Minnesota will try to bounce back from two straight losses when it hosts Bethune-Cookman on Sunday afternoon in Minneapolis. The Golden Gophers (5-3) are coming off a 57-51 loss against Wake Forest on Friday, which followed a 68-66 overtime loss against Wichita State on Thursday. Both games took place at the ESPN Events Invitational in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Minnesota coach Ben Johnson cited inconsistency on offense as the main reason for his team's recent skid. "We're painfully figuring that out," Johnson said. "I thought our defense, though, (Thursday and Friday) has proven this is a top-40 or top-30 defense. We've got to be able to show up with offense and free throws." Golden Gophers starter Lu'Cye Patterson said he and his teammates remain confident in their potential as the Big Ten conference season approaches. "We just have to keep doing what we're supposed to do and keep our level of defensive play up," Patterson said. "It's going to win us a lot of games. The offense is going to come." Bethune-Cookman (2-5) will try to play spoiler on the road. The Wildcats have split their past two games as they beat North Dakota 79-67 on Tuesday and lost to Gardner-Webb 79-64 on Wednesday, both games played in the Cancun Challenge in Cancun, Mexico. Four players for Bethune-Cookman scored in double digits in their most recent game. Reggie Ward Jr. and Daniel Rouzan led the way with 14 points apiece, Trey Thomas scored 13 and Brayon Freeman chipped in 10. Bethune-Cookman is coached by Reggie Theus, who enjoyed a long NBA career and coached the Sacramento Kings for parts of two seasons. Theus said the Wildcats were in better position to compete this season compared with a season ago. "We've got a lot of depth, and we have age and experience," Theus said. "One of the biggest differences in our team is that we have great size now, where last year we were pretty small." Dawson Garcia leads Minnesota with 18.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. Patterson is next with 10.1 points per contest. Bethune-Cookman is led by Freeman, who is averaging 15.9 points per game. Thomas (11.7 points per game) and Ward Jr. (11.0) also are scoring in double digits. --Field Level Media
Qatar tribune Furthermore, the envisioned licence makes sure the content never harms national unity and social cohesion, avoid hate speech, discrimination and violence and respects cultural heritage, values and national identity. Also among the licensing regulations are credibility, intellectual property rights, transparency and the respect of social responsibility through avoiding misleading or unscientifically proven information. Meanwhile, the Shura Council discussed a government bill on the national emblem of the State of Qatar and referred it to the Internal and External Affairs Committee for consideration. The Council also approved a bill amending some provisions of the Income Tax Law issued by Law No. 24 of 2018, and referred it to the esteemed government, after considering the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee report. The draft amendment to the law enables multinational companies to submit their tax returns, and implement global rules to combat tax base erosion and profit shifting for multinational companies. The session concluded with a review of reports on the recent participation of the Shura Council delegations in regional and international parliamentary events. Copy 24/12/2024 10Victoria Police have made further appeals to identify more people over a violent protest outside a controversial weapons exhibition. or signup to continue reading So far 110 people have been arrested over the Land Forces exhibition in Melbourne which prompted violent confrontations between anti-war protesters and police between September 11 and 13. During the protests rocks, other projectiles, liquid which smelt of vomit, horse manure, eggs and liquid irritants were hurled at police officers, horses and expo attendees outside the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, police say. Wheelie bins were set alight, horse manure, food-grade acid and glass bottles were hurled at police barricades. At the time, 89 arrests were made and police circulated photos of those they wanted to speak to after numerous officers and protesters were injured. In the last week, a 24-year-old Surrey Hill man was charged with obstructing and assaulting police and bailed to appear before Melbourne Magistrates' Court in January. A 30-year-old Fawkner woman will be charged on summons with assaulting police. Police released images of a further 13 people on Sunday they allege are involved in multiple incidents during the protests, including an affray on Seafarers Bridge, paint thrown over officers and throwing coffee over a member of the public. "The behaviour we saw during these protests was nothing short of deplorable," said Mark Galliott acting assistant commissioner for North West Metro. "While people have a right to protest peacefully, they do not have a right to unleash violence." DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily! Advertisement Advertisement
By CLAIRE RUSH President-elect Donald Trump has once again suggested he wants to revert the name of North America’s tallest mountain — Alaska’s Denali — to Mount McKinley, wading into a sensitive and decades-old conflict about what the peak should be called. Related Articles National Politics | An analyst looks ahead to how the US economy might fare under Trump National Politics | Many Americans have come to rely on Chinese-made drones. Now lawmakers want to ban them National Politics | Polio survivor Francis Ford Coppola cautions against vaccine skepticism National Politics | House approves funding bill hours before shutdown deadline National Politics | Paris Hilton-backed troubled teen reform bill passes House Former President Barack Obama changed the official name to Denali in 2015 to reflect the traditions of Alaska Natives as well as the preference of many Alaska residents. The federal government in recent years has endeavored to change place-names considered disrespectful to Native people. “Denali” is an Athabascan word meaning “the high one” or “the great one.” A prospector in 1896 dubbed the peak “Mount McKinley” after President William McKinley, who had never been to Alaska. That name was formally recognized by the U.S. government until Obama changed it over opposition from lawmakers in McKinley’s home state of Ohio. Trump suggested in 2016 that he might undo Obama’s action, but he dropped that notion after Alaska’s senators objected. He raised it again during a rally in Phoenix on Sunday. “McKinley was a very good, maybe a great president,” Trump said Sunday. “They took his name off Mount McKinley, right? That’s what they do to people.” Once again, Trump’s suggestion drew quick opposition within Alaska. “Uh. Nope. It’s Denali,” Democratic state Sen. Scott Kawasaki posted on the social platform X Sunday night. Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski , who for years pushed for legislation to change the name to Denali, conveyed a similar sentiment in a post of her own. “There is only one name worthy of North America’s tallest mountain: Denali — the Great One,” Murkowski wrote on X. Various tribes of Athabascan people have lived in the shadow of the 20,310-foot (6,190-meter) mountain for thousands of years. McKinley, a Republican native of Ohio who served as the 25th president, was assassinated early in his second term in 1901 in Buffalo, New York. Alaska and Ohio have been at odds over the name since at least the 1970s. Alaska had a standing request to change the name since 1975, when the legislature passed a resolution and then-Gov. Jay Hammond appealed to the federal government. Known for its majestic views, the mountain is dotted with glaciers and covered at the top with snow year-round, with powerful winds that make it difficult for the adventurous few who seek to climb it. Rush reported from Portland, Oregon.
Austin Ekeler injury update: Commanders' RB exits after big hit vs. CowboysKILLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — American skier Mikaela Shiffrin said she suffered an abrasion on her left hip and that something “stabbed” her when she crashed during her second run of a World Cup giant slalom race Saturday, doing a flip and sliding into the protective fencing. Shiffrin stayed down on the edge of the course for quite some time as the ski patrol attended to her. She was taken off the hill on a sled and waved to the cheering crowd before going to a clinic for evaluation. “Not really too much cause for concern at this point, I just can’t move,” she said later in a video posted on social media . “I have a pretty good abrasion and something stabbed me. ... I’m so sorry to scare everybody. It looks like all scans so far are clear.” She plans to skip the slalom race Sunday, writing on Instagram she will be “cheering from the sideline.” The 29-year-old was leading after the first run of the GS and charging for her 100th World Cup win. She was within sight of the finish line, five gates onto Killington’s steep finish pitch, when she an outside edge. She hit a gate and did a somersault before sliding into another gate. The fencing slowed her momentum as she came to an abrupt stop. Reigning Olympic GS champion Sara Hector of Sweden won in a combined time of 1 minute, 53.08 seconds. Zrinka Ljutic of Croatia was second and Swiss racer Camille Rast took third. The Americans saw Paula Moltzan and Nina O’Brien finish fifth and sixth. “It’s just so sad, of course, to see Mikaela crash like that and skiing so well,” Hector said on the broadcast after her win. “It breaks my heart and everybody else here.” The crash was a surprise for everyone. Shiffrin rarely DNFs — ski racing parlance for “did not finish.” In 274 World Cup starts, she DNF'd only 18 times. The last time she DNF'd in GS was January 2018. Shiffrin also has not suffered any devastating injuries. In her 14-year career, she has rehabbed only two on-hill injuries: a torn medial collateral ligament and bone bruising in her right knee in December 2015 and a sprained MCL and tibiofibular ligament in her left knee after a downhill crash in January 2024. Neither knee injury required surgery, and both times, Shiffrin was back to racing within two months. Saturday was shaping up to be a banner day for Shiffrin, who skied flawlessly in the first run and held a 0.32-second lead as she chased after her 100th World Cup win. Shiffrin, who grew up in both New Hampshire and Colorado and sharpened her skills at nearby Burke Mountain Academy, has long been a fan favorite. Shiffrin is driven not so much by wins but by arcing the perfect run. She has shattered so many records along the way. She passed Lindsey Vonn’s women’s mark of 82 World Cup victories on Jan. 24, 2023, during a giant slalom in Kronplatz, Italy. That March, Shiffrin broke Swedish great Ingemar Stenmark’s Alpine mark for most World Cup wins when she captured her 87th career race. To date, she has earned five overall World Cup titles, two Olympic gold medals — along with a silver — and seven world championships. In other FIS Alpine World Cup news, the Tremblant World Cup — two women’s giant slaloms at Quebec’s Mont-Tremblant scheduled for next weekend — were canceled. Killington got 21 inches of snow on Thanksgiving Day, but Tremblant — five hours north of Killington — had to cancel its races because of a lack of snow. AP Sports Writer Pat Graham in Denver contributed to this report. More AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiingThis amount of money is an increase from the total budget of N63,317,450,275 in the outgoing year. The government also planned to refund the sum of N4 billion to the Kebbi State government on the construction of Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport, Birnin Kebbi. Additionally, the government through the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development further planned to spend N5 billion for the construction of corporate headquarters building and staff accommodation for the staff of the ministry and its agencies. It said the project was “ongoing.” Further breakdown of the N106 billion appropriation bill for the ministry in 2025 showed that the ministry would have N71,123,368,069; Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), N9,819,554,829, and the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, N7,975,364,319. Others were the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), N10,035,209,148 in the budget and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency was allocated N7,000,000,000 in the 2025 budget. However, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) are still exempted from the annual budgets. The government proposed to spend N5 billion on the power/energy improvement at Lagos, Abuja and others in 2025. It said the project was “ongoing.” Again, the ministry said it would spend N5 billion in the development of Aerospace Development in Abuja, stressing that this was already “ongoing.” Besides, the government planned to pay N1.7 billion as general consultancy for its projects, which it said was “ongoing.” The budget, however, did not expatiate on the general consultancy projects. The ministry would also expend N5 billion as safety and security critical projects and airport certification nationwide. The project, according to the proposal, included curbing of wildlife, Category 3 Airfield Lighting (AFL) and purchase of disabled aircraft recovery equipment, saying that this was already “ongoing.” The government also planned to acquire fire trucks for airports at the sum of N2 billion in 2025.
The New York Giants are an absolute mess currently, as they are fresh off benching, then releasing, their supposed quarterback of the future in Daniel Jones. And just a day after the latter move was made, it looks like the team has already set their sights on a potential new quarterback of the future in Miami Hurricanes stud Cam Ward. With a 2-8 record, which is the worst in the league, and a roster that doesn't seem intent on winning anytime soon, the Giants appear set for a top five pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, with the potential to have the No. 1 overall pick if things continue going south for them. Jones is no longer in the picture after his release, and while Tommy DeVito and Drew Lock are currently holding down the fort at quarterback, they aren't the long term answer at the position. That led to New York sending scouts to the Hurricanes Week 12 win over Wake Forest, with reports stating that had a "key focus" on Ward. "The Giants, along with several other NFL teams, attended the Miami vs Wake Forest game today," Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports reported on Saturday night. "Hurricanes QB Cam Ward, a projected top-five pick, was a key focus." The #Giants , along with several other NFL teams, attended the Miami vs Wake Forest game today. Hurricanes QB Cam Ward, a projected top-five pick, was a key focus. pic.twitter.com/yizcGYUsY2 While there's still a long way to go before the 2025 draft is upon us, the Giants are in a position where they need to begin focusing on the draft as soon as possible. And that has led to them already checking out Ward, who is projected to be one of the top picks in the upcoming draft. © Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Ward has been a mad man this season for the Hurricanes, and he continued playing at a high level against the Demon Deacons on Saturday. The star quarterback completed 27 of his 38 pass attempts, racking up 280 yards and three total touchdowns to lead Miami to their 10th victory of the year. The Giants certainly need help at quarterback, and it looks like they are one of several teams that are already keeping tabs on Ward. While they will be focused on playing out the string in the 2024 campaign, it appears as if they will also be watching Ward as he looks to put the finishing touches on his strong season with Miami. Related: Giants Taking Heat For $22 Million Daniel Jones Decision
Zuma appoints convicted fraudster Joe Ndhlela as MK party national organiserEgyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has emphasized the importance of ongoing reforms to modernize the country’s educational system, aiming to enhance the quality of both the educational process and its key components—students, teachers, and digital infrastructure. The directive was issued during a meeting on Wednesday with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Minister of Education and Technical Education Mohamed Abdel Latif. According to Presidential Spokesperson Mohamed El-Shennawy, President Al-Sisi was briefed on the steps the government has taken to address challenges within the education sector, in line with the country’s broader goals to improve and elevate educational standards. The discussions also highlighted the government’s initiatives to reduce classroom overcrowding by significantly increasing the number of classrooms and to address the shortage of teachers. El-Shennawy further noted that efforts to strengthen the digital aspect of education were also explored, including the distribution of tablet devices to students as part of an initiative to provide cutting-edge technological tools and foster a transformative shift in learning. The meeting also focused on revising and balancing the scientific and cognitive content of secondary school curricula, ensuring that it promotes continuous intellectual development and avoids redundancy, while maintaining rigorous academic standards. Additionally, the potential expansion of Egyptian-Japanese schools, which have been recognized as successful models due to their adherence to modern international curricula, was discussed as a key part of future educational reforms.'We got them,' says Tuipulotu's Greenock-born gran after Scots blow Aussies away in series finale
Black Friday may be over, but the deals certainly aren't. Retailers like Amazon , Walmart , Target and Costco are still offering discounts across product categories, but they won't last long, and there's no guarantee they'll carry over into Cyber Monday on Dec. 2. As a reporter who’s covered this sale for five years, my number one tip is to act fast: When you see something that catches your eye, add it to your cart and checkout. To help you find the best Black Friday deals still live, I combed through thousands of discounts and picked ones I think are actually worth shopping . Each one I recommend below is highly rated and at least 20% off. When possible, I ran deals through price trackers to make sure they’re at their lowest price in at least three months. I’m updating this list live with new discounts, price drops and additional promos. SKIP AHEAD Best Black Friday deals still live | More Black Friday sales | How I picked the best Black Friday deals | Why trust NBC Select? I found, vetted and wrote about every deal I recommend below. I worked with NBC Select editors to finalize the list, which I’m frequently updating to reflect the most up-to-date prices. For more information on our editorial team and how we choose products, check out this page . Amazon Smart Plug 4.7-star average rating from 565,475 reviews on Amazon Once you connect devices like lamps and fans to this smart plug , you can control them via a companion app and Amazon Alexa voice commands. The app also lets you set on/off schedules — I connect my Christmas lights to the smart plug so they turn on at sunrise and off at sunset. It’s compact too, so you can keep your second outlet free or stack two on top of each other. Lifestraw Personal Water Filter 4.8-star average rating from 117,760 reviews on Amazon Take this personal water filter with you while hiking and camping, or pack it in your emergency kit . It removes bacteria, parasites, microplastics and other impurities like dirt from water when you drink through it, according to the brand. You can use it to filter up to 1,000 gallons of water before needing a replacement. Apple AirPods Pro 2 4.6-star average rating from 10,937 reviews on Amazon Lowest price ever I use these wireless earbuds every day while running, commuting and taking calls. They offer three listening modes, including active noise cancellation, and up to six hours of battery life on a single charge, according to the brand. The water-resistant headphones come with a MagSafe USB-C charging case and four pairs of silicone tips so you can customize their size. Anker Zolo Portable Charger 4.5-star average rating from 2,366 reviews on Amazon Lowest price ever Anker’s portable charger has a built-in USB-C cable and two USB-C ports, so you can repower three devices at once. It has a digital display on the front, which shows you how much battery it has left. The charger is about the size of a credit card, making it easy to carry in your pocket. Tile Mate 4.2-star average rating from 23,500 reviews on Amazon Lowest price ever Attach the Tile Mate to your keys or put it inside bags to keep track of where they are. The device pairs with the brand’s app, which shows you its location on a map and lets you ring it so you can follow the sound. The water-resistant tracker can also help you find your phone — just press its center to make it ring, even when it’s on silent mode. Cosrx Snail Mucin 96% Power Face Serum 4.6-star average rating from 74,459 reviews on Amazon Cosrx’s face serum is made with snail mucin , a hydrating ingredient that can boost the skin’s moisture levels and address fine lines, according to dermatologists we spoke to. It helps soothe dryness, reduce dullness and repair dark spots, according to the brand. The serum has a lightweight feel and gives you a dewy glow, plus it absorbs quickly so you can layer other products over it. Mynt3D Super 3D Pen 4.3-star average rating from 19,012 reviews on Amazon This rechargeable, refillable 3D printing pen helps you or your favorite crafter bring drawings to life. It comes with plastic filament in three colors and has a clog-resistant nozzle. There’s also a speed slider on the pen, which you can move into different positions to control how much material you dispense at a time. Bissell Little Green Multi-Purpose Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner 4.5-star average rating from 90,594 reviews on Amazon The Bissell Little Green Machine is one of our favorite carpet cleaners , but you can also use it to get rid of grime and stains on furniture, auto interiors, kids car seats and pet supplies. “It’s so satisfying yet appalling to see how much dirt it pulls out of my rugs and the fabric on my couch,” says NBC Select editorial operations manager Rebecca Rodriguez . The lightweight machine, which comes with two nozzle attachments, has a built-in handle so you can tote it around your home and a long hose to reach areas like stairs. Lego Classic Creative Fun Building Bricks Set 4.8-star average rating from 419 reviews on Amazon Lowest price ever There are 333 Lego pieces in this set, allowing you or a loved one to create different characters, structures and shapes. The blocks come in black, orange, pink, yellow, blue and green colors, and some have eyes or mouths on them to give figures facial expressions. To get you started, the set (which makes a great stocking stuffer , secret Santa or white elephant gift ) includes directions for a few simple builds. Amazon Kindle 4.4-star average rating from 352 reviews on Amazon Lowest price ever “Getting a Kindle was the best decision I ever made, and that’s coming from a book lover,” says NBC Select commerce editor Lindsay Schneider . “It has a glare-free display, so I can use it no matter the lighting conditions, which is amazing. I also appreciate that the bottom corner gives you the percentage of how far you’ve read.” Amazon’s newest Kindle e-reader is the most lightweight and compact model yet, and you get up to six weeks of battery life on a single charge, according to the brand. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K 4.7-star average rating from 43,404 reviews on Amazon Lowest price ever Instead of buying a brand new TV, you can upgrade your current model by plugging Amazon’s Fire Stick into its HDMI port. Then, you’ll be able to watch shows and movies across streaming services, as well as download music apps and play Xbox games via cloud gaming. The TV stick, which you can also bring with you while traveling, comes with an Alexa Voice Remote. Energizer AA Batteries 4.8-star average rating from 49,278 reviews on Amazon It never hurts to have extra batteries at home, especially during the holiday season when you may be using them to power string lights, remotes, kids’ toys and kitchen gadgets. This pack comes with 32 AA alkaline batteries, which last up to 10 years in storage, according to the brand. Apple Watch SE (2nd. Gen) 4.4-star average rating from 954 reviews on Amazon Lowest price ever Track your daily activity, workouts, sleep and other health metrics, like heart rate, with this GPS-connected smartwatch . It also lets you send and receive calls and texts, stream music and pay via Apple Pay. Siri voice assistant is built into the watch, which is water-resistant up to about 164 feet, according to the brand. It has up to 18 hours of battery life on a single charge and comes with a charging cable, too. Hicober 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station 4.3-star average rating from 1,937 reviews on Amazon Lowest price ever Unfold Hicober’s magnetic charging station when you want to use it, or fold it into a compact disc to throw in your travel bag. When you lay it flat, you can repower up to three devices at once, eliminating the need for multiple cords and organizing your space, says Harry Rabinowitz , NBC Select reporter. The charger also folds into a stand to prop up your phone. PlayStation 5 Console 4.9-star average rating from 3,805 reviews at Best Buy Lowest price ever “The PlayStation 5 is a core part of my home entertainment set up, letting me play video games and watch my 4K Ultra Blu-rays in one simple package,” says Josh Rios, NBC commerce video producer. “I couldn’t ask for anything more.” This bundle comes with a pre-installed Astro’s Playroom game, a DualSense wireless controller, a disc drive and cables you can use to connect it to your desktop or a TV. The console supports haptic feedback, adaptive triggers and 3D audio technology. Blink Mini 2 4.4-star average rating from 3.713 reviews on Amazon This little camera connects to a companion app, which lets you keep an eye on your home via livestream video and receive real-time motion detection alerts. It also has two-way audio, so you can hear activity and speak to people or pets as needed. The camera also comes with a built-in spotlight and colorful night view. Plus, if you add a weather-resistant power adapter , you can install this camera outside. Crest 3D Whitestrips Professional Effects 4.6-star average rating from 3,592 reviews on Amazon Crest’s whitening strips are coated with hydrogen peroxide, an ingredient that helps remove tooth stains and brighten your smile, according to dentists I spoke to. They also have a non-slip grip so they stay on during treatments. This kit comes with enough strips for 22 45-minute treatments and two 1-hour express treatments. Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask 4.6-star average rating from 47,463 reviews on Amazon I keep Lanegie’s berry lip mask on my nightstand and apply it before bed with the included applicator. While I’m sleeping, the coconut oil, shea butter and murumuru seed butter in its formula moisturize my lips so they’re soft and flake-free by the morning. You can wipe off any remaining product when you wake up, but I usually keep it on and use it as a lip balm . Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream 4.6-star average rating from 3,769 reviews on Amazon Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream is one of my go-to moisturizers year round. It’s made with squalane to hydrate and soften skin, as well as strengthen the skin barrier, according to the brand. I only need to use a little bit of cream to cover my face, and it absorbs quickly, leaving behind a lightweight, non-greasy feel. The moisturizer is suitable for all skin types — I have sensitive, combination, acne-prone skin, and this cream never causes irritation. Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray 4.3-star average rating from 90,836 reviews on Amazon “This is my go-to product when I style my hair,” says NBC Select updates editor Mili Godio . “I apply it before using a flat iron or blow dryer brush, and it leaves my hair looking smooth, shiny and frizz-free. It also doesn’t weigh down my fine hair like so many other heat protectants do.” The anti-frizz treatment also comes in a curly hair version that I use daily. Waterpik Aquarius Water Flosser 4.6-star average rating from 142,752 reviews on Amazon This water flosser cleans gums and removes plaque from teeth, similar to standard floss . It comes with seven tips that rotate 360 degrees to reach all areas of your mouth, and has a 22-ounce, dishwasher-safe water reservoir. You can choose from 10 pressure settings, and the built-in timer keeps track of how long you’ve flossed for. CeraVe Skin Renewing Eye Cream 4.4-star average rating from 6,499 reviews on Amazon Dermatologists we spoke to recommend this eye cream , which is made with ceramides , caffeine , peptides and niacinamide . Applying it daily helps reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles, hydrate skin and brighten dark circles, according to the brand. Blissy Silk Pillowcase 4.4-star average rating from 4,015 reviews on Amazon “ Blissy’s silk pillowcase is cooling, which is great since I’m a hot sleeper, and the soft fabric never irritates or tugs at my sensitive, rosacea-prone skin,” says Godio. “Compared to when I use a regular cotton pillowcase, my hair is also less frizzy when I wake up.” The silk pillowcase , which has a hidden zipper closure, comes in a variety of colors so you can choose one that matches your bedding. Kitchen Mama Auto Electric Can Opener 4.2-star average rating from 106,499 reviews on Amazon This battery-operated kitchen gadget automatically opens cans for you with the press of a button. Its sharp blades cut through the sides of cans to fully remove their lids, leaving behind smooth edges. Keurig K-Elite Single-Serve Coffee Maker 4.7-star average rating from 62,017 reviews on Amazon You can make between 4 and 12 ounces of coffee in less than a minute with Keurig’s single-serve machine, which has a 75-ounce removable water reservoir. It comes with iced coffee and strong brew settings, plus you can use it to dispense hot water. The coffee maker also lets you control its temperature and program it to brew at a specific time each day. Its drip tray is removable to fit taller travel mugs. Our Place Always Pan 2.0 4.6-star average rating from 37,638 reviews at Our Place Lowest price ever Our Place’s Always Pan is one one my most-used pieces of cookware . The 10.5-inch pan is covered in a nonstick ceramic coating, which is oven-safe up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. The pan comes with a steamer basket that doubles as a colander, a beechwood spatula that nests on the handle and a lid with a cool-touch knob. Chamberlain Smart Garage Control 4.3-star average rating from 99,356 reviews on Amazon After installing this controller, you can open and close your garage door from your phone, regardless of where you are. It pairs with the brand’s companion app, which also lets you set schedules, get real-time notifications and give loved ones control access. Chamberlain’s controller is compatible with most garage door openers made after 1993. Bissell CleanView XR Cordless Vacuum 4.3-star average rating from 104,026 reviews on Amazon This cordless stick vacuum has a removable, rechargeable battery that gives you up to 35 minutes of run time, according to the brand. It converts into a handheld vacuum to clean small messes, stairs or the inside of a car, and comes with a long nozzle so you can reach high spaces like above door frames. The vacuum has a tangle-free brushroll, making it ideal for homes with pets, and its filtration system traps dirt, dust and other allergens inside. You get bristle brush and crevice tool attachments with your purchase. iRobot Roomba Combo i5+ 4.0-star average rating from 19,297 reviews on Amazon This robot vacuum can also mop your floors and empty itself in the included charging dock as needed. The machine connects to a companion app, which lets you set cleaning schedules, get real-time updates or start cleaning remotely. It’s also compatible with Amazon Alexa voice commands. Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides Advanced 4.5-star average rating from 203,951 reviews on Amazon There’s 20 grams of collagen in one serving of this powder, which you can mix into hot or cold beverages like water, coffee or smoothies to support hair, nail and joint health, according to the brand. It also has vitamin C and hyaluronic acid in it, which help with skin hydration and immune health, according to Vital Proteins. The powder is made without sugars, sweeteners, gluten or dairy. (Be sure to consult your doctor before taking any supplements.) AncestryDNA + Traits Genetic Test Kit 4.6-star average rating from 27,638 reviews on Amazon This kit comes with everything you need to take a saliva sample and send it to AncestryDNA’s lab. In six to eight weeks, you’ll get your results online. They include information about your genetic origins and ethnicity, as well as your propensity for traits like cilantro aversion, hair strand thickness and the ability to remember dreams. Theragun Mini Massage Gun 4.7-star average rating from 6,609 reviews on Amazon Anyone who has sore, tight, tense muscles needs this massage gun — I use it daily on my legs after running or on my back after hunching over my computer all day. It comes with three foam attachments, has three massage speeds and is compact enough to throw in your gym bag or suitcase. You can also connect the massage gun to Therabody’s app via Bluetooth, which walks you through guided treatments. TheraIce Migraine Relief Cap 4.6-star average rating from 38,873 reviews on Amazon Let this migraine relief cap get cold in the freezer for about two hours and then put it over your head and eyes, positioning it like a sleep mask. The cap’s cool, compressive feel helps soothe pain, promote relaxation, reduce puffy skin and alleviate sinus pressure, according to the brand. It’s flexible and somewhat stretchy, so it fits most people. Here are the best Black Friday sales to know about. Keep in mind, not every item from a brand or retailer is discounted as described below. All of my recommendations above are based on NBC Select’s previous coverage and reporting. I also included products the NBC Select staff tested, including Wellness Award , Travel Award , Pet Award , Bed & Bath Award and Giftable Tech Award winners. All the deals I recommend are at least 20% off and highly rated with at least a 4.0-star average rating from hundreds of reviews. When possible, I ran deals through price trackers like CamelCamelCamel to ensure products are at their lowest price in at least three months. I’m a reporter at NBC Select who’s covered Black Friday and Cyber Monday since 2020. I’ve reported on the history of these holidays and spoken to experts about what you should buy and skip during major shopping events, like today’s. For this story, since not all Black Friday deals are worth it, I sifted through hundreds of on-sale products to find the best ones actually worth buying across key categories, like tech, travel, home, and kitchen. Catch up on NBC Select’s in-depth coverage of personal finance , tech and tools , wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter and TikTok to stay up to date.
With Week 13 of the 2024 college football season in the books, it’s time to project how the new 12-team playoff will look by December. After 13 weeks of the season, projections and predictions on how the bracket could look in December have changed significantly from August. Additionally, with several big-time matchups still to come in November and conference championships in December, expect this projection to change many times before the final version is unveiled on Dec. 8. After another Saturday of high-profile games and a few upsets, the projected playoff field looks different than last week's edition. Oregon remains No. 1, and Georgia moves to the No. 2 spot as the projected SEC champion after clinching a spot in Atlanta on Saturday. Miami and Boise State round out the highest-rated projected conference champions, with Arizona State now in control of the fifth guaranteed spot as the top team in the Big 12. Ohio State, Texas, Penn State, Notre Dame, Indiana, Tennessee, and SMU rank as the top at-large selections. Alabama, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Texas A&M, and Clemson are the first teams out of the projected 12-team field this week. With one full week of action and conference championship games still to come, these predictions and projections will look significantly different by next Sunday. Week 13 features several games that will shape this projection next week, including Michigan-Ohio State, Texas-Texas A&M, Auburn-Alabama, Notre Dame-USC, and Tennessee-Vanderbilt. Although the season is 13 weeks old, the impact of every game isn't limited to just the top four. Instead, each contest takes on an increased role due to eight additional spots in the playoff, as well as seeding, and the automatic bids for conference champions. As a refresher: 12 teams — the five highest-rated conference champions and seven highest-ranked at-large selections by the selection committee — will receive berths to the College Football Playoff. The top four teams receive a bye, with the first-round games slated to be played at the home sites of the higher seed. Beginning with the quarterfinals, all games through the national championship will be played at bowl or neutral sites. Related: College Football Bowl Projections for 2024 With Week 13 completed, Athlon Sports projects the CFP field for 2024: College Football Playoff 12-Team Preseason Projections for 2024 The Projected Field for 2024-25 Ranking All 134 College Football Teams for 2024 1. Oregon (Projected Big Ten Champion) 2. Georgia (Projected SEC Champion) 3. Miami (Projected ACC Champion) 4. Boise State (Projected MW Champion) 5. Ohio State 6. Texas 7. Penn State 8. Notre Dame 9. Indiana 10. Tennessee 11. SMU 12. Arizona State (Projected Big 12 Champion) Bubble Watch After Week 13 Alabama (8-3) Ole Miss (8-3) South Carolina (8-3) Texas A&M (8-3) BYU (9-2) Clemson (9-2) Iowa State (9-2) Tulane (9-2) G5 Playoff Contenders Projected Conference Champions: Tulane, Boise State, Jacksonville State, Louisiana, and Miami (Ohio) Other G5 Teams in the Mix: Army, Sam Houston, Western Kentucky, Liberty, James Madison, Georgia Southern, Marshall, Arkansas State, South Alabama, Bowling Green, Ohio, and UNLV. College Football Playoff First Round First-round games will be placed on campus sites of highest seed. Matchups will take place from Dec. 20-21. No. 5 Ohio State vs. No. 12 Arizona State No. 6 Texas vs. No. 11 SMU No. 7 Penn State vs. No. 10 Tennessee No. 8 Notre Dame vs. No. 9 Indiana Related: Ranking All 134 College Football Teams for 2024 College Football Playoff Quarterfinals Second-round games will be played at bowl sites and will take place from Dec. 31-Jan. 1. Fiesta Bowl (Dec. 31) Projection: No. 4 Boise State vs. No. 5 Ohio State Peach Bowl (Jan. 1) Projection: No. 3 Miami vs. No. 6 Texas Rose Bowl (Jan. 1) Projection: No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 8 Notre Dame Sugar Bowl (Jan. 1) Projection: No. 2 Georgia vs. No. 10 No. 7 Penn State College Football Playoff Semifinals Semifinal games will be played at bowl sites. Matchups are scheduled for Jan. 9-10. Orange Bowl (Jan. 9) Projection: No. 2 Georgia vs. No. 6 Texas Cotton Bowl (Jan. 10) Projection: No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 5 Ohio State National Championship Jan. 20, 2025 in Atlanta, Ga. Projection: No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 2 Georgia Steven Lassan is the senior college football writer and editor for AthlonSports.com . Follow him on Twitter , Instagram , and Facebook . Related: College Football Bowl Projections for 2024-25 Related: College Football Rankings: Athlon Sports Top 25 (After Week 13) Related: College Football AP Top 25 Poll Predictions After Week 13: Indiana, Army Unbeaten No More
A French influencer fresh off a smash hit film documenting his ascent to Everest’s peak is turning his sights to a new challenge: manga. Ines Benazzouz, known everywhere as Inoxtag, published his first graphic novel “Instinct” on Thursday, a story about a young man with the power to perceive the aura and intentions of those around him. The 22-year-old content creator started posting video game footage in his mid-teens, and his livewire energy has catapulted him to superstardom among young French people, with some 20 million subscribers. But it was the release in mid-September of the film capturing his preparations to climb Mount Everest - despite no prior experience - that brought his fame to new heights, with the documentary garnering more than 38 million views on YouTube. Now, in collaboration with “Kaizen” director Basile Monnot and cartoonist Charles Compain, Benazzouz said he “dreams” of one day seeing his manga adapted into an animated series. ‘Influence’ Benazzouz, a longtime manga fan, decided to take the plunge in February 2023 when he met Compain, a business engineer who dreamed of becoming a manga comic artist. “A lot of people ask me to work with them,” said Inoxtag. “But when I met Charles, something just clicked.” The YouTuber hopes to follow in the footsteps of “Radiant,” a French manga that has sold over a million copies and is the only one to be adapted into an animated series in Japan. Benazzouz, who swore off social media during his Everest ascent, said he has learned from the criticism he received over his climb - particularly from mountaineers - about environmental issues and over-tourism. He said that he still gives himself “breaks” from screens and acknowledged his frustration over the “politicization” he has faced on social media. — AFPTCU's TD barrage breaks open tight game vs. Arizona
Bluesky CEO Jay Graber says X rival is 'billionaire proof'WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday that he will nominate former White House aide Brooke Rollins to be his agriculture secretary, the last of his picks to lead executive agencies and another choice from within his established circle of advisers and allies. The nomination must be confirmed by the Senate, which will be controlled by Republicans when Trump takes office Jan. 20. Then-President Donald Trump looks to Brooke Rollins, president and CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, as she speaks during a Jan. 11, 2018, prison reform roundtable in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington. Rollins would succeed Tom Vilsack , President Joe Biden’s agriculture secretary who oversees the sprawling agency that controls policies, regulations and aid programs related to farming, forestry, ranching, food quality and nutrition. Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as his former domestic policy chief. She is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. Rollins, 52, previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Brooke Rollins, assistant to the president and director of the Domestic Policy Council at the time, speaks during a May 18, 2020, meeting with restaurant industry executives about the coronavirus response in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington. Rollins’ pick completes Trump’s selection of the heads of executive branch departments, just two and a half weeks after the former president won the White House once again. Several other picks that are traditionally Cabinet-level remain, including U.S. Trade Representative and head of the small business administration. Trump didn’t offer many specifics about his agriculture policies during the campaign, but farmers could be affected if he carries out his pledge to impose widespread tariffs. During the first Trump administration, countries like China responded to Trump’s tariffs by imposing retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports like the corn and soybeans routinely sold overseas. Trump countered by offering massive multibillion-dollar aid to farmers to help them weather the trade war. President Abraham Lincoln founded the USDA in 1862, when about half of all Americans lived on farms. The USDA oversees multiple support programs for farmers; animal and plant health; and the safety of meat, poultry and eggs that anchor the nation’s food supply. Its federal nutrition programs provide food to low-income people, pregnant women and young children. And the agency sets standards for school meals. Brooke Rollins speaks at an Oct. 27 campaign rally for then-Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at Madison Square Garden in New York. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, has vowed to strip ultraprocessed foods from school lunches and to stop allowing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program beneficiaries from using food stamps to buy soda, candy or other so-called junk foods. But it would be the USDA, not HHS, that would be responsible for enacting those changes. In addition, HHS and USDA will work together to finalize the 2025-2030 edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. They are due late next year, with guidance for healthy diets and standards for federal nutrition programs. ___ Gomez Licon reported from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Associated Press writers Josh Funk and JoNel Aleccia contributed to this report. Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. A Republican congressman from Michigan who served from 1993 to 2011, Hoekstra was ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term. “In my Second Term, Pete will help me once again put AMERICA FIRST,” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice. “He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role.” Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign. In a statement, Trump called McGinley “a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda, while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement.” Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
NoneWASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday that he will nominate former White House aide Brooke Rollins to be his agriculture secretary, the last of his picks to lead executive agencies and another choice from within his established circle of advisers and allies. The nomination must be confirmed by the Senate, which will be controlled by Republicans when Trump takes office Jan. 20. Rollins would succeed Tom Vilsack , President Joe Biden’s agriculture secretary who oversees the sprawling agency that controls policies, regulations and aid programs related to farming, forestry, ranching, food quality and nutrition. Then-President Donald Trump looks to Brooke Rollins, president and CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, as she speaks during a Jan. 11, 2018, prison reform roundtable in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington. 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. Rollins previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. The pick completes Trump’s selection of the heads of executive branch departments, just two and a half weeks after the former president won the White House once again. Several other picks that are traditionally Cabinet-level remain, including U.S. Trade Representative and head of the small business administration. Brooke Rollins, assistant to the president and director of the Domestic Policy Council at the time, speaks during a May 18, 2020, meeting with restaurant industry executives about the coronavirus response in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington. Rollins, speaking on the Christian talk show “Family Talk" earlier this year, said Trump was an “amazing boss” and confessed that she thought in 2015, during his first presidential campaign, that he would not last as a candidate in a crowded Republican primary field. “I was the person that said, ‘Oh, Donald Trump is not going to go more than two or three weeks in the Republican primary. This is to up his TV show ratings. And then we’ll get back to normal,’” she said. “Fast forward a couple of years, and I am running his domestic policy agenda.” Trump didn’t offer many specifics about his agriculture policies during the campaign, but farmers could be affected if he carries out his pledge to impose widespread tariffs. During the first Trump administration, countries like China responded to Trump’s tariffs by imposing retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports like the corn and soybeans routinely sold overseas. Trump countered by offering massive multibillion-dollar aid to farmers to help them weather the trade war. Brooke Rollins speaks at an Oct. 27 campaign rally for then-Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at Madison Square Garden in New York. President Abraham Lincoln founded the USDA in 1862, when about half of all Americans lived on farms. The USDA oversees multiple support programs for farmers; animal and plant health; and the safety of meat, poultry and eggs that anchor the nation’s food supply. Its federal nutrition programs provide food to low-income people, pregnant women and young children. And the agency sets standards for school meals. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, has vowed to strip ultraprocessed foods from school lunches and to stop allowing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program beneficiaries from using food stamps to buy soda, candy or other so-called junk foods. But it would be the USDA, not HHS, that would be responsible for enacting those changes. In addition, HHS and USDA will work together to finalize the 2025-2030 edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. They are due late next year, with guidance for healthy diets and standards for federal nutrition programs. Gomez Licon reported from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Associated Press writers Josh Funk and JoNel Aleccia contributed to this report. 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.” Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. A Republican congressman from Michigan who served from 1993 to 2011, Hoekstra was ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term. “In my Second Term, Pete will help me once again put AMERICA FIRST,” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice. “He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role.” Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign. In a statement, Trump called McGinley “a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda, while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement.” Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox!Shwashwi: A Judas act of biblical proportions
1. A pair of chic wireless headband sleep headphones so you can keep your ears comfortable listening to music, white noise, or calming affirmations as you drift off. Promising review : "I purchased this product to be able to listen to affirmations as I fall asleep. It has been great for that, and has also been very beneficial on long airplane flights when my ears hurt from the AirPods being in for so long. Also a great option when you are sleeping in a room with someone who snores! My kids keep stealing this from me so I purchased two more to get them for Christmas!" — Dawn Cooperider Get it from Amazon for $16.99 (clip the 20% off coupon on the product page for this price; available in 25 colors). 2. No Worries: A Guided Journal, a popular self-guided journal designed to help with managing anxiety, stress, and the general "adkfjgaldkjfgalkj" in your brain so you can rest a bit easier at night. Each day has a similar set of prompts for 12 undated weeks to help you reflect on your thought patterns and sources of anxiety, and gradually find self-care practices and management strategies that suit you best. Promising review: "I’ve never been a journal or diary person, but needed an outlet for my anxiety and stress . Each day has the same two-page spread that prompts you to think about your day, how you felt, and why you felt that way. There isn’t really any inspiration or advice, just open lines for your thoughts without it being an intimidating blank page. This journal has already helped me see patterns in my thoughts/emotions and I feel better overall. I would recommend this journal to anyone." — Kari Madsen Get it from Amazon for $9.95 . 3. A guided visual "breathing partner" you can use for meditation and calm to get yourself in a better mindset for sleep. This is designed to guide you through either the popular 4/7/8 or 5/5 "calming breaths" to help reduce stress and anxiety, using colors that fade in and out softly as cues. Bonus: it's kid-friendly! Mindset is a small business that specializes in calming personal care and decor products. Promising review: "Who doesn’t need less stress and more sleep these days! Here's your breathing meditation partner. Very useful at your desk and bed stand. So easy to charge and use, not to mention that he’s really cute!" — Cece Get it from Amazon for $21.95 (available in three styles). 4. A pack of drug-free Breathe Right nasal strips reviewers quite literally claim " saved their marriage " — these provide instant snoring *and* congestion relief by increasing nasal airflow. Bonus: there's an optional "scratch and sniff" lavender scent if you want an extra dose of calm. Promising review: "This product is a true gem. I’m eight months pregnant, and due to the baby pressing on my diaphragm, I’ve begun to snore terribly. My poor husband is a light sleeper, so I needed to figure something out. I started applying this at night, and he says he doesn’t hear a peep out of me! If you have trouble sleeping or snoring, this is something you need." — Raevyn Get a box of 26 strips from Amazon for $9.60 . 5. A set of delightfully ~~tingly~~ self-heating soothing foot masks made with Epsom salts, lavender, and peppermint perfect for anyone whose recent step count is "too many." Nothing like a lil' self-care on those aching feet to get into relaxation mode before bed! Check out a TikTok of the foot masks in action. I'm a long-ish distance runner, and these were certainly an interesting experience for my feet! You slide them on and, after a few minutes, feel a tingling, mildly burning (in a good way) sensation. It doesn't quite numb your feet, but it relaxes them. I kept them on for 30 minutes and then toweled my feet off, and the tingling sensation slowly faded over the next 30 minutes. After that my feet felt very refreshed and relaxed at a time of day when they're usually aching from all the miles I put in. The whole thing was a mess-free, easy process, and I will definitely keep them on hand for longer run days! Promising review: "These masks soften my feet right away after only one us e. I recommend using them before bed but do not discard them yet . You can use the same pair again the next morning as some products remain in the masks." — Guy Kositrana Get a set of three pairs from Amazon for $11.97 . 6. A set of review-beloved moisture-wicking double-brushed microfiber sheets with a softness so luxurious that you'll be like, "Cotton whomst?? " Reviewers especially love that the "cooling" effect of these is no joke, particularly for people in hot climates or people experiencing night sweats and hot flashes. P romising review : “LOVE THESE!! I was searching for a sheet set that would help me sleep more comfortably at night and found these. I have terrible hot flashes with night sweats and get up in the morning, just miserable. Of course, these do not eliminate my hot flashes as no sheets will, but they definitely make my nights much more comfortable by eliminating wet bedding, and I definitely appreciate that! Aside from their moisture-wicking abilities, they are very soft, easy to look at, and launder extremely well. I would highly recommend these for anyone shopping for sheet sets and especially for anyone experiencing night sweats!! ” — Shannon Warfel Get it from Amazon for $34.95+ (available in sizes Twin—California King, with deep pockets, and in 37 styles). 7. And a set of wildly popular ~hotel~ pillows that will make you feel like a lil' cherub falling asleep on a breezy cloud. Reviewers are obsessed with how these manage to be soft but firm at the same time, and how they're so breathable and cooling that they're basically a must-have for anyone who overheats at night. Promising review: "These had great reviews, but I was still skeptical. I'm a bit of a pillow snob. These pillows — these amazing, heavenly pillows — are now my favorite part of going to bed. Soft but firm. How does that work? It gives support for me to sleep slightly propped up but I sink into this comfortable personal cloud. Soft but firm. My head isn't sinking through the pillow to rest on my mattress, but I feel comfortably enveloped. Heaven. I bought two but think that would be too much fluff, so now my husband and I each have one. Buy them. Add to cart. Buy now with one click. Stop the research. You've found the pillows you were looking for. " — Marissa Urey Get a set of two from Amazon for $59.99+ (available in two sizes). 8. Plus a satin pillowcase to invest in not only for its cooling effect, but the fact that it's soft on your skin and creates less friction for your hair so that it won't get as tangled while you sleep. Reviewers also swear by these for helping clear up their acne and love how easy these are to wash while still maintaining their quality. Kitsch is an LA-based, self-financed, woman-owned small business established in 2010 that specializes in hair accessories. Check out a TikTok of the Kitsch satin pillowcase in action. Promising review: "I'm really liking this pillow. I woke up today with nice wavy hair, not dry tangled hair. I've been trying to grow out the layer of hair on the top back of my head and it's been so stubborn! Keeps getting tangled and breaks here and there from bleaching and dye damage, but with this new pillow I notice it doesn't tangle, which means it can grow right without rubbing and tangling/pulling! So I'm excited to see what happens by the end of summer! Also the pillow is soft and is so much more prettier in person! 😍😍😍💖💖💖" — Amazon Customer 🌷 Get it from Amazon for $17.99+ (available in two sizes and in 48 styles). 9. A set of light-dimming stickers you can stick on all the LED lights blasting their glow like tiny UFOs in your room at night. They come in a pack of all different sizes, so you can find the perfect ones to match your gizmos and finally get the restful sleep you deserve every night. Promising review : "Who knew such a simple little thing would actually help you sleep better? Works just as advertised. No more annoying lights to keep me up at night!" — Margo A. Castorena Get a set from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in 80% light blockage and 100% light blockage). 10. A set of wax earplugs that mold to the shape of your inner ear like putty, fully blocking out noises like snoring, car honking, or the night owl in your home queueing up The Office who forgot, yet again, to turn the sound down before the theme started playing on full blast 🫠. You can check out my review of Macks Earplugs for more deets: "The moldable silicone of Mack's Earplugs contours easily to the shape of your ear to block out noise much more effectively than other foam or plastic varieties, and the noise reduction is so good that if I pair them with a white noise machine (or just like a white noise loop on Spotify) I genuinely don't hear noises from outside my room. Not only that, but once they're in place, they stay locked there until you decide to pull them out. I've also *loved* these for traveling — if you put these babies in on a plane not only does it help reduce some of the YIKES factor when the plane takes off (it's loud!!), but it cancels out the murmuring noises of passengers on the flight and makes it easier to get some shuteye. " Promising review : "I had to travel for work and stayed in hotels. Noise always was a problem. These were the best solution to lessen noise because they mold to your ear better than foam ear plugs." — Bizeec Get 12 pairs from Amazon for $10.98 . 11. A contoured sleep mask designed to alleviate pressure from your eyes and plunge you into total delicious darkness all night long, while staying put on your head without any Velcro snagging in your hair in the middle of the night. I personally swear by this eye mask! I live in a super bright area and closing the window curtains makes me irrationally sad, so I use these to get to sleep and it's like lights out on the universe. These are also REALLY great for days when your work schedule is wonky or you need to take a day nap, since it not only blocks out all the light, but the contouring means it won't smudge your mascara if you're wearing any. It's also super comfy and never snags in my hair, even when it's not in a ponytail. Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in seven colors). 12. Or a Nodpod , a strap-free weighted sleep mask designed for back *and* side sleepers with a gentle pressure to encourage stress relief and deep sleep. Nodpod is a small business specializing in sleep products. Psst — you can also put it in the freezer, and the microbeads in the mask will stay cool for hours. Promising review : "There's something about placing this weighted thing on my eyes when I'm tossing and turning that lulls me back to sleep . The shape of it is a bit weird — it's not a typical eye mask, it's much bulkier and doesn't fasten on in the same way — but once you get beyond that, this can really be a beautiful thing. I keep it on my bedside table and use it if I wake up in the middle of the night and can't go back to sleep (which happens often) or once the sun rises and I want to sleep in a little more. If you have sleep issues I'd recommend trying this novel product." — Veronicam Get it from Amazon for $34 (available in six colors). 13. A migraine relief beanie for when your brain decides it's going to rattle against your skull at the least convenient time possible. (AKA, RIGHT BEFORE BED!!) This gets icy *and* hot depending on what kind of relief you're looking for, and doubles as a sleep mask so you can block out harsh light or try to get some shut-eye for further relief. IceBeanie is a small business that specializes in cold therapy products. Promising review: "I don’t usually write reviews but this thing is literally a game changer. Amazing quality, so comfortable to wear, and it really helps me to relax and also when I have a headache. This is top shelf. I am so happy with my purchase!" — Bonnie Boughton Get it from Amazon for $39.99 (available in two colors). 14. A caffeine-free herbal Sweet Dreams tea designed to promote better sleep with a mixture of chamomile rose blossoms and mint herbs, which have calming as heck properties. Promising review : "I have been having trouble sleeping A LOT lately, I'm very sensitive to sounds/light to where I wake up frustrated and ready to get out of bed to just get the day done. Now let me tell you that the first night, within seconds of sipping my tea, I yawn nonstop and am ready for bed. Knocked out and didn't wake up/toss or turn the entire night, woke up feeling so much better. Actually woke up smiling, too!" — Isa Get a 28-count pack from Amazon for $7 (available in various sizes). 15. An affordable sunrise alarm clock so you can trick your human brain into thinking you're already dappled in the light of a bright, sunshiny day when you wake up, even if the the sun hasn't quite caught up to your morning routine. This can be programmed with seven different light settings, seven different calming "wake up" noises, and to start gradually lighting up at 30, 20, or 10 minutes before you wake. Promising review: " I got this recommendation from TikTok, and it really has helped, especially with Oregon winters where the sun is not out by the time the alarm rings. It has several peaceful alarm settings and even has night music to put you to sleep. The sunrise with the alarm piano is what I play to wake me up every morning and it is a way better way than to wake up to an annoying phone alarm." — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $31.92+ (available in three styles). 16. Or a gorgeously designed Hatch Restore 2 — this sunrise alarm and sound machine works overtime as a touch-controlled smart light, bedtime reading light, and even a wind-down light that helps you get into a healthier sleep routine at night, which is especially important to maintain when it's dark out for so long. Other bedside lamps could truly never. Hatch Restore lets you personalize a "bedtime routine" for each night to train your brain to recognize sleep cues and get a better night's rest. Options include changing the light settings to more amber tones to help produce melatonin for sleep, soothing noise options, and sleep meditations and sleep stories you can get in the Hatch app. Promising review: "The Hatch Restore 2 is truly a game changer for those looking to improve their night’s sleep and wake-up routine. It’s been the best bedside companion and has improved my overall health and well-being. The combination of sounds, lights, buttons, and aesthetics really all come to play to make this feel like a truly premium device. There are touch adjustments to adjust the volume and brightness of the clock, which work really well. My favorite feature is the physical buttons which you can press to start or stop the routines; it feels very intentional when I get ready for bed and really gets me in the right mindset to begin my bedtime routine ." — Natasha Advani Get it from Amazon for $169.99 (available in three styles). 17. A dual-zone comforter to quite possibly save y'all's relationship, particularly if you can never agree on where the thermostat should be. One side of this comforter runs cool, and the other one runs hot, so you can sleep under whichever side you prefer without waking up when one of you hogs or throws off the covers in the middle of the night. Promising review: "This comforter is what we’ve always needed . My husband and I are always tangled in blankets because I need more but yet they always end up on his side. This comforter provides an all-in-one solution that keeps me warm and him cool and our bedroom looking calm and zen. " — Hannah Get it from Amazon for $134.99+ (available in four colors and two sizes). 18. An insulated soundproofing strip that easily sticks to the outer rims of your door, giving you some peace and quiet at bedtime and making it *much* less likely that you'll hear people rooting around the Cheez-Its box in the kitchen in the middle of the night. Psst — this insulated strip also stops air conditioning and heat from escaping out of the crack under the door, saving energy and money! Promising review: "Lifesaver. I have roommates who always watch TV loudly until midnight, so I purchased this to seal the gap in my door. It really reduced 90% of the noise from the living room!!! I can finally have a nice sleep!!!" — wen yan Get it from Amazon for $7.97 (available in three sizes and four colors). 19. A plush memory foam mattress topper to quickly transform any old spring mattress into an oasis — this helps distribute your weight on your mattress more evenly to reduce pressure on your joints, so you're less likely to toss and turn. Promising review: "This thing has changed my sleep for the better. My mattress has always been kind of uncomfortable with painful springs, but I just put up with it. Since switching to working nights and sleeping during the day, I wake up more easily and needed something to help me fall asleep and stay asleep. This topper is so nice! It doesn’t feel cool to the touch, I just don’t overheat while I sleep. It’s so soft I can fall asleep without a pillow. I love it!" — Avery Basford Get it from Amazon for $59.99+ (available in two or three inch depth and in eight standard bed sizes). 20. Or a pillow-top mattress pad so you can pretend you're sleeping on Mount Olympus. (What up, Zeus??) Not only is this down alternative fill fluffy and soft as heck, but it's wick-away and ventilated to help keep you cool while you snooze. Promising review : "Whoaaa this thing is amazing. I have a very expensive, firm mattress that I bought when I was younger. I got this, put this over the foam mat, and it’s like a new mattress. I slept like a rock last night. Haven’t slept that well in a long time. I also like that it’s attached to the mattress pad, so it’s not sliding all over. It slept very cool, I’m assuming that’s because is cotton. Highly recommend if you’re looking to fix a mattress and not have to spend money on a new one ." — Julie Get it from Amazon for $76.99+ (available in sizes Twin–California king and in four colors). 21. A high-end sound machine that never ever ever loops, bless its technological heart, and has soundscapes so satisfyingly realistic that Dream You will be like, "Um, am I the main character swimming under this rushing waterfall/burrowed by this crackling fireplace/frolicking through this lush meadow?" Bonus — it's also adaptive and changes its volume and mix based on what it hears in your environment. Adaptive Sound Technologies is a small business established in 2009 specializing in sound technology for personal care. Psst — it's compatible with speakers *and* headphones, so if you're sharing the room you don't have to subject your partner to it. Promising review : "I have suffered from insomnia all my life, and have found if I fall asleep listening to something I sleep better. I tried falling asleep to the TV, but invariably around 3 a.m., I would wake up listening to infomercials. Then, while traveling, my husband and I stayed in a very nice hotel that had this product in our room. I tried it, and slept like a baby the whole time we were there! I knew I had to have one at home, and ordered this as soon as we got home. I love that it has so many different sounds to choose from, as well as volume adjustment. You can leave it on all night or set the timer to shut off. This is a fantastic product, and while not inexpensive, in my opinion, well worth the money." — Tamstrat Get it from Amazon for $90.28+ (available in three styles). 22. A bottle of Dr Teal's soothing foaming bath with Epsom salt to help relieve aching muscles, and give you something decadent to look forward to all day (aside from watching your frozen pizza go round in the microwave, that is). Promising review : "I needed something to help me relax that was not a nap and this did it for me! I used this in an evening bath. Not only did it help me relax, it also helped me fall asleep so good that night. I tend to stay awake in bed (usually on my phone) most nights, but after this bath I fell asleep right away. It didn't bubble a whole lot for me, but it smelled amazing and made my skin the softest it's been in a long time! It's a good sized bottle with a sufficient amount of baths per bottle. Overall, I loved it. I don't take baths too often, but this has inspired me to do this more! 10/10 would buy again. " — Priscilla Perez Get it from Amazon for $8.71 . 23. A handy dandy amber reading light that's 99.94% free of blue spectrum light — aka, the light that signals to your brain that it's daytime and keeps you up and attem. Now you can read your book at night without disrupting your unsuspecting circadian rhythms. Promising review: "This is a fantastic light! I use it every evening to continue reading while my son sleeps, it does not wake him or impede my sleep after I’m ready to go to bed. Great product." — Brian Masters Get it from Amazon for $11.99+ (available in four colors). 24. A Sleep Pod , aka a snuggly adult swaddle blanket that'll cocoon you like a snug little bug in a rug. It applies gentle pressure while still staying cool and breathable, so it basically mimics a light hug you can get a good night's sleep in. Hug Sleep is a Wisconsin-based, family-owned small business that specializes in quality products to improve sleep. Promising review : "I’ve used it for 10 nights now, and by night 4, I was hooked. It washed up well — quick dry too! I’m autistic and loving the swaddled feel at night, especially during these hot months when my weighted blanket makes no sense." — Kathryn Whittier Get it from Amazon for $84.99 (available in six sizes, four styles, and three colors). 25. And a weighted Bearaby napper that answers the question of, "What would it look like if a blanket had magic sleep-inducing powers?" This breathable chunky knit blanket is designed with a comforting weight to help soothe anxiety and promote calm, making it easier not just to fall asleep, but *stay* asleep. I've been using this weighted blanket for about three years now and what I find really remarkable about it is that I *never* feel overheated in it . It's also just so, SO soft, and looks absolutely beautiful at the foot of my bed where I leave it every night. It definitely helps me activate "sleep mode" at night — I find the weight very comforting and not at all stifling, because it spreads so evenly. Promising review: "I’m in love with my this blanket! It is absolutely gorgeous and has made a remarkable difference in my sleeping habits. If you are even thinking about a weighted blanket, this is a MUST! Just do it! You will only wish you’d done it sooner!" — Sandy Psst — to choose a style, Bearaby recommends a blanket that is about ten percent of your body weight. Get it from Bearaby for $179+ (originally $199+, available in four weights and nine colors). 26. A pair of breathable, lightweight satin pajamas that will make you feel like you're staying in a hotel suite instead of the same bed you frequently find stray Goldfish crumbs in between laundry days. Promising review: "These are the best pajamas I've ever purchased. I'm completely hooked. The quality is amazing and they're super comfortable. I will be ordering all the other colors." — Mandie Get them from Amazon for $26.09+ (available in women's sizes S–XL and nine colors). 27. A pack of cult-fave nonmedicated Vicks VapoPatches — these mess-free, wearable patches help relieve congestion with a blend of eucalyptus, essential oils, and menthol, so you can still get your ~beauty sleep~ even when your immune system/allergies aren't feeling quite as beauteous as you'd like. A heads-up that these are meant to be worn *over* your clothes. Promising review: "I was pleasantly surprised when the scent lasted all night! They absolutely help me sleep better when I have a cold. I ordered some for my mother so she’d have them on hand for the upcoming cold and flu season." — Ashley Get two five-packs from Amazon for $19.91 (also available as a single five-pack). 28. A tub of Lush's silky sleepy lotion for real overachievers, so you can get your skincare *and* sleepcare taken care of in one go. This is made with lavender and tonka to promote relaxation, and cocoa butter and almond oil to keep your skin moisturized and soft so you wake up fresh as a daisy. Promising review : "I love this cream dearly. I have so much trouble sleeping due to stress and anxiety. But, I think I may have Pavlov's-dogged myself with this lotion. Whenever I put on Sleepy, the lavender and tonka scent immediately relaxes my body. It has gotten to the point where I use the Sleepy bath bomb or shower gel before bed to prep myself mentally and physically for bed." — Princess Jo Here's what BuzzFeeder Heather Braga has to say about it: "I’m a pretty anxious person and have a hard time getting my brain to shut down before bed. This has been an absolute game changer for me. It’s not too thick, smells heavenly, and a little goes a long way. I apply to my chest and arms so the scent can easily lull me to sleep." Get it from Lush for $9.50+ (available in four sizes). 29. A splurgeworthy side sleeper pillow so gamechanging that you'll wish you had a time machine back to all the nights you slept without it. Reviewers swear by this pillow to help align their spine for relief from neck and shoulder pain, and *love* the genuinely cooling feeling the down alternative, gel memory foam insides. Honeydew is a small business that specializes in uniquely-designed sleep products. Promising review: "I have searched for a perfect pillow for many months, and finally found this one. I LOVE this pillow . It is soft yet supportive, and the shape is perfect for side sleeping. It is expensive, true, but I think well worth the price. The fill used is wonderful compared to shredded or molded memory foam. It feels like down but with more neck support, and not at all lumpy. I like to hug the side extensions which provide support for my upper body when sleeping on my side. I totally recommend this pillow for side sleepers. You won't be disappointed." — Elizabeth Wright Get it from Amazon for $199.99+ (available in Queen and King sizes). 30. A sleep-focused essential oils blend made with chamomile, sage, and lavender to help soothe anxiety and reduce stress before bedtime and promote prolonged sleep. Promising review: "I have bad insomnia on the nights before I have to go to work. In desperation I decided to try using a diffuser, and I heard Lavender was the go to scent for this. I ordered Dream Essential Oil hoping it would help me and was so glad that the price was so affordable. I don't usually write reviews but I am so happy that I am now getting a good night's sleep every night before work that I had to share. The scent is pleasant and I find myself relaxing into it and falling asleep and staying asleep like never before. I can keep it going all night and it doesn't lose its scent either. I would highly recommend this product!" — Kindle Customer Get it from Amazon for $11.95 . Psst — if you don't have a diffuser, you can get a popular, well-reviewed essential oil diffuser on Amazon for $13.99 . You waking up in the middle of the night covered in sweat because you didn't buy those cult-fave cooling sheets yet: Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.Copart Reports First Quarter Fiscal 2025 Financial ResultsThe beginning of a new year holds so much promise: new breakthroughs, releases, and successes all hang in the balance. At the same time, the last few days of the year provide a perfect vantage point to look clearly at how the past 12 months have panned out and use this knowledge to help decide which successes are the most likely – and which may not pan out. As 2024 draws to a close, the ITPro team has drawn together some closing thoughts on the biggest trends of the past year and the technologies that could come to define 2025. AI continues to lead conversations Every member of the ITPro team points to AI as the standout focus for the IT industry in 2025, as vendors look to improve the sophistication of generative AI models and C-suites aim for better ROI on AI investments they've made in the past year or two. Jane McCallion, managing editor at ITPro, argues that AI will dominate 2025 even without any significant technological breakthroughs. This, she explains, is because businesses will finally be able to make good on AI spending. "Organizations, having thrown money at AI investment in the abstract, may finally establish what they really want to use it for," says McCallion. An outlier model for AI that's already leading conversations as we go into the new year is the use of AI agents, generative AI models that can complete tasks autonomously, with all the hyperscalers and major AI vendors having released their own agentic AI offerings. Get the ITPro. daily newsletter Receive our latest news, industry updates, featured resources and more. Sign up today to receive our FREE report on AI cyber crime & security - newly updated for 2024. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors "We've spent more than a year trying to work out how impactful AI assistants and 'copilots' will be for enterprises, and how they'll support workers," says Ross Kelly, news & analysis editor at ITPro.... ITProFootball is a sport bound together and upheld by family trees. In rare cases — the Shanahans, the Harbaughs — these trees are rooted in biology. More often, they grow from coaching relationships — a shared mentor, long years spent side by side on the same staff, belief in the same tactics and philosophies. And then we get a game such as Monday night’s showdown between the Ravens and the Los Angeles Chargers, which will bring two branches of the same tree into sharp conflict. The headlines begin with the brothers atop these two AFC contenders. John and Jim Harbaugh have not coached against one another since Super Bowl 47, 12 years ago. With Jim in the college ranks and John still in the NFL, it was easy for them to maintain a mutual support network, even shipping developing coaches back and forth from Ann Arbor, Michigan, to Baltimore. Now, the brothers are back to chasing the same prize, and a passel of those coaches, executives and players who cut their teeth with the Ravens will be on the other side. It’s an important game for the Ravens as they try to bounce back from an and maintain a foothold in the AFC North race. To win it, they’ll have to overcome the one opponent most built in their image. “We’ve been joking that it’s going to be like playing the L.A. Ravens,” fullback Pat Ricard said. A not-so-quick rundown of the : • General manager Joe Hortiz spent the first 25 years of his career with the Ravens, learning how to build a roster first from Ozzie Newsome and then from Eric DeCosta. • Offensive coordinator Greg Roman held the same position with the Ravens from 2019 to 2022, laying the framework for Lamar Jackson’s first NFL Most Valuable Player season. • Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter coached on the Ravens’ staff from 2017 to 2020, right beside his Baltimore counterpart, Zach Orr. • No. 1 and No. 2 running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards held the same positions on the Ravens as recently as the beginning of last season. • Reserve tight end Hayden Hurst was the Ravens’ first first-round draft pick in 2018, the year they traded into the last spot of that round to select Jackson. Starting center Bradley Bozeman was Baltimore’s sixth-round pick the same year. The ties that bind indeed. There are tactical concerns at play with such familiarity. We’ll get to those. But Mark Andrews, who became a star in Roman’s tight end-friendly offense, pointed out that Monday night’s game will also be an unusual chance to celebrate the NFL roots reaching out from Baltimore. “I think it’s definitely a unique thing,” Andrews said. “I think it’s a tribute to the culture that we have here and just the type of organization that we have. We’ve had a bunch of incredible players and people and personnel that [are] on [the Chargers] and are doing great things. So it’s cool.” The Chargers (7-3) freely acknowledge the Baltimore influence on their franchise as they reset from a dispiriting 5-12 season under previous coach Brandon Staley. “Down throughout the roster, it’s kind of what we’re driving for,” Jim Harbaugh told the “Rich Eisen Show.” “When you watch the Ravens or watch our team, we hope to be looking in the mirror. That’s how much respect we have for the Baltimore Ravens.” John Harbaugh said he already sees his brother’s touch, and by extension those of all those other Ravens, in everything the Chargers do. “The culture, the way things are done, how they play, the schemes are very similar,” he said. “Not exactly the same but in a lot of ways, mirror images. With that, it’s two different football teams. It’s two teams squaring off in a really important game. That’s really what it’s going to be about, the guys out there playing the game.” So, is it harder to trick your mirror image when constructing a game plan? Players and coaches usually downplay the impact of having a former colleague embedded with a rival. In this case, however, several Chargers were intimately involved in designing the Ravens’ roster and strategy. Minter is four years and two defensive coordinators removed from his time in Baltimore. But Roman worked closely with Jackson and many other key offensive players, and Hortiz scouted most of the Ravens’ roster. Dobbins and Edwards played in coordinator Todd Monken’s offense a year ago. John Harbaugh said he couldn’t remember a game in which he faced two coordinators who’d worked for him. “It’s different than other games, sure,” he said. “We know the schemes pretty much. But there will be wrinkles. It’s the old ‘they know what we know that we know that they know that we know that they know what we know.’ With that, there will be wrinkles. But it’s going to come down, in the end, to the players. All the scheme stuff is important, but most important is really how the game is played.” The Ravens don’t seem concerned about the Chargers having inside knowledge of their playbook. Related Articles “Teams see everything we do on film anyway,” Ricard said. “The thing they know is us personally.” For all the acclaim around quarterback Justin Herbert’s efficient performance in Jim Harbaugh and Roman’s system, Minter’s defense has been the unexpected star, going from 24th in points allowed last season to first this season. The Chargers are doing it without a signature element. They deceive with ever-changing coverages, get to the quarterback without relying on all-out blitzes and take the ball away, much like the Ravens did last year. On offense, Roman can’t use all the run designs he developed for Jackson, but Ravens defenders see plenty that’s familiar when they peruse Chargers film. “It’s two like-minded teams,” safety Kyle Hamilton said. “It is somewhat similar. You don’t have the same people. You don’t have Lamar. ... It’s hard-nosed football. You know where the ball’s going. You know what’s going to happen. It’s can you stop it or not? There’s some beauty in that.”
Five individuals sustained injuries in a serious collision between an LT Bus and a T4 Bus at Iyana Era along the Badagry Expressway earlier today. This was made known in a statement by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday. According to the statement, emergency responders, including officers from the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority and the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, acted quickly to rescue the victims and transport them to nearby hospitals for urgent medical care. The statement said, “The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has reported a significant road traffic accident involving an LT commercial bus and a T4 commercial bus at Iyana-Era, inward Agbara, along the Mile 2-Badagry Expressway. “Preliminary findings indicate that the T4 commercial bus, bearing registration number LSD 668 YE, was travelling at an excessive speed toward Agbara when its braking system failed. This mechanical malfunction led to a rear-end collision with an LT commercial bus (BDG 728 YE), which was stationary while loading passengers at the Iyana-Iba bus stop. “In a commendable demonstration of rapid response, LASTMA officials successfully rescued five severely injured passengers—three males and two females. The injured individuals were promptly transported to Eva-Life Hospital, situated at Pako near Iyana-Era, for immediate medical attention. Related News LASTMA unveils technology to report traffic violations LASTMA vows tough measures as crashes claim six Gov’s wife urges LASTMA officers to prioritise health “Security operatives from the Ijanikin Police Division provided critical support throughout the rescue operation, ensuring the safety of all involved and maintaining order at the accident site.” The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed sympathies to the injured passengers, wishing them a quick and full recovery. He also emphasized the need for regular vehicle maintenance, with a particular focus on the braking system. Bakare-Oki urged all drivers to perform comprehensive safety checks before setting out on any journey, whether within Lagos State or beyond. Click the link below to watch the video: https://x.com/MobilePunch/status/1872014231694147898?t=ba02B-gv0fUZiGyuhEZaJA&s=19
Daily Post Nigeria EPL: Ex-Liverpool defender identifies those pushing Rashford out of Man Utd Home News Politics Metro Entertainment Sport Sport EPL: Ex-Liverpool defender identifies those pushing Rashford out of Man Utd Published on December 23, 2024 By Don Silas Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock has claimed that Manchester United’s hierarchy is pushing Marcus Rashford out of the club. Warnock insisted that the Red Devils’ chiefs are attempting to cut costs by making life difficult for Rashford, who is among the top earners at the club. Rashford’s future at Manchester United is currently uncertain after he admitted he was “ready for a new challenge,” hinting at a potential exit from Old Trafford. His comments followed his omission from the squad that defeated Manchester City a few days ago. Rashford was then dropped for the weekend match against Bournemouth, where Ruben Amorim’s side was defeated 3-0. Speaking on Sky Sports, Warnock said: “He [Rashford] has come out and obviously made the statement. What we’ve seen behind the scenes is there’s a lot of cost-cutting. But what we also know is he’s potentially their biggest earner.” “Now, is that the ownership coming in and saying, ‘Absolutely not, we’re going to set this wage structure, and we’re going to make sure we bring that down. He’s the first one who’s got to go?’ “So how do you do that? You frustrate a player. You make life difficult for him. I’ve been in that situation where someone has come in and said, ‘You’re not the player for me.’ “And I get the sense that he’s being forced out of the club, and he’s being made the scapegoat.” Related Topics: EPL liverpool man utd rashford Don't Miss Transfer: Getafe in talks to sign Sadiq You may like EPL: Amorim blasts people around Rashford making decisions EPL: Man Utd to sign 24-year-old star for Amorim EPL: Same with Amorim – Jaap Stam explains Man United’s poor form EPL: Neville names best team this season, reveals risk Liverpool faces in title race EPL: Arsenal suffer another major blow EPL: Best time to get injured – Rio Ferdinand tells Bukayo Saka Advertise About Us Contact Us Privacy-Policy Terms Copyright © Daily Post Media LtdBelleville 5-star QB, nation’s top recruit, flips commitment from LSU to Michigan
Friendly reminder |
The authenticity of this information has not been verified by this website and is for your reference only. Please do not reprint without permission. If authorized by this website, it should be used within the scope of authorization and marked with "Source: this website". |
Special attention |
Some articles on this website are reprinted from other media. The purpose of reprinting is to convey more industry information, which does not mean that this website agrees with their views and is responsible for their authenticity. Those who make comments on this website forum are responsible for their own content. This website has the right to reprint or quote on the website. The comments on the forum do not represent the views of this website. If you need to use the information provided by this website, please contact the original author. The copyright belongs to the original author. If you need to contact this website regarding copyright, please do so within 15 days. |