wow jili 999 com login philippines Macaulay Culkin shares 3-year-old son’s feelings for ‘Home Alone’ Macaulay Culkin, ‘Home Alone’ star talks about 3-year-old son’s love for the 1990 movie Macaulay Culkin’s son loves Home Alone . The actor, best known for his role as Kevin McCallister in the beloved holiday classic Home Alone , recently shared a heartwarming story about his 3-year-old son Dakota’s reaction to the iconic film. Speaking to E! News , the actor revealed that his eldest child, whom he shares with fiancée Brenda Song, has taken quite a liking to the 1990 movie. According to Culkin, Dakota not only enjoys watching the film but also hilariously believes he is Kevin. “He thinks he’s Kevin,” Culkin shared. “I’m like, ‘Do you remember going down the stairs on the sled?’ He’s like, ‘Mmhmm, yep. Sure do.’” The actor continued, “I’m like, ‘Do you remember when he had yellow hair?’ And he’s like, ‘Uh-huh, yep.’” Culkin went on to explain how Dakota insists he also “fought the burglars” in real life, prompting a playful response from his dad: “You’re a lying liar who lies. That was me!” Home Alone , released in 1990, became a holiday favorite and also starred Catherine O’Hara, John Heard, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, and Culkin’s brother Kieran Culkin. The film's success led to the 1992 sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York . This isn’t the first time Culkin has shared his son’s affection for the movie. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight last December, the actor said, “I already showed it to him last year; he thinks it’s so funny. I convinced my oldest that he’s the kid in the movie.” Culkin and Song, who began dating in 2018, are also parents to a younger son, age two. Noah Beck trades viral videos for scripted roles: 'I'm Excited to take on new challenges' Keira Knightley pays price of fame after ‘Pirates of Caribbean’ success Billie Eilish opens up about her complicated relationship with social media Billie Eilish makes shocking admission about body image struggleHomebound seniors living alone often slip through health system’s cracks

The Los Angeles Clippers have continued to shock the NBA with their ability to contend in games without their star Kawhi Leonard. Yet, there are always ways you can improve your roster in the NBA through the trade deadline. Hoops Hype recently released an article discussing NBA trade rumors and how the Los Angeles Clippers could address their needs before February 6th. Potential Trade Candidates For Los Angeles Clippers Hoops Hype brings two Clippers into consideration: PJ Tucker and Bones Hyland. PJ Tucker is on an expiring contract worth $11.54 million. He is entering his 13th year in the NBA and has yet to see the court this season for the Clippers. $11.54 million is a ton of money for someone who doesn’t play and there are plenty of NBA teams who would benefit from the presence of a veteran like Tucker. Hoops Hype believes that Tucker is destined to be a salary filler in a trade or a part of the buyout market. Also Read: James Harden Hits Another NBA Milestone Bones Hyland is a young guard who was once seen as a player who had All-Defensive 1st Team potential before finding himself traded to the Los Angeles Clippers by the Denver Nuggets in the 2022-23 season. During his time as a Clipper, Hyland has struggled to live up to the hype he received during his rookie campaign. With the addition of Kris Dunn this offseason, Hoops Hype believes that the writing is on the wall for the former Nugget. Hyland will be a restricted free agent this offseason and is still 24 years old. Many teams may be willing to take a chance on the potential of Bones Hyland. How Likely Are These Moves? I believe that PJ Tucker will not be a part of the Los Angeles Clippers franchise by the time the trade deadline passes. It is more likely that he becomes a buy-out candidate rather than the Clippers finding someone to take on his contract. It is possible that he is used as a salary dump if the Clippers decide to pair him with someone like Mo Bamba or Bones Hyland in order to get a more established veteran to play minutes off the bench. Bones Hyland is a very interesting piece of the Clippers roster. Unlike PJ Tucker, Hyland has been playing at least some minutes in LA. Bones has been averaging 4.6 points, 0.5 assists, 0.8 rebounds, 0.8 steals, and 6.6 minutes per game through 23 games this season. It has been difficult to give Hyland minutes behind James Harden and Kris Dunn, so it is definitely easy to see the Clippers give him up for a second-round pick or package him alongside other Clippers. Are there other Clippers on the trading block? Very possibly. I think the only Clippers who are completely safe are Norman Powell, James Harden, Ivica Zubac, Derrick Jones Jr, and Kawhi Leonard. Everyone else on the roster is an option, in my opinion. Terrence Mann and Jordan Miller are both super intriguing players who could offer value to most teams in the NBA. However, I don’t think at this moment in time the Los Angeles Clippers are going to be big buyers at the trade deadline. I think Coach Lue is set on his team at the moment as they wait for Kawhi to return. But, you never know. The NBA is one of the most unpredictable leagues in the world. This article first appeared on LAFB Network and was syndicated with permission.

HOUSTON , Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Applus+, a global leader in the Inspection, Testing and Certification sector, is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Abyss Solutions (Abyss), a cutting-edge provider of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine-learning solutions for inspection and maintenance. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in advancing Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) capabilities through the integration of AI-driven technologies. By bringing together the extensive experience of Applus+ in NDT with Abyss’ innovative AI algorithms and software platforms, this collaboration aims to revolutionize asset inspection processes, enabling faster, more accurate, and data-driven decision-making. “We are excited to partner with Abyss Solutions to unlock the full potential of artificial intelligence within inspection and testing,” said Adam Alessandrino , Executive Vice President of the Pacific region at Applus+. “By integrating AI-driven technologies into our inspection processes, we are well positioned to deliver unparalleled value to our clients by enhancing efficiency, reliability, and safety.” Through this partnership, Applus+ and Abyss will focus on developing AI-powered inspection solutions that enable predictive maintenance, asset optimization, and risk mitigation for clients across various industries, including oil and gas, mining, manufacturing, and infrastructure across the Pacific and South-East Asia “We are thrilled to collaborate with Applus+, a global leader in Inspection, Testing, and Certification services,” said Gary Hill , Regional Director at Abyss Solutions. “By leading a disruption in the inspection industry, Applus+ is addressing challenges once considered unsolvable due to workforce shortages. We are excited to partner with them on this transformative journey.” About Applus+: Applus+ is one of the world’s leading and most innovative companies in the Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC) sector, offering a broad portfolio of services and solutions for customers across various industries. Its solutions ensure that assets and products meet quality, health & safety and environmental standards and regulations, while also enhancing performance. Headquartered in Spain , the company operates in more than 70 countries and employs over 26,000 people. The Applus+ Group drives profitable revenue growth through sustainable services and digitalisation at all levels. About Abyss Solutions: Abyss is pioneering the future of inspection at scale, providing products and solutions that enables autonomous robots to capture and analyze data at an unprecedented level. Its industry-leading technology is pushing the boundaries of the possible, going beyond the status quo to deliver billions of dollars in risk reduction for some of the world’s biggest companies. We’ve curated the brightest minds in autonomy who strive to help protect the world’s most valuable assets and resources, delivering the insights needed to inform preventative maintenance programs, exceed health and safety targets, and significantly reduce CO2. View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/applus-in-australia-partners-with-abyss-solutions-to-revolutionize-non-destructive-testing-with-artificial-intelligence-302320089.html SOURCE Abyss Solutions PTY LTDWhen it returns to the township in December, the Esquimalt Celebration of Lights is sure to brighten the nights of Greater Victoria residents. On Sunday, Dec. 1, the festival will feature live music, food, a visit from Santa, and a parade to help South Island residents kick off the holiday season. The celebration will start at 3 p.m. with musical performances at the Archie Browning Sports Centre, and at 5 p.m. the parade will begin at Canteen Road. At 5:30 p.m. there will also be Christmas carols from Vancouver Island's very own Maureen Washington and Rockheights Middle School. "It is a community event where people can come together to celebrate the holiday season with lights and festivities," noted the Celebration of Lights website. Though the event is free, bringing a non-perishable food item for the Esquimalt-based Rainbow Kitchen is recommended.

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With two of Niagara-on-the-Lake’s pharmacies back under local ownership, its former owner — now a partial owner — hopes it can get back to providing exceptional customer service. Both Simpson’s Pharmasave in Virgil and Pharmasave Simpson’s Apothecary in Old Town were sold on Oct. 18, with partial ownership returning to Sean Simpson. After initially selling the stores to SRx Health Solutions, a Toronto-based pharmaceutical company, in 2023 for an undisclosed amount, Simpson approached the Boggio Family of Pharmacies, a Niagara-based pharmaceutical business, to buy the stores back together. Aaron and Kyle Boggio were happy to join in on the venture. The Boggios are now two of six major shareholders of the company, including Sean and Stephanie Simpson and Connor and Morgan Gates, both with the Boggio Family of Pharmacies. Before talking to the Boggios, Simpson approached SRx about buying the stores back. With their permission, he then approached the Boggios, he said. Simpson would not share the percentage of his stake in the company, nor that of the other shareholders. He also did not disclose how much he and the Boggios paid to buy back the pharmacies. The Boggio Family of Pharmacies, in operation since 1983, has several locations across the Niagara region — now including the two in NOTL. “I’ve known the Simpsons for many years. I actually did an internship with them back when I was coming out of pharmacy school,” said Aaron Boggio. “I know their values align with our values at Boggio Family Pharmacies and they are strong supporters of the community.” Despite giving up ownership of Simpson’s Pharmasave, Simpson never really left the company, assuming the title of pharmacy liaison after the sale. However, he wanted to increase his share in the company after noticing a decline in the quality of customer service at the pharmacies and supply issues after the new owners took over, he said. “It got to a point where it became very apparent to me that the business was going to suffer if something wasn’t done,” Simpson said. From there, Simpson asked permission to buy back the company and reached out to the Boggios to go into business together. “I’m very confident now with the group, especially our local roots and local presence, that I think is going to help us get back to the service standard that we are known for and what people expect from us,” he said. Boggio said the former owners didn’t necessarily have the level of care small-community customers expect. “That’s something that we look forward to bringing back to Niagara-on-the-Lake,” he said. “We are a local owner and we treat our customers like family.” With the swap, Boggio said customers shouldn’t expect too much of a change aside from increased levels of customer service. “Because we have so many stores locally there’s an opportunity for us to better service our patients, our pharmacies work as a family so we can share stock and do whatever it takes to get the product to the patient who needs it,” he said. Simpson said there is no limit to the level of customer service those visiting the pharmacy can expect. “I’m really looking forward to the next few years and really trying to not only get back to where we were but to exceed that level and raise the standard even higher,” he said.OTTAWA — First Nations leaders in Manitoba are calling on the federal government to address a backlog in requests for Indigenous children to receive swift access to health care and other services. They say the delay in approval of requests under Jordan's Principle has resulted in communities paying out of pocket for health, social or educational services that are supported under the principle, putting other important programming at risk. The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs said the backlog has added financial strain to communities, forcing them to provide essential services with limited resources. "Many First Nations are trying to meet the needs of their families. They are not receiving funding to provide these services. They are currently running deficits," acting Grand Chief Betsy Kennedy told reporters in Ottawa on Thursday during the Assembly of First Nations annual winter meeting. "First Nations need (Indigenous Services Canada) to fully resource and prioritize full and equitable funding and reimbursement for costs before year's end." Kennedy added First Nations often have to refer their members to other organizations that are also not getting fully funded to complete requests for assistance. The principle is named after Jordan River Anderson of Norway House Cree Nation in northern Manitoba. Born in 1999 with multiple disabilities, Anderson died at the age of five without ever leaving the hospital because federal and provincial governments couldn't decide who should pay for his at-home care. The principle stipulates that when a First Nations child needs health, social or educational services, they are to receive them from the government first approached, with questions about final jurisdiction worked out afterward. Some projects in the 11 First Nations the Keewatin Tribal Council in northern Manitoba represents are at a standstill because money has had to be allocated to cover the costs of service requests, said Grand Chief Walter Wastesicoot. "There's a deep, deep hole there right now," he said. The Keewatin Tribal Council previously had to pay $7 million out of pocket for Jordan's Principle requests before the federal government reimbursed them, said Wastesicoot. He said the Keewatin communities are currently owed millions, but could not provide an exact amount. Kennedy said a regional Indigenous Services Canada representative told the assembly that there may not be further funding for First Nations until the fiscal year ends. Indigenous Services Canada did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The department says on the government's website that Ottawa has provided more than 8.2 million products, services and supports under the principle from 2016 to the end of October of this year. The office of Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu previously told The Canadian Press that the department remains focused on ensuring First Nations children can access the services they need, and that since 2016, the federal government has allocated nearly $8.1 billion to meet the needs of First Nations children. The Manitoba chiefs' complaints come as the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal has ordered Canada to address a backlog of requests. The First Nations Child and Family Caring Society raised concerns earlier this year that Ottawa was taking too long to process requests for financing through Jordan's Principle, leaving children without access to services. Cindy Blackstock, executive director of the Caring Society, said the ever-growing backlog is of Canada's own making. "Canada chose to create these backlogs," she said while supporting chiefs on Thursday. "They're not saying they're overwhelmed and backlogged with thousands of cases under a Canadian pension plan or under an unemployment insurance. The government does this stuff. It is choosing not to do it and it's making excuses for itself." Urgent Jordan’s Principle requests are supposed to be processed within 24 hours. But they are taking up to one month to be reviewed, says Independent First Nations, an advocacy body representing a dozen First Nations in Ontario and Quebec. Blackstock filed an affidavit earlier this year that said nearly half of requests made by individuals from those First Nations in 2023-24 are still in review, along with 10 per cent of the files submitted in 2022-23. The tribunal ordered Canada to return to it with a detailed plan, timelines and targets to address the backlog before Dec. 10. -- By Brittany Hobson in Winnipeg. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 5, 2024. The Canadian Press

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The singer, 36, provided the health update in an Instagram post alongside a photo of him giving a thumbs up while lying in a hospital bed. He revealed he is awaiting more tests to determine the extent of the issues and what surgery he may need, but said he is expecting it to be a “difficult few weeks/months”. A post shared by Max George (@maxgeorge) He wrote: “Hey everyone, yesterday I felt really unwell and was taken in to hospital. Unfortunately after some tests they’ve found that I have some issues with my heart. “I have a lot more tests to determine the extent of the problems and what surgery I will need to get me back on my feet. “It’s gonna be a difficult few weeks/months... and Christmas in a hospital bed wasn’t exactly what I had planned.” The singer said he is “surrounded with love and support” from his “wonderful” partner, actress Maisie Smith, as well as his family and friends. He added: “Although this is a huge shock and no doubt a set back, it’s something I’ll take on with all I’ve got. “I count myself very lucky that this was caught when it was.” Friends and famous faces were among those to offer their support including his bandmate Siva Kaneswaran who said: “Here for you brother. Rest up and get well soon.” JLS stars JB Gill and Marvin Humes also commented. Gill wrote: “God bless you bro, wishing you better soon. Sending lots of love”, while Humes added: “Sorry to hear you’re not well geezer, you’re strong and will fight through. Big love mate.” George rose to fame in the 2010s with The Wanted, who had a number of hit songs including All Time Low and Heart Vacancy. His bandmate Tom Parker died in 2022 at the age of 33 after being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour. George, who helped carry Parker’s coffin at his funeral alongside fellow bandmates Kaneswaran, Jay McGuiness and Nathan Sykes, previously said on This Morning that he continued to message his late bandmate following his death as it brought him “a bit of comfort”. He also appeared in the US musical series Glee as Clint and in his band’s reality series The Wanted Life. Over the years, he has competed in a number of competition series including Strictly Come Dancing in 2020, Bear Grylls: Mission Survive and Richard Osman’s House of Games. Earlier this year he made his stage debut in the theatrical adaption of a BBC TV show about a lottery syndicate by Kay Mellor titled The Syndicate. George and soap actress Smith first met when they both competed on Strictly Come Dancing, but have previously said that romantic sparks only began to fly in 2022.

Kanpur: A 27-year-old student of Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT-K) has alleged rape by a local assistant commissioner of police (ACP), who was studying cybercrime and criminology at the institute. An FIR was registered on Thursday following her complaint and the ACP was attached to police headquarters in Lucknow. A special investigation team has been set up to probe the case. In her complaint, the student alleged that the ACP, a PPS officer from the 2013 batch, established an intimate relationship with her on the promise of marriage while hiding the fact that he was already married. The ACP enrolled in cybercrime and criminology studies at IIT in July this year. He developed an affair with the student during his time at the institute. According to sources, the situation worsened when she discovered his marriage. Sources said that though he promised to divorce his wife, the scholar remained sceptical and lodged a formal complaint. Commissioner of police Akhil Kumar assigned DCP (south) Ankita Sharma and ADCP (traffic) Archana Singh to investigate the case. Their inquiry confirmed the allegations. DCP (south) Ankita Sharma said, "An FIR under various BNS sections, including 64 (rape), was filed against the ACP at the Kalyanpur police station of the city. An SIT comprising five officials headed by ADCP (traffic) Archana Singh was established to ensure an impartial investigation. The accused officer has since been attached to Lucknow police headquarters." The accused had served in Agra and Aligarh for three years each before being posted in Kanpur. IIT-K director Prof. Manindra Agrawal said, "A girl student of IIT Kanpur has accused a police officer in Kanpur city of sexual exploitation and filed a complaint. The institute is committed to providing all the necessary support to the student in this difficult time. We are also thankful to the city police for their quick action on the complaint. We are cooperating with them in the investigation." Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .House rejects Democratic efforts to force release of Matt Gaetz ethics report

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Golden State Warriors star guard Stephen Curry will miss Wednesday night's showdown against the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder due to pain in both knees. The club initially listed Curry as questionable on Tuesday's injury report before downgrading him on Wednesday. Curry sat out practice Tuesday. On Monday, Curry scored 28 points in 29 minutes during a 128-120 home loss to the Brooklyn Nets. Curry, 36, is averaging 22.4 points, 6.5 assists and 5.4 rebounds in 14 games this season. He is shooting 44.4 percent from 3-point range. The 10-time All-Star and two-time MVP missed three games with an ankle injury earlier this season. Forward Jonathan Kuminga (illness) is questionable and could return after a two-game absence. Thunder guard Alex Caruso (hip) will miss his second straight game. Oklahoma City (13-4) leads the Western Conference by one game over the Warriors (12-5) and Houston Rockets (13-6). --Field Level MediaWASHINGTON — 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. 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. 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, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. 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, 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. 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. 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. 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. 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, 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. 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 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 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. 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. 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, 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. 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 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, 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. 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. 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 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. 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.” 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. 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, 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. 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. 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. 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.” 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. 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. 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) 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, 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. 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. 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.” 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, 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, 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 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. 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.

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‘Wheel of Fortune’ Player Misses $40,000 Win After Disney DisasterArizona WR Tetairoa McMillan to enter 2025 NFL Draft2024’s Steam Autumn Sale has begun. While there are plenty of fantastic deals on video games, the best deal might be that versions of the Steam Deck are available at their lowest price yet. During this Steam Autumn Sale, the 64GB LCD Steam Deck is discounted by 15% to just $297; meanwhile, the 512GB LCD Steam Deck is discounted by 25% and now only costs $337. For just a little less or a little more than a Nintendo Switch, you can get this PC gaming handheld that will let you experience most of your Steam library on the go. As I’m writing this, the 64GB version of the Steam Deck is out of stock, but the 512GB model is still available. Keep an eye on the Steam Deck page on Steam throughout the sale, though. The 64GB version might be restocked, or if we’re lucky, other Steam deck models will also get discounted. Remember that the currently discounted versions are the LCD models and not the more recent OLED models with slightly crisper screens . Still, those versions of the Steam Deck sport respectable specs, and games look good on their 1280 x 800 LCD display. You’ll also get a carrying case with the purchase of either model, which should make it easier to lug these handheld gaming PCs around. The Steam Autumn Sale will run until 10 a.m. PT on December 4, and those Steam Deck models should be discounted throughout that period (at least until Valve runs out of stock). If you haven’t gotten a Steam Deck yet, now’s the best time to get one.Constitutional amendment for local bodies on the anvil Ahsan Iqbal says govt is working on consensus building with other parties on constitutional amendment ISLAMABAD: The government is working on building consensus with the other political parties on a constitutional amendment to get protection for local bodies including their funding through respective provincial finance commissions (PFCs). “We are working on consensus building with other parties on a constitutional amendment to get protection for local government and their funding through respective provincial finance commissions,” Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal confirmed when contacted by The News Thursday night. Earlier, the planning minister on Thursday met a 15-member delegation of Local Council Association Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Mardan. In the meeting, the federal minister was given a detailed briefing on the problems of local governments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The delegation informed the minister that the local governments in the province had been paralysed for more than three years and the PTI government had given no administrative and financial support to 30,000 elected local government representatives in the province. The minister said that the fate of the people of Pakistan depends on how effectively the local governments are solving the problems related to service delivery in health, education and municipal administration. After the 18th Amendment, the powers given to the provinces have not been effectively devolved to local governments, he added. He stated that if the powers given by the federation to the provinces are accounted for, the efficiency of local governments will become clear. He emphasised that the local bodies should get the same support that the provincial bodies are getting. The minister further said that the centralisation of powers in each province is at the upper level, which needs to be transferred to the lower level immediately. Education, health, and municipal services are in poor condition, he stressed. He said that 50,000 local bodies were destroyed in Punjab during the PTI tenure which was a massive blow that affected public. The delegation of the local government representatives told him that the elected local government representatives will also hold a protest outside Adiala Jail on December 17 to plead for their rights. The federal government will fully support their constitutional and legal powers and rights, the minister said.