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Police Mourn Jonathan’s Ex-ADCBy JILL COLVIN and STEPHEN GROVES WASHINGTON (AP) — After several weeks working mostly behind closed doors, Vice President-elect JD Vance returned to Capitol Hill this week in a new, more visible role: Helping Donald Trump try to get his most contentious Cabinet picks to confirmation in the Senate, where Vance has served for the last two years. Vance arrived at the Capitol on Wednesday with former Rep. Matt Gaetz and spent the morning sitting in on meetings between Trump’s choice for attorney general and key Republicans, including members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The effort was for naught: Gaetz announced a day later that he was withdrawing his name amid scrutiny over sex trafficking allegations and the reality that he was unlikely to be confirmed. Thursday morning Vance was back, this time accompanying Pete Hegseth, the “Fox & Friends Weekend” host whom Trump has tapped to be the next secretary of defense. Hegseth also has faced allegations of sexual assault that he denies. Vance is expected to accompany other nominees for meetings in coming weeks as he tries to leverage the two years he has spent in the Senate to help push through Trump’s picks. Vice President-elect JD Vance, still a Republican senator from Ohio, walks from a private meeting with President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., center, and Vice President-elect JD Vance, left, walk out of a meeting with Republican Senate Judiciary Committee members, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, departs the chamber at the Capitol in Washington, March 15, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, center speaks during a Senate Banking Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, right, speaks with Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, before testifying at a hearing, March 9, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, arrives for a classified briefing on China, at the Capitol in Washington, Feb. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, arrives for a vote on Capitol Hill, Sept. 12, 2023 in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance R-Ohio speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Feb. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File) Vice President-elect JD Vance, still a Republican senator from Ohio, walks from a private meeting with President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) The role of introducing nominees around Capitol Hill is an unusual one for a vice president-elect. Usually the job goes to a former senator who has close relationships on the Hill, or a more junior aide. But this time the role fits Vance, said Marc Short, who served as Trump’s first director of legislative affairs as well as chief of staff to Trump’s first vice president, Mike Pence, who spent more than a decade in Congress and led the former president’s transition ahead of his first term. ”JD probably has a lot of current allies in the Senate and so it makes sense to have him utilized in that capacity,” Short said. Unlike the first Trump transition, which played out before cameras at Trump Tower in New York and at the president-elect’s golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, this one has largely happened behind closed doors in Palm Beach, Florida. There, a small group of officials and aides meet daily at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort to run through possible contenders and interview job candidates. The group includes Elon Musk, the billionaire who has spent so much time at the club that Trump has joked he can’t get rid of him. Vance has been a constant presence, even as he’s kept a lower profile. The Ohio senator has spent much of the last two weeks in Palm Beach, according to people familiar with his plans, playing an active role in the transition, on which he serves as honorary chair. Vance has been staying at a cottage on the property of the gilded club, where rooms are adorned with cherubs, oriental rugs and intricate golden inlays. It’s a world away from the famously hardscrabble upbringing that Vance documented in the memoir that made him famous, “Hillbilly Elegy.” His young children have also joined him at Mar-a-Lago, at times. Vance was photographed in shorts and a polo shirt playing with his kids on the seawall of the property with a large palm frond, a U.S. Secret Service robotic security dog in the distance. On the rare days when he is not in Palm Beach, Vance has been joining the sessions remotely via Zoom. Though he has taken a break from TV interviews after months of constant appearances, Vance has been active in the meetings, which began immediately after the election and include interviews and as well as presentations on candidates’ pluses and minuses. Among those interviewed: Contenders to replace FBI Director Christopher Wray , as Vance wrote in a since-deleted social media post. Defending himself from criticism that he’d missed a Senate vote in which one of President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees was confirmed, Vance wrote that he was meeting at the time “with President Trump to interview multiple positions for our government, including for FBI Director.” “I tend to think it’s more important to get an FBI director who will dismantle the deep state than it is for Republicans to lose a vote 49-46 rather than 49-45,” Vance added on X. “But that’s just me.” While Vance did not come in to the transition with a list of people he wanted to see in specific roles, he and his friend, Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., who is also a member of the transition team, were eager to see former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. find roles in the administration. Trump ended up selecting Gabbard as the next director of national intelligence , a powerful position that sits atop the nation’s spy agencies and acts as the president’s top intelligence adviser. And he chose Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services , a massive agency that oversees everything from drug and food safety to Medicare and Medicaid. Vance was also a big booster of Tom Homan, the former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, who will serve as Trump’s “border czar.” In another sign of Vance’s influence, James Braid, a top aide to the senator, is expected to serve as Trump’s legislative affairs director. Allies say it’s too early to discuss what portfolio Vance might take on in the White House. While he gravitates to issues like trade, immigration and tech policy, Vance sees his role as doing whatever Trump needs. Vance was spotted days after the election giving his son’s Boy Scout troop a tour of the Capitol and was there the day of leadership elections. He returned in earnest this week, first with Gaetz — arguably Trump’s most divisive pick — and then Hegseth, who has was been accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 2017, according to an investigative report made public this week. Hegseth told police at the time that the encounter had been consensual and denied any wrongdoing. Vance hosted Hegseth in his Senate office as GOP senators, including those who sit on the Senate Armed Services Committee, filtered in to meet with the nominee for defense secretary. While a president’s nominees usually visit individual senators’ offices, meeting them on their own turf, the freshman senator — who is accompanied everywhere by a large Secret Service detail that makes moving around more unwieldy — instead brought Gaetz to a room in the Capitol on Wednesday and Hegseth to his office on Thursday. Senators came to them. Vance made it to votes Wednesday and Thursday, but missed others on Thursday afternoon. Vance is expected to continue to leverage his relationships in the Senate after Trump takes office. But many Republicans there have longer relationships with Trump himself. Sen. Kevin Cramer, a North Dakota Republican, said that Trump was often the first person to call him back when he was trying to reach high-level White House officials during Trump’s first term. “He has the most active Rolodex of just about anybody I’ve ever known,” Cramer said, adding that Vance would make a good addition. “They’ll divide names up by who has the most persuasion here,” Cramer said, but added, “Whoever his liaison is will not work as hard at it as he will.” Cramer was complimentary of the Ohio senator, saying he was “pleasant” and ” interesting” to be around. ′′He doesn’t have the long relationships,” he said. “But we all like people that have done what we’ve done. I mean, that’s sort of a natural kinship, just probably not as personally tied.” Under the Constitution, Vance will also have a role presiding over the Senate and breaking tie votes. But he’s not likely to be needed for that as often as was Kamala Harris, who broke a record number of ties for Democrats as vice president, since Republicans will have a bigger cushion in the chamber next year. Colvin reported from New York. Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.SANTA CLARA — As the 49ers’ season comes to a close amid an avalanche of missed games, Dominick Puni remembers the one that got away. The one snap, that is. It happened with 9:28 to play in the first quarter of an eventual 30-13 win over the New England Patriots in Week 4. Puni took a blow to the stomach on a 1-yard run by Jordan Mason. “I had one snap where I got the wind knocked out of me and they told me to stay down so I missed one snap this year,” Puni said Saturday as the 49ers (6-9) concluded preparations to host the Detroit Lions (13-2) Puni, a rookie third-round draft pick out of Kansas, will be in his usual spot as the starting right guard Monday night as the 49ers close out their home schedule. Jake Brendel will be the center. The rest of the offensive line will be determined at some point before kickoff. Spencer Burford, the third 49ers’ left tackle, was declared out with a calf injury, along with left guard Aaron Banks (knee), linebacker Dre Greenlaw (calf) and defensive end Robert Beal Jr. (ankle). Right tackle Colton McKivitz is listed as questionable but didn’t practice all week with a knee injury. Also questionable were safety Ji’Ayir Brown (ankle), linebacker Tatum Bethune (knee) and cornerback Charvarius Ward (personal matter). Banks is expected to be the 14th player to go on injured reserve, although Bethune is eligible to be activated from I.R. If McKivitz doesn’t play, the 49ers starting line could consist, from left to right, of newcomer Charlie Heck at left tackle, Nick Zakelj at left guard, Brendel at center, Puni at right guard and Austen Pleasants, a recent practice squad promotion who signed on Dec. 17, at right tackle. Coach Kyle Shanahan characterized the challenge of playing mix-and-match this way: “You try to keep it simple for them, try to categorize stuff in groups, and the guys next to them just, they try to communicate as much as possible and you try to help him out,” Shanahan said. Puni, who has established himself as a foundation piece going forward, finds himself possibly being in the unusual position of dispensing advice and wisdom at age 24. “With these tackles, whoever is going to play next to you, you’ve got to tell them some things,” Puni said. “If you just get here you’re not going to know all the tricks of the offense. Other than that, I’m just going try and control my one-eleventh and do my job. It is exciting though.” Puni’s 938 snaps are the most on the team — two more than McKivitz and three more than Brendel. Remarkable when you consider Puni had to nearly avert his eyes during some recent film study of his own practices and game tape when he first arrived as the 86th overall pick of the draft. “I went back to rookie minicamp, the fall camp, the first three training camp practices, just to see how bad I was when I first got here compared to now,” Puni said. “It’s like a night and day difference. When you get here, you don’t know the offense, you don’t know the technique. Yet by the third training camp practice, Puni (6-foot-5, 315 pounds) was the starter. He’s never relinquished the position and health permitting isn’t likely to be out of the lineup for years. “I got a lot of reps with the (first team) and that’s the only reason I was able to do so well early in the year,” Puni said. Puni credits linemates such as McKivitz, Brendel, Banks, Burford and Trent Williams as well as line coach Chris Foerster for helping to bring him along, but it’s clear he’s been a quick learner who wears durability as a badge of honor. While the outside world fixates on who should and shouldn’t play regardless of injury on teams out of the playoffs, Puni’s outlook is appealingly old school. “You don’t ever want to miss a snap,” Puni said. “If you can be out there, you’ve got to play. The last thing I want to do is bring a backup guy in who has been sitting on the sidelines and now he’s got to go in and I don’t think that’s fair. If I can play, I’m going to play.” Running back Isaac Guerendo (foot, hamstring) was a full participant in practice and wasn’t given a status after missing the Miami game, meaning the 49ers should get another look at their fourth-round draft pick as a lead back. “It was good to have him back,” Shanahan said. “We had a full speed practice (Friday) and he looked good. So no holdbacks. He’s good to go.” Also good to go is fullback Kyle Juszczyk, who missed the two previous days with an illness. Ward, who lost his 23-month old daughter in October, is awaiting the birth of his son and currently away from the team. It’s not difficult to look at 49ers tight end George Kittle and hard-nosed Detroit coach Dan Campbell as kindred spirits. Kittle likes what he’s seen of Campbell from afar. “When you have a head coach who played, and the way he played was gritty and kind of nasty but beloved by all his teammates, it’s easy to play for a guy like that,” Kittle said. “He seems like a really easy guy to play for, makes them grind and earn every second, but you want people like that who hold you to a standard. It’s awesome to see the Lions have gotten to that. but it’s our job to take them down a little bit.” Former 49ers running back Ricky Watters (1991-94) and wide receiver Anquan Boldin (2013-15) did not make the cut to the round of 15 to be considered for induction for the Class of 2025 in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Shanahan spent a lot of time around the 49ers when his father was offensive coordinator and Watters turned into a game-changer in both the pass game and run game. “I was only in middle school, so I can’t act like I really knew strategically what was going on,” Shanahan said. “But he was a really cool player. I loved talking to him and hanging out with him up in Rocklin at training camp.” Mike Holmgren, a San Francisco native who was a 49ers assistant from 1986 to 1991 as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator, is a coach finalist.
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Taxes: Two cheers and a few suggestionsThe Adelaide Crows were stung even before the first ball up in Saturday night’s preliminary final with players forced to walk out to the club’s most hated song. The Crows were unable to stop the Brisbane Lions from progressing to a third-consecutive AFLW grand final at Brighton Homes Arena, but the biggest talking point came as the teams ran onto the field. Watch every game of the NAB AFL Women’s Finals Series LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. While Channel 7 and Fox Footy did not broadcast the Crows’ entry onto the ground, it did not go unnoticed that Port Adelaide’s club song was played over the loud speakers — instead of their own. Channel 7 reported the song was played in full as the Crows completed their final warm up before huddling for the national anthem and welcome to country. The embarrassing scene had fans chortling away on Saturday night. The Crows players arrived for the anthem and welcome to country. Photo: Channel 7 and Twitter @CrowsAFLW. AFL reporter Michael Whiting posted on Twitter: “Oh dear. The entire Port Adelaide team song played as Adelaide ran on to Brighton Homes Arena. Then the Crows song followed. Oops”. Channel 7’s Late McCarthy wrote: “Mind games already at Brighton Homes Arena. Port Adelaide theme song played as the Crows make their way out onto the field”. Former Queensland senator Andrew Bartlett shared grimacing face emojis as he wrote: “When the teams ran on to the ground for the Brisbane Lions vs Adelaide Crows prelim final, the sound people at the ground played the team song for ... Port Power”. The Crows’ social media team did post a video of the team running onto the ground on its Twitter and Instagram pages, but the clip appeared to be edited in the middle. Some fans were much more scathing of the blunder. “Lions playing the port song for adelaide is either top tier s***housery or someone’s getting fired,” one Twitter user wrote. One posted: “BHA playing the port adelaide song LOL”. Worse was still to come for the Crows. The Lions’ 18-point win sets up a sequel to the enthralling 2023 grand final against North Melbourne. The big win comes 12 months after the Lions marched into Adelaide Oval and shocked the Crows on their home deck in the finals. The game turned dramatically in the third quarter as the Lions banged in four goals and then held their nerve to win 7.8-50 to 4.8-32. It was the Lions’ sixth consecutive win over the Crows – a curiously lopsided recent head-to-head given the two clubs’ history dating back to the inaugural grand final in 2017. The previous three meetings between the two teams had all been decided by less than a goal. It marked the Crows’ third-consecutive preliminary final defeat. Brisbane will head to Ikon Park next Saturday for a repeat grand final date with minor premiers North Melbourne, whose last defeat came in the 2023 decider. SCOREBOARD Caitlin Gould (left) and Stevie-Lee Thompson of the Crows after the defeat. Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images. Dakota Davidson of the Lions celebrates the win. Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images. LIONS 0.3, 2.4, 6.5, 7.8 (50) CROWS 1.3, 3.5, 3.7, 4.8 (32) BEST Lions: Anderson, Grider, Davidson, Hodder, O’Dwyer Crows: Randall, Marinoff, Hatchard, Biddell, Kelly GOALS Lions: Davidson 2, Hodder, Ellenger, C. Svarc, Dawes Hampson Crows: Randall 2, Gould, Kustermann INJURIES Lions: Nil Crows: Nil CROWD 4519 at Brighton Homes Arena CONTENTIOUS CALL COSTS CROWS Is it the call that cost the Crows a chance at a fourth AFLW premiership? Chelsea Biddell could only shake her head in confusion after she was called to play-on inside Brisbane’s goalsquare having taken what she thought was a goal-saving contested mark midway through the third quarter. The Crows defender barely took half a step off her line but that was enough for the controlling umpire to call play-on, forcing Biddell to hurriedly handball into the path of Jade Ellenger who goaled to give the Lions a nine-point advantage. That quickly became 15 points when Dakota Davidson goaled off the deck for her second major of the night. A game previously in the balance quickly became one-way traffic as the hosts roared to life with a vocal home crowd at their backs. RAMPANT RANDALL If the AFLW had a Player of the Finals award it would undoubtedly have gone to Chelsea Randall. Adelaide’s talismanic jack-of-all-trades threatened to break Brisbane hearts with an imperious first-half display as the Crows shot out of the blocks. Randall was the difference at quarter-time after out-marking Poppy Boltz to kick the opening goal of the game – but it was her second major that will make highlight reels this week. The Crows needed a reset after Brisbane booted two quick goals to draw within a point in the shadows of halftime and Randall delivered. A quick kick inside 50 caught the Crows’ livewire off-guard but with incredible athleticism, contorted her body to take a stunning one-handed grab with Lions defender Nat Grider hanging off of her. Randall went back and kicked truly to send the Crows into halftime with a seven-point lead. But as Brisbane got on top in the middle of the ground Randall’s opportunities inside 50 dried up and not even the Crows’ maestro was able to magic a second-half comeback in the face of the Lions’ onslaught. The 33-year-old averaged 18 disposals and booted five goals in her three finals appearances – unfortunately not enough to deliver the Crows to another grand final. — with NCA NewsWire More Coverage ‘Unbelievable’: Ange does the unthinkable Tyson Otto Lleyton Hewitt drops bomb on tennis world Tyson Otto Originally published as Adelaide Crows brutally trolled as rival club’s song played AFL Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. More related stories AFL News Tigers debate jumper tradition as No.1 eyes No.4 Richmond is expected to announce the jumper numbers for its draft haul in the coming days, with the club still unsure whether to forego club tradition. Read more AFL News Inside father-son Crow’s rise from kicking socks to following dad Ex-Crow Scott Welsh has revealed the moment when he first thought son Tyler might follow in his footsteps – and the move that caught him off guard on draft night. 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Website: http://www.w3sa.io X : https://x.com/W3SAofficial Telegram : @W3SAofficial Related Items: rewards , Web3 Innovation Share Tweet Share Share Email Recommended for you Web3 Innovation and Transformation: InnoBlock 2024 Held by ABGA and BBS EBM Avenue: A Gateway to Eco-Friendly Mining and Exciting Rewards Palm Bin Smart Green Appliance Turns Compost Collection into Sustainable Gamified Rewards CommentsPresident Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday insisted at a meeting with US President-elect Donald Trump that any settlement with Russia after its invasion of Ukraine had to be "just", as fears grow in Kyiv on the position of the incoming administration. President Emmanuel Macron hosted three-way talks with Zelensky and Trump at the Elysee Palace, discussing what the incoming American president had termed a world that was a "little crazy". Hours after their meeting, the outgoing administration of President Joe Biden announced a new $988 million military assistance package for Ukraine. The package features drones, ammunition for precision HIMARS rocket launchers, and equipment and spare parts for artillery systems, tanks and armoured vehicles, the Pentagon said in a statement. Zelensky's meeting with Trump just before the three men headed to Notre Dame for the re-opening ceremony of the great Paris cathedral was his first face-to-face encounter with tycoon-turned-politician since his election victory. The meeting was of huge importance to Zelensky, given fears in Kyiv that Trump, who once boasted he could end Russia's war on Ukraine in 24 hours, may urge Ukraine to make concessions to Moscow. It also offered a unique chance for Macron to gain insights into how a second Trump presidency will look when he takes office in January. The trip to Paris is Trump's first international visit since his November 5 election win. "We all want peace. But it is very important for us... that the peace is just for all of us and that Russia, (Russian President Vladimir) Putin or any other aggressor has no possibility of ever returning," Zelensky said according to the presidential website. "And this is the most important thing -- a just peace and security guarantees, strong security guarantees for Ukraine," he added. Trump has scoffed at the billions of dollars in US military assistance to Ukraine and has spoken of forcing a quick settlement. But Zelensky also thanked Trump for his "unwavering resolve" describing the talks as "good and productive". Trump and Macron embraced and shook hands several times on the steps of the French presidential palace, with Trump given a full guard of honour despite not yet being in office. "It seems like the world is going a little crazy right now and we will be talking about that," Trump told reporters as he prepared to sit down for the talks with Macron. Despite tensions between the two men during his first term, Trump hailed his ties with the centrist French leader, saying: "We had a great relationship as everyone knows. We accomplished a lot." Macron told Trump it was "a great honour for French people to welcome you" for the re-opening ceremony at Notre Dame, which was devastated by a blaze in 2019 during Trump's first term. "You were president at that time and I remember the solidarity and the immediate reaction," Macron added, speaking in English. When he first took office in 2017, Trump's ties with Macron -- then also a fresh face on the world stage -- began warmly despite their obvious political differences. Their long and muscular handshakes -- which saw each man seek to assert his superiority -- became a light-hearted focus of attention before ties cooled, then soured, following disputes about climate change, trade and defence. Trump earlier wrote on his Truth Social platform that the United States should "not get involved" in the situation in Syria, where fast-moving rebel forces say they have begun to encircle the capital Damascus. The Republican's return to power has rung alarms in Paris and many European capitals after his promises on the campaign trail to force an end to fighting in Ukraine and levy tariffs on trading partners. In his own reaction to the discussions, Macron wrote on social media: "Let us continue our joint efforts for peace and security." European allies have largely enjoyed a close working relationship with Biden on the crisis in the Middle East, but Trump is likely to distance himself and ally the United States even more closely with Israel. In a sign of the importance of Trump's one-day trip to Paris, he was accompanied by his pick for White House chief of staff, Susie Wiles, as well as his Near East and Middle East advisors, Steve Witkoff and Massad Boulos, according to a guest list issued by the Elysee Palace. Tesla tycoon and Trump advisor Elon Musk, who was also on the line during a phone call between the incoming president and Zelensky last month, also flew into the French capital was present at the Notre Dame ceremony. sjw/adp/jj
Rachel Reeves vows to take an 'iron fist against waste' - as Chancellor launches the biggest audit of government spending in almost two decades By HARRIET LINE and MARTIN BECKFORD Published: 22:30, 9 December 2024 | Updated: 22:46, 9 December 2024 e-mail View comments Rachel Reeves has vowed to take an 'iron fist against waste' as she launches the biggest audit of government spending in almost two decades. Every pound of Whitehall spending will be examined 'line-by-line' in the Chancellor's spending review, which will not be completed until June. Ms Reeves will tell government departments to find savings in their budgets - as she warned she would 'not tolerate' taxpayers' cash being spent on poor value projects. The review - covering three years - will be focused on meeting Labour 's priorities. It will be the first 'zero-based' exercise since 2007 - starting from scratch with every expense to be justified. Departments will be told to stop spending if it does not contribute to a priority. Budgets will be scrutinised by 'challenge panels of external experts' - including former senior managers from banks including Lloyd's, Barclays and Co-operative Group. Ms Reeves said last night: 'By totally rewiring how the government spends money we will be able to deliver our Plan for Change and focus on what matters for working people. 'The previous government allowed millions of pounds of taxpayers' money to go to waste on poor value for money projects. Rachel Reeves speaking at a press conference after a meeting of Eurozone finance ministers in Brussels. The Chancellor will say she would 'not tolerate' taxpayers' money being spent on poor value projects 'We will not tolerate it; I said I would have an iron grip on the public finances and that means taking an iron fist against waste. 'By reforming our public services, we will ensure they are up to scratch for modern day demands, saving money and delivering better services for people across the country. 'That's why we will inspect every pound of government spend, so that it goes to the right places and we put an end to all waste.' The Chancellor's review will also set out a timetable for achieving the party's ambition of raising defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP. But she told the Mail at the weekend that any extra cash for the military would have to come out of the same 'spending envelope' as other priorities, such as schools, hospitals and the police. Ms Reeves' warning on waste came as a report into the growth of red tape revealed some of Britain's biggest watchdogs are growing faster than the sectors they oversee. Research by the Policy Exchange think-tank has found that headcount at seven major regulators grew by 84 per cent over the past decade. The Financial Conduct Authority, which regulates banks and other City businesses, has seen staff levels double (116.6 per cent increase) since 2013-14. Numbers at the Financial Reporting Council, in charge of accountants, have more than tripled (256 per cent) while the Competition and Markets Authority has seen a 69.8 per cent increase. Over the same period, however, the number of people working in financial services and related professional services only grew by 6.5 per cent. Headcount at broadcast regulator Ofcom has risen by 87.7 per cent despite job cuts across the TV industry. The biggest 17 watchdogs spend £5billion a year and employ 39,000 people, the report says, but the overall cost of the 'regulatory state' including the bureaucratic burden on businesses is put at some £70bn. Ms Reeves' warning on waste came as a report into the growth of red tape revealed some of Britain's biggest watchdogs are growing faster than the sectors they oversee (file photo) It said the UK's regulatory rulebook has experienced almost 'unchecked growth for decades', imposing increasing costs on businesses, damaging innovation and making the lives of public servants and professionals 'increasingly miserable'. The report blames a safety-first political culture, a bureaucracy in which is it is 'remarkably cheap' to introduce new rules and a 'complete lack of incentives' to cut red tape. It recommends that ministers establish a 'gateway' requiring that £2 in savings must be found for every £1 in new regulatory costs introduced - and that businesses should be allowed to appeal if official Impact Assessments underestimate the effects of a new rule. The report has been backed by former Cabinet Secretary Lord Sedwill, who wrote in a foreword: 'Government adds a safety margin to Parliament's legislation, regulators add a safety margin to Government's, compliance teams in the private sector and public service add a safety margin to the regulators.. Big institutions can bear this burden. Small ones find it stifling.' Rachel Reeves Barclays Labour Share or comment on this article: Rachel Reeves vows to take an 'iron fist against waste' - as Chancellor launches the biggest audit of government spending in almost two decades e-mail Add commentAshland rings opening bell at NYSE recognizes 100-year anniversary
NoneMissouri stuns top-ranked Kansas in 76-67 upsetCryptocurrencies in 401(k) retirement accounts expose portfolios to high risk of decline, with the value of these assets largely dependent on investor sentiment rather than actual market usage, according to a recent report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). GAO compared five crypto assets available for 401(k) plans against the S&P 500 index between 2021 and 2023. Volatility ranged from 4 to 12 times higher than index volatility, and two to seven times more volatile compared to stocks such as Google or Apple. The impact of crypto assets in retirement portfolio diversification remains “unclear,” GAO said. Diversification is done to minimize risk to the portfolio while ensuring maximum possible returns. In order to be considered a diversifier, the asset’s performance must not be positively related to others in the portfolio. If the diversifier asset goes down when other stocks tumble, it essentially defeats the purpose of diversification. All five digital currencies reviewed by GAO were found to have a higher positive correlation with the S&P 500 compared to gold, another asset considered a diversifier. Because cryptos are highly volatile and have a positive correlation to traditional investments like stocks, this results in “larger losses to a portfolio during market downturns” if cryptos are part of the asset mix. “Unlike traditional stocks, investors in crypto assets typically do not own blockchain technology and generally do not have an entitlement to income streams from investment in the same way that holders of stocks have rights to dividends from an operating company,” the report noted. Moreover, cryptos do not have a “well defined use” like other assets. For instance, gold has demand as jewelry and in industries for its corrosion resistant and conductive properties. Digital currencies “mainly derive their value from investor sentiment rather than through tangible company assets or cash flows,” the report noted. “If market sentiment shifts to a new crypto asset, older crypto assets could become obsolete and lose their value.” The GAO report also listed out some regulatory issues on crypto use in retirement assets. The Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) does not collect data that enables the agency to easily identify 401(k) plans offering crypto assets and “assess their effects on participant savings,” it noted. EBSA is an agency within the U.S. Department of Labor that oversees employee-sponsored retirement plans such as 401(k). “Certain crypto assets continue to trade in markets that do not have investor protections or comprehensive oversight,” GAO said. The crypto market “has not been fully subjected to proper oversight and regulation,” Neal said. “As a result, as this report outlines, it has brought uniquely high risk to retirees. Americans must be confident that their investments are secure, and do not face unnecessarily high volatility, cybersecurity, and theft risk.” The agency said it had “serious concerns” about allowing crypto inclusion, noting that these assets “present significant risks and challenges to participants’ retirement accounts, including significant risks of fraud, theft, and loss.” “In the past year, traditional financial institutions’ limited exposure to cryptocurrencies has prevented turmoil in cryptocurrencies from infecting the broader financial system,” it said. “It would be a grave mistake to enact legislation that reverses course and deepens the ties between cryptocurrencies and the broader financial system.”
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Now that Matt Gaetz is no longer a congressman and will not be the next attorney general of the United States, what does the future hold for the MAGA firebrand? Well, in the grand tradition of other famed Republicans who have fallen from grace, such as convicted felon George Santos or one-time America’s Mayor Rudy Giuliani , the former Florida congressman has joined Cameo. When reached for comment, Gaetz confirmed that he had indeed created a profile on the site. “I have joined cameo. I hope to bring people joy,” he said in a text to The Independent . Cameo is a website that allows fans to request personalized short videos from celebrities for a fee. Typically, a fan will send some basic information about a loved one or friend to a celebrity on the platform, and that celebrity will then use those details to craft a personal clip for the recipient. The service peaked during the Covid-19 pandemic due to lockdowns and social distancing requirements, prompting tens of thousands of famous (and semi-famous) people to join the site. According to Gaetz’s Cameo profile, which first went online Friday, the price for the former congressman’s videos starts at $500. One can also send a message to Gaetz for $2.99. “Whether it’s a milestone birthday, an anniversary, or a long-awaited reunion, make it unforgettable with a one-of-a-kind Cameo video from Matt Gaetz. You’ll have the chance to customize your request for Matt Gaetz, like asking them to mention inside jokes, share words of wisdom, or work in their signature catchphrases,” the profile states. “Don’t be afraid to get creative with your request, especially for celebrations like weddings, retirements, or bachelor and bachelorette parties that call for a good laugh. No matter the occasion, the video will be yours to keep - share the fun and relive the moment for years to come.” Gaetz describes himself as having “served in Congress” and having once been nominated “to be US Attorney General (that didn’t work out).” He also adds that he once “fired the House Speaker,” referencing his successful effort to drive Kevin McCarthy out of the speakership. It is still unclear what Gaetz plans to do in the immediate future. He did say on Friday that he will not return to the House, which he resigned from last week after he was first nominated for attorney general by President-elect Donald Trump. That resignation also came just two days before the House Ethics was scheduled to release a “damaging” report on Gaetz’s sexual misconduct allegations. Gaetz has maintained his innocence. Speculation has run rampant that Gaetz could be named as a replacement to serve in Marco Rubio’s Senate seat since Rubio is likely headed to serve as Trump’s secretary of state. He also could hold a position in Trump’s administration that is not subject to Senate confirmation, which ultimately kneecapped his attorney general bid. Another possibility is that he could just become a full-time right-wing media personality. On Thursday night, Newsmax host Greg Kelly went so far as to offer Gaetz a position at the network, noting that the former congressman has served as a guest host several times on the network’s airwaves.
Washington: Most Americans believe health insurance profits and coverage denials share responsibility for the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO – although not as much as the person who pulled the trigger, according to a new poll. In the survey from NORC at the University of Chicago, about eight in 10 US adults said the person who committed the killing has “a great deal” or “a moderate amount” of responsibility for the December 4 shooting of Brian Thompson . Luigi Mangione, centre, is escorted from Manhattan Criminal Court after his arraignment where he pleaded not guilty to state murder and terror charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Credit: AP Despite that, some have cast Luigi Mangione – the 26-year-old suspect charged with Thompson’s murder – as a heroic figure in the aftermath of his arrest, which gave rise to an outpouring of grievances about insurance companies. Police say the words “delay,” “deny” and “depose” were scrawled on the ammunition investigators found at the scene, echoing a phrase commonly used to describe insurer tactics to avoid paying claims. UnitedHealthcare has said Mangione was not a client. About seven in 10 adults said denials for health care coverage by insurance companies, or the profits made by health insurance companies, also bear at least “a moderate amount” of responsibility for Thompson’s death. Younger Americans were particularly likely to see the murder as the result of a confluence of forces rather than just one person’s action. Most Americans get health coverage through their job or by purchasing individual policies. Separate government-funded programs provide coverage for people with low incomes or those who are aged 65 and over or have severe illnesses or disabilities. Americans saw a wide range of factors contributing to UHC CEO’s killing and the poll found that the story of the slaying is being followed widely. About seven in 10 said they had heard or read “a lot” or “some” about Thompson’s death. Multiple factors were seen as responsible. About half in the poll believed that at least “a moderate amount” of blame is rooted in wealth or income inequality, although they did not think other factors like political divisions in the US held the same level of responsibility. Patients and doctors often complain about coverage denials and other complications interfering with care, especially for serious illnesses like cancer and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. Insurance industry critics frequently point to company profits in questioning whether the interests of patients are their top focus. UnitedHealthcare made more than $US16 billion in profit last year, before interest and taxes, on $US281 billion in revenue. Insurers frequently note that most of the revenue they bring in goes back out the door to pay for care. UnitedHealthcare said this month that it pays about 90 per cent of medical claims upon submission. The insurer has not provided details on the number of claims involved. Among young people, blame was spread equally between insurers and the killer. Americans under 30 were especially likely to think a mix of factors was to blame for Thompson’s death. They say that insurance company denials and profits are about as responsible as Thompson’s killer for his death. About 7 in 10 US adults between 18 and 29 say “a great deal” or “a moderate amount” of responsibility falls on profits made by health insurance companies, denials for health care coverage by health insurance companies or the person who committed the killing. Young people are also the least likely age group to say “a great deal” of responsibility fell on the person who committed the killing. Only about four in 10 say that, compared with about 6 in 10 between 30 and 59. Roughly eight in 10 adults over 60 say that person deserved “a great deal” of responsibility. About two-thirds of young people placed at least a moderate level of blame on wealth or income inequality, in general. Frustrations with health insurers, coverage and the complicated US healthcare system have been simmering for years among patients. About three in 10 Americans said they had problems getting coverage from their health insurer in the [ast year, whether those involved problems finding a suitable provider in-network, a claim getting denied or issues getting prior authorisation or insurer approval before care happens. These struggles were more prevalent among Americans under 60. The poll of 1001 adults was conducted from December 12 to 16 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the US population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 4.2 percentage points. AP Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for the weekly What in the World newsletter here .
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Police Mourn Jonathan’s Ex-ADCBy JILL COLVIN and STEPHEN GROVES WASHINGTON (AP) — After several weeks working mostly behind closed doors, Vice President-elect JD Vance returned to Capitol Hill this week in a new, more visible role: Helping Donald Trump try to get his most contentious Cabinet picks to confirmation in the Senate, where Vance has served for the last two years. Vance arrived at the Capitol on Wednesday with former Rep. Matt Gaetz and spent the morning sitting in on meetings between Trump’s choice for attorney general and key Republicans, including members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The effort was for naught: Gaetz announced a day later that he was withdrawing his name amid scrutiny over sex trafficking allegations and the reality that he was unlikely to be confirmed. Thursday morning Vance was back, this time accompanying Pete Hegseth, the “Fox & Friends Weekend” host whom Trump has tapped to be the next secretary of defense. Hegseth also has faced allegations of sexual assault that he denies. Vance is expected to accompany other nominees for meetings in coming weeks as he tries to leverage the two years he has spent in the Senate to help push through Trump’s picks. Vice President-elect JD Vance, still a Republican senator from Ohio, walks from a private meeting with President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., center, and Vice President-elect JD Vance, left, walk out of a meeting with Republican Senate Judiciary Committee members, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, departs the chamber at the Capitol in Washington, March 15, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, center speaks during a Senate Banking Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, right, speaks with Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, before testifying at a hearing, March 9, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, arrives for a classified briefing on China, at the Capitol in Washington, Feb. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, arrives for a vote on Capitol Hill, Sept. 12, 2023 in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance R-Ohio speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Feb. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File) Vice President-elect JD Vance, still a Republican senator from Ohio, walks from a private meeting with President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) The role of introducing nominees around Capitol Hill is an unusual one for a vice president-elect. Usually the job goes to a former senator who has close relationships on the Hill, or a more junior aide. But this time the role fits Vance, said Marc Short, who served as Trump’s first director of legislative affairs as well as chief of staff to Trump’s first vice president, Mike Pence, who spent more than a decade in Congress and led the former president’s transition ahead of his first term. ”JD probably has a lot of current allies in the Senate and so it makes sense to have him utilized in that capacity,” Short said. Unlike the first Trump transition, which played out before cameras at Trump Tower in New York and at the president-elect’s golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, this one has largely happened behind closed doors in Palm Beach, Florida. There, a small group of officials and aides meet daily at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort to run through possible contenders and interview job candidates. The group includes Elon Musk, the billionaire who has spent so much time at the club that Trump has joked he can’t get rid of him. Vance has been a constant presence, even as he’s kept a lower profile. The Ohio senator has spent much of the last two weeks in Palm Beach, according to people familiar with his plans, playing an active role in the transition, on which he serves as honorary chair. Vance has been staying at a cottage on the property of the gilded club, where rooms are adorned with cherubs, oriental rugs and intricate golden inlays. It’s a world away from the famously hardscrabble upbringing that Vance documented in the memoir that made him famous, “Hillbilly Elegy.” His young children have also joined him at Mar-a-Lago, at times. Vance was photographed in shorts and a polo shirt playing with his kids on the seawall of the property with a large palm frond, a U.S. Secret Service robotic security dog in the distance. On the rare days when he is not in Palm Beach, Vance has been joining the sessions remotely via Zoom. Though he has taken a break from TV interviews after months of constant appearances, Vance has been active in the meetings, which began immediately after the election and include interviews and as well as presentations on candidates’ pluses and minuses. Among those interviewed: Contenders to replace FBI Director Christopher Wray , as Vance wrote in a since-deleted social media post. Defending himself from criticism that he’d missed a Senate vote in which one of President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees was confirmed, Vance wrote that he was meeting at the time “with President Trump to interview multiple positions for our government, including for FBI Director.” “I tend to think it’s more important to get an FBI director who will dismantle the deep state than it is for Republicans to lose a vote 49-46 rather than 49-45,” Vance added on X. “But that’s just me.” While Vance did not come in to the transition with a list of people he wanted to see in specific roles, he and his friend, Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., who is also a member of the transition team, were eager to see former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. find roles in the administration. Trump ended up selecting Gabbard as the next director of national intelligence , a powerful position that sits atop the nation’s spy agencies and acts as the president’s top intelligence adviser. And he chose Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services , a massive agency that oversees everything from drug and food safety to Medicare and Medicaid. Vance was also a big booster of Tom Homan, the former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, who will serve as Trump’s “border czar.” In another sign of Vance’s influence, James Braid, a top aide to the senator, is expected to serve as Trump’s legislative affairs director. Allies say it’s too early to discuss what portfolio Vance might take on in the White House. While he gravitates to issues like trade, immigration and tech policy, Vance sees his role as doing whatever Trump needs. Vance was spotted days after the election giving his son’s Boy Scout troop a tour of the Capitol and was there the day of leadership elections. He returned in earnest this week, first with Gaetz — arguably Trump’s most divisive pick — and then Hegseth, who has was been accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 2017, according to an investigative report made public this week. Hegseth told police at the time that the encounter had been consensual and denied any wrongdoing. Vance hosted Hegseth in his Senate office as GOP senators, including those who sit on the Senate Armed Services Committee, filtered in to meet with the nominee for defense secretary. While a president’s nominees usually visit individual senators’ offices, meeting them on their own turf, the freshman senator — who is accompanied everywhere by a large Secret Service detail that makes moving around more unwieldy — instead brought Gaetz to a room in the Capitol on Wednesday and Hegseth to his office on Thursday. Senators came to them. Vance made it to votes Wednesday and Thursday, but missed others on Thursday afternoon. Vance is expected to continue to leverage his relationships in the Senate after Trump takes office. But many Republicans there have longer relationships with Trump himself. Sen. Kevin Cramer, a North Dakota Republican, said that Trump was often the first person to call him back when he was trying to reach high-level White House officials during Trump’s first term. “He has the most active Rolodex of just about anybody I’ve ever known,” Cramer said, adding that Vance would make a good addition. “They’ll divide names up by who has the most persuasion here,” Cramer said, but added, “Whoever his liaison is will not work as hard at it as he will.” Cramer was complimentary of the Ohio senator, saying he was “pleasant” and ” interesting” to be around. ′′He doesn’t have the long relationships,” he said. “But we all like people that have done what we’ve done. I mean, that’s sort of a natural kinship, just probably not as personally tied.” Under the Constitution, Vance will also have a role presiding over the Senate and breaking tie votes. But he’s not likely to be needed for that as often as was Kamala Harris, who broke a record number of ties for Democrats as vice president, since Republicans will have a bigger cushion in the chamber next year. Colvin reported from New York. Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.SANTA CLARA — As the 49ers’ season comes to a close amid an avalanche of missed games, Dominick Puni remembers the one that got away. The one snap, that is. It happened with 9:28 to play in the first quarter of an eventual 30-13 win over the New England Patriots in Week 4. Puni took a blow to the stomach on a 1-yard run by Jordan Mason. “I had one snap where I got the wind knocked out of me and they told me to stay down so I missed one snap this year,” Puni said Saturday as the 49ers (6-9) concluded preparations to host the Detroit Lions (13-2) Puni, a rookie third-round draft pick out of Kansas, will be in his usual spot as the starting right guard Monday night as the 49ers close out their home schedule. Jake Brendel will be the center. The rest of the offensive line will be determined at some point before kickoff. Spencer Burford, the third 49ers’ left tackle, was declared out with a calf injury, along with left guard Aaron Banks (knee), linebacker Dre Greenlaw (calf) and defensive end Robert Beal Jr. (ankle). Right tackle Colton McKivitz is listed as questionable but didn’t practice all week with a knee injury. Also questionable were safety Ji’Ayir Brown (ankle), linebacker Tatum Bethune (knee) and cornerback Charvarius Ward (personal matter). Banks is expected to be the 14th player to go on injured reserve, although Bethune is eligible to be activated from I.R. If McKivitz doesn’t play, the 49ers starting line could consist, from left to right, of newcomer Charlie Heck at left tackle, Nick Zakelj at left guard, Brendel at center, Puni at right guard and Austen Pleasants, a recent practice squad promotion who signed on Dec. 17, at right tackle. Coach Kyle Shanahan characterized the challenge of playing mix-and-match this way: “You try to keep it simple for them, try to categorize stuff in groups, and the guys next to them just, they try to communicate as much as possible and you try to help him out,” Shanahan said. Puni, who has established himself as a foundation piece going forward, finds himself possibly being in the unusual position of dispensing advice and wisdom at age 24. “With these tackles, whoever is going to play next to you, you’ve got to tell them some things,” Puni said. “If you just get here you’re not going to know all the tricks of the offense. Other than that, I’m just going try and control my one-eleventh and do my job. It is exciting though.” Puni’s 938 snaps are the most on the team — two more than McKivitz and three more than Brendel. Remarkable when you consider Puni had to nearly avert his eyes during some recent film study of his own practices and game tape when he first arrived as the 86th overall pick of the draft. “I went back to rookie minicamp, the fall camp, the first three training camp practices, just to see how bad I was when I first got here compared to now,” Puni said. “It’s like a night and day difference. When you get here, you don’t know the offense, you don’t know the technique. Yet by the third training camp practice, Puni (6-foot-5, 315 pounds) was the starter. He’s never relinquished the position and health permitting isn’t likely to be out of the lineup for years. “I got a lot of reps with the (first team) and that’s the only reason I was able to do so well early in the year,” Puni said. Puni credits linemates such as McKivitz, Brendel, Banks, Burford and Trent Williams as well as line coach Chris Foerster for helping to bring him along, but it’s clear he’s been a quick learner who wears durability as a badge of honor. While the outside world fixates on who should and shouldn’t play regardless of injury on teams out of the playoffs, Puni’s outlook is appealingly old school. “You don’t ever want to miss a snap,” Puni said. “If you can be out there, you’ve got to play. The last thing I want to do is bring a backup guy in who has been sitting on the sidelines and now he’s got to go in and I don’t think that’s fair. If I can play, I’m going to play.” Running back Isaac Guerendo (foot, hamstring) was a full participant in practice and wasn’t given a status after missing the Miami game, meaning the 49ers should get another look at their fourth-round draft pick as a lead back. “It was good to have him back,” Shanahan said. “We had a full speed practice (Friday) and he looked good. So no holdbacks. He’s good to go.” Also good to go is fullback Kyle Juszczyk, who missed the two previous days with an illness. Ward, who lost his 23-month old daughter in October, is awaiting the birth of his son and currently away from the team. It’s not difficult to look at 49ers tight end George Kittle and hard-nosed Detroit coach Dan Campbell as kindred spirits. Kittle likes what he’s seen of Campbell from afar. “When you have a head coach who played, and the way he played was gritty and kind of nasty but beloved by all his teammates, it’s easy to play for a guy like that,” Kittle said. “He seems like a really easy guy to play for, makes them grind and earn every second, but you want people like that who hold you to a standard. It’s awesome to see the Lions have gotten to that. but it’s our job to take them down a little bit.” Former 49ers running back Ricky Watters (1991-94) and wide receiver Anquan Boldin (2013-15) did not make the cut to the round of 15 to be considered for induction for the Class of 2025 in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Shanahan spent a lot of time around the 49ers when his father was offensive coordinator and Watters turned into a game-changer in both the pass game and run game. “I was only in middle school, so I can’t act like I really knew strategically what was going on,” Shanahan said. “But he was a really cool player. I loved talking to him and hanging out with him up in Rocklin at training camp.” Mike Holmgren, a San Francisco native who was a 49ers assistant from 1986 to 1991 as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator, is a coach finalist.
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Taxes: Two cheers and a few suggestionsThe Adelaide Crows were stung even before the first ball up in Saturday night’s preliminary final with players forced to walk out to the club’s most hated song. The Crows were unable to stop the Brisbane Lions from progressing to a third-consecutive AFLW grand final at Brighton Homes Arena, but the biggest talking point came as the teams ran onto the field. Watch every game of the NAB AFL Women’s Finals Series LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. While Channel 7 and Fox Footy did not broadcast the Crows’ entry onto the ground, it did not go unnoticed that Port Adelaide’s club song was played over the loud speakers — instead of their own. Channel 7 reported the song was played in full as the Crows completed their final warm up before huddling for the national anthem and welcome to country. The embarrassing scene had fans chortling away on Saturday night. The Crows players arrived for the anthem and welcome to country. Photo: Channel 7 and Twitter @CrowsAFLW. AFL reporter Michael Whiting posted on Twitter: “Oh dear. The entire Port Adelaide team song played as Adelaide ran on to Brighton Homes Arena. Then the Crows song followed. Oops”. Channel 7’s Late McCarthy wrote: “Mind games already at Brighton Homes Arena. Port Adelaide theme song played as the Crows make their way out onto the field”. Former Queensland senator Andrew Bartlett shared grimacing face emojis as he wrote: “When the teams ran on to the ground for the Brisbane Lions vs Adelaide Crows prelim final, the sound people at the ground played the team song for ... Port Power”. The Crows’ social media team did post a video of the team running onto the ground on its Twitter and Instagram pages, but the clip appeared to be edited in the middle. Some fans were much more scathing of the blunder. “Lions playing the port song for adelaide is either top tier s***housery or someone’s getting fired,” one Twitter user wrote. One posted: “BHA playing the port adelaide song LOL”. Worse was still to come for the Crows. The Lions’ 18-point win sets up a sequel to the enthralling 2023 grand final against North Melbourne. The big win comes 12 months after the Lions marched into Adelaide Oval and shocked the Crows on their home deck in the finals. The game turned dramatically in the third quarter as the Lions banged in four goals and then held their nerve to win 7.8-50 to 4.8-32. It was the Lions’ sixth consecutive win over the Crows – a curiously lopsided recent head-to-head given the two clubs’ history dating back to the inaugural grand final in 2017. The previous three meetings between the two teams had all been decided by less than a goal. It marked the Crows’ third-consecutive preliminary final defeat. Brisbane will head to Ikon Park next Saturday for a repeat grand final date with minor premiers North Melbourne, whose last defeat came in the 2023 decider. SCOREBOARD Caitlin Gould (left) and Stevie-Lee Thompson of the Crows after the defeat. Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images. Dakota Davidson of the Lions celebrates the win. Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images. LIONS 0.3, 2.4, 6.5, 7.8 (50) CROWS 1.3, 3.5, 3.7, 4.8 (32) BEST Lions: Anderson, Grider, Davidson, Hodder, O’Dwyer Crows: Randall, Marinoff, Hatchard, Biddell, Kelly GOALS Lions: Davidson 2, Hodder, Ellenger, C. Svarc, Dawes Hampson Crows: Randall 2, Gould, Kustermann INJURIES Lions: Nil Crows: Nil CROWD 4519 at Brighton Homes Arena CONTENTIOUS CALL COSTS CROWS Is it the call that cost the Crows a chance at a fourth AFLW premiership? Chelsea Biddell could only shake her head in confusion after she was called to play-on inside Brisbane’s goalsquare having taken what she thought was a goal-saving contested mark midway through the third quarter. The Crows defender barely took half a step off her line but that was enough for the controlling umpire to call play-on, forcing Biddell to hurriedly handball into the path of Jade Ellenger who goaled to give the Lions a nine-point advantage. That quickly became 15 points when Dakota Davidson goaled off the deck for her second major of the night. A game previously in the balance quickly became one-way traffic as the hosts roared to life with a vocal home crowd at their backs. RAMPANT RANDALL If the AFLW had a Player of the Finals award it would undoubtedly have gone to Chelsea Randall. Adelaide’s talismanic jack-of-all-trades threatened to break Brisbane hearts with an imperious first-half display as the Crows shot out of the blocks. Randall was the difference at quarter-time after out-marking Poppy Boltz to kick the opening goal of the game – but it was her second major that will make highlight reels this week. The Crows needed a reset after Brisbane booted two quick goals to draw within a point in the shadows of halftime and Randall delivered. A quick kick inside 50 caught the Crows’ livewire off-guard but with incredible athleticism, contorted her body to take a stunning one-handed grab with Lions defender Nat Grider hanging off of her. Randall went back and kicked truly to send the Crows into halftime with a seven-point lead. But as Brisbane got on top in the middle of the ground Randall’s opportunities inside 50 dried up and not even the Crows’ maestro was able to magic a second-half comeback in the face of the Lions’ onslaught. The 33-year-old averaged 18 disposals and booted five goals in her three finals appearances – unfortunately not enough to deliver the Crows to another grand final. — with NCA NewsWire More Coverage ‘Unbelievable’: Ange does the unthinkable Tyson Otto Lleyton Hewitt drops bomb on tennis world Tyson Otto Originally published as Adelaide Crows brutally trolled as rival club’s song played AFL Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. More related stories AFL News Tigers debate jumper tradition as No.1 eyes No.4 Richmond is expected to announce the jumper numbers for its draft haul in the coming days, with the club still unsure whether to forego club tradition. Read more AFL News Inside father-son Crow’s rise from kicking socks to following dad Ex-Crow Scott Welsh has revealed the moment when he first thought son Tyler might follow in his footsteps – and the move that caught him off guard on draft night. 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Website: http://www.w3sa.io X : https://x.com/W3SAofficial Telegram : @W3SAofficial Related Items: rewards , Web3 Innovation Share Tweet Share Share Email Recommended for you Web3 Innovation and Transformation: InnoBlock 2024 Held by ABGA and BBS EBM Avenue: A Gateway to Eco-Friendly Mining and Exciting Rewards Palm Bin Smart Green Appliance Turns Compost Collection into Sustainable Gamified Rewards CommentsPresident Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday insisted at a meeting with US President-elect Donald Trump that any settlement with Russia after its invasion of Ukraine had to be "just", as fears grow in Kyiv on the position of the incoming administration. President Emmanuel Macron hosted three-way talks with Zelensky and Trump at the Elysee Palace, discussing what the incoming American president had termed a world that was a "little crazy". Hours after their meeting, the outgoing administration of President Joe Biden announced a new $988 million military assistance package for Ukraine. The package features drones, ammunition for precision HIMARS rocket launchers, and equipment and spare parts for artillery systems, tanks and armoured vehicles, the Pentagon said in a statement. Zelensky's meeting with Trump just before the three men headed to Notre Dame for the re-opening ceremony of the great Paris cathedral was his first face-to-face encounter with tycoon-turned-politician since his election victory. The meeting was of huge importance to Zelensky, given fears in Kyiv that Trump, who once boasted he could end Russia's war on Ukraine in 24 hours, may urge Ukraine to make concessions to Moscow. It also offered a unique chance for Macron to gain insights into how a second Trump presidency will look when he takes office in January. The trip to Paris is Trump's first international visit since his November 5 election win. "We all want peace. But it is very important for us... that the peace is just for all of us and that Russia, (Russian President Vladimir) Putin or any other aggressor has no possibility of ever returning," Zelensky said according to the presidential website. "And this is the most important thing -- a just peace and security guarantees, strong security guarantees for Ukraine," he added. Trump has scoffed at the billions of dollars in US military assistance to Ukraine and has spoken of forcing a quick settlement. But Zelensky also thanked Trump for his "unwavering resolve" describing the talks as "good and productive". Trump and Macron embraced and shook hands several times on the steps of the French presidential palace, with Trump given a full guard of honour despite not yet being in office. "It seems like the world is going a little crazy right now and we will be talking about that," Trump told reporters as he prepared to sit down for the talks with Macron. Despite tensions between the two men during his first term, Trump hailed his ties with the centrist French leader, saying: "We had a great relationship as everyone knows. We accomplished a lot." Macron told Trump it was "a great honour for French people to welcome you" for the re-opening ceremony at Notre Dame, which was devastated by a blaze in 2019 during Trump's first term. "You were president at that time and I remember the solidarity and the immediate reaction," Macron added, speaking in English. When he first took office in 2017, Trump's ties with Macron -- then also a fresh face on the world stage -- began warmly despite their obvious political differences. Their long and muscular handshakes -- which saw each man seek to assert his superiority -- became a light-hearted focus of attention before ties cooled, then soured, following disputes about climate change, trade and defence. Trump earlier wrote on his Truth Social platform that the United States should "not get involved" in the situation in Syria, where fast-moving rebel forces say they have begun to encircle the capital Damascus. The Republican's return to power has rung alarms in Paris and many European capitals after his promises on the campaign trail to force an end to fighting in Ukraine and levy tariffs on trading partners. In his own reaction to the discussions, Macron wrote on social media: "Let us continue our joint efforts for peace and security." European allies have largely enjoyed a close working relationship with Biden on the crisis in the Middle East, but Trump is likely to distance himself and ally the United States even more closely with Israel. In a sign of the importance of Trump's one-day trip to Paris, he was accompanied by his pick for White House chief of staff, Susie Wiles, as well as his Near East and Middle East advisors, Steve Witkoff and Massad Boulos, according to a guest list issued by the Elysee Palace. Tesla tycoon and Trump advisor Elon Musk, who was also on the line during a phone call between the incoming president and Zelensky last month, also flew into the French capital was present at the Notre Dame ceremony. sjw/adp/jj
Rachel Reeves vows to take an 'iron fist against waste' - as Chancellor launches the biggest audit of government spending in almost two decades By HARRIET LINE and MARTIN BECKFORD Published: 22:30, 9 December 2024 | Updated: 22:46, 9 December 2024 e-mail View comments Rachel Reeves has vowed to take an 'iron fist against waste' as she launches the biggest audit of government spending in almost two decades. Every pound of Whitehall spending will be examined 'line-by-line' in the Chancellor's spending review, which will not be completed until June. Ms Reeves will tell government departments to find savings in their budgets - as she warned she would 'not tolerate' taxpayers' cash being spent on poor value projects. The review - covering three years - will be focused on meeting Labour 's priorities. It will be the first 'zero-based' exercise since 2007 - starting from scratch with every expense to be justified. Departments will be told to stop spending if it does not contribute to a priority. Budgets will be scrutinised by 'challenge panels of external experts' - including former senior managers from banks including Lloyd's, Barclays and Co-operative Group. Ms Reeves said last night: 'By totally rewiring how the government spends money we will be able to deliver our Plan for Change and focus on what matters for working people. 'The previous government allowed millions of pounds of taxpayers' money to go to waste on poor value for money projects. Rachel Reeves speaking at a press conference after a meeting of Eurozone finance ministers in Brussels. The Chancellor will say she would 'not tolerate' taxpayers' money being spent on poor value projects 'We will not tolerate it; I said I would have an iron grip on the public finances and that means taking an iron fist against waste. 'By reforming our public services, we will ensure they are up to scratch for modern day demands, saving money and delivering better services for people across the country. 'That's why we will inspect every pound of government spend, so that it goes to the right places and we put an end to all waste.' The Chancellor's review will also set out a timetable for achieving the party's ambition of raising defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP. But she told the Mail at the weekend that any extra cash for the military would have to come out of the same 'spending envelope' as other priorities, such as schools, hospitals and the police. Ms Reeves' warning on waste came as a report into the growth of red tape revealed some of Britain's biggest watchdogs are growing faster than the sectors they oversee. Research by the Policy Exchange think-tank has found that headcount at seven major regulators grew by 84 per cent over the past decade. The Financial Conduct Authority, which regulates banks and other City businesses, has seen staff levels double (116.6 per cent increase) since 2013-14. Numbers at the Financial Reporting Council, in charge of accountants, have more than tripled (256 per cent) while the Competition and Markets Authority has seen a 69.8 per cent increase. Over the same period, however, the number of people working in financial services and related professional services only grew by 6.5 per cent. Headcount at broadcast regulator Ofcom has risen by 87.7 per cent despite job cuts across the TV industry. The biggest 17 watchdogs spend £5billion a year and employ 39,000 people, the report says, but the overall cost of the 'regulatory state' including the bureaucratic burden on businesses is put at some £70bn. Ms Reeves' warning on waste came as a report into the growth of red tape revealed some of Britain's biggest watchdogs are growing faster than the sectors they oversee (file photo) It said the UK's regulatory rulebook has experienced almost 'unchecked growth for decades', imposing increasing costs on businesses, damaging innovation and making the lives of public servants and professionals 'increasingly miserable'. The report blames a safety-first political culture, a bureaucracy in which is it is 'remarkably cheap' to introduce new rules and a 'complete lack of incentives' to cut red tape. It recommends that ministers establish a 'gateway' requiring that £2 in savings must be found for every £1 in new regulatory costs introduced - and that businesses should be allowed to appeal if official Impact Assessments underestimate the effects of a new rule. The report has been backed by former Cabinet Secretary Lord Sedwill, who wrote in a foreword: 'Government adds a safety margin to Parliament's legislation, regulators add a safety margin to Government's, compliance teams in the private sector and public service add a safety margin to the regulators.. Big institutions can bear this burden. Small ones find it stifling.' Rachel Reeves Barclays Labour Share or comment on this article: Rachel Reeves vows to take an 'iron fist against waste' - as Chancellor launches the biggest audit of government spending in almost two decades e-mail Add commentAshland rings opening bell at NYSE recognizes 100-year anniversary
NoneMissouri stuns top-ranked Kansas in 76-67 upsetCryptocurrencies in 401(k) retirement accounts expose portfolios to high risk of decline, with the value of these assets largely dependent on investor sentiment rather than actual market usage, according to a recent report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). GAO compared five crypto assets available for 401(k) plans against the S&P 500 index between 2021 and 2023. Volatility ranged from 4 to 12 times higher than index volatility, and two to seven times more volatile compared to stocks such as Google or Apple. The impact of crypto assets in retirement portfolio diversification remains “unclear,” GAO said. Diversification is done to minimize risk to the portfolio while ensuring maximum possible returns. In order to be considered a diversifier, the asset’s performance must not be positively related to others in the portfolio. If the diversifier asset goes down when other stocks tumble, it essentially defeats the purpose of diversification. All five digital currencies reviewed by GAO were found to have a higher positive correlation with the S&P 500 compared to gold, another asset considered a diversifier. Because cryptos are highly volatile and have a positive correlation to traditional investments like stocks, this results in “larger losses to a portfolio during market downturns” if cryptos are part of the asset mix. “Unlike traditional stocks, investors in crypto assets typically do not own blockchain technology and generally do not have an entitlement to income streams from investment in the same way that holders of stocks have rights to dividends from an operating company,” the report noted. Moreover, cryptos do not have a “well defined use” like other assets. For instance, gold has demand as jewelry and in industries for its corrosion resistant and conductive properties. Digital currencies “mainly derive their value from investor sentiment rather than through tangible company assets or cash flows,” the report noted. “If market sentiment shifts to a new crypto asset, older crypto assets could become obsolete and lose their value.” The GAO report also listed out some regulatory issues on crypto use in retirement assets. The Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) does not collect data that enables the agency to easily identify 401(k) plans offering crypto assets and “assess their effects on participant savings,” it noted. EBSA is an agency within the U.S. Department of Labor that oversees employee-sponsored retirement plans such as 401(k). “Certain crypto assets continue to trade in markets that do not have investor protections or comprehensive oversight,” GAO said. The crypto market “has not been fully subjected to proper oversight and regulation,” Neal said. “As a result, as this report outlines, it has brought uniquely high risk to retirees. Americans must be confident that their investments are secure, and do not face unnecessarily high volatility, cybersecurity, and theft risk.” The agency said it had “serious concerns” about allowing crypto inclusion, noting that these assets “present significant risks and challenges to participants’ retirement accounts, including significant risks of fraud, theft, and loss.” “In the past year, traditional financial institutions’ limited exposure to cryptocurrencies has prevented turmoil in cryptocurrencies from infecting the broader financial system,” it said. “It would be a grave mistake to enact legislation that reverses course and deepens the ties between cryptocurrencies and the broader financial system.”
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Now that Matt Gaetz is no longer a congressman and will not be the next attorney general of the United States, what does the future hold for the MAGA firebrand? Well, in the grand tradition of other famed Republicans who have fallen from grace, such as convicted felon George Santos or one-time America’s Mayor Rudy Giuliani , the former Florida congressman has joined Cameo. When reached for comment, Gaetz confirmed that he had indeed created a profile on the site. “I have joined cameo. I hope to bring people joy,” he said in a text to The Independent . Cameo is a website that allows fans to request personalized short videos from celebrities for a fee. Typically, a fan will send some basic information about a loved one or friend to a celebrity on the platform, and that celebrity will then use those details to craft a personal clip for the recipient. The service peaked during the Covid-19 pandemic due to lockdowns and social distancing requirements, prompting tens of thousands of famous (and semi-famous) people to join the site. According to Gaetz’s Cameo profile, which first went online Friday, the price for the former congressman’s videos starts at $500. One can also send a message to Gaetz for $2.99. “Whether it’s a milestone birthday, an anniversary, or a long-awaited reunion, make it unforgettable with a one-of-a-kind Cameo video from Matt Gaetz. You’ll have the chance to customize your request for Matt Gaetz, like asking them to mention inside jokes, share words of wisdom, or work in their signature catchphrases,” the profile states. “Don’t be afraid to get creative with your request, especially for celebrations like weddings, retirements, or bachelor and bachelorette parties that call for a good laugh. No matter the occasion, the video will be yours to keep - share the fun and relive the moment for years to come.” Gaetz describes himself as having “served in Congress” and having once been nominated “to be US Attorney General (that didn’t work out).” He also adds that he once “fired the House Speaker,” referencing his successful effort to drive Kevin McCarthy out of the speakership. It is still unclear what Gaetz plans to do in the immediate future. He did say on Friday that he will not return to the House, which he resigned from last week after he was first nominated for attorney general by President-elect Donald Trump. That resignation also came just two days before the House Ethics was scheduled to release a “damaging” report on Gaetz’s sexual misconduct allegations. Gaetz has maintained his innocence. Speculation has run rampant that Gaetz could be named as a replacement to serve in Marco Rubio’s Senate seat since Rubio is likely headed to serve as Trump’s secretary of state. He also could hold a position in Trump’s administration that is not subject to Senate confirmation, which ultimately kneecapped his attorney general bid. Another possibility is that he could just become a full-time right-wing media personality. On Thursday night, Newsmax host Greg Kelly went so far as to offer Gaetz a position at the network, noting that the former congressman has served as a guest host several times on the network’s airwaves.
Washington: Most Americans believe health insurance profits and coverage denials share responsibility for the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO – although not as much as the person who pulled the trigger, according to a new poll. In the survey from NORC at the University of Chicago, about eight in 10 US adults said the person who committed the killing has “a great deal” or “a moderate amount” of responsibility for the December 4 shooting of Brian Thompson . Luigi Mangione, centre, is escorted from Manhattan Criminal Court after his arraignment where he pleaded not guilty to state murder and terror charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Credit: AP Despite that, some have cast Luigi Mangione – the 26-year-old suspect charged with Thompson’s murder – as a heroic figure in the aftermath of his arrest, which gave rise to an outpouring of grievances about insurance companies. Police say the words “delay,” “deny” and “depose” were scrawled on the ammunition investigators found at the scene, echoing a phrase commonly used to describe insurer tactics to avoid paying claims. UnitedHealthcare has said Mangione was not a client. About seven in 10 adults said denials for health care coverage by insurance companies, or the profits made by health insurance companies, also bear at least “a moderate amount” of responsibility for Thompson’s death. Younger Americans were particularly likely to see the murder as the result of a confluence of forces rather than just one person’s action. Most Americans get health coverage through their job or by purchasing individual policies. Separate government-funded programs provide coverage for people with low incomes or those who are aged 65 and over or have severe illnesses or disabilities. Americans saw a wide range of factors contributing to UHC CEO’s killing and the poll found that the story of the slaying is being followed widely. About seven in 10 said they had heard or read “a lot” or “some” about Thompson’s death. Multiple factors were seen as responsible. About half in the poll believed that at least “a moderate amount” of blame is rooted in wealth or income inequality, although they did not think other factors like political divisions in the US held the same level of responsibility. Patients and doctors often complain about coverage denials and other complications interfering with care, especially for serious illnesses like cancer and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. Insurance industry critics frequently point to company profits in questioning whether the interests of patients are their top focus. UnitedHealthcare made more than $US16 billion in profit last year, before interest and taxes, on $US281 billion in revenue. Insurers frequently note that most of the revenue they bring in goes back out the door to pay for care. UnitedHealthcare said this month that it pays about 90 per cent of medical claims upon submission. The insurer has not provided details on the number of claims involved. Among young people, blame was spread equally between insurers and the killer. Americans under 30 were especially likely to think a mix of factors was to blame for Thompson’s death. They say that insurance company denials and profits are about as responsible as Thompson’s killer for his death. About 7 in 10 US adults between 18 and 29 say “a great deal” or “a moderate amount” of responsibility falls on profits made by health insurance companies, denials for health care coverage by health insurance companies or the person who committed the killing. Young people are also the least likely age group to say “a great deal” of responsibility fell on the person who committed the killing. Only about four in 10 say that, compared with about 6 in 10 between 30 and 59. Roughly eight in 10 adults over 60 say that person deserved “a great deal” of responsibility. About two-thirds of young people placed at least a moderate level of blame on wealth or income inequality, in general. Frustrations with health insurers, coverage and the complicated US healthcare system have been simmering for years among patients. About three in 10 Americans said they had problems getting coverage from their health insurer in the [ast year, whether those involved problems finding a suitable provider in-network, a claim getting denied or issues getting prior authorisation or insurer approval before care happens. These struggles were more prevalent among Americans under 60. The poll of 1001 adults was conducted from December 12 to 16 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the US population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 4.2 percentage points. AP Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for the weekly What in the World newsletter here .
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