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Billionaires, celebrities endorsing Donald Trump, Kamala Harris

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By Francesca Hangeior.

 

As the 2024 United States presidential election approaches, candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have secured notable endorsements from celebrities and billionaires alike.

The upcoming election, the 60th presidential election in the United States, is scheduled for Tuesday, November 5, 2024.

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Using data from the Federal Election Commission as of September, Bloomberg examined the contributions of individuals on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index to the Harris and Trump campaigns.

Trump leads the fundraising race, receiving at least $281 million from billionaire donors. In contrast, Harris has garnered at least $66.2 million from donors, including contributions rolled over from supporters of Joe Biden after he suspended his campaign.

A significant portion of Trump’s funding comes from two major donors: Elon Musk and Miriam Adelson, who each contributed over $100 million.

Harris’s wealthiest supporters include Meta co-founder Dustin Moskovitz and Netflix Chairman Reed Hastings.

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Find below the list of the richest Americans supporting each candidate as reported by Bloomberg.

DONALD TRUMP BILLIONAIRE ENDORSEMENTS

The CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk: Net Worth – $270.3 billion | Donations – $100 million+

Chairman of Blackstone, Stephen Schwarzman: Net Worth – $54.2 billion | Donations – $419,600

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Chairman of Interactive Brokers, Thomas Peterffy: Net Worth – $44.9 billion | Donations – $844,000

Majority shareholder of Las Vegas Sands, Miriam Adelson: Net Worth – $37.5 billion | Donations – $100 million+

Founder and owner of Hilcorp Energy, Jeff Hildebrand: Net Worth – $18.3 billion | Donations – $515,000

Co-founder of WhatsApp, Jan Koum: Net Worth – $17.3 billion | Donations – $5.1 million

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Chairman of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm: Net Worth – $14.5 billion | Donations – $1.2 million

Chairman and sole owner of ABC Supply, Diane Hendricks: Net Worth – $14.3 billion | Donations – $15 million

Chairman and CEO of Fertitta Entertainment, Tilman Fertitta: Net Worth – $13.8 billion | Donations – $487,000

Founder and president of Beal Financial, Andy Beal: Net Worth – $13.6 billion | Donations – $2 million

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Co-founder and CEO, Apollo Global Management Marc Rowan: Net Worth – $10.2 billion | Donations – $1 million

Owner of New York Jets, Woody Johnson IV: Net Worth – $8.8 billion  | Donations – $2 million

Founder and CEO, Pershing Square, Bill Ackman: Net Worth – $7.7 billion | Donations – $419,000

Founder of TD Ameritrade, Joe Ricketts: Net Worth – $7.7 billion | Donations – $867,900

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Co-founder of Home Depot, Bernie Marcus: Net Worth – $7.5 billion | Donations – $1 million

Chairman and largest shareholder of Energy Transfer LP, Kelcy Warren: Net Worth – $7.4 billion | Donations – $10 million

President and chairman of Majestic Realty, Edward Roski: Net Worth – $7.3 billion | Donations – $100,000

Chairman and CEO of Rollins Inc., Gary Rollins: Net Worth – $6.8 billion | Donations – $12,500

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Trump has attracted a range of celebrity endorsements, particularly from the film and television industry. Actors such as Jon Voight, Dennis Quaid, and Mel Gibson have expressed their support for the former president, along with familiar faces like Zachary Levi and Rosanne Barr.

In the music space, Trump has found allies in artists like Kid Rock and Jason Aldean, who have openly backed his candidacy, along with endorsements from Amber Rose and Azealia Banks.

The sports community has also rallied behind Trump, with endorsements from boxing legend Mike Tyson and former pro wrestler Hulk Hogan, as well as notable athletes like Lawrence Taylor and Danica Patrick.

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KAMALA HARRIS BILLIONAIRE ENDORSEMENTS

Co-founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates: Net Worth – $160.2 billion | Donations – $50 million

Grandson of Walmart founder Sam Walton, Lukas Walton: Net Worth – $36.4 billion | Donations – $416,000

Former CEO of Alphabet, Eric Schmidt: Net Worth – $32.3 billion | Donations – $1.6 million

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Co-founder of Meta Platforms, Dustin Moskovitz: Net Worth – $26.6 billion | Donations – $38 million

Daughter-in-law of Walmart founder Sam Walton, Christy Walton: Net Worth – $16.4 billion | Donations – $25,000

Former co-chair of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Melinda French Gates: Net Worth – $15 billion | Donations – $920,000

Daughter of Ned Johnson III, former chairman of Fidelity Investments, Elizabeth Johnson: Net Worth – $13.2 billion | Donations – $200,000

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Founder of Emerson Collective and wife of the late Steve Jobs, Laurene Powell Jobs: Net Worth – $11.6 billion | Donations – $2 million

Founder and majority owner of DE Shaw & Co., David Shaw: Net Worth – $10.7 billion | Donations – $295,000

Filmmaker, Steven Spielberg: Net Worth – $9.6 billion | Donations – $1.5 million

President and chief operating officer of Blackstone, Jon Gray: Net Worth – $9.4 billion | Donations – $500,000

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Wife of the late Charles Schusterman, founder of Samson Investment, Lynn Schusterman: Net Worth – $8.9 billion | Donations – $5,575

Co-founder of Airbnb, Joe Gebbia: Net Worth – $8.3 billion | Donations – $20,000

Shareholder of Stryker Corp., Pat Stryker: Net Worth – $8.1 billion | Donations – $500,000

Former chief scientist and vice president of Renaissance Technologies, Henry Laufer: Net Worth – $8 billion | Donations – $1 million

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Chairman and co-founder of Kleiner Perkins, John Doerr: Net Worth – $7.9 billion | Donations – $1.3 million

Co-owner of Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban: Net Worth – $7.8 billion | Donations – Not yet

Co-founder and executive vice president, SAS Institute, John Sall: Net Worth – $7.7 billion | Donations – $82,000

Former executive vice chairman of Blackstone, Tony James: Net Worth – $7.2 billion | Donations – $250,000

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Wife of the late Ross Perot, Margot Perot: Net Worth – $7 billion | Donations – $20,000

Son of investor and music composer J. Paul Getty, Gordon Getty: Net Worth – $6.7 billion | Donations – $1.8 million

Founder of Soros Fund Management, George Soros: Net Worth – $6.5 billion | Donations – $1.8 million

Co-founder of Netflix, Reed Hastings: Net Worth – $6.5 billion | Donations – $6.9 million

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Shareholder of Cox Enterprises, James Cox Chambers: Net Worth – $5.7 billion | Donations – $1.2 million

Shareholder of Cox Enterprises, Katharine Rayner: Net Worth – $5.7 billion | Donations – $300,000

KAMALA HARRIS CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENTS

In the music industry, Harris has received support from stars like Taylor Swift, who endorsed her after a debate, and Beyoncé, who featured her song “Freedom” in Harris’s campaign. Other notable artists advocating for her include Eminem, Cher, Lizzo, Nicky Jam, and Don Omar.

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In Hollywood, high-profile actors such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Julia Roberts, George Clooney, and Jennifer Lawrence have publicly backed her, alongside influential figures like Octavia Spencer, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Mindy Kaling.

The sports world has also shown strong support, with endorsements from NBA coach Steve Kerr and star playerS Steph Curry and Lebron James. Legendary athletes like Billie Jean King and Magic Johnson further bolster her appeal in this arena.

 

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Foreign

Child-abuse scandal: Archbishop of Canterbury resigns

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The Archbishop of Canterbury and head of the global Anglican Church, Justin Welby, resigned on Tuesday, following a review that revealed senior church leaders covered up the widespread abuse of over 100 boys and young men.

The abuse was perpetrated by a British lawyer, John Smyth, who led Christian summer camps in the United Kingdom and other countries during the 1970s and 1980s.

The independent review, which was released last week, found that despite repeated efforts by individuals to bring Smyth’s actions to light, the response from the Church of England was inadequate, amounting to a cover-up.

Smyth, who died in South Africa in 2018 without facing any legal proceedings, abused boys and young men under his care for decades.

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The review revealed that the church’s failure to act enabled Smyth to continue his abuse in the UK and abroad.

In a statement announcing his resignation, Welby expressed deep regret over the church’s failures.

“The last few days have renewed my long-felt and profound sense of shame at the historic safeguarding failures of the Church of England,” Welby said in the statement.

Welby admitted that he first learnt about the abuse allegations in 2013, the same year he became Archbishop, but acknowledged that his efforts to investigate and address the situation were insufficient.

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He said, “For nearly twelve years I have struggled to introduce improvements. It is for others to judge what has been done.”

The Archbishop’s resignation came amid growing criticism from victims and other church leaders.

The Bishop of Newcastle, Helen-Ann Hartley, remarked, “I think, rightly, people are asking the question: ‘Can we really trust the Church of England to keep us safe?’ And I think the answer at the moment is ‘no’.”

Survivor Andrew Morse, who was among those abused by Smyth as a teenager, called for Welby’s resignation.

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He criticised the Archbishop’s handling of the situation, stating that had Welby acted decisively in 2013, further abuse could have been prevented.

He said Welby’s “admission that in 2013, which is really modern day in comparison to the 1970s and 1980s, that he didn’t do enough, that he wasn’t rigorous… is enough in my mind to confirm that Justin Welby, along with countless other Anglican churchmen, were part of a cover-up about the abuse,” Morse told the BBC.

The scandal has cast a long shadow over Welby’s tenure, which included officiating high-profile events such as the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and delivering the sermon at Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral.

His resignation marked a moment for the Church of England, as it grapples with the legacy of abuse scandals and attempts to restore trust among its followers.

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Welby concluded his statement by acknowledging the profound impact of the review’s findings, noting the pain endured by the victims and the failure of the church to protect those in its care.

“I am so sorry that in places where these young men, and boys, should have felt safe and where they should have experienced God’s love for them, they were subjected to physical, sexual, psychological and spiritual abuse,” he said.

Efforts to get the reactions of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) and the Christian Association of Nigeria failed.

When contacted, the Communication Officer of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Korede Akin, informed our correspondent that he could not speak on the issue, stating that only the Primate of the Anglican Communion, Archbishop Henry Ndukuba, could provide the position of the church.

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Similarly, the Director of National Issues and Social Welfare for the Christian Association of Nigeria, Abimbola Ayuba, told our correspondent that only the CAN President had the jurisdiction to speak on international matters, as he could only speak to issues of national concern or social welfare.

Meanwhile, efforts to reach the National Publicity Secretary of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Bishop Emmah Isong, failed as his phone line was switched off.

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Foreign

President Trump Makes Several Key Appointments (FULL LIST)

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Donald Trump has begun the process of choosing a cabinet and selecting other high-ranking administration officials following his presidential election victory.

Here are the early picks and top contenders for some of the key posts overseeing defence, intelligence, diplomacy, trade, immigration and economic policymaking. Some are in contention for a range of posts.

Chief of staff

Trump on Thursday announced that Susie Wiles, one of his two campaign managers, will be his White House chief of staff. While the specifics of her political views are somewhat unclear, Wiles, 67, is credited with running a successful and efficient campaign. Supporters hope she will instill a sense of order and discipline that was often lacking during Trump’s first four-year term, when he cycled through a number of chiefs of staff.

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Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Trump announced on Sunday night that Tom Homan, the former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement from his first administration, will be in charge of the country’s borders. Trump made cracking down on people in the country illegally a central element of his campaign, promising mass deportations.

UN ambassador

Trump announced on Monday that Elise Stefanik, a Republican congresswoman and staunch Trump supporter, would be his ambassador to the United Nations.

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Stefanik, 40, a US representative from New York state and House Republican conference chair, took a leadership position in the House of Representatives in 2021 when she was elected to replace then-Representative Liz Cheney, who was ousted for criticising Trump’s false claims of election fraud.

Treasure secretary

Scott Bessent, John Paulson; Larry Kudlow, Robert Lighthizer and Howard Lutnick considered for the role of potential treasury secretary. Bessent, a key economic adviser to Trump, is widely seen as a top candidate for treasury secretary. A longtime hedge fund investor who taught at Yale University for several years.

Commerce secretary

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Linda McMahon is seen as the frontrunner to lead Trump’s Department of Commerce, three sources briefed on the plans said. Mcmahon is a Professional wrestling magnate and former Small Business Administration director

Secretary of state

Richard Grenell, Robert O’brien, Bill Hagerty and Marco Rubio, among the top choices for potential secretary of state. Grenell is among Trump’s closest foreign policy advisers.

O’Brien, Trump’s fourth and final national security adviser during his first term, maintains a close relationship with Trump, and the two often speak on national security matters.

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Hagerty, a US senator from Tennessee who worked on Trump’s 2016 transition effort, Hagerty is considered a top contender for secretary of state. Rubio, a US senator from Florida and 2016 Republican presidential candidate, is also a top secretary of state contender whose policies hew closely to those of Trump.

Defence secretary

Mike Waltz, potential defence secretary. A former Army Green Beret who is currently a US congressman from Florida, Waltz has established himself as one of the foremost China hawks in the House. Among the various China-related bills he has co-sponsored are measures designed to lessen US reliance on critical minerals mined in China.

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UK universities face funding ‘crunch’ as foreign students go elsewhere

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By Francesca Hangeior.

 

UK universities are among the most prestigious in the world, but visa restrictions mean they are now attracting fewer international students — taking a heavy toll on their finances.

The restrictions are compounding problems caused by the UK’s departure from the European Union four years’ ago.

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Almost 760,000 foreign students were enrolled in British universities in 2022, making Britain the second most popular destination after the US, in a highly competitive market.

Most come from India, then China and Nigeria.

But last year, the number of student visas fell by 5 percent. Between July and September, student visa applications slumped 16 percent compared to the same period last year.

The decline is a major cause of concern for higher education institutions since foreign students pay far more in fees than British students.

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Leo Xui, 20 years old and from China, began studying population and health sciences at University College London in September.

“It’s good for my career,” he said of enrolling abroad. Thinking ahead to when he will return to China, he added: “I will be able to apply for a foreign company.”

His fees for the academic year are £31,000 (37,200 euros). British students attending universities in England have paid a maximum of £9,250 since 2017.

The Labour government, elected in the summer, announced last week that the cap would rise to £9,535 from next year, a move welcomed by universities who have been calling for an increase for years.

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Universities UK (UUK), which represents 141 British higher education institutions, warned at its conference in September that funding per student is at its lowest level since 2004.

It estimates that the £9,250 fee is worth less than £6,000 because of inflation, leading to deficits in teaching and research.

“We are all feeling the crunch,” UUK president Sally Mapstone told the conference.

Universities have welcomed more foreign students in a bid to fill budget gaps, to the point where many are financially dependent on them.

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According to a parliamentary report, foreign students make up more than half the student body at London’s University of the Arts and Cranfield University, a science and engineering institute just north of the British capital.

The Financial Times reported earlier this year that some universities, including York, have lowered their admission criteria to attract more students from abroad.

But the previous Conservative government, ousted from power in July, complicated the universities’ task by imposing restrictions on student visas as it sought to reduce record levels of regular migration.

It forbade foreign students from bringing family members with them, with a few exceptions, and prevented them from switching to work visas while studying.

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In the first four months of 2024, there were 30,000 fewer applications from overseas than in the same period in 2023, according to official statistics.

“These hard numbers confirm our fear that the previous government’s changes have made the UK a less attractive study destination,” said Nick Hillman, director of the Higher Education Policy Institute think-tank.

– Overseas campuses –
Provost Ian Dunn of Coventry University, where more than a third of the 30,000 students are from overseas said the Tories’ “narrative was very destructive”.

The university had already been impacted by Brexit.

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“We had 4,400 students from the European Union. Now we’re probably at 10 percent of that,” he said, adding that the situation was “difficult”.

A lecturer at another English university told AFP that teaching positions as well as courses had been cut.

“The drop in international students has dramatically worsened the crisis for us,” she said on condition of anonymity because she was not authorised to talk to the media.

“Some have preferred to go to Canada, Australia or the Netherlands, where courses are taught in English,” she added.

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Coventry University may have found the answer by partnering with institutions overseas to open campuses in several countries, including Egypt, Morocco, India and China.

At the end of their studies, students may not have set foot in the UK but they still “obtain a degree from Coventry University”, said Dunn.

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