The e-commerce landscape has seen rapid evolution over the past decade, and digital gift cards have emerged as a dynamic force within this space. With their convenience, flexibility, and ease of delivery, digital gift cards have become a popular choice for consumers and businesses alike. Unlike traditional gift cards that require physical production and delivery, digital gift cards offer instant access and can be used by recipients worldwide, making them ideal for cross-border transactions. As consumers increasingly seek seamless, borderless shopping experiences, digital gift cards are positioned to become an essential tool in connecting shoppers and brands across continents. By bypassing logistical hurdles and currency exchange issues, these cards simplify gifting and purchases on a global scale, pushing them to the forefront of e-commerce innovation. The Rise of Digital Gift Cards in E-Commerce Digital gift cards are experiencing remarkable growth in e-commerce, driven by consumer demand for quick and convenient gifting solutions. Their rise can be attributed to several factors: Digital Gift Cards vs. Traditional Gift Cards While traditional gift cards remain popular, digital gift cards offer distinct advantages. Physical gift cards involve logistical considerations such as shipping times and inventory complicating the process. In contrast, digital gift cards can be delivered instantly and are easier to manage, store, and track electronically. For businesses, digital gift cards open the door to broader audiences. Promoting them online through websites, social media, and email campaigns enables brands to attract global customers more effectively. How Digital Gift Cards Enable Cross-Border Transactions One of the most significant advantages of digital gift cards is their ability to facilitate cross-border transactions. Traditional barriers to international shopping, such as currency exchange and shipping logistics, can limit consumer choices. Digital gift cards help overcome these hurdles, offering recipients the ability to shop across borders seamlessly. With digital wallets and internationally accepted payment platforms, consumers can purchase gift cards in their local currency and redeem them in another. This flexibility eliminates currency conversion challenges and connects consumers with international brands, redefining global accessibility. Key Benefits of Digital Gift Cards in Cross-Border E-Commerce Digital gift cards provide numerous benefits for consumers and businesses, including convenience, loyalty, and sales growth. Case Study A fashion brand introduced digital gift cards for global shoppers, enabling purchases in local currencies. By integrating these cards into popular e-commerce sites, the brand saw a 20% increase in international sales within six months. This success illustrates the potential of digital gift cards to expand market reach. Challenges in Cross-Border Digital Gift Card Adoption Despite their advantages, digital gift cards face challenges in the cross-border e-commerce landscape: By addressing these issues, businesses can enhance the effectiveness of their digital gift card offerings and provide secure, seamless experiences for customers worldwide. Key Market Trends in Digital Gift Cards and Cross-Border E-Commerce Several emerging trends highlight the growing importance of digital gift cards in global e-commerce: How to Use Digital Gift Cards for Seamless International Shopping For consumers, using digital gift cards internationally can simplify the shopping experience. Here are some tips to ensure a smooth process: For reliable cross-border gift card options, visit www.giftcardmall/mygift to explore choices that simplify international shopping. The Road Ahead for Digital Gift Cards in Global E-Commerce Digital gift cards are poised to become integral to the future of global e-commerce. Their convenience, flexibility, and ability to connect consumers with international brands make them a valuable asset for businesses expanding into new markets. Looking forward, digital gift cards will likely benefit from advancements in personalization, multi-currency support, and emerging technologies. As e-commerce continues to grow, these cards will remain a critical tool for businesses and consumers, helping bridge the gap between markets and enhancing global shopping experiences.From Maui to the Caribbean, Thanksgiving tournaments a beloved part of college basketball
gstar28 legit
。
WASHINGTON — Donald Trump said he can't guarantee his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won't raise prices for American consumers and suggested once more that some political rivals and federal officials who pursued legal cases against him should be imprisoned. The president-elect, in a wide-ranging interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" that aired Sunday, also touched on monetary policy, immigration, abortion and health care, and U.S. involvement in Ukraine, Israel and elsewhere. Trump often mixed declarative statements with caveats, at one point cautioning "things do change." Here's a look at some of the issues covered: President-elect Donald Trump takes the stage before he speaks at the FOX Nation Patriot Awards, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Greenvale, N.Y. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa) Trump hems on whether trade penalties could raise prices Trump threatened broad trade penalties, but said he didn't believe economists' predictions that added costs on those imported goods for American companies would lead to higher domestic prices for consumers. He stopped short of a pledge that U.S. an households won't be paying more as they shop. "I can't guarantee anything. I can't guarantee tomorrow," Trump said, seeming to open the door to accepting the reality of how import levies typically work as goods reach the retail market. That's a different approach from Trump's typical speeches throughout the 2024 campaign, when he framed his election as a sure way to curb inflation. In the interview, Trump defended tariffs generally, saying that tariffs are "going to make us rich." He has pledged that, on his first day in office in January, he would impose 25% tariffs on all goods imported from Mexico and Canada unless those countries satisfactorily stop illegal immigration and the flow of illegal drugs such as fentanyl into the United States. He also has threatened tariffs on China to help force that country to crack down on fentanyl production. "All I want to do is I want to have a level, fast, but fair playing field," Trump said. Trump suggests retribution for his opponents while claiming no interest in vengeance He offered conflicting statements on how he would approach the justice system after winning election despite being convicted of 34 felonies in a New York state court and being indicted in other cases for his handling of national security secrets and efforts to overturn his 2020 loss to Democrat Joe Biden. "Honestly, they should go to jail," Trump said of members of Congress who investigated the Capitol riot by his supporters who wanted him to remain in power. The president-elect underscored his contention that he can use the justice system against others, including special prosecutor Jack Smith, who led the case on Trump's role in the siege on Jan. 6, 2021. Trump confirmed his plan to pardon supporters who were convicted for their roles in the riot, saying he would take that action on his first day in office. As for the idea of revenge driving potential prosecutions, Trump said: "I have the absolute right. I'm the chief law enforcement officer, you do know that. I'm the president. But I'm not interested in that." At the same time, Trump singled out lawmakers on a special House committee who investigated the insurrection, citing Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo. "Cheney was behind it ... so was Bennie Thompson and everybody on that committee," Trump said. Asked specifically whether he would direct his administration to pursue cases, he said, "No," and suggested he did not expect the FBI to quickly undertake investigations into his political enemies. At another point, Trump said he would leave the matter up to Pam Bondi, his pick as attorney general. "I want her to do what she wants to do," he said. Such threats, regardless of Trump's inconsistencies, have been taken seriously enough by many top Democrats that Biden is considering issuing blanket, preemptive pardons to protect key members of his outgoing administration. Trump did seemingly back off his campaign rhetoric calling for Biden to be investigated, saying, "I'm not looking to go back into the past." Swift action on immigration is coming Trump repeatedly mentioned his promises to seal the U.S.-Mexico border and deport millions of people who are in the U.S. illegally through a mass deportation program. "I think you have to do it," he said. He suggested he would try to use executive action to end "birthright" citizenship under which people born in the U.S. are considered citizens — though such protections are spelled out in the Constitution. Asked specifically about the future for people who were brought into the country illegally as children and were shielded from deportation in recent years, Trump said, "I want to work something out," indicating he might seek a solution with Congress. But Trump also said he does not "want to be breaking up families" of mixed legal status, "so the only way you don't break up the family is you keep them together and you have to send them all back." President-elect Donald Trump shakes hands with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Notre Dame Cathedral as France's iconic cathedral is formally reopening its doors for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark in 2019, Saturday Dec.7, 2024 in Paris ( Ludovic Marin, Pool via AP) Trump commits to NATO, with conditions, and waffles on Putin and Ukraine Long a critic of NATO members for not spending more on their own defense, Trump said he "absolutely" would remain in the alliance "if they pay their bills." Pressed on whether he would withdraw if he were dissatisfied with allies' commitments, Trump said he wants the U.S. treated "fairly" on trade and defense. He waffled on a NATO priority of containing Russia and President Vladimir Putin. Trump suggested Ukraine should prepare for less U.S. aid in its defense against Putin's invasion. "Possibly. Yeah, probably. Sure," Trump said of reducing Ukraine assistance from Washington. Separately, Trump called for an immediate cease-fire. Asked about Putin, Trump said initially that he has not talked to the Russian leader since Election Day last month, but then hedged. "I haven't spoken to him recently," Trump said when pressed, adding that he did not want to "impede the negotiation." Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell speaks during a news conference at the Federal Reserve in Washington, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) Trump says Powell is safe at the Fed, but not Wray at the FBI The president-elect said he has no intention, at least for now, of asking Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to step down before Powell's term ends in 2028. Trump said during the campaign that presidents should have more say in Fed policy, including interest rates. Trump did not offer any job assurances for FBI Director Christopher Wray, whose term is to end in 2027. Asked about Wray, Trump said: "Well, I mean, it would sort of seem pretty obvious" that if the Senate confirms Kash Patel as Trump's pick for FBI chief, then "he's going to be taking somebody's place, right? Somebody is the man that you're talking about." Trump is absolute about Social Security, not so much on abortion and health insurance Trump promised that the government efficiency effort led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will not threaten Social Security. "We're not touching Social Security, other than we make it more efficient," he said. He added that "we're not raising ages or any of that stuff." He was not so specific about abortion or his long-promised overhaul of the Affordable Care Act. On abortion, Trump continued his inconsistencies and said he would "probably" not move to restrict access to the abortion pills that now account for a majority of pregnancy terminations, according to the Guttmacher Institute, which supports abortion rights. But pressed on whether he would commit to that position, Trump replied, "Well, I commit. I mean, are — things do — things change. I think they change." Reprising a line from his Sept. 10 debate against Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump again said he had "concepts" of a plan to substitute for the 2010 Affordable Care Act, which he called "lousy health care." He added a promise that any Trump version would maintain insurance protections for Americans with preexisting health conditions. He did not explain how such a design would be different from the status quo or how he could deliver on his desire for "better health care for less money." 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. President-elect Donald Trump tapped former Sen. David Perdue of Georgia to be ambassador to China, saying in a social media post that the former CEO “brings valuable expertise to help build our relationship with China.” Perdue lost his Senate seat to Democrat Jon Ossoff four years ago and ran unsuccessfully in a primary against Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Perdue pushed Trump's debunked lies about electoral fraud during his failed bid for governor. 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. Customs and Border Protection, with its roughly 60,000 employees, falls under the Department of Homeland Security. It includes the Border Patrol, which Rodney Scott led during Trump's first term, and is essentially responsible for protecting the country's borders while facilitating trade and travel. Scott comes to the job firmly from the Border Patrol side of the house. He became an agent in 1992 and spent much of his career in San Diego. When he was appointed head of the border agency in January 2020, he enthusiastically embraced Trump's policies. After being forced out under the Biden administration, Scott has been a vocal supporter of Trump's hard-line immigration agenda. He appeared frequently on Fox News and testified in Congress. He's also a senior fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. 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. Respond: Write a letter to the editor | Write a guest opinion Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. 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.Former President Jimmy Carter was remembered for his leadership and commitment to public service following his death. Carter died on Sunday at his home in Plains, Georgia, at the age of 100. RELATED STORY | Former President Jimmy Carter dies at age 100 President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden: Today, America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian. Over six decades, we had the honor of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But, what’s extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though, is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear friend as well. With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us. He saved, lifted, and changed the lives of people all across the globe. Donald and Melania Trump: I just heard of the news about the passing of President Jimmy Carter. Those of us who have been fortunate to have served as President understand this is a very exclusive club, and only we can relate to the enormous responsibility of leading the Greatest Nation in History. The challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude. Melania and I are thinking warmly of the Carter Family and their loved ones during this difficult time. We urge everyone to keep them in their hearts and prayers. Barack and Michelle Obama: For decades, you could walk into Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia on some Sunday mornings and see hundreds of tourists from around the world crammed into the pews. And standing in front of them, asking with a wink if there were any visitors that morning, would be President Jimmy Carter – preparing to teach Sunday school, just like he had done for most of his adult life. Some who came to hear him speak were undoubtedly there because of what President Carter accomplished in his four years in the White House – the Camp David Accords he brokered that reshaped the Middle East; the work he did to diversify the federal judiciary, including nominating a pioneering women’s rights activist and lawyer named Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the federal bench; the environmental reforms he put in place, becoming one of the first leaders in the world to recognize the problem of climate change. Others were likely there because of what President Carter accomplished in the longest, and most impactful, post-presidency in American history – monitoring more than 100 elections around the world; helping virtually eliminate Guinea worm disease, an infection that had haunted Africa for centuries; becoming the only former president to earn a Nobel Peace Prize; and building or repairing thousands of homes in more than a dozen countries with his beloved Rosalynn as part of Habitat for Humanity. But I’m willing to bet that many people in that church on Sunday morning were there, at least in part, because of something more fundamental: President Carter’s decency. Elected in the shadow of Watergate, Jimmy Carter promised voters that he would always tell the truth. And he did – advocating for the public good, consequences be damned. He believed some things were more important than reelection – things like integrity, respect, and compassion. Because Jimmy Carter believed, as deeply as he believed anything, that we are all created in God’s image. Whenever I had a chance to spend time with President Carter, it was clear that he didn’t just profess these values. He embodied them. And in doing so, he taught all of us what it means to live a life of grace, dignity, justice, and service. In his Nobel acceptance speech, President Carter said, “God gives us the capacity for choice. We can choose to alleviate suffering. We can choose to work together for peace.” He made that choice again and again over the course of his 100 years, and the world is better for it. Maranatha Baptist Church will be a little quieter on Sundays, but President Carter will never be far away – buried alongside Rosalynn next to a willow tree down the road, his memory calling all of us to heed our better angels. Michelle and I send our thoughts and prayers to the Carter family, and everyone who loved and learned from this remarkable man. Bill and Hillary Clinton: Hillary and I mourn the passing of Jimmy Carter and give thanks for his long, good life. Guided by his faith, President Carter lived to serve others—until the very end. Statement from President Clinton and Secretary Clinton on the Passing of President Jimmy Carter pic.twitter.com/1Ejol6yjav — Angel Ureña (@angelurena) December 29, 2024 Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer: President Carter's faith in the American people and his belief in the power of kindness and humility leave a strong legacy. He taught us that the strength of a leader lies not in rhetoric but in action, not in personal gain but in service to others. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell: President Carter served during times of tension and uncertainty, both at home and abroad. But his calm spirit and deep faith seemed unshakeable. Jimmy Carter served as our commander-in-chief for four years, but he served as the beloved, unassuming Sunday school teacher at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia for forty. And his humble devotion leaves us little doubt which of those two important roles he prized the most. U.S. Sen. Jon Osoff (D-GA): Among his lifetime of service and countless accomplishments, President Carter will be remembered for his commitment to democracy and human rights, his enduring faith, his philanthropic leadership, and his deep love of family U.S. Sen. Rafael Warnock (D-GA): President Carter was one of my heroes. His leadership was driven by love, his life’s project grounded in compassion and a commitment to human dignity. For those of us who have the privilege of representing our communities in elected office, Jimmy Carter is a shining example of what it means to make your faith come alive through the noble work of public service. U.S. Sen. John Thun (R-SD): President Carter dedicated his life to serving the people of Georgia and our great country – as a naval officer, a governor, and as the 39th President of the United States. From peanut farming to the presidency and every step in between, his wife Rosalynn was by his side. House Speaker Mike Johnson Because of his work in brokering the Camp David Accords and his advocacy with Habitat for Humanity, the world is a more peaceful place, and more Americans have a place to call home. No one can deny that President Carter led an extraordinary life of service to his country. May he rest in peace.
NoneDuke Energy Corp. stock underperforms Wednesday when compared to competitors despite daily gains
Adjustments boost efficiency in Xiong'anNone
By DEVNA BOSE and JOHN SEEWER “Wanted” posters with the names and faces of health care executives have been popping up on the streets of New York. Hit lists with images of bullets are circulating online with warnings that industry leaders should be afraid. Related Articles National News | American released from Syrian prison is flown out of the country, a US official says National News | Nearly half of US teens are online ‘constantly,’ Pew report finds National News | How to protect your communications through encryption National News | Military service academies see drop in reported sexual assaults after alarming surge National News | Unidentified drones spotted flying at locations across NYC, including LaGuardia Airport The apparent targeted killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and the menacing threats that followed have sent a shudder through corporate America and the health care industry in particular, leading to increased security for executives and some workers. In the week since the brazen shooting , health insurers have removed information about their top executives from company websites, canceled in-person meetings with shareholders and advised all employees to work from home temporarily. An internal New York Police Department bulletin warned this week that the online vitriol that followed the shooting could signal an immediate “elevated threat.” Police fear that the Dec. 4 shooting could “inspire a variety of extremists and grievance-driven malicious actors to violence,” according to the bulletin, which was obtained by The Associated Press. “Wanted” posters pasted to parking meters and construction site fences in Manhattan included photos of health care executives and the words “Deny, defend, depose” — similar to a phrase scrawled on bullets found near Thompson’s body and echoing those used by insurance industry critics . Thompson’s wife, Paulette, told NBC News last week that he told her some people had been threatening him and suggested the threats may have involved issues with insurance coverage. Investigators believe the shooting suspect, Luigi Mangione , may have been motivated by hostility toward health insurers. They are studying his writings about a previous back injury, and his disdain for corporate America and the U.S. health care system. Mangione’s lawyer has cautioned against prejudging the case. Mangione, 26, has remained jailed in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested Monday . Manhattan prosecutors are working to bring him to New York to face a murder charge. UnitedHealthcare’s parent company, UnitedHealth Group, said this week it was working with law enforcement to ensure a safe work environment and to reinforce security guidelines and building access policies, a spokesperson said. The company has taken down photos, names and biographies for its top executives from its websites, a spokesperson said. Other organizations, including CVS, the parent company for insurance giant Aetna, have taken similar actions. Government health insurance provider Centene Corp. has announced that its investor day will be held online, rather than in-person as originally planned. Medica, a Minnesota-based nonprofit health care firm, said last week it was temporarily closing its six offices for security reasons and would have its employees work from home. Heightened security measures likely will make health care companies and their leaders more inaccessible to their policyholders, said former Cigna executive Wendell Potter. “And understandably so, with this act of violence. There’s no assurance that this won’t happen again,” said Potter, who’s now an advocate for health care reform. Private security firms and consultants have been in high demand, fielding calls almost immediately after the shooting from companies across a range of industries, including manufacturing and finance. Companies have long faced security risks and grappled with how far to take precautions for high-profile executives. But these recent threats sparked by Thompson’s killing should not be ignored, said Dave Komendat, a former security chief for Boeing who now heads his own risk-management company. “The tone and tenor is different. The social reaction to this tragedy is different. And so I think that people need to take this seriously,” Komendat said. Just over a quarter of the companies in the Fortune 500 reported spending money to protect their CEOs and top executives. Of those, the median payment for personal security doubled over the last three years to just under $100,000. Hours after the shooting, Komendat was on a call with dozens of chief security officers from big corporations, and there have been many similar meetings since, hosted by security groups or law enforcement agencies assessing the threats, he said. “It just takes one person who is motivated by a poster — who may have experienced something in their life through one of these companies that was harmful,” Komendat said. Associated Press reporters Wyatte Grantham-Philips in New York and Barbara Ortutay in San Francisco, contributed to this report.From Maui to the Caribbean, Thanksgiving tournaments a beloved part of college basketballPalantir's Stock Quadrupled in 2024. Can It Repeat in 2025? - The Motley Fool
Skidding No. 10 Kansas hopes to get right vs. NC State
Jimmy Carter Dies: America’s longest-lived president, Jimmy Carter, passed away at the age of 100 at his home in Georgia on Monday. Carter, the 39th US president, was the third American leader to visit India. During his visit in 1978, a village in Haryana was named in his honour, much to the delight of many. Carterpuri, a village located an hour southwest of New Delhi, was renamed after President Jimmy Carter during his visit to the area with his wife, Rosalynn. The villagers celebrated once again in 2002 when Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, as reported by the Carter Center. ALSO READ: BPSC Students Protest: FIR Against Prashant Kishor As Police Cane Charge Aspirants Demanding Cancellation Of Exam “The visit was so successful that shortly after, village residents renamed the area ‘Carterpuri’ and remained in contact with the White House for the rest of President Carter’s tenure. The trip made a lasting impression: Festivities abounded in the village when President Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, and January 3 remains a holiday in Carterpuri,” the Carter Centre said. “In fact, since the Carter administration, the US and India have worked closely on energy, humanitarian aid, technology, space cooperation, maritime security, disaster relief, counterterrorism, and more. In the mid-2000s, the United States and India struck a landmark agreement to work toward full civil nuclear cooperation, and bilateral trade has since skyrocketed,” it added. Carter had deep-rooted connections with India as his mother Lillian had worked here as a health volunteer with the Peace Corps in the late 1960s. In 2015 Carter was diagnosed with cancer. He underwent elective surgery in August 2015 to remove a small mass in his liver. The surgery revealed melanoma, spreading to four different parts of his brain. He had been in hospice care since mid-February 2023 at his home in Georgia. US President Joe Biden expressed deep anguish over Carter’s demise, hailing him as a true patriot and protector of human rights. He also shared insights from his 50-year-long personal relationship with the former US President. "This is a sad day, but it brings back an incredible amount of good memories. Today, America and the world, in my view, lost a remarkable leader. He was a statesman and humanitarian. And Jill and I lost a dear friend. I've been hanging out with Jimmy Carter for over 50 years. I had countless conversations with him over those years...What I find extraordinary about Jimmy Carter though, is that millions of people all around the world, feel they lost a friend as well, even though they never met him. And that's because Jimmy Carter lived a life measured not by words, but by his deeds...He worked to eradicate disease not just at home, but around the world. He forged peace, advanced civil rights, human rights and promoted free and fair elections around the world," the White House statement read. ALSO READ: EAM Jaishankar To Visit Qatar From Dec 30 To Jan 1, Review Aspects Of Bilateral Relations Besides, leaders from across the world have expressed their thoughts on Carter’s demise.'Disgraceful': Labor points fingers as clock ticks down
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) — Makai Richards had 17 points in Chattanooga's 84-76 victory against Bryant on Wednesday. Richards added five rebounds for the Mocs (5-3). Trey Bonham shot 4 of 11 from the field, including 2 for 8 from 3-point range, and went 5 for 7 from the line to add 15 points. Sean Cusano went 5 of 7 from the field (3 for 4 from 3-point range) to finish with 13 points. Earl Timberlake led the Bulldogs (4-4) in scoring, finishing with 18 points, six rebounds and six assists. Bryant also got 16 points from Rafael Pinzon. Jakai Robinson finished with 12 points, six rebounds and two blocks. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
Aston Villa’s disallowed goal would have counted in England – Unai Emery
Mcap of six of top-10 most valued firms surges Rs 2.03 lakh crore, TCS biggest winnerAlameda, CA (Prism) The push for clemency is a way to hold the U.S. accountable for military intervention in Southeast Asia as well as the criminalization of resettled refugees, advocates say Advocates from nine different organizations across the U.S. launched a joint campaign this week demanding President Joe Biden pardon Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Laotian refugees from the Vietnam War at risk of being immediately deported by the incoming Trump administration. The bid seeks to benefit some 15,000 refugees with a final order of removal from the U.S. due to decades-old criminal convictions. These refugees -- who fled from violence, genocide, mass carpet bombings, and persecution as a consequence of the U.S. military intervention in Southeast Asia in the 1960s and 1970s -- were resettled into heavily disinvested communities with limited access to resources and support. That led many to criminal convictions and incarceration. The push for clemency is a way to hold the U.S. political establishment, and particularly Biden, accountable not only for the U.S. military intervention but also for the following criminalization of resettled Southeast Asian refugees, said Van Sam, community defense program manager at VietLead, a nonprofit serving the Southeast Asian communities in Philadelphia and South Jersey. As a senator, Biden voted in favor of the Indochina Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1975, which allowed the largest-ever refugee resettlement in U.S. history. He also sponsored the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, which preceded the era of mass incarceration and criminalization of racialized individuals in the U.S. "So we are asking Biden: Can you take responsibility for the fact that our people are now being separated from our families once again?" Sam said. The Southeast Asian Refugee Relief and Responsibility (SEARR) Campaign demands Biden grant clemency to Southeast Asians with federal-level convictions. That would vacate their final orders of removal, said Socheatta Meng, the executive director at Mekong NYC, a social justice organization advocating for the Southeast Asian communities in New York. About 1.19 million noncitizens have "final orders of removal," which are decisions issued by an immigration judge that the individual did not or could not appeal. Still, many noncitizens with a final order of removal can remain in the country if they are provided "deferred action," a form of executive clemency that depends on the discretion of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Many Southeast Asian refugees are now U.S. citizens, as they can obtain permanent residency (a green card) and then apply for citizenship after five years. However, not every refugee knew or had the resources or legal help to apply for residency and later for citizenship, said Kevin Lam, the co-executive director at the Asian American Resource Workshop. "And lots of folks just never naturalized or got their citizenship because of language barriers and lack of access to resources," he said. So, despite years of living in the U.S. as a refugee or a permanent resident, any noncitizen can still be deported. That is the reason why "it's really urgent that President Biden take action," Meng said, "as a cycle of violence, displacement, and family separation threatens to be very real for our community." Democratic Congresswomen Judy Chu, Pramila Jayapal, Zoe Lofgren, and Ayanna Pressley last year introduced a bill that would end deportations of Southeast Asian refugees and establish a pathway back to the U.S. for the more than 2,000 already deported to Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. The bill fizzled out in the Republican-dominated House of Representatives. Now, advocates argue that Biden should show the same level of compassion as he showed for his son, Hunter Biden, who faced sentencing for two criminal cases. On Dec. 1, Biden issued a "full and unconditional pardon" to clear any offense off the younger Biden. Unlike Hunter Biden, Southeast Asian refugees have already served sentences, so removing them from the only country they have known as adults to another they no longer remember would be harsh double punishment, advocates say. Take the case of Lan Le, a 53-year-old single mother who resettled in the U.S. at 8 years old and now has nine children and four grandchildren. In a hostile environment, with both her parents working, Le became like a mother to her younger siblings. "It was so, so hard for us to adjust," she told Prism. "We didn't speak the language and didn't know anything." As a teenager living in Dorchester, a heavily policed Boston community with disinvested schools and little to no mental health resources at the time, Le got entangled with the criminal justice system and was incarcerated from 1997 to 1999. As a community organizer, Le has helped other refugees across Greater Boston to access social services through the Asian American Resource Workshop (AARW). Now, facing the risk of deportation, Le is asking for a pardon that would release her from a life in limbo, constantly fearing detention. As refugees with a final order of removal, Le explained, "they only give us one-year work permits." The permits, which cost around $500, can take six months or more to be issued. So by the time it arrives, she said, refugees need to find a job where they effectively use the permit for one or two months. "Living like this is just not fair," she said. The SEARR campaign concurs with other efforts asking Biden to shield some of the most vulnerable immigrants from deportation, such as extending the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for people from countries in crisis around the world and protecting Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients by expediting renewals and facilitating H-1B visas. The requests reflect the sense of urgency within immigrant communities as President-elect Trump is scheduled to take office on Jan. 20. As Trump has vowed to carry out the "largest deportation operation in American history," his appointed "border czar," Tom Homan, has stated the administration's intent to first deport people with final orders of removal. Trump did it during his first term when his administration deported some 1.5 million people. Southeast Asian nationals were heavily targeted. In the first two years of Trump's first term, the removals of Cambodians increased by 279%, while Vietnamese removals rose by 58%. The deportation of Vietnamese violated a memorandum of understanding agreed to in 2008 by President George W. Bush to exempt from deportation those who entered the country before July 1995, when the U.S. and Vietnam reestablished diplomatic relations. "We have seen cases of folks still being targeted, regardless of what the agreement has said," Lam said. Although at a slower pace, the removal of Southeast Asian refugees continued during the Biden administration, revealing the profound legacy of violence against the Southeast Asian communities, Lam said. Deportations negate the historical responsibility of the U.S. to Vietnam, where more than 3 million people, mostly civilians, were killed during the war. Laos was turned into the most heavily bombed country in history. In Cambodia, U.S. planes dropped more than 2.7 million tons of bombs, contributing to the rise of the Khmer Rouge regime, which in four years killed more than 1.7 million civilians. For many of the refugees fleeing these horrors, said Kham Moua, national deputy director at the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center, "the pardon requests are really the last avenue for relief." Ultimately, Biden would also be responsible for the Southeast Asian refugees deported by the Trump administration. As a senator, Biden supported the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) of 1996, which radically expanded the crimes that made an immigrant eligible for deportation, including a host of nonviolent crimes, such as possession of any amount of an illicit drug or acts of "moral turpitude" such as theft, fraud, and dishonesty. Today, even a legal resident (green card holder) could be deported based on a decades-old conviction. Consider the case of Pheng Seng, whose family escaped the Khmer Rouge genocide in Cambodia and resettled in the U.S. when he was four months old. "The government just dropped us off into a community with overcrowded schools, hatred, and racism, where I was constantly bullied," Seng said in an interview with Prism. At 22 years old, with mental health problems and a substance use disorder, Seng got entangled in the criminal justice system. "I fell into the school-to-prison-to-deportation pipeline," he said. Now, 44-year-old Seng is an entrepreneur who launched a printing business with partners in Philadelphia, where he has lived for more than 30 years. He is asking for "a second chance" for him and for thousands of Southeast Asian refugees like him. "I'm trying to help a whole bunch of folks who are scared and traumatized," Seng said. "That's why I'm speaking up." This story is provided as a service of the Institute for Nonprofit News’ On the Ground news wire. The Institute for Nonprofit News (INN) is a network of more than 475 independent, nonprofit newsrooms serving communities throughout the US, Canada, and globally. On the Ground is a service of INN, which aggregates the best of its members’ elections and political content, and provides it free for republication. Read more about INN here: https://inn.org/ . Please coordinate with lara@prismreports.org should you want to publish photos for this piece. This content cannot be modified, apart from rewriting the headline. To view the original version, visit: http://prismreports.org/2024/12/12/advocates-ask-biden-to-pardon-refugees-from-the-vietnam-war/Jimmy Carter, the 39th US president, has died at 100
Former President Jimmy Carter was remembered for his leadership and commitment to public service following his death. Carter died on Sunday at his home in Plains, Georgia, at the age of 100. RELATED STORY | Former President Jimmy Carter dies at age 100 Jimmy Carter Tributes Bill and Hillary Clinton: Hillary and I mourn the passing of Jimmy Carter and give thanks for his long, good life. Guided by his faith, President Carter lived to serve others—until the very end. Statement from President Clinton and Secretary Clinton on the Passing of President Jimmy Carter pic.twitter.com/1Ejol6yjav — Angel Ureña (@angelurena) December 29, 2024 Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer: President Carter's faith in the American people and his belief in the power of kindness and humility leave a strong legacy. He taught us that the strength of a leader lies not in rhetoric but in action, not in personal gain but in service to others. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell: President Carter served during times of tension and uncertainty, both at home and abroad. But his calm spirit and deep faith seemed unshakeable. Jimmy Carter served as our commander-in-chief for four years, but he served as the beloved, unassuming Sunday school teacher at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia for forty. And his humble devotion leaves us little doubt which of those two important roles he prized the most. U.S. Sen. Jon Osoff (D-GA): Among his lifetime of service and countless accomplishments, President Carter will be remembered for his commitment to democracy and human rights, his enduring faith, his philanthropic leadership, and his deep love of family U.S. Sen. Rafael Warnock (D-GA): President Carter was one of my heroes. His leadership was driven by love, his life’s project grounded in compassion and a commitment to human dignity. For those of us who have the privilege of representing our communities in elected office, Jimmy Carter is a shining example of what it means to make your faith come alive through the noble work of public service. U.S. Sen. John Thun (R-SD): President Carter dedicated his life to serving the people of Georgia and our great country – as a naval officer, a governor, and as the 39th President of the United States. From peanut farming to the presidency and every step in between, his wife Rosalynn was by his side.
Fears misinformation behind drop in contraception
Opinion: Is university worth it? Yes, for both students and societyUBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC increased its holdings in shares of Five Below, Inc. ( NASDAQ:FIVE – Free Report ) by 1.2% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 141,026 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,738 shares during the period. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC owned approximately 0.26% of Five Below worth $12,460,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in FIVE. Point72 Asset Management L.P. raised its stake in Five Below by 556.2% during the 2nd quarter. Point72 Asset Management L.P. now owns 908,425 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $98,991,000 after buying an additional 769,980 shares during the period. BNP Paribas Financial Markets boosted its stake in Five Below by 1,094.5% during the 3rd quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 366,146 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $32,349,000 after purchasing an additional 335,493 shares during the last quarter. Marshall Wace LLP boosted its stake in Five Below by 51.9% during the 2nd quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 605,703 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $66,003,000 after purchasing an additional 207,083 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its stake in Five Below by 41.7% during the 3rd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 614,288 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $54,272,000 after purchasing an additional 180,902 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its stake in Five Below by 39.0% during the 2nd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 596,763 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $65,034,000 after purchasing an additional 167,330 shares during the last quarter. Five Below Price Performance Shares of FIVE opened at $112.73 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $6.20 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.24, a P/E/G ratio of 1.16 and a beta of 1.18. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $91.79 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $94.37. Five Below, Inc. has a 1 year low of $64.87 and a 1 year high of $216.18. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of equities analysts have issued reports on the company. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price target on Five Below from $106.00 to $122.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday. Melius Research started coverage on shares of Five Below in a report on Monday, September 23rd. They set a “hold” rating and a $100.00 price objective for the company. Citigroup raised their price target on shares of Five Below from $85.00 to $96.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, December 2nd. Mizuho raised their price target on shares of Five Below from $90.00 to $105.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday. Finally, Bank of America cut shares of Five Below from a “neutral” rating to an “underperform” rating and dropped their price target for the company from $98.00 to $75.00 in a research note on Wednesday, November 6th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, fourteen have given a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $116.15. Read Our Latest Research Report on Five Below About Five Below ( Free Report ) Five Below, Inc operates as a specialty value retailer in the United States. The company offers range of accessories, which includes novelty socks, sunglasses, jewelry, scarves, gloves, hair accessories, athletic tops and bottoms, and t-shirts, as well as nail polish, lip gloss, fragrance, and branded cosmetics; and personalized living space products, such as lamps, posters, frames, fleece blankets, plush items, pillows, candles, incense, lighting, novelty décor, accent furniture, and related items, as well as provides storage options. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Five Below Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Five Below and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
gstar28
Strictly fans have been left raging over recent weeks, after the couples saved from elimination hasn't seemed to have reflected the judges' scoring. Many of their accusations have fallen on head judge Shirley Ballas , with furious viewers taking to social media to vent after seeing Pete Wicks saved from the dance off - despite his low scores from the judges. Saturday's episode saw the issue come to a head for those at home, after Jamie Borthwick was given the boot, despite Pete Wicks also ending up towards the bottom of the leaderboard. Fans were baffled when Pete survived another week without even going to the dance-off. One angry viewer wrote on X: "WHAT? Pete is safe and Montell and Jamie in the dance off. Absolute joke! #Strictly." A second said: "Why is PETE not in DANCE OFF #strictly this is a joke a farce and a fix! #Strictly" with another commenting: "Who keeps voting for Pete? He is the worst of the lot, why do people keep voting him in. Montell & Johannes and Jamie & Michelle in the bottom two? Awful result #Strictly." Someone else added: "Absolutely HORRIFIC dance off - can the public please get a grip #Strictly." While a fifth viewer fumed: "#Strictly who tf is voting for Pete?! Montell vs Jamie should never be a dance-off." With Pete revealing this week he's recieved death threats after being saved, the BBC has explained the voting system on their website, and why they keep the figures under wraps. The broadcaster explained: "The Strictly Come Dancing scoring system combines judges and viewers votes. No couple is guaranteed to be safe on judges' votes alone however, and the viewers' votes can always influence the outcome. This means each week any couple can face or be saved from the dance off with the public vote. In the event of a tie, the viewers' votes will take precedence over the Judges' scoring." It goes on to say that after the performances, judges scores are added together to rank the couples. It goes on to explain that the couple ranked highest will be "awarded a number of points equal to the number of couples competing that evening." The website gives an example to try to explain the baffling system, adding: "So, for example, if seven couples are competing, the points awarded to the highest ranked couple (based on the Judges total score) will be 7, the couple with the second highest score from the Judges will receive 6 points and so on in the same downward sequential order." If there is a tie, with two or more couples getting the same points, the couple below those in the tie will be "awarded one point below the points awarded to each of the tied couples." If that wasn't enough to make your head hurt, the show adds in the viewers votes to the mix, saying they are "collated and independently verified". When both the judges' scores and viewers' votes are combined, if there is a tie, "the couple in the tie with the highest number of viewer votes will be deemed to be ahead on the leaderboard". Lost yet? To add to the mystery of the Strictly voting system, the BBC says it reserves the right to keep the viewers' votes secret, adding: "Releasing voting figures could affect the way that people vote, and also have an impact on the participants. We therefore do not disclose the exact voting figures." They confirm this system is approved by the Information Commissioner, meaning they do not have to disclose the voting figures under the Freedom of Information Act. Follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .
gstar28 login
g star 28
gstar28 casino login