None

Trump wants pardoned real estate developer Charles Kushner to be ambassador to France

Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin said it “remains to be seen” whether he will be the next Taoiseach, as he predicted an outperformance of an exit poll which placed his party closely trailing in third. Mr Martin was comfortably elected on the first count after topping the poll in the Cork South Central constituency, and was hoisted into the air by his sons Cillian and Micheal Aodh. The exit poll put his party on 19.5%, behind its Civil War rival-turned coalition partner Fine Gael at 21%, and the largest opposition party Sinn Fein at 21.1%. Speaking immediately after his election, a jubilant Mr Martin predicted: “It transpires that we’ll probably exceed that exit poll prediction above the margin of error [of 1.4%] – we could be looking at 21.9% now.” He said the day following the poll had been a “rollercoaster”, reflecting that the party had been “left wondering ‘where were we?'” after the exit poll. Asked about that possibility he would become Taoiseach as the leader of the largest party in the next coalition, he told reporters he was now awaiting the national results – which could take days to finalise. He added: “That remains to be seen, obviously, in terms of the results the length and breadth of the country.” He further warned that the election remains “extraordinarily competitive” and added: “There’s going to be a lot of twists and turns.” Mr Martin thanked the people of Cork South Central for re-electing him, adding that he feels a “huge sense of responsibility”. “I will also be grateful to them for enabling me to have the honour of representing them in Dail Eireann – that is my first task, a representative of Cork South Central and advance the interests of Cork more generally.” He also thanked his family, saying: “I want to thank my wife Mary who really worked night and day when I was around the country, leading the campaign with Micheal Aodh and Aoibhe and Cillian.” Speculation has begun on what parties or independents may join with Fianna Fail – and Fine Gael – in a future coalition. Both those parties have ruled out a coalition with Sinn Fein. Turning to that process of government formation, he said he would like to see that happen faster than in 2020 – when it took several months. That process resulted in Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, two parties forged from opposing sides of Ireland’s Civil War of the 1920s, agreeing to set aside almost a century of animosity and share power. The Greens joined as a junior partner, but early indications showed the party could be facing an electoral wipeout. Mr Martin said: The Greens, to their credit, didn’t buckle over the four and a half years. “Being in government can be difficult for any political party. “It is to the credit of the Greens that they went into government. We had challenges, we had different priorities of three political parties, but this government went full term, and I think Ireland was for the better for that.” Taking the previous formation talks into consideration, Mr Martin predicted the future will involve very difficult negotiations between parties: “It will be challenging. This is not easy.” He said there has to be “real clarity” around a programme for government before forming a coalition. Asked how important it is to form a government before the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump, Mr Martin said: “I think we have to... to be honest with you, in the best interests of Ireland in the first instance.” Fianna Fail had campaigned on a message of stable financial management in the face of potential economic shocks caused by policy decisions from the next US administration. Asked why he felt Fianna Fail was underestimated in the polls, he said: “Look, I’m not going to go on about polls but I would have had a better evening last night if they had been more accurate.” He added: “I mean the polls give Fianna Fail heart attacks all the time.”BRISBANE, Calif., Dec. 06, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tempest Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: TPST), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing first-in-class1 targeted and immune-mediated therapeutics to fight cancer, today announced that the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors granted one employee nonqualified stock options to purchase an aggregate of 9,450 shares of its common stock under the Company’s 2023 Inducement Plan. The stock options will vest over a four-year period, with 25% of each of the options vesting on the first anniversary of such employee’s start date, and 1/48th of the total shares vesting monthly thereafter, subject to continued employment on each vesting date. About Tempest Therapeutics Tempest Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company advancing a diverse portfolio of small molecule product candidates containing tumor-targeted and/or immune-mediated mechanisms with the potential to treat a wide range of tumors. The company’s novel programs range from early research to later-stage investigation in a randomized global study in first-line cancer patients. Tempest is headquartered in Brisbane, California. More information about Tempest can be found on the company’s website at www.tempesttx.com . Investor & Media Contacts: Sylvia Wheeler Wheelhouse Life Science Advisors swheeler@wheelhouselsa.com Aljanae Reynolds Wheelhouse Life Science Advisors areynolds@wheelhouselsa.com 1 If approved by the FDA

STEPHENVILLE, Texas (AP) — Victor Gabalis and Kayvon Britten each accounted for two touchdowns, Darius Cooper had 190 yards receiving with a score and No. 13 seed Tarleton State won its inaugural FCS playoff game with a 43-29 victory over unseeded Drake on Saturday in a first-round matchup. Tarleton State (10-3) will travel to No. 4 seed South Dakota (9-2) in a second-round game on Dec. 7. Drake jumped out to a 14-3 lead late in the first quarter behind Blake Ellingson’s 2-yard touchdown run and Luke Bailey’s 9-yard touchdown pass to Taj Hughes. Britten answered with a 6-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter and his 1-yard TD run stretched the Texans’ lead to 29-14 late in the third. Gabalis’ 49-yard touchdown pass to Cooper made it 36-21 with 10:49 remaining. Gabalis was 26-of-36 passing for 337 yards with two touchdowns. Cooper finished with 11 catches and Britten added 146 yards rushing on 29 carries. Kyle Weber also scored on a pair of short-yardage touchdown runs for the Texans. Bailey and Hailey connected again with a 10-yard score late in the third quarter that pulled the Bulldogs to 29-21. Bailey completed 31 of 49 passes with three touchdown passes and two interceptions. Hughes made 11 catches for 63 yards for Drake (8-3). __ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP collegebasketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Haiti gangs fire on journalists covering a planned hospital reopening, leaving casualties

WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday reached a required agreement with President Joe Biden’s White House to allow his transition staff to coordinate with the existing federal workforce before taking office on Jan. 20. The congressionally mandated agreement allows transition aides to work with federal agencies and access non-public information and gives a green light to government workers to talk to the transition team. But Trump has declined to sign a separate agreement with the General Services Administration that would have given his team access to secure government offices and email accounts, in part because it would require that the president-elect limit contributions to $5,000 and reveal who is donating to his transition effort. The White House agreement was supposed to have been signed by Oct. 1, according to the Presidential Transition Act, and the Biden White House had issued both public and private appeals for Trump’s team to sign on. The agreement is a critical step in ensuring an orderly transfer of power at noon on Inauguration Day, and lays the groundwork for the White House and government agencies to begin to share details on ongoing programs, operations and threats. It limits the risk that the Trump team could find itself taking control of the massive federal government without briefings and documents from the outgoing administration. As part of the agreement with the White House, Trump’s team will have to publicly disclose its ethics plan for the transition operation and make a commitment to uphold it, the White House said. Transition aides must sign statements that they have no financial positions that could pose a conflict of interest before they receive access to non-public federal information. Biden himself raised the agreement with Trump when they met in the Oval Office on Nov. 13, according to the White House, and Trump indicated that his team was working to get it signed. Trump chief of staff-designate Susie Wiles met with Biden’s chief of staff Jeff Zients at the White House on Nov. 19 and other senior officials in part to discuss remaining holdups, while lawyers for the two sides have spoken more than a half-dozen times in recent days to finalize the agreement. “Like President Biden said to the American people from the Rose Garden and directly to President-elect Trump, he is committed to an orderly transition,” said White House spokesperson Saloni Sharma. “President-elect Trump and his team will be in seat on January 20 at 12 pm – and they will immediately be responsible for a range of domestic and global challenges, foreseen and unforeseen. A smooth transition is critical to the safety and security of the American people who are counting on their leaders to be responsible and prepared.” Without the signed agreement, Biden administration officials were restricted in what they could share with the incoming team. Trump national security adviser-designate Rep. Mike Waltz met recently with Biden national security adviser Jake Sullivan, but the outgoing team was limited in what it could discuss. “We are doing everything that we can to effect a professional and an orderly transition,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Monday. “And we continue to urge the incoming team to take the steps that are necessary to be able to facilitate that on their end as well.” “This engagement allows our intended Cabinet nominees to begin critical preparations, including the deployment of landing teams to every department and agency, and complete the orderly transition of power,” said Wiles in a statement. The Trump transition team says it would disclose its donors to the public and would not take foreign donations. A separate agreement with the Department of Justice to coordinate background checks for vetting and security clearances is still being actively worked on and could be signed quickly now that the White House agreement is signed. The agency has teams of investigators standing by to process clearances for Trump aides and advisers once that document is signed. That would clear the way for transition aides and future administration appointees and nominees to begin accessing classified information before Trump takes office. Some Trump aides may hold active clearances from his first term in office or other government roles, but others will need new clearances to access classified data. Trump’s team on Friday formally told the GSA that they would not utilize the government office space blocks from the White House reserved for their use, or government email accounts, phones and computers during the transition. The White House said it does not agree with Trump’s decision to forgo support from the GSA, but is working on alternate ways to get Trump appointees the information they need without jeopardizing national security. Federal agencies are receiving guidance on Tuesday on how to share sensitive information with the Trump team without jeopardizing national security or non-public information. For instance, agencies may require in-person meetings and document reviews since the Trump team has declined to shift to using secure phones and computers. For unclassified information, agencies may ask Trump transition staff to attest that they are taking basic safeguards, like using two-factor authentication on their accounts. “The signing of this agreement is good news, and a positive step toward an effective transfer of power,” said Max Stier, the president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service. “This agreement unlocks direct access to information from federal agencies, which is vital for the incoming administration to be ready to govern on Day One and critical to the transition’s success.”Papastergiou at EU Telecommunications Council: National strategy on youth screen addiction to be presented soon

NoneBotafogo won the Copa Libertadores for the first time in their history with a 3-1 victory over fellow Brazilians Atletico Mineiro on Saturday. Botafogo played almost the entire match with ten men after Gregore was sent off in the first minute but they showed impressive spirit and resilience to secure victory at River Plate's Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. It is the sixth straight season that a Brazilian club has won the Libertadores, the top competition for South American clubs. The 120-year-old Botafogo, the Rio club who have twice won the Brazilian championship, have a rich history, including producing greats such as World Cup winners Garrincha, Didi, Nilton Santos and Mario Zagallo. But they have long suffered taunts from their rivals about their failure to win the continental title -- a jibe that can be made no more. Midfielder Gregore was shown a red card after a wild, high challenge on Fauto Vera, forcing Botafogo to adjust their game plan, but Atletico failed to press home their numerical advantage. Veteran forward Hulk had an effort from outside the box saved by John but the team from Belo Horizonte created little pressure. Sensing the game might not be the rearguard action they might have expected, Botafogo began to show more attacking intent and they were rewarded in the 35th minute. Marlon Freitas's shot from the edge of the box ricocheted around a crowded box before the ball fell to Luiz Henrique, who fired home from close range. To their credit, Botafogo didn't retreat to defend their slim advantage and they were able to double their lead in the 44th minute. Atletico defender Guilherme Arana attempted to shepherd the ball back to goalkeeper Everson, but Luiz Henrique snuck between the pair and went down under challenge from the keeper. More from this section After a VAR review, a penalty was awarded and Alex Telles confidently smashed home the spot kick to give Botafogo an unlikely 2-0 lead at the break. Atletico, who won the Libertadores in 2013, made a triple substitution at the interval and it paid off swiftly with Eduardo Vargas heading in from a corner. Inevitably, there was late pressure from Atletico, but Botafogo made sure of the victory when Junior Santos finished off a counter-attack deep in stoppage time. With the win, Botafogo earns the final of 32 places in next year's FIFA Club World Cup to be held in the United States. The club, owned by American businessman John Textor, also has a chance to complete a double by winning what would be their third Brazilian league title -- they currently lead Serie A by three points with two games remaining. Luis Henrique, whose fine form this season has seen him break into the Brazil squad, said the win was an emotional one for him and the team. "Many people tried to stop me, but I know that God is with me, my family is with me, and I have to keep my feet on the ground because there is still more to come," the 23-year-old striker said. "I want to thank Botafogo a lot, Botafogo needs to be at the top, because it's a club that has been working hard, that has been doing a lot on a daily basis." sev/js

Lionel Messi wins MLS MVP award, the latest trophy on a long list of honors for the Inter Miami star FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi is the MVP of Major League Soccer for 2024. The award comes after a season where he missed 15 of Inter Miami’s 34 regular-season matches with injuries or commitments to Argentina’s national team. He still factored into a league-high 36 goals by scoring 20 and assisting on 16 others. His 2.1 goal contributions per 90 minutes played is the best by any player in any season in MLS history. MLS revealed the voting results Friday. Messi edged out Columbus Crew forward Cucho Hernández for the award, which is determined by a poll of players, club technical staff and select media members. NFL ends investigation into sexual assault allegations against Browns QB Deshaun Watson CLEVELAND (AP) — The NFL has closed an investigation into sexual assault allegations against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson. The league has been reviewing the case for months, trying to determine whether Watson should be punished. League spokesman Brian McCarthy said in an email that "there was insufficient evidence to support a finding of a violation of the personal conduct policy.” Watson, who served an 11-game suspension in 2022, was accused of assault by a woman in September. She was seeking more than $1 million in damage before the sides reached a confidential settlement. Watson has played in just 19 games over three seasons for the Browns. NBA returning to China for pair of Suns-Nets preseason games in 2025 The NBA is returning to China next season. The league has struck a deal to play preseason games there more than five years after the league was effectively banned for Commissioner Adam Silver not punishing Daryl Morey for tweeting support of anti-government protesters in Hong Kong. Brooklyn and Phoenix will play games in China’s gambling hub of Macao on Oct. 10, 2025, and again two days later. There are more games planned for China in 2026, a source told The Associated Press. American ski racer Lindsey Vonn is picking up speed in her comeback bid at 40 years old COPPER MOUNTAIN, Colo. (AP) — American ski racer Lindsey Vonn darted through the shadows on the speed course at Copper Mountain on a frigid morning. She was on the hill Friday as she tries to make a comeback to skiing nearly six years after her last race. Vonn plans to enter a series of lower-tier FIS downhill and super-G races this weekend at Copper Mountain, Colorado. It could be the first step toward seeing her on the World Cup circuit again. Scottie Scheffler goes on a run of birdies in the Bahamas and leads by 2 NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — Scottie Scheffler used a big run of birdies to take a two-shot lead in the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas. Scheffler had seven birdies on the front nine for a 29. The world No. 1 added one birdie on the back nine to lead by two over Justin Thomas and Akshay Bhatia. Scheffler found no need to apologize for only one birdie on the back nine. He says it simply was a matter of the ball being a little closer to the hole and a few more putts going in. Scheffler already has eight victories this year, including Olympic gold. Hall of Famer Randy Moss is stepping away from ESPN for an extended time to deal with health issue Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss is stepping away from his ESPN analyst role for an extended time to focus on a personal health challenge, the network said in a statement. Moss revealed last week that he’s dealing with a health issue and asked fans to pray for him and his family. The 47-year-old ESPN football analyst made his announcement on Instagram from the set of the network’s “Sunday NFL Countdown” show. He directed his message to men and urged them to get checkups and bloodwork done, without specifying any particular illness. No Bevo? SEC tells Texas there's no room for its 1,700-pound longhorn at title game vs. Georgia ATLANTA (AP) — The Southeastern Conference championship game will not feature another mascot showdown. The league says there's not enough space on the sideline at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta for No. 2 Texas to bring along its 1,700-pound longhorn Bevo XV for the game against No. 5 Georgia. The teams have two of college football’s most famous mascots. There should be enough sideline space for Georgia’s pure white English bulldog, Uga XI. Before the 2019 Sugar Bowl at the Superdome in New Orleans, Bevo XV toppled his barrier and began to charge at Uga X. Texas handlers were able to pull Bevo back before any harm. The Big Ten and SEC are set to gobble up CFP bids. That could squeeze the ACC and other leagues The Big Ten and Southeastern conferences are set to gobble up the majority of the bids to the newly expanded 12-team College Football Playoff. That could squeeze the Atlantic Coast Conference and other leagues trying to maintain their footing. ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips told The Associated Press he wants clarity on the process that put two-loss Miami behind three-loss Alabama in the latest rankings. Mountain West Conference Commissioner Gloria Nevarez said she wouldn't support future changes for guaranteed numbers of bids to power conferences. The Mountain West is set to have its champion in the playoff as a Group of Five winner. NFL's next coaching cycle will feature an impressive list of candidates: Analysis The next NFL coaching cycle will feature an impressive list of candidates ranging from proven champions to up-and-coming coordinators. Six-time Super Bowl winner Bill Belichick heads the list of recognizable names that includes 2021 AP Coach of the Year Mike Vrabel. Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Buccaneers OC Liam Cohen, Bills OC Joe Brady and Eagles OC Kellen Moore are among a lengthy list of young offensive-minded coaches who will garner plenty of interest. F1 champion Max Verstappen to become first-time father with girlfriend Kelly Piquet ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen is set to become a father for the first time with his girlfriend Kelly Piquet. There’s racing heritage on both sides of the family. Verstappen secured his fourth F1 title last month and Kelly’s father Nelson Piquet was a three-time champion in the 1980s. Verstappen says on Instagram that "we couldn’t be happier with our little miracle.” Verstappen is aiming to win his 10th F1 race of the year at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday. Practice gets underway later.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden faces a stark choice as he contemplates broad preemptive pardons to protect aides and allies from potential retribution by Donald Trump: Does he hew to the institutional norms he’s spent decades defending or flex the powers of the presidency in untested ways. The deliberations so far are largely at the level of White House lawyers. But Biden himself has discussed the topic with senior aides, according to two people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive subject. No decisions have been made, the people said, and it is possible Biden opts to do nothing at all. Pardons are historically afforded to those accused of specific crimes –- and usually to those who have already been convicted of an offense — but Biden’s team is considering issuing them for some who have not even been investigated, let alone charged. The president could, if he chose, issue blanket pardons to specific people whom Trump and his allies have threatened to punish. Or he could pardon a broad class of people — not unlike pardons issued to those convicted of federal marijuana offenses or those ensnared in the “don't ask, don't tell” military policies. Either way, he'd be using the powers of the presidency in a new way. Some worry that Trump and his allies, who have talked of enemies lists and exacting “retribution,” could launch investigations that would be reputationally and financially costly for targeted people even if they don’t result in prosecutions. The door has already been opened, given that Biden has extended a broad pardon to his son, Hunter , who was convicted and pleaded guilty in tax and gun cases. Biden explained that decision by saying he believed the prosecution of his son had been poisoned by politics. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has said Biden plans additional pardons before leaving office though she would not elaborate on the process. She repeatedly referenced “changing factors” that motivated the president to pardon his son despite promising he wouldn’t. She said Republicans have continued to try to see Hunter Biden investigated for an array of alleged offenses, a rationale that could support additional pardons for Biden aides and allies. It was two weeks ago that one of the president’s closest allies in Congress, Rep, Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, encouraged Biden to pardon his son Hunter. The morning after that conversation, Clyburn told Biden’s staff that he believed the president should also pardon those being targeted by Trump. “I was very forceful in my discussions with him about what I thought he ought to do regarding his son,” Clyburn said Friday. “But I also told them that I thought he ought to go even further, because all the noise about Jack Smith and Liz Cheney and Doctor Fauci and all of that.” Special Counsel Jack Smith has been investigating Trump for his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and for accusations he hoarded classified documents at his home. Liz Cheney, a conservative Republican , was the vice chairwoman of the congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection and campaigned for Vice President Kamala Harris. Fauci, an infectious disease expert, was instrumental in the government's response to the coronavirus. All have raised the ire of Trump. Clyburn said he told Biden’s team, only half jokingly, that because the Supreme Court has already said that the president has certain immunities, “let’s give that same immunity to Jack Smith for carrying out his duties and to, Doctor Fauci, Liz Cheney, they were carrying out their duties.” Among those mentioned publicly for possible presidential pardons, there are different sentiments on whether pardons would even be wanted. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi supported the president’s move to pardon his son, but has been silent on the speculation that Biden is considering additional pardons for her or others. A top Pelosi ally, Rep. Adam Schiff, the Democratic congressman who led Trump’s first impeachment, has panned the idea of pardoning Biden's allies. He says “the courts are strong enough to withstand” the worst of Trump’s threats. “I don’t think a preemptive pardon makes sense,” the incoming senator told NPR recently. “I would urge the president not to do that. I think it would seem defensive and unnecessary,” Schiff said. Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin, who was the lead manager on Trump’s second impeachment, on the charge of inciting the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol, said members of Congress already are protected by the speech and debate clause in the Constitution, which protects them prosecution for participating in their legislative duties. Raskin said figures like Mark Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and John Kelly , Trump's former White House chief of staff, would similarly be protected by the First Amendment. But Raskin said the question is, “Should they go through the criminal investigation and prosecution for not doing anything wrong? I think that’s why this whole issue has erupted.” Raksin added that with Trump promising to pardon hundreds of people who assaulted police officers on Jan. 6th, “I can hardly fault President Biden for exploring the use of the pardon to protect people from a fraudulent and unjust prosecution.” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he’s had no conversations with the White House regarding any preemptive pardons for current or former members of Congress. Associated Press Writer Kevin Freking contributed to this report.