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Money manager Betashares plans Asian expansion after blockbuster yearNEW YORK (AP) — He's making threats, traveling abroad and negotiating with world leaders. Donald Trump has more than a month and a half to go before he's sworn in for a second term. But the Republican president-elect is already moving aggressively not just to fill his Cabinet and outline policy goals, but to achieve those priorities . Trump has threatened to impose a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico, prompting emergency calls and a visit from Canada's prime minister that resulted in what Trump claimed were commitments from both U.S. allies on new border security measures. The incoming president has warned there will be “ALL HELL TO PAY" if, before his inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025, Hamas does not release the hostages being held in Gaza . He has threatened to block the purchase of U.S. Steel by a Japanese company, warning "Buyer Beware!!!” And this weekend, Trump was returning to the global stage, joining a host of other foreign leaders for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral five years after it was ravaged by a fire. On Saturday, he met with French President Emmanuel Macron — joined at the last minute by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — and had plans to see Britain's Prince William also in Paris. Absent in Paris: lame duck President Joe Biden, who has largely disappeared from headlines, except when he issued a pardon of his son , Hunter, who was facing sentencing for gun crimes and tax evasion. First lady Jill Biden is attending in his place. “I think you have seen more happen in the last two weeks than you’ve seen in the last four years. And we’re not even there yet,” Trump said in an over-the-top boast at an awards ceremony Thursday night . For all of Trump's bold talk, though, it is unclear how many of his efforts will bear fruit. The pre-inauguration threats and deal-making are highly unusual, like so much of what Trump does, said Julian Zelizer, a political historian at Princeton University. “Transitions are always a little complicated in this way. Even though we talk about one president at a time," he said, “the reality is one president plus. And that plus can act assertively sometimes." Zelizer said that is particularly true of Trump, who was president previously and already has relationships with many foreign leaders such as Macron, who invited both Trump and Biden to Paris this weekend as part of the Notre Dame celebration. “Right now he’s sort of governing even though he’s not the president yet. He’s having these public meetings with foreign leaders, which aren't simply introductions. He's staking out policy and negotiating things from drug trafficking to tariffs," Zelizer said. Trump already has met with several foreign leaders, in addition to a long list of calls. He hosted Argentinian President Javier Milei in Florida at his Mar-a-Lago club in November. After the tariff threat, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made a pilgrimage to Mar-a-Lago for a three-hour dinner meeting. Canadian officials later said the country is ready to make new investments in border security, with plans for more helicopters, drones and law enforcement officers. Last Sunday, Trump dined with Sara Netanyahu, wife of the Israeli prime minister. Incoming Trump aides have also been meeting with their future foreign counterparts. On Wednesday, several members of Trump's team, including incoming national security adviser Mike Waltz, met with Andriy Yermak, a top aide to Zelenskyy, in Washington, as Ukraine tries to win support for its ongoing efforts to defend itself from Russian invasion, according to a person familiar with the meeting. Yermak also met with Trump officials in Florida, he wrote on X . That comes after Trump's incoming Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, traveled to Qatar and Israel for high-level talks about a cease-fire and hostage deal in Gaza, according to a U.S familiar with the efforts, meeting with the prime ministers of both countries. There is no prohibition on incoming officials or nominees meeting with foreign officials, and it is common and fine for them to do so — unless those meetings are designed to subvert or otherwise impact current U.S. policy. Trump aides were said to be especially cognizant of potential conflicts given their experience in 2016, when interactions between Trump allies and Russian officials came under scrutiny. That included a phone call in which Trump's incoming national security adviser, Michael Flynn, discussed new sanctions with Russia’s ambassador to the United States, suggesting things would improve after Trump became president. Flynn was later charged with lying to the FBI about the conversation. Trump’s incoming press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that, “All transition officials have followed applicable laws in their interactions with foreign nationals.” She added: “World leaders recognize that President Trump is returning to power and will lead with strength to put the best interests of the United States of America first again. That is why many foreign leaders and officials have reached out to correspond with President Trump and his incoming team.” Such efforts can nonetheless cause complications. If, say, Biden is having productive conversations on a thorny foreign policy issue and Trump weighs in, that could make it harder for Biden “because people are hearing two different voices” that may be in conflict, Zelizer said. Leaders like Russia's Vladimir Putin and Netanyahu may also anticipate a more favorable incoming administration and wait Biden out, hoping for more a better deal. It also remains unclear how extensively the Biden administration has been kept apprised of Trump transition efforts. Although there is no requirement that an incoming administration coordinate calls and meetings with foreign officials with the State Department or National Security Council, that has long been considered standard practice. That is, in part, because transition teams, particularly in their early days and weeks, do not always have the latest information about the state of relations with foreign nations and may not have the resources, including interpretation and logistical ability, to handle such meetings efficiently. Still, the Biden and Trump teams have been talking, particularly on the Middle East, with the incoming and outgoing administrations having agreed to work together on efforts to free hostages who remain in held in Gaza, according to a U.S. official, who, like others, was not authorized to comment publicly about the sensitive talks and spoke on condition of anonymity. That includes conversations between Witkoff and Biden’s foreign policy team as well as Waltz and Biden national security adviser Jake Sullivan. Last month, Biden administration officials said they had kept Trump’s team closely apprised of efforts to broker a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah on the Israel-Lebanon border. “I just want to be clear to all of our adversaries, they can’t play the incoming Trump administration off of the Biden administration. I’m regularly talking to the Biden people. And so, this is not a moment of opportunity or wedges for them," Waltz said Friday in a Fox Business interview. But when it comes to immigration, Biden administration officials haven’t been entirely in the loop on discussions around how to execute on Trump’s pledge to deport millions of migrants, according to four administration officials with knowledge of the transition who spoke on condition of anonymity. That’s not terribly surprising given how differently the teams view migration. Trump’s team, meanwhile, is already claiming credit for everything from gains in the stock and cryptocurrency markets to a decision by Walmart to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion policies Trump opposes. “Promises Kept — And President Trump Hasn’t Even Been Inaugurated Yet,” read one press release that claimed, in part, that both Canada and Mexico have already pledged "immediate action” to help “stem the flow of illegal immigration, human trafficking, and deadly drugs entering the United States." Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has stopped short of saying Trump mischaracterized their call in late November. But she said Friday that Trump “has his own way of communicating, like when we had the phone call and he wrote that we were going to close the border. That was never talked about in the phone call.” Earlier this week, Mexico carried out what it claimed was its largest seizure of fentanyl pills ever. Seizures over the summer had been as little as 50 grams per week, and after the Trump call, they seized more than a ton. Security analyst David Saucedo said that "under the pressure by Donald Trump, it appears President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration is willing to increase the capture of drug traffickers and drug seizures that Washington is demanding.” Biden, too, tried to take credit for the seizure in a statement Friday night. ___ Associated Press writers Matthew Lee, Aamer Madhani, Colleen Long and Ellen Knickmeyer in Washington and Mark Stevenson in Mexico City contributed to this report.

Senator representing Plateau South Senatorial District and leader of the APC in Plateau State Barr. Simon Bako Lalong has felicitated with Secretary to the Government of President Federation Senator George Akume on his 71st birthday. Lalong in a congratulatory message on behalf of himself and the Plateau APC Family issued on Friday by his Special Adviser on Media Dr. Makut Simon Macham said the Secretary to Government of the Federation has continued to provide purposeful leadership support in executing the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He said the former Benue State Governor and one-time Federal legislator has been an advocate for good governance, accountability, transparency and development throughout his political career. Senator Lalong added that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation has given the Tinubu Administration stability through steering the bureaucracy of governance and making sure that there is smooth synergy between various arms of Government as well as proper coordination among Ministries, Departments and Agencies. He particularly acknowledged the support, collaboration and goodwill the SGF has extended towards the APC family in Plateau State in his personal and official capacities. Lalong while wishing him many more years of God’s blessings, divine health and protection, urged him to continue to serve the nation with patriotism, diligence and excellence as he has been doing over the years.

WASHINGTON >> Donald Trump has urged the U.S. Supreme Court to pause a federal TikTok law that would ban the popular social media app or force its sale, with the President-elect arguing that he should have time after taking office to pursue a “political resolution” to the issue. TikTok and its owner ByteDance are fighting to keep the popular app online in the United States after Congress voted in April to ban it unless the app’s Chinese parent company sells it by Jan. 19. They have sought to have the law struck down, and the Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case. But if the court does not rule in ByteDance’s favor and no divestment occurs, the app could be effectively banned in the United States on Jan. 19, one day before Trump takes office. “This case presents an unprecedented, novel, and difficult tension between free-speech rights on one side, and foreign policy and national security concerns on the other,” Trump said in a filing today. “Such a stay would vitally grant President Trump the opportunity to pursue a political resolution that could obviate the Court’s need to decide these constitutionally significant questions,” the filing added. Free speech advocates separately told the Supreme Court today that the U.S. law against Chinese-owned TikTok evokes the censorship regimes put in place by the United States’ authoritarian enemies. Trump indicated earlier this week that he favored allowing TikTok to keep operating in the United States for at least a little while, saying he had received billions of views on the social media platform during his presidential campaign. The U.S. Justice Department has argued that Chinese control of TikTok poses a continuing threat to national security, a position supported by most U.S. lawmakers. TikTok says the Justice Department has misstated the social media app’s ties to China, arguing that its content recommendation engine and user data are stored in the United States on cloud servers operated by Oracle Corp while content moderation decisions that affect U.S. users are made in the United States as well.

Tyler Herro scores 27 before ejection in Heat's 104-100 win over Houston RocketsSyrian government forces withdraw from central city of Homs as insurgent offensive accelerates BEIRUT (AP) — A Syrian opposition war monitor and a pro-government media outlet say government forces have withdrawn from much of the central city of Homs. The pro-government Sham FM reported that government forces took positions outside Syria’s third-largest city, without elaborating. Rami Abdurrahman who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Syrian troops and members of different security agencies have withdrawn from the city, adding that rebels have entered parts of it. Losing Homs is a potentially crippling blow for Syria’s embattled leader, Bashar Assad. An archbishop's knock formally restores Notre Dame to life as winds howl and heads of state look on PARIS (AP) — France’s iconic Notre Dame Cathedral has formally reopened its doors for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark in 2019. The five-year restoration is widely seen as a boost for French President Emmanuel Macron, who championed the ambitious timeline, and brings a welcome respite from his domestic political woes. World leaders, dignitaries, and worshippers gathered on Saturday evening for the celebrations under the cathedral's soaring arches. The celebration was attended by 1,500 dignitaries, including President-elect Donald Trump, Britain’s Prince William, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. For Catholics, Notre Dame’s rector said the cathedral “carries the enveloping presence of the Virgin Mary, a maternal and embracing presence.′′ Trump is welcomed by Macron to Paris with presidential pomp and joined by Zelenskyy for their talks PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron has welcomed Donald Trump to Paris with a full dose of presidential pomp. And they held a hastically-arranged meeting with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy on a day that's mixing pageantry with attention to pressing global problems. The president-elect's visit to France is part of a global a celebration of the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral five years after a devastating fire. Macron and other European leaders are trying to win Trump’s favor and persuade him to maintain support for Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s invasion. Trump isn't back in office but he's already pushing his agenda and negotiating with world leaders NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump is making threats, traveling abroad, and negotiating with world leaders. He has more than a month-and-a-half to go before he’s sworn in for a second term. But the president-elect is already moving aggressively to not only fill his Cabinet and outline policy goals, but also to try to achieve his priorities. In recent days, Trump has threatened to impose a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico, two of the country’s largest trading partners. That led to emergency calls and a visit. And he's warned of “ALL HELL TO PAY” if Hamas doesn't release the hostages still being held captive in Gaza. South Korea's president avoids an impeachment attempt over short-lived martial law SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s embattled President Yoon Suk Yeol has avoided an opposition-led attempt to impeach him over his short-lived imposition of martial law. Most of Yoon's ruling party lawmakers boycotted a parliamentary vote Saturday to deny a two-thirds majority needed to suspend his presidential powers. The scrapping of the motion is expected to intensify protests calling for Yoon’s ouster and deepen political chaos in South Korea. A survey suggests a majority of South Koreans support the president’s impeachment. Yoon’s martial law declaration drew criticism from his own ruling conservative People Power Party. But the party also apparently fears losing the presidency to liberals. Days after gunman killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO, police push to ID him and FBI offers reward NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly four days after the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, police still do not know the gunman’s name or whereabouts or have a motive for the killing. But they have made some progress in their investigation into Wednesday's killing of the leader of the largest U.S. health insurer, including that the gunman likely left New York City on a bus soon after fleeing the scene. The also found that the gunman left something behind: a backpack that was discovered in Central Park. Police are working with the FBI, which on Friday night announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. UnitedHealthcare CEO's shooting opens a door for many to vent frustrations over insurance The fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare's CEO has opened the door for many people to vent their frustrations and anger over the insurance industry. The feelings of exasperation, anger, resentment, and helplessness toward insurers aren’t new. But the shooting and the headlines around it have unleashed a new wave of patients sharing such sentiments and personal stories of interactions with insurance companies. Conversations at dinner tables, office water coolers, social gatherings and on social media have pivoted to the topic. Many say they hope the new amplified voices can bring about change for companies often accused of valuing profits over people. 2 Pearl Harbor survivors, ages 104 and 102, return to Hawaii to honor those killed in 1941 attack PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (AP) — The bombing of Pearl Harbor 83 years ago launched the United States into World War II. Two survivors returned to the Hawaii military base on Saturday for a remembrance ceremony on the attack's anniversary. Both are over 100 years old. They joined active-duty troops, veterans and members of the public for an observance hosted by the Navy and the National Park Service. A third survivor was planning to join them but had to cancel due to health issues. The bombing killed more than 2,300 U.S. servicemen. An explosion destroys an apartment block in a Dutch city, killing at least 3 and injuring others THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — An explosion and fire has rocked a neighborhood in the Dutch city of The Hague, killing three people and injuring other people and destroying several apartments. The cause of the disaster is unclear. Emergency authorities said four people were rescued from the rubble and taken to the hospital. The mayor said rescuers were no longer looking for survivors but for eventual bodies, but could not specify how many people might still be unaccounted for. Residents of the northeastern neighborhood of Mariahoeve in The Hague heard a huge bang and screams before dawn. Dutch authorities have deployed a specialized urban search and rescue team to find victims. How 'Mufasa' rose with Aaron Pierre and Blue Ivy's voices along with new Lin-Manuel Miranda music SAN DIEGO (AP) — When Aaron Pierre was cast as Mufasa, the weight of following in the late James Earl Jones’ legendary footsteps was enough to rattle any actor. But instead of letting the pressure roar too loudly, he harnessed his nerves to breathe fresh life into his young lion character. Pierre found parallels between himself and his character while filming his leading role in “Mufasa: The Lion King,” which opens in theaters Dec. 20. He took the reigns as the new voice of Mufasa after Jones played the iconic King Mufasa in both the 1994 and 2019 versions of Disney’s “The Lion King.” The prequel offers a fresh exploration into Mufasa’s origin story.

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EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — JuJu Watkins scored 21 points to lead No. 6 Southern California to a 66-53 win over Oregon in the Big Ten opener for both teams on Saturday. Watkins was 6 for 15 from the field, including 3 of 9 on 3-pointers, in 28 minutes before fouling out. Kiki Iriafen added 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Trojans (8-1, 1-0 Big Ten). Deja Kelly scored 16 points and Peyton Scott added 13 to lead the Ducks (7-3, 0-1). Oregon led 13-12 after the first quarter, but USC scored the first 18 points of the second quarter and never trailed again. The Trojans built the lead to 40-19 at halftime with 15 points from Watkins. Scott opened the third quarter with four straight points, but USC scored five straight points right after and kept the lead in double digits the rest of the way. USC: The Trojans won their fourth straight since a loss to No. 10 Notre Dame. USC returns to nonconference play over the next three weeks, including a trip to No. 2 UConn. Oregon: The Ducks started the season 6-0 and moved up to No. 23 in the AP poll but have now lost three of four games. Kelly scored to put Oregon up 13-12 early, but USC held the Ducks scoreless for more than five minutes to start the second quarter while scoring 18 straight points. Watkins had a seven-point run of her own within that span. USC outrebounded Oregon 45-31, including 34 defensive rebounds. The Trojans are averaging nearly 12 more rebounds per game than their opponents on the season. USC hosts Fresno State on Tuesday night, and Oregon hosts Air Force on Dec. 17. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketballBIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — Aston Villa says it has failed in an attempt to have Jhon Duran’s red card at Newcastle overturned on appeal. The 21-year-old Colombia international was sent off 32 minutes into a 3-0 defeat in the Premier League at St. James’ Park on Thursday after appearing to stamp on defender Fabian Schar, prompting a furious reaction from Villa head coach Unai Emery, who later indicated that the club would appeal. However, Villa said Friday night that its bid was unsuccessful and the forward will now serve a three-match ban for violent conduct. “Aston Villa can confirm that our decision to appeal Jhon Duran’s red card in our match with Newcastle United has been rejected," a statement on read. "The player will now miss our next three matches.” Duran will miss Premier League games against Brighton and Leicester, followed by Villa's FA Cup third-round match with West Ham on Jan. 10. AP soccer:PDP, led by Tiong (fourth right), in a group photo with new party comrades – Wong (third left), Rayong (right) and Baru (second right) – during the DUN Sarawak sitting in May 2024. ON April 6 at a hotel in Sibu, Bawang Assan assemblyman Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh and other leaders of the now-defunct Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) officially joined a Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) component, Progressive Democratic Party (PDP). With the inclusion of Wong, Engkilili assemblyman Dr Johnical Rayong and Ba Kelalan assemblyman Baru Bian, PDP now has a strength of eight assemblymen within the party. Wong, formerly PSB president, was appointed as PDP new senior vice-president, while Rayong and Baru were appointed as vice-presidents in their new party. Their admission into PDP came nine months after a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed in Kuala Lumpur for both sides to collaborate. Wong had, during the PDP Unity Dinner on April 6, said that PSB as an opposition party “has now become history.” He revealed that the approval letter for the party’s dissolution was received from the Registrar of Societies (RoS) on March 19. He also had said former PSB members were “happy to have chosen a new home, and happy with the decision to (join) PDP.” “Judging from the political situation in our country, we need strong governments at both the federal and state levels. “We therefore have decided to support the federal Madani Government under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, and the ‘People’s First’ state government under Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg,” Wong said at the time. PDP president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing had said that the entry of the leaders and members of now-dissolved PSB into PDP heralded “a new chapter of shared goals and stronger Sarawakian brotherhood.” He also thanked GPS leaders for their blessings and invaluable support of the PDP-PSB alliance. However, not everyone in GPS seemed too happy with this development. Clashes over two state seats, namely Bawang Assan and Engkilili, can be expected as these are the traditional seats contested by Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), the state’s oldest political party and another component of GPS. Abang Johari, also GPS chairman, had said that the matter on which party got to contest would be discussed “when the election is approaching.” Nevertheless, the admission of these three former PSB members to PDP has enabled them to officiate at government events and hand over government grants to recipients in their respective constituencies. Meanwhile, Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How, who became independent after quitting PSB in 2022, has been closely linked with SUPP, having been seen attending events with SUPP leaders. The speculation became intense after See was seen joining SUPP legislators in a meeting with Abang Johari at the State Legislative Assembly Complex in November. SUPP president, Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian, has however brushed off rumours that See might soon join the party, since no application has been received. Batu Lintang is a traditional seat contested by SUPP. It was first won by See in 2016 on a Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) ticket, and he successfully defended the seat for two more terms, including in 2021 as a PSB candidate. The presence of See (standing, third left) with SUPP leaders, seen here during a meeting with Abang Johari (seated centre) at the State Legislative Assembly Complex in November, has fuelled talks that he may soon join the party. Another seat clash with PDP is expected for Batu Lintang following Wong’s remarks about the party eyeing to reclaim the seat since PSB had invested significant resources and efforts to secure it in 2021. Wong also said that historically, Batu Lintang has not been a stronghold for SUPP. Meanwhile, GPS lynchpin Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) will hold its 16th General Assembly in late January or early February next year. As such, all the 82 PBB branches have been holding their respective general meetings to elect their respective branch leaders, and to come up with resolutions for presentation at the PBB Convention. All those branches that have held their meetings so far, have come up with the same resolution for Abang Johari to be retained unopposed as PBB president in order to continue as GPS president and Premier of Sarawak. Meanwhile, Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak has continued with its stance of being the opposition at the state level, despite working together with GPS in the Unity Government headed by PM Anwar. DAP Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen, as Padungan assemblyman, is only one of two DAP state elected representatives in Sarawak – the other being Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong. Chong, also Stampin MP, had stated his view that GPS having command of 80 out of the 82 state seats was “not good for democracy in Sarawak, and surely is not in the interest of the common people of Sarawak.” Elsewhere, Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras) is aiming for inclusion in Barisan Nasional (BN) following its rebranding. There is currently no BN component party in Sarawak, after the four components formerly under BN Sarawak left the coalition after the 2018 general election to form GPS.