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TikTok is inching closer to a potential ban in the US. So what's next?Democrats look to governors to lead them to promised landSIOUX CITY -- The Sioux City Regional Convention & Visitors Bureau's hotel/motel tax collection was the highest on record in the last fiscal year at more than $2.8 million. Franz Tim Hynds, Sioux City Journal Kristi Franz, executive director of the Sioux City Regional Convention & Visitors Bureau (SCRCVB) told the Sioux City Council Monday that $2,843,241.80 was collected and that the bureau now has 10 lodging partners. The SCRCVB, which does business as Explore Siouxland, focuses on bringing in new events and marketing Sioux City as a destination for tourists, conventions and sporting events. "We currently have 10 hotel partners and we will add our 11th, which will be the Double Tree," Franz said. The SCRCVB is primarily funded through a 1.65% lodging fee paid by guests at hotels in Sioux City, South Sioux City, North Sioux City and Dakota Dunes that have opted in. The fee is in addition to the 7% hotel/motel tax collected on all rooms in Sioux City. Half of that 7% tax is currently earmarked for tourism purposes, while the other half goes to the city's general fund. "I think the large tick up in our hotel/motel tax revenue shows that we have more heads in beds," Councilwoman Julie Schoenherr said. "I think it has a lot to do with tourism, with the sports tourism -- many contributors to that. That really tells a lot. It's a good measure of the improvements that are being made." Kristi Franz, Executive Director of the Sioux City Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau, talks about her job during an interview in downtown Sioux City. Franz said the SCRCVB has a "really big announcement" coming soon, which she said will have a significant economic impact on the community. "I can't tell you what it is until the state tells me that I can tell you. But it's going to be huge for the Siouxland area," she said. "It's going to have a huge economic impact, and I cannot wait to share that information with you." Mayor Pro Tem Dan Moore asked Franz what the SCRCVB's strengths and weaknesses are and how it measures success. Franz said the SCRCVB subscribes to Destinations International's economic impact calculator, which she said provides a "good breakdown" of where people are coming from, how much money is being spent on hotels, restaurants, retail and gas stations. "It's hard to really gauge successes," she said. "Our hotel partners are very happy with what we're doing. They've seen their occupancy reports are going up. When we have our meetings with them, they're really happy, as well as the other communities that we partner with." Kristi Franz, executive director of the Sioux City Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau, is shown Tuesday in downtown Sioux City. Tim Hynds, Sioux City Journal Moore also asked, "If there's anything that you could change in Sioux City to make improvements, what would that be, if anything? Maybe there's nothing." Franz said the capacity for flights at Sioux Gateway Airport is one of the biggest hurdles in bringing large-scale events to the community. "Sioux City's an amazing community. We just wish we could get more people here," said Franz who noted that the city already has the facilities, hotels and amenities to accommodate such events. "That has been something that we have tried to work around, saying, 'Well, if you fly into Sioux Falls or Omaha, we'll try to have a hospitality area and send a bus to come and get you.'" Franz said most visitors are coming from up to a 75-mile radius of Sioux City, followed by Omaha, Sioux Falls/Mitchell, Des Moines/Ames, Minneapolis/St. Paul and Lincoln/Hastings/Kearney. "Most of the advertising and marketing that we do you probably won't see in the Sioux City area, because we are targeting those destinations 75 miles and out," she said. Local leaders refocused their tourism efforts after Sioux City eliminated the city department that oversaw not only tourism, but also the Tyson Events Center and the Convention Center. The change occurred after the city hired OVG360, formerly Spectra, a Philadelphia-based venue management firm, to run the Tyson. The Convention & Visitors Bureau Board manages the new CVB, while the Events Facilities Advisory Board continues to oversee the city-owned venues. The Journal’s Jared McNett shows how to download and browse the Sioux City Journal's app. Jesse Brothers
BUTTE — “Did you see him? The mascot was doing The Griddy!” “I know, I saw!” Such were the exclamations of a thundering crowd of 933 popcorn-munching elementary school children in a crowded Kelvin Sampson Court for the Tech women’s basketball game against St. Mary’s (Alberta) on Friday afternoon. The tradition of busing kids to a basketball game on a Friday before the winter break is not a new one, but since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the annual field trip for Butte-Silver Bow area kids, it has begun to gear up again. For head coach Jeff Graham, in his first year of participating, the excitement sparkled in his eyes after his team soundly defeated the Lightning 71-37. “It’s fun,” Graham said after high-fiving a crowd of kids after the game. “The girls get a good crowd atmosphere...It’s so fun to see all the kids, get them out. Some of them said it’s the first time they’ve been to a game.” Erica Hunt, a chaperone from Whittier Elementary with green streaks in her hair in honor of the Diggers, watched over her special learners group sporting Tech gear and apparel as they cheered. She was not without a smile on her face throughout the game. “This is our second year with our group,” Hunt said. “They love coming here every year. They all are so excited to come. They love to hang out with Charlie.” Both Charlie and Santa Claus weaved in and out of the bleachers as they danced, took photos, shook hands and hugged the vibrant crowd of screaming kids. Red-shirt freshman Brooke Badovinac, a recruit from Butte Central, never got the chance to attend a Tech game on a field trip, but the significance of opportunities like this for kids was not lost on her. The kids were pumped up as early as 30 minutes before tip-off, Badovinac said. The voluminous cheers and foot stomping could be heard and felt even before walking in the HPER Complex. But once Badovinac and her team got used to it and in their flow, the excitement held up their dominant momentum. “It’s so cool being from Butte and seeing all these little kids from Butte,” Badovinac said. “I came to these games with my parents, and I always wanted to be a college basketball player. So being in my hometown and seeing all these kids is such a cool experience, and it makes me...grateful. I just couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.” Badovinac contributed 10 points and six rebounds in her 18 minutes of play and was 2-for-3 from the 3-point line. Hadley Humphreys led the team in points with 14 and in rebounds with seven, while Liz Wangerin added 11 points and Macy Mayer matched Badovinac with six rebounds. The win puts the Orediggers undefeated at home to start the season, with a 6-2 overall record. Now, the team prepares for the Cactus Classic in Chandler, Arizona from Dec. 18 to Dec. 20 before conference play kicks up in January against Rocky Mountain on Jan. 4. But before Tech heads to Arizona, it has one more hurdle at home to jump. “Tomorrow’s a big one,” Graham said. “We got Jamestown who made the Sweet 16, then we roll in and play the number three team in the nation, another ranked team at the Cactus Classic. So three big games, actually four, that’ll get us going before conference.” Badovinac, though, is confident in her and her team’s ability and their strong start to the season. “I think this was our warm-up for a really big game tomorrow, another home game,” she said. “So definitely a very winnable game for us. We just got to come in 100% and then off to Arizona for the break.”Wesco Declares Quarterly Dividend on Common Stock and Preferred Stock
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) — Alabama A&M fired football coach Connell Maynor after seven seasons on Monday. Athletic director Paul A. Bryant announced the decision in a statement. The Bulldogs went 6-6 this season, including a 4-4 Southwestern Athletic Conference mark, and won three straight games before a season-ending loss to Florida A&M. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.WASHINGTON — There's a common trait that President-elect Donald Trump is clearly prizing as he selects those to serve in his new administration: experience on television. Rep. Sean Duffy, R-Wis., speaks during a hearing July 18, 2018, on Capitol Hill in Washington. President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Duffy to be Transportation Secretary. Trump loves that "central casting" look, as he likes to call it. Some, like his choices for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, and transportation secretary, Sean Duffy, were until recently TV hosts on Trump's favorite network, Fox News. Mike Huckabee, his pick for U.S. ambassador to Israel, hosted the Fox show “Huckabee” from 2008 to 2015 after his time as Arkansas governor. Dr. Mehmet Oz, a former syndicated talk show host and heart surgeon, was tapped to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the agency that oversees health insurance programs for millions of older, poor and disabled Americans. He would report to Trump's choice for health and human services secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., himself a regular on the cable news circuit. Mehmet Oz visits the AW Driving School & License Testing Center on Sept. 23, 2022, in Allentown, Pa. Trump, a former reality television star himself, has made no secret of his intention to stack his administration with loyalists after his decisive 2024 election win — including some whose lack of relevant experience has raised concerns among lawmakers. But he's also working to set up a more forceful administration in this term, and in his eyes, many of those people happen to intersect with celebrity. The trend was not lost on Democratic Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, who posted on social media after the Oz nomination: “We are becoming the world’s first nuclear-armed reality television show.” For good measure, Himes added: “Just spitballing here, but what if the Attorney General and the Secretary of HHS fight each other in an octagonal cage?” That was a reference to Trump's affinity for the UFC fighters who do battle in the octagon. Choosing TV personalities isn't that unusual for the once-and-future president: A number of his first-term choices — John Bolton, Larry Kudlow, Heather Nauert and Mercedes Schlapp, were all on TV — mostly also on Fox. Omarosa Manigault Newman, a confrontational first-season member of Trump's NBC show “The Apprentice," was briefly at the White House before she was fired. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican who ran Trump’s 2016 transition team until he was fired, said that eight years ago, Trump held “Apprentice-like interviews at Bedminster,” summoning potential hires to his club in New Jersey. On a call on Tuesday organized by the Council on Foreign Relations, Christie said this year’s Cabinet choices are different than 2016’s but it’s still “Donald Trump casting a TV show.” “He’s casting,” Christie said. Trump has readily highlighted the media experience of his choices as he's announced them. He said Duffy, a former lawmaker and onetime cast member of MTV’s “The Real World," was “a STAR on Fox News.” Pete Hegseth walks to an elevator for a meeting with President-elect Donald Trump at Trump Tower on Dec. 15, 2016, in New York. Hegseth, a military veteran, “has been a host at FOX News for eight years, where he used that platform to fight for our Military and Veterans,” Trump said. He also noted that Hegseth's book “The War on Warriors” spent nine weeks on The New York Times “best-sellers list, including two weeks at NUMBER ONE.” As for Oz, Trump said: “He won nine Daytime Emmy Awards hosting ‘The Dr. Oz Show,’ where he taught millions of Americans how to make healthier lifestyle choices." It's also true that those seeking positions in Trump's orbit often take to the airwaves to audition for an audience of one. Tom Homan, Trump's choice for “border czar,” is a frequent Fox contributor. Ohio Sen. JD Vance was chosen as Trump's running mate in part because of how well he comes across on air. Trump's choice to lead the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr, upped his profile when he took to Fox News to argue that a pre-election appearance on NBC's “Saturday Night Live” by Democratic nominee Kamala Harris was a violation of the “equal time” rule governing candidate appearances on television. The White House-to-cable news pundit pipeline tends to cut across administrations of both parties, to some extent. President Joe Biden had three MSNBC contributors on his transition team and his former press secretary went to the network after she left the White House. Biden, though, looked to career diplomats, longtime government workers and military leaders for key posts like the Defense Department. Trump's affinity for Fox News is well-documented, though the romance cooled for a time after Fox made an early call of Arizona for Biden in 2020, a move that infuriated Trump and many of the network’s viewers. Trump suggested viewers should migrate to other conservative news outlets. While the Arizona call ultimately proved correct, it set in motion internal second-guessing and led some Fox personalities to embrace conspiracy theories, which ultimately cost the network $787 million to settle a defamation lawsuit by Dominion Voting Systems. But Trump is still an avid watcher — the network provides Trump a window into conservative thinking, with commentary from Republican lawmakers and thinkers who are, often, speaking directly to the president-elect. 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. 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. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” 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. 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.” 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. Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign. In a statement, Trump called McGinley “a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda, while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement.” Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
Beyond the Clouds: The Thai Air Force’s Grand RebrandSingapore, Singapore , Nov. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Planetarium Labs has announced the pre-registration kickoff for its Immortal Rising 2 Path of Ascension Play 2 Airdrop campaign during the YGG Play Summit. The announcement was made by JC Kim, CEO and Founder of Planetarium Labs, who also provided a live demo of Immortal Rising 2, captivating attendees with the game's immersive dark fantasy setting and advanced Web3 features. Pre-registration for the P2A campaign is now open, offering participants the opportunity to claim a unique SoulBound Token (SBT) during this phase. This SBT will act as a hidden incentive for players, unlocking a special reward at the end of the campaign. The first season of the P2A campaign begins on November 28, 2024, inviting players to engage in a variety of daily check-in, social and in-game missions. These missions allow users to acquire additional SBTs per mission, each with unique scores that contribute to the users’ overall performance. At the end of Season 1, participants can check their final tier based on their SBT collection, unlocking exclusive rewards and benefits. The campaign not only introduces an engaging way for players to interact with Immortal Rising 2 but also provides a new layer of player-driven progression and achievement in Web3 gaming. Since its grand launch, Immortal Rising 2 has garnered significant attention, with over 500,000 players pre-registering ahead of its debut. The game has also achieved over 1 million registrations on Immortal Vault , the official platform where users can complete various social and in-game missions to earn ORB, a mileage point that will later contribute to $IMT allocation. Additionally, the game has surpassed 600,000 downloads and topped the charts for iOS and AOS in South Korea and Vietnam . Built on Immutable's zkEVM, powered by Polygon, the game seamlessly integrates blockchain technology with dynamic RPG mechanics, offering players both traditional gameplay and on-chain utility. “With Immortal Rising 2, we’re not only advancing Web3 gaming but also creating opportunities for players to engage with the ecosystem in new and rewarding ways,” said JC Kim, CEO and Founder of Planetarium Labs . “The P2A campaign is an exciting step forward, combining innovative technology with immersive gameplay to deepen player engagement.” To pre-register for the P2A campaign and secure your exclusive SoulBound Token, visit the pre-registration page or join the official website at immortalrising2.com and follow Immortal Rising 2 on X and Discord . About Planetarium Labs Planetarium Labs , which raised $32 million in a Series A funding round led by Animoca Brands, is a community-driven Web3 gaming company that builds immersive and moddable gaming experiences for users around the world. With decades of collective experience in gaming and blockchain technologies, and with industry-leading visionaries and partners, Planetarium Labs is building the protocols and experiences that take Web3 gaming to the next level. Media Contact Robert Penington robert@thronepr.com
NHL fines Edmonton Oilers forward Jeff Skinner $2,000 for embellishment
Kingsview Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of International General Insurance Holdings Ltd. ( NASDAQ:IGIC – Free Report ) during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund acquired 13,944 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $265,000. Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Diamond Hill Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in International General Insurance in the 3rd quarter worth $3,338,000. Deroy & Devereaux Private Investment Counsel Inc. boosted its stake in shares of International General Insurance by 31.6% in the third quarter. Deroy & Devereaux Private Investment Counsel Inc. now owns 189,300 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,597,000 after acquiring an additional 45,455 shares during the period. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC purchased a new stake in shares of International General Insurance during the third quarter worth about $303,000. Mackenzie Financial Corp bought a new stake in International General Insurance during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $411,000. Finally, Marshall Wace LLP lifted its holdings in International General Insurance by 276.8% in the 2nd quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 92,308 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,292,000 after purchasing an additional 67,809 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 54.24% of the company’s stock. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of brokerages have issued reports on IGIC. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on shares of International General Insurance from $22.00 to $26.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, November 7th. Oppenheimer assumed coverage on shares of International General Insurance in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. They set an “outperform” rating and a $30.00 target price for the company. International General Insurance Trading Up 0.1 % Shares of IGIC stock opened at $25.95 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.19 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.48 and a beta of 0.21. International General Insurance Holdings Ltd. has a 12-month low of $11.51 and a 12-month high of $27.00. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $21.71 and its 200-day moving average price is $17.85. International General Insurance ( NASDAQ:IGIC – Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 5th. The company reported $0.67 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.56 by $0.11. The business had revenue of $138.10 million for the quarter. International General Insurance had a return on equity of 22.78% and a net margin of 26.24%. As a group, research analysts predict that International General Insurance Holdings Ltd. will post 2.91 EPS for the current fiscal year. International General Insurance Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, December 18th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, December 3rd will be given a dividend of $0.025 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, December 3rd. This represents a $0.10 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.39%. International General Insurance’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 3.27%. International General Insurance Company Profile ( Free Report ) International General Insurance Holdings Ltd. engages in the provision of specialty insurance and reinsurance solutions worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Specialty Long-tail, Specialty Short-tail, and Reinsurance. It is involved in underwriting a portfolio of specialty risks, including energy, property, construction and engineering, ports and terminals, general aviation, political violence, professional lines, financial institutions, motor, marine liability, contingency, marine, treaty, and casualty insurance and reinsurance. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IGIC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for International General Insurance Holdings Ltd. ( NASDAQ:IGIC – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for International General Insurance Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for International General Insurance and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .House Speaker Dade Phelan on Friday announced he is dropping his bid for another term leading the lower chamber, ending a bruising, monthslong intraparty push to remove him from power. Phelan, a Beaumont Republican, had previously insisted he had enough votes to thwart a challenge from the right led by state Rep. David Cook of Mansfield, a former ally. “Out of deep respect for this institution and its members, and after careful consideration and private consultation with colleagues, I have made the difficult decision to withdraw from the race for Speaker of the Texas House," he said in a statement. "By stepping aside, I believe we create the best opportunity for our members to rally around a new candidate who will uphold the principles that make our House one of the most exceptional, deliberative legislative bodies in the country — a place where honor, integrity, and the right of every member to vote their district takes utmost precedent." Phelan abandoned the race one day before a scheduled meeting where Republicans are set to pick their nominee for the gavel. Phelan’s withdrawal sets up a renewed scramble for control of the House. State Rep. Dustin Burrows, a Lubbock Republican and top ally of Phelan, has filed paperwork to run for speaker, according to two sources familiar with the matter. His path to the gavel rests on courting the chamber’s 62 Democrats and roughly 40 unpledged Republicans — and reports of his candidacy were already drawing swift pushback from Cook’s camp and grassroots GOP activists, who are set on selecting a speaker without relying on votes from Democrats. Phelan was looking to the bloc of Democrats and uncommitted Republicans to secure a third term as speaker. But he never produced a list of supporters, while Cook gained fresh momentum this week by picking up two new backers, bringing him within striking distance of the votes needed to lock up the GOP caucus’ endorsement this weekend. Under the caucus rules, whoever gets 60% or more of the votes at Saturday’s meeting will secure the group’s endorsement and receive support from all 88 Republican members when the vote goes to the full House in January — enough to win the gavel. Heading into this week, Cook had touted 47 supporters, including two unnamed backers. He picked up support from state Reps. David Spiller of Jacksboro and Trent Ashby of Lufkin this week, putting him four votes shy of the 60% threshold. The Texas House speaker is one of the most powerful legislative positions in the state, along with the Senate president, wielding tremendous power over which bills pass and fail. In a statement, Phelan said he was grateful to the “principled conservatives” who continued to support his speakership by showing “steadfast resolve and courage in the face of immense intimidation from outsiders wishing to influence our chamber and its processes.” “Though the battle for my speakership is over, the war for the integrity of this chamber wages on — and we will win,” Phelan said. Phelan’s fall Phelan’s withdrawal comes just two years after he was at the height of his power, easily winning reelection as House leader after overseeing one of the most conservative sessions in recent memory. In his two terms as speaker, he oversaw passage of a litany of conservative priorities, including allowing permitless carry of handguns, restricting rules on transgender issues, testing the boundaries of Texas’ role in immigration enforcement and banning nearly all abortions statewide. At the closed-door GOP caucus meeting before the 2023 session, Phelan’s critics mustered up just six votes for his conservative challenger. Phelan started to lose his grip on the House last year when Attorney General Ken Paxton — months after being impeached on corruption charges in the lower chamber — survived his trial in the Senate. The acquittal was a major rebuke of Phelan, who supported the impeachment effort. Paxton and his conservative allies vowed payback against the speaker and any Republican who voted for impeachment. Soon after, Phelan’s standing took a hit among supporters of Gov. Greg Abbott’s push to enact a school voucher program, some of whom accused the speaker of not doing enough to get the bill through the House. Phelan narrowly survived a brutal primary challenge in May, but 15 other House Republicans lost their seats, many of them Phelan supporters who were ousted by challengers running on explicit pledges to oppose the Beaumont Republican’s speakership. Some of these insurgent candidates also received financial support from Abbott, who remained publicly neutral in Phelan’s race while spending millions to unseat anti-voucher Republicans who sank his priority issue. Most incoming GOP freshmen are part of a coalition, led by the House’s rightmost faction, that wants to reshape the chamber by disempowering Democrats and weakening key levers of power used by the speaker to control the House. They have called for an end to the practice of appointing Democrats to chair any House committees — a longstanding tradition Phelan has continued by putting Democrats in charge of eight of the chamber’s 34 standing committees, while reserving most of the high-profile assignments for Republicans. They also want to ensure that GOP priority bills reach the floor before any Democratic measures and limit the speaker to two terms. With Phelan out of the picture, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and the rest of the GOP’s most conservative faction could have a willing ally in driving a conservative agenda through the Legislature. Patrick, the Senate leader, has sparred bitterly with Phelan over property tax relief and a host of other issues, frequently casting Phelan as a feckless capitulator to Democrats who slow-walked conservative priorities approved by the Senate. The feuding culminated in Patrick’s attempt to end Phelan’s political career by backing his top primary challenger earlier this year. After eking out a 366-vote win in the May runoff, Phelan insisted he would hold onto the gavel, telling supporters that “I will be your state rep. for HD 21 and I will be your speaker for the Texas House in 2025.” He had remained defiant in the months since, even as he faced a mounting lineup of speaker challengers that included some of his former allies. Though a majority of House Republicans eventually coalesced behind Cook, nearly half the caucus remained silent about their votes, with some publicly vouching for Phelan’s conservative bona fides. But while Phelan has shepherded the passage of key conservative priorities once seen as a bridge too far for some Republicans, his critics also have pointed to a number of priorities that died in the House. Those measures, which could face better odds of passage under a new speaker, include school vouchers; expanding state control of elections in Democrat-run counties; barring the sale of Texas farmland to citizens and entities associated with China and other countries; and various laws aimed at infusing more Christianity into public life. Resistance to Burrows After Phelan announced his withdrawal, the House Democratic Caucus issued a statement saying that “[f]or any Speaker candidate interested in serving the House, the Democratic Caucus is available to listen, and hear their plans to finally give Texans a legislative session that puts people over politics." It was unclear if House Democrats would unite behind Burrows. On Thursday evening as Burrows was courting Democratic support, state Rep. Ana-María Ramos — a Richardson Democrat who chairs the Texas Legislative Progressive Caucus and is running for speaker herself — made clear she opposed Burrows’ bid for the gavel. She cited his role as the lead author of a sweeping new law aimed at sapping the power of local governments, particularly in Texas’ bluer urban areas. “Working Texans deserve a leader in the House who will stand up for them, and not do the bidding of corporate donors,” Ramos posted on social media, along with a video of her sparring with Burrows on the House floor over his measure, dubbed by opponents as the “Death Star bill.” Abraham George, the chairman of the Texas GOP, who has amplified the voice of the party’s most conservative activists in calling for a ban on Democratic chairs, pushed Republican lawmakers to vote for a speaker candidate who would honor that commitment. “Now that Speaker [Phelan] is no longer in the race, it's time for every Republican representative who has yet to back a reformer to answer a straightforward question: Will you stand with your constituents and [the Texas GOP] or will you continue to enable Democrats to hold power?” George said on social media. He followed that question with a not-so-veiled threat: “Keep in mind, the primary is just 452 days away!” Lawmakers in Cook’s camp celebrated Phelan’s announcement and immediately tried to push back against the notion that a new candidate could win over their support. “Phase One accomplished,” Rep.-elect Shelley Luther wrote on social media. “Also, we will NOT vote in a Dade 2.0. Phelan, a 49-year-old real estate developer, first secured the votes to become speaker toward the end of his third term, in late 2020. He emerged from a GOP scrum to succeed then-Speaker Dennis Bonnen, who retired after losing support from House members after he was recorded encouraging the political targeting of fellow Republicans in the upcoming primaries. Phelan secured the gavel with the backing of a more conservative GOP faction led by Bonnen’s allies, a group pitted against more ideologically moderate members who had helped drive Bonnen into retirement amid his recording scandal. But what helped Phelan lock down the speaker’s race was his support from a coalition of Democrats, who backed him after he told them he “would do his best to make sure we are on track” when asked how he would handle contentious social issues. While far less controversial at the time, Phelan’s Democrat-aided ascent sparked backlash from some on the far-right — a sign of what was to come four years later. After Phelan announced he had the votes to become speaker, then-Texas GOP Chair Allen West wrote in an email to supporters that the party "will not support, nor accept" Phelan, calling him a “Republican political traitor” for relying on support from Democrats.
Wabash Extends Partnership with Goodyear as Preferred Tire Supplier for TrailersHidalgo leads No. 6 Notre Dame over JuJu Watkins and third-ranked USC 74-61 in big matchup out West
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