gikilig Santa Ana’s sole independent bookstore LibroMobile may be closing its doors. “In the last six months, our book sales have been incredibly low, and so on top of that, California state arts funding was cut, which means we lost two big grants, like $50,000 worth of funding that we normally get for our programming,” says owner and founder Sarah Rafael García. “We don’t have enough money projected for 2025. Right now, we’re not even sure we’re going to make it to June.” SEE ALSO : Sign up for our free Book Pages newsletter about bestsellers, authors and more García, who works another full-time job that runs through May, has had to cancel LibroMobile’s annual literary festival and events programming and she’s been dipping into her own income to keep the doors open at the store, which has two employees and additional student help. “I have been contributing my own personal funds to keep it going,” she says. “We’re grassroots – I’m not a rich person, you know? I started the bookstore with a $10,000 yearly income, so I always tell people, I know how to survive off of very little money.” She plans to continue doing pop-up sales events and the quarterly open mic night, although the money crunch has affected that event as well. “We cannot pay our headliners. So whatever poet chooses to accept the invite to headline, they’re doing it for free,” she says. The problem, she says, is not enough book buyers. “We won’t be able to maintain a brick and mortar if people don’t buy books,” she says. “If we don’t increase book sales significantly in the next couple months, then in March I’m going to have to probably announce that we’re definitely closing in June.” And while she says she’ll find a way to keep doing pop-ups and other events – she launched LibroMobile with a hand-me-down garden cart that gave the venture its name – “We won’t have a brick and mortar store, which is a really sad thing for our city, as the only independent bookstore in Santa Ana.” García makes one thing clear: Don’t blame her landlords. “We don’t pay market-rate rent. So when people say, ‘Oh, it’s your landlord, they should decrease it.’ That’s not true. They have been 100% supportive. They have not increased our rent because they know we’re in this situation,” she says. “They want to figure out how to make it work.” She says LibroMobile reciprocates by creating community events in English and Spanish at the Bristol Swap Meet to bring people to the food courts as well as by helping to fund the site’s murals with grant money and city support. “We’re more than a bookstore. We’re creating a place for our community where they can explore literature and the arts without having to pay for it,” she says, but adds that there are always costs to cover. “We have to pay a DJ. We have to pay for the equipment. Sometimes we have to rent chairs if we expect a bigger crowd for an event. So all those are additional costs.” But she’s committed to serving the community. “This is home for me ... Santa Ana is where I went to school and keep returning, even though I have nobody left here, other than friends and chosen family, my godparents. But it’s still what I call home.” Her father, Rafael Castillo García, worked for The Orange County Register for 10 years until he died unexpectedly in 1988 at age 36. She recalls how her father – who studied the paper to improve his language skills, attended community college and wrote poems he’d leave on the family refrigerator – would leave the house dressed in crisp slacks and a dress shirt. “He always dressed sharp to go to work, to try to impress us to have better jobs,” says García, who would learn about the physical nature of his work after his death. “I didn’t know he was a labor worker. I had to go empty his locker out, and I found the coveralls.” García says she has considered suggestions to start a crowdfunding campaign but ultimately decided against it. “I know I could probably set up a GoFundMe, but where would that take us a year or two from now? We’ll be in the same position. If I don’t cultivate the culture and the tradition in Santa Ana and Orange County, then we’re still not creating sustainability,” she says. “I’m trying to cultivate the want and the need of books, not just holding rent.” So what can local readers do to help? “I want them shopping at the bookstore. [laughs] We go days without someone buying a book sometimes,” she says. “We are the only bookstore in Santa Ana, but not just that. We’re the only bookstore in Orange County that prioritizes Black, Indigenous, and People of Color books, as well as Spanish, multicultural and bilingual books. We have a whole beautiful collection of BIPOC cookbooks – like, who does that, right? – on top of a special collection that prioritizes ethnic studies, gender studies and academic books at affordable prices.” SEE ALSO : Bestsellers, authors, books and more can be found in the Books section García underscores her commitment to keeping prices reasonable – or even free. She stocks a Little Free Library at the Bristol Swap Meet, too. “Maybe that’s why we’re not making enough money. But that’s the whole point of keeping books that are relevant to our community accessible and affordable,” she says. While she says that the store is proudly political, García thinks LibroMobile has something that benefits the entire community. ​”If you don’t like our politics, there’s still plenty of other books you can read in our store,” she says. “We have something for everyone, but we’re also not going to hide our political stances for the sake of capitalism.” For more stories about : Sign up for our free Book Pages newsletter about bestsellers, authors and more Related ArticlesS&P/TSX composite down Monday, U.S. markets also move lower

NEW YORK — There's a Christmas Day basketball game at Walt Disney World, featuring Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Wemby. An animated game, anyway. The real game takes place at Madison Square Garden, where Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs face the New York Knicks in a game televised on ABC and ESPN and streamed on Disney+ and ESPN+. The special alt-cast, the first animated presentation of an NBA game, will be shown on ESPN2 and also stream on Disney+ and ESPN+. Madison Square Garden is a staple of the NBA's Christmas schedule. Now it merges with a bigger home of the holidays, because the "Dunk the Halls" game will be staged at Disney, on a court set up right smack in the middle of where countless families have posed for vacation photos. Why that location? Because it was Mickey Mouse's Christmas wish. "Basketball courts often have the ability to make a normal environment look special, but in Disney it can only turn out incredible," Wembanyama said in an ESPN video promoting his Christmas debut. The story — this is Disney, after all — begins with Mickey penning a letter to Santa Claus, asking if he and his pals can host a basketball game. They'll not only get to watch one with NBA players, but some of them will even get to play. Goofy and Donald Duck will sub in for a couple Knicks players, while Mickey and Minnie Mouse will come on to play for the Spurs. "It looks to me like Goofy and Jalen Brunson have a really good pick-and-roll at the elite level," said Phil Orlins, an ESPN vice president of production. Walt Disney World hosted real NBA games in 2020, when the league set up there to complete its season that had been suspended by the COVID-19 pandemic. Those games were played at the ESPN Wide World of Sports. The setting for the Christmas game will be Main Street USA, at the entrance of the Magic Kingdom. Viewers will recognize Cinderella's castle behind one baseline and the train station at the other end, and perhaps some shops they have visited in between. Previous alternate animated broadcasts included an NFL game taking place in Andy's room from "Toy Story;" the "NHL Big City Greens Classic" during a game between the Washington Capitals and New York Rangers; and earlier this month, another NFL matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys also taking place at Springfield's Atoms Stadium as part of "The Simpsons Funday Football." Unlike basketball, the players are helmeted in those sports. So, this telecast required an extra level of detail and cooperation with players and teams to create accurate appearances of their faces and hairstyles. "So, this is a level of detail that we've never gone, that we've never done on any other broadcast," said David Sparrgrove, the senior director of creative animation for ESPN. Wembanyama, the 7-foot-3 phenom from France who was last season's NBA Rookie of the Year, looks huge even among most NBA players. The creators of the alternate telecast had to design how he'd look not only among his teammates and rivals, but among mice, ducks and chipmunks. "Like, Victor Wembanyama, seeing him in person is insane. It's like seeing an alien descend on a basketball court, and I think we kind of captured that in his animated character," said Drew Carter, who will again handle play-by-play duties, as he had in the previous animated telecasts, and will get an assist from sideline reporter Daisy Duck. Wembanyama's presence is one reason the Spurs-Knicks matchup, the leadoff to the NBA's five-game Christmas slate, was the obvious choice to do the animated telecast. The noon EST start means it will begin in the early evening in France and should draw well there. Also, it comes after ABC televises the "Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade" for the previous two hours, providing more time to hype the broadcast. Recognizing that some viewers who then switch over to the animated game may be Disney experts but NBA novices, there will be 10 educational explainers to help with basketball lingo and rules. Beyond Sports' visualization technology and Sony's Hawk-Eye tracking allow the animated players to make the same movements and plays made moments earlier by the real ones at MSG. Carter and analyst Monica McNutt will be animated in the style of the telecast, donning VR headsets to experience the game from Main Street, USA. Other animated faces recognizable to some viewers include NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who will judge a halftime dunk contest among Mickey and his friends, and Santa himself, who will operate ESPN's "SkyCam" during the game. The players are curious how the production — and themselves — will look. "It's going to be so crazy to see the game animated," Spurs veteran Chris Paul said. "I think what's dope about it is it will give kids another opportunity to watch a game and to see us, basically, as characters." Get local news delivered to your inbox!PM orders action against power theft, overbillingNEW YORK — There's a Christmas Day basketball game at Walt Disney World, featuring Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Wemby. An animated game, anyway. The real game takes place at Madison Square Garden, where Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs face the New York Knicks in a game televised on ABC and ESPN and streamed on Disney+ and ESPN+. The special alt-cast, the first animated presentation of an NBA game, will be shown on ESPN2 and also stream on Disney+ and ESPN+. Madison Square Garden is a staple of the NBA's Christmas schedule. Now it merges with a bigger home of the holidays, because the "Dunk the Halls" game will be staged at Disney, on a court set up right smack in the middle of where countless families have posed for vacation photos. Why that location? Because it was Mickey Mouse's Christmas wish. "Basketball courts often have the ability to make a normal environment look special, but in Disney it can only turn out incredible," Wembanyama said in an ESPN video promoting his Christmas debut. The story — this is Disney, after all — begins with Mickey penning a letter to Santa Claus, asking if he and his pals can host a basketball game. They'll not only get to watch one with NBA players, but some of them will even get to play. Goofy and Donald Duck will sub in for a couple Knicks players, while Mickey and Minnie Mouse will come on to play for the Spurs. "It looks to me like Goofy and Jalen Brunson have a really good pick-and-roll at the elite level," said Phil Orlins, an ESPN vice president of production. Walt Disney World hosted real NBA games in 2020, when the league set up there to complete its season that had been suspended by the COVID-19 pandemic. Those games were played at the ESPN Wide World of Sports. The setting for the Christmas game will be Main Street USA, at the entrance of the Magic Kingdom. Viewers will recognize Cinderella's castle behind one baseline and the train station at the other end, and perhaps some shops they have visited in between. Previous alternate animated broadcasts included an NFL game taking place in Andy's room from "Toy Story;" the "NHL Big City Greens Classic" during a game between the Washington Capitals and New York Rangers; and earlier this month, another NFL matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys also taking place at Springfield's Atoms Stadium as part of "The Simpsons Funday Football." Unlike basketball, the players are helmeted in those sports. So, this telecast required an extra level of detail and cooperation with players and teams to create accurate appearances of their faces and hairstyles. "So, this is a level of detail that we've never gone, that we've never done on any other broadcast," said David Sparrgrove, the senior director of creative animation for ESPN. Wembanyama, the 7-foot-3 phenom from France who was last season's NBA Rookie of the Year, looks huge even among most NBA players. The creators of the alternate telecast had to design how he'd look not only among his teammates and rivals, but among mice, ducks and chipmunks. "Like, Victor Wembanyama, seeing him in person is insane. It's like seeing an alien descend on a basketball court, and I think we kind of captured that in his animated character," said Drew Carter, who will again handle play-by-play duties, as he had in the previous animated telecasts, and will get an assist from sideline reporter Daisy Duck. Wembanyama's presence is one reason the Spurs-Knicks matchup, the leadoff to the NBA's five-game Christmas slate, was the obvious choice to do the animated telecast. The noon EST start means it will begin in the early evening in France and should draw well there. Also, it comes after ABC televises the "Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade" for the previous two hours, providing more time to hype the broadcast. Recognizing that some viewers who then switch over to the animated game may be Disney experts but NBA novices, there will be 10 educational explainers to help with basketball lingo and rules. Beyond Sports' visualization technology and Sony's Hawk-Eye tracking allow the animated players to make the same movements and plays made moments earlier by the real ones at MSG. Carter and analyst Monica McNutt will be animated in the style of the telecast, donning VR headsets to experience the game from Main Street, USA. Other animated faces recognizable to some viewers include NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who will judge a halftime dunk contest among Mickey and his friends, and Santa himself, who will operate ESPN's "SkyCam" during the game. The players are curious how the production — and themselves — will look. "It's going to be so crazy to see the game animated," Spurs veteran Chris Paul said. "I think what's dope about it is it will give kids another opportunity to watch a game and to see us, basically, as characters." Get local news delivered to your inbox!Grab It Before It’s Gone! Why Everyone Wants Intel’s Arc B580 GPU.

Rutgers looks to pick up steam in clash vs. Seton Hall

Why would Apple make a Bluetooth chip?Wall Street ends lower as tech stocks declineMickey, Minnie, Goffy and Wemby

Voters in parts of Scott, Clinton and Jackson counties will vote in a special election for their state senator on Jan. 28, 2025, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Monday. Former senator for District 35, Chris Cournoyer, was sworn in a week ago as the state's new lieutenant governor. Cournoyer resigned her senate seat at that time. Candidates wanting to run for the seat have until Jan. 14, 2025, to file their paperwork, Iowa Secretary of State spokesperson Ashley Hunt Esquivel wrote in an email. Candidates may be nominated by special convention of one of the political parties or collect signatures and file as a no-party candidate. For special elections, absentee voting begins "as soon as ballots are available, but not earlier than 20 days prior to the election," Hunt Esquivel wrote. Scott County Auditor Kerri Tompkins anticipates having early voting available in-person at the county administration building starting Jan. 16, she wrote in an email. Polls will be open on Jan. 28 for Election Day from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. Voters can send in ballot requests now, but Tompkins warned mail-in ballots for the special election will have a tight turnaround. Mailed ballots may not be sent out until Jan. 17 or later, Tompkins wrote, and must arrive in the auditor's office by the time polls close on Jan. 28. "I encourage voters to take this into consideration as they make their voting plans," Tompkins wrote. Cournoyer, a Republican from LeClaire, was first elected in 2018 and reelected in 2022. There's still two years left in the term representing the district, which includes Clinton, DeWitt, Camanche, Wheatland, Maquoketa, and Princeton. In Clinton County, where the bulk of the district is located, a new auditor will take office in the new year. Republican David Troester defeated Democrat Eric Van Lancker in the November election. Iowa Senate Democrats, in a statement, called the upcoming special election "a pivotal moment for Eastern Iowa to send a clear message: enough is enough." "This election allows voters to demand bold leadership and real solutions to move Iowa forward. It's about electing a Senator who will fully fund our schools, grow Iowa's middle class, and fight for a fair deal for every family — not just the wealthy few," the statement reads. "While we wait to see who the Democratic nominee will be, the Senate Majority Fund is wasting no time organizing in preparation for this election to move Iowa forward and tackle the challenges Iowa families face head-on." Americans may have elected Donald Trump in November, but that doesn't mean they have high confidence in his ability to choose well-qualified people for his cabinet according to a new AP-NORC poll. Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. FILE - Former Rep. Doug Collins speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at a campaign event at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Oct. 15, 2024, in Atlanta. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Kash Patel spent several years as a Justice Department prosecutor before catching the Trump administration’s attention as a staffer on Capitol Hill who helped investigate the Russia probe. Patel called for dramatically reducing the agency’s footprint, a perspective that sets him apart from earlier directors who sought additional resources for the bureau. Though the Justice Department in 2021 halted the practice of secretly seizing reporters’ phone records during leak investigations, Patel said he intends to aggressively hunt down government officials who leak information to reporters. Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Trump said Atkins, the CEO of Patomak Partners and a former SEC commissioner, was a “proven leader for common sense regulations.” In the years since leaving the SEC, Atkins has made the case against too much market regulation. “He believes in the promise of robust, innovative capital markets that are responsive to the needs of Investors, & that provide capital to make our Economy the best in the World. He also recognizes that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The commission oversees U.S. securities markets and investments and is currently led by Gary Gensler, who has been leading the U.S. government’s crackdown on the crypto industry. Gensler, who was nominated by President Joe Biden, announced last month that he would be stepping down from his post on the day that Trump is inaugurated — Jan. 20, 2025. Atkins began his career as a lawyer and has a long history working in the financial markets sector, both in government and private practice. In the 1990s, he worked on the staffs of two former SEC chairmen, Richard C. Breeden and Arthur Levitt. Jared Isaacman, 41, is a tech billionaire who bought a series of spaceflights from Elon Musk’s SpaceX and conducted the first private spacewalk . He is the founder and CEO of a card-processing company and has collaborated closely with Musk ever since buying his first chartered SpaceX flight. He took contest winners on that 2021 trip and followed it in September with a mission where he briefly popped out the hatch to test SpaceX’s new spacewalking suits. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. President-elect Donald Trump tapped former Sen. David Perdue of Georgia to be ambassador to China, saying in a social media post that the former CEO “brings valuable expertise to help build our relationship with China.” Perdue lost his Senate seat to Democrat Jon Ossoff four years ago and ran unsuccessfully in a primary against Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Perdue pushed Trump's debunked lies about electoral fraud during his failed bid for governor. A Republican congressman from Michigan who served from 1993 to 2011, Hoekstra was ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term. “In my Second Term, Pete will help me once again put AMERICA FIRST,” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice. “He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role.” Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Guilfoyle is a former California prosecutor and television news personality who led the fundraising for Trump's 2020 campaign and became engaged to Don Jr. in 2020. Trump called her “a close friend and ally” and praised her “sharp intellect make her supremely qualified.” Guilfoyle was on stage with the family on election night. “I am so proud of Kimberly. She loves America and she always has wanted to serve the country as an Ambassador. She will be an amazing leader for America First,” Don Jr. posted. The ambassador positions must be approved by the U.S. Senate. Guilfoyle said in a social media post that she was “honored to accept President Trump’s nomination to serve as the next Ambassador to Greece and I look forward to earning the support of the U.S. Senate.” Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump said Wednesday that he will nominate Gen. Keith Kellogg to serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as National Security Advisor to Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence. For the America First Policy Institute, one of several groups formed after Trump left office to help lay the groundwork for the next Republican administration, Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Customs and Border Protection, with its roughly 60,000 employees, falls under the Department of Homeland Security. It includes the Border Patrol, which Rodney Scott led during Trump's first term, and is essentially responsible for protecting the country's borders while facilitating trade and travel. Scott comes to the job firmly from the Border Patrol side of the house. He became an agent in 1992 and spent much of his career in San Diego. When he was appointed head of the border agency in January 2020, he enthusiastically embraced Trump's policies. After being forced out under the Biden administration, Scott has been a vocal supporter of Trump's hard-line immigration agenda. He appeared frequently on Fox News and testified in Congress. He's also a senior fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Former Rep. Billy Long represented Missouri in the U.S. House from 2011 to 2023. Since leaving Congress, Trump said, Long “has worked as a Business and Tax advisor, helping Small Businesses navigate the complexities of complying with the IRS Rules and Regulations.” Former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler was appointed in January 2020 by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and then lost a runoff election a year later. She started a conservative voter registration organization and dived into GOP fundraising, becoming one of the top individual donors and bundlers to Trump’s 2024 comeback campaign. Even before nominating her for agriculture secretary, the president-elect already had tapped Loeffler as co-chair of his inaugural committee. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Trump says he’s picking Kari Lake as director of Voice of America, installing a staunch loyalist who ran unsuccessfully for Arizona governor and a Senate seat to head the congressionally funded broadcaster that provides independent news reporting around the world. Lake endeared herself to Trump through her dogmatic commitment to the falsehood that both she and Trump were the victims of election fraud. She has never acknowledged losing the gubernatorial race and called herself the “lawful governor” in her 2023 book, “Unafraid: Just Getting Started.” Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. James Blair, deputy chief of staff Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Marty Makary, Food and Drug Administration Makary is a Johns Hopkins surgeon and author who argued against pandemic lockdowns. He routinely appeared on Fox News during the COVID-19 pandemic and wrote opinion articles questioning masks for children. He cast doubt on vaccine mandates but supported vaccines generally. Makary also cast doubt on whether booster shots worked, which was against federal recommendations on the vaccine. Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, Surgeon General Nesheiwat is a general practitioner who serves as medical director for CityMD, a network of urgent care centers in New York and New Jersey. She has been a contributor to Fox News. Dr. Dave Weldon, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Weldon is a former Florida congressman who recently ran for a Florida state legislative seat and lost; Trump backed Weldon’s opponent. In Congress, Weldon weighed in on one of the nation’s most heated debates of the 1990s over quality of life and a right-to-die and whether Terri Schiavo, who was in a persistent vegetative state after cardiac arrest, should have been allowed to have her feeding tube removed. He sided with the parents who did not want it removed. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Ron Johnson, Ambassador to Mexico Johnson — not the Republican senator — served as ambassador to El Salvador during Trump's first administration. His nomination comes as the president-elect has been threatening tariffs on Mexican imports and the mass deportation of migrants who have arrived to the U.S.-Mexico border. Johnson is also a former U.S. Army veteran and was in the Central Intelligence Agency. Tom Barrack, Ambassador to Turkey Barrack, a wealthy financier, met Trump in the 1980s while helping negotiate Trump’s purchase of the renowned Plaza Hotel. He was charged with using his personal access to the former president to secretly promote the interests of the United Arab Emirates, but was acquitted of all counts at a federal trial in 2022. Trump called him a “well-respected and experienced voice of reason.” Andrew Ferguson, Federal Trade Commission Ferguson, who is already one of the FTC's five commissioners, will replace Lina Khan, who became a lightning rod for Wall Street and Silicon Valley by blocking billions of dollars worth of corporate acquisitions and suing Amazon and Meta while alleging anticompetitive behavior. “Andrew has a proven record of standing up to Big Tech censorship, and protecting Freedom of Speech in our Great Country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding, “Andrew will be the most America First, and pro-innovation FTC Chair in our Country’s History.” Jacob Helberg, undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment Dan Bishop, deputy director for budget at the Office of Budget and Management Leandro Rizzuto, Ambassador to the Washington-based Organization of American States Dan Newlin, Ambassador to Colombia Peter Lamelas, Ambassador to Argentina Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Davenport, Scott County, local politics {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.Subscribe to our newsletter Privacy Policy Success! Your account was created and you’re signed in. Please visit My Account to verify and manage your account. An account was already registered with this email. Please check your inbox for an authentication link. Support Independent Arts Journalism As an independent publication, we rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. If you value our coverage and want to support more of it, consider becoming a member today . Already a member? Sign in here. We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. If you value our coverage and want to support more of it, please join us as a member . This past week, I’ve practically caused a spasm in my eyes from staring at media coverage of the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Now that new developments have slowed following the identification of 26-year-old Luigi Mangione as a suspect in the assassination, meme makers across social media platforms have taken to glorifying the Gen-Z computer science nerd-turned-person of interest in a high-profile American killing. Get the latest art news, reviews and opinions from Hyperallergic. Daily Weekly Opportunities Something about the shooting felt intertwined with my life from the outset — possibly because it occurred not far from buildings where I’ve worked in Midtown Manhattan, or because it was the CEO of the insurance company I receive care through who was killed. The targeted killing was also the first instance of a sensationalized crime I could link my social circles to through social media. When Mangione was charged with the healthcare executive’s murder, I found his Instagram and quickly discovered mutual connections. I turned to his GoodReads account, a platform on which I often share my book reviews, and I casually compared and contrasted our tastes in literature. These are tangential and imagined connections, but a phenomenon arises from the knowledge that the alleged killer is a member of the Gen-Z generation: Young people feel closer to a suspected killer who once occupied their same digital subcultures than they do to the slain executive of a massive corporation. Emerging from that sentiment is a humor that has fascinated the media. The alleged details of the case, including the engravings on the shell casings, monopoly money left behind, the suspect’s purported understanding of post-9/11 surveillance in New York City, his apparent flirting with the desk attendant of a youth hostel, and the get-away electric bike all pointed to someone young, at least by the standards of my circles. As a friend texted in a group chat I’m in: “I just knew I’d have mutuals with this guy once they caught him.” Gen-Z’s shared generational status with Mangione, combined with frustrations over American healthcare insurance practices and widespread desensitization from chronic exposure to violent imagery, including the murder of George Floyd and images of Israel’s war on Gaza, might explain the sardonic online reactions to Thompson’s killing. As of this writing, “Mangione” is the top trending topic on X. Chalked up to “ hate ” by some, the saint-style portraiture, jokes about conjugal visits, fake alibis, jabs at Italian heritage, and comments praising Mangione’s appearance and intelligence barfed up by social media users are an intimate glimpse into how Gen-Z metabolizes the intragenerational suspect of a politicized crime. Almost immediately following Thompson’s murder, X users drew attention to an Anthem Blue Cross policy update that sought to place limits on coverage for anesthesia. Following the online backlash, the provider reversed that policy, yielding a slew of knowing memes. Seemingly devoid of sympathy for the CEO’s death, memes glorifying Mangione alternatively function as symbols of mass solidarity with those who have died as a result of inadequate healthcare access. Thompson’s killing brought healthcare, which was rarely discussed in this year’s presidential debates, briefly into the feeds of millions of Americans. For a brief moment following Thompson’s murder, major media outlets propelled complaints against UnitedHealthcare to the forefront, including a class-action lawsuit accusing the company of using an algorithm that “ systematically den[ies] claims ” of Medicare plan holders. Below are many more examples of social media users’ reactions to the arrest of Luigi Mangione — I’ll let you decide whether they’re cruel or meritorious. We hope you enjoyed this article! Before you keep reading, please consider supporting Hyperallergic ’s journalism during a time when independent, critical reporting is increasingly scarce. Unlike many in the art world, we are not beholden to large corporations or billionaires. Our journalism is funded by readers like you , ensuring integrity and independence in our coverage. We strive to offer trustworthy perspectives on everything from art history to contemporary art. We spotlight artist-led social movements, uncover overlooked stories, and challenge established norms to make art more inclusive and accessible. With your support, we can continue to provide global coverage without the elitism often found in art journalism. If you can, please join us as a member today . Millions rely on Hyperallergic for free, reliable information. By becoming a member, you help keep our journalism free, independent, and accessible to all. Thank you for reading. Share Copied to clipboard Mail Bluesky Threads LinkedIn FacebookGermany to tighten criminal law as people-smuggling ‘action plan’ agreed with UK

AP Business SummaryBrief at 5:20 p.m. EST

None

Santa Ana’s sole independent bookstore LibroMobile may be closing its doors. “In the last six months, our book sales have been incredibly low, and so on top of that, California state arts funding was cut, which means we lost two big grants, like $50,000 worth of funding that we normally get for our programming,” says owner and founder Sarah Rafael García. “We don’t have enough money projected for 2025. Right now, we’re not even sure we’re going to make it to June.” SEE ALSO : Sign up for our free Book Pages newsletter about bestsellers, authors and more García, who works another full-time job that runs through May, has had to cancel LibroMobile’s annual literary festival and events programming and she’s been dipping into her own income to keep the doors open at the store, which has two employees and additional student help. “I have been contributing my own personal funds to keep it going,” she says. “We’re grassroots – I’m not a rich person, you know? I started the bookstore with a $10,000 yearly income, so I always tell people, I know how to survive off of very little money.” She plans to continue doing pop-up sales events and the quarterly open mic night, although the money crunch has affected that event as well. “We cannot pay our headliners. So whatever poet chooses to accept the invite to headline, they’re doing it for free,” she says. The problem, she says, is not enough book buyers. “We won’t be able to maintain a brick and mortar if people don’t buy books,” she says. “If we don’t increase book sales significantly in the next couple months, then in March I’m going to have to probably announce that we’re definitely closing in June.” And while she says she’ll find a way to keep doing pop-ups and other events – she launched LibroMobile with a hand-me-down garden cart that gave the venture its name – “We won’t have a brick and mortar store, which is a really sad thing for our city, as the only independent bookstore in Santa Ana.” No, it’s not the rent García makes one thing clear: Don’t blame her landlords. “We don’t pay market-rate rent. So when people say, ‘Oh, it’s your landlord, they should decrease it.’ That’s not true. They have been 100% supportive. They have not increased our rent because they know we’re in this situation,” she says. “They want to figure out how to make it work.” She says LibroMobile reciprocates by creating community events in English and Spanish at the Bristol Swap Meet to bring people to the food courts as well as by helping to fund the site’s murals with grant money and city support. “We’re more than a bookstore. We’re creating a place for our community where they can explore literature and the arts without having to pay for it,” she says, but adds that there are always costs to cover. “We have to pay a DJ. We have to pay for the equipment. Sometimes we have to rent chairs if we expect a bigger crowd for an event. So all those are additional costs.” But she’s committed to serving the community. “This is home for me ... Santa Ana is where I went to school and keep returning, even though I have nobody left here, other than friends and chosen family, my godparents. But it’s still what I call home.” Her father, Rafael Castillo García, worked for The Orange County Register for 10 years until he died unexpectedly in 1988 at age 36. She recalls how her father – who studied the paper to improve his language skills, attended community college and wrote poems he’d leave on the family refrigerator – would leave the house dressed in crisp slacks and a dress shirt. “He always dressed sharp to go to work, to try to impress us to have better jobs,” says García, who would learn about the physical nature of his work after his death. “I didn’t know he was a labor worker. I had to go empty his locker out, and I found the coveralls.” What’s next? García says she has considered suggestions to start a crowdfunding campaign but ultimately decided against it. “I know I could probably set up a GoFundMe, but where would that take us a year or two from now? We’ll be in the same position. If I don’t cultivate the culture and the tradition in Santa Ana and Orange County, then we’re still not creating sustainability,” she says. “I’m trying to cultivate the want and the need of books, not just holding rent.” So what can local readers do to help? “I want them shopping at the bookstore. [laughs] We go days without someone buying a book sometimes,” she says. “We are the only bookstore in Santa Ana, but not just that. We’re the only bookstore in Orange County that prioritizes Black, Indigenous, and People of Color books, as well as Spanish, multicultural and bilingual books. We have a whole beautiful collection of BIPOC cookbooks – like, who does that, right? – on top of a special collection that prioritizes ethnic studies, gender studies and academic books at affordable prices.” SEE ALSO : Bestsellers, authors, books and more can be found in the Books section García underscores her commitment to keeping prices reasonable – or even free. She stocks a Little Free Library at the Bristol Swap Meet, too. “Maybe that’s why we’re not making enough money. But that’s the whole point of keeping books that are relevant to our community accessible and affordable,” she says. While she says that the store is proudly political, García thinks LibroMobile has something that benefits the entire community. ​”If you don’t like our politics, there’s still plenty of other books you can read in our store,” she says. “We have something for everyone, but we’re also not going to hide our political stances for the sake of capitalism.” For more stories about : Sign up for our free Book Pages newsletter about bestsellers, authors and moreUK, Italy, Japan to develop next-generation fighter jet

Getty Images released its top 100 most powerful news photos of the year. Photos show key moments in the 2024 presidential election and conflicts in the Middle East. Photographers captured the aftermath of natural disasters and phenomena like the solar eclipse. Advertisement Getty Images released a compilation of the most powerful news photos taken by their photographers in 2024. Throughout the year, photojournalists captured the defining images of the biggest news stories related to politics, military conflicts , natural disasters, and other global issues. Advertisement "Regardless of the assignment, Getty Images photographers and videographers produced honest, moving, and gripping images of humanity at its highest and lowest moments and painted a picture of the world in all of its complexity without bias or manipulation, producing a trusted and memorable historic document of 2024," Sandy Ciric, senior director of news photography at Getty Images, told Business Insider. Here are 30 of the best news photos of the year.Germany to tighten criminal law as people-smuggling ‘action plan’ agreed with UK

Inception Growth Acquisition Limited Announces Extension of Business Combination Period

Donald Trump is saving TikTok in US. Is President-elect planning a 'deal of the century'?

Stock Market Insights: Stocks upside potential in 2025If You Invested $1,000 In Solana When Sam Bankman-Fried Was Arrested, Here's How Much You'd Have Today

No crazy buzzer-beater. No last-minute miracle. After so much heartache over so many years, UCLA finally shook off its Gonzaga jinx under coach Mick Cronin on Saturday afternoon at Intuit Dome. It looked like the Bruins might be in store for more misfortune when Sebastian Mack fouled Gonzaga’s Ryan Nembhard on a driving layup with 8.1 seconds left, sending Nembhard to the line for the free throw that could tie the score. But the basketball gods finally smiled upon the Bruins. Nembhard missed the free throw and UCLA’s Skyy Clark chased down the rebound before getting fouled. He made both free throws to give the No. 22 Bruins a breathless 65-62 victory over the No. 14 Bulldogs. It was the first victory over Gonzaga for Cronin at UCLA after having dropped his first four meetings, including a pair of heartbreakers on game-winning shots in the NCAA tournament. A heavily pro-Bruins crowd cheered the team on its way off the court after it shook off its 16-point collapse against North Carolina from last weekend. Forward Eric Dailey Jr. scored 18 points to lead four players in double figures for the Bruins (11-2), who made 12 of 24 three-pointers. Gonzaga (9-4) had multiple chances to forge another late win. Bulldogs guard Dusty Stromer rose for a three-pointer that could have given his team the lead with 17 seconds left, but the shot was off the mark and Clark grabbed the rebound before getting fouled. Clark got both of his free throws to roll in, providing the Bruins with a 63-62 lead. UCLA was the team that needed a little luck this time. Mack redeemed himself — and gave the Bruins a 61-60 advantage with 33 seconds left — when he made a floater as he was fouled. He sank the free throw after having previously missed two on his team’s previous possession. Gonzaga forward Graham Ike was a gamelong problem for the Bruins, scoring in a variety of ways around the basket while finishing with 24 points on 11-for-16 shooting. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs unleashed the sort of harassing defense normally associated with the Bruins, making every UCLA possession a slog. With point guard Dylan Andrews’ slump deepening, the Bruins often struggled to produce good shots — or, in a few cases, any shot while committing a shot-clock violation. Andrews was benched down the stretch in favor of Mack, who made the play his team needed. The halftime score — UCLA 27, Gonzaga 25 — looked like a misprint given the Bruins shot only 29% and committed nine turnovers. The advantage came thanks mostly to UCLA making five of 12 three-pointers (compared to Gonzaga’s two of 11), forcing the Bulldogs into 11 turnovers and grabbing two more rebounds than their counterparts. The Bruins looked like they were headed to a much larger cushion after Clark used a crossover move to free himself for a jumper that capped an 11-0 run for his team, giving UCLA a 24-13 lead. Tensions momentarily rose late in the first half when Gonzaga guard Khalif Battle was assessed a flagrant-2 foul and ejected for clobbering Dailey, the contact prompting Cronin to shed his suit jacket before conversing with officials about the play. The loss of their third-leading scorer seemed to galvanize the Bulldogs the rest of the first half. They went on to hold UCLA scoreless for more than four minutes while rolling off a 9-0 push that wiped out most of the Bruins’ big lead. UCLA played without center William Kyle III, who was sidelined by an unspecified medical issue, according to a team spokesperson. This story originally appeared in .HACKENSACK, N.J. — Fairleigh Dickinson University rode a balanced scoring attack and a strong rebounding effort to a 66-48 win over the University of Maine women’s basketball team in the FDU Christmas Classic tournament on Saturday afternoon. Ava Renninger scored 14 points and Teneisia Brown added 13 points and 15 rebounds to power the Knights, who improved to 9-3 on the season. Abaigeal Babore added 11 points for FDU. Asta Blauenfeldt and Caroline Dotsey each finished in double-figures for the Black Bears, who fell to 4-8 on the season. Blauenfeldt, who stretched her double-digit scoring streak to four, registered a game-high 19 points on 7-of-8 shooting with three triples while Dotsey added 18 points. Maine finished the contest 18-of-49 from the field, 6-of-20 from three-point range, with six steals. The Black Bears lost the rebounding battle 44-25 as the Knights held a 20-2 advantage in second chance points. Maine jumped out to a 5-1 advantage early but FDU ended the first quarter with a 16-0 run to carry a 17-5 advantage into the second. The Black Bears rebounded to start the second quarter, putting together a 7-0 run to begin the stanza. Dotsey aided the sprint with five points, sandwiched by a Blauenfeldt layup, to cut the deficit to five. FDU again responded, this time with a 14-0 run, to push the lead out to 37-20 at the break. Maine was unable to cut the deficit under 15 points in the second half. The Black Bears conclude the FDU Christmas Classic when they take on Coppin State on Sunday at 1 p.m. More articles from the BDNSrinagar, Dec 28: In order to take stock of the ground situation in the wake of incessant snowfall in the District, the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Srinagar, Dr Bilal Mohi-Ud-Din Bhat today morning toured various areas of the Srinagar City to inspect snow-clearance operations and take first-hand appraisal about functioning of essential supplies. The DC visited various areas of the City including Lal Chowk, Ghanta Ghar, Residency Road, Polo-view, Rajbagh, Jawahar Nagar, Gogjibagh, Rambagh, Barzulla, Hyderpora, Bemina and other adjoining areas, and took stock of the ongoing snow clearance measures. During the tour, the DC took onsite inspection of the ongoing snow clearance measures and stressed the Officers and officials to ensure that snow is cleared from all main roads to pave ways for smooth vehicular movement, particularly of ambulances ferrying patients. He also stressed on prioritising snow clearance on roads leading to vital installations including hospitals ensuring unhindered access for medical emergencies, as well as facilitating the smooth flow of essential services amidst the challenging weather conditions. The DC also laid emphasis on snow clearance from inner lanes and by-lanes to make sure people do not face any inconvenience. He underscored the importance of making other necessary facilities available to residents to minimize the impact of severe weather events on the people. Dr Bilal stressed on ensuring free Ambulance movement enroute all City Hospitals and emphasised on snow clearance from remote Srinagar areas like Harwan, Dara, Fakir Gujri, Khanmoh, Balhama, Soiteng, Panzinara, etc. During the visit, the DC was accompanied by Officers of R&B, MED, SMC, PDD, PHE and other line Departments.C$ unless otherwise stated TSX/NYSE/PSE: MFC SEHK: 945 TORONTO , Dec. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Manulife has been notified of an unsolicited mini-tender offer made by New York Stock and Bond LLC (New York Stock and Bond) to purchase up to 50,000 Manulife common shares, or less than 0.003% of the common shares outstanding, at a price of USD$12.50 per share. Manulife is in no way associated with New York Stock and Bond and does not recommend or endorse acceptance of this unsolicited offer. Manulife cautions shareholders that the mini-tender offer has been made at a price below the current market price for Manulife shares. The offer represents a discount of approximately 60.76% and 60.80%, respectively, below the closing prices of Manulife common shares on the TSX and NYSE on November 27, 2024 , the last trading day before the mini-tender offer was commenced, and a discount of 61.43% and 61.42%, respectively, below the closing prices on the TSX and NYSE on December 6, 2024 . Mini-tender offers are designed to seek less than 5% of a company's outstanding shares, avoiding disclosure and procedural requirements applicable to most bids under Canadian and U.S. securities regulations. The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have expressed serious concerns about mini-tender offers, including the possibility that investors might tender to such offers without understanding the offer price relative to the actual market price of their securities. The SEC states that "bidders make mini-tender offers at below-market prices, hoping that they will catch investors off guard if the investors do not compare the offer price to the current market price." Shareholders should carefully review the New York Stock and Bond offer documents and current market price for Manulife shares, and consult their investment advisors regarding any offer they may receive and review with their advisors all options for their investment in Manulife shares. Manulife has stock transfer agents providing shareholder services in Canada , the United States , Hong Kong and the Philippines . These local agents provide services directly to our registered shareholders and can provide information on share account management, direct deposit of dividends, dividend reinvestment and share purchase plans. Please email manulifeinquiries@tmx.com for more information. Manulife requests that a copy of this news release be included in any distribution of materials relating to New York Stock and Bond's mini-tender offer for Manulife common shares. About Manulife Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, helping people make their decisions easier and lives better. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada , we provide financial advice and insurance, operating as Manulife across Canada , Asia , and Europe , and primarily as John Hancock in the United States . Through Manulife Investment Management, the global brand for our Global Wealth and Asset Management segment, we serve individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. At the end of 2023, we had more than 38,000 employees, over 98,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving over 35 million customers. We trade as 'MFC' on the Toronto , New York , and the Philippine stock exchanges, and under '945' in Hong Kong. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulife.com . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/manulife-cautions-investors-regarding-new-york-stock-and-bond-llc-offer-for-shares-302326646.html SOURCE Manulife Financial Corporation