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Mozambique’s president-elect Daniel Chapo on Friday called for “non-violence” and “unity” after widespread rioting this week sparked by his ruling party’s contested election win. Chapo, who said he “regretted” the violence, promised that after his inauguration in mid-January, he would be “the president of all” in the southern African country, despite opposition claims of vote-rigging. Mozambique’s top court on Monday confirmed that Frelimo, Chapo’s party that has been in power for 50 years, won the October 9 vote, triggering four days of unrest that saw streets blocked, shops and businesses torched, and looting. Some 134 people were killed in the unrest, according to local NGO Plataforma Decide, taking the overall death toll since the elections to at least 261. Chapo said in his first public statement since the court decision that the worst affected cities were the capital Maputo, neighbouring Matola, the central city of Beira and Nampula in the north. “These acts only contribute to the decline of the country and the increase in the number of Mozambicans who are heading towards unemployment and poverty,” added the former provincial governor, who takes over an impoverished nation with glaring inequality in just a few weeks. Chapo thanked citizens who helped remove makeshift barricades to try to get life back to normal and praised security forces for “mitigating the harmful effects of political polarisation”. Several police officers died during the clashes, he added. He promised to turn around the country’s economy and to do “everything to renew” Mozambique. International observers also pointed to electoral irregularities in the disputed presidential poll, which the Constitutional Council said Chapo won with 65.17 percent of the vote. The country’s electoral commission had initially said Frelimo won nearly 71 percent of the vote. Before this week, Mozambique had seen a wave of demonstrations, strikes and blockades in protest at the election.Mika Brzezinski of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” was not expecting the blowback she received after she and her co-host husband, Joe Scarborough, met with President-elect Donald Trump last week. “I’ve been surprised at the backlash. And the way I look at it is people are really scared,” Brzezinski said on the Nov. 21 episode of The Daily Beast Podcast. “It’s one of the reasons we went in there, is people are really scared about Donald Trump’s comments about, you know, political adversaries. A lot of people are scared because of what has happened with abortion. These are all issues that are important to me, and in some ways personal to me, but definitely personal to the people I really care about.” Brzezinski and Scarborough disclosed the meeting with Trump on their show on Nov. 18, saying that they had visited his Florida home, Mar-a-Lago, three days prior to discuss his Cabinet selections and policy agenda face-to-face. The pair said that they disagreed with the president-elect on many issues—a fact they have repeatedly made clear on their show in recent years. While noting their “deep concerns” with some of Trump’s actions and words, they said he seemed interested in “finding common ground with Democrats on some of the most divisive issues.” But that did not stem the flow of criticism they have received since. “I’ve heard from a lot of people in my phone, people that I respect a great deal, leaders, people I don’t usually hear from who are really powerful, who just wanted to let me know that that was the right thing to do. And then I have seen ... the very opposite happening online,” Brzezinski said. Negative reactions to the visit—from mockery to disgust—poured in on social media. While much of the backlash surrounded objections to Trump’s character, there were others who took issue with the hosts’ attempt at finding common ground with the man they’d spent years vilifying on air. “You called him Hitler!” late-night host Jon Stewart noted on “The Daily Show.” Brzezinski, however, defended the meeting as a valid journalistic exercise. “You can interview Vladimir Putin as a journalist and not normalize him. You can learn, and you can also take a lot of what he says and put it within the context of what we know about him,” she said. “Many things can be true at one time, and as journalists, I think we have to be open to conversation, and we have to be open to learning, and we have to be open to talking face-to-face and talking about each other. And quite frankly, coming after me and Joe about doing this is exactly what someone with nefarious intentions would want,” she added in a pointed note to her critics.Martinez had gone eight matches since last finding the back of the net against Venezia on November 3 but after Alessandro Bastoni opened the scoring in the 54th minute, the Argentina international struck in Sardinia. The Inter captain took his tally against Cagliari to 10 goals in as many games after 71 minutes before Hakan Calhanoglu capped an excellent night for the visitors from the penalty spot a few moments later. This moment >>> #ForzaInter #CagliariInter pic.twitter.com/aZwbAZvRVI — Inter ⭐⭐ (@Inter_en) December 28, 2024 Inter’s fifth-successive league victory led to them temporarily leapfrogging Atalanta, who reclaimed top spot but saw their lead cut to a single point following a 1-1 draw at Lazio. Gian Piero Gasperini’s side were grateful for a point in the end after falling behind to Fisayo Dele-Bashiru’s first-half strike, only drawing level with two minutes remaining thanks to Marco Brescianini. Lautaro Valenti’s last-gasp strike condemned rock-bottom Monza to a 10th defeat in 18 matches as Parma edged a 2-1 victory, while Genoa defeated Empoli by the same scoreline.
Miami Dolphins get good news on Friday ahead of clash with New England Patriots
The crypto market has made many investors unhappy this festive season with the recent drops in the market and liquidations of futures. Markets that had been on a bull run on expectations of a more crypto-friendly government, lowering Fed rates, and rising crypto ETFs went crashing after the FOMC meeting. Bitcoin and its not being used as a Reserve currency, as well as cautionary statements, turned the markets red as bear forces took over. Most coins lost huge momentum, and current market darling XRP’s price also went for a dive. XRP had proved resilient during earlier scares, both during the South Korean conflict and earlier market dips. The recent bearish sentiment is making it difficult for XRP price to regain lost ground as it trades 9% lower in the weekly charts. Many investors are now moving more of their holdings to DTX Exchange to exploit its bullish momentum. This hybrid trading platform is set to launch a layer-1 blockchain, has already launched its Phoenix Wallet, and is listed on CoinMarketCap. XRP Price Down 9% At $2.17 Ripple is an open-source and decentralized technology. The major benefits of Ripple are its XRP Ledger. This offers low-cost, high-speed, scalable operations combined with inherently green attributes like its carbon-neutral and energy-efficient operations. Ripple made its investors rich, as the XRP price rose in double digits until last week. However, recent crypto market issues have led to a drop in XRP’s price after it touched a new ATH of $2.89 in early December. The market cap for Ripple is down to $124 billion, and its market volume is $4.79 billion. Experts hope the market will soon recover as its technical soundness wins over the markets. However, many investors are moving to a sure upside option. They are opting to pick up the DTX Exchange presale, where 200x growth can occur soon. DTX Exchange: $10.55 Mn In Presale Wins More Investors DTX is the first hybrid trading exchange to let its users trade in crypto, forex, stocks, and Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF) through one platform. The platform features unparalleled trading options and cutting-edge infrastructure to facilitate smooth trading operations. This next-generation hybrid platform’s 1,000x leverage feature enables traders to increase their trading potential significantly. Security features like two-factor authentication and cold storage protect users’ funds. The platform also has a non-custodial wallet, Phoenix Wallet, which gives users full ownership of their assets. DTX Exchange (DTX) is a standout launch of 2024, raising $10.57 million with strong investor interest and community backing. Due to its ability to revolutionize the entire trading sector, it is a compelling choice for investors looking for a high-return alternative to major cryptos like Ripple. With DTX priced at just $0.12 in its 6th presale stage, it is expected to gain at least 200% once it lists on Tier-1 exchanges. More gains are anticipated as the presale continues, and after its listing on Tier-1 exchanges, it is among the best altcoins to invest in. Conclusion DTX Exchange (DTX) is one of the promising new crypto projects with plenty of room for growth. In addition to its growth prospects, its future transformation of the crypto trading scene makes it a solid altcoin to hold on to. It combines CEX and DEX and bridges the gap between TradFi and DeFi. Buy Presale Visit Website Join Community Join our WhatsApp Channel to get the latest news, exclusives and videos on WhatsApp _____________ Disclaimer: Analytics Insight does not provide financial advice or guidance. Also note that the cryptocurrencies mentioned/listed on the website could potentially be scams, i.e. designed to induce you to invest financial resources that may be lost forever and not be recoverable once investments are made. You are responsible for conducting your own research (DYOR) before making any investments. Read more here.
"NFL Fantasy Live" crew shares their start 'em, sit 'em players heading into Week 13 of the 2024 season.SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The Syracuse Orange are set to clash with the Washington State Cougars in the DirecTV Holiday Bowl today – Friday, Dec. 27 – at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California. This game is available on multiple streaming services for free. The DirecTV Holiday Bowl will broadcast live on FOX at 8 p.m. Eastern (5 p.m. Pacific). Fans without cable can catch the game at no cost via FuboTV or DirecTV Stream , which both offer free trials. FuboTV is also offering $30 off your first month. Another option is Sling TV , which has promotional offers for new customers. How do I watch Syracuse vs. Washington State for free? Watch Syracuse vs. Washington State on FuboTV for free Watch Syracuse vs. Washington State for free on DirecTV Stream Who is announcing Syracuse vs. Washington State? Gus Johnson (play-by-play) and Joel Klatt (analyst) will be the announcers while Jenny Taft reports from the sidelines. What are the latest odds for Syracuse vs. Washington State? Spread: CUSE: (-17.5), WSU: (+17.5) Moneyline: CUSE: (-950), WSU: (+625) Point total: 59.5 Odds from DraftKings Here’s more information on how to watch this game on TV and streaming services. What: College football DirecTV Holiday Bowl: Syracuse vs. Washington State When: Friday, Dec. 27, 2024 Time: 8 p.m. Eastern (5 p.m. Pacific) Where: Snapdragon Stadium | San Diego, Calif. Channel: FOX Best streaming options: FuboTV (free trial and $30 off first month), DirecTV Stream (free trial) and Sling TV (half off first month) Cable Channel Finder: AT&T U-Verse , Comcast Xfinity , Spectrum/Charter , Optimum/Altice , Cox , DIRECTV , Dish , Verizon Fios Here is more information on the Syracuse vs. Washington State matchup from the AP: SAN DIEGO (AP) — Syracuse coach Fran Brown and Washington State acting coach Pete Kaligis shared a heartfelt hug after their Holiday Bowl news conference on Thursday. Kaligis can certainly use all the support he can get, especially an embrace and some encouraging words from the opposing coach. No. 22 Syracuse (9-3, No. 21 CFP), led by national passing leader Kyle McCord, is a 17-point favorite according to BetMGM in Friday night’s Holiday Bowl against the depleted Cougars (8-4), whose season has nosedived since mid-November. After beating future Pac-12 opponent San Diego State 29-26 on Oct. 26 at Snapdragon Stadium, coach Jake Dickert, quarterback John Mateer and the rest of the Cougars were 7-1 and about to jump into The Associated Press Top 25. Now the Cougars are barely recognizable as they return to Snapdragon. Dickert was hired away by Wake Forest, Mateer transferred to Oklahoma and running back Wayshawn Parker left for Utah. Numerous coaches, including the offensive and defensive coordinators, are gone, and more than 20 players have entered the transfer portal. The Cougars, who lost their last three games, are a prime example of how college football’s rapidly changing landscape can dramatically affect a program. “Going into the ins-and-outs of the game tomorrow doesn’t matter,” Kaligis said. “We are who we are, we have what we have. I know that’s for both of us.” Kaligis said players who entered the portal after Dickert left can suit up Friday night. “I know we came here with 98 guys. That’s who we’re going to show up on the field with.” The state of the game Kaligis said relationships between players and coaches are more important than ever, even if there’s less time to develop trust “and coach them the right way.” “When a staff (member) leaves and guys get in the portal, it’s because of the relationships they have garnered with their position coaches. When that position coach isn’t guaranteed, he’s going to be there, that’s who that young man trusts,” Kaligis said. “I’ve been doing this for a long time,” he added. “What’s been hard for me, I spent 13 years at Wyoming, I saw three graduating classes. I remember I was the longest-tenured coach there. To see them all the way through. When I came to Wazzu, I was their fourth D-line coach.” The Cougs improved to 8-1 by beating Utah State 49-28 on Nov. 9 but then lost three straight, including to Oregon State in the de facto championship game between the two teams left in the Pac-12. They also lost to New Mexico and Wyoming, two of the Mountain West teams that weren’t invited to join the reconstituted Pac-12 starting in 2026. Airing it out McCord, who transferred from Ohio State, rewrote the Orange’s record book this season with 4,326 yards passing, 29 touchdowns and 367 completions. He’s well within range of breaking Deshaun Watson’s ACC single-season record of 4,593, which he set in 15 games in 2016. Orange goals A win will give Syracuse 10 wins for the first time since 2018 and just the third time since 2000. Brown can become the second Syracuse coach since World War II to record 10 wins in his first season, joining Paul Pasqualoni, who did it in 1991. In their final regular-season game, the Orange rallied from a 21-0 deficit for a 42-38 win against then-No. 6 Miami that knocked the Hurricanes out of ACC title contention and ended their College Football Playoff hopes. McCord threw for 380 yards and three touchdowns. “We want to go out and have a good game,” Brown said. “We have an opportunity of winning 10 games, which means you’re starting to become a successful program, right? Our players haven’t had a chance of winning a bowl game. So there’s a lot of things that are on the line for us to really be able to build our program and being able to move forward.” Series history This will be the teams’ second meeting. Syracuse beat Washington State 52-25 in 1979. Stories by Robert Fenbers Oklahoma vs. Navy FREE STREAM today: Where to watch Armed Forces Bowl How to watch Seattle Seahawks game on Amazon Prime Video tonight for free Where to watch Nuggets vs. Suns NBA Christmas game FREE STREAM today
Ministry of Education’s Doodle Learn to engage over 6,000 students in BelizeShould the U.S. increase immigration levels for highly skilled workers?
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The best snowboard bindings to raise your game on the slopesIn a year already chock-full of excellent remakes like Persona 3 Reload and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door , it’s impressive that I can still call Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake one of the best I’ve ever played. That’s not because it sets out to redefine the 1988 NES original like Square Enix did with Final Fantasy VII Remake and Rebirth , but because of how it strikes a nearly perfect balance between faithfully sticking to the bones of Dragon Quest III while adding modern quality-of-life improvements and a beautiful new coat of paint that make it more fun than ever to explore and battle across its surprisingly dense overworld. Dragon Quest III is a true godfather of the RPG genre, and this immensely satisfying retelling so clearly spells out why it’s one of gaming’s essential works. HD-2D Remake is fundamentally the same adventure Dragon Quest III has always been, and it’s hard not to marvel at how well its original blueprint still holds up in 2024. This is as classic as JRPGs get – the genre boiled down to its absolute essentials of rock-solid turn-based combat, atmospheric caves and dungeons filled with monsters and treasure, and a straightforward story about good versus evil that asks you to fill in a lot of the gaps with your imagination. It evokes nostalgia for a bygone era of video games in the best ways while proving it still has the stuff to hang with the fancy, modern RPGs. Despite the unabashedly old-school design, it does manage to feel new thanks to its overhauled graphics, and Dragon Quest and the HD-2D style pioneered by Octopath Traveler are an absolute perfect combination. The enemy design is amazing, with highly-detailed sprites and animations that are a joy to look at. The late Akira Toriyama’s signature style is wonderfully realized here, and battles feel more dynamic with each enemy’s lively animations for attacking and defending. Towns are delightful to explore, with stunning castles, houses, and shops that are breathtaking to look at from the outside and adorable to poke around on the inside thanks to sharp attention to detail. The dungeons all look great, too, especially with the moody lighting emitting from your hero’s lantern. Finally, the overworld feels grand to march across, and it’s all backed up with an orchestral soundtrack that fits Dragon Quest’s lighthearted, adventurous mood to a tee. HD-2D Remake doesn’t just look gorgeous, as it has great battle and class systems to match. Apart from the Hero, whose class and spot in your party is locked in from the start, the composition of the other three spots is completely up to you, including their classes, names, and appearances. I outfitted my party with a Thief, a Priest, and my personal favorite: the all-new Monster Wrangler, who became stronger as I found and recruited friendly monsters across the world, which further incentivized exploration. It’s a ton of fun constructing your band of heroes, and I’m honestly considering a full replay where I try something entirely different given how many classes I didn’t take advantage of. There are also opportunities to reclass later in the story while retaining all the abilities your characters have learned thus far, adding even more important decisions to consider. It’s just a shame that the personalities of your party members are all silent, blank slates as a result of that mechanical flexibility. That’s the same as it was in the original, but it makes for an RPG journey that’s much more about character builds, combat, and exploration rather than relationships, camaraderie, and story. It’s completely understandable that Square Enix would stick with the old style in this instance, as it did with almost everything else, but it’s hard not to miss the wonderful personalities of my party in Dragon Quest XI or the Party Chat feature seen in most modern entries of the series by comparison. But as someone who vastly prefers a barebones story compared to an overbearing one, I still thoroughly enjoyed Dragon Quest III’s focus on engaging directly with its RPG systems. To that end, the battles themselves are fast-paced, fun, and occasionally quite difficult. Make no mistake – this is still very much a hardcore NES-era RPG, and you need to use a balanced mix of strong attacks, healing spells, and buffing/debuffing abilities to beat some of Dragon Quest III’s toughest bosses. There are some real nail-biting moments, especially later on in the campaign, and I loved using unorthodox strategies to barely squeak by fights I probably wasn’t ready for yet. Random encounters in both the overworld and dungeons are a constant factor, but they’re always enjoyable and drop essential experience points and gold, which you’ll need as much of as you can get to reach the end credits. But if nervewracking turn-based battles aren’t your thing, there’s no need to worry. I’m incredibly impressed by how flexible HD-2D Remake is as a whole. Apart from three difficulty options you can switch between at any time (Including the Dracky Quest option, where your characters essentially can’t die), there are a ton of ways to tailor the adventure to your specific playstyle. In combat, you can speed up battle animations to get through encounters faster or watch them at normal speed to really enjoy the detailed enemy animations. You’re also given complete control over how your party behaves: In classic Dragon Quest fashion, you can give individual orders to all four party members, or choose strategies for them to execute on their own, like focusing on healing, conserving magic, or going all-out against a tough foe. It’s honestly relaxing to set the whole party to autobattle when grinding for experience points before taking control back for yourself ahead of an important boss fight. Options like these ensure the great combat remains fresh across the roughly 30-hour adventure, even with multiple sessions of grinding. That’s partially because the Dragon Quest series is pretty good at making grinding for experience points entertaining, and this remake is no exception. If you’re a fan of the series, you know that Metal Slimes are the key to leveling up fast: Enemies with low spawn rates that drop way more experience points than the average bad guy. Discovering areas of the map where Metal Slimes are more likely to appear is exciting, and the rush of adrenaline that kicks in when you see one show up in a random encounter never gets old – like pulling a rare card from a Pokémon booster pack. Plus, apart from the occasional level grind session, Dragon Quest III’s pacing is impeccable. You’re always being ushered from one new location to the next, constantly exploring new towns and dungeons while encountering fresh foes from the huge set of over 150 enemy types. It rarely retraces any of its steps – except for one specific recurring boss I won’t spoil that admittedly rears its ugly head a few too many times. This remake also goes to great lengths to ensure you’ll never get lost or stuck. The Zoom spell lets you escape a tough situation to rest at an inn pretty much whenever you want, while objective markers clearly label what you need to do next to progress through the occasionally unclear and outdated main quests. However, if you want the classic Dragon Quest III experience, you can turn these quest markers off and discover everything for yourself by exploring and talking to townsfolk. It’s a great system that makes this aged RPG more approachable and playable than ever, while also preserving that original style for those who want it. It’s an ideal way to revisit a beloved adventure, and I love the pace at which this vast world slowly reveals its secrets to you piece by piece. While I was generally a big fan of Dragon Quest III’s old-school nature mixed with the HD-2D Remake’s modern improvements, there are a couple of places it could have gone a few extra steps. Inventory management is clunky, as each of your four party members only has access to their individual item bags in combat, meaning I spent a ton of time in menus transferring items from the party’s overall inventory to their individual pockets. Managing equipment comes with similar annoyances, where it’s just a bit harder than it should be to see how equipping something will impact each character’s stats. I eventually got into a rhythm of how to fiddle with these outdated menus, but it’s one place I wish had gotten more updating. (There are also just a few enemy designs that haven’t aged especially well, and probably would have been better left in the past.)
Social Media Demands Accountability After Photo of Ohio State Fan Goes ViralALDI Ireland shoppers are set to love a top cleaning product that will help banish tough stains from clothes. The bargain supermarket has stocked the shelves of the popular middle aisle with a range of cleaning products and one of them is set to fly off the shelves. The ultimate product to banish tough stains from your clothes is available on the shelves while the stock lasts. The Persil Bio Laundry Washing Liquid Detergent is priced at €15.29. Aldi Ireland said: "To remove tough stains first time, even in a quick and cold wash, try Persil Bio Laundry Washing Liquid Detergent." The cleaning product is designed to deliver an even better clean , powerfully removing tough stains from mud to yoghurt and jam, leaving you with fresh, clean clothes time and time again. Persil Bio also delivers effective stain removal even in a quick or cold wash. The concentrated formula of the detergent provides outstanding stain removal, fabric care and freshness in a small bottle. With its fabulous concentrated formula, you will get up to 95 washing cycles, making it affordable and lasting. Those who want to reduce the use of plastic will be pleased to hear that the bottle and the cap of the laundry washing liquid detergent are both recyclable. You only need 27ml of this liquid detergent peruse to use the product. You pour it into your washing machine tray for standard 4-5kg loads or when washing in soft/medium water. Customers can use 40ml of the product for larger loads or when washing in hard water. For those who have sensitive skin, Aldi Ireland is also selling Persil Non Bio Laundry Washing Liquid Detergent for €15.29. It is designed to be tough on stains whilst being gentle next to sensitive skin. The product can still powerfully remove tough stains, from mud to yoghurt and jam, ensuring you are left with fresh, clean clothes time and time again. Persil Non Bio is dermatologically tested and Persil’s skincare research is recognised by the British Skin Foundation, so you can be reassured it is suitable for the whole family, especially those with sensitive skin. The product is also recyclable. The specialised detergent is available in all stores while stock lasts. It also can be used up to 95 washing cycles, making it worth your money. The German discount supermarket chain came to Ireland in 1999. Aldi’s first few shops opened in November 1999, with locations in Sandyford, Dublin, and Ballincollig, Cork. By the mid-2000s, Aldi bosses had opened numerous stores, focusing on providing high-quality products at low prices. As the recession hit 2008-2012, Aldi's popularity grew as consumers became more price-conscious. The supermarket giant continued it’s expansion in Ireland between 2013-2018, while refurbishing existing stores. By 2018, Aldi had over 130 shops throughout the country. The chain began to focus on expanding its range of Irish-made products and supporting local producers. In 2023, Aldi had over 140 stores in Ireland. The store invested in sustainability initiatives, such as reducing plastic packaging and increasing the availability of organic and eco-friendly products. Aldi chiefs said: “At Aldi we are committed to supporting Irish suppliers. Developed in partnership with Bord Bia, Grow with Aldi is designed to help the very best Irish suppliers develop their brand. “To date, we’ve invested €10 million in our Grow with Aldi development programme in a bid to find the very best Irish suppliers. “As a result, for a limited time only there are over 47 new products, from 27 Irish suppliers available in store.” Aldi have introduced technological advancements with self-checkout systems and contactless payment options.
Will New Year’s Eve be loud or quiet? What are the top 2025 resolutions? AP-NORC poll has answersIn Pictures: Politics frames the debate as Ireland holds five ballots in 2024
By JILL COLVIN and STEPHEN GROVES WASHINGTON (AP) — After several weeks working mostly behind closed doors, Vice President-elect JD Vance returned to Capitol Hill this week in a new, more visible role: Helping Donald Trump try to get his most contentious Cabinet picks to confirmation in the Senate, where Vance has served for the last two years. Vance arrived at the Capitol on Wednesday with former Rep. Matt Gaetz and spent the morning sitting in on meetings between Trump’s choice for attorney general and key Republicans, including members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The effort was for naught: Gaetz announced a day later that he was withdrawing his name amid scrutiny over sex trafficking allegations and the reality that he was unlikely to be confirmed. Thursday morning Vance was back, this time accompanying Pete Hegseth, the “Fox & Friends Weekend” host whom Trump has tapped to be the next secretary of defense. Hegseth also has faced allegations of sexual assault that he denies. Vance is expected to accompany other nominees for meetings in coming weeks as he tries to leverage the two years he has spent in the Senate to help push through Trump’s picks. Vice President-elect JD Vance, still a Republican senator from Ohio, walks from a private meeting with President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., center, and Vice President-elect JD Vance, left, walk out of a meeting with Republican Senate Judiciary Committee members, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, departs the chamber at the Capitol in Washington, March 15, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, center speaks during a Senate Banking Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, right, speaks with Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, before testifying at a hearing, March 9, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, arrives for a classified briefing on China, at the Capitol in Washington, Feb. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, arrives for a vote on Capitol Hill, Sept. 12, 2023 in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance R-Ohio speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Feb. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File) Vice President-elect JD Vance, still a Republican senator from Ohio, walks from a private meeting with President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) The role of introducing nominees around Capitol Hill is an unusual one for a vice president-elect. Usually the job goes to a former senator who has close relationships on the Hill, or a more junior aide. But this time the role fits Vance, said Marc Short, who served as Trump’s first director of legislative affairs as well as chief of staff to Trump’s first vice president, Mike Pence, who spent more than a decade in Congress and led the former president’s transition ahead of his first term. ”JD probably has a lot of current allies in the Senate and so it makes sense to have him utilized in that capacity,” Short said. Unlike the first Trump transition, which played out before cameras at Trump Tower in New York and at the president-elect’s golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, this one has largely happened behind closed doors in Palm Beach, Florida. There, a small group of officials and aides meet daily at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort to run through possible contenders and interview job candidates. The group includes Elon Musk, the billionaire who has spent so much time at the club that Trump has joked he can’t get rid of him. Vance has been a constant presence, even as he’s kept a lower profile. The Ohio senator has spent much of the last two weeks in Palm Beach, according to people familiar with his plans, playing an active role in the transition, on which he serves as honorary chair. Vance has been staying at a cottage on the property of the gilded club, where rooms are adorned with cherubs, oriental rugs and intricate golden inlays. It’s a world away from the famously hardscrabble upbringing that Vance documented in the memoir that made him famous, “Hillbilly Elegy.” His young children have also joined him at Mar-a-Lago, at times. Vance was photographed in shorts and a polo shirt playing with his kids on the seawall of the property with a large palm frond, a U.S. Secret Service robotic security dog in the distance. On the rare days when he is not in Palm Beach, Vance has been joining the sessions remotely via Zoom. Though he has taken a break from TV interviews after months of constant appearances, Vance has been active in the meetings, which began immediately after the election and include interviews and as well as presentations on candidates’ pluses and minuses. Among those interviewed: Contenders to replace FBI Director Christopher Wray , as Vance wrote in a since-deleted social media post. Defending himself from criticism that he’d missed a Senate vote in which one of President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees was confirmed, Vance wrote that he was meeting at the time “with President Trump to interview multiple positions for our government, including for FBI Director.” “I tend to think it’s more important to get an FBI director who will dismantle the deep state than it is for Republicans to lose a vote 49-46 rather than 49-45,” Vance added on X. “But that’s just me.” While Vance did not come in to the transition with a list of people he wanted to see in specific roles, he and his friend, Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., who is also a member of the transition team, were eager to see former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. find roles in the administration. Trump ended up selecting Gabbard as the next director of national intelligence , a powerful position that sits atop the nation’s spy agencies and acts as the president’s top intelligence adviser. And he chose Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services , a massive agency that oversees everything from drug and food safety to Medicare and Medicaid. Vance was also a big booster of Tom Homan, the former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, who will serve as Trump’s “border czar.” In another sign of Vance’s influence, James Braid, a top aide to the senator, is expected to serve as Trump’s legislative affairs director. Allies say it’s too early to discuss what portfolio Vance might take on in the White House. While he gravitates to issues like trade, immigration and tech policy, Vance sees his role as doing whatever Trump needs. Vance was spotted days after the election giving his son’s Boy Scout troop a tour of the Capitol and was there the day of leadership elections. He returned in earnest this week, first with Gaetz — arguably Trump’s most divisive pick — and then Hegseth, who has was been accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 2017, according to an investigative report made public this week. Hegseth told police at the time that the encounter had been consensual and denied any wrongdoing. Vance hosted Hegseth in his Senate office as GOP senators, including those who sit on the Senate Armed Services Committee, filtered in to meet with the nominee for defense secretary. While a president’s nominees usually visit individual senators’ offices, meeting them on their own turf, the freshman senator — who is accompanied everywhere by a large Secret Service detail that makes moving around more unwieldy — instead brought Gaetz to a room in the Capitol on Wednesday and Hegseth to his office on Thursday. Senators came to them. Vance made it to votes Wednesday and Thursday, but missed others on Thursday afternoon. Vance is expected to continue to leverage his relationships in the Senate after Trump takes office. But many Republicans there have longer relationships with Trump himself. Sen. Kevin Cramer, a North Dakota Republican, said that Trump was often the first person to call him back when he was trying to reach high-level White House officials during Trump’s first term. “He has the most active Rolodex of just about anybody I’ve ever known,” Cramer said, adding that Vance would make a good addition. “They’ll divide names up by who has the most persuasion here,” Cramer said, but added, “Whoever his liaison is will not work as hard at it as he will.” Cramer was complimentary of the Ohio senator, saying he was “pleasant” and ” interesting” to be around. ′′He doesn’t have the long relationships,” he said. “But we all like people that have done what we’ve done. I mean, that’s sort of a natural kinship, just probably not as personally tied.” Under the Constitution, Vance will also have a role presiding over the Senate and breaking tie votes. But he’s not likely to be needed for that as often as was Kamala Harris, who broke a record number of ties for Democrats as vice president, since Republicans will have a bigger cushion in the chamber next year. Colvin reported from New York. Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.
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