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MANCHESTER, England, Nov 23 (Reuters) - New Manchester United's manager Ruben Amorim is known for an ability to connect with players that many say his predecessor Erik ten Hag did not possess, but the 39-year-old thinks he can be stern when he needs to be. The Portuguese cut a charismatic figure in his first press conference as United head coach on Friday, and his warm rapport especially with the nine journalists who travelled from Portugal only added to his reputation for genuine likeability. But asked if he also has a ruthless side that might be needed to restore a team languishing 13th in the Premier League table ahead of Sunday's match at Ipswich Town to former glory, the former Sporting manager said it was possible to be both. "You can be the same person. There are some places to have fun. There are some places to work hard. So I can be ruthless when I have to be," Amorim said. "If you think as a team, I will be the nicest guy that you have ever seen. If there is someone just thinking for himself, I will be a different person. And I'm not like that kind of guy that wants to show that he's the boss. "They will feel it in the small details that I can be the smiling one, but then, when you have to job to do, I will be a different person, and they understand that." Amorim, known as the "poet" by Portugal and former United forward Cristiano Ronaldo for his communication skills, also erased concerns raised by British media about his English with his thoughtful answers on Friday. He stumbled only once, over the word "suspicious". Because of the international break, Amorim had only two training sessions with his squad before they take the pitch at Portman Road on Sunday ahead of a gruelling stretch of games. It is not how he would have planned his early days with his new team. "It's so much harder to come to a team in the middle of the season, because you have to get to know the players during the games," Amorim said. "(But) it depends. If you are winning, it's a lot of fun having a lot of games, trying to make some changes tactically and winning games. But if you are losing, you don't have the time in training to work out everything you want to work." Following the clash with 17th-placed Ipswich, they host Bodo/Glimt in Amorim's first game at Old Trafford, and entertain Everton in the league. The three matches are part of a packed schedule of 12 games in six weeks. "Where you can improve a team is in training. This is the most important aspect... it is really hard to do it on video or in recovering trainings," Amorim said. "But we will find ways to try to cope with that." Sign up here. Reporting by Lori Ewing, editing by Ed Osmond Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab
AWH Partners Promotes Dev Sharma as Director of AnalyticsCompany experts offer predictions across key sectors to help businesses navigate the unexpected MEMPHIS, Tenn. , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sedgwick , a leading global provider of claims management, loss adjusting and technology-enabled business solutions, has published its Forecasting 2025 thought leadership report . In preparing the report, Sedgwick's experts conducted research and engaged with clients for notable insights to forecast trends across key sectors and topics. The content focuses on ensuring organizations are aware of new risks and evolving trends and helping them navigate the unexpected in the year ahead. The Forecasting 2025 thought leadership report highlights trends related to: The future of the workplace: Organizational leaders will need to navigate generational differences, an ever-increasing focus on mental health, and new strategies for talent recruitment, retention and development — while developing efficient support systems to respond in the event of workplace injuries, accidents and other crises. Recalls, regulatory landscape and compliance: Strategies like "mock recalls" will be a priority as leaders focus on maintaining public trust, tailoring communication strategies to broader and more segmented audiences, and maximizing awareness and response in the event of a product recall. Catastrophe planning and disaster recovery: Operational continuity in the event of a disaster will be key in 2025, as business and property owners, company leaders and private citizens anticipate the rising frequency and intensity of droughts, extreme temperatures, flooding and storms. Parametric insurance policies will become more common, as will new building methods and construction strategies amid regulatory and policy changes, technological advancements, and environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives. AI and ...: Artificial intelligence and robotics have driven some of the most prominent workplace evolutions over the past few years. In 2025, these and other leading-edge technologies will continue to play a significant role in the way companies promote efficiencies and engage with customers. However, business leaders must be able to keep up with new regulations, understand the associated vulnerabilities and risks, and put a team in place to effectively implement and maintain them. Planning ahead: The world is rapidly changing, becoming more uncertain and volatile every day. Supply chain disruptions, new tariffs, more frequent and sophisticated cyber-attacks and business interruption will greatly impact organizations in 2025. Diversification, rapid response and technology will be critical tools in being as prepared as possible. "2024 was a seismic year across industry sectors as companies navigated the unexpected, and 2025 will be no different," said Kimberly George, Sedgwick's Global Chief Brand Officer . "These predictions serve as a barometer for what's to come, so leaders around the world can prepare accordingly." The trends and predictions in the Forecasting 2025 report will be monitored by Sedgwick's experts throughout the year and serve as part of a larger thought leadership strategy to keep clients and partners informed. With this, Sedgwick will launch a new podcast featuring in-depth conversations with its experts and client partners on a new topic each month. For more on the report insights, visit sedgwick.com . About Sedgwick Sedgwick is a leading global provider of claims management, loss adjusting and technology-enabled business solutions. The company provides a broad range of resources tailored to clients' specific needs in casualty, property, marine, benefits, brand protection and other lines. At Sedgwick, caring counts; through the dedication and expertise of over 33,000 colleagues across 80 countries, the company takes care of people and organizations by mitigating and reducing risks and losses, promoting health and productivity, protecting brand reputations, and containing costs that can impact performance. Sedgwick's majority shareholder is The Carlyle Group; Stone Point Capital LLC, Altas Partners, CDPQ, Onex and other management investors are minority shareholders. For more, see sedgwick.com . SOURCE Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc.
Oscar-winning director Christopher Nolan will be taking audiences to mythical Greece with his latest project. Universal Pictures announced this week that Nolan will be directing a cinematic adaptation of “ The Odyssey ,” an ancient poem believed to be written by Homer between 750 and 650 BCE centering on the character Odysseus’ 10-year trek home after the Trojan War. Nolan’s forthcoming adaptation is described as “a mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX film technology,” according to the studio’s announcement posted to their X page Monday. Zendaya, Tom Holland and Robert Pattinson along with Oscar-winners Matt Damon, Lupita Nyong’o, Anne Hathaway and Charlize Theron are reportedly set to star in the film. Holland recently spoke about signing onto the project, saying on “The Dish” podcast last week that the film hasn’t started shooting yet. He added that Nolan only “loosely pitched” it to him when they met to discuss the project, but that he still didn’t know all the details. The “Spider-Man” actor also touched on working with his girlfriend Zendaya, joking that “studios love it” when they’re on the same project because they only have to pay for “one hotel room.” Pattinson, Damon and Hathaway have all previously appeared in Nolan’s films, including “Tenet,” “Interstellar” and “Oppenheimer.” Nolan is also behind epic films including “Inception,” “The Dark Knight,” “Dunkirk” and his most recent film “Oppenheimer,” which scored big at last year’s Oscars when it took home the trophy for best picture. Nolan won that award as a producer, and also took home the Academy Award for best director. According to Universal’s social media announcement this week, “The Odyssey” will bring Homer’s “foundational saga to IMAX film screens for the first time” and will open in theaters on July 17, 2026.
Novak Djokovic has appointed a new member to his coaching team as he prepares to compete for his 25th Grand Slam trophy at the Australian Open in January. The new member's name? Andy Murray. Yes, that Andy Murray. The UK tennis player who won two Grand Slam trophies and retired from the sport this past summer at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Helping coach up his former rival is his first move since ending his professional career. “I’m going to be joining Novak’s team in the offseason, helping him to prepare for the Australian Open," "I’m really excited for it and looking forward to spending time on the same side of the net as Novak for a change, helping him to achieve his goals.” Djokovic and Murray, who are both 37 (they were born within one week of each other in 1987), were on-court rivals during Murray's heyday in the early and mid 2010s. Djokovic has the edge in their 36 career face-offs, winning 25 to Murray's 11. If you just look at head-to-head finals, Djokovic beat Murray 11 times while Murray beat Djokovic eight times. But at Grand Slams, Djokovic absolutely owned Murray with an 8-2 record. There are more secrets hiding in that 25-11 record. Murray lost to Djokovic four times in six years at the Australian Open final (2011, 2015, 2015, 2016), which is why some may be raising their eyebrows at this move. But beating a player doesn't mean you don't have anything to learn from them. Murray never won the Australian Open, but he did make the final five times, which meant he was doing something right. Djokovic mentioned his Australian Open history with Murray in his statement. “I am excited to have one of my greatest rivals on the same side of the net, as my coach." "Looking forward to start of the season and competing in Australia alongside Andy, with whom I have shared many exceptional moments on Australian soil.” That Aussie Open history, as well as their shared personal history as longtime competitors, are two things Djokovic mentioned in a hype video Djokovic narrated and posted Saturday on social media, and were likely important factors in Djokovic's decision to bring Murray aboard. He never liked retirement anyway. 🙌 — Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) The Australian Open begins Jan. 12, 2025.Highlights from Trump's interview with Time magazine
Novak Djokovic announces former rival Andy Murray will coach him through 2025 Australian Open
NEW YORK — Several of President-elect Donald Trump 's Cabinet picks and appointees have been targeted by bomb threats and "swatting attacks," Trump's transition said Wednesday. "Last night and this morning, several of President Trump's Cabinet nominees and Administration appointees were targeted in violent, unAmerican threats to their lives and those who live with them," Trump transition spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. She said the attacks "ranged from bomb threats to 'swatting.' In response, law enforcement and other authorities acted quickly to ensure the safety of those who were targeted. President Trump and the entire Transition team are grateful for their swift action." President-elect Donald Trump arrives to speak at a meeting of the House GOP conference, followed by Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Swatting entails generating an emergency law enforcement response against a target victim under false pretenses. The FBI said in a statement that it is "aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees, and we are working with our law enforcement partners. We take all potential threats seriously, and as always, encourage members of the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement." Among those targeted was New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's pick to serve as the next ambassador to the United Nations. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., is seated before President-elect Donald Trump arrives at a meeting of the House GOP conference, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Her office said that, Wednesday morning, she, her husband, and their 3-year-old son were driving home from Washington for Thanksgiving when they were informed of a bomb threat to their residence in Saratoga County. "New York State, County law enforcement, and U.S. Capitol Police responded immediately with the highest levels of professionalism," her office said in a statement. "We are incredibly appreciative of the extraordinary dedication of law enforcement officers who keep our communities safe 24/7." In Florida, meanwhile, the Okaloosa County sheriff's office said in an advisory posted on Facebook that it "received notification of a bomb threat referencing former Congressman Matt Gaetz's supposed mailbox at a home in the Niceville area around 9 a.m. this morning." While a family member resides at the address, they said "former Congressman Gaetz is NOT a resident. "The mailbox however was cleared and no devices were located. The immediate area was also searched with negative results." Gaetz was Trump's initial pick to serve as attorney general, but he withdrew from consideration amid allegations that he paid women for sex and slept with underage women. Gaetz has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and said last year that a Justice Department investigation into sex trafficking allegations involving underage girls had ended with no federal charges against him. The threats follow a political campaign marked by unusual violence. In July, a gunman opened fire at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, grazing the then-candidate in the ear with a bullet and killing one of his supporters. The U.S. Secret Service later thwarted a subsequent assassination attempt at Trump's West Palm Beach, Florida, golf course when an agent spotted the barrel of a gun poking through a perimeter fence while Trump was golfing. 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. Associated Press writers Alanna Durkin Richer and Eric Tucker contributed to this report from Washington. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.The Jharkhand Assembly election results declared on Saturday (November 23, 2024) reveal that the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) rhetoric of “Bangladeshi infiltration” in the Santhal Pargana region failed to consolidate Scheduled Tribe voters in its favour, with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance losing 27 of the 28 ST-reserved seats it contested across the State. Jharkhand Assembly election results 2024: LIVE coverage The BJP itself contested 25 of the 28 seats spread across the Santhal Pargana, Kolhan, South Chotanagpur, and Palamu regions. It won only in Seraikella, where former Chief Minister Champai Soren, who had jumped over from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, emerged victorious with a margin of more than 20,000 votes. However, the BJP lost the Khunti and Torpa seats to the JMM, bringing the NDA’s tally in ST seats down to one from three in 2019. Located in the northeastern part of the State, many of the Santhal Pargana region’s seats border West Bengal. The INDIA bloc also secured about 52% of the votes in the region — its highest vote share across all regions in this election — marking an increase of over 12 percentage points compared with 2019. Further, in Santhal Pargana, the BJP also lost general seats like Rajmahal, Sarath, and Godda. In Rajmahal, where the BJP’s incumbent Anant Kumar Ojha had been winning since 2009, the JMM’s Mohammad Tajuddin won with a margin of over 43,000 votes. The BJP also lost Sarath to the JMM and Godda to the Rashtriya Janta Dal, which also beat the BJP in Deoghar, an SC seat that the party had won in 2019 and 2014. In the Santhal Pargana region, the JMM-Congress-RJD alliance won 17 of the 18 Assembly seats , with the BJP coming out on top in Jarmundi, which was won by the Congress in the 2014 and 2019 Assembly polls. The BJP ran its campaign for this election in Jharkhand on the platform of “Bangladeshi infiltration” in the Santhal Pargana region. The party framed this issue as a threat to Jharkhand’s identity as an Adivasi State, linking it not only to “demographic changes” in the region, but also to crimes against tribal women, land alienation, and the perceived erosion of indigenous cultural practices. It combined slogans like “protect Adivasis’ Roti, Beti, Mati” with “Ek Hain to Safe Hain” to disrupt the INDIA bloc’s longstanding coalition of Muslims and Adivasis. The JMM countered this narrative on three fronts: holding the BJP-led Union government responsible for controlling infiltration; branding the BJP star campaigners as “outsiders” who were unable to prevent atrocities against tribals in their own States; and citing BJP MPs’ suggestions to carve out Santhal Pargana from Jharkhand as purported evidence that the BJP sought to “break” the State. While the BJP was boosting its campaign by flooding social media with advertisements on the “infiltration” issue and getting Sangh Parivar-affiliated Vanvasi Kalyan Ashrams to promise a National Register of Citizens, the JMM’s campaign chose to take its talking points to the people by flooding local WhatsApp groups at the district-level. The BJP’s narrative on the alleged infiltration also got a fillip with the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes conducting “investigations” and publishing “reports” on the issue even as the JMM-led State government and the BJP-led Union government fought out this battle before the Jharkhand High Court in the months ahead of the election. In fact, leaders like Mr. Champai Soren and Lobin Hembram publicly said that one of the principal reasons for their switch to the BJP was the issue of alleged infiltration in Santhal Pargana threatening tribal way of life. While Mr. Hembram lost his Borio seat by a margin of 19,000 votes to the JMM’s Dhananjay Soren, the impact of Mr. Champai Soren’s switch to the BJP was limited in the Kolhan region. In Santhal Pargana’s Jamtara region, the BJP had attempted to boil its “infiltration” rhetoric down to the fight between the Congress’s Irfan Ansari and JMM founder Shibu Soren’s daughter-in-law Sita Murmu Soren, who contested on BJP ticket. Here too, Ms. Soren lost by a margin of over 43,000 votes. In the Kolhan region, the BJP won back the Jamshedpur East Assembly constituency after losing it to an Independent in 2019. In Ghatsila, Mr. Champai’s son, Babu Lal Soren, lost to the JMM by over 22,000 votes and in Potka seat, where former Union Minister and ex-Chief Minister Arjun Munda’s wife Meera Munda was contesting, the JMM’s Sanjib Sardar won by close to 28,000 votes. The Janata Dal (United) helped the BJP by winning the Jamshedpur West seat in addition to Seraikella and Jamshedpur East. However, the JMM won 10 other seats in the region, with its ally Congress retaining the Jaganathpur seat. In the South Chotanagpur region, where the network of the Sangh Parivar-affiliated Vanvasi Kalyan Ashrams ran a shadow campaign for the BJP in Adivasi villages on the promise of an NRC to counter “infiltration” despite it being missing from the party’s manifesto, the BJP failed to win any of 11 ST-reserved seats. The BJP was dealt a blow by the JMM on the Khunti seat, which has traditionally been a bastion of the BJP ever since the State was formed. It was wrested by the JMM’s Ram Surya Munda, who beat the BJP’s incumbent Nilkanth Singh Munda (five-time MLA) by a margin of over 42,000 votes. The BJP also lost the Torpa seat, which it had won in 2019. In just Ranchi and Hatia seats, BJP incumbents C.P. Singh and Navin Jaiswal retained their positions. While the Congress wrested the Kanke (SC) seat from the BJP with a margin of less than 1,000 votes, the JMM defeated NDA-ally All Jharkhand Students’ Union in the Silli seat. Published - November 23, 2024 11:13 pm IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Jharkhand Assembly Elections 2024 / Jharkhand / Bharatiya Janata Party / Assembly Elections / state politics