At this point, it’s pretty clear what Donald Trump wants from Mark Zuckerberg. But what does Zuckerberg, who has now gone to Mar-a-Lago twice since the November election, want from the President-elect?

That’s the question I’ve been asking sources in and around Meta over the last several days. They all described Meta’s relationship with the outgoing Biden administration as incredibly hostile. It’s safe to assume that Zuckerberg wants a reset for the MAGA regime, especially since Trump threatened not that long ago to imprison him for life.

In Trump’s America, removing tampons from the mens’ restrooms on Meta’s campuses, — a real thing that just happened — is as much a business decision as a political one. Destroying ‘woke’ ideology is a key pillar of Trump’s stated mandate. Others who know they need to play the game, like Amazon, are also starting to fall in line. Even still, Zuckerberg is transforming Meta for this new political reality at a speed that’s unusual for a company of its size and influence. Founder mode.

In his conversation with Joe Rogan and his video on Instagram, Zuckerberg shares a laundry list of issues that Trump could help him with: fighting other countries...

Read the full story at The Verge.

• Former Rep. Lee Zeldin, Trump's pick to lead the EPA, made $186,000 from paid op-eds and speeches.
• Some of those op-eds criticized climate policies and ESG.
• The former NY congressman also made $45,475 from gambling at casinos.

Former Rep. Lee Zeldin, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, has made millions of dollars in recent years from consulting, speaking fees, and paid op-eds, according to a financial disclosure made public on Saturday.

That includes tens of thousands of dollars to write about environmental and climate change-related topics. In one instance, Zeldin was paid $25,000 for an op-ed in which he likened environmental, social, and governance investing, or ESG, to the practices of disgraced cryptocurrency entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried.

A staunchly pro-Trump Republican first elected to Congress in 2014, Zeldin left office after mounting an unsuccessful bid for governor of New York in 2022. As retiring lawmakers in both parties often do, Zeldin cashed in, establishing a consulting firm to advise corporate clients while enmeshing himself in the well-funded world of conservative political advocacy.

It's paid off. According to the disclosure document, which covers Zeldin's major financial activities since the beginning of 2023, the ex-congressman has made a total of $775,000 in salary income and between $1 million and $5 million in dividends from his main firm, Zeldin Consulting.

He's also received $144,999 from America First Works, a pro-Trump nonprofit where he has a board seat, along with $65,500 from paid speeches and $15,000 from an entity called "Plymouth Union Public Research."

He also got lucky — literally — winning a combined $45,475 in the last two years from gambling at the Golden Nugget, Venetian, and Atlantis casinos.

"All nominees and appointees will comply with the ethical obligations of their respective agencies," Trump-Vance Transition Spokesperson Brian Hughes said in a statement.

Zeldin did not respond to a request for comment.

$120,500 for writing op-eds

The ex-congressman's disclosure reveals a variety of income streams, including substantial speaking fees from GOP organizations in Florida and California, a Long Island synagogue, and a Turning Point USA event in Michigan in June. In multiple instances, Zeldin was paid over $10,000 for a single appearance.

He also disclosed a combined $26,775 in payments from Fox News and Nexstar Media Group for "use of media studio."

The document lists payments from several public relations firms for paid op-eds, listing the news outlet and the date of publication. The titles of those opinion pieces are not listed, but Business Insider identified several that matched the publication and date included in the disclosure.

Among the most notable were a series of paid op-eds on climate issues — Zeldin could soon lead the agency responsible for the federal government's environmental policies.

In an op-ed for Real Clear Policy published in March 2023 entitled "How Congress Can Stop the Next FTX," Zeldin called on Congress to investigate ESG practices and the nonprofit watchdog Better Markets, arguing that companies may use ESG to avoid regulatory scrutiny in the same manner that Bankman-Fried used political contributions to curry favor with Washington.

The disclosure indicates that Zeldin was paid $25,000 to write that op-ed. He also appears to have made an additional $10,000 for another Newsday op-ed in August about ESG and $3,000 for a Fox News op-ed in July that criticized New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's climate policies and called on her to lift the state's fracking ban.

Zeldin was also paid to write about other topics, including $10,000 for a New York Post op-ed criticizing Vice President Kamala Harris' housing policy proposals, $10,000 for a Washington Times op-ed calling on regulators to crack down on China-linked financial platforms, and $15,000 for a Washington Examiner op-ed accusing the Biden administration of targeting Republican-run states via Medicaid regulations.

In some cases, Zeldin was paid even when the articles never saw the light of day. His disclosures list two op-eds that were never published, for which he received $10,000 and $30,000.

In total, Zeldin reported $120,500 in op-ed payments. The original clients who made those payments are unclear, and Zeldin and the Trump-Vance transition did not respond to a question about the original sources.

As with other nominees, Zeldin has agreed to divest himself from his consulting business if he's confirmed as the next EPA administrator, according to his ethics agreement. His confirmation hearing is set for Thursday, January 16.

The former Oregon teammates hooked up for a 43-yard touchdown on the Broncos' first drive to give Denver an early lead.

Ryan Day is lamenting the "self-inflicted wounds" that Ohio State had on offense vs. Texas, saying, "we've got to do a much better job" in the CFP final vs. Notre Dame.

Joshua Zirkzee scored the winning penalty for 10-man Man United against Arsenal after their hectic FA Cup third round tie finished 1-1 after extra time.

The singer, 33, posted a photo on Instagram with the caption: "She's eating for 3 now".

The actor is known for appearing in the Star Wars and Harry Potter films and presents game show Tenable.

The Phoenix Suns will reportedly do all they can to land six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat.

All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso is predicted to sign a record-breaking contract to stay with the New York Mets.

Buffalo Bills cornerback Taron Johnson has exited the game following a scary helmet-to-helmet hit from Denver Broncos Javonte Williams.

The Boston Red Sox could lose starting pitcher Nick Pivetta to the Toronto Blue Jays in a shocking free-agency move.

Two people were arrested after police were called regarding a suspected burglary.

“Praying for all those impacted by this ongoing nightmare,” the former talk show host wrote on Instagram

The actress said she knew from “minute one” that she and Meloni would be “very important people in each other’s lives"

The health secretary has said that the cabinet is aware of the "pressure" on Chancellor Rachel Reeves amid volatile markets and a challenging broader economic picture - but appealed for the public to "give her time".

Khabib Nurmagomedov was taken off a flight over the weekend following a seating disagreement with the airline’s staff. The incident, which took place on a flight leaving Las Vegas' Harry Reid International Airport on Saturday, was captured on…

President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the efforts to reach a Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal by Jan. 20 — when Biden's term ends — according to U.S. and Israeli officials.

Why it matters: The indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas have reached a critical point eight days before President-elect Trump is sworn into office.

---

• Biden's team is closely coordinated with Trump's team and both sides are working together to push for a deal, officials said.
• "We are very very close [to a Gaza deal] and yet far because we are not there. It is possible to get it done before January 20 - but I can't be sure", White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union".

What they're saying: The Israeli Prime Minister's office said Netanyahu briefed Biden on the progress in the negotiations and on the mandate he gave Israeli negotiators to reach a deal.

• Biden stressed the immediate need for a ceasefire in Gaza and the return of the hostages, as well as a surge in humanitarian aid enabled by a stoppage in the fighting, the White House said

Between the lines: Biden's top Middle East adviser Brett McGurk has negotiating deal terms in Doha for a week.

• Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff also arrived in Doha in recent days. On Saturday he visited Netanyahu in Israel before traveling back to Doha.
• Israeli Mossad Director David Barnea, Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar and IDF general Nitzan Alon also traveled to Doha on Saturday in order to push forward the hostage and ceasefire deal.

The comedian is one of hundreds of thousands of people who have had to evacuate their homes in the LA area due to the devastating fires.

The holders secured their passage through to the next stage with goalkeeper Altay Bayindir the hero.

© PA Wire

Incoming vice president claims ‘we need to rectify’ prosecution of January 6 rioters who did not commit violence

© The Independent