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This is the world in brief from The Economist.

Our top stories.

Donald Trump nominated Matt Gates, a loyalist and hardline Republican congressman,

to be Attorney General.

In a social media post, the President elect said that Mr. Gates, as head of America's Justice Department would end the, quote,

partisan weaponization of a justice system. Earlier, Mr. Trump tapped Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic Congresswoman who endorsed his

presidential bid as Director of National Intelligence. He also confirmed that he picked Marco Rubio as his

secretary of state. Republicans secured a bare majority in America's House of Representatives, giving them a governing

trifecta. The handful of outstanding races are mostly in Western states that count slowly.

A few others are so close they will trigger recounts. Earlier, Republican congressman nominated Mike Johnson

for House Speaker.

He will need to be confirmed by the entire chamber in January,

leaving little room for conservative defectors.

Republican senators elected John Thune of South Dakota

as their next leader in America's upper chamber.

Mr. Thune is a close ally of Mitch McConnell, the outgoing Republican leader in the Senate,

and considered a member of the party's establishment.

...