Trump chooses anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as health secretary
NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump says he will nominate anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to serve as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy, a former Democrat who ran as an independent in this year’s presidential race, abandoned his bid after striking a deal to give Trump his endorsement with a promise to have a role in health policy in the administration. Trump also announced Thursday that he has chosen Doug Collins, a former congressman from Georgia, to run the Department of Veterans Affairs, and said he was nominating North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum to lead the Department of the Interior.
Trump is already testing Congress and daring Republicans to oppose him
WASHINGTON (AP) — After a resounding election victory, President-elect Donald Trump and Republicans say they have a “mandate” to govern. But it’s opening an uneasy political question: Will there be any room for dissent in the U.S. Congress? Trump is laying down a gauntlet even before taking office. He is challenging the Senate to dare defy him over the nominations of Matt Gaetz, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other controversial choices for his administration. He even suggests Congress simply go on recess to allow his nominees to be installed without votes. It’s forcing Congress to decide how far it will go in confronting Trump and opposing his wishes.
As he fills his new administration, Trump values loyalty above all else
WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump spent much of his first term feeling stung and betrayed by those he’d placed in power. This time, he’s not taking chances. As he works to fill his administration a second time, Trump has turned to a head-spinning mix of candidates. Many of those he’s chosen are personal friends. Others are familiar faces on Fox News Channel or other conservative outlets. Some have extensive experience in the areas they’ve been chosen to lead, while others have seemingly none. Some seem chosen to shock and awe, some to reassure, others to unleash chaos.
APEC leaders to open Lima summit as Trump prepares to return to office
LIMA, Peru (AP) — Representatives from 21 members representing the Pacific Rim are meeting in Peru for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, the first global summit since U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s victory to bring together several major world leaders. The annual gathering brings together countries and members that jointly account for almost two-thirds of global GDP and half the world’s trade, according to organizers. Heads of state in Lima include outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden, China’s President Xi Jinping, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto, Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, among others, as the world wonders how a new U.S. government might upend global dynamics
As airlines avoid Israel, UAE’s FlyDubai and Etihad keep up flights for both diplomacy and dollars
BEN GURION INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, Israel (AP) — Since the Mideast wars began with Hamas’ initial Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, many international airlines have halted, restarted and halted again their flights into Israel’s main gateway to the rest of the world. But FlyDubai, the sister airline to the long-haul carrier Emirates, has kept up multiple flights daily and kept Israel connected to the wider world even as its other low-cost competitors have stopped the flights. Abu Dhabi’s Etihad has continued its flights as well. While maintaining the flight schedule remains politically important for the UAE after its 2020 diplomatic recognition of Israel, it also provided a further shot in the arm for revenues — particularly for FlyDubai.
Party of Sri Lanka’s new Marxist-leaning president wins majority in parliament
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — The party of Sri Lanka’s new Marxist-leaning President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has won a majority in parliament, according to official election results, providing a solid mandate for his program for economic revival. Dissanayake’s National People’s Power Party won at least 123 of the 225 seats in parliament, according to partial results released by the Elections Commission. Dissanayake was elected president on Sept. 21 in a rejection of traditional political parties that have governed the island nation since its independence from British rule in 1948. He received just 42% of the votes, fueling questions over his party’s outlook in Thursday’s parliamentary elections. But the party received large increases in support less than two months into his presidency.
Australia’s plan to ban children from social media proves popular and problematic
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The Australian government’s plan to ban children from social media to protect them from harm has won almost universal political support. But keeping them off social media looks far more difficult in practical terms. Experts in technology and child welfare called the 16-year age limit “too blunt” to work effectively. Leo Puglisi, who founded an online streaming news service at age 11, said the ban is “just kicking the can down the road” because it leaves young people unprepared for when they go online eventually. Supporters say social media is doing too much harm to not have an age limit. More about how the ban would work may be known next week when the legislation is introduced in Parliament.
Shanghai, Tokyo, New York, Houston spew most greenhouse gas of world cities
BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — Cities in Asia and the United States emit the most heat-trapping gas that feeds climate change, and Shanghai is the most polluting. That’s according to new data that combines observations and artificial intelligence to quantify emissions around the world. Seven states or provinces spew more than 1 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases. All are in China except for the U.S. state of Texas, which ranked sixth. The data comes an organization co-founded by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore and released Friday at the United Nations climate talks in Baku, Azerbaijan. Nations at the talks are trying to set new targets to cut such emissions.
How Alex Jones’ Infowars wound up in the hands of The Onion
The purchase of Alex Jones’ Infowars at a bankruptcy auction by the satirical news publication The Onion is the latest twist in a yearslong saga. The legal fight pitted the far-right conspiracy theorist Jones against the families of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims. The sale was ordered after relatives of many of the 20 children and six educators killed in the shooting successfully sued Jones and his company for defamation and emotional distress. Jones repeatedly said on his show that the Newtown, Connecticut, shooting was a hoax staged by crisis actors to spur more gun control. Jones ultimately acknowledged in 2022 that the shooting was “100% real.”
Juan Luis Guerra 4.40 wins album of the year at the 2024 Latin Grammys, a 25th anniversary party
Juan Luis Guerra 4.40 won album of the year at the 2024 Latin Grammys, not long after receiving record of the year for “Mambo 23.” In a night stacked with performances, a tribute to salsa stood out: Marc Anthony and La India powerfully dueted “Vivir Lo Nuestro,” a vivacious set jumpstarted by “De Mí Enamórate,”as performed by Tito Nieves and Chrisian Alicea. The award show celebrated its 25th anniversary. It was aired live on Univision, UniMás, Galavisión and ViX. Édgar Barrera, the producer and songwriter known for his work with such artists as Madonna, Peso Pluma, Shakira, Grupo Frontera and beyond, led the nominations.