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Drug company executives had hoped that a second Trump administration would be staffed by friendly health policy officials who would reduce regulation and help their industry boom. But some of President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed nominees are instead alarming drugmakers, according to interviews with people in the industry. For health secretary, Trump chose Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime vaccine skeptic with no medical or public health training who has accused drug companies of the “mass poisoning” of Americans. Trump’s pick to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is Dr. Dave Weldon, a former Congress member from Florida who raised doubts about vaccines and pushed to move most vaccine safety research from the agency. And Trump’s choice to run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, former television host Dr. Mehmet Oz, has scant experience in managing a large bureaucracy like the one he may now oversee; the agency is in charge of health care programs that cover more than 150 million Americans. In Trump’s first term as president, pharmaceutical executives largely cheered his health policy nominees. They had ties to the moderate wing of the Republican Party and decades of conventional experience, including at major drug companies. John LaMattina, who was once the top scientist at Pfizer and is now a senior partner at PureTech Health, a firm that creates biotech startups, said of those officials, “You could disagree with them, but at least there’s a certain knowledge base, and they’ve given serious thought to these issues.” He added, “We’re now seeing some people without any sort of background, and that’s worrisome.” The implications remain unclear for Americans who rely on medications or on widespread immunity from diseases that, for now, are rare. Some in the Trump administration want to speed drug approvals, potentially seeding the market with drugs of uncertain effectiveness. Kennedy has in some forums called for more independent safety reviews of established vaccines, and at other times, he has demanded fewer constraints on unconventional and unproven treatments. But Kennedy has also tapped in to veins of outrage among consumers and lawmakers, who have long vilified drug companies for setting high prices on certain drugs and reaping billions of dollars in profits rather than putting patients first. In choosing such a vociferous critic as Kennedy, the president-elect stunned the sector, causing vaccine and biotechnology stocks to plummet temporarily. And though Kennedy most recently said that he would not take vaccines away from Americans who want them, even a modest reduction in the number of people receiving certain shots could spook investors and translate into hundreds of millions of dollars of lost revenue. The industry is also concerned that drug approvals could be delayed if Kennedy makes good on his threats to fire drug regulators, or if they quit in droves to avoid working under his leadership. “There was cautious optimism on Trump when he won, and that was very rapidly replaced with concern over RFK Jr.,” said Brian Skorney, a drug industry analyst at the investment bank Baird. Drug companies’ political action committees made millions of dollars in contributions to Democrats and Republicans this election cycle, and the industry’s lobbying groups can wield considerable influence over policy and legislation. Top pharmaceutical executives have said little publicly about Trump’s picks for health policy positions, seeking to avoid alienating the people who would regulate them. Their lobbying groups have publicly issued polite statements saying they want to work constructively with the administration. But Derek Lowe, a longtime pharmaceutical researcher and industry commentator, has criticized Kennedy on his blog, calling him “a demagogue whose positions on key public health issues like vaccination are nothing short of disastrous.” “You really can’t engage with someone like that. There is no common ground,” Lowe said in an interview. Drug industry officials have a long list of concerns about Kennedy, who did not return a request for comment for this article. They are particularly worried that he could seek to undermine childhood vaccines; one way would be for him to push to revise the government’s recommendations on immunizations. Kennedy has also called for overturning legal protections that shield vaccine makers from litigation when people are seriously harmed by vaccines — a change that would upend an established compensation program and could expose the industry to costly lawsuits. The stakes appear to be highest for companies that make vaccines. About a fifth of Merck’s revenue comes from two types of vaccines that Kennedy has targeted: a vaccine against the human papillomavirus that has averted thousands of cancer cases, and the shots that children receive to protect them against measles, mumps and rubella. (Merck declined to comment.) Vaccine sales represent about 3% of the industry’s overall prescription drug revenues, according to IQVIA, an industry data provider. With some exceptions, vaccines tend to generate relatively low returns compared with profits from more expensive products used for diseases like cancer and arthritis. Drug manufacturers also fear the effect Kennedy could have at the Food and Drug Administration. They often complain that the agency can be too onerous, but their business model is reliant on a well-staffed FDA that can weed out would-be competitors that haven’t met its standards for safety and effectiveness. Kennedy regularly lambastes the FDA as “corrupt” and too close to the drug industry. He has denounced the fees the agency receives from makers of medical devices and drugs, which make up about half of its $7.2 billion annual budget. It’s unclear how Kennedy’s views will mesh with those of Jim O’Neill, a Silicon Valley investor and former government official who would serve as his deputy if he is confirmed. O’Neill, a former top aide to billionaire Peter Thiel, has called for approving drugs once they’ve been shown to be safe but before they have been shown to be effective. That idea goes well beyond the deregulation favored by most pharmaceutical executives. Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for Trump’s transition who will be his press secretary, described the president-elect’s choices for administration posts as “highly qualified” and reflective of “his priority to put America First.” Although lawmakers in both parties frequently criticize the drug industry for charging high prices, Kennedy paints pharmaceutical companies in a much harsher light. In an interview last year, Kennedy called vaccine makers “the most corrupt companies in the world” and “serial felons.” He has advanced falsehoods about the science underlying some of the industry’s most influential products, suggesting that vaccines cause autism and that HIV may not be the true cause of AIDS. He has embraced an increasingly popular notion that healthy food and lifestyle changes — not pharmaceutical products — will heal sick people. Referring to drug companies, he wrote on the social platform X this year, “The sicker we get the richer and more powerful they become.” “His view of our world seems to be that everything is a conspiracy,” said Brad Loncar, a former biotech investor who now runs BiotechTV, an industry media company. “If you really know our industry, it’s made up of well-intentioned, smart people, and it’s one of the most innovative sectors of our entire economy.” Pharmaceutical officials were relieved by Trump’s pick to lead the FDA, Dr. Martin Makary, who has a contrarian bent but has been aligned with scientific consensus on vaccine safety and is not seen as a threat to unwind the status quo. Drug companies hope to have an ally in Vivek Ramaswamy, who made his fortune as a biotechnology executive and has been named to lead a government efficiency effort alongside Elon Musk. Ramaswamy has been critical of what he describes as regulatory red tape that slows new drug approvals. And O’Neill, the president-elect’s choice for deputy health secretary, has close ties to some biotechnology and medical technology companies, though he is less well-connected to major industry players. Bracing for the potential of public attacks and new proposals that could hurt their bottom lines, drug companies are said to be reaching out to contacts close to Trump in hopes of influencing the incoming administration. Some are also considering new ways to defend their businesses from government initiatives they consider detrimental. “There’s no playbook for dealing with these disruptive figures like Kennedy,” said Sam Geduldig, managing partner of the right-leaning lobbying firm CGCN Group. Other lobbyists said they are instructing pharmaceutical clients not to hit the panic button yet. Once Congress returns after the Thanksgiving break, Kennedy is expected to make the rounds on Capitol Hill. He could face trouble winning the support he needs from Senate Republicans to be confirmed because of his record on vaccines, his past support for abortion rights and his ideas about overhauling the food system. Drug industry officials have long regarded Trump as a wild card, just as likely to be a boon as a foe. In 2020, the Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed worked closely with drugmakers and poured billions of dollars into producing highly effective COVID shots in record time, saving countless lives. Trump’s pandemic-era health secretary, Alex Azar, spoke with admiration that year about “our partners in the private sector.” But this year, Trump spoke little about Operation Warp Speed. With some exceptions, the drug industry has been in something of a slump since the heights of the pandemic, when it enjoyed a boost in its public image, and investors eager to get in on huge gains poured money into drug stocks. But trust in vaccines and public health institutions has eroded at the same time as the bubble in the biotech markets has deflated. Among major COVID vaccine makers, Moderna’s stock price is down tenfold, and Pfizer’s stock price has fallen by half, from their high-water marks in 2021. An index of smaller biotechnology stocks is down by close to half. Drug company officials still see opportunities to benefit from Trump’s win. The industry is looking forward to Trump replacing Lina Khan, the chair of the Federal Trade Commission, as he is expected to do. She has been aggressive in taking on big business, including pharma. The industry is also hopeful that Trump could help reverse its worst policy defeat in recent memory. Under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, President Joe Biden’s signature policy achievement, Democratic lawmakers empowered Medicare to directly negotiate the prices of certain prescription drugs — cutting into manufacturers’ profits and raising the specter of similar price cuts in the commercial market. Republicans in Congress have said that they want to repeal the negotiation program. This article originally appeared in The New York Times . © 2024 The New York Times CompanyAP Sports SummaryBrief at 5:33 p.m. EST

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau returned home Saturday after his meeting with Donald Trump without assurances the president-elect will back away from threatened tariffs on all products from the major American trading partner. Trump called the talks “productive” but signaled no retreat from a pledge that Canada says unfairly lumps it in with Mexico over the flow of drugs and migrants into the United States. After the leaders’ hastily arranged dinner Friday night at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, Trudeau spoke of “an excellent conversation.” Trump said in a Truth Social post later Saturday that they discussed “many important topics that will require both Countries to work together to address.” For issues in need of such cooperation, Trump cited fentanyl and the “Drug Crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of Illegal Immigration,” fair trade deals “that do not jeopardize American Workers” and the U.S. trade deficit with its ally to the north. Trump asserted that the prime minister had made “a commitment to work with us to end this terrible devastation” of American families from fentanyl from China reaching the United States through its neighbors. The U.S., he said, “will no longer sit idly by as our Citizens become victims to the scourge of this Drug Epidemic.” The Republican president-elect has threatened to impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders when he takes office in January. U.S. customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border last fiscal year, compared with 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border. On immigration, the U.S. Border Patrol made 56,530 arrests at the Mexican border in October alone and 23,721 arrests at the Canadian border between October 2023 and September 2024 — and Canadian officials say they are ready to make new investments in border security. Trudeau called Trump after the Republican’s social media posts about the tariffs last Monday and they agreed to meet, according to a official familiar with the matter who was not authorized to publicly discuss detail of the private talks. The official said other countries are calling Canadian officials to hear how about how the meeting was arranged and to ask for advice. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, after speaking with Trump on the telephone, said Thursday she was confident a tariff war with Washington would be averted. At the dinner that was said to last three hours, Trump said he and Trudeau also discussed energy, trade and the Arctic. A second official cited defense, Ukraine, NATO, China, the Mideast, pipelines and the Group of Seven meeting in Canada next year as other issues that arose. Trudeau’s office said in a statement that the leaders “shared a productive wide-ranging discussion” centering on “collaboration and strengthening our relationship,” adding, “As Canada’s closest friend and ally, the United States is our key partner, and we are committed to working together in the interests of Canadians and Americans.” Trump, during his first term as president, once called Trudeau “weak” and “dishonest,” but it was the prime minister who was the first G7 leader to visit Trump since the Nov. 5 election. “Tariffs are a crucial issue for Canada and a bold move was in order. Perhaps it was a risk, but a risk worth taking,” Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal. Trudeau had said before leaving from Friday that Trump was elected because he promised to bring down the cost of groceries but now was talking about adding 25% to the cost of all kinds of products, including potatoes from Prince Edward Island in Atlantic Canada. “It is important to understand that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out. There’s no question about it,” Trudeau said. “Our responsibility is to point out that he would not just be harming Canadians, who work so well with the United States, but he would actually be raising prices for Americans citizens as well and hurting American industry and business,” he added. The threatened tariffs could essentially blow up the North American trade pact that Trump’s team negotiated during his first term. Trudeau noted they were able to successfully renegotiate the deal, which he calls a “win win” for both countries. When Trump imposed higher tariffs as president, other countries responded with retaliatory tariffs of their own. Canada, for instance, announced billions of new duties in 2018 against the U.S. in a response to new taxes on Canadian steel and aluminum. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian (US $2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electricity imports are from Canada. Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the U.S. and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing in for national security. Canada is one of the most trade-dependent countries in the world, and 77% of Canada’s exports go to the U.S.Is Another Big Special Dividend Coming Up for Costco Wholesale Investors in December?

Three stock recommendations from Rajesh Palviya for the coming week - The Economic Times

Pune: NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday said some people had raised red flags on the possibility of ‘30% vote manipulation ' during the assembly poll, and the election outcome prima facie showed it held truth. "Before the election, some people made a presentation that it is possible (to increase votes through manipulation), and they also raised a red flag saying it will be done in the election. It was our shortcoming that we did not pay heed to them. We never thought that the Election Commission of India would go to that extent in taking a wrong stand. After the poll results, however, prima facie it appears that the red flags raised by those people helt truth," the NCP (SP) chief said during a media interaction when asked about the opposition's take on the EVM issue. Pawar visited Pune's Mahatma Phule Wada to meet 95-year-old social worker Baba Adhav, who was observing a hunger strike against the alleged corruption and use of money in the recent election. After the meeting, the veteran politician said, "Parliamentary democracy looks in danger, given the current situation. Those in govt have no interest in this. The opposition has been raising the issues in Parliament for the last six days, but not even for a minute has the discussion happened on the issues of national interest. It clearly shows the intention of the people in govt to attack parliamentary democracy," he said. The opposition parties have been raising the issue of alleged EVM manipulation in the assembly poll, questioning the spurt in the number of votes polled in the last hour of the voting in the state. During Pawar's interaction with Adhav, he said some people said 30% of votes could be added to increase the vote count. Following the defeat in Haryana and Maharashtra assembly polls , Congress is planning a nationwide movement to raise issues over the conduct of the polls. Speaking about it, Pawar said, "The issue was raised in the Congress Working Committee's meeting where it was suggested that it should be raised by the members of the INDIA bloc at the national level. The decision on the issue is expected either on Monday or Tuesday." On Congress senior member Balasaheb Thorat's allegation of an unusual increase in the voter turnout in the last couple of hours on the polling day, the NCP (SP) chief said, "The figures which have come up (about voter turnout in the last couple of hours) are quite shocking. Not just Thorat, but several other candidates have also shared similar observation. Earlier, we saw misuse of power and money during the local body polls, but it is quite shocking to see similar misuse in the state assembly election as well." Speaking about Adhav's hunger strike, Pawar said, "Some people met me outside Parliament recently, and they remembered JP Narayan's movement. They spoke about initiating a similar movement in the country. Adhav's agitation has given voice to the concerns of common people, but he will need support."GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Even though their long-shot hopes of winning the NFC North have vanished, the playoff-bound Green Bay Packers believe they can make a legitimate run at their first Super Bowl appearance since their 2010 championship season. A rapidly improving defense gives them ample reason for confidence. The Packers (11-4) followed up a seven-sack performance in a 30-13 victory at Seattle by producing the first shutout of the NFL season, a 34-0 playoff-clinching blowout of the New Orleans Saints on Monday night. Green Bay delivered its first shutout since a 17-0 triumph over Seattle in 2021 and its most lopsided victory since a 55-14 rout of the Chicago Bears in 2014. “We’ve noticed all along that the defense is a lot different this year, and they’ve been making some big-time plays all along,” quarterback Jordan Love said. “But any time you can hold anybody to zero points in the National Football League is pretty awesome.” The Packers were seeking to produce a championship-caliber defense to go along with their dynamic offense when they fired Joe Barry as coordinator in the offseason and brought in former Boston College coach Jeff Hafley to replace him. Green Bay switched from a 3-4 scheme to a 4-3, with Hafley emphasizing the need to produce more big plays. Green Bay has done just that by collecting 28 takeaways — 10 more than it had all of last year — to match the NFL’s third-highest total. The Packers haven’t forced this many turnovers since 2011, when they had 38 takeaways. That’s not the only area in which the defense has made strides. Green Bay is allowing just 19.1 points per game to rank sixth in the league in scoring defense. The Packers haven’t finished a season among the top six teams in scoring defense since their 2010 title run, when they yielded just 15 points per game to rank second. The Packers are giving up 312.1 yards per game for the league’s seventh-best total. That also puts them on pace for their highest season-ending rank since 2010, when they finished fifth in total defense. “We’re all working together, and we’ve just got some nice playmakers,” linebacker and rookie second-round pick Edgerrin Cooper said. The Packers have given up as many as 20 points just once in their last six games, a 34-31 defeat at Detroit on Dec. 5. That is the only time Green Bay has lost during that stretch. Whether this kind of success can carry over to the playoffs remains uncertain. The Packers’ shutout performance came against a New Orleans offense that was starting rookie fifth-round draft pick Spencer Rattler at quarterback in place of the injured Derek Carr and was missing five-time Pro Bowl running back Alvin Kamara. Green Bay’s defense faces a much tougher task Sunday night against the Minnesota Vikings (13-2), who beat the Packers 31-29 at Lambeau Field on Sept. 29. This will mark the first time in the series' 64-year history that both teams had at least 11 wins when they face off. The Packers are eager to see what they can do against another team headed for the playoffs as their defense gears up for another postseason. “We can do whatever we want to do,” defensive lineman Kenny Clark said. “We write our own story at the end of the day. We’ve just got to keep on building.” What’s working Green Bay outrushed New Orleans 188-67 and improved its season total to 2,209 yards rushing. The Packers haven't rushed for that many yards in a season since 2003, when they had 2,558. ... The pass rush has produced 16 sacks over Green Bay’s last four games. ... Green Bay is outscoring teams 102-34 in the first quarter. ... The Packers didn't give up a sack Monday and have allowed just five over their last eight games. That represents the fewest sacks the Packers have given up over an eight-game stretch within a single season since 2004. What needs work Penalties remain a bit of an issue. The Packers were penalized six times for 60 yards. Stock up Love has thrown eight touchdown passes without an interception over his last five games. ... RB Josh Jacobs has run for a touchdown in six straight games. His 13 TD runs this season are a career high. ... K Brandon McManus made field goals from 55 and 46 yards to improve to 16 of 17 this season. His 55-yarder was a season long. ... S Zayne Anderson had his first career interception in his first career start. ... DL Brenton Cox Jr. has three sacks over his last four games. Stock down There really aren't any candidates for this category, considering the Packers produced their biggest victory margin in a decade. Injuries WR Christian Watson injured a knee Monday night. ... CB Jaire Alexander (knee) missed a fifth straight game. S Javon Bullard (ankle), S Evan Williams (quadriceps) and LB Quay Walker (ankle) also didn’t play. Key number 30 – The Packers have scored at least 30 points in each of their last five games. That represents the second-longest string of games with 30-plus points in franchise history. Green Bay had seven such straight games in 1963. Next steps The Packers close the regular season with two divisional games, visiting Minnesota on Sunday before hosting the Bears (4-11). Green Bay is 1-3 against NFC North opponents this season. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

PDP slammed Tinubu’s "no regrets" stance on subsidy removal, citing worsening hardships and unaccounted savings The party refuted claims of progress, highlighting inflation, unemployment, and a weakened naira. PDP urged Tinubu to witness citizens' struggles firsthand instead of relying on misleading data CHECK OUT: Education is Your Right! Don’t Let Social Norms Hold You Back. Learn Online with LEGIT. Enroll Now! The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed strong disapproval of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s continued defense of his administration’s reforms, describing them as "insensitive" to the widespread suffering faced by Nigerians. In a statement issued on Monday, PDP National Publicity Secretary Hon. Debo Ologunagba criticized President Tinubu’s comments during a recent media chat, where he reaffirmed his position on the removal of the fuel subsidy. According to the PDP, Tinubu’s claim of having "no regrets" over the removal of the subsidy, despite its crippling effects on the economy , highlights the administration’s disconnect from the welfare of citizens, Vanguard reported. “President Tinubu admitted Nigerians are bearing the brunt of his administration’s failure to secure our nation’s borders and prevent the smuggling of petroleum products,” the statement read. Read also “How my friend dumped his Rolls-Royces for Honda after fuel hike,” Tinubu speaks, video trends PAY ATTENTION: Follow us on Instagram - get the most important news directly in your favourite app! The PDP accused the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) government of failing to account for the savings from the subsidy removal while subjecting Nigerians to economic hardship, The Punch reported. PDP says economic decline contradicts claims of progress Ologunagba questioned Tinubu’s assertion that the economy has improved under his administration, pointing to worsening inflation (34.6%), unemployment (40%), and a weakened naira exchange rate of ₦1,700 to the US dollar. “Nigerians are appalled by the fabricated statistics being bandied about. The reality is a comatose productive sector and extreme poverty,” he stated. The PDP also highlighted recent food stampedes across the country, which led to the tragic deaths of 80 Nigerians, as evidence of the dire state of the nation. The PDP urged President Tinubu to take a road trip from Abuja to Lagos , visit local markets, or walk the streets of Nigerian cities to witness the realities faced by citizens. Read also Reactions as cleric allegedly providing spiritual fortifications for bandits is nabbed in Zamfara “Instead of relying on misleading data from his officials, the president should see the truth firsthand,” the statement concluded. PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy! Source: Legit.ngMany people still opt to start claiming Social Security benefits at the earliest possible age of 62. The earlier you claim, the more checks you receive, however, it does reduce your monthly benefits by up to 30% . AOL and the Motley Fool had a look at how the monthly benefits stack up. The average Social Security take-home overall was $1,905.31 per month in 2023. However, this has now changed somewhat significantly thanks to cost of living adjustments (COLAs). Mariah Carey spotted holding hands with Anderson .Paak after dinner in Aspen Beyonce's net worth and how she made her fortune as singer and businesswoman The average benefit raised to $1,966.28 after benefits increased by 3.2% in 2024. Checks are then set to rise another 2.5% in 2025, which increases the average again to $2,015.44. However, those who claimed at 62 received far less. Their average monthly benefit in 2023 was just $1,298.26. The cost of living adjustments for 2025 brings it to $1,339.80. It comes after nearly 3 million Americans will receive full Social Security benefits under legislation passed by Congress and now headed to President Biden, who is now expected to sign it into law. Senators voted 76-20 for the Social Security Fairness Act. This would eliminate two federal policies that prevent nearly 3 million people with a public service pension, such as firefighters, postal workers and police officers from collecting their full Social Security benefits. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democractic politician from New York, said: "The Senate finally corrects a 50-year mistake." DAILY NEWSLETTER: Sign up here to get the latest news and updates from the Mirror US straight to your inbox with our FREE newsletter. Click here to follow the Mirror US on Google News to stay up to date with all the latest news, sports and entertainment stories.Cavaliers vs. Nuggets Injury Report Today – December 5

The luck of Suaalii: Broken wrist ruled out and could face IrelandDoorDash will require its drivers to verify their identities more often as part of a larger effort to crack down on unauthorized account sharing. DoorDash has been under pressure to ensure its drivers are operating legally. Over the summer, for example, it pledged to do a better job identifying and removing dangerous drivers after a flood of complaints of dangerous driving from cities. Officials in Boston, New York and other cities have said that in many cases, people with multiple traffic violations continue to make deliveries using accounts registered to others. The San Francisco delivery company said Thursday it was requiring some drivers to complete real-time identity checks immediately after they complete a delivery. Previously, drivers were occasionally asked to re-verify their identities before or after a shift. DoorDash has introduced the new system in Los Angeles, Denver, Seattle and other cities, and said it planned a wider rollout next year. DoorDash said it also has developed an advanced machine learning system that can flag potential unauthorized account access, including login anomalies and suspicious activity. If the company detects a problem, it will require drivers to re-verify their identity before they can make more deliveries . U.S. drivers must verify their identities with a driver’s license or other government-issued identification, and upload a selfie that matches their identification photo before they can do work for DoorDash. They also must submit to background checks, which require a Social Security number. The company said it found that some drivers were getting around the requirements by sharing accounts with authorized users. In some cases, drivers who were not authorized to drive for DoorDash paid authorized users for access to their accounts. Some federal lawmakers have demanded that DoorDash and other delivery apps do a better job of keeping people who are in the U.S. illegally off the platforms. Republican U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Mike Braun of Indiana and Ted Budd of North Carolina sent letters to delivery companies in April asking them to crack down on account sharing. “These illegal immigrants are delivering food directly to consumers’ doors without ever having undergone a background check and often without even using their real names,” the letter said. It added that working illegally can also be dangerous for migrants, creating the potential for exploitation and abuse. The Associated Press left messages seeking comment Thursday with Gig Workers Rising and Justice for App Workers, which both represent delivery drivers. DoorDash won’t estimate how many drivers are using shared accounts, but said its safeguards are effective. Last year, it began asking drivers to re-verify their identities monthly by submitting a selfie. The company said it is now asking more than 150,000 drivers to complete selfie checks each week, and it’s removing them from the platform if they don’t comply.

Law firm use of data scientists grows alongside AI’s challengesNEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump was on the verge of backing a 16-week federal abortion ban earlier this year when aides staged an intervention. According to Time magazine's cover story on his selection as its 2024 Person of the Year, Trump's aides first raised concerns in mid-March that the abortion cutoff being pushed by some allies would be stricter than existing law in numerous states. It was seen as a potential political liability amid ongoing fallout over the overturning of Roe v. Wade by a conservative majority on the Supreme Court that includes three justices nominated by Trump in his first term. Trump political director James Blair went to work assembling a slide deck — eventually titled “How a national abortion ban will cost Trump the election" — that argued a 16-week ban would hurt the Republican candidate in the battleground states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, the magazine reported. “After flipping through Blair’s presentation" on a flight to a rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in April, Trump dropped the idea, according to the report. "So we leave it to the states, right?" Trump was quoted as saying. He soon released a video articulating that position. At the time, Trump’s campaign denied that he was considering supporting the 16-week ban, calling it “fake news” and saying Trump planned to “negotiate a deal” on abortion if elected to the White House. Here are other highlights from the story and the president-elect's 65-minute interview with the magazine: Trump reaffirmed his plans to pardon most of those convicted for their actions during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. “It’s going to start in the first hour,” he said of the pardons. “Maybe the first nine minutes.” Trump said he would look at individuals on a “case-by-case" basis, but that “a vast majority of them should not be in jail.” More than 1,500 people have been charged with federal crimes stemming from the riot that left more than 100 police officers injured and sent lawmakers running into hiding as they met to certify Democrat Joe Biden’s 2020 victory . More than 1,000 defendants have pleaded guilty or been convicted at trial of charges, including misdemeanor trespassing offenses, assaulting police officers and seditious conspiracy. Trump insisted he has the authority to use the military to assist with his promised mass deportations , even though, as his interviewers noted, the Posse Comitatus Act prohibits the use of the military in domestic law enforcement. “It doesn’t stop the military if it’s an invasion of our country, and I consider it an invasion of our country," he said. “I’ll only do what the law allows, but I will go up to the maximum level of what the law allows. And I think in many cases, the sheriffs and law enforcement is going to need help." Trump did not deny that camps would be needed to hold detained migrants as they are processed for deportation. “Whatever it takes to get them out. I don’t care," he said. “I hope we’re not going to need too many because I want to get them out and I don’t want them sitting in camp for the next 20 years.” Trump told Time he does not plan to restore the policy of separating children from their families to deter border crossings, but he did not rule it out. The practice led to thousands of children being separated from their parents and was condemned around the globe as inhumane. “I don’t believe we’ll have to because we will send the whole family back,” he said. “I would much rather deport them together, yes, than separate.” Trump dismissed the idea that Elon Musk will face conflicts of interest as he takes the helm of the Department of Government Efficiency , an advisory group that Trump has selected him to lead. The panel is supposed to find waste and cut regulations, including many that could affect Musk's wide-ranging interests , which include electric cars, rockets and telecommunications. “I don’t think so," Trump said. “I think that Elon puts the country long before his company. ... He considers this to be his most important project." Trump lowered expectations about his ability to drive down grocery prices. “I’d like to bring them down. It’s hard to bring things down once they’re up. You know, it’s very hard. But I think that they will,” he said. Trump said he is planning “a virtual closure" of the "Department of Education in Washington.” “You’re going to need some people just to make sure they’re teaching English in the schools," he said. “But we want to move education back to the states.” Yet Trump has proposed exerting enormous influence over schools. He has threatened to cut funding for schools with vaccine mandates while forcing them to “teach students to love their country" and promote “the nuclear family,” including “the roles of mothers and fathers” and the “things that make men and women different and unique.” Asked to clarify whether he was committed to preventing the Food and Drug Administration from stripping access to abortion pills , Trump replied, “It’s always been my commitment.” But Trump has offered numerous conflicting stances on the issue, including to Time. Earlier in the interview, he was asked whether he would promise that his FDA would not do anything to limit access to medication abortion or abortion pills. "We’re going to take a look at all of that,” he said, before calling the prospect “very unlikely.” “Look, I’ve stated it very clearly and I just stated it again very clearly. I think it would be highly unlikely. I can’t imagine, but with, you know, we’re looking at everything, but highly unlikely. I guess I could say probably as close to ruling it out as possible, but I don’t want to. I don’t want to do anything now.” Pressed on whether he would abandon Ukraine in its efforts to stave off Russia's invasion , Trump said he would use U.S. support for Kyiv as leverage against Moscow in negotiating an end to the war. “I want to reach an agreement,” he said, “and the only way you’re going to reach an agreement is not to abandon.” Trump would not commit to supporting a two-state solution, with a Palestinian state alongside Israel, as he had previously. “I support whatever solution we can do to get peace," he said. "There are other ideas other than two state, but I support whatever, whatever is necessary to get not just peace, a lasting peace. It can’t go on where every five years you end up in tragedy. There are other alternatives.” Asked whether he trusted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , he told Time: “I don’t trust anybody.” Trump would not rule out the possibility of war with Iran during his second term. “Anything can happen. It’s a very volatile situation," he said. Asked if he has spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin since the Nov. 5 election, Trump continued to play coy: "I can’t tell you. It’s just inappropriate.” Trump insisted that his bid to install Matt Gaetz as attorney general ”wasn’t blocked. I had the votes (in the Senate) if I needed them, but I had to work very hard.” When the scope of resistance to the former Republican congressman from Florida became clear, Trump said, “I talked to him, and I said, ‘You know, Matt, I don’t think this is worth the fight.'" Gaetz pulled out amid scrutiny over sex trafficking allegations, and Trump tapped former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi for the Cabinet post. Trump, who has named anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, did not rule out the possibility of eliminating some childhood vaccinations even though they have been proved safe in extensive studies and real world use in hundreds of millions of people over decades and are considered among the most effective public health measures in modern history. Pressed on whether “getting rid of some vaccinations” — neither Trump nor the interviewers specified which ones — might be part of the plan to improve the health of the country, Trump responded: “It could if I think it’s dangerous, if I think they are not beneficial, but I don’t think it’s going to be very controversial in the end.” “I think there could be, yeah," Trump said of the prospect of others in his family continuing in his footsteps. He pointed to daughter-in-law Lara Trump , who served as co-chair of the Republican National Committee and is now being talked about as a potential replacement for Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, whom Trump has chosen for secretary of state. Trump said the former and soon-to-be first lady Melania Trump will be joining him at the White House during second term and will "be active, when she needs to be.” “Oh yes,” he said. “She’s very beloved by the people, Melania. And they like the fact that she’s not out there in your face all the time for many reasons.” Best trending stories from the week. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. You may occasionally receive promotions exclusive discounted subscription offers from the Roswell Daily Record. Feel free to cancel any time via the unsubscribe link in the newsletter you received. You can also control your newsletter options via your user dashboard by signing in.WuKong Education Named to the 2025 GSV 150 for Leading the Way in Education Technology

– Increased or Maintained Dividend for Over 30 Consecutive Years – GREAT NECK, N.Y., Dec. 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- One Liberty Properties, Inc. OLP today announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend on the Company's common stock of $0.45 per share. The dividend is payable on January 6, 2025 to stockholders of record at the close of business on December 23, 2024, and represents One Liberty's 128 th consecutive quarterly dividend. One Liberty has increased or maintained its dividend for over 30 consecutive years. About One Liberty Properties, Inc: One Liberty is a self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust incorporated in Maryland in 1982. The Company acquires, owns and manages a geographically diversified portfolio consisting primarily of industrial properties. Many of these properties are subject to long-term net leases under which the tenant is typically responsible for real estate taxes, insurance and ordinary maintenance and repairs. Additional financial and descriptive information on One Liberty, its operations and its portfolio, is available on its website at: http://1liberty.com . Interested parties are encouraged to review One Liberty's Annual Report on Form 10-K and the other reports it files with the Securities and Exchange Commission for additional information. Contact: One Liberty Properties Investor Relations Phone: (516) 466-3100 http://1liberty.com © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.