
WASHINGTON — Linda McMahon once claimed an unearned education degree from East Carolina University. Now she is nominated to lead President-elect Donald Trump’s Department of Education. Trump announced Tuesday that McMahon, best known as a founder of World Wrestling Entertainment, is nominated to be the next education secretary. She is his first nominee to have served in his previous administration. “It is my great honor to announce that Linda McMahon, former Administrator of the Small Business Administration, will be the United States Secretary of Education,” Trump wrote in a news release. McMahon now must wait for the Senate to confirm her nomination. North Carolina roots McMahon grew up in New Bern. Her parents worked 30 minutes away at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, and she attended the nearby Havelock High School. It was during high school that she met her now-estranged husband and business partner, Vince McMahon. Together they attended East Carolina University where, in 1969, she earned a degree in French. After college, they moved away from the Tar Heel State. But in 2010, McMahon’s ties to North Carolina would be noted in a story by the Hartford Courant, which reported that she received a position on the Connecticut Board of Education after wrongfully claiming to then-Gov. M. Jodi Rell that she graduated from ECU with an education degree. In response to the allegations, McMahon told the Courant, “she first thought she had been right, because she did a semester of student-teaching, and after state testing, emerged with the certificate to teach — although she never did,” the Courant reported. Education background Her college degree was one of several misleading statements the newspaper reported McMahon had made on her application. McMahon’s opponents had argued her connection to WWE, and its violent, sexual and vulgar content, sent the wrong kind of message. They also criticized her lack of experience in education, though supporters saw that as a win. She still faces that criticism as Trump’s nominee. McMahon’s resume also includes serving on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Despite the opposition, and news of her misidentified degree breaking in the Stamford Advocate a month before her confirmation hearing, the Connecticut legislature approved Rell’s nomination of McMahon. She would serve on the board for around a year. McMahon took to social media Thursday following the news that Rell died suddenly at 78. “Her dedication and approach to public service is the gold standard to which we all should aspire to,” McMahon wrote. “I was honored to have her appoint me to serve on the CT State Board of Education and so enjoyed working with her.” When McMahon resigned from Connecticut’s board in 2010, she told the Courant it didn’t have to do with their pending story. She said it was instead because of the board’s rules wouldn’t allow her to raise money for her Senate campaign while serving. She would go on to lose two separate Senate campaigns. Political work But McMahon never walked away from politics. She became a major donor and fundraiser for Republicans. During Trump’s 2024 campaign, she donated more than $20 million to the former and future president, NBC News reported. McMahon supported Trump from the beginning of his political career and it paid off for her when he nominated her to lead the Small Business Administration. After three years, McMahon resigned to lead America First Action, a Trump super-PAC. She chairs the America First Policy Institute board. Trump’s news release about her most recent nomination credits her for working on parents’ rights and universal school choice policy at the institute. She also serves as co-chair of Trump’s transition team. Education’s future McMahon is one of several of Trump’s nominees who could face a tough nomination process. For McMahon, she’s accused of allowing one of her employees to use his position to sexually abuse five teenagers 15 and under The accusation is part of a lawsuit filed anonymously by former teenage employees. If McMahon clears the Senate nomination, she faces a different hurdle. It’s unclear how long her position might even exist. And once again, that might be left up to Congress to decide. One of Trump’s constant campaign promises was to shutter the Department of Education. However, that’s a promise Trump can’t keep without congressional approval.
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Liverpool head coach Arne Slot speaks after the UEFA Champions League clash with Real Madrid at Anfield Arne Slot is adamant Liverpool will be able to cope after they suffered a potential double injury blow ahead of Sunday’s Premier League showdown against Manchester City. Conor Bradley and Ibrahima Konate both sustained knocks during the closing stages of the Reds’ impressive 2-0 Champions League win over European champions Real Madrid at Anfield on Wednesday evening. Bradley, who assisted the opener for Alexis Mac Allister, was forced off with a few minutes remaining with what appeared a hamstring injury. Konate, meanwhile, took a heavy knock to his leg in a challenge by Real Madrid substitute Endrick in the last action of the match and required lengthy treatment after the final whistle before limping off. Liverpool were already without Alisson Becker, Diogo Jota, Kostas Tsimikas and Federico Chiesa, while Trent Alexander-Arnold remained on the bench having not been deemed fit enough to start. Slot’s side are in the midst of an intense run of fixtures, with the visit of City on Sunday the first of three games in a week where they also visit Newcastle United before the Merseyside derby against Everton . And when asked if he knew more about the injuries to Bradley and Konate, Slot said: “No, not yet. I know where they have pain, but how bad or how good it is difficult to judge so close after the game. “But this is what happens during the season. We missed Jota today, we missed Alisson today, we missed Kostas today, Trent couldn’t play from the start. This happens. “I’m really hoping both of them are available to play because we want them all available, but if not someone else has to step up and until now this season everybody I’ve selected to start has shown up. “That’s also what is going to happen on Sunday if they can play, and if they can’t play then other ones will start.”
I'M A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! fans have blasted hosts Ant and Dec following Tulisa's tricky Bushtucker Trial. Tulisa, 36, was picked by the public to take part in the latest trial and found herself spinning around a giant clock face as critters fell on her. To win stars, the N-Dubz star had to answer a string of general knowledge questions that each required 12 correct answers. As Shock Around The Clock got underway, Tulisa was asked to name all 12 of her campmates. Tulisa failed after forgetting Coleen Rooney and Melvin Odoom. But as the trial continued, Ant and Dec began shouting out hints and clues to help her. When quizzed with naming 12 elements from the periodic table, Dec shouted: "Think of metals! What about a balloon that floats away?" Tulisa correctly answered 'helium', as Dec continued: "How do you take the creases out of your clothes?" This led to Tulisa correctly answering "iron". She also named "fluoride" after being given a hint about toothpaste. Ant and Dec carried on helping Tulisa as the Bushtucker Trial went on. When admitting she did not know the phonetic alphabet, Ant suggested: "When you get pulled over by the police..." Giving away "golf", Dec asked: "Sport; when you use clubs and a ball." Ant gave her the answer "November" by simply saying: "This month." The pair even helped Tulisa name one of 12 American States by asking: "What does the K stand for in Fried Chicken?" Tulisa replied: "Kentucky." Fans were furious by the scenes, as they felt it wasn't fair for Ant and Dec to step in and help Tulisa so much. Complaining to X, formerly known as Twitter, one wrote: "Why are Ant and Dec trying to help Tulisa?!" Another added: "Who's answering the questions in this trial Ant and Dec or Tulisa?" A third said: "Ant and Dec definitely like Tulisa, so much help this trial." And someone else chimed in: "These trials are hard bloody work to watch this year!" But despite Ant and Dec's help, Tulisa only managed to walk away with five meal stars for camp. i'm A Celebrity is back for its 24th series, with a batch of famous faces living in the Aussie jungle. The Sun's Jake Penkethman takes a look at the stars on the show this year.. Coleen Rooney - Arguably the most famous name in the camp, the leading WAG, known for her marriage to Wayne Rooney , has made a grand return to TV as she looks to put the Wagatha Christie scandal behind her. The Sun revealed the mum-of-four had bagged an eye-watering deal worth over £1.5million to be on the show this year making her the highest-paid contestant ever. Tulisa - The popstar and former X Factor judge has made her triumphant TV comeback by signing up to this year's I'm A Celeb after shunning TV shows for many years. Known for being a member of the trio, N-Dubz, Tulisa became a household name back in 2011 when she signed on to replace Cheryl on ITV show The X Factor in a multi-million pound deal. Alan Halsall - The actor, known for playing the long-running role of Tyrone Dobbs on ITV soap opera Coronation Street, was originally signed up to head Down Under last year but an operation threw his scheduled appearance off-course. Now he has become the latest Corrie star to win over both the viewers and his fellow celebrities. Melvin Odoom - The Radio DJ has become a regular face on TV screens after rising to fame with presenting roles on Kiss FM, BBC Radio 1 and 4Music. Melvin has already been for a spin on the Strictly dancefloor and co-hosted The Xtra Factor with Rochelle Humes in 2015 but now he is facing up to his biggest challenge yet - the Aussie jungle . GK Barry - The UK's biggest social media personality, GK, whose real name is Grace Keeling, has transformed her TikTok stardom into a lucrative career. Aside from her popular social media channels, she hosts the weekly podcast, Saving Grace, and regularly appears on ITV talk show, Loose Women. She has even gone on to endorse popular brands such as PrettyLittleThing, KFC and Ann Summers. Dean McCullough - A rising star amongst this year's bunch of celebs , Dean first achieved notability through his radio appearances on Gaydio and BBC Radio 1. He was chosen to join the BBC station permanently in 2021 and has featured prominently ever since. He has enjoyed a crossover to ITV over the past year thanks to his guest slots on Big Brother spin-off show, Late & Live. Oti Mabuse - The pro dancer has signed up to her latest TV show after making her way through the biggest programmes on the box. She originally found fame on Strictly Come Dancing but has since branched out into the world of TV judging with appearances on former BBC show The Greatest Dancer as well as her current role on ITV's Dancing On Ice . Danny Jones - The McFly star was drafted into the programme last minute as a replacement for Tommy Fury. Danny is the second member of McFly to enter the jungle , after Dougie Poynter won the show in 2011. He is also considered a rising star on ITV as he's now one of the mentors on their Saturday night talent show, The Voice , along with bandmate Tom Fletcher. Jane Moore - The Loose Women star and The Sun columnist is braving the creepy crawlies this year. The star is ready for a new challenge - having recently split from her husband . It will be Jane's first foray into reality TV with the telly favourite having always said no to reality shows in the past. Barry McGuigan - Former pro boxer Barry is the latest fighting champ to head Down Under following in the footsteps of Tony Bellew and Amir Khan. It comes after a tough few years for Irish star Barry, who lost his daughter Danika to bowel cancer . He told The Late Late Show in 2021: "She was such an intrinsic part of the family that every day we ache." Maura Higgins - The Irish TV beauty first found fame on Love Island where she found a brief connection with dancer Curtis Pritchard . Since then, she has competed on Dancing On Ice as well as hosting the Irish version of the beauty contest, Glow Up. Since last year, she has been working on building up her career in the US by being the social media correspondent and host of Aftersun to accompany Love Island USA. She even guest hosted an episode of the spin-off, Love Island Games, in place of Maya Jama last year. Rev. Richard Coles - Former BBC radio host the Rev Richard Coles is a late arrival on I’m A Celebrity , and he's ready to spill the beans on his former employer. The former Communards and Strictly star , said the BBC did not know its a**e from its elbow last year. An insider said: "Rev Coles will have a variety of tales to tell from his wild days as a pop star in the Eighties, through to performing on Strictly and his later life as a man of the cloth." Before heading back to break the news, she said: "They're going to be devastated. They're not going to tell me they're devastated. "My mind just went blank. I was just trying to survive. I'm really disappointed in myself, really disappointed." Arriving in camp, Tulisa told her fellow celebs: "It's not great news. They asked me who my campmates are. I forgot two names, my mind went blank."The 10 most bizarre celebrity Christmas traditions: From Chrissy Teigen's annual McDonald's to the Royal Family's time out at breakfast
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VANCOUVER - A Canadian activist is accusing Hong Kong authorities of meddling in Canada’s internal affairs after police in the Chinese territory issued a warrant for his arrest. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * VANCOUVER - A Canadian activist is accusing Hong Kong authorities of meddling in Canada’s internal affairs after police in the Chinese territory issued a warrant for his arrest. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? VANCOUVER – A Canadian activist is accusing Hong Kong authorities of meddling in Canada’s internal affairs after police in the Chinese territory issued a warrant for his arrest. Victor Ho and fellow Canadian Joe Tay are among six overseas activists targeted by Hong Kong police who announced rewards of HK $1 million, equivalent to about C$180,000, for information leading to their arrests. The warrants announced on Tuesday say the six are wanted for national security offences such as secession, subversion and collusion with foreign forces. Ho says in a Chinese-language post on Facebook that he’s proud of the arrest warrant, joking that it’s the “best Christmas present.” But he says as a Canadian citizen he’s protected by the Canadian Charter and is exercising his right to freedom of speech. Ho is the former editor-in-chief of the Sing Tao Daily newspaper, and helped launched a plan in Canada to elect an unofficial “Hong Kong parliament” in 2022. Only “patriots” are eligible for election in Hong Kong under a 2021 law passed by China’s parliament, the National People’s Congress, and pro-democracy protesters have been the subject of mass arrests. Tay is the founder of Canada-based activist group HongKonger Station and is seeking the Conservative Party nomination in Markham Unionville in Ontario. The Hong Kong Police say in a statement the six wanted activists have “absconded overseas.” The Hong Kong government had previously issued two rounds of arrest warrants and bounties for other prominent activists, including ex-lawmakers. In his Facebook post, Ho questioned whether Hong Kong authorities were “trying for another cross-border arrest” or if Beijing wants “Canada to become their client/subordinate state.” Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. He joked that the reward being issued had allowed him to recover some “fugitive dignity.” “So I’m worth something after all, and it’s hard for me to hide my pride as we enter 2025,” he said. Neither Ho nor Tay immediately responded to requests for comment. — With files from Associated Press This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 24, 2024 Advertisement Advertisement
Ireland's Tánaiste Micheál Martin does not think the country will have a new Government in place before Christmas - while Taoiseach Simon Harris last week spoke about the impact President-elect Donald Trump could have on the timing. Martin's party Fianna Fáil emerged with the most seats - 48 - of any party in the Irish General Election 2024. However, despite winning the most seats, Fianna Fáil was still far off from claiming the 88 seats necessary to make a majority, meaning another coalition Government is likely in store for Ireland. Discussions have begun amongst party leaders to see who can form a majority-winning coalition. The probability of a return to some sort of Fianna Fáil - Fine Gael coalition is high as together they have a combined 86 seats. Both parties have vowed not to go into a coalition with Sinn Féin, who emerged as the second-largest party with 39 seats, beating Fine Gael's 38 seats. Sinn Féin, meanwhile, said on Monday it had contacted leaders of the Social Democrats and the Labour Party and that it would be contacting other "progressives" during the week. Sign up to IrishCentral's newsletter to stay up-to-date with everything Irish! According to the PA, the Tánaiste said on Tuesday in Dublin that most of the work to form a coalition could be done by Christmas but “we have to focus on the issues." “I don’t think we will have reached agreement by Christmas,” he said. “But I’m sure that most people in the country want us to form a Government as quickly as we can.” Martin also refused to say which ministerial portfolios his party will want to take, saying he wants to “respect the process." December 3, 2024: Tánaiste Micheál Martin at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference in Dublin. (RollingNews.ie) Last week, current Taoiseach Simon Harris, the leader of Fine Gael, touched upon the impact US President-elect Donald Trump will have on the timing of the formation of a new Government. “My concern is this, Donald Trump becomes President of the United States in January," Harris told the Irish Mirror on November 28 before voters went to the polls on Friday for the Irish General Election 2024. “I’d like if I had clarity that I was likely to be the Taoiseach. I’d like to be seeking an early meeting with President elect-Trump. “I don't want to be waiting until someone's handing over shamrock in the White House next March. I want an early engagement with President-elect Trump before he even takes office, if possible.” A few days earlier, the Taoiseach told Sky News that he was "preparing" Ireland for a possible "changed reality" regarding the economy when Trump begins his second presidency. November 30, 2024: Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris arrives at the Shoreline count centre in Wicklow. (RollingNews.ie) Meanwhile, a government official, speaking anonymously, told POLITICO on Tuesday that the choice of a “third leg to prop up the government stool” would add an edge to its Trump-era diplomacy. “If we let the independents into government, we could have Cabinet ministers singing Trump’s praises,” the official said. “If we get Labour on board, we could end up with Cabinet ministers calling him a fascist. “We don’t really want either option. We want to keep our heads down as much as possible, and fight our corner as quietly and politely as possible, for the next four years - and just hope and pray our economy’s still going strong on the other side.”Trump returns to world stage in Paris with Ukraine war on agendaWEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday that he has chosen Keith Kellogg, a highly decorated retired three-star general, to serve as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, who is one of the architects of a staunchly conservative policy book that lays out an “America First” national security agenda for the incoming administration, will come into the role as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters its third year in February. Trump, making the announcement on his Truth Social account, said, “He was with me right from the beginning! Together, we will secure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, and Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN!” Kellogg, an 80-year-old retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as national security adviser to Vice President Mike Pence , was chief of staff of the National Security Council and then stepped in as an acting security adviser for Trump after Michael Flynn resigned. As special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Kellogg will have to navigate an increasingly untenable war between the two nations. The Biden administration has begun urging Ukraine to quickly increase the size of its military by drafting more troops and revamping its mobilization laws to allow for the conscription of those as young as 18. The White House has pushed more than $56 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s February 2022 invasion and expects to send billions more before Biden leaves office in less than two months. The U.S. has recently stepped up weapons shipments and has forgiven billions in loans provided to Kyiv. Trump has criticized the billions the Biden administration has spent in supporting Ukraine and has said he could end the war in 24 hours, comments that appear to suggest he would press Ukraine to surrender territory that Russia now occupies. As a co-chairman of the American First Policy Institute’s Center for American Security, Kellogg wrote several of the chapters in the group’s policy book. The book, like the Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025,” is designed to lay out a Trump national security agenda and avoid the mistakes of 2016 when he entered the White House largely unprepared. 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.” Trump's proposed national security adviser , U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz of Florida, tweeted Wednesday that “Keith has dedicated his life to defending our great country and is committed to bringing the war in Ukraine to a peaceful resolution.” Kellogg featured in multiple Trump investigations dating to his first term. He was among the administration officials who listened in on the July 2019 call between Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in which Trump prodded his Ukrainian counterpart to pursue investigations into the Bidens. The call, which Kellogg would later say did not raise any concerns on his end, was at the center of the first of two House impeachment cases against Trump, who was acquitted by the Senate both times. On Jan. 6, 2021, hours before pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol, Kellogg, who was then Pence’s national security adviser, listened in on a heated call in which Trump told his vice president to object or delay the certification in Congress of President Joe Biden ’s victory. He later told House investigators that he recalled Trump saying to Pence words to the effect of: “You’re not tough enough to make the call.” Baldor reported from Washington. AP writer Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. 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