10jili com register

10jili com register Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Announces Board ChangesStratford's Lauren Manders overcomes near tragedy to compete at World Triathlon Championships

Municipal by-elections are set to be held in December, and while some municipalities have many candidates, others have none. 16 seats became vacant in recent months, including for some local politicians to run provincially. With more responsibilities downloaded onto this level of government, Union of Municipalities of New Brunswick President Brittany Merrifield said it’s getting hard to get people involved in municipal politics. “We certainly have more work than we ever had before through the local governance,” she said in an interview. “I know that personally my work has not quite doubled, but it’s certainly approaching that.” In Saint John, 10 candidates are vying for Ward 3. Meanwhile, Campobello and Tracy both saw no candidates running. At least four municipalities saw councillors be acclaimed, meaning only one candidate submitted it’s papers in those wards. This is the second time Campobello has been unable to fill its candidate seat. Mayor Harvey Matthews said it is a lot of work for a small island like Campobello for not a lot of compensation. “The government has dropped so much in our laps since amalgamation (and) that has put our taxes up now this year,” he said speaking with CHCO-TV. “Our RCMP coverage is going up considerably. It’s hard to decide to pay councillors more.” Municipalities are limited in the sources of funding they can pull from. The sole source is property tax revenue, which means any increase in the budget must come from an increase in assessment or increasing the tax rate. Matthews said the council is attempting to remove the ward-based system to potentially entice more candidates to sign up. In municipal politics, the candidate is required to live in the area they serve, and with a ward system, they must live in that ward. “Hopefully someone from one of the other parts of Campobello would run,” he said. Merrifield said people often forget that municipal government is the one that impacts your day-to-day life the most. “Public service is absolutely the backbone of everything that happens in a municipality,” she said. We’re the level or the order of government that is closest to the people.” She said it is imperative people become active in the local government, which decides things like garbage pickup and recycling, what roads and streets are repaired, how your tax rate is set, and what services you receive locally like recreation. “I think being engaged in civic government, whether it’s voting, whether it’s watching council meetings, and whether it’s serving your community, it’s absolutely one of the most important things a person can do to make sure that your community is the best that it can be,” she said. Alongside the increased workload though, Merrifield said municipal politicians are facing harassment as well. “That is an impediment to people in terms of putting their name out to serve or maybe even re-offering,” she said. “There’s been a real shift in terms of municipal staff and elected officials being subjected to negative treatment from the public and sometimes even within councils as well. So, we’re working hopefully with the new provincial government on addressing this problem that affects all orders of government.” Ultimately, Merrifield hopes that people see the value in being a part of local government. “They call it the government of proximity and that is so true,” she said. “We deal with all of those services that are so critical to your everyday life.”Revolutionary Solar Lighting Innovations for 2024

AP Sports SummaryBrief at 5:38 p.m. ESTShares of WillScot Mobile Mini Holdings Corp. ( NASDAQ:WSC – Get Free Report ) have been given a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the eleven analysts that are covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company. The average 1 year target price among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $45.50. Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Morgan Stanley raised shares of WillScot Mobile Mini from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and lifted their price target for the company from $40.00 to $50.00 in a research note on Tuesday, December 17th. Baird R W lowered WillScot Mobile Mini from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 24th. Barclays dropped their target price on shares of WillScot Mobile Mini from $44.00 to $40.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, November 1st. Robert W. Baird dropped their target price on shares of WillScot Mobile Mini from $42.00 to $38.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, October 31st. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft downgraded WillScot Mobile Mini from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and decreased their target price for the stock from $46.00 to $35.00 in a research report on Thursday, October 31st. Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on WillScot Mobile Mini WillScot Mobile Mini Stock Down 1.5 % WillScot Mobile Mini ( NASDAQ:WSC – Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 30th. The company reported $0.38 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.48 by ($0.10). WillScot Mobile Mini had a net margin of 1.05% and a return on equity of 23.97%. The business had revenue of $601.43 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $617.83 million. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.46 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was down .6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that WillScot Mobile Mini will post 1.53 EPS for the current fiscal year. Insider Buying and Selling at WillScot Mobile Mini In other news, EVP Hezron T. Lopez sold 20,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $39.38, for a total transaction of $787,600.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 57,918 shares in the company, valued at $2,280,810.84. This trade represents a 25.67 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website . Also, CEO Bradley Lee Soultz purchased 5,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 4th. The stock was bought at an average price of $36.38 per share, with a total value of $181,900.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 144,686 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,263,676.68. This represents a 3.58 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here . In the last 90 days, insiders have purchased 15,000 shares of company stock valued at $533,900 and have sold 36,959 shares valued at $1,382,636. Insiders own 3.30% of the company’s stock. Hedge Funds Weigh In On WillScot Mobile Mini Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of WSC. Baupost Group LLC MA acquired a new position in WillScot Mobile Mini during the 2nd quarter worth $92,971,000. William Blair Investment Management LLC grew its stake in shares of WillScot Mobile Mini by 102.9% in the 2nd quarter. William Blair Investment Management LLC now owns 4,643,901 shares of the company’s stock valued at $174,796,000 after purchasing an additional 2,355,445 shares during the last quarter. Swedbank AB raised its position in WillScot Mobile Mini by 229.2% during the 3rd quarter. Swedbank AB now owns 3,226,000 shares of the company’s stock worth $121,298,000 after buying an additional 2,246,000 shares during the last quarter. Nippon Life Global Investors Americas Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of WillScot Mobile Mini in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $23,394,000. Finally, Point72 Asset Management L.P. purchased a new stake in WillScot Mobile Mini during the third quarter worth about $20,773,000. 95.81% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. WillScot Mobile Mini Company Profile ( Get Free Report WillScot Holdings Corporation provides workspace and portable storage solutions in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It operates in two segments, Modular Solutions and Storage Solutions. Its modular solutions include panelized and stackable offices, single-wide modular space units, section modulars and redi-plex, classrooms, ground level offices, blast-resistant modules, clearspan structures, and other modular space; and portable storage solutions, such as portable and cold storage containers, as well as trailers. Read More Receive News & Ratings for WillScot Mobile Mini Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for WillScot Mobile Mini and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

President Biden’s decision to renege on his pledge not to pardon his prodigal son’s crimes has consequences for the American justice system. Ironically, it also may diminish resistance to President-elect Trump pardoning members of the mob that stormed the Capitol nearly four years ago in an effort to overturn Biden’s 2020 election victory. The two situations are not equivalent, of course. Still, they both tear at the heart of America’s scruples. More than 1,100 Trump supporters got convicted of participating in the siege that sent a joint session of Congress into hiding, injured scores of police officers and left the Capitol in a shambles. Several defendants received probation for misdemeanor charges of entering the Capitol with the mob. But more than 600 were imprisoned from one month to up to 22 years on felony charges of destroying property, assault and battery or encouraging the attack. Trump described them as “political prisoners” and “patriots,” promising to pardon them if elected president again. He said recently he will decide their pardons on a case-by-case basis. A song titled “Justice for All” described their fate. Created and posted often on social media by a group of Jan. 6 defendants (“J6 Choir”) locked in a Washington, D.C. jail block, the song’s popularity drew sympathizers across the country. It briefly made music’s top hits list. Democrats and legal experts denounce Trump’s plan to pardon Jan. 6 defendants as victims of misguided justice. The objection is somewhat hypocritical in the aftermath of Biden pardoning son Hunter. He was convicted of lying on a gun license application and income tax evasion. What devastates the rule of law is Biden’s broken pledge to let his son face the consequences of his felony crimes, including possible prison time. His stunning turnaround occurred, he said, because his son was a victim of a Justice Department political prosecution. That’s the exact reason Trump advances for his intent to pardon some, if not all, the Jan. 6 defendants. He also claims that’s why he was prosecuted and convicted of 34 felonies in his hush money trial as well as charges pending in his other legal cases. Oddly, it seems Biden and Trump agree the Justice Department has been weaponized for political means. Trump says when he returns to office he will rid the department, including its FBI office, of what he calls partisan hacks bent on destroying the country. They will, of course, be replaced by diehard loyalists committed to his America First agenda. Democrats can hardly object. Their president of the last four years has damned the Justice Department and demoralized its employees for his own sake. And just two months before departing the White House. Listen to his attempt to rationalize the decision to pardon his son when he said repeatedly he would not. “For my entire career I have followed a simple principle: just tell the American people the truth. They will be fair-minded,” Biden said in a statement. “Here’s the truth: I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected the process and it led to a miscarriage of justice (of his son).” Biden asked Americans to understand “why a father and a president would come to this decision.” Many will not. Sure, other presidents, including Trump in his first term, granted pardons to family and friends for alleged criminal behavior. In most of these cases, the persons pardoned felt the outcome of their sentences, including prison time. Biden’s rollback of his no pardon pledge — just two weeks before his son’s sentencing — disregarded the legal standard that no person is above the law; that everyone is treated equally no matter their station in life. Sadly, Biden’s decision of defiance comes at a time when the justice system’s moral fiber is fraying.

NFL Thanksgiving Games Predictions, Picks, Props: Full Thursday Preview - The Action NetworkGeode Capital Management LLC Purchases 7,721 Shares of Core Laboratories Inc. (NYSE:CLB)

Food Prices to Rise 3 to 5 Percent in 2025, Report PredictsMumbai: 25-Year-Old IIT-B Student Loses ₹7.29 Lakh To Cyber Scam; Kept Under Virtual House Arrest

NEW YORK (AP) — The masked gunman who stalked and killed the head of one of the largest U.S. health insurers had the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose” emblazoned on his ammunition, echoing a phrase used by industry critics, two law enforcement officials said Thursday. The words were written in permanent marker, according to one of the officials, who were not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation into the shooting early Wednesday outside a Manhattan hotel and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. With the gunman still at large, police also released photos of a "person of interest" wanted for questioning in connection with the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson . The images, showing an unmasked man in the lobby of a Manhattan hostel, add to a collection of photos and video that have circulated since the shooting — including footage of the attack itself, as well as still frames of the suspected gunman stopping at a Starbucks beforehand. Thompson, 50, died in a dawn ambush as he walked from his midtown hotel to the company’s annual investor conference at a Hilton across the street, blocks from tourist draws such as Radio City Music Hall, the Museum of Modern Art and Rockefeller Center, where the famed Christmas tree was lit Wednesday night. The reason for the killing remained unknown , but New York City police say evidence firmly points to it being a targeted attack. The messages on the ammunition mimic the phrase “delay, deny, defend,” which is commonly used by lawyers and insurance industry critics to describe tactics used to avoid paying claims. It refers to insurers delaying payment, denying a claim and then defending their actions. Health insurers like UnitedHealthcare have become frequent targets of criticism from doctors and patients for denying claims or complicating access to care. Investigators recovered several 9 mm shell casings from outside the Hilton and a cellphone from the alleyway through which the shooter fled. Inside a nearby trash can, they found a water bottle and protein bar wrapper that they say the gunman purchased from Starbucks minutes before the shooting. The city's crime lab is examining those items for DNA and fingerprints. The killing and the shooter’s movements in the minutes before and afterward were captured on some of the multitude of security cameras in that part of the city. The shooter fled on a bicycle and was last seen riding into Central Park. A tip that the shooter may have stayed at a hostel brought police Thursday morning to at least two such establishments on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, according to one of the law enforcement officials briefed on the investigation. The photos made public Thursday were taken in the lobby of the HI New York City hostel. “We are fully cooperating with the NYPD and, as this is an active investigation, can not comment at this time,” hostel spokesperson Danielle Brumfitt said in an emailed statement. Members of the public have flooded police with tips — many unfounded. Police searched a Long Island Rail Road train Wednesday night after a commuter claimed to have spotted the shooter, but they found no sign of the gunman. “We’re following up on every single tip that comes in,” Assistant Commissioner Carlos Nieves, a police spokesperson, said. ”That little piece of information could be the missing piece of the puzzle that ties everything together.” Based on surveillance video and evidence from the scene, investigators believe the shooter had at least some firearms training and experience with guns and that the weapon was equipped with a silencer, one of the law enforcement officials told the AP. Investigators were also looking into whether the suspect had pre-positioned a bike as part of an escape plan, the official said. Security video shows the killer approaching Thompson from behind, leveling his pistol and firing several shots, barely pausing to clear a gun jam while the executive tumbled to the sidewalk. Cameras showed him fleeing the block across a pedestrian plaza before getting on the bicycle. Police released several images of the man wearing a hooded jacket and a mask that concealed most of his face — a look that would not have attracted attention on a chilly morning. They've also used drones, helicopters and dogs in an intensive search for the killer, while also interviewing Thompson's coworkers, searching his hotel room and scouring his social media. Thompson, a father of two sons who lived in a Minneapolis suburb, had been with Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealthcare since 2004 and served as CEO for more than three years. His wife, Paulette, told NBC News on Wednesday that he told her “there were some people that had been threatening him.” She didn’t have details but suggested the threats may have involved issues with insurance coverage. The insurer’s parent company, UnitedHealth Group Inc., was holding its annual meeting in New York to update investors on its direction and expectations for the coming year. The company ended the conference early in the wake of Thompson’s death. UnitedHealthcare provides coverage for more than 49 million Americans and brought in more than $281 billion in revenue last year. It is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans in the U.S. and manages health insurance coverage for employers and state and federally funded Medicaid programs. In October, UnitedHealthcare was named along with Humana and CVS in a Senate report detailing how its denial rate for prior authorizations for some Medicare Advantage patients has surged in recent years. Balsamo reported from Washington.

Young women are more likely to be off work sick than because they are looking after children, after a dramatic reversal of long-established patterns. A surge in ill health also means that young men are almost twice as likely to be off sick as a decade ago, with three quarters of those off saying they have no interest in working. The rise in mental health problems has been cited as a key reason for growing youth sickness, which comes while the birth rate has been falling, particularly among the young. Official figures released before Christmas showed that economic inactivity — referring to people who are not working or looking for a job — remains at near record levels of 9.3 million people. Political attention hasIn the final hours before University of Mississippi student , sexually explicit Snapchat messages were exchanged between his account and the account of the man now on trial in his killing, an investigator testified Thursday. Sheldon “Timothy” Herrington Jr., 24, of Grenada, Mississippi, is in the death of Lee, who vanished July 8, 2022. Lee, 20, of Jackson, Mississippi, was a gay man well known in the LGBTQ+ community at Ole Miss and in Oxford, where the university is located and is being held. Lee’s body has never been found, but a judge has declared him dead. Herrington maintains his own innocence. “was not openly in the LGBTQ community,” but evidence will show he had a relationship with Lee and is responsible for the death, assistant district attorney Gwen Agho said during opening arguments Tuesday in Oxford. Herrington’s attorney, Kevin Horan, told jurors that prosecutors have “zero” proof Lee was killed. University Police Department Sgt. Benjamin Douglas testified Thursday that investigators used search warrants to obtain cellphone records, information from social media accounts belonging to Lee and Herrington and information about Herrington’s internet searches on the day Lee disappeared until Herrington was arrested two weeks later. One of Lee’s friends, Khalid Fears, testified Tuesday that he had a video call with Lee just before 6 a.m. on July 8, 2022. Fears said Lee mentioned a sexual encounter with a man hours earlier, which ended badly. Lee was leaving his own on-campus apartment to go see the same man again, Fears said. Douglas testified Herrington’s Snapchat account sent a message to Lee’s account at about 5:25 a.m. saying: “Come back.” People using the two accounts then argued, and Lee’s account sent a message at 5:54 a.m. saying he was on the way over. Douglas said that at 6:03 a.m., Lee’s account sent its final message: “Open.” Google records obtained through a warrant showed that Herrington searched “how long does it take to strangle someone” at 5:56 a.m., Douglas said. An officer from another police agency, the Oxford Police Department, testified that starting on 7:18 a.m. the morning of Lee’s disappearance, a car matching the description of Lee’s black sedan was captured on multiple security cameras driving through Oxford. A camera showed the car entering a parking lot at the Molly Barr Trails apartment complex at 7:25 a.m., Lt. Mark Hodges testified. The same camera showed a man jogging out of the parking lot moments later, turning onto Molly Barr Road. A witness, Kizziah Carter, testified Wednesday that he was driving home from work about 7:30 that morning and saw Herrington jogging along Molly Barr Road. Carter said he knew Herrington and honked to greet him, and Herrington flagged him down to ask for a ride. Carter said he drove Herrington to Herrington’s apartment in another complex. Lee’s car was towed from Molly Barr Trails later that day. Both Herrington and Lee had graduated from the University of Mississippi. Lee was pursuing a master’s degree. He was known for his creative expression through fashion and makeup and often performed in drag shows in Oxford, according to a support group called Justice for Jay Lee. Prosecutors have announced they do not intend to pursue the death penalty, meaning Herrington could get a life sentence if convicted. Mississippi law defines capital murder as a killing committed along with another felony — in this case, kidnapping. Emily Wagster Pettus, The Associated PressWASHINGTON — The House shut down Democrats' efforts Thursday to release the long-awaited ethics report into former Rep. Matt Gaetz, pushing the fate of any resolution to the yearslong investigation of sexual misconduct allegations into further uncertainty. Matt Gaetz talks before President-elect Donald Trump speaks during an America First Policy Institute gala at his Mar-a-Lago estate Nov. 14 in Palm Beach, Fla. The nearly party-line votes came after Democrats had been pressing for the findings to be published even though the Florida Republican left Congress and withdrew as President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general. Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., was the sole Republican to support the effort. Most Republicans have argued that any congressional probe into Gaetz ended when he resigned from the House. Speaker Mike Johnson also requested that the committee not publish its report, saying it would be a terrible precedent to set. While ethics reports have previously been released after a member’s resignation, it is extremely rare. People are also reading... Shortly before the votes took place, Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., who introduced one of the bills to force the release, said that if Republicans reject the release, they will have “succeeded in sweeping credible allegations of sexual misconduct under the rug.” Gaetz has repeatedly denied the claims. Earlier Thursday, the Ethics panel met to discuss the Gaetz report but made no decision, saying in a short statement that the matter is still being discussed. It's unclear now whether the document will ever see the light of day as lawmakers have only a few weeks left before a new session of Congress begins. It's the culmination of weeks of pressure on the Ethics committee's five Republicans and five Democrats who mostly work in secret as they investigate allegations of misconduct against lawmakers. The status of the Gaetz investigation became an open question last month when he abruptly resigned from Congress after Trump's announcement that he wanted his ally in the Cabinet. It is standard practice for the committee to end investigations when members of Congress depart, but the circumstances surrounding Gaetz were unusual, given his potential role in the new administration. Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss., the committee chairman, said Wednesday that there is no longer the same urgency to release the report given that Gaetz has left Congress and stepped aside as Trump's choice to head the Justice Department. “I’ve been steadfast about that. He’s no longer a member. He is no longer going to be confirmed by the Senate because he withdrew his nomination to be the attorney general,” Guest said. The Gaetz report has also caused tensions between lawmakers on the bipartisan committee. Pennsylvania Rep. Susan Wild, the top Democrat on the panel, publicly admonished Guest last month for mischaracterizing a previous meeting to the press. Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing and said last year that the Justice Department’s separate investigation against him into sex trafficking allegations involving underage girls ended without federal charges. His onetime political ally Joel Greenberg, a fellow Republican who served as the tax collector in Florida’s Seminole County, admitted as part of a plea deal with prosecutors in 2021 that he paid women and an underage girl to have sex with him and other men. The men were not identified in court documents when he pleaded guilty. Greenberg was sentenced in late 2022 to 11 years in prison. Here are the people Trump picked for key positions so far President-elect Donald Trump Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Marco Rubio, Secretary of State Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Pam Bondi, Attorney General Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. Doug Burgum, Secretary of the Interior The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Labor Secretary Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner, Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. Chris Wright, Secretary of Energy A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. Linda McMahon, Secretary of Education President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Howard Lutnick, Secretary of Commerce Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Tulsi Gabbard, National Intelligence Director Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. John Ratcliffe, Central Intelligence Agency Director Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Kash Patel, Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel spent several years as a Justice Department prosecutor before catching the Trump administration’s attention as a staffer on Capitol Hill who helped investigate the Russia probe. Patel called for dramatically reducing the agency’s footprint, a perspective that sets him apart from earlier directors who sought additional resources for the bureau. Though the Justice Department in 2021 halted the practice of secretly seizing reporters’ phone records during leak investigations, Patel said he intends to aggressively hunt down government officials who leak information to reporters. Lee Zeldin, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Brendan Carr, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Paul Atkins, Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission Trump said Atkins, the CEO of Patomak Partners and a former SEC commissioner, was a “proven leader for common sense regulations.” In the years since leaving the SEC, Atkins has made the case against too much market regulation. “He believes in the promise of robust, innovative capital markets that are responsive to the needs of Investors, & that provide capital to make our Economy the best in the World. He also recognizes that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The commission oversees U.S. securities markets and investments and is currently led by Gary Gensler, who has been leading the U.S. government’s crackdown on the crypto industry. Gensler, who was nominated by President Joe Biden, announced last month that he would be stepping down from his post on the day that Trump is inaugurated — Jan. 20, 2025. Atkins began his career as a lawyer and has a long history working in the financial markets sector, both in government and private practice. In the 1990s, he worked on the staffs of two former SEC chairmen, Richard C. Breeden and Arthur Levitt. Jared Isaacman, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, 41, is a tech billionaire who bought a series of spaceflights from Elon Musk’s SpaceX and conducted the first private spacewalk . He is the founder and CEO of a card-processing company and has collaborated closely with Musk ever since buying his first chartered SpaceX flight. He took contest winners on that 2021 trip and followed it in September with a mission where he briefly popped out the hatch to test SpaceX’s new spacewalking suits. Elise Stefanik, Ambassador to the United Nations Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. Matt Whitaker, Ambassador to NATO President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. David Perdue, Ambassador to China President-elect Donald Trump tapped former Sen. David Perdue of Georgia to be ambassador to China, saying in a social media post that the former CEO “brings valuable expertise to help build our relationship with China.” Perdue lost his Senate seat to Democrat Jon Ossoff four years ago and ran unsuccessfully in a primary against Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Perdue pushed Trump's debunked lies about electoral fraud during his failed bid for governor. Pete Hoekstra, Ambassador to Canada A Republican congressman from Michigan who served from 1993 to 2011, Hoekstra was ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term. “In my Second Term, Pete will help me once again put AMERICA FIRST,” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice. “He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role.” Mike Huckabee, Ambassador to Israel Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Steven Witkoff, Special Envoy to the Middle East Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Keith Kellogg, Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia Trump said Wednesday that he will nominate Gen. Keith Kellogg to serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as National Security Advisor to Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence. For the America First Policy Institute, one of several groups formed after Trump left office to help lay the groundwork for the next Republican administration, Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) Mike Waltz, National Security Adviser Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Tom Homan, ‘Border Czar’ Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Billy Long, Internal Revenue Service commissioner Former Rep. Billy Long represented Missouri in the U.S. House from 2011 to 2023. Since leaving Congress, Trump said, Long “has worked as a Business and Tax advisor, helping Small Businesses navigate the complexities of complying with the IRS Rules and Regulations.” Kelly Loeffler, Small Business Administration administrator Former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler was appointed in January 2020 by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and then lost a runoff election a year later. She started a conservative voter registration organization and dived into GOP fundraising, becoming one of the top individual donors and bundlers to Trump’s 2024 comeback campaign. Even before nominating her for agriculture secretary, the president-elect already had tapped Loeffler as co-chair of his inaugural committee. Dr. Mehmet Oz, Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to advise White House on government efficiency Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought, Office of Management and Budget Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Additional selections to the incoming White House Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. James Blair, deputy chief of staff Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Marty Makary, Food and Drug Administration Makary is a Johns Hopkins surgeon and author who argued against pandemic lockdowns. He routinely appeared on Fox News during the COVID-19 pandemic and wrote opinion articles questioning masks for children. He cast doubt on vaccine mandates but supported vaccines generally. Makary also cast doubt on whether booster shots worked, which was against federal recommendations on the vaccine. Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, Surgeon General Nesheiwat is a general practitioner who serves as medical director for CityMD, a network of urgent care centers in New York and New Jersey. She has been a contributor to Fox News. Dr. Dave Weldon, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Weldon is a former Florida congressman who recently ran for a Florida state legislative seat and lost; Trump backed Weldon’s opponent. In Congress, Weldon weighed in on one of the nation’s most heated debates of the 1990s over quality of life and a right-to-die and whether Terri Schiavo, who was in a persistent vegetative state after cardiac arrest, should have been allowed to have her feeding tube removed. He sided with the parents who did not want it removed. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, has launched a blistering critique of former Rivers State Governor, Dr. Peter Odili, accusing him of political sycophancy and hypocrisy. Wike claimed he was instrumental in reviving Odili’s political relevance, describing him as “politically dead” before his intervention. Speaking at a Special Thanksgiving Service organized by the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule, at the Church of the Holy Spirit, Anglican Communion in Port Harcourt, Wike responded to comments Odili made during a Christmas Ballad in honor of the current Rivers Governor, Siminalayi Fubara. Odili had alleged that Fubara thwarted Wike’s attempt to turn Rivers State into his personal estate. Reacting to Odili’s statement, Wike said, “Between him and myself, who has turned Rivers State to his personal estate? His wife is the Chairman of a Governing Council, his daughter is a commissioner, his other daughter is a judge, and he is the general overseer. Who has now turned Rivers State into a private estate?” Wike accused Odili of betraying past support and loyalty, adding that the former governor’s remarks reeked of opportunism. He recalled Odili’s earlier praise during his own tenure as governor. “When I was governor, this same Odili praised me to high heavens. In fact, he said then that all past governors in Rivers State combined did not do better than me. He even hung my pictures in every room of his house—living room, bedroom, kitchen, and toilets. But today, all those pictures are gone.” Read also: NPFL: Ikorodu beat Sunshine Stars as Rangers pip Tornadoes Wike detailed his contributions to Odili’s resurgence, highlighting the support he provided for PAMO University and the mansion he built for the former governor. “In 2007 after he left office, he couldn’t come near power in the state because Amaechi was governor. He was gone! When I became governor in 2015, I brought him back to life politically. For PAMO University, Rivers State sponsored 100 students per session, each paying at least N5 million per semester. I even called Julius Berger to build him a mansion. He was telling everyone how Wike had shown him love,” Wike recounted. The FCT Minister also took a swipe at Odili’s alleged sycophantic tendencies, accusing him of pandering to whoever is in power. “An elder statesman should not be a trader or a sycophant all the time. What can I learn from such an elder? What kind of advice can one get from someone who praises you one moment and criticizes you the next?” Wike queried. On the Rivers governorship issue, Wike dismissed Odili’s criticisms and alleged inconsistency. “When I was plotting who would be governor after me, was he there? Back then, he was complaining about this governor, saying he couldn’t stand before the public to talk. But today, he’s organizing Christmas Carols for the same governor he once opposed,” Wike said. Addressing Odili’s claim that Fubara had surpassed the achievements of past governors, Wike said, “The governor hasn’t even spent one year in office, and Odili is already saying he’s done more than all the past governors. You spent eight years as governor, and someone who hasn’t spent one year has beaten your record? What manner of elder talks like that?” Wike concluded by accusing Odili of lacking the courage to stand firm in politics, referencing Odili’s decision to step down from the presidential race years ago. “This is a man who wanted to run for president but didn’t have the balls. He chickened out because Obasanjo said no. Because of him, I never invited Obasanjo to Rivers State to commission projects. I didn’t want to humiliate him,” Wike stated. The Minister’s fiery remarks underscore a deepening rift between two of Rivers State’s most prominent political figures, casting a spotlight on the personal and political dynamics shaping the state’s leadership. Opinions Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs. As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake. If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause. Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development. Donate NowThe learned in a recent study that the Department of Homeland Security, the Environmental Protection Agency and NASA for requesting analytical support and sharing that information — including classified information — as part of due diligence when vetting applicants for Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer program awards. Having documented processes serves to ensure that all the necessary information is gathered to help officials evaluate and mitigate risks associated with the awarding of SBIR or STTR contracts, GAO said Thursday. Table of Contents Risks From Foreign Actors The government watchdog explained that such risks stem from foreign actors seeking to illicitly acquire research and technologies that are funded by the federal government. According to U.S. intelligence agencies, these foreign actors may target emerging technology companies in the U.S., including small businesses seeking SBIR or STTR awards. The goals of such efforts include obtaining proprietary data, advancing the economic and military capabilities of foreign nations and threatening U.S. national security. GAO Recommendation To address the issues found in the vetting processes of the DHS, EPA and NASA, GAO recommended that the three agencies “develop and document agreed-upon procedures for requesting analytical support and sharing information—including classified information, as applicable—to support due diligence reviews.”

BERLIN (AP) — Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk caused uproar after backing Germany’s far-right party in a major newspaper ahead of key parliamentary elections in the Western European country, leading to the resignation of the paper’s opinion editor in protest. Germany is to vote in an early election on Feb. 23 after Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party governing coalition collapsed last month in a dispute over how to revitalize the country’s stagnant economy. Musk's guest opinion piece for Welt am Sonntag — a sister publication of POLITICO owned by the Axel Springer Group — published in German over the weekend, was the second time this month he supported the Alternative for Germany, or AfD. “The Alternative for Germany (AfD) is the last spark of hope for this country," Musk wrote in his translated commentary. He went on to say the far-right party “can lead the country into a future where economic prosperity, cultural integrity and technological innovation are not just wishes, but reality.” The Tesla Motors CEO also wrote that his investment in Germany gave him the right to comment on the country's condition. The AfD is polling strongly, but its candidate for the top job, Alice Weidel , has no realistic chance of becoming chancellor because other parties refuse to work with the far-right party. An ally of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, the technology billionaire challenged in his opinion piece the party's public image. “The portrayal of the AfD as right-wing extremist is clearly false, considering that Alice Weidel, the party’s leader, has a same-sex partner from Sri Lanka! Does that sound like Hitler to you? Please!” Musk’s commentary has led to a debate in German media over the boundaries of free speech, with the paper's own opinion editor announcing her resignation, pointedly on Musk's social media platform, X. “I always enjoyed leading the opinion section of WELT and WAMS. Today an article by Elon Musk appeared in Welt am Sonntag. I handed in my resignation yesterday after it went to print," Eva Marie Kogel wrote. The newspaper was also attacked by politicians and other media for offering Musk, an outsider, a platform to express his views, in favor of the AfD. Candidate for chancellor, Friedrich Merz, of the Christian Democratic Union, said Sunday that Musk's comments were “intrusive and presumptuous”. He was speaking to the newspapers of the German Funke Media Group. Co-leader of the Social Democratic Party, Saskia Esken said that “Anyone who tries to influence our election from outside, who supports an anti-democratic, misanthropic party like the AfD, whether the influence is organized by the state from Russia or by the concentrated financial and media power of Elon Musk and his billionaire friends on the Springer board, must expect our tough resistance,” according to the ARD national public TV network. Musk's opinion piece in the Welt am Sonntag was accompanied by a critical article by the future editor-in-chief of the Welt group, Jan Philipp Burgard. “Musk’s diagnosis is correct, but his therapeutic approach, that only the AfD can save Germany, is fatally wrong,” Burgard wrote. Responding to a request for comment from the German Press Agency, dpa, the current editor-in-chief of the Welt group, Ulf Poschardt, and Burgard — who is due to take over on Jan. 1 — said in a joint statement that the discussion over Musk's piece was "very insightful. Democracy and journalism thrive on freedom of expression.” “This will continue to determine the compass of the “world” in the future. We will develop “Die Welt” even more decisively as a forum for such debates,” they wrote to dpa.( MENAFN - Live Mint) 'Punjab Bandh' will be observed on December 30 after it was called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-political), Kisan Mazdoor Morchaand and other farmers' organisations. Farmer leader of Kisan Mazdoor Sanghrash Committee-Punjab, Sharvan Singh Pandher, said last week that 'Punjab Bandh' call for December 30 gained support from various groups. "Punjab bandh will be observed on 30th December from 7 am to 4 pm. We have received support from many unions and groups," Pandher was quoted by news agency ANI as saying. Pandher said both Punjab government and private offices will remain closed on December 30. "Rail movement and road traffic will also be closed on 30th December," Pandher said while addressing a press conference at Khannur border. However, airport services won't be affected during the bandh. Pandher also requested the people of Punjab to complete any travel or essential work as the state will observe a complete bandh from 7 AM to 4 PM on December 30. "However, emergency/medical services will remain operational," said farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher. There will be no restrictions on wedding programmes and job interviews. He said petrol pump and gas agencies will remain closed and "shutter of all the shops will be down". The protest organised by the farmers of Punjab at the Khanauri border in Sangrur district, near the Haryana border, entered its 318th day. They have been protesting since February 13, 2024, to press on their various demands including a law to guarantee the minimum support price (MSP). Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann earlier lashed out at the central government and said that they should abandon their "stubbornness" and open their way for talk with the farmers. He also questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi that if he can stop the war between Russia and Ukraine, then why can't he talk to the breadwinners sitting 200 kilometers away. The Punjab Chief Minister wrote in a post on X, "The central government should abandon its old stubbornness and open the way for talks with the farmers' organizations... A cat does not run away when a pigeon winks.. I don't know what penance the central government is doing now?? If Modi ji can stop the war between Russia and Ukraine, then can't he talk to the breadwinners sitting 200 kilometers away? What time are you waiting for..?" Meanwhile, farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal (70) has been sitting on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border since November 26 to put pressure on the Centre to accept the farmers' demands, including legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP). Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal (70) has been sitting on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border since November 26 to put pressure on the Centre to accept the farmers' demands, including legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP). MENAFN29122024007365015876ID1109040114 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.

Vice President Sara Duterte called on Filipinos to commemorate the memory of national hero Jose Rizal by remembering his courage amid oppression, and by standing for what is right. “Ang napakatinding pagsubok na kanyang pinagdaanan ay nagpapaalala sa atin na kahit sa pinakamadilim na oras, ang liwanag ng katotohanan at katarungan ay maaaring manaig,” she said in a statement on Monday, Rizal Day. (The intense test that he went through reminds us that even in the darkest hour, the light of truth and justice will prevail.) “Parangalan natin ang kanyang alaala sa pamamagitan ng paninindigan para sa tama at kolektibong pagsusumikap tungo sa mas makatarungan, pantay, at tunay na malayang Pilipinas,” she added. (Let us commemorate his memory by standing for what is right and collectively working towards a more just, equal, and truly free Philippines.) Rizal wrote the novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo as he advocated for political reforms during the Spanish occupation. He was convicted of rebellion and was executed in Bagumbayan (now Rizal Park or Luneta) on December 30, 1896. His sacrifice and heroism have since been commemorated on the anniversary of his death. — Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/BM, GMA Integrated NewsANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan's defense of the national championship has fallen woefully short. The Wolverines started the season ranked No. 9 in the AP Top 25, making them the third college football team since 1991 to be ranked worse than seventh in the preseason poll after winning a national title. Michigan (6-5, 4-4 Big Ten) failed to meet those modest expectations, barely becoming eligible to play in a bowl and putting the program in danger of losing six or seven games for the first time since the Brady Hoke era ended a decade ago. The Wolverines potentially can ease some of the pain with a win against rival and second-ranked Ohio State (10-1, 7-1, No. 2 CFP) on Saturday in the Horseshoe, but that would be a stunning upset. Ohio State is a 21 1/2-point favorite, according to the BetMGM Sportsbook, and that marks just the third time this century that there has been a spread of at least 20 1/2 points in what is known as "The Game." Michigan coach Sherrone Moore doesn't sound like someone who is motivating players with an underdog mentality. "I don't think none of that matters in this game," Moore said Monday. "It doesn't matter the records. It doesn't matter anything. The spread, that doesn't matter." How did Michigan end up with a relative mess of a season on the field, coming off its first national title since 1997? Winning it all with a coach and star player contemplating being in the NFL for the 2024 season seemed to have unintended consequences for the current squad. The Wolverines closed the College Football Playoff with a win over Washington on Jan. 8; several days later quarterback J.J. McCarthy announced he was skipping his senior season; and it took more than another week for Jim Harbaugh to bolt to coach the Los Angeles Chargers. In the meantime, most quality quarterbacks wanting to transfer had already enrolled at other schools and Moore was left with lackluster options. Davis Warren beat out Alex Orji to be the team's quarterback for the opener and later lost the job to Orji only to get it back again. No matter who was under center, however, would've likely struggled this year behind an offensive line that sent six players to the NFL. The Wolverines lost one of their top players on defense, safety Rod Moore, to a season-ending injury last spring and another one, preseason All-America cornerback Will Johnson, hasn't played in more than a month because of an injury. The Buckeyes are not planning to show any mercy after losing three straight in the series. "We're going to attack them," Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer said. "We know they're going to come in here swinging, too, and they've still got a good team even though the record doesn't indicate it. This game, it never matters what the records are." While a win would not suddenly make the Wolverines' season a success, it could help Moore build some momentum a week after top-rated freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood flipped his commitment from LSU to Michigan. "You come to Michigan to beat Ohio," said defensive back Quinten Johnson, intentionally leaving the word State out when referring to the rival. "That's one of the pillars of the Michigan football program. "It doesn't necessarily change the fact of where we are in the season, but it definitely is one of the defining moments of your career here at Michigan." AP Sports Writer Mitch Stacy in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report. Get local news delivered to your inbox!