Trump selects longtime adviser Keith Kellogg as special envoy for Ukraine and RussiaInstagram is one of the most powerful platforms for personal and business growth, but it’s easy to make mistakes that can stall your progress. Whether it’s inconsistent posting or neglecting to engage with your followers, these missteps can hurt your visibility and credibility. Identifying these errors and making simple adjustments can help you change your Instagram presence for the better. Now, let’s break down the top seven mistakes you should avoid if you’re serious about growing your account. Mistake #1: Inconsistent Posting Failing to maintain a regular posting schedule confuses your audience and reduces engagement. If you post sporadically, you risk being forgotten or overlooked by Instagram’s algorithm. Inconsistent posting also disrupts the sense of connection your followers feel with your brand. Solution : Create a content calendar and stick to a consistent posting schedule. Aim for a mix of Reels, Stories, and static posts to keep your feed dynamic. Use tools like scheduling apps to ensure timely uploads. Mistake #2: Poor-Quality Visuals Instagram is a visual platform, so having blurry or poorly lit images can send the wrong message. Low-quality content makes your account look unprofessional and unappealing to potential followers. It also reduces the likelihood of your posts standing out in a crowded feed where high-quality visuals are the norm. Solution: Invest in a good smartphone or camera, and use editing apps to improve your photos. Natural lighting works wonders, so plan your shoots accordingly. Keep your visuals cohesive to establish a strong brand identity. Mistake #3: Ignoring Engagement Instagram is a social platform, yet many users fail to respond to comments, DMs, or interact with their audience. This can make your followers feel undervalued and disengaged. Over time, this lack of interaction can lead to decreased trust and loyalty, which can eventually impact your overall growth and engagement. Solution: Take time to reply to comments and DMs. Use interactive features like polls and quizzes in Stories to spark conversations. The more you engage with your followers, the stronger your community becomes. Mistake #4: Overusing Hashtags While hashtags can expand your reach, stuffing your posts with too many irrelevant or spammy tags can backfire. It makes your content appear inauthentic and may lead to penalization by Instagram’s algorithm. Also, overusing hashtags can make your captions look cluttered and unprofessional. Solution: Focus on quality over quantity. Use 5–10 relevant hashtags that align with your content. Research niche hashtags to reach a targeted audience rather than overcrowded ones like #travel or #fitness. Mistake #5: Skipping Analytics Many users fail to track their content’s performance, which may make them miss out on valuable insights. Without analytics, it’s difficult to know what works and what doesn’t. Regularly reviewing your metrics can help you refine your strategy and focus on content that better resonates with your audience. Solution: Use Instagram Insights to monitor metrics such as reach, engagement, and audience demographics. Analyze your top-performing posts and replicate their elements in future content. After all, data-driven decisions lead to smarter strategies. Mistake #6: Ignoring Instagram Reels and Stories If you’re only posting static images, you’re missing out on two of Instagram’s most effective engagement tools. Stories and Reels often get more visibility and interaction than regular posts. These features allow you to showcase your creativity, share amazing moments, and connect with your followers in a more dynamic and engaging way. Solution: Use Stories for behind-the-scenes glimpses, polls, and Q&A sessions. Reels are perfect for sharing creative or educational content in short, engaging clips. Experiment with trends and formats to stay relevant. Mistake #7: Over-Promoting Without Adding Value Constantly pushing products or services without providing value can push your followers away. Audiences don’t want to feel like they’re being sold to every time they see your content. Instead, they want content that feels relatable, entertaining, or informative to make them feel connected to your brand. Solution: Balance promotional content with posts that entertain, educate, or inspire. Share tips, tutorials, or relatable stories that resonate with your audience. Value-first content builds trust and loyalty. Final Thoughts Avoiding these seven mistakes can make all the difference in your Instagram growth. To create a thriving account, try to focus on consistency, quality, and meaningful engagement. If your growth has stalled, consider platforms such as Buzzoid for a quick boost in followers and engagement. A strong follower base improves credibility and helps you stand out. You can achieve sustainable success on Instagram by using authentic strategies and smart tools. Start making these changes today with Buzzoid!
Is Enron back? If it's a joke, some former employees aren't laughingThousands still queuing to vote after Namibia polls close
AP Trending SummaryBrief at 4:29 p.m. ESTU.S. Rep. Garret Graves, R-Baton Rouge, said on Tuesday, June 25, 2024 he would not run for any elective office in the near future. In this file photo Graves tours part of the Comite River Diversion Canal project where stone has been laid down along the canal on June 29, 2023 in Zachary. STAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, center, sits next to Eric Beightel, left center, executive director of the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council, and State Senator(District B) Patrick Connick, far left, as they watch a television showing two guest speakers, first U.S. Congressman Garret Graves and then U.S. Congressman Troy Carter, during the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion groundbreaking ceremony south of Belle Chasse, Louisiana on Thursday, August 10, 2023. (Photo by Chris Granger | The Times-Picayune | NOLA.com ) Staff photo by Chris Granger NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save WASHINGTON – While U.S. Rep. Garret Graves may not have been selected to head the transportation department by President-elect Donald Trump, his name is being bandied about as a possible head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The Baton Rouge Republican, who is leaving Congress at the end of year, wouldn’t comment. But his chief of staff, Paul Sawyer, noted that Graves has advised the Trump campaign and transition team on transportation, infrastructure, energy and resiliency policy. Graves chaired the aviation subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and was named by several national news sources as a possible contender for secretary for the U.S. Department of Transportation – a cabinet position. Trump instead tapped Fox Business host Sean Duffy as transportation secretary. A former chair of the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, Graves has deep knowledge about energy policy, coastal restoration and how the flood insurance program operates. He has been critical of FEMA for years. Politico Pro E&E News reported Tuesday that Graves could be a Trump appointee to run FEMA. Trump's transition team did not respond to a request for comment. But the political trade publication quoted several sources at FEMA and around Congress saying Graves was knowledgeable and would be a good pick. Graves has been talking to the Trump team about pulling FEMA from under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security to recreate the disaster-recovery bureaucracy as independent agency, as it was before the 9/11 terrorist attacks, according to sources. Graves has talked for years about the idea to FEMA as an independent agency. He also has said the civil works function from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which oversees construction of levees and other flood mitigation projects, should be included under FEMA.Donald Trump is set to return to the White House for a second term with a Republican Trifecta allowing him to pursue his agenda. The policy decisions he will make beginning January 20, whether on the US economy, global geopolitics, his dealings with Iran, US tariffs or his relationship with Europe, will heavily influence how global economic growth will pan out next year. Europe, where growth has remained muted this year, is bracing for a transactional relationship with the incoming US administration. China, whose economic momentum was underwhelming in 2024, is signalling it is ready for a cordial trade relationship with the world’s biggest economy, but it is equally ready for a war of tariffs. Analysts say that people nominated by Mr Trump to run departments including treasury and trade tow the tagline of “America First” and will remain at the front and centre of decision-making once he assumes control of the Oval Office. “Donald Trump will pursue the campaign’s focal points at a fast pace in the first two years before the midterm elections change the composition of the Congress again,” says Nannette Hechler-Fayd’herbe, head of investment strategy, sustainability and research at Swiss wealth manager Lombard Odier. “This means many decrees in January and changes to US foreign policy, trade policy, migration policy, deregulation and more.” The world economy has so far remained resilient, although increasingly uneven across geographies, despite a significant rise in geopolitical risks in the Middle East and escalation in the Russia-Ukraine war in the past few months. The International Monetary Fund expects global growth next year to at least maintain the current level, however, the win of Mr Trump has added new dynamics, as the policy directions in the US are historically important for the global economy. In its pre-Trump win forecast in October, the IMF maintained its 2024 and next year global economic growth projection of 3.2 per cent amid softening inflation. However, the Washington-based fund warned of “a high degree of uncertainty” casting shadows on the outlook. “The magnitude of the impact of Mr Trump’s decisions on the global order will likely be larger than most expect,” Norman Villamin, group chief strategist at Swiss private bank UBP, says. Beyond the IMF’s one-year projections, the global economy is facing a feeble period of medium-term growth. It also made “sizeable downside” revisions to low-income and developing countries, due to intensifying conflicts. For many advanced and emerging market economies, the five-year forecast is weaker than the one-year forecast, “suggesting that persistent headwinds to growth will remain prevalent over the medium term”, IMF director of research Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas said at the time. “We do not look for global growth to necessarily accelerate but we see it holding close to steady near current levels. However, growth is likely to improve from low levels in some economies such as Japan and the eurozone,” says Karine Kheirallah, managing director and head of investment strategy and research for the Middle East and Africa at State Street Global Advisers. Analysts say the global economy is already in choppy waters and is bound to face challenges without Mr Trump in power. Although the global economy skirted an energy price-driven recession last year, “there is a [still a] lingering recession risk”, Daniel Murray, deputy chief investment officer and global head of research at EFG Asset Management, says. “It is notable that the EU economy looks structurally very weak while some delinquency and default rates are on the rise in the US. And, of course, it is possible that China fails to deliver on its promised and expected stimulus packages.” All eyes will also remain fixed on how the US Federal Reserve will introduce rate cuts going forward amid anticipated expansionary policies of the new administration. Already, the Fed doesn’t appear in a rush to lower its benchmark rate, which can potentially impact how central banks around the world shape their monetary policy decisions. “The economy is not sending any signals that we need to be in a hurry to lower rates,” Fed chairman, Jerome Powell said earlier this month. Julius Baer chief economist David Kohl, in a recent co-authored note, said higher growth and inflation, as well as a more deficit-financed fiscal policy, have reduced the Fed’s scope for rate cuts. “We expect the Fed to pause at a Fed Funds target rate level of 4 per cent,” he said. With Mr Powell publicly stating the US election results would not affect monetary policy and that the Fed would respond as needed to changes in fiscal policy, once those fiscal changes are clear, the 25 basis point cut in December was “a coin toss due to the potential re-acceleration of inflation”, Saira Malik, chief investment officer at $1.3 trillion asset manager Nuveen, says. “The 100 basis points of cuts in 2025 may also be optimistic.” Mr Murray from EFG Asset management agrees, saying “US rate expectations have been highly volatile this year and that is expected to continue”, however, the market is “currently pricing three Fed rate cuts from here to the end of 2025”. Expectations for the European Central Bank are “more reasonable with five or six rate cuts forecast to the end of next year”. While the Bank of England is more closely aligned with the Fed, the Bank of Japan is a rare regulator, which is currently in the “hiking mode”, he adds. The anticipated economic policy actions by the incoming US administration would also likely transpire into quicker growth and “sticky inflation” that will not drop below this year’s levels. “This will probably prevent the Fed from cutting Fed fund rates all the way to estimated neutral levels,” says Ms Hechler-Fayd’herbe, who is also Lombard’s chief investment officer for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa region. “For the rest of the world, it means marginally less growth and therefore deeper central bank rate cuts as well as other stimulative measures and weaker currencies. In other words, Donald Trump’s policies are quite critical for the outlook for 2025.” Even without Mr Trump’s expected expansionary policies, UBP projects US inflation to bottom in early 2025 near 2 per cent and rebound by year-end to close to 3 per cent. “Depending on the timing and magnitude of the fiscal efforts rolled out by the incoming administration, a further impetus to this troughing in inflation we expect may emerge in 2025,” says Mr Villamin. “Markets are already beginning to price this prospect, both [in terms of] pricing rate cuts from the US Fed as well as pushing longer-term bond yields higher in late-2024.” Analysts say it is too early to estimate if the Trump administration’s push for balanced trade with the world would turn out to be a repeat of the retaliatory war, which the world endured during his first presidency. However, his nomination of Howard Lutnick, co-chair of his transition team, as his commerce secretary is an indication of a tougher stance on China. The US could impose about 40 per cent tariffs on imports from China next year, potentially cutting growth in the world’s second-biggest economy by up to a percentage point. However, the new administration will resist starting off with blanket 60 per cent tariffs on Chinese goods, a Reuters poll of economists showed. Mr Trump ran for office on the pledge that he would impose hefty tariffs on Chinese imports. He engaged in a tariff war and levied additional duties on goods from Europe, Canada and countries elsewhere in the world. His campaign promises of America First in trade are causing unease among US trade partners globally. “The extent to which Mr Trump’s policies will impact the rest of the world will depend primarily on how aggressively his trade team seek to redress US imbalances with other parts of the world. The higher and more wide-reaching the tariffs, the greater will the impact be,” Mr Murray says. Mr Trump has already said he would hit China, Mexico and Canada with new tariffs the very first day of his presidency. He plans to sign an executive order imposing a 25 per cent tariff on all goods coming from Mexico and Canada, and will charge China an additional 10 per cent tariff, “above any additional tariffs”. At the end of November, Mr Trump threatened the Brics nations with 100 per cent tariffs if they moved against the US dollar. “The idea that the Brics countries are trying to move away from the dollar while we stand by and watch is over,” Mr Trump said on the Truth Social network. “We require a commitment from these countries that they will neither create a new Brics currency, nor back any other currency to replace the mighty US dollar or, they will face 100 per cent tariffs, and should expect to say goodbye to selling into the wonderful US economy.” Geopolitics and the continuing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East remain among the biggest threats to the global economy next year. Although Mr Trump has pledged to end both wars after taking office in January, how successful he will be in his efforts remains to be seen. “There is clearly a risk that the situation in Ukraine does not get resolved and escalates, involving Nato troops on the ground,” Mr Murray says. “Similarly, the situation in the Middle East could deteriorate, for example, if one of the countries at the centre of the situation miscalculates in terms of the scale of retaliatory strikes.” The potential of the Israel-Gaza war turning into a pan-regional conflict involving Israel, Iran and Tehran-backed militias is a lingering threat to global energy supplies from the Middle East, home to some of the world’s largest crude exporters. Iran this year has twice launched barrages of missiles on sites in Israel, for killing senior leaders of the Iran-back Hezbollah’s leaders in Tehran and Lebanon. Israel in retaliation has hit military targets in Iran. The more than a year-long war has spilt beyond the Gaza borders into Lebanon where the civil population paid a heavy price of constant Israeli attacks and air strikes until a ceasefire deal was reached between Israel and Lebanon at the end of last month. The economic impact of the war is already evident. The IMF has lowered its outlook for the Middle East and North Africa region by 0.6 per cent for this year from its April forecast to 2.1 per cent, underpinned by Saudi Arabia’s oil production cuts and the conflicts in the region. “Markets hate uncertainty, and while fundamentals are most important for investors, geopolitical tensions and military conflicts can’t be ignored and are undoubtedly some of the biggest challenges for the global economy and investors to navigate going into 2025,” Ms Malik says. After a stellar year in 2023, equity markets have been on the rise this year, driven higher by a multitude of factors, including bumper profits. Stocks hit multiple record highs before the November 5 presidential run for the White House and have not eased after the Republican control of Washington. Benchmark S&P 500 index has gained more than 25 per cent this year, on track for a second year of returns above 20 per cent – a run that’s occurred just four times in the past 100 years. Nasdaq has risen by 28 per cent, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average Index has rallied more than 19 per cent since the beginning of this year. However, analysts are sceptical if markets will be able to deliver a third year of stellar returns, despite Mr Trump’s pro-growth and expansionary policies. “US equity markets have delivered nearly 25 per cent returns in not only 2024, but also in the year prior ... [with] another year of 20 per cent returns unlikely in 2025,” Mr Villamin says, adding that markets rarely outpace returns of two good years in a third consecutive year. “Only in 2021 amid pandemic-era quantitative easing did the S&P 500’s nearly 27 per cent price returns outpace the already strong 22 per cent [compound annual growth rate] returns seen in the prior two years.” Though company fundamentals will be the guiding yardstick for investors, policy action by the Trump administration could also determine investment trends in certain segments of the US market. “While market valuations and company-specific fundamentals are more important than politics, we think the change to a Republican administration is likely to result in a shift in the regulatory environment for the financial, energy and healthcare sectors,” says Ms Malik. “We may also see increased investment in traditional oil and gas exploration, which would serve as a relative benefit to those areas of the market.” EFG Asset Management expects Mr Trump’s pro-growth and low regulation policies to probably provide a tailwind to US markets next year. “We expect returns to be more broadly based, in contrast with the concentrated returns of this year [and] small and mid-cap [stocks] could do better in such a situation,” says Mr Murray. “It may be the case that the headline indices do not move by that much because the larger weighted stocks are rangebound, while there is a high proportion of stocks in the index with lower market caps that do relatively well.” Source: The NationalAnfield Energy Inc. Announces Shareholder Approval of Plan of Arrangement
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Reducing Cloud Vulnerabilities To Protect Economic GrowthNASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — Chucky Hepburn had 16 points, 10 assists and seven steals, Noah Waterman also had 16 points and Louisville beat No. 14 Indiana 89-61 on Wednesday in the opening game of the Battle 4 Atlantis. Louisville (4-1) beat a ranked team for the first time since topping Virginia Tech 73-71 on Jan. 6, 2021. Kasean Pryor scored 10 of his 14 points in the second half and Reyne Smith added 12 points for Louisville. Malik Reneau scored 21 points and Oumar Ballo added 11 for Indiana (4-1). Reneau reached 20-plus points for the eighth time in his career. The Cardinals led 37-29 at the break after making 7 of 17 from 3-point range and shooting 57% overall. Indiana missed six straight shots on two occasions in the first half, sandwiched around a string of seven missed field goals, as the Cardinals shot 9 of 29 (31%). Louisville exploded for 52 second-half points by shooting 66.7% from the field. Pryor missed only one of his six shots in the second half. Louisville quickly built a commanding lead in the second half after starting on an 11-2 run, highlighted by Pryor's fast-break dunk . The lead reached 30 on freshman Khani Rooths' alley-oop dunk that came during the Cardinals’ 16-0 run for a 78-40 lead. Louisville entered the week ranked sixth in the country in 3-point attempts per game at 34. The Cardinals attempted 27 against Indiana and made 10 of them — with four apiece from Waterman and Smith. Louisville also came into the game averaging 19 forced turnovers per game. The Cardinals scored 30 points off 23 Indiana turnovers. Louisville, which played its first road game of the season, faces West Virginia on Thursday. Indiana plays No. 3 Gonzaga in the consolation bracket. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
Trump’s picks for key positions in his second administrationTrump selects longtime adviser Keith Kellogg as special envoy for Ukraine and RussiaPep Guardiola denies rumours of a rift with Kevin De Bruyne
Disney’s streaming business now profitable, possibly signaling a turning pointBy LOLITA BALDOR and FATIMA HUSSEIN WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday that he has chosen Keith Kellogg, a highly decorated retired three-star general, to serve as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, who is one of the architects of a staunchly conservative policy book that lays out an “America First” national security agenda for the incoming administration, will come into the role as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters its third year in February. Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social account, and said “He was with me right from the beginning! Together, we will secure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, and Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN!” Kellogg, an 80 year-old retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as national security adviser to Vice President Mike Pence , was chief of staff of the National Security Council and then stepped in as an acting security adviser for Trump after Michael Flynn resigned. As special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Kellogg will have to navigate an increasingly untenable war between the two nations. The Biden administration has begun urging Ukraine to quickly increase the size of its military by drafting more troops and revamping its mobilization laws to allow for the conscription of troops as young as 18. The White House has pushed more than $56 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s February 2022 invasion and expects to send billions more to Kyiv before Biden leaves office in less than months. Trump has criticized the billions that the Biden administration has poured into Ukraine. Washington has recently stepped up weapons shipments and has forgiven billions in loans provided to Kyiv. The incoming Republican president has said he could end the war in 24 hours, comments that appear to suggest he would press Ukraine to surrender territory that Russia now occupies. As a co-chairman of the American First Policy Institute’s Center for American Security, Kellogg wrote several of the chapters in the group’s policy book. The book, like the Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025,” is a move to lay out a Trump national security agenda and avoid the mistakes of 2016 when he entered the White House largely unprepared. 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.” Trump’s proposed national security advisor U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.) tweeted Wednesday that “Keith has dedicated his life to defending our great country and is committed to bringing the war in Ukraine to a peaceful resolution.” Kellogg was a character in multiple Trump investigations dating to his first term. He was among the administration officials who listened in on the July 2019 call between Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in which Trump prodded his Ukrainian counterpart to pursue investigations into the Bidens. The call, which Kellogg would later say did not raise any concerns on his end, was at the center of the first of two House impeachment cases against Trump, who was acquitted by the Senate both times. On Jan. 6, 2021, hours before pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol, Kellogg, who was then Pence’s national security adviser, listened in on a heated call in which Trump told his vice president to object or delay the certification in Congress of President Joe Biden ’s victory. He later told House investigators that he recalled Trump saying to Pence words to the effect of: “You’re not tough enough to make the call.” Baldor reported from Washington. AP writer Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.B.C. retailers in throes of one-of-a-kind holiday season (BC)
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