings with Rice and Rodri, amassing a combined 24 games against his two opponents. Rice is easily one of the best English midfielders in world football right now , and in his time spent with both West Ham United and Arsenal , where he has contributed to seven wins and a draw, and just three losses, all of which have come successively in the last three meetings. However, against Rodri and Man City, Fernandes has had to endure more losses than victories, with him having met the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner 13 times in his career, including twice on the international stage, and Fernandes being on the losing side on seven of those occasions. Nonetheless, it is Fernandes who has since had the last laugh - at least temporarily - with the last meeting between him and the Spaniard coming in the FA Cup Final at the end of last season, where Man United beat their rivals for the first time in their last five outings in all competitions, dating back to the 2022/23 season. All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt and FBRef - accurate as of 23/12/2024. The results of the inspection has seen United fall well below the maximum five star hygiene rating once again
