- Teen Konstas to open for Australia in Boxing Day India Test
- Asian stocks mostly up after US tech rally
- US panel could not reach consensus on US-Japan steel deal: Nippon
- The real-life violence that inspired South Korea's 'Squid Game'
- Blogs to Bluesky: social media shifts responses after 2004 tsunami
- Tennis power couple de Minaur and Boulter get engaged
- Supermaxi yachts eye record in gruelling Sydney-Hobart race
- Hawaii's Kilauea volcano erupts, spewing columns of lava
- El Salvador Congress votes to end ban on metal mining
- Five things to know about Panama Canal, in Trump's sights
- NBA fines Minnesota guard Edwards $75,000 for outburst
- Haitians massacred for practicing voodoo were abducted, hacked to death: UN
- Inter beat Como to keep in touch with leaders Atalanta
- Mixed day for global stocks as market hopes for 'Santa Claus rally'
- Man Utd boss Amorim questions 'choices' of Rashford's entourage
- Trump's TikTok love raises stakes in battle over app's fate
- Is he serious? Trump stirs unease with Panama, Greenland ploys
- England captain Stokes to miss three months with torn hamstring
- Support grows for Blake Lively over smear campaign claim
- Canada records 50,000 opioid overdose deaths since 2016
- Jordanian, Qatari envoys hold talks with Syria's new leader
- France's second woman premier makes surprise frontline return
- France's Macron announces fourth government of the year
- Netanyahu tells Israel parliament 'some progress' on Gaza hostage deal
- Guatemalan authorities recover minors taken by sect members
- Germany's far-right AfD holds march after Christmas market attack
- European, US markets wobble awaiting Santa rally
- Serie A basement club Monza fire coach Nesta
- Mozambique top court confirms ruling party disputed win
- Biden commutes almost all federal death sentences
- Syrian medics say were coerced into false chemical attack testimony
- NASA solar probe to make its closest ever pass of Sun
- France's new government to be announced Monday evening: Elysee
- London toy 'shop' window where nothing is for sale
- Volkswagen boss hails cost-cutting deal but shares fall
- Accused killer of US insurance CEO pleads not guilty to 'terrorist' murder
- Global stock markets mostly higher
- Not for sale. Greenland shrugs off Trump's new push
- Sweden says China blocked prosecutors' probe of ship linked to cut cables
- Acid complicates search after deadly Brazil bridge collapse
- Norwegian Haugan dazzles in men's World Cup slalom win
- Arsenal's Saka out for 'many weeks' with hamstring injury
- Mali singer Traore child custody case postponed
- France mourns Mayotte victims amid uncertainy over government
- UK economy stagnant in third quarter in fresh setback
- Sweden says China denied request for prosecutors to probe ship linked to cut undersea cables
- African players in Europe: Salah leads Golden Boot race after brace
- Global stock markets edge higher as US inflation eases rate fears
- German far-right AfD to march in city hit by Christmas market attack
- Ireland centre Henshaw signs IRFU contract extension
The MAGA galaxy that will follow Trump to the White House
From far-right billionaire provocateur Elon Musk to young firebrand J.D. Vance and vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr, a new Trump administration is set to bring a contrarian cast of characters into the White House.
They will be heavily contrasted with his administration during his first term -- almost none of whom backed him in his second run, with his longest-serving chief of staff, John Kelly, labelling him a "fascist."
Here's a look at the potential makeup of the Republican's future administration:
- J.D. Vance -
The heir to the oldest president-elect in US history, Vance -- who once described Trump as America's "Hitler" -- will enter the White House as Vice President.
The flamethrowing senator from Ohio has spent the campaign mired in controversies, including the resurgence of old comments in which he derided Democrats as "childless cat ladies" with no stakes in the country's future.
Before being welcomed into the MAGA fold, the 40-year-old author of best-selling memoir "Hillbilly Elegy" also repeatedly criticized Trump.
But Vance has been one of Trump's most effective attack dogs in Congress, promoting the dominant populist ideology -- opposing immigration, insistent on Christianity as a touchstone of public and private morality, including on reproductive rights; and opposing support for Ukraine's fight against Russian invasion.
Now, he swears absolute loyalty to the Republican billionaire.
Vance will become the third-youngest vice president in US history, a crucial role as 78-year-old Trump -- who has never been fully transparent about his health -- is sworn in as the oldest ever US president in January.
- Elon Musk -
Trump has said that he will ask Elon Musk to do a complete audit of the US government to drastically cut waste, a mission that the world's richest man has enthusiastically accepted.
The SpaceX, Tesla and X boss played an unprecedented role in Trump's campaign, spending more than $110 million of his personal fortune to get the Republican elected.
He organized a series of campaign rallies and gave millions of dollars away to voters in the hotly contested swing state of Pennsylvania.
And experts have repeatedly pointed to the shift of X -- formerly Twitter -- to the extremist right, as Musk lifted guardrails on hate speech and disinformation on the social media platform while attacking traditional news outlets.
The precise contours of his role in Trump's new administration have not been revealed.
"You are the media now," Musk wrote on X early Wednesday as Trump's victory became clear.
- RFK Jr. -
Trump also pledged during his campaign to give a "big role" in healthcare to Robert Kennedy Jr., the nephew of former president John F. Kennedy.
Robert Kennedy, a leading figure in the anti-vaccine movement who is known for propogating conspiracy theories and has said he wants to remove fluoride from the US water supply, originally ran as an independent in the election, but withdrew from the race and endorsed Trump.
He is widely rumored to be a contender for a cabinet position, with speculation centering on the role of secretary of health and human services.
Trump has teased that he would allow Kennedy to "go wild on health," and suggested that his portfolio would include "women's health," further angering Democrats already incensed over Republican-led abortion rights rollbacks in more than 20 states.
Kennedy will "make America healthy again," the president-elect said in his victory speech early Wednesday.
- The rest -
Trump has so far remained tight-lipped about who will make up the rest of his White House team.
The name of Richard Grenell, former US ambassador to Germany, is being bandied about for the post of national security advisor or secretary of state.
Senior campaign aide Susie Wiles, who many see as the architect of his comeback, could serve as White House chief of staff.
North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum is being considered for the post of Energy Secretary, and Senator Tom Cotton for Defense.
Trump has not said what role his family, omnipresent as senior aides and advisors during his first term in office, would play in his future administration.
His daughter-in-law Lara Trump co-chairs the Republican Party.
P.M.Smith--AMWN