President-elect Trump reveals first cabinet picks

Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions will be attorney general; retired Lt. General Michael Flynn will be national security adviser; and Kansas Congressman Mike Pompeo will be CIA director. Trump has also appointed Republican National Committee head Reince Priebus as Chief of Staff and Breitbart News chairman Steve Bannon as a special advisor. Trump is continuing to vet candidates with former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and retired Marine Corps General James “Mad Dog” Mattis being considered for Secretary of State and Defense Secretary respectively.   

For more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/3909ba5b00ff4106865d98f9ed992065/trump-hosts-potential-cabinet-contenders-nj-golf-club   

German Chancellor Angela Merkel to run for 4th consecutive term

Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor for the past 11 years, has announced she will run for a fourth consecutive term in next year’s elections. She has been praised and criticized by her people for her policies opening Germany up to African and Syrian refugees. She is likely to face stiff competition from far left and far right political parties, the latter of which have been enjoying considerable success in recent elections.

For more:

http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/20/europe/germany-merkel-announces-run/index.html  

‘Hamilton’ cast addresses Mike Pence

Vice President-elect Mike Pence took in “Hamilton” in New York on Friday where he was greeted with cheers and boos from the crowd and a passionate statement from the “Hamilton” cast. Brandon Dixon (who plays Aaron Burr) said: “We, sir—we are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us, our planet, our children, our parents, or defend us and uphold our inalienable rights.” The statement comes after a wave of protests following Trump’s victory last Tuesday, and a surge in hate crimes often directed at minority groups.   

For more: http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/20/politics/donald-trump-hamilton-feud/index.html