slot to win

slot to win 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.

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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.RADNOR, Pa., Dec. 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The law firm of Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP ( www.ktmc.com ) informs investors that a securities class action lawsuit has been filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida against Celsius Holdings, Inc. (“Celsius”) (NASDAQ: CELH) on behalf of those who purchased or otherwise acquired Celsius common stock between February 29, 2024, and September 4, 2024, inclusive (the “Class Period”). The lead plaintiff deadline is January 21, 2025. CONTACT KESSLER TOPAZ MELTZER & CHECK, LLP: If you suffered Celsius losses, you may CLICK HERE or go to: https://www.ktmc.com/new-cases/celsius-holdings-inc?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=celh&mktm=r You can also contact attorney Jonathan Naji, Esq. by calling (484) 270-1453 or by email at info@ktmc.com . DEFENDANTS’ ALLEGED MISCONDUCT: The complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Celsius materially oversold inventory to Pepsi far in excess of demand, and faced a looming sales cliff during which Pepsi would significantly reduce its purchases of Celsius products; (2) as Pepsi drew down significant amounts of inventory overstock, Celsius’ sales would materially decline in future periods, hurting Celsius’ financial performance and outlook; (3) Celsius’ sales rate to Pepsi was unsustainable and created a misleading impression of Celsius’ financial performance and outlook; (4) as a result, Celsius’ business metrics and financial prospects were not as strong as indicated in Defendants’ Class Period statements; and (5) consequently, Defendants’ statements regarding Celsius’ outlook and expected financial performance were false and misleading at all relevant times. THE LEAD PLAINTIFF PROCESS: Celsius investors may, no later than January 21, 2025, seek to be appointed as a lead plaintiff representative of the class through Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP or other counsel, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of all class members in directing the litigation. The lead plaintiff is usually the investor or small group of investors who have the largest financial interest and who are also adequate and typical of the proposed class of investors. The lead plaintiff selects counsel to represent the lead plaintiff and the class and these attorneys, if approved by the court, are lead or class counsel. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision of whether or not to serve as a lead plaintiff. Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP encourages Celsius investors who have suffered significant losses to contact the firm directly to acquire more information. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE CASE OR GO TO : https://www.ktmc.com/new-cases/celsius-holdings-inc?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=celh&mktm=r ABOUT KESSLER TOPAZ MELTZER & CHECK, LLP: Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP prosecutes class actions in state and federal courts throughout the country and around the world. The firm has developed a global reputation for excellence and has recovered billions of dollars for victims of fraud and other corporate misconduct. All of our work is driven by a common goal: to protect investors, consumers, employees and others from fraud, abuse, misconduct and negligence by businesses and fiduciaries. The complaint in this action was not filed by Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP. For more information about Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP please visit www.ktmc.com . CONTACT: Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP Jonathan Naji, Esq. (484) 270-1453 280 King of Prussia Road Radnor, PA 19087 info@ktmc.com May be considered attorney advertising in certain jurisdictions. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.Authorities say 15-year-old ID'd as armed person killed by officer after gunshots heard nearbyBayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala dismisses a potential rivalry with Florian Wirtz as a social media creation

BEIRUT (AP) — Insurgents' stunning march across Syria accelerated Saturday with news that they had reached the gates of the capital and that government forces had abandoned the central city of Homs. The government was forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad had fled the country. The loss of Homs is a potentially crippling blow for Assad. It stands at an important intersection between Damascus and Syria’s coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus — the Syrian leader’s base of support and home to a Russian strategic naval base. The pro-government Sham FM reported that government forces took positions outside Syria’s third-largest city, without elaborating. Rami Abdurrahman who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Syrian troops and members of different security agencies have withdrawn from the city, adding that rebels have entered parts of it. The capture of Homs is a major victory for insurgents, who have already seized the cities of Aleppo and Hama , as well as large parts of the south, in a lightning offensive that began Nov. 27. Analysts said Homs falling into rebel hands would be a game-changer. The rebels' moves around Damascus, reported by the monitor and a rebel commander, came after the Syrian army withdrew from much of southern part of the country, leaving more areas, including several provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. For the first time in the country’s long-running civil war, the government now has control of only three of 14 provincial capitals: Damascus, Latakia and Tartus. The advances in the past week were among the largest in recent years by opposition factions, led by a group that has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations. In their push to overthrow Assad's government, the insurgents, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have met little resistance from the Syrian army. The rapid rebel gains, coupled with the lack of support from Assad's erstwhile allies, posed the most serious threat to his rule since the start of the war. The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, on Saturday called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” Speaking to reporters at the annual Doha Forum in Qatar, he said the situation in Syria was changing by the minute. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, whose country is Assad's chief international backer, said he feels “sorry for the Syrian people.” In Damascus, people rushed to stock up on supplies. Thousands went to Syria's border with Lebanon, trying to leave the country. Many shops in the capital were shuttered, a resident told The Associated Press, and those still open ran out of staples such as sugar. Some were selling items at three times the normal price. “The situation is very strange. We are not used to that,” the resident said, insisting on anonymity, fearing retributions. “People are worried whether there will be a battle (in Damascus) or not.” It was the first time that opposition forces reached the outskirts of Damascus since 2018, when Syrian troops recaptured the area following a yearslong siege. The U.N. said it was moving noncritical staff outside the country as a precaution. Assad's status Syria’s state media denied social media rumors that Assad left the country, saying he is performing his duties in Damascus. He has had little, if any, help from his allies. Russia, is busy with its war in Ukraine . Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which at one point sent thousands of fighters to shore up Assad's forces, has been weakened by a yearlong conflict with Israel. Iran has seen its proxies across the region degraded by regular Israeli airstrikes. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday posted on social media that that the United States should avoid engaging militarily in Syria. Pedersen said a date for talks in Geneva on the implementation a U.N. resolution, adopted in 2015, and calling for a Syrian-led political process, would be announced later. The resolution calls for the establishment of a transitional governing body, followed by the drafting of a new constitution and ending with U.N.-supervised elections. Later Saturday, foreign ministers and senior diplomats from eight key countries, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran, along with Pederson, gathered on the sidelines of the Doha Summit to discuss the situation in Syria. In a statement issued late Saturday, the participants affirmed their support for a political solution to the Syrian crisis “that would lead to the end of military activity and protect civilians.” They also agreed on the importance of strengthening international efforts to increase aid to the Syrian people. The insurgents' march Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said insurgents were in the Damascus suburbs of Maadamiyah, Jaramana and Daraya. Opposition fighters were marching toward the Damascus suburb of Harasta, he added. A commander with the insurgents, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces had begun the “final stage” of their offensive by encircling Damascus. HTS controls much of northwest Syria and in 2017 set up a “salvation government” to run day-to-day affairs in the region. In recent years, HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani has sought to remake the group’s image, cutting ties with al-Qaida, ditching hard-line officials and vowing to embrace pluralism and religious tolerance. The shock offensive began Nov. 27, during which gunmen captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest, and the central city of Hama , the country’s fourth largest city. Opposition activists said Saturday that a day earlier, insurgents entered Palmyra, which is home to invaluable archaeological sites had been in government hands since being taken from the Islamic State group in 2017. To the south, Syrian troops left much of the province of Quneitra including the main Baath City, activists said. Syrian Observatory said government troops have withdrawn from much of the two southern provinces. The Syrian army said in a statement that it carried out redeployment and repositioning in Sweida and Daraa after its checkpoints came under attack by “terrorists." The army said it was setting up a “strong and coherent defensive and security belt in the area,” apparently to defend Damascus from the south. The Syrian government has referred to opposition gunmen as terrorists since conflict broke out in March 2011. Diplomacy in Doha The foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey, meeting in Qatar, called for an end to the hostilities. Turkey is a main backer of the rebels. Qatar's top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, criticized Assad for failing to take advantage of the lull in fighting in recent years to address the country’s underlying problems. “Assad didn’t seize this opportunity to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people,” he said. Sheikh Mohammed said he was surprised by how quickly the rebels have advanced and said there is a real threat to Syria’s “territorial integrity.” He said the war could “damage and destroy what is left if there is no sense of urgency” to start a political process. ____ Karam reported from London. Associated Press writers Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria; Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad; and Josef Federman and Victoria Eastwood in Doha, Qatar, contributed to this report. Bassem Mroue And Zeina Karam, The Associated Press

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Qatar PM sees 'momentum' on Gaza talks after US electionNEW 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, Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump 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 . 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 . 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, 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 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. to serve as his pick to lead the . 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 , “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 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. 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 , 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, with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign. In a statement, Trump called McGinley “a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda, while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement.” 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. 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.EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — J.K. Dobbins will miss at least the next four games after the Los Angeles Chargers placed the running back on injured reserve Saturday. The team also placed safety Alohi Gilman on injured reserve and signed safety Tony Jefferson to the active roster. Dobbins sprained the MCL in his left knee late in the first half of the Chargers’ 30-23 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Monday. Dobbins is fourth in the AFC in rushing with 766 yards and averages 4.8 yards per carry, third highest among AFC running backs with at least 100 carries. He has been considered among the candidates for AP Comeback Player of the Year after suffering a torn Achilles tendon in last season’s opener. Gus Edwards will be counted on to be the lead back in Dobbins' absence. Edwards missed four games during the middle of the season because of an ankle injury and has 25 carries for 93 yards in three games since returning to the lineup. The Chargers are 7-4 and hold the sixth seed in the AFC going into Sunday's game at NFC South leader Atlanta (6-5). Los Angeles is at Kansas City (10-1) in a prime-time game on Dec. 8, hosts Tampa Bay (5-6) on Dec. 15 and Denver (7-5) on Dec. 19. Gilman suffered a hamstring injury in the loss to the Ravens. He has 47 tackles, which is fifth on the team, along with one sack. Los Angeles also elevated cornerback Dicaprio Bootle and linebacker Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste from the practice squad for Sunday’s game. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) — the House backbencher who launched a longshot candidacy for the president on the grounds that President Joe Biden was too old to run again, presaging Kamala Harris’ taking his spot on the ticket — is at peace with his role in the 2024 election. Phillips was widely criticized by his fellow Democrats for hammering Biden on his electability and particularly about his age. The Biden campaign took the tack of largely ignoring Phillips, which ended up raising more concerns about Biden than it settled. Those worries ultimately ignited into near-mutiny after Biden’s halting performance in his debate against Republican then-candidate Donald Trump in June. That debate, and the party’s reaction to it, eventually resulted in Biden dropping out, Harris succeeding him as nominee and Trump’s eventual victory. “I would do it a thousand times again,” Philips said of his White House bid, in a brief interview Tuesday off the House floor. “My only regret — and it’s a big one — is that so many of my colleagues who felt exactly the same way couldn’t find the courage to say and do something about it.” Harris’ loss and an erosion in support from some pro-Democratic interest groups, like union workers and Latino voters, has left the party in an introspective mood. Phillips said the election results were foreseeable and he did in fact see the party was headed for trouble. “I’m pleased that eventually my very strong belief was recognized as productive and not an ego trip. And that’s satisfying,” he said. “The way that this all turned out was why I tried to do what I did, and it still turned out the same way.” Phillips garnered almost 20% of the vote in the New Hampshire primary, but his support ebbed quickly soon after. On Super Tuesday, he came in behind both the “uncommitted” vote and author Marianne Williamson in some states. He dropped out soon after. Phillips’ candidacy was by no means the only reason Biden stepped back, Harris failed to win the White House and Democrats lost both the House and Senate. Consumers upset with inflation and the Republicans ’ relentless focus on immigration, a weak spot for Democrats — as well as missteps by the Harris campaign — also played parts. But Phillips was out front first with his doubts about Biden, which he feels have been vindicated. At a press conference Tuesday, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) hinted he did not think big changes in the Democrats’ political approach were needed, saying Democrats had fought Republicans to a draw given the very narrow House majority the GOP is expected to see. Jeffries disputed Republicans’ claims that their wins on Election Day show voters wanted to overhaul the government. “The notion of some mandate to make massive far-right policy changes, it doesn’t exist,” he said. Phillips traced the party’s problems to being seen as overbearing on cultural issues and not focused enough on winning. (Phillips himself will be leaving Congress in January, as he did not run for reelection. His district in the Minneapolis suburbs elected a Democrat, Kelly Morrison, to replace him.) “Representation begins with listening, and I’m just afraid we have become a party more focused on imposition than listening, and condemnation instead of invitation,” he said. “This [loss] is not because of one group or because of one initiative or one person. This is an ethos.” Phillips said Republicans do a better job organizationally in aligning “their interests, their platform, their people and their packaging” than Democrats. “I don’t sense that energy amongst Democrats of wanting to actually win. I sense an energy of wanting to make points and take positions, but not solve problems, and that’s consequential.” Specifically, Phillips said Democrats needed to reexamine their approach to border policy and “wokeness,” something that’s been cited by some pundits, including Bill Clinton strategist James Carville , for the losses. Phillips acknowledged “wokeness” was hard to define, “but we know it when we see it.” “That may reflect our core values but that does not mean we should be leading with that,” he said. Instead, he said Democrats should focus on a pragmatic progressivism. “Pragmatism means you deal with what is, not what you want to be,” he said. “That means if we want to win and succeed and actually pass the laws that we consider to be important for the country, then we have to focus on winning.” Related From Our Partner

Mumbai, Nov 27: The Indian stock market ended in green on Wednesday as buying was seen in the energy, commodities, and the PSE sectors. The stock of all Adani Portfolio companies gained on the indices. Adani Power shares closed at Rs 525.15 after jumping up Rs 87.50 or 20 per cent, Adani Enterprises Ltd’s stock was up 11.56 per cent at Rs 2,399 apiece, and Adani Green shares were at Rs 988.40, after gaining Rs 89.85 or 10 per cent. Sensex closed at 80,234 after gaining 230.02 points, or 0.29 per cent, and Nifty closed at 24,274.90 after rising 80.40 points, or 0.33 per cent. Nifty Bank was up 110.30 points, or 0.21 per cent, to 52,301.80. Nifty midcap 100 index closed at 56,272.35 after a gain of 357.95 points or 0.64 per cent. Nifty smallcap 100 index closed at 18,502.85 after rising 237.55 points or 1.30 per cent. According to market experts, Indian indices continue to exhibit a positive upside as a result of healthy consolidation and the likelihood of strong H2FY25 earnings forecasts. In Asia, market sentiment was mixed due to the potential tariff impositions by the US. On the sectoral indices, energy, commodities, PSE, media, pvt bank, auto, financial services and FMCG were major gainers. However, IT, PSU bank, pharma and realty were major losers.

As we build toward the 2024 Billboard Music Awards on Dec. 12 and Billboard’s Year-End Charts reveal on Dec. 13, check out our editorial list of staff picks for the best K-pop albums of the year. As is seemingly tradition, the K-pop industry has plenty to celebrate when reflecting on the year’s album milestones. 2024 featured record-breaking achievements, inventive breakthroughs and a wealth of impactful projects to solidify K-pop’s ever-growing global presence as a commercial and creative force. Stray Kids, ATEEZ and TWICE dominated the Billboard 200, earning their fifth, second and first No. 1 albums in America, respectively. Their successes contributed to a historic moment when three K-pop acts—BTS’ Jin, ENHYPEN and ATEEZ—simultaneously ranked in the top 10. Elsewhere, celebrated projects led several artists to their first-ever appearances on the Billboard 200, while rising, next-generation stars P1Harmony and BOYNEXTDOOR climbed to new peaks. But 2024 wasn’t just about breaking records, but also a year when artists pulled listeners deeper into their worlds. Beloved solo stars like ONEW, Baekhyun, Yves and D.O released their first projects under new labels, showcasing their individuality after departing longtime agencies. Meanwhile, superstars like IU, RM, DAY6, SEVENTEEN and tripleS delivered some of their most ambitious work yet, blending innovative concepts with personal storytelling. From K-pop icons to promising rookie acts, R&B wunderkinds and even one virtual boy band, check out our full list of the best K-pop album below — and be sure to check for our top K-pop songs of 2024 list, too. P1Harmony rises up the charts chart with each album release, and September’s Sad Song EP didn’t just mark their best positions yet (No. 16 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on World Albums), but their most expansive and involved work to date. The title track/single allowed P1H the chance to play with Latin pop and hip-hop sounds as the members took more creative control on songs they felt would round out their live setlists and become future fan favorites. Intak and Jongseob teamed up for the rap cut “WASP,” Jiung took the lead on rock anthem “Last Call,” as leader Keeho brought light reggae vibes for “It’s Alright.” No sad songs here — just impressive versatility shooting P1Harmony up the charts. – Jeff Benjamin RESCENE is a rookie girl group to keep your eye on in 2025. Living up to their name, which combines “scene” and “scent,” every corner of their first EP is infused with fragrant nostalgia and glistening melodies. From the dreamy pop ballad “New World” and blissed-out R&B of “Pinball” to their crown electro-pop jewel “LOVE ATTACK,” SCENEDROME is less sensory overload than a smooth spritz of perfume. Opener “Lucky You,” meanwhile, has a regal elegance that seems to signal the arrival of new K-pop queen bees. — Abby Webster Jin’s much-anticipated first set since being dismissed from military service in June is an impressively realized pop-rock debut. The open-road singalong “Running Wild” sounds like a lost banger from The Killers’ classic period, while “I’ll Be There” could have been a Fitz and the Tantrums favorite 15 years earlier. It’s not all ’00s retro, though: WENDY duet “Heart on the Window” has an ’80s-derived smoothness and modern pop sheen that could actually slot it right between Harry Styles and Sabrina Carpenter jams on contemporary top 40. Like pretty much every solo debut from a BTS alum thus far, Happy shows Jin already firmly in his own lane, and ready to speed toward individual success. — Andrew Unterberger EPEX solidified their place as a K-pop force to be reckoned with in 2024 with two full-length albums to showcase and expand their musical and conceptual ranges. Youth Chapter 2: Youth Deficiency captures a nuanced message of embracing deficiencies as part of one’s journey, presenting a relatable narrative that can resonate with today’s youth and flip the definition of deficiency. The LP builds on the foundation laid by Youth Chapter 1: Youth Days (which made Billboard ‘s Best K-Pop Albums of the Year So Far list earlier this year), which highlighted the ordinary moments of adolescence. In contrast, Chapter 2 ‘s eight tracks delve into themes of imperfection, choice and personal growth via standouts like the anthemic pop single “UNIVERSE,” the nostalgic synth-pop-rock gem “1997” and the reflective “Loner.” — J.B. Anchored by creatively contrasting singles like the rebellious, boundary-pushing “Dangerous” and the self-assured synth-pop anthem “Nice Guy,” BOYNEXTDOOR’s 19.99 encapsulates youthful camaraderie and freedom. The group’s ability to channel real-life experiences into their music adds an authenticity that resonates deeply with fans, helping them secure 19.99 as their first No. 1 on Billboard ’s World Albums chart and hit the top 40 of the Billboard 200, previewing the potential of these standout rookies. — J.B. IVE SWITCH cements the girl group’s status as industry trendsetters by showcasing their versatility and depth. With two lead singles, the irresistible, “No Diggity”-sampling party anthem “HEYA” and the intricate, tempo-shifting “Accendio,” the album balances commercial appeal with creative risk-taking. Meanwhile, tracks like “Ice Queen” and “Blue Heart” further enrich the record and speak to IVE’s larger themes of self-love, the latter being penned by member Jang Wonyoung as a meditation on the challenges of K-pop idol life, metaphorically describing the transformation of an idol’s heart into something icy yet resilient. — J.B. Stray Kids’ fifth No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 in under three years presents the octet succeeding in an impressive variety of styles. The growling rap-rock of album opener “Mountains” and near-reggaetón thunderousness of hit single “Chk Chk Boom” make for a bombastic one-two opening, but “Runner” starts out marching to a near-militaristic NY drill beat, then takes flight into a soaring drum-n-bass chorus. Meanwhile, “Twilight” marinates on a low-key piano shuffle, and the group’s self-titled anthem plays like a fist-pumping version of Justin Bieber’s “Ghost,” complete with one of the year’s best sing-along choruses. The Stray Kids might’ve ATE with the eight-track set, but their fans will also certainly leave feeling fed. — A.U. For the iKON member’s long-awaited full-length solo album, Nakseo makes a deeply personal and versatile record: DK wrote and co-produced every track. From the mellow, guitar-laden vibes of “LTNS” to the irresistible soul of “Groovin,” the album masterfully bridges R&B and K-pop to show his appreciation for both worlds. Collaborations with artists like Punch and his iKON bandmate Bobby enhance the album’s dynamic range, as do the album’s explorations of electronic and dance elements to add vibrancy to DK’s sonic palette. Closing with tracks like “??” and “Genre” leave the LP as an open-ended invitation for what’s to come and what DK can offer in his future musical moves. – J.B. While initially establishing themselves as princes of dark K-pop, ENHYPEN has been embracing lighter sounds and tones in recent releases to consistently great results. The initial ROMANCE : UNTOLD album was centered around excellent, experimental pop singles like “XO (Only If You Say Yes)” — co-produced by “Golden Hour” star JVKE — and the Cirkut-helmed “Brought the Heat Back.” The -daydream- expanded reissue tacks on two tracks with “Daydream” and “No Doubt,” which use brilliantly subtle minimalism to show that not every K-pop smash needs to go toward maximalism. – J.B. D.O. titled his third mini album BLOSSOM to represent his artistic development and growth, which is undeniably felt with his first music project under his independently established agency, Company SooSoo, inspired by his full name Doh Kyung Soo. The personal touches stemming from D.O.’s own label are felt throughout BLOSSOM , which ranges from fanciful to introspective for a cohesive EP. Lead single “Mars” enchants with its whimsical charm and sounds like it could easily make its way onto top 40 pop radio, while standout album cut “Simple Joys” highlights D.O.’s animated vocal delivery against an ocarina-focused production (both are co-produced by Norwegian singer-songwriter Peder Elias). Meanwhile, the buzz single “Popcorn” delights with its playful whistle hook, delivering a bouncy, earworm-worthy experience. We hear true growth in the EP’s final tracks like the acoustic-led “My Dear” and the poignant closing ballad “About Time,” which explore themes of love, regret and self-reflection. With BLOSSOM , D.O. proves that his journey as an independent artist is just beginning to bud. — J. B. ZEROBASEONE’s You Had Me at HELLO blends the polished production we’ve come to expect from the mega-selling boy band with satisfyingly complex details. Tracks like “Solar POWER” and “Feel the POP” shift tempos and genres while “SWEAT” has a soulfulness to an otherwise standard party jam. Meanwhile, “Dear ECLIPSE” dips into R&B territory to highlight the members’ soaring falsettos as the heartfelt harmonies in “HELLO” underline a maturity that transcends their origins on the singing competition Boys Planet . These layers make the album both approachable and rewarding for deeper listening. – J.B. SEVENTEEN deserve a victory lap. Last year, the self-producing K-pop superstars sold a reported 10 million albums globally, with two projects reaching the upper echelons of the Billboard 200 . That’s not what really matters, according to them: “I don’t need money or fame,” the guys say in their latest and embody in lead single “LOVE, MONEY, FAME” featuring DJ Khaled. But between seductive disco sashaying (“Rain”) and infectious Miami bass bounce (“Eyes on You”), Spill the Feels is still a toast to their unending ambition. Nowhere is this clearer than on “Water,” a braggadocious trap banger from the Hip-Hop Team: “I stand on oceans,” they rap. “Yet I still feel thirsty.” — A.W. Trust Me is an apt title for the decade-long wait for the GOT7 member’s project, which acts as a masterclass in blending R&B, hip-hop and pop through its 14 tracks. From the sultry bossa nova opener “LA SOL MI” to the nostalgic ’80s synths of “SHINE” with K-diva Sumin, and the effortless hip-hop hooks in “1 M I N U T E ,” Trust Me offers one of the most satisfying listening experiences in K-pop this year. The LP balances moody, sultry R&B moments with brighter, smoother pop highlights. His knack for collaborations shines, particularly on the seductive “Ponytail” with Sik-K and the introspective “Say Nothing” featuring LeeHi. While R&B-pop producer mastermind GRAY is the most frequent collaborator on the record, tracks like the all-English closing cut “Summer Blues” — produced by Korean-music veteran and XG collaborator Chancellor — push Yugyeom to new areas to flex skills beyond any one style or genre. — J.B. A project from former LOONA members HaSeul, HeeJin, Kim Lip, Choerry and JinSoul, ARTMS (the name is inspired by the Greek goddess of nature and wild animals) officially debuted this year with DALL under the recently launched label MODHAUS. If you loved LOONA’s melodies but wished the group had enjoyed a bit more leeway to get weird, ARTMS is for you. “Usually, the company tells us what to do, but now, since we’re active players and debuting again, we wanted to work on the identity of ARTMS. We gave a lot of input in the songs and concepts,” HeeJin told Billboard in October . The pumping pop of “Virtual Angel” shows off their gorgeous vocal blend; “Sparkle,” which the group wrote the lyrics for, has a swaggery ‘90s R&B flavor; “Flower Rhythm” brings to mind Ariana Grande when she’s melding the dancefloor with R&B rhythms; and “Candy Crush” – with its pillowy horns and even a flute – is as irresistible as the game. The album’s most unexpected moments might be its best. “I’m falling into your kaleidoscope” they sing on the woozy, disorienting “Butterfly Effect,” which sets the stage for the dark electro of “Birth,” an ambitious, marvelous song that evokes Reputation -era Taylor and explores how love can go wrong. — Joe Lynch Upon release, Fourever marked a triumphant new chapter for DAY6 to solidify the K-pop rock band’s place as a force in both the K-pop and global rock scenes with a reinvigorated sound. The project’s success was underscored by the chart-topping album cut “HAPPY,” which not only hit No. 1 in South Korea but also earned the band their first entry on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. cha r t . With revving guitars and anthemic chorus, “HAPPY” encapsulates a universal yearning for joy, as the members plead “May I be happy?” and affirm their resolve with, “So help me / ...Tell me it’s okay to be happy.” Meanwhile, the album’s opening track and lead single, “Welcome to the Show,” signals DAY6’s readiness to take on the world’s biggest stages with stadium-sized, exhilarating hooks (the song seems like an instant crowd-pleaser and future concert staple). “The Power of Love” delights with buoyant synths, while “Get the Hell Out” channels punk fury with pounding drums and biting lyrics, and the haunting “Sad Ending” rounds out the album, blending eerie piano work with layered vocals to create a chilling, emotional closer. As DAY6 gear up for their 10th anniversary in 2025, this album cements their status as K-rock stars primed for growing recognition. – J.B. NMIXX lapped a few of their K-pop peers this year, all thanks to Fe304: Break ’s artful course correct that transformed the experimental girl group’s signature, polarizing “MIXX pop” genre-mashing into more of a subtle deconstruction. This time, singles “DASH” and “Soñar (Breaker)” kept pace instead of mid-song tempo switches that derail momentum. Spread out over 20 minutes, this rollicking EP is a rollercoaster ride of country twang and rock ( “Run for Roses” ), industrial hip-hop (“BOOM”), pulsing Jersey club (“Passionfruit”), delicate R&B (“XOXO”) and more. It’s thankfully not a total revision of their unique sound, which is why this “NMIXX, change up” sticks the landing. — A.W. A testament to Baekhyun’s artistic independence, Hello, World marks the EXO member’s first project outside his longtime label, SM Entertainment. The album showcases a newfound approach — he told Billboard how he was deeply involved in every aspect, from production to visual storytelling. Tracks like the bossa nova-inspired “Rendez-Vous” and the synth-pop lead single “Pineapple Slice” strike a perfect balance between his signature silky R&B stylings and experimental departures. Meanwhile, the powerhouse vocalist takes on new artistic challenges, like the rap-inspired “Cold Heart,” which highlights his growth as a performer. Hello, World is not just Baekhyun reclaiming his place as one of K-pop’s top soloists, but a reintroduction and a bold new era for his career. — J.B. Yves has big things on the horizon, and she knows it: “You know I fly high, just feel it/ I’mma go far, just give me a minute,” she bids on the A.G. Cook-inspired lead single “Viola,” a testament to the burgeoning soloist’s serious aesthetic chops. On the heels of that sonic sledgehammer (“Let’s get dumb and break sh-t,” it opens) come silky and sulky B-sides “Hashtag” and “Gone Girl” : “You’re five-star criminal for putting me aside,” Yves grouses with panache on the former. I Did ‘s closer “DIM” is truly in a lane of its own — the instrumental outro is a tearjerker even sans words. — A.W. A new chapter for ONEW following the SHINee leader and soloist’s departure from SM Entertainment, FLOW lets the K-pop veteran step into a more hands-on creative role, writing all six tracks to curate a more personal project in his first under GRIFFIN Entertainment. With a blend of dreamy synth-pop, jazz influences and innovative vocal deliveries, FLOW showcases ONEW’s artistry as both a performer and songwriter, capturing the essence of a seasoned artist unafraid to push boundaries. Lead single “Beat Drum” encapsulates the album’s playful yet profound themes, pairing percussion-driven beats with clever lyricism to reflect ONEW’s nearly two decades of dedication to music. The EP is a testament to his growth as an artist and the opportunities provided by GRIFFIN, a place that can encourage him to flourish to cement his legacy as a K-pop trailblazer but also set the stage for even greater heights in his solo career. – J.B. A landmark K-pop album of 2024, ASSEMBLE24 proves that a 24-member girl group can craft a cohesive and accessible listening experience. For the first time, every member of the two-year-old tripleS girl-group project united to deliver a genre-spanning record that is as ambitious as it is satisfying. The LP is centered around the empowering lead single “Girls Never Die,” which ingeniously ensures that each member gets a moment to shine and remains true to the LP’s name that all 24 stars are assembled and ready for action. The album’s sonic standout moments are plentiful: “White Soul Sneakers” delves into Afrobeats and acid funk amid entertaining tempo and musical shifts; “Midnight Flower” charms with a bubbly, ’80s-inspired pop-rock foundation; “Dimension” embodies a New Jack Swing groove; and “24” channels quintessential tripleS with strong synths, playful hooks and groovy percussions. ASSEMBLE24 feels like a celebration of the type of creativity and unity that is especially unique to K-pop. — J.B. “I’m a bit rusty,” NCT 127 say on “Walk,” though the line isn’t meant to be self-effacing. Rather, it’s a humble brag about the team’s je nais se quois — which has remained strong amid member exits and hiatuses — on full display on their sixth studio album. As always, the masterful production is in top form thanks to SM Entertainment’s elite squad behind the scenes. There are enchanting details to home in on with every song: saxophone grooves (“Orange Seoul”), dirty basslines (“Pricey”) and noirish, neo-soul flutes (“Rain Drop”). Plus, “Can’t Help Myself” and “No Clue” reassert their status as vocal powerhouses in the K-pop industry, rounding out one of their most cohesive projects yet. “I’m in the studio day and night,” Mark raps on “Intro: Wall to Wall.” And the effort is evident. — A.W. As a virtual boy band, PLAVE could have technically focused on a number of aspects beyond great songs but the CG-crafted boy band has music at its heart. ASTERUM: 134-1 opens with the smooth,r reggaeton-infused “Watch Me Woo!” — a track that will immediately grab anyone’s attention — before diving into the rock-pop brilliance of centerpiece single “Way 4 Luv.” Emotional highlights like “From” showcase the group’s harmonies over stark piano, while “Our Movie” picks up with R&B production mixed with shout-along choruses. The standout “Virtual Idol” directly confronts skeptics of PLAVE’s artistic legitimacy, flipping the narrative with a self-empowerment anthem built on an infectious hip-hop production. While PLAVE’s members are virtual, their talents are anything but artificial. Utilizing motion-capture technology, they bring a human depth to their projects, which is mirrored in the album’s masterful songwriting and production, with all five members heavily involved in crafting the sound. — J.B. “It’s us speaking to each other and encouraging each other,” Jihyo told Billboard in February of With YOU-th . It was clearly a conversation fans wanted to here; the next month, the EP gave TWICE their first No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The six-song project is bookended by tracks that emphasize the nine-piece band’s togetherness: “I Got You” is a sparkling, buoyant anthem with Carly Rae Jepsen vibes about how the girl group’s members rely on each other in a crazy world, and closer “You Get Me” is an uplifting song about a friend who always sees “the best me.” In between, TWICE flaunt determination and attitude on the thumping, chant-filled “New New,” flex into lightly funky territory on “BLOOM” (written by Jeongyeon) and experiment with Jersey club on “Rush,” which Chaeyoung wrote after finding inspiration in PinkPantheress. And they’re not slowing down – they recently dropped Strategy , featuring Megan Thee Stallion on the simmering title track. – J.L. IU did something rather unique when it comes to her (immaculate) discography: She released an album full of positivity. While the K-pop queen has released some of K-pop’s most devastatingly beautiful and masterfully melancholy songs, The Winning explores IU’s internal growth and personal satisfaction. Anchored by the poignant ballad lead single “Love Wins All,” which stars IU alongside BTS’s V in its cinematic music video, the anthemic track provides a grounded sense of hope. From the groove percussion on “Holssi” where IU confidently declares, “Fly high to bloom/ ...I’m gonna go to win,” to the aspirational synth-pop of “Shopper,” plus the seamless blend of musical generations and styles for “Shh..,” featuring NewJeans member Hyein, rock singer Wonsun Joe and narration from 86-year-old Korean music legend Patti Kim, the project epitomizes IU’s ability to innovate while maintaining a timeless essence. As we approach the end of 2024, The Winning is particularly apt title for IU’s latest project after the starlet sold out her first-ever U.S. tour this year, hitting six arenas across the States in support of the EP. — J.B. RM’s Right Place, Wrong Person is not just the best K-pop album of 2024 — it’s one of the year’s most daring musical statements across any genre. Across a tight 34 minutes, RM lays bare his psyche for listeners to enter, navigating themes of identity, vulnerability and liberation. Tracks like the introspective “Come Back to Me” (the English pre-release single would sound right at home on alternative radio) and the boundary-pushing “Domodachi,” featuring Little Simz, (boasting a blend of languages, emotions, sounds and cultural aspects) highlight his willingness to experiment to the point that the LP is as intricately sonic as it is emotionally personal. Building on the excellence of his 2022 solo debut Indigo (which Billboard named the best K-pop of that year ), this latest effort is a monumental leap and spits in the face of genre confines. RM effortlessly shifts from hip-hop to jazz, Afrobeats to punk while maintaining an artistic coherence uniquely his own. The album’s lyrics—balancing self-interrogation with poignant social commentary—find their perfect counterpart in lush productions crafted by his trusted TEAM RM collaborators, showcasing RM’s growth as both a musician and a storyteller. Beyond the music, RPWP gains added resonance through its companion documentary, RM: Right People, Wrong Place . The doc captures the BTS leader’s creative journey and the dichotomy between RM, the global superstar, and Kim Namjoon, the ordinary young man. This pairing of album and film solidifies RM’s position as a pioneer in making K-pop more personal and accessible today, but also as a vital voice in contemporary music. Whether he believes it, RM is indeed the right person in the right place to blend raw authenticity with visionary artistry to create a masterwork to transcends cultural and genre boundaries — and push us toward living in a less divided world. —J.B.Introduction: Pandemics have occurred frequently throughout human history, particularly since the onset of large states and empires. For a pandemic to happen, the subjects must be connected and live closely together in sufficient numbers for the infection (viral or bacterial) to flourish. That means urbanization, trade and communications as pre-conditions. The pre-history of epidemics is agriculture and the domestication of animals. Once humans started living in proximity to animals, we became vulnerable to their illnesses. Small pox was probably a mutation of cow pox, and flu came from pigs. With his tongue no doubt in cheek, ethnologist Jared Diamond described the establishment of agricultural communities as "Humanities Greatest Mistake". If we had continued to live in small, semi-nomadic hunter-gatherer communities, the human race would be much healthier on the average. The Worst Mistake in the History of the Human Race . Diamond also described the dire consequences of novel plagues for indigenous people lacking immunity to new diseases in his book Guns, Germs and Steel . Athens, 430 BCE (Before Current Era) A plague spread among Mediterranean port cities, but had its worst effects in the city of Athens, then engaged in a long war with its Greek rival, Sparta. The plague spread quickly and was highly virulent because the city was crowded with refugees displaced by the war. Estimates of the dead are upward of 70,000 people, among them the great Athenian leader, Pericles. Though the war lasted over another 20 years, Athens was fatally weakened by the loss of life. The historian Thucydides attributed the Athenian defeat to its departure from Pericles' strategy. The disease may have been an Ebola-type virus. The Roman Empire, 2nd, 3rd and 6th Centuries CE The Roman Empire was at the peak of its power in the 2nd century CE (Current Era). However, it was an early textbook case for a pandemic. The Romans did have public bathhouses in their cities, and public toilets, but today we would find their hygiene superficial. However, the early Roman Empire did see economic growth and a (relative) rise in living standards. But then ... The Antonine Plague (165 - 180 CE): In the reign of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121 - 180 CE), a Roman Army returned from the East, where it had been fighting a war against the Persians, bringing a new disease with it. Historians now believe this was the first outbreak of small pox, based on the description of the Emperor's doctor, Galen. It was also Europe's first pandemic. Millions died, including the Emperor himself, whole areas were depopulated, and the death toll may have run to 5 millions, some 25% of the population, though some estimate 40% or more. There is evidence that the disease also ravaged China at roughly the same time. The Plague of St Cyprian ( 249 - 262 CE): So named after a Bishop of Carthage, who left a description. The disease could have been small pox, measles (a first outbreak), influenza, or a virus like Ebola. The death toll may have been of the order of the Antonine Plague. Political & Military Effects of the Two Plagues : Marcus Aurelius had been engaging in wars with the Persians and with Confederations of Germanic tribes, so the plagues on both occasions caused a major manpower crisis in the Roman Army. Desperate efforts at conscription could not repair the gaps, so it became expedient to employ German soldiers formerly considered barbarians, and even re-settle them in the Empire. This was to have some fatal consequences. At the time of the Plague of Cyprian, the Empire suffered the "Crisis of the Third Century", when emboldened Germanic peoples breached the frontiers and raided deep within the provinces. The Empire was only saved by a resilient army, but at a terrible cost. Disaster was only narrowly avoided. In the words of historian Kyle Harper: "The structural integrity of the imperial machine burst apart. The frontier system crumbled. The collapse of legitimacy invited one usurper after another to try for the throne. The empire fragmented and only the dramatic success of later emperors in putting the pieces back together prevented this moment from being the final act of Roman imperial history ." Social and Cultural Consequences: Harper notes a profound change in Roman religion around this time, reflecting a collapse in morale, and confidence in the old Gods. First a cult of Apollo arose, then in the 3rd century he notes a reduction in the building of temples. Some eastern cults, like that of Mithras, gained ground but so did another one - Christianity. The early Christians viewed the ongoing plagues and military disasters as signs of the imminent return of Jesus Christ. They provided an explanation and hope that other religions did not. The new military Emperors looked to religion as a unifying force, and in 313 CE, the Emperor Constantine made Christianity the State Religion. The Plague of Justinian , (541 - 542 CE, with recurrences): This was a devastating plague that killed millions in the Mediterranean Basin, in the Middle East and Central Asia, possibly also in China. Justinian was the Emperor of the Eastern (or Byzantine) Empire at the time. He caught the disease, but survived. Modern biological research shows that the disease was Bubonic Plague, as was the Medieval Black Death, and originated in Central Asia. Political and Military Effects of the Justinian Plague: Justinian was the last Eastern Emperor with the ambition to revive Roman hegemony in the Western Mediterranean, sending military expeditions to Italy, North Africa and Spain. However, the weakening of the Empire by the plague put the effort beyond the resources of the Byzantines. The "Roman Empire" fell apart, and the Byzantine Empire became one of a number of smaller successor states. Social and Cultural Effects of the Justinian Plague: The Dark Ages began, and the cultures of the classical world collapsed. Wealth and trade reduced, populations shrank, average health dis-improved, literacy declined and material standards dropped all over Europe and the Middle East. There is a good interview with Professor Kyle Harper on this podcast: Interview: Historian Kyle Harper on Disease, Climate and the Fall of the Roman Empire . (He has interesting things to say about pandemics and climate, too, but that can be kept be kept for another day) The Fate of Rome: Climate, Disease, and... by Harper, Kyle Buy The Fate of Rome: Climate, Disease, and the End of an Empire (The Princeton History of the Ancient World): 2 Illustrated by Harper, Kyle (ISBN: 9780691166834) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. www.amazon.co.uk Great pandemics have also struck Ireland as well - the Plague of Justinian was here known as An blefed [circa 535 AD] and killed multiples of Irish People most likely We were again struck by a pandemic in circa 660 AD An Buidhe Connail which was also of devastating impact When the Black Death came to Ireland in 1348 it was probably the most devastating one we have ever experienced that gutted the Anglo Irish Colony the most - but Gaelic Ireland did not escape unscathed either. While there were recurrent outbreaks into the 15th century none were quite as bad as the initial one that we experienced. The next great out break of Plague was in the 1640s when Disease, Famine and War absolutely devastated Ireland but we don't know whether it was just one disease or a range of ailments that combined with a dearth of foodstuffs so weakened the populace that they succumbed to anything that was going - but the Plague [ie The 'Black Death'] was still a virulent force in 17th Century Europe. While there were famines and outbreaks the next stand alone disease that struck on its own was the Cholera Epidemic of 1832 [iirc] which killed 10s of thousands here and again was a common in larger cities and towns in Europe at that time and this one swept across the continent too. The last great epidemic we experienced was the 'Spanish Flu' of 1918 -1918 which was probably brought from China by Coolies working as labourers in France during the War. It spread rapidly amongst populations already weakened by war rationing and in overcrowded army camps. When the war ended the soldiers took it home with them... In Ireland it took the lives of at least 20,000 men, women and children, possibly double that number - say 40,00 or so as many deaths went undiagnosed. Today we face another one but we are infinitely better able to cope than any previous generation could have done so. On the other hand at no stage in human history have so many people lived in such large urban conglomerates - nor have so many people been on the move with such speed across the Globe... owedtojoy said: Introduction: Pandemics have occurred frequently throughout human history, particularly since the onset of large states and empires. For a pandemic to happen, the subjects must be connected and live closely together in sufficient numbers for the infection (viral or bacterial) to flourish. That means urbanization, trade and communications as pre-conditions. The pre-history of epidemics is agriculture and the domestication of animals. Once humans started living in proximity to animals, we became vulnerable to their illnesses. Small pox was probably a mutation of cow pox, and flu came from pigs. With his tongue no doubt in cheek, ethnologist Jared Diamond described the establishment of agricultural communities as "Humanities Greatest Mistake". If we had continued to live in small, semi-nomadic hunter-gatherer communities, the human race would be much healthier on the average. The Worst Mistake in the History of the Human Race . Diamond also described the dire consequences of novel plagues for indigenous people lacking immunity to new diseases in his book Guns, Germs and Steel . Athens, 430 BCE (Before Current Era) A plague spread among Mediterranean port cities, but had its worst effects in the city of Athens, then engaged in a long war with its Greek rival, Sparta. The plague spread quickly and was highly virulent because the city was crowded with refugees displaced by the war. Estimates of the dead are upward of 70,000 people, among them the great Athenian leader, Pericles. Though the war lasted over another 20 years, Athens was fatally weakened by the loss of life. The historian Thucydides attributed the Athenian defeat to its departure from Pericles' strategy. The disease may have been an Ebola-type virus. The Roman Empire, 2nd, 3rd and 6th Centuries CE The Roman Empire was at the peak of its power in the 2nd century CE (Current Era). However, it was an early textbook case for a pandemic. The Romans did have public bathhouses in their cities, and public toilets, but today we would find their hygiene superficial. However, the early Roman Empire did see economic growth and a (relative) rise in living standards. But then ... The Antonine Plague (165 - 180 CE): In the reign of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121 - 180 CE), a Roman Army returned from the East, where it had been fighting a war against the Persians, bringing a new disease with it. Historians now believe this was the first outbreak of small pox, based on the description of the Emperor's doctor, Galen. It was also Europe's first pandemic. Millions died, including the Emperor himself, whole areas were depopulated, and the death toll may have run to 5 millions, some 25% of the population, though some estimate 40% or more. There is evidence that the disease also ravaged China at roughly the same time. The Plague of St Cyprian ( 249 - 262 CE): So named after a Bishop of Carthage, who left a description. The disease could have been small pox, measles (a first outbreak), influenza, or a virus like Ebola. The death toll may have been of the order of the Antonine Plague. Political & Military Effects of the Two Plagues : Marcus Aurelius had been engaging in wars with the Persians and with Confederations of Germanic tribes, so the plagues on both occasions caused a major manpower crisis in the Roman Army. Desperate efforts at conscription could not repair the gaps, so it became expedient to employ German soldiers formerly considered barbarians, and even re-settle them in the Empire. This was to have some fatal consequences. At the time of the Plague of Cyprian, the Empire suffered the "Crisis of the Third Century", when emboldened Germanic peoples breached the frontiers and raided deep within the provinces. The Empire was only saved by a resilient army, but at a terrible cost. Disaster was only narrowly avoided. In the words of historian Kyle Harper: "The structural integrity of the imperial machine burst apart. The frontier system crumbled. The collapse of legitimacy invited one usurper after another to try for the throne. The empire fragmented and only the dramatic success of later emperors in putting the pieces back together prevented this moment from being the final act of Roman imperial history ." Social and Cultural Consequences: Harper notes a profound change in Roman religion around this time, reflecting a collapse in morale, and confidence in the old Gods. First a cult of Apollo arose, then in the 3rd century he notes a reduction in the building of temples. Some eastern cults, like that of Mithras, gained ground but so did another one - Christianity. The early Christians viewed the ongoing plagues and military disasters as signs of the imminent return of Jesus Christ. They provided an explanation and hope that other religions did not. The new military Emperors looked to religion as a unifying force, and in 313 CE, the Emperor Constantine made Christianity the State Religion. The Plague of Justinian , (541 - 542 CE, with recurrences): This was a devastating plague that killed millions in the Mediterranean Basin, in the Middle East and Central Asia, possibly also in China. Justinian was the Emperor of the Eastern (or Byzantine) Empire at the time. He caught the disease, but survived. Modern biological research shows that the disease was Bubonic Plague, as was the Medieval Black Death, and originated in Central Asia. Political and Military Effects of the Justinian Plague: Justinian was the last Eastern Emperor with the ambition to revive Roman hegemony in the Western Mediterranean, sending military expeditions to Italy, North Africa and Spain. However, the weakening of the Empire by the plague put the effort beyond the resources of the Byzantines. The "Roman Empire" fell apart, and the Byzantine Empire became one of a number of smaller successor states. Social and Cultural Effects of the Justinian Plague: The Dark Ages began, and the cultures of the classical world collapsed. Wealth and trade reduced, populations shrank, average health dis-improved, literacy declined and material standards dropped all over Europe and the Middle East. There is a good interview with Professor Kyle Harper on this podcast: Interview: Historian Kyle Harper on Disease, Climate and the Fall of the Roman Empire . (He has interesting things to say about pandemics and climate, too, but that can be kept be kept for another day) The Fate of Rome: Climate, Disease, and... by Harper, Kyle Buy The Fate of Rome: Climate, Disease, and the End of an Empire (The Princeton History of the Ancient World): 2 Illustrated by Harper, Kyle (ISBN: 9780691166834) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. www.amazon.co.uk Click to expand... Excellent OP. Viruses seem to exploit the human drive to social groupings, cooperation and interaction. I think we see a similar Achilles heel in other social species, such as bees. Just a thought - I am far from knowledgeable about this stuff. rainmaker said: Excellent OP. Viruses seem exploit the human drive to social groupings, cooperation and interaction. I think we see a similar Achilles heel in other social species, such as bees. Just a thought - I am far from knowledgeable about this stuff. Click to expand... It is an startling thought that we are just vehicles for unintelligent life forms that feed off us, like we do off other life forms. For viral disease to flourish, you need a physically connected civilization. For novel diseases you need human-animal contact. Could we return to living in virtual small groups using communications technology, subsisting on artificially created food products? Put it another way, if this pandemic damages social fabric, can we find other healthier ways of living together? owedtojoy said: It is an startling thought that we are just vehicles for unintelligent life forms that feed off us, like we do off other life forms. For viral disease to flourish, you need a physically connected civilization. For novel diseases you need human-animal contact. Could we return to living in virtual small groups using communications technology, subsisting on artificially created food products? Put it another way, if this pandemic damages social fabric, can we find other healthier ways of living together ? Click to expand... One of the things I have noticed about globalisation is that it has moved people around the globe in fairly strange ways. Irish people emigrate to the Anglosphere as an educated second tier - for instance, while we export lots of Irish technicians to London (scientists, accountants, medical personal etc) NY, Sydney and other Anglosphere cities, we are importing Spaniards and E Europeans to fill third tier positions here. All of them hoping to be better paid as immigrants than they would be at home. In Spain, there is a lot of immigration from S America and N Africa, in E Europe, lots of Ukrainians, for instance. It's a sort of a chain. This creates a type of underclass, either an actual underclass such as building workers, "hospitality" workers, cleaners etc; or a relative underclass like the Irish in England, who do not take any great interest in the country of adoption. They lower wages for the indigenous worker, and do not and in most cases cannot take part in the political life of the new country which skews political representation away from the workers' interests and pushes politics into a more conservative, any change agenda - because if you want change, then the system isn't working very well for you. What I'd like to see come out of this is a more locally-based economy, where those who arrive here can join our society as full members, and not as a group who are excluded from our society and who end up as an underclass as has happpened in most parts of Europe. History's Deadliest Pandemics: From Antonine Plague To COVID-19 DEAR FRIENDS. IF YOU LIKE THIS TYPE OF CONTENT, SUPPORT SOUTHFRONT WORK: PayPal: southfront@internet.ru Donation alerts: https://donationalerts.com/r/southfront Gumroad: https://gumroad.com/southfront Or... southfront.org Pandemics in death toll order: Black Death (Bubonic Plague) – 200 million dead New World Smallpox Outbreak – 56 million dead Spanish Flu – 40-50 million dead Plague of Justinian – 30-50 million dead HIV/AIDS – 25-35 million dead Third Plague – 12 million dead Antonine Plague – 5 million dead 17th Century Great Plagues – 3 million dead Asian Flu – 1.1 million dead Russian Flu – 1 million dead Cholera Pandemics 1-6 – 1 million dead Japanese Smallpox epidemic – 1 million dead Hong Kong Flu – 1 million dead 18th Century Great Plagues – 600 thousand dead Swine Flu – 200 thousand dead Yellow Fever – 100-150 thousand dead Ebola – 11.3 thousand dead COVID-19 – 9,000 (as of March 19) MERS – 850 dead SARS – 770 dead The Plague of Justinian is reckoned by some to have hastened the takeover of southern and eastern Britain by the Anglo-Saxons. owedtojoy said: Could we return to living in virtual small groups using communications technology, subsisting on artificially created food products? Click to expand... Interesting idea. It's kind of what's happening now with these lock downs. Though I would wonder given the size of the human population, if there is enough space for the number of small groupings that would that be required for such a transition now. middleground said: Pandemics in death toll order: Black Death (Bubonic Plague) – 200 million dead New World Smallpox Outbreak – 56 million dead Spanish Flu – 40-50 million dead Plague of Justinian – 30-50 million dead HIV/AIDS – 25-35 million dead Third Plague – 12 million dead Antonine Plague – 5 million dead 17th Century Great Plagues – 3 million dead Asian Flu – 1.1 million dead Russian Flu – 1 million dead Cholera Pandemics 1-6 – 1 million dead Japanese Smallpox epidemic – 1 million dead Hong Kong Flu – 1 million dead 18th Century Great Plagues – 600 thousand dead Swine Flu – 200 thousand dead Yellow Fever – 100-150 thousand dead Ebola – 11.3 thousand dead COVID-19 – 9,000 (as of March 19) MERS – 850 dead SARS – 770 dead Click to expand... I had not realised the HIV-AIDS epidemic was so deadly. One things that stands out is that as we move into modern times, pandemics become less deadly in terms of total mortality, but on they other hand, pandemics are becoming more frequent. The first is a tribute to improved medical science and public health programs, while the second is a product (among other things) of increasing connectedness and globalization. parentheses said: The Plague of Justinian is reckoned by some to have hastened the takeover of southern and eastern Britain by the Anglo-Saxons. Click to expand... Yes, I loaned out Harper's book so I cannot check up on what he says, but I think it gets a mention. Definitely, depopulation of the Empire presented scope and opportunity for "barbarian" interlopers. These were not necessarily the big tribes of legend, but group of warriors who created a new power structure, then catalyzed cultural and linguistic change. Neither genetic records nor archaeological excavations show a massive shift of Saxons into south-west England in the 6th century. Yet within 200 years the political and cultural landscape completely changed. Thank you owedtojoy and Catahualpa fora most interesting, intelligent thread. Excellent OP, a broad and topical canvas to paint on. Where is syphilis in the list of plagues, one (generally accepted) riposte from the New World? Sorry, am I missing it there somewhere? Just losing Franz Schubert prematurely was a significant blow to world culture. The toll taken on the peoples of the Americas by European diseases is difficult to quantify but went on for centuries. Here is one relatively minor example among the Inuit (Eskimo) that still resonates locally in my Canadian province: Abandoned Hebron Mission This remote Moravian mission brought Christianity—as well as devastation—to the Inuit people. www.atlasobscura.com Notwithstanding that and even as I stand on their land, my immediate, twitter-sized response would be, are epidemics and pandemics not just the price of hom sap ‘success’ and civilization too? We’re not ’designed’ to live so close together but if we were to revert back to our original small groups, one unpleasant problem of quite a few we’d face is that we might eventually separate into competing humanoid species - and we’re bad enough as one. Straying covidly more than a little, I would concede that technology can help us considerably in fighting novel cross-species infections but one clear strategy is to go deep into our past and embrace the dietary preferences of Australopithecus or, even better, Purgatorius who must have been named by a carnivore: Purgatorius was an accomplished tree climber—and a vegan. It gave up the insect-based diet of its ancestors in favor of newly abundant fruits and flowers, carving for itself a comfortable niche high in the branches. For tens of millions of years, the descendants of Purgatorius were committed to their plant-based diets. From small monkeys to gorilla-size apes, they survived mostly on tropical fruits, spicing their meals with occasional worms (often by accident). Around 15 million years ago, they diversified a bit, adding hard seeds and nuts to their diets, but stayed true to their vegan roots. How Humans Became Meat Eaters Our earliest ancestors subsisted on plants, seeds, and nuts. What spurred them to change their diets so dramatically? www.theatlantic.com Click to expand... Here he is how he might have looked, although this lad is clearly posing: Being something like that up there in the foliage is a line of work I wouldn’t have minded at all - you basically have the story of my fantasy life right there. Let’s add a bit of cooking to his (or her) diet and then we‘ll really have the microbes on the run. Great OP as usual from OtJ. There have been huge social changes following pandemics and its effect on society. Famously living conditions, wages and the general lot in life of farm labourers changed dramatically after the winnowing brought by the Black Death. Labourers were little better than the Kulaks of the Steppes in that regard, until they became rare and highly sought after. The most curious thing I've seen in between two separate news items detailing the spread of coronavirus around the world, and that was an advertising break in which the voice-over began with 'by 2050 there will be ten billion people on this planet' and I remember thinking 'are you sure about that?' We may have gone across a tipping point in terms of overpopulation and could view the emergence of pandemics from high population density areas in Asia as warnings that we have crossed that line. We are part of only two categories of species on the planet- flora and fauna. We already know from observation of ebb and flow of animal population that overly successful breeders run into environmental barriers. They either outstrip their natural environment or their environment reduces them back to sustainable levels. This has happened most notably with Tasmanian Devils in the southern hemisphere. Soon as they were protected and allowed to grow way beyond their environment's ability to sustain them they developed an auto-immune style disease outbreak which is still being studied as we speak. We may need to abandon such casual milestones as having ten billion people on the planet, as this is something the environment, Nature, NORA (Naturally Occurring Random Artifice) uses to police the fauna population. While I don't think allocation of names or anthropomorphising risks and assigning them names is overall a great idea as that has gone awry in the past there are some benefits to assuming that we aren't the only intelligence around. We may be the chattiest, noisiest and most careless of our environment but if there is a system for handling overpopulation on the planet among its fauna we don't have an exemption certificate just because we are human. Ardillaun said: Excellent OP, a broad and topical canvas to paint on. Where is syphilis in the list of plagues, one (generally accepted) riposte from the New World? Sorry, am I missing it there somewhere? Just losing Franz Schubert prematurely was a significant blow to world culture. The toll taken on the peoples of the Americas by European diseases is difficult to quantify but went on for centuries. Here is one relatively minor example among the Inuit (Eskimo) that still resonates locally in my Canadian province: Abandoned Hebron Mission This remote Moravian mission brought Christianity—as well as devastation—to the Inuit people. www.atlasobscura.com Notwithstanding that and even as I stand on their land, my immediate, twitter-sized response would be, are epidemics and pandemics not just the price of hom sap ‘success’ and civilization too? We’re not ’designed’ to live so close together but if we were to revert back to our original small groups, one unpleasant problem of quite a few we’d face is that we might eventually separate into competing humanoid species - and we’re bad enough as one. Straying covidly more than a little, I would concede that technology can help us considerably in fighting novel cross-species infections but one clear strategy is to go deep into our past and embrace the dietary preferences of Australopithecus or, even better, Purgatorius who must have been named by a carnivore: Here he is how he might have looked, although this lad is clearly posing: Being something like that up there in the foliage is a line of work I wouldn’t have minded at all - you basically have the story of my fantasy life right there. Let’s add a bit of cooking to his (or her) diet and then we‘ll really have the microbes on the run. Click to expand... If we had remained hunter-gatherers living in small groups, subsiding on what nature provides, we may have been "healthier and happier". No major wars, no diseases, no organised religion .... John Lennon's Imagine wells up in the background. Also very little art, science or transcendence ... lives limited by the brutal scope of the seasons, the climate and wild nature. Not much time for Beethoven to write his Fifth Symphony, or James Joyce to write Ulysses , or Einstein to discover the Principle of Relativity. Plus, modern study has found that hunter-gatherer people wage small and vicious wars that are as inhumane and cruel as anything waged by modern nations. Stick that up your poncho, John Lennon! I just wonder if we could not somehow get the best of both worlds. Well the good news there is that we are the most adaptable of the world's predators. We've fundamentally changed our way of being on a number of occasions in the past in reaction to a hostile environment and we're most likely capable of doing so again. Lumpy Talbot said: Well the good news there is that we are the most adaptable of the world's predators. We've fundamentally changed our way of being on a number of occasions in the past in reaction to a hostile environment and we're most likely capable of doing so again. Click to expand... Don't let's get above ourselves either ... viruses and bacteria are predators on us, and may have the last laugh. We are the most adaptable large, multicellular creature - Dinosaurs lasted longer than we have been around (an eye-blink in geological terms), and cockroaches evolved over 300 million years ago. Actually, we may be the ones who destroyed our own natural supports. If Hairy Fuxxonaro goes ahead with his plan to burn down the Amazon basis for one big cattle ranch, I am not sure where will will end up. But, hey, we can't complain. We have had a good run, so let's enjoy it while it lasts. Tom Holland in The Shadow of the Sword makes the point that the Plague deaths left the borders of the Roman and Persian empires defenceless against the Arabs whose nomadic lifestyle had left them largely untouched. Of course, other life-forms who share this planet might (were they capable) reckon the greatest plague was the rise of humanoids. Though that may be a bit too Douglas Adams. former wesleyan said: Tom Holland in The Shadow of the Sword makes the point that the Plague deaths left the borders of the Roman and Persian empires defenceless against the Arabs whose nomadic lifestyle had left them largely untouched. Click to expand... But the Arabs struck these Empires after they had exhausted themselves in huge wars to see who was the Greater. The Muslims were not immune to Plague either: Plague of Emmaus The epidemic is famous in Muslim sources because of the death of many prominent companions of Muhammad . Plague of Amwas - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org For all the talk of globalisation and multilateralism we sure leapt back into the concept of the national bunker pretty fast. The whole question about whether there should be flights banned from initial hotspots and then suddenly it was nation states closing doors. Looks like the death of the nation-state may well have been exaggerated.

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