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Tinubu To Use AI Technology To Fight Insecurity In 2025 – Ondo Lawmaker Assures NigeriansVoters in parts of Scott, Clinton and Jackson counties will vote in a special election for their state senator on Jan. 28, 2025, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Monday. Former senator for District 35, Chris Cournoyer, was sworn in a week ago as the state's new lieutenant governor. Cournoyer resigned her senate seat at that time. Candidates wanting to run for the seat have until Jan. 14, 2025, to file their paperwork, Iowa Secretary of State spokesperson Ashley Hunt Esquivel wrote in an email. Candidates may be nominated by special convention of one of the political parties or collect signatures and file as a no-party candidate. For special elections, absentee voting begins "as soon as ballots are available, but not earlier than 20 days prior to the election," Hunt Esquivel wrote. Scott County Auditor Kerri Tompkins anticipates having early voting available in-person at the county administration building starting Jan. 16, she wrote in an email. Polls will be open on Jan. 28 for Election Day from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. Voters can send in ballot requests now, but Tompkins warned mail-in ballots for the special election will have a tight turnaround. Mailed ballots may not be sent out until Jan. 17 or later, Tompkins wrote, and must arrive in the auditor's office by the time polls close on Jan. 28. "I encourage voters to take this into consideration as they make their voting plans," Tompkins wrote. Cournoyer, a Republican from LeClaire, was first elected in 2018 and reelected in 2022. There's still two years left in the term representing the district, which includes Clinton, DeWitt, Camanche, Wheatland, Maquoketa, and Princeton. In Clinton County, where the bulk of the district is located, a new auditor will take office in the new year. Republican David Troester defeated Democrat Eric Van Lancker in the November election. Iowa Senate Democrats, in a statement, called the upcoming special election "a pivotal moment for Eastern Iowa to send a clear message: enough is enough." "This election allows voters to demand bold leadership and real solutions to move Iowa forward. It's about electing a Senator who will fully fund our schools, grow Iowa's middle class, and fight for a fair deal for every family — not just the wealthy few," the statement reads. "While we wait to see who the Democratic nominee will be, the Senate Majority Fund is wasting no time organizing in preparation for this election to move Iowa forward and tackle the challenges Iowa families face head-on." Americans may have elected Donald Trump in November, but that doesn't mean they have high confidence in his ability to choose well-qualified people for his cabinet according to a new AP-NORC poll. 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. FILE - Former Rep. Doug Collins speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at a campaign event at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Oct. 15, 2024, in Atlanta. 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. Guilfoyle is a former California prosecutor and television news personality who led the fundraising for Trump's 2020 campaign and became engaged to Don Jr. in 2020. Trump called her “a close friend and ally” and praised her “sharp intellect make her supremely qualified.” Guilfoyle was on stage with the family on election night. “I am so proud of Kimberly. She loves America and she always has wanted to serve the country as an Ambassador. She will be an amazing leader for America First,” Don Jr. posted. The ambassador positions must be approved by the U.S. Senate. Guilfoyle said in a social media post that she was “honored to accept President Trump’s nomination to serve as the next Ambassador to Greece and I look forward to earning the support of the U.S. Senate.” 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. Trump says he’s picking Kari Lake as director of Voice of America, installing a staunch loyalist who ran unsuccessfully for Arizona governor and a Senate seat to head the congressionally funded broadcaster that provides independent news reporting around the world. Lake endeared herself to Trump through her dogmatic commitment to the falsehood that both she and Trump were the victims of election fraud. She has never acknowledged losing the gubernatorial race and called herself the “lawful governor” in her 2023 book, “Unafraid: Just Getting Started.” 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. Ron Johnson, Ambassador to Mexico Johnson — not the Republican senator — served as ambassador to El Salvador during Trump's first administration. His nomination comes as the president-elect has been threatening tariffs on Mexican imports and the mass deportation of migrants who have arrived to the U.S.-Mexico border. Johnson is also a former U.S. Army veteran and was in the Central Intelligence Agency. Tom Barrack, Ambassador to Turkey Barrack, a wealthy financier, met Trump in the 1980s while helping negotiate Trump’s purchase of the renowned Plaza Hotel. He was charged with using his personal access to the former president to secretly promote the interests of the United Arab Emirates, but was acquitted of all counts at a federal trial in 2022. Trump called him a “well-respected and experienced voice of reason.” Andrew Ferguson, Federal Trade Commission Ferguson, who is already one of the FTC's five commissioners, will replace Lina Khan, who became a lightning rod for Wall Street and Silicon Valley by blocking billions of dollars worth of corporate acquisitions and suing Amazon and Meta while alleging anticompetitive behavior. “Andrew has a proven record of standing up to Big Tech censorship, and protecting Freedom of Speech in our Great Country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding, “Andrew will be the most America First, and pro-innovation FTC Chair in our Country’s History.” Jacob Helberg, undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment Dan Bishop, deputy director for budget at the Office of Budget and Management Leandro Rizzuto, Ambassador to the Washington-based Organization of American States Dan Newlin, Ambassador to Colombia Peter Lamelas, Ambassador to Argentina Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. 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America is incredibly polarized. It’s bad for our health.Report: Louisiana coach Michael Desormeaux gets new dealSoutheast Asian Stocks Seen Offering Shelter Amid Trump Threat

Israel launches new strikes on Lebanon as leaders draw closer to ceasefire with Hezbollah

WASHINGTON , Dec. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA continues to advance its campaign to explore more of the Moon than ever before, awarding Firefly Aerospace $179 million to deliver six experiments to the lunar surface. This fourth task order for Firefly will target landing in the Gruithuisen Domes on the near side of the Moon in 2028. As part of the agency's broader Artemis campaign, Firefly will deliver a group of science experiments and technology demonstrations under NASA's CLPS initiative, or Commercial Lunar Payload Services, to these lunar domes, an area of ancient lava flows, to better understand planetary processes and evolution. Through CLPS, NASA is furthering our understanding of the Moon's environment and helping prepare for future human missions to the lunar surface, as part of the agency's Moon to Mars exploration approach. "The CLPS initiative carries out U.S. scientific and technical studies on the surface of the Moon by robot explorers. As NASA prepares for future human exploration of the Moon, the CLPS initiative continues to support a growing lunar economy with American companies," said Joel Kearns , deputy associate administrator for exploration, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington . "Understanding the formation of the Gruithuisen Domes, as well as the ancient lava flows surrounding the landing site, will help the U.S. answer important questions about the lunar surface." Firefly's first lunar delivery is scheduled to launch no earlier than mid-January 2025 and will land near a volcanic feature called Mons Latreille within Mare Crisium, on the northeast quadrant of the Moon's near side. Firefly's second lunar mission includes two task orders: a lunar orbit drop-off of a satellite combined with a delivery to the lunar surface on the far side and a delivery of a lunar orbital calibration source, scheduled in 2026. This new delivery in 2028 will send payloads to the Gruithuisen Domes and the nearby Sinus Viscositatus. The Gruithuisen Domes have long been suspected to be formed by a magma rich in silica, similar in composition to granite. Granitic rocks form easily on Earth due to plate tectonics and oceans of water. The Moon lacks these key ingredients, so lunar scientists have been left to wonder how these domes formed and evolved over time. For the first time, as part of this task order, NASA also has contracted to provide "mobility," or roving, for some of the scientific instruments on the lunar surface after landing. This will enable new types of U.S. scientific investigations from CLPS. "Firefly will deliver six instruments to understand the landing site and surrounding vicinity," said Chris Culbert , manager of the CLPS initiative at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston . "These instruments will study geologic processes and lunar regolith, test solar cells, and characterize the neutron radiation environment, supplying invaluable information as NASA works to establish a long-term presence on the Moon." The instruments, collectively expected to be about 215 pounds (97 kilograms) in mass, include: Through the CLPS initiative, NASA purchases lunar landing and surface operations services from American companies. The agency uses CLPS to send scientific instruments and technology demonstrations to advance capabilities for science, exploration, or commercial development of the Moon. By supporting a robust cadence of lunar deliveries, NASA will continue to enable a growing lunar economy while leveraging the entrepreneurial innovation of the commercial space industry. Two upcoming CLPS flights scheduled to launch in early 2025 will deliver NASA payloads to the Moon's near side and south polar region, respectively. Learn more about CLPS and Artemis at: https://www.nasa.gov/clps View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/more-nasa-science-tech-will-fly-to-moon-aboard-future-firefly-flight-302335523.html SOURCE NASA

PICTURE This have added an extra date ahead of their huge Cork gig - and tickets are going on sale this week. The Irish band are set to perform two major concerts Live at the Marquee Cork next summer. The popular group originally planned to perform on June 25 next year, but due to high demand they have added another date. Aiken Promotions announced the second date for Picture This Live at the Marquee Cork today. The boyband will now be performing on both June 25 and June 26 next summer. Tickets for their second date go on sale this Thursday, November 28 at 10am from Ticketmaster .ie. The band took to their Instagram today to share the exciting new with fans. They wrote: "Due to phenomenal demand and the first show selling out we have added a SECOND DATE AT THE MARQUEE IN CORK. "Tickets on sale Thursday at 10am GMT. Don’t say we didn’t warn ya! Up the rebels." Lana Del Rey has announced her 2025 UK and Ireland Summer Tour today. The Video Games star has sent her Irish fans in a frenzy as she's returning to Dublin next year. Lana will be performing at the Aviva Stadium on Monday, June 30, 2025. Tickets for Dublin go on sale this week on Friday, November 29 at 10am on Ticketmaster. Ticket prices range from €89.50 to €166.25, plus a 12.5 per cent service charge per ticket (up to €10.50). The MCD Presale registration is now open, and anyone hoping to bag a ticket through this presale can sign up here . The 39-year-old will be kicking off her tour at Cardiff on Monday, June 23, 2025. She will then be heading to Glasgow and Liverpool before landing in Ireland. Lana will be finishing off her UK and Ireland tour dates in London on Thursday, July 3, 2025. MCD Productions revealed the exciting news on Instagram this morning and sent fans wild. Eoin commented: "I’m going to be sick." Anna said: "EEKKK." Alex wrote: "Let the Ticketmaster war begin." Charlotte added: "Going to cry." Last year Lana performed in Dublin's 3Arena on July 7, 2024.

HORO 1-01-25WASHINGTON — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said her agency will need to start taking “extraordinary measures,” or special accounting maneuvers intended to prevent the nation from hitting the debt ceiling , as early as January 14, in a letter sent to congressional leaders Friday afternoon. "Treasury expects to hit the statutory debt ceiling between January 14 and January 23," she wrote in a letter addressed to House and Senate leadership, at which point extraordinary measures would be used to prevent the government from breaching the nation's debt ceiling — which was suspended until Jan. 1, 2025. The department in the past deployed what are known as “extraordinary measures” or accounting maneuvers to keep the government operating. Once those measures run out, the government risks defaulting on its debt unless lawmakers and the president agree to lift the limit on the U.S. government’s ability to borrow. "I respectfully urge Congress to act to protect the full faith and credit of the United States," Yellen said. FILE - U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen speaks during a visit to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) in Vienna, Va., on Jan. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File) Susan Walsh Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts The news came after Democratic President Joe Biden signed a bill into law last week that averted a government shutdown but did not include Republican President-elect Donald Trump’s core debt demand to raise or suspend the nation’s debt limit. Congress approved the bill only after a fierce internal debate among Republicans over how to handle Trump's demand. “Anything else is a betrayal of our country,” Trump said in a statement. After a protracted debate in the summer of 2023 over how to fund the government, policymakers crafted the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which included suspending the nation's $31.4 trillion borrowing authority until Jan. 1, 2025. Notably however, Yellen said, on Jan. 2 the debt is projected to temporarily decrease due to a scheduled redemption of nonmarketable securities held by a federal trust fund associated with Medicare payments. As a result, “Treasury does not expect that it will be necessary to start taking extraordinary measures on January 2 to prevent the United States from defaulting on its obligations," she said. The federal debt stands at about $36 trillion — after ballooning across both Republican and Democratic administrations. The spike in inflation after the COVID-19 pandemic pushed up government borrowing costs such that debt service next year will exceed spending on national security. Republicans, who will have full control of the White House, House and Senate in the new year, have big plans to extend Trump's 2017 tax cuts and other priorities but are debating over how to pay for them. Many consumers may remember receiving their first credit card, either years ago in a plain envelope, or months ago from a smartphone app. Still other consumers may remember their newest card, maybe because it's the credit card they're now using exclusively to maximize cash back rewards or airline miles. But for most consumers, there's also a murky in-between where they add, drop and generally accumulate credit cards over time. Over the years, consumers may close some credit card accounts or leave some of their credit cards dormant as a backup form of payment, or perhaps left forgotten in a desk drawer. In the data below, Experian reveals the changes in consumers wallets in recent years. Average Number of Cards Has Declined Since 2017 U.S. consumers, on average, carry fewer cards today than they did in 2017, when the typical wallet held 4.2 active credit cards. As of the third quarter (Q3) of 2023, consumers carried 3.9 cards on average. This average is up slightly since the early days of the pandemic, when consumers reduced their average credit card debt and number of accounts as the economy slowed. Canva As Experian revealed earlier this year, credit card balances are still climbing, despite (and partially because of) higher interest rates. And while average balances are increasing, they are spread across fewer accounts than in recent years. Alternative financing—including buy now, pay later plans for purchases—may account for at least some of this discrepancy, as consumers gravitate toward these newer financing methods. Residents of More Populous States Have More Credit Cards on Average In general, residents of higher-population states tend to carry more credit cards than those who live in states with fewer and smaller population centers. Nonetheless, the difference between the states is relatively small. Considering that the national average is around four credit cards per consumer, the four states with the fewest cards per consumer (Alaska, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming) aren't appreciably different, with "only" about 3.3 credit cards per consumer. Experian Similarly, the four states on the higher end of the scale where consumers have 4.2 or more credit cards are Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, New Jersey and Rhode Island. Older Consumers Have More Active Credit Cards on Average The disparity in average credit card counts is more apparent when the population is segmented by age, thanks in part to Generation Z, many of whom have yet to receive their first credit card. The average number of credit cards for these consumers was two, less than half of what older generations keep on hand. ExperianArenaPlus, the country’s 24/7 digital sports entertainment gateway, gifted Filipino fans with a special experience on December 23, 2024. Lucky fans got to video call with Reaves and even more got to chat and ask their favorite basketball star questions on life in the league, his experience in the Philippines, and his partnership with ArenaPlus. Reaves gave out lots of prizes, including the one everyone wanted the most: Meet Austin Reaves in LA with an all-expenses paid trip. Fans joined by visiting ArenaPlus.ph This special Christmas event was made possible by the Philippines’ premiere sportsbook, ArenaPlus. Austin Reaves is ArenaPlus’ newest endorser, joining Jordan Clarkson and Scottie Thompson. Astig conversations with Austin Reaves Behind-the-scene livestream set-up for ArenaPlus “Meet Austin Reaves in Los Angeles”. Live on ArenaPlus’ social media pages, Reaves was game to answer questions from fans about his experiences as a professional basketball player, his career, and his partnership with ArenaPlus. Reaves shared his rookie story, saying he was given small tasks but was overall treated kindly. Occasionally, he had to run errands for essentials or carry bags, but for the most part, he was given a lot of leniency and wasn’t held to many responsibilities. “I’m doing little things here and there, but for the most part, they were very kind to me. Every now and then, I had to run to the store to get essentials needed on the road or just for little things. But overall, they let me off the hook. I definitely had to carry a couple of bags every now and then, but like I said, they let me off the hook pretty well.” Reaves also shared his usual game day routine, starting with waking up early, followed by pre-game workouts, treatment, and strategy sessions. “We all wake up at 8, go to the practice facility around 8:30 or 8:45 to eat breakfast. After treatment, we shoot around 10, then walk through what they’re going to do, what we can do to stop them, and what we can do to be successful, followed by some shots. After that, I go home, take a good shower, and nap. When I wake up, if the game is around 7 o’clock, I get to the arena by about 4:30 for more treatment, lifting, and pre-game shooting to get ready for the game. After pre-game shooting, there are probably 50 minutes before the game starts. I go back, eat a little, and then the coach comes in to talk. After that, it’s basically game time.” In addition, Reaves shared how he prepared for the upcoming season, mentioning that he’s working on getting stronger, faster, and improving as a basketball player, believing there’s always room for growth and improvement. “The main thing was really getting into the weight room, getting a lot stronger, faster, and becoming a better athlete. On top of that, I try to become a better player in all aspects. I feel like I do everything well and continue to grow in those areas. You can never perfect the game of basketball, and that’s the beautiful thing about it. You can always continue working to get better, and that’s what I do every summer.” Reaves expressed his gratitude to ArenaPlus, seeing the partnership with the brand as a great opportunity to return to Manila, revisit good memories, and connect with fans in order to give back and create a memorable experience for them. “Once we got the opportunity to partner with ArenaPlus, we knew it was a great chance to come back to Manila and revisit the many fun times we had. With ArenaPlus, we’ve been given the opportunity to return and have a great time with the fans. We want to give back and do something for the fans.” Meet Austin Reaves in Los Angeles Over 30 prizes were given out during the livestream, including a DJI 3 drone, sports merchandise and sports vouchers. Reaves himself drew the major prize: the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet him in LA with an all-expenses paid trip. Reaves personally invited the winner, a speechless Joseph Marana, via a live call. The once-in-a-lifetime experience is set for February during the NBA All-Star Week in LA. Being business-savvy should be fun, attainable and A+. BMPlus is BusinessMirror's digital arm with practical tips & success stories for aspiring and thriving millennial entrepreneurs.

Cubs, Red Sox trade pitch rips $90 million star away from Boston | Sporting News

NoneBiden's Bold Clemency Move: Halting Federal Executions

STEALTHGAS INC. (NASDAQ: GASS), a ship-owning company serving the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) sector of the international shipping industry, announced its unaudited financial and operating results for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2024. All-time record Net Income of $55.7 million for the nine months of 2024, a 29.3% increase compared to the same period last year. Strong profitability continued for the third quarter, with Net income of $12.1 million corresponding to a basic EPS of $0.33. Revenues increased by 16.7% compared to the same period of last year to $40.4 million for the third quarter of 2024, despite a decrease in utilization mainly due to four vessels undergoing drydock during the third quarter of 2024 compared to zero vessels last year. Further increased period coverage. About 65% of fleet days for 2025 are already secured on period charters, with total fleet employment days for all subsequent periods generating over $220 million (excl. JV vessels) in contracted revenues. Continued reducing leverage, making $106.6 million in debt repayments during the first nine months of 2024. Currently, 25 out of 28 vessels in the fully owned fleet are unencumbered. Maintaining ample cash and cash equivalents (incl. restricted cash) of $77.4 million as of September 30, 2024 enabling the Company to further reduce debt. Third Quarter 2024 Results1: Revenues for the three months ended September 30, 2024 amounted to $40.4 million compared to revenues of $34.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023, based on an average of 27.0 vessels and 27.6 vessels owned by the Company, respectively, as the vessels remaining in the fleet earned higher revenues due to better market conditions. Voyage expenses and vessels’ operating expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2024 were $2.9 million and $12.3 million, respectively, compared to $2.4 million and $12.3 million, respectively, for the three months ended September 30, 2023. The $0.5 million increase in voyage expenses was mainly due to bunker expenses, while the vessels’ operating expenses remained stable between 2024 and 2023. Drydocking costs for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 were $2.9 million and $0.06 million, respectively. Drydocking expenses during the third quarter of 2024 mainly relate to the completed drydocking of four vessels, while the drydocking of one vessel was still in progress, compared to no drydocking of vessels in the same period of last year. General and administrative expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 were $2.7 million and $1.7 million, respectively. The change is mainly attributed to the increase in stock-based compensation expense. Depreciation for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 was $6.5 million and $5.5 million, respectively, a $1.0 million increase despite the decrease in average number of vessels owned by the Company, as the Company partly replaced some of the older vessels with newer and larger ones which have a higher cost. Net gain on sale of vessels for the three months ended September 30, 2024 was nil compared to $4.7 million for the same period last year, which was primarily due to the sale of two of the Company’s vessels during the three months ended September 30, 2023. Interest and finance costs for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, were $1.8 million and $2.5 million, respectively. The $0.7 million decrease from the same period of last year is primarily due to continued debt prepayments. Equity earnings in joint ventures for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 was a gain of $1.1 million and $0.9 million, respectively. The $0.2 million increase was primarily due to slightly higher revenues due to better market conditions. As a result of the above, for the three months ended September 30, 2024, the Company reported net income of $12.1 million, compared to net income of $15.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023. The weighted average number of shares outstanding, basic, for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 was 35.2 million and 37.3 million, respectively. Earnings per share, basic, for the three months ended September 30, 2024 amounted to $0.33 compared to earnings per share, basic, of $0.41 for the same period of last year. Adjusted net income was $14.2 million corresponding to an Adjusted EPS, basic, of $0.38 for the three months ended September 30, 2024 compared to Adjusted net income of $12.0 million corresponding to an Adjusted EPS, basic, of $0.31 for the same period of last year. EBITDA for the three months ended September 30, 2024 amounted to $19.7 million. Reconciliations of Adjusted Net Income, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA to Net Income are set forth below. An average of 27.0 vessels were owned by the Company during the three months ended September 30, 2024 compared to 27.6 vessels for the same period of 2023. Nine months 2024 Results: Revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, amounted to $123.8 million, an increase of $14.4 million, or 13.2%, compared to revenues of $109.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023, based on an average of 27.0 vessels and 30.1 vessels owned by the Company, respectively, as the vessels remaining in the fleet earned higher revenues due to better market conditions. Voyage expenses and vessels’ operating expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 were $8.4 million and $36.2 million, respectively, compared to $9.9 million and $40.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The $1.5 million decrease in voyage expenses was mainly due to the decrease in spot days, while the $4.0 million decrease in vessels’ operating expenses was mainly due to the decrease in the average number of owned vessels in our fleet. Drydocking costs for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 were $3.5 million and $2.6 million, respectively. The costs for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 mainly related to the completed drydocking of four vessels while one vessel was still in progress, while the costs for the same period of last year mainly related to the completed drydocking of three of the larger handysize of vessels. General and administrative expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 were $7.3 million and $3.7 million, respectively. The change is mainly attributed to the increase in stock-based compensation expense. Depreciation for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, was $19.5 million, a $1.4 million increase from $18.1 million for the same period of last year, as the Company partly replaced some of the older vessels with newer and larger vessels which have a higher cost. Impairment loss for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 were nil and $2.8 million, respectively, relating to two vessels for which the Company had entered into separate agreements to sell them to third parties during the nine months ended September 30, 2023. Gain on sale of vessels for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 was $0.05 million compared to $7.6 million for the same period last year. The decrease is attributed to the sale of four of the Company’s vessels during the nine months ended September 30, 2023 compared to the sale of two vessels during the nine months ended September 30, 2024, which had been classified as held for sale as of December 31, 2023. Interest and finance costs for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 were $7.6 million and $7.6 million, respectively. Equity earnings in joint ventures for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 was a gain of $15.2 million and a gain of $11.4 million, respectively. The $3.8 million increase from the same period of last year is mainly due to a profitable sale of one of the Medium Gas carriers owned by one of our joint ventures. As a result of the above, the Company reported a net income for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 of $55.7 million, compared to a net income of $43.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The weighted average number of shares outstanding, basic, for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 was 35.2 million and 37.8 million, respectively. Earnings per share, basic, for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 amounted to $1.52 compared to earnings per share, basic, of $1.12 for the same period of last year. Adjusted net income was $60.8 million, corresponding to an Adjusted EPS, basic, of $1.67 per share, for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 compared to adjusted net income of $40.0 million, or $1.04 per share, for the same period of last year. EBITDA for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 amounted to $80.4 million. Reconciliations of Adjusted Net Income, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA to Net Income are set forth below. An average of 27.0 vessels were owned by the Company during the nine months ended September 30, 2024, compared to 30.1 vessels for the same period of 2023. As of September 30, 2024, cash and cash equivalents (including restricted cash) amounted to $77.4 million and total debt amounted to $86.4 million. 1 EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted EPS are non-GAAP measures. Refer to the reconciliation of these measures to the most directly comparable financial measure in accordance with GAAP set forth later in this release. Fleet Update Since Previous Announcement The Company announced the conclusion of the following chartering arrangements (of three or more months duration): An eighteen months time charter extension for its 2007 built LPG carrier Gas Flawless, until Jul 2026. A twelve months time charter for its 2008 built LPG carrier Gas Defiance, until Dec 2025. A twelve months time charter for its 2015 built LPG carrier Eco Galaxy, until Sep 2025. A six months time charter for its 2012 built LPG carrier Gas Esco, until Mar 2025. A three months time charter for its 2014 built LPG carrier Eco Chios, until Mar 2025. As of November 2024, the Company has total contracted revenues of approximately $220 million. For 2025 the Company has circa 65% of fleet days secured under period contracts and contracted revenues of approximately $100 million. In late September 2024, the joint venture owning the vessel Gas Shuriken entered into an agreement to sell the vessel to a third party. The delivery of the vessel is expected to take place in January 2025. On November 4, 2024, the debt facility on the vessels Gas Shuriken and Gas Defiance, owned through a joint venture, matured and was paid off. Immediately following the debt repayment, the Company also acquired full control of the vessel Gas Defiance purchasing it from its joint venture partner, as such the vessel going forward will be part of the Company’s fully owned fleet. CEO Harry Vafias Commented: Our Company had another quarter of high performance during the seasonally weaker summer months. We managed to increase revenues by 17% compared to last year even though there was a heavy drydock schedule during the third quarter that reduced our fleet’s utilization. So far this year we have announced record profits and with the market strengthening during the winter we are on track for another record year. There is continuing interest from charterers on period coverage and we now have contract coverage of 65% for 2025, securing approximately $100 million in revenues for next year. Particularly in Europe, where the majority of our fleet is located, period rates for pressurized vessels are at historical highs. Currently 25 vessels in our fleet are unencumbered. We have focused on our strategic goal of deleverage and as of the end of the third quarter we had $86 million in loans and $77 million in cash, a testament to the Company’s strong financial position. Reconciliation of Adjusted Net Income, EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EPS: Adjusted net income represents net income before loss/gain on derivatives excluding swap interest paid/received, impairment loss, net gain/loss on sale of vessels and share based compensation. EBITDA represents net income before interest and finance costs, interest income and depreciation. Adjusted EBITDA represents net income before interest and finance costs, interest income, depreciation, impairment loss, net gain/loss on sale of vessels, share based compensation and loss/gain on derivatives. Adjusted EPS represents Adjusted net income divided by the weighted average number of shares. EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income and adjusted EPS are included herein because they are a basis, upon which we and our investors assess our financial performance. They allow us to present our performance from period to period on a comparable basis and provide investors with a means of better evaluating and understanding our operating performance. EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income and adjusted EPS are not recognized measurements under U.S. GAAP. Our calculation of EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income and adjusted EPS may not be comparable to that reported by other companies in the shipping or other industries. In evaluating Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted net income and Adjusted EPS, you should be aware that in the future we may incur expenses that are the same as or similar to some of the adjustments in this presentation. Source: STEALTHGAS INC.The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will bring a new series to Netflix in December, revealing the “grit behind the glamour” in the high-stakes world of polo. The five-part series will debut globally on December 10, following elite global players on and off the field as they compete in the US Open Polo Championship in Wellington, Florida. A trailer for the series titled Polo, executive produced by Harry and Meghan, was released on Thursday, giving a behind-the-scenes look at the “fast-paced and glamorous world of polo”. In a statement, Harry said: “This series offers audiences an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes look into the passion and determination driving some of the world’s elite polo players, revealing the grit behind the glamour. “We’re proud to showcase the true depth and spirit of the sport — and the intensity of its high-stakes moments.” It has been produced by the Sussexes’ Archewell Productions, having previously released three documentaries with Netflix as part of a multimillion-pound deal with the streaming giant. Heart Of Invictus, which aired last August, followed a group of service members on their road to the Invictus Games, the Paralympic-style sporting competition set up by Harry in 2014 for injured and sick military personnel and veterans. Netflix also released the documentary series Live To Lead and the controversial six-part Harry & Meghan documentary in December 2022. Harry and Meghan moved to the US in 2020 after stepping down from royal duties.

Danny O'Brien has been announced as the new leader of the Victorian Nationals after Peter Walsh stepped down from the role. Mr O'Brien, who has been in parliament since March 2014, was elected to the position unopposed, a party statement on Tuesday said. The Gippsland South MP said it was "the greatest honour" to have been elected leader. "For over 100 years, The Nationals have served the interests of rural and regional Victoria. That will not change," Mr O'Brien said. "It remains our singular focus as the only party solely dedicated to serving the interests of the 25 per cent of the population who live outside the metropolitan area. "I entered politics because I have always believed rural and regional people get a raw deal. As leader of our great party, I will fight every day for country people to get a fair go." Mr O'Brien is the current shadow minister for casino, gaming and liquor regulation, and roads and road safety. Mr Walsh had been the Nationals leader for almost 10 years, after assuming the role in December 2014 following the Coalition's election defeat after one term in office. He "recently advised the party room he would step down", the party statement said. Lowan MP Emma Kealy will remain as deputy leader. "The Nationals have a formidable team of community champions in parliament and every day we stand side-by-side with our community to ensure their voice is heard," she said. "I look forward to continuing my role in leadership, working with Danny, our MPs and all our members and supporters who are fighting together for a fair deal for regional Victorians." The leadership changes at the mid point of the current parliamentary term, with the next state election to be held on November 28, 2026. Mr O'Brien will work alongside Liberal leader John Pesutto as part of the Victorian Coalition's leadership team.Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ken., talks about the debt ceiling and government spending on ‘Sunday Morning Futures.’ Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., is calling out the Biden administration for spending over a trillion taxpayer dollars on "government waste" this year, including on a bearded lady cabaret show, Arabic Sesame Street, and "girl-centered climate action." The Kentucky senator released his annual "Festivus" report that details different ways in which the current administration spent taxpayer dollars throughout the year. The 2024 Festivus Waste Report found that the Biden-Harris administration spent over $1 trillion this year, including giving a $10,000 grant to "Beards on Ice" — an ice skating drag show on climate change put on by the Bearded Ladies Cabaret, a self-described "queer cabaret arts organization." Additionally, the Agency for International Development (USAID) spent $20 million on a Sesame Street spin-off show in Iraq, titled "Ahlan Simsim," in an effort to promote "inclusion" and "mutual respect." WHERE'S BIDEN? LAME-DUCK PRESIDENT SLAMMED FOR ‘QUIET QUITTING’ AMID MAJOR GOVERNMENT FUNDING BATTLE Members of the Bearded Ladies Cabaret cross Broad St., before a march by supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., in Philadelphia, Pa., on the first day of the Democratic National Convention, July 25, 2016. (Tom Williams) About $1.5 was spent experimenting how different species, such as young female kittens, respond to motion sickness. According to the report, researchers would strap kittens to a table, where they are spun around in several directions and have holes drilled into their skulls to keep them in place — "and it’s all being done with your money," Paul writes in the report. "More than one and a half million dollars of it." The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reportedly gave New York University (NYU) over $400,000 to study whether lonely rats seek cocaine more than rats who are in positive environments, while the Department of the Interior (DOI) allocated $12 million to fund a pickleball complex in Las Vegas, according to the report. Basma, Muppet From Ahlan Simsim, Sesame Street, speaks onstage during the 2019 Concordia Annual Summit - Day 1 at Grand Hyatt New York on September 23, 2019 in New York City. (Riccardo Savi) "Now, did the government really need to spend nearly half a million dollars to verify that social isolation and starvation may lead to increased drug usage? One thing is for sure, we must end this rat-wheel of waste!" Paul wrote in the report. THE 34 HOUSE REPUBLICANS WHO VOTED AGAINST A BILL TO AVERT A PARTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN The State Department spent $3 million on "Girl-Centered Climate Action" in Brazil, a program reportedly designed to "empower young women to become climate leaders by integrating equity and inclusivity into environmental activism," the report writes, citing the grant details. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, blocked a bill Wednesday that would have allowed local law enforcement agencies to track aerial drones. (Jose Luis Magana) "As the average American taxpayers struggle to pay rent, their hard-earned dollars are ironically funneled into more real estate," the report read, referring to the Biden struggles spending $10B on maintaining and furnishing buildings that were almost entirely empty. The Department of Energy (DOE) gave automakers $15.5 billion to push the industry into the electric vehicle (EV) sector , while another $388,000 was given to "Magic in the United States," a podcast discussing how magical beliefs and practices have evolved in the U.S. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The senator also mentioned the Biden administration giving $2.1 million to fund Paraguay's border: "Nothing says "America First" like securing someone else’s border," Paul wrote. Aubrie Spady is a Writer for Fox News Digital.The Beyoncé Bowl, Squid Game, and Everything Else You Should Watch This Weekend

BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — Aston Villa says it has failed in an attempt to have Jhon Duran’s red card at Newcastle overturned on appeal. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — Aston Villa says it has failed in an attempt to have Jhon Duran’s red card at Newcastle overturned on appeal. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — Aston Villa says it has failed in an attempt to have Jhon Duran’s red card at Newcastle overturned on appeal. The 21-year-old Colombia international was sent off 32 minutes into a 3-0 defeat in the Premier League at St. James’ Park on Thursday after appearing to stamp on defender Fabian Schar, prompting a furious reaction from Villa head coach Unai Emery, who later indicated that the club would appeal. However, Villa said Friday night that its bid was unsuccessful and the forward will now serve a three-match ban for violent conduct. “Aston Villa can confirm that our decision to appeal Jhon Duran’s red card in our match with Newcastle United has been rejected,” a statement on Villa’s official X account read. “The player will now miss our next three matches.” Duran will miss Premier League games against Brighton and Leicester, followed by Villa’s FA Cup third-round match with West Ham on Jan. 10. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer AdvertisementJanet Yellen tells Congress US could hit debt limit in mid-January