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The world's largest asset manager says it's not too late to turn bullish on US stocks heading into 2025. In its outlook for the new year, BlackRock upgraded its "Overweight" rating on US stocks, turning even more bullish than its prior recommendation even as the S&P 500 trades at all-time highs. The firm was previously "+1" overweight relative to "Neutral" and is now "+2" overweight, with its highest overweight rating being "+3." BlackRock's recommendation to stay "pro-risk" toward US stocks is the opposite of Bank of America strategist Michael Hartnett, who recommended this week that investors should bet on international stocks in 2025 due to the fear that America's But BlackRock isn't buying it. "U.S. equities have persistently outpaced their global peers," BlackRock's Investment Institute wrote in their 2025 outlook. "We think that could continue." The driving force behind BlackRock's doubling down on the US stock market rally to continue is the belief that are disproportionately set to benefit American companies. "We think the AI mega force will benefit U.S. stocks more and that's why we stay overweight, particularly relative to international peers such as European stocks," BlackRock said. The firm also believes potential tax cuts and an easing regulatory environment under the incoming Donald Trump administration should support continued economic growth. One top concern for US stock market investors has been valuations, which, based on metrics like price-to-earnings ratios, However, BlackRock dismissed the valuation concern by highlighting that the US economy looks a lot different than it did in the past, as technology and services take center stage at the expense of manufacturing. "The equity market's changing sectoral composition reflects the transformation taking hold. So, comparing today's index to that of the past is like comparing apples to oranges," BlackRock said. Valuation measures have also proven to be a poor timing tool for getting in or out of the stock market, the firm said. "We are risk-on for now but stay nimble." The firm said factors that could force it to change its bullish tune include a significant surge in long-term bond yields or an escalation in trade protectionism. Read the original article onBILLINGS — All five Montana High School Association state championship football games this weekend will be livestreamed on the subscription-based NFHS Network. Plans call for announcers for every game. 2024 Montana high school football playoff brackets The State AA championship game pits Kalispell Glacier at Helena Capital on Friday at 7 p.m. The State A title game of Laurel at Billings Central is at Herb Klindt Field on Saturday at 1 p.m. The State B championship game of Manhattan at Malta is Saturday at 1 p.m. The 8-Man state championship game of Belt at Fairview is on Saturday at 1 p.m. The 6-Man state championship game of Box Elder at Bridger is on Saturday at 1 p.m. The NFHS Network can be accessed by visiting the MHSA website homepage ( mhsa.org ). Get in the game with our Prep Sports Newsletter Sent weekly directly to your inbox!
Electronic Specialty Gas Market which was USD 6.1 Million in 2023 12-04-2024 09:00 PM CET | Advertising, Media Consulting, Marketing Research Press release from: Data Bridge Market Research Private Ltd / PR Agency: Data Bridge Market Research "Global Electronic Specialty Gas Market, By Type (Inert Gases, Silane and Silicon Gases, Halogen gases, Ammonia, Carbon gases, Hydrogen Sulfide and Others), Application (Semiconductors and Microelectronics, Flat Panel Displays, Photovoltaic Cells, LEDs), End-Use Industry (Electronics, Energy, Healthcare and Industrial) - Industry Trends and Forecast to 2031. Data Bridge Market Research analyses that the Global Electronic Specialty Gas Market which was USD 6.1 Million in 2023 is expected to reach USD 14.68 Billion by 2031 and is expected to undergo a CAGR of 11.60% during the forecast period of 2023 to 2031 Explore Further Details about This Research Electronic Specialty Gas Market Share Report https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-electronic-specialty-gas-market **2021 Hog and Pig Market Analysis** - In 2021, the global hog and pig market faced various challenges and opportunities. The market witnessed fluctuations in demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic, labor shortages, and supply chain disruptions. Despite these challenges, the market showed resilience with steady growth in certain regions driven by increasing pork consumption and evolving consumer preferences. Technological advancements and innovations in breeding practices also played a significant role in shaping the market dynamics in 2021. Overall, the market was characterized by a mix of challenges and growth opportunities. **2029 Hog and Pig Market Analysis** - Looking ahead to 2029, the hog and pig market is projected to experience substantial growth driven by several factors. Changing dietary preferences, population growth, and increasing disposable income levels in emerging economies are expected to boost the demand for pork products. Furthermore, advancements in genetic engineering, precision farming techniques, and a focus on sustainability are likely to enhance production efficiency and overall market growth. The market is anticipated to witness consolidation through mergers and acquisitions as key players strive to strengthen their market presence and enhance competitiveness. **Market Players** - Some of the key players in the global hog and pig market include: - Smithfield Foods, Inc. - WH Group Limited - JBS USA Holdings, Inc. - Tyson Foods, Inc. - Seaboard Corporation - Cargill, Incorporated - Triumph Foods - Hormel Foods Corporation - The Maschhoffs, LLC - Cooper Farms https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-hog-and-pig-marketThe hog and pig market is poised for significant growth in 2029, driven by a convergence of factors that will reshape the industry landscape. One key trend that is expected to impact the market is the shift in dietary preferences towards protein-rich foods, particularly in emerging economies where rising disposable incomes are enabling consumers to incorporate more pork products into their diets. This change in consumption patterns is likely to fuel demand for hog and pig products, presenting lucrative opportunities for market players to capitalize on this trend. Additionally, population growth, especially in regions like Asia and Africa, is expected to drive demand for pork as a primary source of protein, further stimulating market growth. Another crucial factor shaping the hog and pig market in 2029 is the continued emphasis on sustainability and environmental conservation. With increasing awareness of the environmental impact of animal agriculture, stakeholders in the industry are adopting innovative approaches to ensure sustainable production practices. This includes the adoption of precision farming techniques, such as data-driven decision-making and IoT-enabled systems, to optimize resource utilization and minimize waste. By prioritizing sustainability, market players can not only meet consumer expectations but also differentiate themselves in a competitive market landscape. Furthermore, advancements in genetic engineering and breeding practices are anticipated to boost production efficiency and quality in the hog and pig market. Innovations in genetics can lead to the development of breeds that are more resistant to diseases, have higher feed conversion rates, and exhibit desirable meat characteristics. By leveraging these technological advancements, market players can enhance their competitiveness and meet the evolving demands of consumers for high-quality pork products. Consolidation is another key trend that is likely to shape the hog and pig market in 2029. As competition intensifies and market dynamics evolve, companies may pursue mergers and acquisitions to strengthen their market position, expand their product portfolios, and achieve economies of scale. This consolidation trend could lead to the emergence of dominant players in the market, driving further innovation and market development. In conclusion, the hog and pig market in 2029 is poised for robust**Market Players** - Some of the major players operating in the hog and pig market are: - JBS - Smithfield Foods, Inc - Triumph Foods, LLC. - Seaboard Corporation - The Maschhoffs, LLC - Wan Chau International Limited - Iowa Select Farms - China Yurun Food Group Ltd. - Charoen Pokphand Group - BRF Global - Wens Foodstuff Group Co., Ltd. - Muyuan Foods Co., Ltd. - Mellby G疇rd AB - Fugou County Yumin Animal Husbandry Co., Ltd. - Hog Slat - United Animal Health The hog and pig market in 2029 is poised for robust growth, driven by a convergence of factors that will reshape the industry landscape. One key trend shaping the market is the shift in dietary preferences towards protein-rich foods, particularly in emerging economies where rising disposable incomes enable consumers to incorporate more pork products into their diets. This change in consumption patterns is expected to fuel demand for hog and pig products, presenting lucrative opportunities for market players to capitalize on this trend. Additionally, population growth, especially in regions like Asia and Africa, is projected to drive demand for pork as a primary source of protein, further stimulating market growth. Sustainability and environmental conservation will continue to play a crucial role in shaping the hog and pig market in 202 Table Of Content 1 Introduction 1.1 Objectives Of The Study 1.2 Electronic Specialty Gas Market Definition 1.3 Overview 1.4 Limitations 1.5 Markets Covered 2 Electronic Specialty Gas Market Segmentation 2.1 Electronic Specialty Gas Market Covered 2.2 Geographical Scope 2.3 Years Considered For The Study 2.4 Currency And Pricing 2.5 Dbmr Tripod Data Validation Model 2.6 Multivariate Modeling 2.7 Primary Interviews With Key Opinion Leaders 2.8 Dbmr Electronic Specialty Gas Market Position Grid 2.9 Dbmr Vendor Share Analysis 2.1 Secondary Sources 2.11 Assumptions 3 Executive Summary............. Browse Related Reports: "https://detrfvbytgvbuhjb.blogspot.com/2024/12/art-market-growth-drivers-innovations.html https://detrfvbytgvbuhjb.blogspot.com/2024/12/active-network-management-market-growth.html https://detrfvbytgvbuhjb.blogspot.com/2024/12/womens-activewear-market-rising-demand.html https://detrfvbytgvbuhjb.blogspot.com/2024/12/vegan-pet-food-ingredients-market.html Contact Us: Data Bridge Market Research US: +1 614 591 3140 UK: +44 845 154 9652 APAC : +653 1251 975 Email: corporatesales@databridgemarketresearch.com About Data Bridge Market Research: Data Bridge set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process. This release was published on openPR.
Is there a single TV show that, for the entirety of its run, managed to keep its story going without any retcons? For one reason or another, it is common to see a popular series amend or completely disregard a pre-established story or character detail, often leading fans to wonder if they are losing their minds. Don't worry: you're not crazy but merely a victim of some confusing or even just annoying TV retcons like the following. Cory And Topanga's Origins (Boy Meets World) The romance between Cory Matthews (Ben Savage) and Topanga Lawrence (Danielle Fishel) could have been the perfect sitcom love story if the classic TGIF comedy could keep the details of their relationship straight. When Fishel first joined the Boy Meets World cast , she was initially introduced as the weird student in Cory's elementary school class but, when she is later reinvented as his love interest, the show tries to play them off as sweethearts since childhood. Dan Is Alive (Roseanne) Not only is Season 9 of Roseanne , in which the Conners ' lives change when they win the lottery, revealed to be a fantasy in the series finale but we also learn that Dan ( John Goodman ) was dead the entire time, having suffered a heart attack. This controversial plot twist was ignored in 2018 when the sitcom was revived for a tenth season before it was rebranded as The Conners . The Fate Of Frasier's Father (Cheers/Frasier) On one episode of Cheers , Frasier Crane ( Kelsey Grammer ) tells his friends at the bar that his late father was a research scientist. However, in Frasier's self-titled and equally beloved TV show spin-off , we see Martin Crane (John Mahoney) is alive and well and a retired cop. In an episode where Ted Danson appears as Sam Malone, the show tries to explain that Frasier's dad was "dead to him" at the time after a bitter argument. Sara Was Not Dead After All (Prison Break) In the third season of Prison Break , Michael (Wentworth Miller) learns that Sara (Sarah Wayne Callies) was kidnapped and beheaded, only to see her come back in Season 4, which reveals it was never actually her head. In reality, the reason for the character's demise was due to a dispute involving Callies' contract but, when she was able to work out a deal to return to the series, her earlier death was rewritten as a head fake. Jimmy Olsen Was Not Who We Thought He Was (Smallville) In its sixth season, the acclaimed DC TV show Smallville introduced the iconic character of photographer Jimmy Olsen (Aaron Ashmore), only to kill him off three years later. It is at his funeral that we learn that his real name is Henry James Olsen and that the real Jimmy Olsen was his never-before-seen little brother the whole time. Kramer Was Originally Named Kessler (Seinfeld) In the pilot episode of Seinfeld , Jerry ( Jerry Seinfeld ) calls his next-door neighbor by the name Kessler but, from the next episode on, Michael Richards' character is referred to as Kramer, after Larry David 's real-life friend on whom the role is based. The series tries to explain this in Season 9's "The Betrayal" with a flashback to the characters' first meeting when Kramer tells Jerry that the name on his buzzer is incorrect. CINEMABLEND NEWSLETTER Your Daily Blend of Entertainment News Bobby's Death Was All A Dream (Dallas) When Patrick Duffy decided to quit the CBS primetime soap opera, Dallas , his character, Bobby Ewing, was written off the show in Season 8 when he was run over by his sister-in-law, Katherine Wentworth (Morgan Brittany), and was buried after succumbing to his injuries in the Season 9 premiere. However, after the writers urged the actor to come back to the cast, the Season 10 opener revealed everything that happened in the previous season was imagined by his wife, Pamela Barnes Ewing (Victoria Principal), in her sleep. Gossip Girl's True Identity Does Not Make Sense (Gossip Girl) As revealed in the series finale of Gossip Girl , Dan Humphrey ( Penn Badgley ) was the mysterious blogger the entire time but, if that's true, why does he act surprised by several posts about him, his friends, and his relatives in earlier episodes? Furthermore, Gossip Girl publicizes the fact that Dan and his girlfriend, Serena van der Woodsen ( Blake Lively ), share a half-sibling, which he adamantly wants kept secret. So, why on Earth would he make that public, even anonymously? What Ever Happened To Judy Winslow (Family Matters) YouTuber Vee Infuso debunked an urban legend believing that the youngest Winslow child, Judy, once walked up the stairs in a Season 4 episode never to be seen again. While Jaimee Foxworth's actual final appearance in the Family Matter cast came later that season in "Mama's Wedding," her subsequent absence (due to the writers having nothing interesting to come up with for her ) was never explained nor acknowledged for the remainder of the series. The First Time Chandler Said "I Love You" To Monica (Friends) In one of the most ridiculous Friends episodes , "The One Where Everyone Finds Out," Chandler (Matthew Perry) is coerced by Phoebe's (Lisa Kudrow) feigned seduction into admitting that he is in love with Monica ( Courteney Cox ) to everyone's surprise, including her own. However, the otherwise touching moment seems to forget about an earlier Friends Thanksgiving episode , "The One With All The Thanksgivings," in which Chandler lets his feelings for Monica slip when she surprises him with a turkey on her head. A Time Lord's Maximum Number Of Regenerations Changes (Doctor Who) Early on in the long-running, classic sci-fi TV show 's history, it is established that the title character of Doctor Who , like all Time Lords, can only regenerate a total of 13 times. However, that rule has since been negated as the 13th Doctor actor, Jodie Whitaker, was later replaced by Ncuti Gatwa. The History Of Superheroes Dates Back Longer Than We Thought (Arrowverse) After adopting his vigilante alter ego at the beginning of the hit series, Arrow , Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) is said to have become the first superhero. Yet, later down the road as the Arrowverse franchise would continue to evolve with its multiple spin-offs, it was discovered that superhero teams have existed as early as World War II. Kimmy Gibbler's Sibling Count (Full House/Fuller House) When Kimmy Gibbler is first mentioned in the 1987 pilot for Full House , D.J. Tanner (Candace Cameron Bure) says she has three sisters but the character (played by Andrea Barber) says in Season 3 that her parents stopped having kids after her. This could imply she is merely the youngest in her family but she was also known to mention having an unseen older brother named Garth. Furthermore, in Netflix's revival, Fuller House , we are introduced to her younger brother, Jimmy (Adam Hagenbuch). Dean Loses His Urban Philosophy (Gilmore Girls) When Jared Padalecki first joined the Gilmore Girls cast as Dean, the character was introduced as a Chicago native who had moved to Stars Hollow fairly recently and loves obscure books and movies. However, when New York transplant and obscure book and movie lover Jess (Milo Ventimiglia) is brought into the mix, Dean is suddenly reinvented as a more rural individual who has lost his cultural interests and thinks of Stars Hollow as his true home after living "most of his life" there. The Disappearance Of Donna's Sister (That '70s Show) We are willing to bet that, even if you considered yourself a huge That '70s Show fan, you had absolutely no recollection that Donna (Laura Prepon) had a sister. Tina Pinciotti (Amanda Fuller) makes one appearance in Season 1 and is subsequently mentioned only once more in a throwaway joke from Season 2's "Vanstock" but, from that point on, Donna is referred to as an only child. Daenerys Goes Bad (Game Of Thrones) Here is an example of something that is not so much a retcon but a deeply confusing and quite maddening TV character evolution that suddenly comes out of nowhere. One of the most heavily criticized aspects of the eighth and final season of Game of Thrones sees the normally level-headed and fair Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) become a coldhearted tyrant who commits unimaginably brutal crimes without a second's hesitation. Are Jason And Cheryl Really Twins? (Riverdale) There are a number of notable inconsistencies regarding the characters in the Riverdale cast , but one of the more glaring involves Cheryl Blossom (Madelaine Petsch) and her brother, Jason (Trevor Stines). While initially established as fraternal twins, later episodes of the Archie Comics-inspired dramedy imply that they are in two different grade levels at school. Who Made Spike A Vampire? (Buffy The Vampire Slayer) A lot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans like to count the sudden appearance of Buffy's never-before-seen younger sister Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg) as a retcon. However, the sentient form of power's inclusion is explained by fake memories implanted into the characters' minds after she is sent to Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) to protect, so we are not counting that. Instead, we will mention how Spike (James Marsters) refers to Angel (David Boreanaz) as the vampire who turned him until it is later revealed that Drusilla is his true sire. Why Sheldon Knocks Multiple Times (The Big Bang Theory) One of the most iconic running gags on The Big Bang Theory is Sheldon Cooper's (Jim Parsons) compulsion to knock on people's doors three times, which was only first introduced in Season 2. However, in Season 10, he explains that he formed the habit after accidentally walking in on his father having an affair and wants to give people enough time to "get their pants on" with his courteous and incessant signal. When Claire Gets Her Powers (Heroes) In the first season of Heroes , it is established that Claire Bennet (Hayden Panettiere) developed her rapid healing ability later in life when she hit puberty. However, in a later episode when she meets her birth mother, it is revealed that she was indestructible even when she was an infant. The Rules Of Being A Vessel Are Inconsistent (Supernatural) At one point in the 15-season run of Supernatural , it is established that being a vessel for a spiritual entity will result in the host's death once the entity no longer requires their physical form. However, Sam (Jared Padalecki), Dean (Jensen Ackles), and even the Lucifer-possessed President Jefferson Rooney (David Chisum) end up just fine after their time as a vessel ends. Tina Admits She Was Faking Her Stutter (Glee) When Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz) is first introduced in the first season of Glee , she speaks with a stutter that suddenly disappears after she joins the glee club. She eventually reveals she faked it hoping that it would make Artie Abrams (Kevin McHale) like her more. Randy Suddenly Gains An Uncle (Monk) Even a detective show as clever as Monk has been known to make a few logical errors from time to time. For instance, Lt. Randy Disher (Jason Gray-Stanford) says at one point that he has two aunts but no uncles but, in the Season 5 episode "Mr. Monk Visits a Farm," he inherits land from a recently deceased family member... his uncle, Harvey (Jack Kehler). President Barlett's Death Tax Repeal Veto Is A Surprise (The West Wing) In Season 2 of creator Aaron Sorkin's The West Wing , it is mentioned by political commentator Mark Gottfried (Ted McGinley) that President Josiah Bartlett (Martin Sheen) vetoed a Republican-backed education package. However, in the following season when he vetoes a repeal of the "death tax," it causes an uproar as people claim he had never used the veto before. Barney Suddenly Knows How To Drive (How I Met Your Mother) In Season 2 of How I Met Your Mother , we discover that Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris) not only does not know how to drive a car but is absolutely terrified to get behind the wheel. Yet, two seasons later, in one of the best HIMYM episodes , "As Fast as She Can," he makes multiple attempts to get a speeding ticket to prove he can talk his way out of one and is also seen driving plenty of times afterward. Perhaps he could have worked up the courage to finally learn how to drive by then but there is absolutely no mention of it, making his sudden acquirement of this skill a bit sudden. Fans Still Missed Moriarty (Sherlock) At the end of Sherlock 's third season, a message from the detective's archnemesis, Moriarty (Andrew Scott) suggested the criminal mastermind would play a pivotal role in the following season. Unfortunately, fans would discover that he had no involvement in Season 4, which is less of a retcon and more of an infuriating cop-out. Walker Blood Is Not A Source Of Infection (The Walking Dead) Early seasons of The Walking Dead established that getting blood from one of the undead in your eyes or mouth or in a wound would prove fatal, yet later seasons ignore this rule almost completely. This retcon goes further than just the TV series as it is an acknowledged and important detail in the Robert Kirkman-penned comic book series that inspired the AMC hit. Al Dreamt Peg's Pregnancy (Married.... With Children) By the end of Married... with Children 's first season, half of which saw Peg (Katey Sagal) pregnant, it is revealed to have been all Al's (Ed O'Neill) dream but there is actually a dark truth to this retcon. As the actor explains in her memoir, Grace Notes , Sagal's real-life pregnancy at this time was written into the show but when she suffered a miscarriage, it was decided that the show would not bring another child into the cast. SpongeBob Knew Sandy As A Child (SpongeBob SquarePants/Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years) In the second-ever episode of SpongeBob Squarepants , "Tea at the Treedome," we see the title character (voiced by Tom Kenny) meet Sandy Cheeks (Carolyn Lawrence) for the very first time. However, the prequel spin-off, Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years , suggests that the sea sponge and the squirrel knew each other when they stayed at the eponymous camp as children. Peggy's Mom Keeps Changing (King Of The Hill) The first time King of the Hill introduces Peggy's mother, she is depicted as a suburban homemaker but is later reinvented almost completely as the wife of a bitter old rancher. That is not even counting the fact that, in an episode when Bobby's secret admirer turns out to be his grandmother playing a trick, the elderly woman in question is neither Hank's nor Peggy's mother. Andy's Father's Name Changes (The Office) In NBC's The Office , after proposing to Angela (Angela Kinsey), Andy (Ed Helms) refers to his mother and father as Andrew and Ellen Bernard, implying that he is Andy Bernard Jr. However, when we meet his parents in "The Garden Party," the father is identified as Walter Bernard Sr. (Stephen Collins) and Andy explains that he used to be named Walter Jr. before his younger brother (played by Josh Groban) was deemed more worthy of the moniker. The Rules For Transferring Powers (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers) In Season 2 of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers , when Jason (Austin St. John), Trini (Thuy Trang), and Zack (Walter Emanuel Jones) are forced to leave, the team needs to acquire a special sword to transfer their powers to Rocky (Steve Cardenas), Aisha (Karan Ashley), and Adam (Johnny Yong Bosch). However, in the following season, when Kimberly (Amy Jo Johnson) needed to give her powers to Kat (Catherine Sutherland), she just handed over her power coin.NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers formally asked a judge Monday to throw out his hush money criminal conviction , arguing continuing the case would present unconstitutional “disruptions to the institution of the Presidency.“ In a filing made public Tuesday, Trump’s lawyers told Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan that dismissal is warranted because of the extraordinary circumstances of his impending return to the White House. “Wrongly continuing proceedings in this failed lawfare case disrupts President Trump’s transition efforts,” the attorneys continued, before citing the “overwhelming national mandate granted to him by the American people on November 5, 2024.” Trump’s lawyers also cited President Joe Biden’s recent pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, who had been convicted of tax and gun charges . “President Biden asserted that his son was ‘selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted,’ and ‘treated differently,’" Trump’s legal team wrote. The Manhattan district attorney, they claimed, had engaged in the type of political theater "that President Biden condemned.” Prosecutors will have until Dec. 9 to respond. They have said they will fight any efforts to dismiss the case but have indicated openness to delaying sentencing until after Trump’s second term ends in 2029. In their filing Monday, Trump's attorneys dismissed the idea of holding off sentencing until Trump is out of office as a “ridiculous suggestion.” Following Trump’s election victory last month, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed his sentencing, previously scheduled for late November, to allow the defense and prosecution to weigh in on the future of the case. He also delayed a decision on Trump’s prior bid to dismiss the case on immunity grounds. Trump has been fighting for months to reverse the conviction, which involved efforts to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels, whose affair allegations threatened to disrupt his 2016 campaign. He has denied any wrongdoing. Trump takes office on Jan. 20. Merchan hasn’t set a timetable for a decision. The defense filing was signed by Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, who represented Trump during the trial and have since been selected by the president-elect to fill senior roles at the Justice Department. A dismissal would erase Trump’s historic conviction, sparing him the cloud of a criminal record and possible prison sentence. Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office. Merchan could also decide to uphold the verdict and proceed to sentencing, delay the case until Trump leaves office, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump’s parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court or choose some other option. Trump was convicted in May on 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels, just before the 2016 presidential election, to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier. He says they did not and denies any wrongdoing. Prosecutors cast the payout as part of a Trump-driven effort to keep voters from hearing salacious stories about him. Trump’s then-lawyer Michael Cohen paid Daniels. Trump later reimbursed him, and Trump’s company logged the reimbursements as legal expenses — concealing what they really were, prosecutors alleged. Trump has pledged to appeal the verdict if the case is not dismissed. He and his lawyers said the payments to Cohen were properly categorized as legal expenses for legal work.
Asia shares get festive lift; dollar stays resilient at 2-year high
Stock market today: Wall Street drifts to a mixed close in thin trading following a holiday pause
Trump team signs agreement to allow Justice to conduct background checks on nominees, staffJack Alban is a freelance journalist for the Daily Dot covering trending human interest/social media stories and the reactions real people have to them. He always seeks to incorporate evidence-based studies, current events, and facts pertinent to these stories to create your not-so-average viral post.
Stock indexes drifted to a mixed finish on Wall Street as some heavyweight technology and communications sector stocks offset gains elsewhere in the market. The S&P 500 slipped less than 0.1% Thursday, its first loss after three straight gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.1%. Gains by retailers and health care stocks helped temper the losses. Trading volume was lighter than usual as U.S. markets reopened following the Christmas holiday. The Labor Department reported that U.S. applications for unemployment benefits held steady last week, though continuing claims rose to the highest level in three years. Treasury yields fell in the bond market. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. Stocks wavered on Wall Street in afternoon trading Thursday, as gains in tech companies and retailers helped temper losses elsewhere in the market. The S&P 500 was up less than 0.1% after drifting between small gains and losses. The benchmark index is coming off a three-day winning streak. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 10 points, or less than 0.1%, as of 3:20 p.m. Eastern time. The Nasdaq composite was up 0.1%. Trading volume was lighter than usual as U.S. markets reopened after the Christmas holiday. Chip company Broadcom rose 2.5%, Micron Technology was up 1.3% and Adobe gained 0.8%. While tech stocks overall were in the green, some heavyweights were a drag on the market. Semiconductor giant Nvidia, whose enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes, slipped 0.1%. Meta Platforms fell 0.5%, Amazon was down 0.4%, and Netflix gave up 0.7%. Tesla was among the biggest decliners in the S&P 500, down 1.4%. Health care stocks helped lift the market. CVS Health rose 1.4% and Walgreens Boots Alliance rose 3.9% for the biggest gain among S&P 500 stocks. Several retailers also gained ground. Target rose 3.1%, Ross Stores added 1.8%, Best Buy was up 2.5% and Dollar Tree gained 3.6%. Traders are watching to see whether retailers have a strong holiday season. The day after Christmas traditionally ranks among the top 10 biggest shopping days of the year, as consumers go online or rush to stores to cash in gift cards and raid bargain bins. U.S.-listed shares in Honda and Nissan rose 4.2% and 15.9%, respectively. The Japanese automakers announced earlier this week that the two companies are in talks to combine. Traders got a labor market update. U.S. applications for unemployment benefits held steady last week , though continuing claims rose to the highest level in three years, the Labor Department reported. Treasury yields turned mostly lower in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.58% from 4.59% late Tuesday. Major European markets were closed, as well as Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia. Trading was expected to be subdued this week with a thin slate of economic data on the calendar. Still, U.S. markets have historically gotten a boost at year’s end despite lower trading volumes. The last five trading days of each year, plus the first two in the new year, have brought an average gain of 1.3% since 1950. So far this month, the U.S. stock market has lost some of its gains since President-elect Donald Trump’s win on Election Day, which raised hopes for faster economic growth and more lax regulations that would boost corporate profits. Worries have risen that Trump’s preference for tariffs and other policies could lead to higher inflation , a bigger U.S. government debt and difficulties for global trade. Even so, the U.S. market remains on pace to deliver strong returns for 2024. The benchmark S&P 500 is up roughly 26% so far this year and remains near its most recent all-time high it set earlier this month — its latest of 57 record highs this year. Wall Street has several economic reports to look forward to next week, including updates on pending home sales and home prices, a report on U.S. construction spending and snapshots of manufacturing activity. AP Business Writers Elaine Kurtenbach and Matt Ott contributed.
It’s official: Dodgers sign Blake Snell for 5 years, $182 millionPretty much everything that could go wrong for the Ohio State Buckeyes in Week 14 went wrong. Not only did they lose "The Game" to the Michigan Wolverines by a final score of 13-10, but they also got into a massive brawl with Michigan immediately afterwards that could result in several players on both getting suspended. With the Wolverines winning this one late, their players rushed the field when the clock struck zero and planted their flag in the middle of the field. The Buckeyes took exception to this, and ended up starting a full-scale brawl with the Wolverines that quickly caught fans' attention. The aftermath of the fight was pretty messy, and there's a lot that both teams and the NCAA will have to work through as a result. With things still fresh, Ohio State's athletic director Ross Bjork refused to comment on the situation, saying he needed to gather more details on what actually happened. Per Brandon Marcello of CBS Sports, "Ohio State athletics director Ross Bjork declined to comment to CBS Sports when asked about the postgame skirmish. He needs to gather more details on what happened, he said." Ohio State athletics director Ross Bjork declined to comment to CBS Sports when asked about the postgame skirmish. He needs to gather more details on what happened, he said. Considering the scale of the fight, it's not a surprise to see Bjork is waiting for things to clear up before he fully addresses what happened. And beyond the fight, the team also lost a game they desperately needed to win, so it's safe to say there's going to be some soul-searching within Ohio State over the next few days. © Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Not only did the Buckeyes likely lose their spot in the Big Ten Championship Game to the Penn State Nittany Lions, but their standing in the College Football Playoff rankings is set to tumble as well. There's a chance that this defeat could destroy Ohio State's 2024 campaign. For now, the Buckeyes are reeling in the wake of their defeat and this massive fight, but they still have a chance to salvage their campaign. It will require quite a turnaround, but you can't count Ohio State out just yet, even though things look quite dire in the wake of this crushing defeat. Related: Michigan Trolls Ohio State by Reposting Final Score with Subtle Twist
PlayStation CEO says ‘preserving the human touch’ is vital as AI proliferatesKILLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — American skier Mikaela Shiffrin said she suffered an abrasion on her left hip and that something “stabbed” her when she crashed during her second run of a World Cup giant slalom race Saturday, doing a flip and sliding into the protective fencing. Shiffrin stayed down on the edge of the course for quite some time as the ski patrol attended to her. She was taken off the hill on a sled and waved to the cheering crowd before going to a clinic for evaluation. “Not really too much cause for concern at this point, I just can’t move,” she said later in a video posted on social media . “I have a pretty good abrasion and something stabbed me. ... I’m so sorry to scare everybody. It looks like all scans so far are clear.” She plans to skip the slalom race Sunday, writing on Instagram she will be “cheering from the sideline.” The 29-year-old was leading after the first run of the GS and charging for her 100th World Cup win. She was within sight of the finish line, five gates onto Killington’s steep finish pitch, when she an outside edge. She hit a gate and did a somersault before sliding into another gate. The fencing slowed her momentum as she came to an abrupt stop. Reigning Olympic GS champion Sara Hector of Sweden won in a combined time of 1 minute, 53.08 seconds. Zrinka Ljutic of Croatia was second and Swiss racer Camille Rast took third. The Americans saw Paula Moltzan and Nina O’Brien finish fifth and sixth. “It’s just so sad, of course, to see Mikaela crash like that and skiing so well,” Hector said on the broadcast after her win. “It breaks my heart and everybody else here.” The crash was a surprise for everyone. Shiffrin rarely DNFs — ski racing parlance for “did not finish.” In 274 World Cup starts, she DNF'd only 18 times. The last time she DNF'd in GS was January 2018. Shiffrin also has not suffered any devastating injuries. In her 14-year career, she has rehabbed only two on-hill injuries: a torn medial collateral ligament and bone bruising in her right knee in December 2015 and a sprained MCL and tibiofibular ligament in her left knee after a downhill crash in January 2024. Neither knee injury required surgery, and both times, Shiffrin was back to racing within two months. Saturday was shaping up to be a banner day for Shiffrin, who skied flawlessly in the first run and held a 0.32-second lead as she chased after her 100th World Cup win. Shiffrin, who grew up in both New Hampshire and Colorado and sharpened her skills at nearby Burke Mountain Academy, has long been a fan favorite. Shiffrin is driven not so much by wins but by arcing the perfect run. She has shattered so many records along the way. She passed Lindsey Vonn’s women’s mark of 82 World Cup victories on Jan. 24, 2023, during a giant slalom in Kronplatz, Italy. That March, Shiffrin broke Swedish great Ingemar Stenmark’s Alpine mark for most World Cup wins when she captured her 87th career race. To date, she has earned five overall World Cup titles, two Olympic gold medals — along with a silver — and seven world championships. In other FIS Alpine World Cup news, the Tremblant World Cup — two women’s giant slaloms at Quebec’s Mont-Tremblant scheduled for next weekend — were canceled. Killington got 21 inches of snow on Thanksgiving Day, but Tremblant — five hours north of Killington — had to cancel its races because of a lack of snow. ___ AP Sports Writer Pat Graham in Denver contributed to this report. ___ More AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing Peggy Shinn, The Associated Press
Former President Bill Clinton and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., don’t agree on much. Yet, recently the ideological adversaries found some common ground on a political question that has quietly endured over nearly two decades. Yes, a woman can win the White House, they agree. But she’s probably going to be conservative. “Are there women out there, governors, Republican, Democrat, that can be the next president of the United States? Absolutely,” Graham said in an interview on Capitol Hill this month. “If you have a Republican female nominee, they would have a good shot of being the first woman president.” A few days earlier and several hundred miles north, Clinton — whose wife tried and failed twice to win the White House — made a similar argument. “Ideologically, the people who are most likely to be against women are most likely to be conservative, so when people agree with you, it’s easier to be for them,” he said in an appearance at the DealBook Summit hosted by The New York Times. “But I think a woman can be elected president. I do.” Their similar predictions are the latest in a conversation that has frustrated and foiled two generations of female candidates. For Democrats still scarred by Hillary Clinton’s loss to Donald Trump in 2016, Vice President Kamala Harris’ defeat at the hands of the same man in November has only deepened anxieties over gender bias and prompted a fresh round of debate over the electability of women to the nation’s highest office. While few will say so aloud, some Democrats are already quietly hoping their party doesn’t nominate a woman in 2028, fearing she could not overcome an enduring hold of sexism on the American electorate. Many others anticipate another — perhaps even more aggressive — round of questions and doubts about female presidential candidates that have plagued the party for the better part of two decades. “People feel pretty stung by what happened,” said Liz Shuler, the first woman elected to lead the AFL-CIO, the largest federation of unions in the country, who supported Harris and believes she made no significant missteps in the race. “She totally over-performed and yet fell short. So it does feel like that sucker punch of, like, ‘Wow, even when you do everything right, that glass ceiling is still elusive.’” For decades, advocates for female political leaders argued that if more women ran for president, their presence in American politics would become normalized and one would eventually win the White House. Since Clinton’s first attempt to break what she called “that highest, hardest glass ceiling” in 2008, nine other women have vied for a major party’s nomination. Those candidates have been conservative and liberal, racially diverse, and from big cities, small towns and across the country. Some campaigned on an economic message, others focused on social issues. Only two — Clinton and Harris, both Democrats — captured their party’s nomination. As they process the second defeat of a female nominee, Democrats are divided over the question of how much Harris’ gender actually contributed to her loss, making it hard to divine what exactly that could mean for their party in 2028. Two weeks before Election Day, Harris openly dismissed concerns that sexism could hurt her chances, saying in an interview with NBC News that the country was “absolutely” ready to elect a female president. She rarely mentioned her gender or her race during her brief campaign, a choice that reflected both her personal approach to barrier-breaking opportunities and the long-running Democratic anxieties about female nominees. Now, after her defeat, few Democrats dispute that sexism was a factor in a race against a man who had been found liable for sexual abuse — a verdict Trump called a “disgrace” — and has long made hypermasculinity part of his political brand. “I do not think that this race swung solely on her being a woman or a woman of color. But I think that you cannot look at a woman and a woman of color and not think that didn’t have an impact on this race,” Jen O’Malley Dillon, Harris’ campaign chair, told a group of strategists, journalists and academics gathered for a campaign post-mortem at Harvard University this month. “We are fooling ourselves if we don’t think that there is an element of her being a woman or a woman of color that was harder for people to see as comfortably, perhaps.” Yet to chalk Harris’ loss up to sexism alone — and to the idea that women are held to a higher standard when seeking the White House — could also be a way of minimizing campaign missteps. “Kamala Harris made a very bad decision in her choice of vice president. So that was her first big decision to make, and in my judgment, she did not choose well,” Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said of the selection of Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, a relatively untested national figure, as her running mate. Behind Harris and Clinton’s losses, she added, “there were circumstances in the campaign that were unrelated to gender.” Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., who won a tough reelection race against a male candidate in November, said she saw more traditional political factors playing a larger role in Harris’ defeat, noting that she heard “very little focus” on her gender or the barrier-breaking potential of her candidacy. “This was a change election. People — if people are expressing that they’re concerned about the direction of the country, they’re not going to vote for the incumbent party,” she said. “It has much more to do with that than I think the fact that Kamala Harris is a woman.” The results indicate that, yet again, voters were not particularly motivated by a desire for greater female representation. Despite the liberal hope that women would flock to her candidacy over issues like abortion rights, Harris won the lowest level of support from female voters of any Democratic nominee since 2004, according to an analysis by the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. A majority of white women continued to support Trump, a result that is consistent with their support for the Republican nominee in every race since 2004. Yet, Harris also made few, if any, inroads among key blocs of female voters: A smaller percentage of Latino and young women backed Harris than backed any other Democratic nominee since Barack Obama first ran in 2008. “Voters were more worried about issues like the economy or immigration and less concerned with the vice president’s gender and race,” said Amanda Hunter, the executive director of the Barbara Lee Family Foundation, which promotes women in politics. She added, “This was not the same glass-ceiling candidacy that we saw in 2016.” Still, other members of the Senate, where women make up a quarter of the body, said they believed Harris’ gender more significantly affected her support. “Some people think that a woman can’t run a country, and so there are those kinds of views that we need to address among them,” said Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, a close ally of Harris. “There are a lot of cultural issues involved in electing a woman.” Some elected officials say they believe that only a female candidate with a strong and uncompromising political brand will be able to overcome such gender bias. Both Bill Clinton and Graham cited what the South Carolina senator called the “Margaret Thatcher mold,” evoking the famously tough conservative leader who became Britain’s first female prime minister in 1979. “Fair or not, I think that Republican women are seen as stronger on national defense,” Collins said. So far, at least, such conservative bona fides haven’t been enough: No woman has won the Republican nomination. And Nikki Haley’s victories in the 2024 District of Columbia and Vermont primaries were the first presidential primary wins by a Republican woman. (STORY CAN END HERE. OPTIONAL MATERIAL FOLLOWS.) Some of those who have been at the center of such debates seem visibly exhausted by the subject of female electability. In January 2019, just days after she began her presidential bid, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., steadfastly refused to engage with questions of sexism. “I’m going to keep fighting on the issues because I think that’s what matters most,” she said in an interview on Capitol Hill. Two years later, after her primary bid had ended in defeat, Warren detailed in a memoir how her focus on ideas in the race had collided with concerns about her gender. She was taken aback, she recounted, by how many times potential donors and supporters had raised Hillary Clinton’s loss as a reason for their trepidation about Warren’s bid. “I wondered whether anyone said to Bernie Sanders when he asked for their support, ‘Gore lost, so how can you win?’ I wondered whether anyone said to Joe Biden, ‘Kerry lost, so clearly America just isn’t ready for a man to be president,’” she recalled thinking as she lay in bed after her first day raising money for her presidential bid. “I tried to laugh, but the joke didn’t seem very funny.” This month, when asked in an interview if a woman could be elected president, Warren, who won a third Senate term in November, just sighed. “Someday,” she said. She declined to elaborate.Admiral Sir Tony Radakin cast doubt on the possibility of an attack after a defence minister warned the Army could be wiped out in six months. The world stands at the dawn of a “third nuclear age” in which Britain is threatened by multiple dilemmas, the head of the armed forces has warned. But alongside his stark warning of the threats facing Britain and its allies, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said there would be only a “remote chance” Russia would directly attack or invade the UK if the two countries were at war. The Chief of the Defence Staff laid out the landscape of British defence in a wide-ranging speech, after a minister warned the Army would be wiped out in as little as six months if forced to fight a war on the scale of the Ukraine conflict. The admiral cast doubt on the possibility as he gave a speech at the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) defence think tank in London. He told the audience Britain needed to be “clear-eyed in our assessment” of the threats it faces, adding: “That includes recognising that there is only a remote chance of a significant direct attack or invasion by Russia on the United Kingdom, and that’s the same for the whole of Nato.” Moscow “knows the response will be overwhelming”, he added, but warned the nuclear deterrent needed to be “kept strong and strengthened”. Sir Tony added: “We are at the dawn of a third nuclear age, which is altogether more complex. It is defined by multiple and concurrent dilemmas, proliferating nuclear and disruptive technologies and the almost total absence of the security architectures that went before.” He listed the “wild threats of tactical nuclear use” by Russia, China building up its weapon stocks, Iran’s failure to co-operate with a nuclear deal, and North Korea’s “erratic behaviour” among the threats faced by the West. But Sir Tony said the UK’s nuclear arsenal is “the one part of our inventory of which Russia is most aware and has more impact on (President Vladimir) Putin than anything else”. Successive British governments had invested “substantial sums of money” in renewing nuclear submarines and warheads because of this, he added. The admiral described the deployment of thousands of North Korean soldiers on Ukraine’s border alongside Russian forces as the year’s “most extraordinary development”. He also signalled further deployments were possible, speaking of “tens of thousands more to follow as part of a new security pact with Russia”. Defence minister Alistair Carns earlier said a rate of casualties similar to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would lead to the army being “expended” within six to 12 months. He said it illustrated the need to “generate depth and mass rapidly in the event of a crisis”. In comments reported by Sky News, Mr Carns, a former Royal Marines colonel, said Russia was suffering losses of around 1,500 soldiers killed or injured a day. “In a war of scale – not a limited intervention, but one similar to Ukraine – our Army for example, on the current casualty rates, would be expended – as part of a broader multinational coalition – in six months to a year,” Mr Carns said in a speech at Rusi. He added: “That doesn’t mean we need a bigger Army, but it does mean you need to generate depth and mass rapidly in the event of a crisis.” Official figures show the Army had 109,245 personnel on October 1, including 25,814 volunteer reservists. Mr Carns, the minister for veterans and people, said the UK needed to “catch up with Nato allies” to place greater emphasis on the reserves. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said Defence Secretary John Healey had previously spoken about “the state of the armed forces that were inherited from the previous government”. The spokesman said: “It’s why the Budget invested billions of pounds into defence, it’s why we’re undertaking a strategic defence review to ensure that we have the capabilities and the investment needed to defend this country.”By TOM KRISHER, Associated Press DETROIT (AP) — For a second time, a Delaware judge has nullified a pay package that Tesla had awarded its CEO, Elon Musk, that once was valued at $56 billion. On Monday, Chancellor Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick turned aside a request from Musk’s lawyers to reverse a ruling she announced in January that had thrown out the compensation plan. The judge ruled then that Musk effectively controlled Tesla’s board and had engineered the outsize pay package during sham negotiations . Lawyers for a Tesla shareholder who sued to block the pay package contended that shareholders who had voted for the 10-year plan in 2018 had been given misleading and incomplete information. In their defense, Tesla’s board members asserted that the shareholders who ratified the pay plan a second time in June had done so after receiving full disclosures, thereby curing all the problems the judge had cited in her January ruling. As a result, they argued, Musk deserved the pay package for having raised Tesla’s market value by billions of dollars. McCormick rejected that argument. In her 103-page opinion, she ruled that under Delaware law, Tesla’s lawyers had no grounds to reverse her January ruling “based on evidence they created after trial.” On Monday night, Tesla posted on X, the social media platform owned by Musk, that the company will appeal. The appeal would be filed with the Delaware Supreme Court, the only state appellate court Tesla can pursue. Experts say a ruling would likely come in less than a year. “The ruling, if not overturned, means that judges and plaintiffs’ lawyers run Delaware companies rather than their rightful owners — the shareholders,” Tesla argued. Later, on X, Musk unleashed a blistering attack on the judge, asserting that McCormick is “a radical far left activist cosplaying as a judge.” Legal authorities generally suggest that McCormick’s ruling was sound and followed the law. Charles Elson, founding director of the Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware, said that in his view, McCormick was right to rule that after Tesla lost its case in the original trial, it created improper new evidence by asking shareholders to ratify the pay package a second time. Had she allowed such a claim, he said, it would cause a major shift in Delaware’s laws against conflicts of interest given the unusually close relationship between Musk and Tesla’s board. “Delaware protects investors — that’s what she did,” said Elson, who has followed the court for more than three decades. “Just because you’re a ‘superstar CEO’ doesn’t put you in a separate category.” Elson said he thinks investors would be reluctant to put money into Delaware companies if there were exceptions to the law for “special people.” Elson said that in his opinion, the court is likely to uphold McCormick’s ruling. Experts say no. Rulings on state laws are normally left to state courts. Brian Dunn, program director for the Institute of Compensation Studies at Cornell University, said it’s been his experience that Tesla has no choice but to stay in the Delaware courts for this compensation package. The company could try to reconstitute the pay package and seek approval in Texas, where it may expect more friendlier judges. But Dunn, who has spent 40 years as an executive compensation consultant, said it’s likely that some other shareholder would challenge the award in Texas because it’s excessive compared with other CEOs’ pay plans. “If they just want to turn around and deliver him $56 billion, I can’t believe somebody wouldn’t want to litigate it,” Dunn said. “It’s an unconscionable amount of money.” Almost certainly. Tesla stock is trading at 15 times the exercise price of stock options in the current package in Delaware, Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas wrote in a note to investors. Tesla’s share price has doubled in the past six months, Jonas wrote. At Monday’s closing stock price, the Musk package is now worth $101.4 billion, according to Equilar, an executive data firm. And Musk has asked for a subsequent pay package that would give him 25% of Tesla’s voting shares. Musk has said he is uncomfortable moving further into artificial intelligence with the company if he doesn’t have 25% control. He currently holds about 13% of Tesla’s outstanding shares.
Vetpreneur Tribe Facebook Group Is Empowering Veterans To Succeed In Life And BusinessATLANTA (AP) — Republicans plan to move quickly in their effort to overhaul the nation’s voting procedures, seeing an opportunity with control of the White House and both chambers of Congress to push through long-sought changes that include voter ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements. They say the measures are needed to restore public confidence in elections, an erosion of trust that Democrats note has been fueled by false claims from President-elect Donald Trump and his allies of widespread fraud in the 2020 election. In the new year, Republicans will be under pressure to address Trump’s desires to change how elections are run in the U.S., something he continues to promote despite his win in November. The main legislation that Republicans expect to push will be versions of the American Confidence in Elections Act and the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, said GOP Rep. Bryan Steil of Wisconsin, chair of the Committee on House Administration, which handles election-related legislation. The proposals are known as the ACE and SAVE acts, respectively. “As we look to the new year with unified Republican government, we have a real opportunity to move these pieces of legislation not only out of committee, but across the House floor and into law,” Steil said in an interview. “We need to improve Americans’ confidence in elections.” Republicans are likely to face opposition from Democrats and have little wiggle room with their narrow majorities in both the House and Senate. Steil said he expects there will be “some reforms and tweaks” to the original proposals and hopes Democrats will work with Republicans to refine and ultimately support them. New York Rep. Joe Morelle, the ranking Democrat on the committee, said there was an opportunity for bipartisan agreement on some issues but said the two previous GOP bills go too far. “Our view and the Republicans’ view is very different on this point,” Morelle said. “They have spent most of the time in the last two years and beyond really restricting the rights of people to get to ballots – and that’s at the state level and the federal level. And the SAVE Act and the ACE Act both do that – make it harder for people to vote.” Morelle said he wants to see both parties support dedicated federal funding for election offices. He sees other bipartisan opportunities around limiting foreign money in U.S. elections and possibly imposing a voter ID requirement if certain safeguards are in place to protect voters. Democrats say some state laws are too restrictive in limiting the types of IDs that are acceptable for voting, making it harder for college students or those who lack a permanent address. Morelle said he was disappointed by the GOP’s claims in this year’s campaigns about widespread voting by noncitizens , which is extremely rare, and noted how those claims all but evaporated once Trump won. Voting by noncitizens is already illegal and and can result in felony charges and deportation. “You haven’t heard a word about this since Election Day,” Morelle said. “It’s an Election Day miracle that suddenly the thing that they had spent an inordinate amount of time describing as a rampant problem, epidemic problem, didn’t exist at all.” Before the November election, House Republicans pushed the SAVE Act, which passed the House in July but stalled in the Democrat-controlled Senate. It requires proof of citizenship when registering to vote and includes potential penalties for election officials who fail to confirm eligibility. Republicans say the current process relies on an what they call an honor system with loopholes that have allowed noncitizens to register and vote in past elections. While voting by noncitizens has occurred, research and reviews of state cases have shown it to be rare and typically a mistake rather than an intentional effort to sway an election. Under the current system, those seeking to register are asked to provide either a state driver’s license number or the last four digits of a Social Security number. A few states require a full Social Security number. Republicans say the voter registration process is not tight enough because in many states people can be added to voter rolls even if they do not provide this information and that some noncitizens can receive Social Security numbers and driver’s licenses. They believe the current requirement that anyone completing a voter registration form sign under oath that they are a U.S. citizen is not enough. They want to force states to reject any voter registration application for which proof of citizenship is not provided. Republicans say that could include a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, a passport or a birth certificate. In Georgia, a perennial presidential battleground state, election officials said they have not encountered any hiccups verifying the citizenship status of its nearly 7.3 million registered voters. They conducted an audit in 2022 that identified 1,634 people who had attempted to register but were not able to be verified as U.S. citizens by a federal database. A second audit this year used local court records to identify people who said they could not serve as a juror because they were not a U.S. citizen. Of the 20 people identified, six were investigated for illegal voting, though one of those cases was closed because the person had since died. “What we’ve done by doing those audits is give voters confidence that we do not have noncitizens voting here in Georgia,” said Brad Raffensperger, Georgia’s secretary of state. “And when society is highly polarized, you have to look at building trust. Trust is the gold standard.” Raffensperger, a Republican who supports both voter ID and proof of citizenship requirements, credits the state’s early adoption of REAL ID and use of automatic voter registration for ensuring voter lists are accurate. The latter is something he hopes more Republicans will consider, as he argued it has allowed Georgia election officials to use the motor vehicle agency’s process to verify citizenship and track people moving in and around the state. “You have to get it right because you’re talking about people’s priceless franchise to vote,” Raffensperger said. If Congress does pass any changes, it would fall to election officials across the country to implement them. Raffensperger and Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, said it would be a mistake to move the country to a single day of voting, something Trump has said he would like to see happen, because it would eliminate early voting and limit access to mail ballots. Both methods are extremely popular among voters. In Georgia, 71% of voters in November cast their ballots in person before Election Day. Both said they hoped lawmakers would look to what is working in their states and build off those successes. “We’ve proven time and time again in our states that our elections are secure and are accurate,” Benson said.In November, posts connecting The Heritage Foundation, the conservative think tank behind Project 2025 , and Hobby Lobby were shared across social media platforms. Project 2025 is an initiative launched in April 2022 to provide a roadmap for the next conservative president to transform the government in favor of conservative social policies and ideals. The social media posts claim The Heritage Foundation’s Director of Finance David Green also owns Hobby Lobby, a retail chain that specializes in crafts and home décor. Hobby Lobby has a history of advocating for various conservative causes. “The Heritage Foundation is behind Project25. Their Director of Finance is David Green. Owner of Hobby Lobby. You know what to do,” one of the posts says . THE QUESTION Does The Heritage Foundation’s director of finance own Hobby Lobby? THE SOURCES Bio for David Green, founder and CEO of Hobby Lobby, on the company’s website Photo of David Green, the director of finance at The Heritage Foundation, on the think tank’s website Ellen Keenan, a spokesperson for The Heritage Foundation THE ANSWER No, The Heritage Foundation’s director of finance does not own Hobby Lobby. WHAT WE FOUND Claims that The Heritage Foundation’s finance director owns Hobby Lobby are false. The founder and current CEO of Hobby Lobby and The Heritage Foundation’s director of finance both have the name David Green, but they are two different people. However, both of them do have ties to conservative causes. “No, they are not the same person,” Ellen Keenan, a spokesperson for The Heritage Foundation, wrote in an email to VERIFY addressing the false online claims. Photos of both David Greens on the Hobby Lobby and The Heritage Foundation websites also show they bear no resemblance to one another. The men are not the same age, either. Hobby Lobby’s David Green was 83 years old as of April 2024, according to Forbes . VERIFY couldn’t confirm an exact age for The Heritage Foundation’s David Green, but he appears to be much younger. The Heritage Foundation’s David Green The Heritage Foundation’s website only includes David Green’s job title and his photo. Alongside his role as the director of finance, Green serves as the think tank’s controller for finance and accounting. According to his LinkedIn profile , he graduated from Virginia Tech in 1994 and worked in the finance industry for more than two decades before joining The Heritage Foundation. He has worked at The Heritage Foundation for just over three years. Hobby Lobby’s David Green In 1970, David Green, the founder and current CEO of Hobby Lobby and his wife began selling miniature picture frames out of their home. Two years later, the first official Hobby Lobby store opened in Oklahoma City, according to the company. All of Green’s children also work for Hobby Lobby. His son, Mart, serves as the ministry investment officer; his son, Steve, is the company’s president; and his daughter, Darsee Lett, is the vice president of art/creative, according to the company. His son-in-law, Steve Lett, is the executive vice president of Hobby Lobby. Green said in October 2022 that he was giving away ownership of Hobby Lobby. At the time, he said 100% of the company’s voting stock was moved to a trust. The confusion online may stem from the fact that Hobby Lobby’s Green and his family have aligned themselves with conservative Christian causes over the years. In 2014, Hobby Lobby was the lead plaintiff in a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case that centered around the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) mandate that employers provide health insurance coverage for birth control. Green and his family argued that the mandate violated their religious beliefs since it required them to cover certain forms of contraception they considered morally objectionable. In a 5-4 decision , the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Hobby Lobby on June 30, 2014, affirming that certain types of companies with religious objections can avoid the contraceptives requirement in the ACA. Hobby Lobby has also donated tens of millions of dollars to religious groups over the years and the company, which is known for closing stores on Sundays, funded the creation of a museum dedicated to the Bible that opened in Washington, D.C., in 2017. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 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