lol646ph OCILLA – It’s been an arduous year for Georgia pecan growers. Back-to-back hurricanes hit the eastern part of the state, while the southwestern sector grappled with weather extremes. All growers faced historic highs for input costs and lows for market prices. The looming presidential change and the tariff proposals that come with it add uncertainty, especially as Chinese tariffs continue to affect the pecan market. As harvesting wraps up, Lenny Wells, a University of Georgia pecan extension specialist, said this year was a “weird season,” one that was split right down the middle of the state. In the east, farmers sifted through fallen trees and branches. In the west, they sorted through a somewhat large pecan crop yield but were stumped by poorer quality nuts. Wells said about 75% of Georgia’s eastern pecan crop – about 36 million pounds – was lost to Hurricane Helene. Mary Bruorton, the executive director of the Georgia Pecan Growers Association, said direct tree loss from the storm adds up to about $118 million and future income loss of about $417 million. “It’s hard to put into words what the loss truly is,” she said. “I’ve never seen anything like this.” Less than two months after Tropical Storm Debby, Hurricane Helene slammed into Georgia pecan farms. Wells said there is little farmers can do to prepare for a hurricane aside from turning irrigation off a few days before. “For most growers, it’s kind of a feeling of surrender when you see a storm coming,” he said. The tree branches in Scot Hudson’s orchards, spread across Irwin, Ben Hill, Wilcox and Dodge counties, drooped with thickly clustered pecans – a promising sight – in the days leading up to the storm. However, Helene destroyed all hopes of a profitable season. The fifth-generation farmer said he felt helpless as Helene tore through his orchards, resulting in the loss of about 30% of his larger, older pecan trees. Younger, smaller trees fared better with only about a 5-10% loss. “The weather that's hitting us is making me scared that I’m going to be the generation that loses the farm,” Hudson said. In response to the devastation, the Growers Association has been advocating for disaster relief and financial aid, including specialty crop block grants. After Hurricane Michael, the USDA allocated $800 million to affected producers, and the Georgia Department of Agriculture provided $347 million. “We are working, advocating and lobbying for our growers and talking with Congressional offices daily regarding disaster relief,” Bruorton said. In southwest Georgia, pecan harvest season is a different picture but still yielding disappointing results. Tim Sikes farms 165 acres of pecans in Dawson. He lost 500 trees during Hurricane Michael and said a direct hit from Hurricane Helene would have pushed him out of the pecan industry. Sikes wrote in an email that this year was a challenge “just like every other year.” “But something has been just a little off this year for farming, and I can’t put my finger on just what it is,” Sikes wrote. He chalked it up to failed pollination from weather extremes. April was unseasonably cold and wet, much to the dismay of sun-loving pecan trees. June saw less than a half-inch of rain in its first 25 days, and then Tropical Storm Debby drenched the region in August. Still, Sikes wrote that the pecan crop looked promising all year until the end, when poor quality began to reveal itself. Alex Willson of Sunnyland Farms in Albany saw the same issue in his crop. His trees were packed with nuts by early summer, but cracking open the kernel in fall revealed meat that was 3% less full than it should have been. “That doesn’t sound like a lot, but then you start talking about over hundreds or thousands of acres ... then it starts to make a bit of a difference,” he said. “The higher the meat in the nut, the better price you get for it.” Willson said he was bracing for Helene to be “another Michael.” His farm is still waiting for trees planted after the 2018 storm to become productive. “We dodged this one, but unfortunately, it seems like this is becoming the new norm,” he said. “We're going to really have to think about how we can plan for storms like this.” Beyond the challenges of weather, Georgia’s pecan growers are facing low prices in trying to sell their pecans – a problem exacerbated by tariffs on U.S. exports to China. When Donald Trump takes the presidential office again in January, he’s proposed a 10% across-the-board tariff on all imported goods. “It’s just kind of an uneasiness at the end of the day,” Hudson said. “We’re worried about whether the tariffs ramp up, like the rhetoric’s saying, will their country (China) retaliate?” He said his operation is built on international trade and thrived with the Chinese market. Chinese tariffs, in response to Trump’s 2018 tariffs on imported goods to the U.S., saw his sales slip. Hudson said ultimately it’s out of growers’ control, and he’ll handle the cards he’s dealt. Still, he said he fears for his farm’s future. Higher production costs coupled with low prices mean farmers are struggling to break even. Low sale prices mean farmers are cutting costs everywhere they can. They’re switching to pecan varieties that require less input costs: from fertilizer, irrigation, etc. However, Hudson said cutting input costs risks cutting quality. Sikes turned to newer technologies that helped him cut costs. In 2022, he was the first pecan grower to start using Smart Guided Spray Systems. It uses an advanced mapping system on the trees to tell the fertilizer sprayer exactly how much chemical spray is needed. Sikes said it resulted in about a 45% savings on his chemical costs. Many are diversifying their operations, turning to retail sales, e-commerce or growing other crops as well. Farmers also implement management practices to build up some resistance to storms, which Wells said data show will continue to increase in intensity. Most farmers have adopted hedge pruning, a strategy that reduces the size of the tree, making it less susceptible to high winds. Wells said 10 years of research documented as much as a 60% reduction in damage from more moderate storms. Despite the challenges that come with it, Hudson said there is nothing he’d rather be doing. He said he hopes open dialogue with lawmakers leads to assistance, both at the state and federal level.

Trump selects longtime adviser Keith Kellogg as special envoy for Ukraine and RussiaNEW YORK — Several of President-elect Donald Trump 's Cabinet picks and appointees have been targeted by bomb threats and "swatting attacks," Trump's transition said Wednesday. "Last night and this morning, several of President Trump's Cabinet nominees and Administration appointees were targeted in violent, unAmerican threats to their lives and those who live with them," Trump transition spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. She said the attacks "ranged from bomb threats to 'swatting.' In response, law enforcement and other authorities acted quickly to ensure the safety of those who were targeted. President Trump and the entire Transition team are grateful for their swift action." President-elect Donald Trump arrives to speak at a meeting of the House GOP conference, followed by Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Swatting entails generating an emergency law enforcement response against a target victim under false pretenses. The FBI said in a statement that it is "aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees, and we are working with our law enforcement partners. We take all potential threats seriously, and as always, encourage members of the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement." Among those targeted was New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's pick to serve as the next ambassador to the United Nations. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., is seated before President-elect Donald Trump arrives at a meeting of the House GOP conference, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Her office said that, Wednesday morning, she, her husband, and their 3-year-old son were driving home from Washington for Thanksgiving when they were informed of a bomb threat to their residence in Saratoga County. "New York State, County law enforcement, and U.S. Capitol Police responded immediately with the highest levels of professionalism," her office said in a statement. "We are incredibly appreciative of the extraordinary dedication of law enforcement officers who keep our communities safe 24/7." In Florida, meanwhile, the Okaloosa County sheriff's office said in an advisory posted on Facebook that it "received notification of a bomb threat referencing former Congressman Matt Gaetz's supposed mailbox at a home in the Niceville area around 9 a.m. this morning." While a family member resides at the address, they said "former Congressman Gaetz is NOT a resident. "The mailbox however was cleared and no devices were located. The immediate area was also searched with negative results." Gaetz was Trump's initial pick to serve as attorney general, but he withdrew from consideration amid allegations that he paid women for sex and slept with underage women. Gaetz has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and said last year that a Justice Department investigation into sex trafficking allegations involving underage girls had ended with no federal charges against him. The threats follow a political campaign marked by unusual violence. In July, a gunman opened fire at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, grazing the then-candidate in the ear with a bullet and killing one of his supporters. The U.S. Secret Service later thwarted a subsequent assassination attempt at Trump's West Palm Beach, Florida, golf course when an agent spotted the barrel of a gun poking through a perimeter fence while Trump was golfing. Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Trump has chosen former New York Rep. to serve as his pick to lead the . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. A Republican congressman from Michigan who served from 1993 to 2011, Hoekstra was ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term. “In my Second Term, Pete will help me once again put AMERICA FIRST,” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice. “He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role.” Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump said Wednesday that he will nominate Gen. Keith Kellogg to serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as National Security Advisor to Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence. For the America First Policy Institute, one of several groups formed after Trump left office to help lay the groundwork for the next Republican administration, Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign. In a statement, Trump called McGinley “a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda, while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement.” Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Associated Press writers Alanna Durkin Richer and Eric Tucker contributed to this report from Washington. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.Peering Into Camden Prop Trust's Recent Short Interest

Fox News contributor Joe Concha discusses 'The View' co-hosts' attack on Elon Musk and Joe Rogan and Brian William's post-election analysis that the Democratic Party needs to be rebuilt. Australian Broadcasting Corporation chairman Kim Williams gave a frank and critical opinion of Joe Rogan on Tuesday, suggesting the podcast host was taking advantage of the American public. When asked to offer his thoughts on Rogan during his address to the Australian National Press Club, Williams admitted that he was not a consumer of "The Joe Rogan Experience" — a comment that drew laughter from the audience. "I think people like Mr. Rogan prey on people's vulnerabilities," he said. "They prey on fear. They prey on anxiety. They prey on all the elements that contribute to uncertainty in society." He also suggested that Rogan pushes the idea that entrepreneurial and conspiratorial "fantasy" outcomes are a normal part of the "social narrative." CARVILLE SAYS YOUNG 'SNOT-NOSED' PROGRESSIVE STAFFERS HURT HARRIS WITH 'HISSY FIT' OVER ROGAN Australian Broadcasting Corporation chairman Kim Williams is the latest member of the media to criticize Joe Rogan following President-elect Trump's victory. (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images/X/Screenshot) "I personally find it deeply repulsive and to think that someone has such remarkable power in the United States is something that I look at in disbelief," he said. Williams said he was shocked that Rogan could be considered a source of entertainment when he and other similar figures are "treating the public as plunder for purposes that are really quite malevolent." The Williams video quickly drew the attention of Rogan, who posted, "LOL WUT," on X. Fox News Digital reached out to Rogan's publicist for further comment. After President-elect Donald Trump won the election, many Democrats realized the power independent podcasters like Rogan have with modern voters. Vice President Kamala Harris, for various reported reasons despite being invited, failed to do an interview with Rogan in a move widely regarded as an avoidable blunder. KAMALA HARRIS CAMPAIGN AIDES SUGGEST TRUMP'S SIT-DOWN WITH JOE ROGAN TO BLAME FOR HER NOT JOINING PODCAST Podcaster Joe Rogan has spoken repeatedly about how the modern American left has driven away people with identity politics and impractical policies. ((Photo by Michael Schwartz/WireImage)) Rogan has espoused liberal views at times and expressed support for Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., in 2020 when he sought the Democratic nomination. However, in 2024, Rogan endorsed Trump shortly before the election. Several media personalities have suggested Rogan and other podcasters handed Trump the election by spreading "misinformation" and urged Democrats to cultivate their own podcast that rivals "The Joe Rogan Experience." Rogan referenced complains on the left that they need their "own Joe Rogan" on Tuesday. "I think these ‘Call Her Daddy’ shows and all these different shows that [Harris] went on - I mean I'm sure they had an impact, but I think that in the future... I'm sure they're scrambling to try to create their own version of this show," Rogan said. "This is one thing that keeps coming up like, ‘We need our own Joe Rogan,’ right? But they had me, I was on their side!" CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Fox News' Alexander Hall contributed to this report. Nikolas Lanum is an associate editor for Fox News Digital.

Despite the nearly seven-year delay between the release of the first commercial foldable phone and now, Apple is expected to release its own folding iPhone eventually. We've seen rumors about a supposed iPhone Flip for years now, but the latest rumor suggests that the phone is actually getting closer to becoming a tangible product. According to Korean tipster Yeux1122 (via Jukanlosreve on X), the iPhone Flip is entering the "formal development process" with display manufacturers like LG Display or Samsung Display. The leaker alleges this information came from a "supply chain source." We understand that that means that Apple is working with display makers to turn a conceptual product into a real one. It means that prototypes will be created, testing and refinement will take place and towards the latter half of the phase, prepping the device for release on the production line and marketing. Simply, Apple wants to make a folding phone with the leaker saying (machine translated) that Apple was "previously responding piecemeal to technology and key requirements." If Apple is only just entering a developmental phase for the foldable iPhone, the earliest we expect to see a new device is two to three years. This aligns with previous leaks suggesting that we might see an iPhone Flip in 2026 or 2027 . Samsung enters the chat Interestingly, Yeux1122 claims that this development will make Samsung respond by fast-tracking the development of its own future foldables, including introducing a "heterogeneous fold, the FE lineup and design changes after the Fold SE." This hints at previously leaked Samsung foldables like the Samsung tri-fold phone , which is expected to launch next year. It may debut alongside a cheaper Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE, finally bringing an entry-level (read: cheaper) foldable to the market — something the world needs . Samsung would perhaps have more insight into when Apple will release a foldable phone via its Display subdivision. So, it's plausible that the company would push development forward on the mentioned devices to get ahead of Apple's future handset. More from Tom's Guide

Game-changing holiday gifts for building fires, printing photos, watching birds and moreKathleen Muscatell

New Delhi Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday said disinformation, misinformation, mal-information, and fake news have such power that they are always ready to tear the social fabric with the use of the latest technology. Delivering the 37th Intelligence Bureau Centenary Endowment Lecture in New Delhi, Shah said, “Divisive forces are still active in the country today. Disinformation, misinformation, mal-information, and fake news have such power that they are always ready to disrupt the social fabric of our society with the help of new technology.” Addressing the gathering, the Union minister said that attacks on critical infrastructure, cyberattacks, information warfare, psychological warfare, chemical warfare, and the radicalization of youth have emerged as intensified challenges. Also read | Insult to Ambedkar: Congress to submit memo seeking Amit Shah’s removal Shah also stressed the need to develop an intelligence coordination strategy with friendly nations to detect anti-India organisations and networks. “He said merely sharing information is not enough; we must also ensure that we receive vital intelligence from them. He highlighted the need to take prompt and decisive action against hoax calls and fake emails, as enemies of the country are successfully creating an atmosphere of fear and terror among the public through these means,” a Press Information Bureau(PIB) statement quoted the minister as saying. He said that till five years back, the country faced three long-standing issues, Northeast, left-wing extremism (LWE), and Kashmir, which challenged the country’s peace, law and order, security, and future. Shah said if challenges such as left-wing extremism, terrorism, organised crime, divisive forces, communalism, narcotics, and antisocial elements are to be fully controlled, ensuring the security of society is of paramount importance. Also read | Ukraine drones strike buildings in heart of Russia in 9/11 style attack The aviation sector has been severely hit by hundreds of hoax calls about bombs in airplanes and airports. While a few cases in which the calls were made by students or those without any terror links, have been solve, the probe has hit road block in majority of the cases because the calls were made using virtual private networks. According to government data, 680 hoax calls were received, in October alone, impacting tens of thousands of passengers and causing losses to the airlines and operators. Such hoax calls about bombs have also been received at schools, malls and hospitals too. A government spokesperson, Shah’s address during the lecture also spoke on the other challenges. “He pointed out that challenges such as using misinformation to provoke separatism, communal riots, drug trade via social media, cyber espionage, and cryptocurrency-related issues have now emerged as unique challenges. He emphasized that in order to tackle these challenges, we must prepare our agencies with new methods, stepping beyond traditional approaches. He stressed that we need to think out of the box to find solutions, because as the challenges evolve, our strategies must also change,” the PIB statement said. Also read | CISF updates protocols to deal with hoax threat menace targeting airlines The home minister in his address said that till five years ago, the country faced three long-standing issues - the Northeast, Left-Wing Extremism, and Kashmir, that challenged its peace, law and order, security, and future. “He added that due to the strict policies and tough decisions of the Modi government, the upcoming generations no longer need to worry about these three threats, as we have achieved almost decisive victory over them. He mentioned that violent incidents in these three regions have dropped by 70%, and fatalities have reduced by approximately 86%...... He pointed out that with just one click of a computer, any country’s critical and digital infrastructure can be damaged. He stressed that we need to broaden the Intelligence Bureau’s concept of security and prepare for the challenges of the future,” the PIB statement said. The Intelligence Bureau is responsible for the country’s internal security. The current IB chief is Tapan Deka, a 1988 batch IPS officer. Unlike other forces, the IB is a shadow organisation and does not speak to the press or give statements but works in the background. The home minister during this work reiterated the importance of the IB, its work over the years, and its tradition of sacrifice and dedication—where credit is often passed on to others—have kept the country safe today. The IB does not have the power to arrest or investigate and always passes on its tip-offs to other agencies. “By identifying and eliminating threats in a timely manner, the intelligence ecosystem helps maintain trust and stability within society.... if we are to fully control challenges such as Naxalism, terrorism, organized crime, divisive forces, communalism, narcotics, and antisocial elements, ensuring the security of society is of paramount importance,” Shah said according to the IB statement.

By LOLITA C. BALDOR and FATIMA HUSSEIN WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday that he has chosen Keith Kellogg, a highly decorated retired three-star general, to serve as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, who is one of the architects of a staunchly conservative policy book that lays out an “America First” national security agenda for the incoming administration, will come into the role as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters its third year in February. Trump, making the announcement on his Truth Social account, said, “He was with me right from the beginning! Together, we will secure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, and Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN!” Kellogg, an 80-year-old retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as national security adviser to Vice President Mike Pence , was chief of staff of the National Security Council and then stepped in as an acting security adviser for Trump after Michael Flynn resigned. As special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Kellogg will have to navigate an increasingly untenable war between the two nations. The Biden administration has begun urging Ukraine to quickly increase the size of its military by drafting more troops and revamping its mobilization laws to allow for the conscription of those as young as 18. The White House has pushed more than $56 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s February 2022 invasion and expects to send billions more before Biden leaves office in less than two months. The U.S. has recently stepped up weapons shipments and has forgiven billions in loans provided to Kyiv. Trump has criticized the billions the Biden administration has spent in supporting Ukraine and has said he could end the war in 24 hours, comments that appear to suggest he would press Ukraine to surrender territory that Russia now occupies. As a co-chairman of the American First Policy Institute’s Center for American Security, Kellogg wrote several of the chapters in the group’s policy book. The book, like the Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025,” is designed to lay out a Trump national security agenda and avoid the mistakes of 2016 when he entered the White House largely unprepared. Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” Trump’s proposed national security adviser , U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz of Florida, tweeted Wednesday that “Keith has dedicated his life to defending our great country and is committed to bringing the war in Ukraine to a peaceful resolution.” Kellogg featured in multiple Trump investigations dating to his first term. He was among the administration officials who listened in on the July 2019 call between Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in which Trump prodded his Ukrainian counterpart to pursue investigations into the Bidens. The call, which Kellogg would later say did not raise any concerns on his end, was at the center of the first of two House impeachment cases against Trump, who was acquitted by the Senate both times. On Jan. 6, 2021, hours before pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol, Kellogg, who was then Pence’s national security adviser, listened in on a heated call in which Trump told his vice president to object or delay the certification in Congress of President Joe Biden ’s victory. He later told House investigators that he recalled Trump saying to Pence words to the effect of: “You’re not tough enough to make the call.” Baldor reported from Washington. AP writer Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.

Putin says will carry out more Oreshnik missile tests in combatLiverpool beat holders Real Madrid with Aston Villa denied win against Juventus