A 27-year-old Chicago man faces felony and misdemeanor charges for allegedly taking part in the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. Patrick Gorski, 27, was arrested Thursday and charged with a felony count of obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder and four misdemeanor offenses: entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building. He was released pending trial, according to court documents. Gorski joins more than 50 other Illinois residents charged in relation to the insurrection, according to prosecutors with the Northern District Court of Illinois. Gorski attended the “Stop the Steal” rally before marching toward the Capitol building with others, prosecutors said. Wearing a “Make America Great Again” hoodie and hat, he climbed a wall onto the northwest stairs, taking selfies and helping other rioters remove tarps from the inaugural scaffolding and passing a bike rack to others in the mob. The group broke the police line while Gorski allegedly shouted “This is our house” and “Let us in,” before he made his way to the Lower West Terrace Tunnel, prosecutors said. He is then alleged to have entered again near the Senate Wing door at 3:14 p.m. before trying to re-enter the building through the East Rotunda Doors, though police kept him and others out. Gorski, who previously worked as a freelance photographer in Chicago, told investigators he hadn’t been at the riot but was in Washington sightseeing, according to court documents. He also said anyone who alleged he was there was only doing so because of his political views. In messages obtained by investigators, Gorski often shared election conspiracies and later discussed being there with friends, according to court documents. “Last time this happened it was done by the British in 1812 regardless this was one of the most historical things ever,” he wrote in a message to a friend Jan. 6, 2021. “Zero media covering it when it was actually happening [sic] I was the closest thing to a photographer there.” After at least four tips identified him as someone who had been part of the riot, he began messaging people he thought had sent the tips, according to court documents. “I did nothing wrong lol please put me in the select j6 committee [sic] to show it was people like you that gave up our country,” he said to a friend he believed gave the FBI tips on his whereabouts that day. “I don’t know what you thought you’d get out of it by submitting my name to a database when it is already public.” Another Illinois man charged in the attack, Theodore Middendorf of McLeansboro , has now sought to delay a guilty plea resulting from the riot. His lawyer argued that Trump’s election means “there will be an upcoming, likely significant, change in administration and uncertainty” around how such cases will play out. Trump has promised to pardon those who have been prosecuted for their role in the attack, which more than 50 Illinois residents were charged for. Contributing: Jon Seidel5 Book Recommendations By Fran LebowitzU.S. Surgical Staplers Market Set for Exceptional Growth in the Forecast 2024-2032 12-27-2024 07:16 PM CET | Health & Medicine Press release from: Cognate Insights U.S. Surgical Staplers Market Latest Market Overview The U.S. surgical staplers market is projected to achieve a valuation of $5.8 billion in 2024, expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.6% between 2024 and 2032. The growing adoption of minimally invasive surgeries, coupled with advancements in stapling technology, is driving market growth. 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This release was published on openPR.NEW YORK (AP) — Daniel Penny chose not to testify and defense lawyers rested their case Friday at his trial in the death of an agitated man he choked on a subway train. Closing arguments are expected after Thanksgiving in the closely watched manslaughter case about the death of Jordan Neely , 30. The encounter between Penny, a white Marine veteran, and Neely, a homeless Black man with mental health and drug problems, has been drawn into U.S. political divides over race, public safety and cities’ ability to handle mental illness and social ills. Penny, 26, has pleaded not guilty. Many criminal defendants don’t take the stand, and juries are routinely instructed that they cannot hold defendants’ silence — a constitutional right — against them. One of Penny’s lawyers, Daniel Kenniff, noted after court that jurors did hear from Penny, in the form of his recorded statements to police minutes and hours after he put Neely in a chokehold. “Virtually everything he said then is consistent with credible testimony of his fellow passengers,” Kenniff said. Penny told police that he wrapped his arm around Neely’s neck, took him to the floor and “put him out” because he was angrily throwing things and making threatening comments. Penny said on police video that he hadn’t wanted to injure Neely but rather to keep him from hurting anyone else. RELATED COVERAGE Pathologist disputes finding that Marine veteran’s chokehold caused subway rider’s death Sister of ex-Marine charged in subway chokehold death testifies to his ‘calm’ spirit and patriotism Former Marine misused a combat technique in fatal chokehold of NYC subway rider, trainer testifies A number of other passengers testified that they were scared of Neely and relieved that Penny grabbed hold of him. A man who later stepped in and held down Neely’s arms, however, told jurors that he urged Penny to let go but that the veteran kept choking Neely for a time. Prosecutors say Penny meant to protect people but recklessly used too much force, overlooking Neely’s humanity and making no effort to spare his life. City medical examiners ruled that the chokehold killed Neely. A pathologist hired by Penny’s defense disputed that finding . Prosecutors, defense lawyers and the judge are set to meet Monday to hash out jury instructions.
A judge has once again rejected Musk’s multi-billion-dollar Tesla pay package. Now what?WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump's transition team on Tuesday signed an agreement to allow the Justice Department to conduct background checks on his nominees and appointees after a weekslong delay. The step lets Trump transition aides and future administration staffers obtain security clearances before Inauguration Day to access classified information about ongoing government programs, an essential step for a smooth transition of power. It also allows those nominees who are up for Senate confirmation to face the background checks lawmakers want before voting on them. Teams of investigators have been standing by to process clearances for Trump aides and advisers. FILE - Susie Wiles watches as Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks at a caucus night party in Des Moines, Iowa, Jan. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) "This agreement with the Department of Justice will ensure President Trump and his team are ready on Day 1 to begin enacting the America First Agenda that an overwhelming majority of our nation supported on Election Day," said Susie Wiles, Trump's designate to be White House chief of staff. The announcement came a week after the Trump transition team signed an agreement with the Biden White House to allow transition staff to coordinate with the existing federal workforce before taking office Jan. 20. The White House agreement was supposed to have been signed by Oct. 1, according to the Presidential Transition Act, and the Biden White House issued both public and private appeals for Trump's team to sign on. Security clearances are required to access classified information, including on ongoing operations and threats to the nation, and the Biden White House and outside experts emphasized to Trump's team the importance of having cleared personnel before Inauguration Day so they could be fully briefed and ready to run the government. President-elect Donald Trump arrives before the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024 in Boca Chica, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Pool via AP) Republican Senators also insisted on FBI background checks for Trump's nominees before they face confirmation votes, as has been standard practice for decades. Lawmakers were particularly interested in seeing the findings of reviews into Trump's designated nominee for defense secretary, former Fox News host Pete Hegseth, and for Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to be director of national intelligence. "That's why it's so important that we have an FBI background check, a committee review of extensive questions and questionnaires, and a public hearing," Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said Monday. John Thune, incoming Senate Republican leader, said the Trump team "understands there's going to have to be a thorough vetting of all these nominees." Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” 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.” 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. A Republican congressman from Michigan who served from 1993 to 2011, Hoekstra was ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term. “In my Second Term, Pete will help me once again put AMERICA FIRST,” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice. “He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role.” Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump said Wednesday that he will nominate Gen. Keith Kellogg to serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as National Security Advisor to Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence. For the America First Policy Institute, one of several groups formed after Trump left office to help lay the groundwork for the next Republican administration, Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. James Blair, deputy chief of staff Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. William McGinley, White House counsel 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.” Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox!
Former SLPP MP Ellawala quits SJB and politicsPresident-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers urge judge to toss his hush money conviction/NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES . ANY FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS RESTRICTION MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF U.S. SECURITIES LAW./ CALGARY, AB , Nov. 26, 2024 /CNW/ - Logan Energy Corp. LGN (" Logan " or the " Company ") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a definitive agreement today to acquire an operated 50% working interest in certain assets located in the Company's core area at Simonette, Alberta , for a cash purchase price of $52.0 million , before closing adjustments (the " Acquisition "). Logan is also pleased to announce an equity financing to be offered on a bought deal, private placement basis, led by National Bank Financial Inc. and Eight Capital as joint bookrunners and co-lead underwriters, for aggregate gross proceeds of $35.0 million (the " Equity Offering "). ACQUISITION HIGHLIGHTS Logan has entered into an asset purchase agreement with a subsidiary of Gran Tierra Energy Inc., a publicly-traded oil and gas company (the " Vendor "), pursuant to which the Company will acquire an operated 50% working interest in certain assets in the Simonette area, primarily targeting the Montney , and 100% of the Vendor's interest in certain Simonette gross overriding royalties (the " GORRs ") (collectively, the " Acquired Interest ") for cash consideration of $52.0 million , before closing adjustments. The Acquisition has an effective date of September 1, 2024 , and is expected to close on or around December 17, 2024 , subject to the satisfaction or waiver of customary closing conditions. The Acquisition includes current production of approximately 795 BOE/d (48% liquids), 25 net (52.5 gross) sections of highly prospective Montney acreage including 45 net identified Montney drilling locations, 16 gross 5-10% GORR sections, and interests in important infrastructure including a 50% working interest in a 9 million barrel water reservoir and an oil battery at 06-09-061-27W5. The Acquisition augments Logan's long term organic growth plan and is consistent with its stated strategy. Pro forma the Acquisition, Logan plans to achieve production growth to between 24,000 to 27,000 BOE per day by 2028, up from its previously stated target of 20,000 to 25,000 BOE per day by 2028. The high-quality oil weighted inventory being acquired is accretive to Logan's inventory and drives compelling full cycle returns on the Acquisition. VALUE PROPOSITION AND ACCRETION 2025 accretion of 11% to AFF per share (moderated by cycle time to add production) 2026-2029 accretion of 13-18% to AFF per share relative to Logan on a standalone basis Top tier Montney oil drilling locations add to Logan's inventory depth and provide torque to strong crude oil prices; South Simonette Lower Montney TPP forecast type curve of 520 mbbl of oil expected to deliver a NPV of approximately $14 million discounted at 10% before-tax 1 Removes 5-10% GORRs from 38 of Logan's net Montney locations, improving project economics Two-layer co-development of Lower and Middle Montney improves capital efficiencies and reduces proportionate infrastructure spending The strong synergies with Logan's existing owned gathering and processing will result in operating cost savings of over $7.5 million in the first five years of development on the acquired assets Eliminates approximately $13.0 million in near-term infrastructure capital from Logan's current five-year plan Expected to improve Logan's realized pricing due to the increase in liquids weighting, while maintaining Logan's long term cost structure (operating expenses are forecast to be less than $8.00 /BOE by 2027) __________________________________ 1 Based on the Vendor's 2023 Reserve Evaluation (defined herein) and the 3 consultant average price forecast at December 31, 2023. ACQUISITION METRICS Purchase Price (1) $52.0MM Q3 2024 Production (2) 795 BOE/d (48% liquids) 2025 Production (Forecast) (3) 1,440 BOE/d (55% liquids) 2025 Operating Netback (Forecast) (4) $34.51 / BOE 2025 Operating Income (Forecast) (4) $18.1MM Montney Drilling Locations – booked (5) 45 gross (22.5 net) Montney Drilling Locations – unbooked (5) 54 gross (22.5 net) Proved Developed Producing Reserves (6)(7) 933 mBOE Reserve Life Index (8) ~ 3.2 years Total Proved Plus Probable Reserves (6)(9)(10) 13,958 mBOE Reserve Life Index (8) ~ 48.1 years NPV of Reserves (before-tax at 10%) PDP $6.6MM / TPP $154.7MM Decommissioning Obligations (Undiscounted) (11) ~ $6.0MM Notes: Refer to "Reader Advisories". EQUITY OFFERING Logan has entered into an agreement with a syndicate of underwriters (the " Underwriters ") led by National Bank Financial Inc. and Eight Capital as joint bookrunners and co-lead underwriters (the " Lead Underwriters "), pursuant to which the Underwriters have agreed to purchase for resale on a private placement, bought deal basis, 47,946,000 common shares (" Common Shares ") at a price of $0.73 per Common Share for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $35.0 million . It is anticipated that certain directors, officers and employees of the Company will subscribe for approximately $2.8 million of the Equity Offering. Closing of the Equity Offering will be conditional on the completion of the Acquisition. Logan intends to use the net proceeds from the Equity Offering to repay indebtedness incurred to fund a portion of the purchase price for the Acquisition. The completion of the Equity Offering is subject to customary closing conditions, including the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (" TSXV "). Closing of the Equity Offering is expected to occur immediately following the Acquisition, on or around December 17, 2024 . The Company has agreed to pay a cash commission of 4.0% of the gross proceeds of the Equity Offering to the Underwriters, except with respect to subscribers to be included on the president's list for which no commission will be paid. The Common Shares will be subject to a statutory hold period that extends four months from the Closing Date; provided that any Common Shares issued in the United States will be subject to a 1 year hold period, subject to the ability to resell the Common Shares on the TSXV prior to 1 year in accordance with U.S. securities laws. ADVISORS National Bank Financial Inc. and Eight Capital are acting as financial advisors to Logan in respect of the Acquisition and the Equity Offering. Stikeman Elliott LLP is acting as legal counsel to Logan in respect of the Acquisition and the Equity Offering. Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP is acting as legal counsel to the underwriters in respect of the Equity Offering. PRO FORMA 2024 GUIDANCE Logan has updated its guidance for 2024 to reflect the Acquisition and Equity Offering, including an expanded budget for Capital Expenditures before A&D of $157 million (previously $140 million ). Additionally, the Company has reduced its average production guidance for 2024 by 3% to approximately 8,400 BOE/d (previously 8,700 BOE/d) due to voluntary shut-ins of uneconomic natural gas production, deferral of certain production optimization projects until gas prices recover, and delayed onstream and intermittent run time from the Company's exploratory well at Lator. Despite lower production and weaker natural gas prices for the second half of 2024 than previously forecast, Logan's guidance for 2024 Adjusted Funds Flow of approximately $52 million is unchanged from previous guidance due to lower cash costs. Assuming a closing date of December 17, 2024 , the Acquisition will have a minimal contribution to 2024 average production and Adjusted Funds Flow. The increase in the capital expenditure budget primarily includes acceleration of projects originally planned for the first quarter of 2025 into the fourth quarter 2024, including one drill and two completions at Simonette and commencing construction for the Pouce Coupe Infrastructure ahead of schedule, to level load activity in preparation for a further expanded 2025 development program pro forma the Acquisition. Additionally, the expanded 2024 budget includes pad construction and drilling of the first joint well in the Lower Montney on the acquired assets. For the year ending December 31, 2024 Previous Guidance Updated Guidance Change % Average production (BOE/d) (1) 8,700 8,400 (300) (3) % Liquids 34 % 34 % 0 % - Forecast Average Commodity Prices WTI crude oil price (US$/bbl) 75.67 75.67 - - AECO natural gas price ($/GJ) 1.48 1.37 (0.11) (7) Average exchange rate (CA$/US$) 1.36 1.36 - - Operating Netback, after hedging ($/BOE) (1)(2) 18.40 19.04 0.64 3 Adjusted Funds Flow ($MM) (1)(2) 52 52 - - AFF per share, basic (2)(4) 0.11 0.11 - - Capital Expenditures before A&D ($MM) (2) 140 157 17 12 Acquisitions (3) - 63 63 nm Net Debt (Surplus), end of year ($MM) (2) (1) 47 48 nm Common shares outstanding, end of year (MM) (4) 534 582 48 9 (1) Additional information regarding the assumptions used in the forecasts of average production, Operating Netback and Adjusted Funds Flow are provided under "Reader Advisories" below. (2) "Operating Netback, after hedging", "Adjusted Funds Flow", "AFF per share", "Capital Expenditures before A&D" and "Net Debt (Surplus)" do not have standardized meanings under IFRS Accounting Standards, see "Non-GAAP Measures and Ratios" section of this press release. (3) Includes the $52.0 million purchase price for the Acquisition plus $8.1 million of estimated closing adjustments plus an assumed liability of $2.7 million estimated to carry the Vendor's share of the first Simonette drill. (4) The forecast of basic Common Shares outstanding assumes closing of the Equity Offering for aggregate gross proceeds of $35.0 million. AFF per share is based on the estimated basic weighted average common shares outstanding during the year. Refer to additional information regarding outstanding dilutive securities under the heading of "Share Capital" in this press release. PRO FORMA 2025 BUDGET Logan is pleased to provide details of its pro forma budget for 2025, which is focused on delivering material liquids growth through accelerated development at Pouce Coupe together with an expanded program at Simonette pro forma the Acquisition. Additionally, the Company will continue to advance its positions in the Alberta Duvernay and at Flatrock, British Columbia , invest heavily in infrastructure and reserve capital for additional land capture opportunities. The pro forma capital expenditure budget of $195 million includes approximately $35 million directed to the acquired assets. The 2025 capital expenditure budget remains elevated relative to other years within Logan's five year plan due to the one-time Pouce Coupe infrastructure costs (details of the Pouce Coupe infrastructure project are provided in the Company's press release dated September 12, 2024 ). In addition to constructing and commissioning the Pouce Coupe infrastructure, the Company plans to bring on production nine net wells at Pouce Coupe , five net wells at Simonette, and one well at Ante Creek driving 2025 average production of approximately 13,650 BOE per day (additional information regarding all drilling activity is provided under the heading "Reader Advisories – Assumptions for Guidance – Planned Activity"). The pro forma 2025 budget delivers (from 2024E to 2025E): 63% average production growth (62% per share); 91% oil and condensate growth; 20% decrease in average per unit operating and transportation costs; 131% Adjusted Funds Flow growth; and 91% Adjusted Funds Flow per share growth after giving effect to the Equity Offering. The Company's pro forma guidance for 2025 after giving effect to the Acquisition and Equity Financing is summarized as follows: For the year ending December 31, 2025 2025 Preliminary Budget 2025 Pro Forma Budget Change % 2025 average production (BOE/d) (1) 12,800 13,650 850 7 % Liquids 37 % 40 % 3 % 8 H2 2025 average production (BOE/d) (1) 14,500 15,750 1,250 9 % Liquids 38 % 42 % 4 % 11 Forecast Average Commodity Prices (2)(4) WTI crude oil price (US$/bbl) 70.00 70.00 - - AECO natural gas price ($/GJ) 2.50 2.50 - - Average exchange rate (CA$/US$) 1.35 1.35 - - Operating Netback, after hedging ($/BOE) (1)(3)(4) 25.92 27.80 1.88 7 Adjusted Funds Flow ($MM) (1)(3) 103 120 17 17 AFF per share, basic (3) 0.19 0.21 0.02 11 Capital Expenditures before A&D ($MM) (3) 170 195 25 15 Net Debt, end of year ($MM) (3) 66 122 56 85 Common shares outstanding, end of year (MM) (5) 534 582 48 9 (1) Additional information regarding the assumptions used in the forecasts of average production, Operating Netback and Adjusted Funds Flow are provided under "Reader Advisories" below. (2) Forecast natural gas prices have decreased since announcing the Company's preliminary 2025 budget in September 2024. For purposes of comparing pro forma guidance with the Acquisition to Logan's stand alone plan, we have held commodity price assumptions constant. Refer to commodity price sensitivities under the heading of "Reader Advisories". (3) "Operating Netback, after hedging", "Adjusted Funds Flow", "AFF per share", "Capital Expenditures before A&D" and "Net Debt" do not have standardized meanings under IFRS Accounting Standards, see "Non-GAAP Measures and Ratios" section of this press release. (4) A summary of outstanding commodity price risk management contracts is provided under the heading "Reader Advisories - Assumptions for Guidance – Commodity Hedging". (5) The forecast of basic Common Shares outstanding assumes closing of the Equity Offering. AFF per share is based on the estimated basic weighted average common shares outstanding during the year. Refer to additional information regarding outstanding dilutive securities under the heading of "Share Capital" in this press release. ABOUT LOGAN ENERGY CORP. Logan is a growth-oriented exploration, development and production company formed through the spin-out of the early stage Montney assets of Spartan Delta Corp. Logan was founded with a strong initial capitalization and three high quality and opportunity rich Montney assets located in the Simonette and Pouce Coupe areas of northwest Alberta and the Flatrock area of northeastern British Columbia and has recently established a position within the greater Kaybob Duvernay oil play with assets in the North Simonette, Ante Creek and Two Creeks areas. The management team brings proven leadership and a track record of generating excess returns in various business cycles. READER ADVISORIES Notes to Acquisition Metrics table : 1) The purchase price to be paid by Logan in respect of the Acquisition is $52.0 million in cash, before closing adjustments. The Company expects purchase price adjustments, which include estimated cash flows, capital expenditures, and interest between the effective date of September 1, 2024 and closing to be approximately $8.1 million in favour of the Vendor due to recent drilling activity. Additionally, Logan has agreed to carry the Vendor's share of the first Simonette drill at an estimated cost of $2.7 million. Total consideration inclusive of closing adjustments and the drill carry is estimated to be approximately $62.8 million. 2) Average production for the third quarter of 2024 from the Acquired Interest was approximately 795 BOE/d, consisting of 325 bbl/d of oil (41%), 60 bbl/d of NGLs (7%), and 2,460 mcf/d of natural gas (52%). 3) Average production forecast for 2025 is approximately 1,440 BOE/d, consisting of 725 bbl/d of oil (50%), 65 bbl/d of NGLs (5%), and 3.9 mmcf/d of natural gas (45%). 4) 2025 Operating Netback and Operating Income forecast based on commodity price assumptions of US$70/bbl WTI and $2.50/GJ AECO. Operating Income and Operating Netback are non-GAAP measures. See " Non-GAAP Measures and Ratios " for additional details. 5) Of the 99 gross (45 net) identified Montney locations, there are 45 gross (22.5 net) booked locations in the Vendor's 2023 Reserve Evaluation (defined below) with an additional 54 gross (22.5 net) of unbooked locations identified by Logan. See " Drilling Locations " for additional details. 6) Proved developed producing reserves (" PDP ") and total proved plus probable reserves (" TPP ") are based on the Vendor's 2023 Reserve Evaluation. Reserves volumes and values are based on working interest reserves of the Acquired Interest before deduction of royalties and without including any of royalty interest reserves. See " Reserves Disclosure " for additional details. 7) PDP consisting of 322 MMbbl of crude oil (34%), 102 MMbbl of NGLs (11%), and 3,057 MMcf of natural gas (55%). 8) Reserve life index (" RLI ") is calculated by dividing PDP or TPP, as applicable, by estimated current production of the Acquired Interest of 795 BOE/d. See note (2) for a breakdown of estimated current production from the Acquired Interest by product type and note (6) for further information regarding reserves estimates. 9) TPP consisting of 8,926 MMbbl of oil (64%), 806 MMbbl of NGLs (6%), and 25,354 MMcf of natural gas (30%). 10) Future development capital of $568.2 million gross ($284.1 million net) are attributable to the Acquired Interest and represents expectations for the remainder of the booked reserves life of 5 years (2024-2028), per the TPP case in the Vendor's 2023 Reserve Evaluation. 11) Decommissioning obligations for the Acquired Interest of approximately $6.0 million (undiscounted and uninflated) are internally estimated by Logan based on AER Directive 11 updates effective June 26, 2024 as well as internal estimate of reclamation costs and site specific information. Non-GAAP Measures and Ratios This press release contains certain financial measures and ratios which do not have standardized meanings prescribed by International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (" IFRS Accounting Standards "), also known as Canadian Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (" GAAP "). As these non-GAAP financial measures and ratios are commonly used in the oil and gas industry, Logan believes that their inclusion is useful to investors. The reader is cautioned that these amounts may not be directly comparable to measures for other companies where similar terminology is used. The non-GAAP measures and ratios used in this press release, represented by the capitalized and defined terms outlined below, are used by Logan as key measures of financial performance and are not intended to represent operating profits nor should they be viewed as an alternative to cash provided by operating activities, net income or other measures of financial performance calculated in accordance with IFRS Accounting Standards. The definitions below should be read in conjunction with the "Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures" section of the Company's MD&A dated November 13, 2024 , which includes discussion of the purpose and composition of the specified financial measures and detailed reconciliations to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures. Operating Income and Operating Netback Operating Income, a non-GAAP financial measure, is a useful supplemental measure that provides an indication of the Company's ability to generate cash from field operations, prior to administrative overhead, financing and other business expenses. " Operating Income, before hedging " is calculated by Logan as oil and gas sales, net of royalties, plus processing and other revenue, less operating and transportation expenses. " Operating Income, after hedging " is calculated by adjusting Operating Income, before hedging for realized gains or losses on derivative financial instruments. The Company refers to Operating Income expressed per unit of production as an " Operating Netback " and reports the Operating Netback before and after hedging, both of which are non-GAAP financial ratios. Logan considers Operating Netback an important measure to evaluate its operational performance as it demonstrates its field level profitability relative to current commodity prices. Adjusted Funds Flow Cash provided by operating activities is the most directly comparable measure to Adjusted Funds Flow. " Adjusted Funds Flow " is reconciled to cash provided by operating activities by excluding changes in non-cash working capital, adding back transaction costs on acquisitions (if applicable). Logan utilizes Adjusted Funds Flow as a key performance measure in the Company's annual financial forecasts and public guidance. The Company refers to Adjusted Funds Flow expressed per unit of production as an " Adjusted Funds Flow Netback ". Adjusted Funds Flow per share (" AFF per share ") AFF per share is a non-GAAP financial ratio used by the Logan as a key performance indicator. The basic and/or diluted weighted average Common Shares outstanding used in the calculation of AFF per share is calculated using the same methodology as net income per share. Capital Expenditures Logan uses " Capital Expenditures before A&D " to measure its capital investment level compared to the Company's annual budgeted capital expenditures for its organic drilling program, excluding acquisitions or dispositions. " Capital Expenditures " is calculated by adding cash acquisition costs, net of proceeds from dispositions to Capital Expenditures before A&D. The directly comparable GAAP measure is cash used in investing activities, before changes in non-cash investing working capital. Net Debt (Surplus) Throughout this press release, references to " Net Debt (Surplus) " includes any long-term debt outstanding on the Company's revolving and term credit facilities, net of Adjusted Working Capital. Net Debt and Adjusted Working Capital are both non-GAAP financial measures. "Adjusted Working Capital" is calculated as current liabilities less current assets, excluding derivative financial instrument assets and liabilities. Supplementary Financial Measures The supplementary financial measures used in this press release (primarily average sales price per product type and certain per BOE and per share figures) are either a per unit disclosure of a corresponding GAAP measure, or a component of a corresponding GAAP measure, presented in the financial statements. Supplementary financial measures that are disclosed on a per unit basis are calculated by dividing the aggregate GAAP measure (or component thereof) by the applicable unit for the period. Supplementary financial measures that are disclosed on a component basis of a corresponding GAAP measure are a granular representation of a financial statement line item and are determined in accordance with GAAP. Assumptions for Guidance Logan expects production to average approximately 8,400 BOE/d during 2024 and 13,650 BOE/d in 2025. The significant assumptions used in the forecast of Operating Netbacks and Adjusted Funds Flow for the Company's 2024 and 2025 Guidance are summarized below. Production Guidance 2024 Previous Guidance 2024 Pro Forma Guidance Change % 2025 Preliminary Budget 2025 Pro Forma Budget Change % Crude Oil (bbls/d) 2,025 2,345 16 3,045 4,780 57 Condensate (bbls/d) 600 175 (71) 1,190 25 (98) Crude oil and condensate (bbls/d) 2,625 2,520 (4) 4,235 4,805 13 NGLs (bbls/d) 310 365 18 465 615 32 Natural gas (mcf/d) 34,590 33,090 (4) 48,600 49,380 2 Combined average (BOE/d) 8,700 8,400 (3) 12,800 13,650 7 % Liquids 34 % 34 % - 37 % 40 % 8 Financial Guidance ($/BOE) Oil and gas sales 36.17 35.89 (1) 40.42 42.46 5 Processing and other revenue 0.93 1.05 13 0.55 0.57 4 Royalties (3.41) (3.22) (6) (3.30) (3.32) 1 Transportation expenses (3.26) (3.06) (6) (2.50) (2.70) 8 Operating expenses (12.62) (12.23) (3) (9.54) (9.50) (0) Operating Netback, before hedging 17.81 18.43 3 25.63 27.51 7 Realized gain (loss) on derivatives 0.59 0.61 3 0.29 0.29 - Operating Netback, after hedging 18.40 19.04 3 25.92 27.80 7 General and administrative expenses (1.95) (1.96) 1 (1.54) (1.65) 7 Financing expenses (0.04) (0.00) (100) (1.36) (1.76) 29 Current income taxes - - - (0.57) - (100) Decommissioning obligations (0.20) (0.24) 20 (0.38) (0.36) (5) Adjusted Funds Flow 16.21 16.84 4 22.07 24.03 9 Planned Activity Area Net (Gross) Wells Drilled Net (Gross) Wells Completed Net (Gross) Wells Onstream 2024 Simonette 5.5 (6) 6 4 Pouce Coupe 3 3 3 Flatrock - - - Ante Creek 1 - - 2025 Simonette 5 (8) 5 (7) 5 (6) Pouce Coupe 9 9 9 Flatrock 2 - - Ante Creek - 1 1 Note: Net and gross well counts are the same if not otherwise noted. Guidance Sensitivities Changes in forecast commodity prices, exchange rates, differences in the amount and timing of capital expenditures, and variances in average production estimates can have a significant impact on the key performance measures included in Logan's pro forma guidance for 2025. The Company's actual results may differ materially from these estimates. Holding all other assumptions constant, the table below shows the impact to forecasted Adjusted Funds Flow of a US$10 /bbl change in the WTI crude oil price, a $0.50 /GJ change in the AECO natural gas price, and a $0.05 change in the CA$/US$ exchange rate. Assuming capital expenditures are unchanged, an increase (decrease) in Adjusted Funds Flow will result in an equivalent decrease (increase) in forecasted Net Debt. Year Ending December 31, 2025 – Change in Adjusted Funds Flow ($MM) AECO / WTI US$60.00/bbl US$70.00/bbl US$80.00/bbl CA$/US$ FX Impact $2.00/GJ ($24) ($8) $6 1.30 ($5) $2.50/GJ ($16) - $14 1.35 - $3.00/GJ ($7) $9 $20 1.40 $5 Commodity Hedging The following table summarizes the Company's financial risk management contracts in place as of the date hereof: Commodity / Contract Type Notional Volume Reference Price Fixed Contract Price Remaining Term Crude oil – swap 1,500 bbls/d WTI CA$101.33 per barrel November 1 to December 31, 2024 Crude oil – swap 100 bbls/d WTI US$74.35 per barrel November 1 to December 31, 2024 Crude oil – swap 750 bbls/d WTI US$71.60 per barrel January 1 to March 31, 2025 Crude oil – swap 1,250 bbls/d WTI US$70.84 per barrel April 1 to June 30, 2025 Crude oil – swap 1,000 bbls/d WTI US$70.46 per barrel July 1 to September 30, 2025 Crude oil – swap 500 bbls/d WTI US$70.00 per barrel October 1 to December 31, 2025 Crude oil – swap 500 bbls/d WTI CA$102.05 per barrel January 1 to December 31, 2025 Crude oil – short call 500 bbls/d WTI CA$102.05 per barrel January 1 to December 31, 2025 Natural gas – swap 20,000 GJ/d AECO CA$1.86 per GJ November 1 to 30, 2024 Natural gas – swap 5,000 GJ/d AECO CA$2.50 per GJ January 1 to March 31, 2025 Natural gas – swap 15,000 GJ/d AECO CA$2.23 per GJ April 1 to October 31, 2025 Natural gas – swap 15,000 GJ/d AECO CA$3.15 per GJ Nov 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026 As of the date hereof, Logan has an average of 1,375 bbls/d of oil hedged at an average WTI price of $99.26 per barrel (Canadian dollar equivalent based on FX of 1.38) for calendar 2025, representing approximately 31% of forecasted crude oil and condensate production (net of royalties) pro forma completion of the Acquisition. Additionally, the Company has AECO swaps in place for an average of 12,534 GJ/d of natural gas at $2.44 per GJ on average for calendar 2025, representing approximately 23% of forecasted natural gas production (net of royalties) pro forma completion of the Acquisition. Reserves Disclosure All reserves values, future net revenue and ancillary information in this press release relating to the Acquired Interest is based on the evaluation prepared by GLJ Petroleum Consultants for i3 Energy plc, the previous owner of the Acquired Interest, effective December 31, 2023 with a preparation date of March 8, 2024 (the " Vendor's 2023 Reserve Report ") and mechanically updated by the Company's internal qualified reserves evaluator to reflect the working interest in the assets to be acquired by Logan pursuant to the Acquisition, all in accordance with National Instrument 51-101 – Standards of Disclosure of Oil and Gas Activities (" NI 51-101 ") and the most recent publication of the Canadian Oil and Gas Evaluations Handbook (" COGEH "). The estimates of reserves and future net revenue for the Acquisition may not reflect the same confidence level as estimates of reserves and future net revenue for all of Logan's properties, due to the effects of aggregation. All reserve references in this press release are "gross reserves". Gross reserves are a company's total working interest reserves before the deduction of any royalties payable by such company and before the consideration of such company's royalty interests. It should not be assumed that the present worth of estimated future cash flow of net revenue presented herein represents the fair market value of the reserves. There is no assurance that the forecast prices and costs assumptions will be attained and variances could be material. The recovery and reserve estimates of Logan's crude oil, NGL and natural gas reserves, including those of the Acquired Interest, provided herein are estimates only and there is no guarantee that the estimated reserves will be recovered. Actual crude oil, natural gas and NGL reserves may be greater than or less than the estimates provided herein. Proved reserves are those reserves that can be estimated with a high degree of certainty to be recoverable. It is likely that the actual remaining quantities recovered will exceed the estimated proved reserves. Probable reserves are those additional reserves that are less certain to be recovered than proved reserves. It is equally likely that the actual remaining quantities recovered will be greater or less than the sum of the estimated proved plus probable reserves. Proved developed producing reserves are those reserves that are expected to be recovered from completion intervals open at the time of the estimate. These reserves may be currently producing or, if shut-in, they must have previously been on production, and the date of resumption of production must be known with reasonable certainty. Undeveloped reserves are those reserves expected to be recovered from known accumulations where a significant expenditure (e.g., when compared to the cost of drilling a well) is required to render them capable of production. They must fully meet the requirements of the reserves category (proved, probable, possible) to which they are assigned. Certain terms used in this press release but not defined are defined in NI 51-101, CSA Staff Notice 51-324 – Revised Glossary to NI 51-101, Revised Glossary to NI 51-101, Standards of Disclosure for Oil and Gas Activities (" CSA Staff Notice 51-324 ") and/or the COGEH and, unless the context otherwise requires, shall have the same meanings herein as in NI 51-101, CSA Staff Notice 51-324 and the COGEH, as the case may be. Drilling Locations This press release discloses drilling locations with respect to the Acquired Interest in two categories: (i) booked; (ii) unbooked locations. Booked locations identified in this press release have associated proved and/or probable locations, as applicable, and proved and probable locations were derived from the Vendor's 2023 Reserve Report in accordance with NI 51-101 and COGEH. Unbooked locations are internal estimates based on the Company's assumptions as to the number of wells that can be drilled per section based on industry practice and internal review, being 600m inter well spacing and an average horizontal well length of ~3,000m. Unbooked locations do not have attributed reserves or resources. Unbooked locations have been identified by management as an estimation of Logan's multi-year drilling activities based on evaluation of applicable geologic, seismic, engineering, production and reserves information. There is no certainty that the Company will drill all unbooked drilling locations and if drilled there is no certainty that such locations will result in additional oil and gas reserves, resources or production. The drilling locations on which the Company actually drills wells will ultimately depend upon the availability of capital, regulatory approvals, seasonal restrictions, oil and natural gas prices, costs, actual drilling results, additional reservoir information that is obtained and other factors. While certain of the unbooked drilling locations have been de-risked by drilling existing wells in relative close proximity to such unbooked drilling locations, the majority of other unbooked drilling locations are farther away from existing wells where management has less information about the characteristics of the reservoir and therefore there is more uncertainty whether wells will be drilled in such locations and if drilled there is more uncertainty that such wells will result in additional oil and gas reserves, resources or production. Other Measurements All dollar figures included herein are presented in Canadian dollars, unless otherwise noted. This press release contains various references to the abbreviation "BOE" which means barrels of oil equivalent. Where amounts are expressed on a BOE basis, natural gas volumes have been converted to oil equivalence at six thousand cubic feet (mcf) per barrel (bbl). The term BOE may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. A BOE conversion ratio of six thousand cubic feet per barrel is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead and is significantly different than the value ratio based on the current price of crude oil and natural gas. This conversion factor is an industry accepted norm and is not based on either energy content or current prices. Such abbreviation may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. References to "oil" in this press release include light crude oil, medium crude oil, heavy oil and tight oil combined. NI 51-101 includes condensate within the product type of "natural gas liquids". References to "natural gas liquids" or "NGLs" include pentane, butane, propane and ethane. References to "gas" or "natural gas" relates to conventional natural gas. References to "liquids" includes crude oil, condensate and NGLs. Share Capital Common shares of Logan trade on the TSXV under the symbol "LGN". As of the date hereof, there are 534.0 million Common Shares outstanding. Pro forma completion of the Equity Offering, there will be 582.0 million Common Shares outstanding. There are no preferred shares or special shares outstanding. Logan's convertible securities outstanding as of the date of this press release include: 64.3 million Common Share purchase warrants with an exercise price of $0 .35 per share expiring July 12, 2028 ; and 22.6 million stock options with an exercise price of $0.89 per share expiring November 22, 2028 . Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements Certain statements contained within this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "budget", "plan", "endeavor", "continue", "estimate", "evaluate", "expect", "forecast", "monitor", "may", "will", "can", "able", "potential", "target", "intend", "consider", "focus", "identify", "use", "utilize", "manage", "maintain", "remain", "result", "cultivate", "could", "should", "believe" and similar expressions. Logan believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable as of the date hereof, but no assurance can be given that such expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements should not be unduly relied upon. Without limitation, this press release contains forward-looking statements pertaining to: the completion of the Equity Offering and the Acquisition and the terms and timing thereof (including the use of proceeds from the Equity Offering); satisfaction or waiver of the closing conditions to the Equity Offering and the Acquisition; receipt of required regulatory and stock exchange approvals for the completion of the Equity Offering; insider participation in the Equity Offering; anticipated benefits of the Acquisition, including the impact of the Acquisition and the Acquired Interest on the Company's operations, reserves, inventory and opportunities, financial condition, realized pricing, access to capital and overall strategy; Logan's revised 2024 and 2025 guidance and capital budgets, including drilling programs and infrastructure development and the timing and anticipated results thereof; anticipated revenue, capital and operating cost synergies resulting from the Acquisition; the Company's opportunity rich assets; management's track record of generating excess returns in various business cycles; success of the Company's drilling program based on initial results; future drilling plans; EUR; risk management activities, including hedging; continuing to advance key infrastructure projects; forecast production for the remainder of 2024 and 2025; and the expectation that per unit operating expenses will decrease with production growth. The forward-looking statements and information are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made in respect of Logan including expectations and assumptions concerning: the receipt of all approvals and satisfaction of all conditions to the completion of the Equity Offering and the Acquisition; the business plan of Logan; the timing of and success of future drilling; development and completion activities and infrastructure projects; the performance of existing wells; the performance of new wells; the availability and performance of facilities and pipelines; the geological characteristics of Logan's properties; the successful integration of the recently acquired assets into Logan's operations; the successful application of drilling, completion and seismic technology; prevailing weather conditions; prevailing legislation affecting the oil and gas industry; prevailing commodity prices, price volatility, price differentials and the actual prices received for Logan's products; impact of inflation on costs; royalty regimes and exchange rates; the application of regulatory and licensing requirements; the availability of capital (including under the Equity Offering and the Company's credit facilities), labour and services; the creditworthiness of industry partners; and the ability to source and complete acquisitions. Although Logan believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking statements and information are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements and information because Logan can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. By its nature, such forward-looking information is subject to various risks and uncertainties, which could cause the actual results and expectations to differ materially from the anticipated results or expectations expressed. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: counterparty risk to closing the Equity Offering and the Acquisition; fluctuations in commodity prices; changes in industry regulations and political landscape both domestically and abroad; wars, hostilities, civil insurrections; changes in legislation, including but not limited to tax laws, royalties and environmental regulations (including greenhouse gas emission reduction requirements and other decarbonization or social policies and including uncertainty with respect to the interpretation of omnibus Bill C-59 and the related amendments to the Competition Act ( Canada )); foreign exchange or interest rates; increased operating and capital costs due to inflationary pressures (actual and anticipated); volatility in the stock market and financial system; impacts of pandemics; the retention of key management and employees; and risks with respect to unplanned pipeline outages and risks relating to inclement and severe weather events and natural disasters, such as fire, drought, flooding and extreme hot or cold temperatures, including in respect of safety, asset integrity and shutting-in production. Ongoing military actions in the Middle East and between Russia and Ukraine and related sanctions have the potential to threaten the supply of oil and gas from those regions. The long-term impacts of these actions remains uncertain. The foregoing list is not exhaustive. Please refer to the MD&A and AIF for discussion of additional risk factors relating to Logan, which can be accessed on its SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca . Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on this forward-looking information, which is given as of the date hereof, and to not use such forward-looking information for anything other than its intended purpose. Logan undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. This press release contains future-oriented financial information and financial outlook information (collectively, " FOFI ") about Logan's five year growth plan, Logan's revised pro forma budget and guidance for 2024 and 2025, including with respect to prospective results of operations, production (including average production of 8,400 BOE/d during 2024, 13,650 BOE/d in 2025 and growing to between 24,000 and 27,000 BOE/d by 2028) and operating costs (including reducing its operating expenses to below $8.00 per BOE by 2027), including pro forma the completion of the Equity Offering and the Acquisition, all of which are subject to the same assumptions, risk factors, limitations, and qualifications as set forth in the above paragraphs. FOFI contained in this document was approved by management as of the date of this document and was provided for the purpose of providing further information about Logan's proposed business activities in the remainder of 2024 and 2025. Logan and its management believe that FOFI has been prepared on a reasonable basis, reflecting management's best estimates and judgments, and represent, to the best of management's knowledge and opinion, the Company's expected course of action. However, because this information is highly subjective, it should not be relied on as necessarily indicative of future results. Logan disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any FOFI contained in this document, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required pursuant to applicable law. Readers are cautioned that the FOFI contained in this document should not be used for purposes other than for which it is disclosed herein. Changes in forecast commodity prices, exchange rates, differences in the timing of capital expenditures, and variances in average production estimates can have a significant impact on the key performance measures included in Logan's guidance. The Company's actual results may differ materially from these estimates. This press release is not an offer of the securities for sale in the United States . The securities offered have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act")) or any U.S. state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an available exemption from the registration requirement of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities, in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Abbreviations 2024E Forecast for the year ending December 31, 2024 2025E Forecast for the year ending December 31, 2025 A&D acquisitions and dispositions AECO Alberta Energy Company "C" Meter Station of the NOVA Pipeline System AIF refers to the Company's Annual Information Form dated March 18, 2024 bbl barrel bbls/d barrels per day bcf one billion cubic feet BOE barrels of oil equivalent BOE/d barrels of oil equivalent per day CA$ or CAD Canadian dollar DCET drilling, completion, equipping and tie-in capital expenditures DUC drilled, uncompleted well EUR estimated ultimate recovery GJ gigajoule H2 second half of the year or six month period ending December 31 Mbbl one thousand barrels MBOE one thousand barrels of oil equivalent mcf one thousand cubic feet mcf/d one thousand cubic feet per day MD&A refers to Management's Discussion and Analysis of the Company dated November 13, 2024 MMbtu one million British thermal units mmcf one million cubic feet mmcf/d one million cubic feet per day MM millions $MM millions of dollars MPa megapascal unit of pressure NGL(s) natural gas liquids NPV net present value NI 51-101 National Instrument 51-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Oil and Gas Activities nm "not meaningful", generally with reference to a percentage change NYMEX New York Mercantile Exchange, with reference to the U.S. dollar "Henry Hub" natural gas price index PDP proved developed producing reserves TP total proved reserves TPP total proved plus probable reserves TSXV TSX Venture Exchange US$ or USD United States dollar WTI West Texas Intermediate, the reference price paid in U.S. dollars at Cushing, Oklahoma for crude oil of standard grade SOURCE Logan Energy Corp. View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/November2024/26/c3742.html © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will not play Sunday and head coach Kyle Shanahan said the lingering discomfort is a concern. Purdy sat out Friday after he participated in the start of Thursday's practice with the 49ers, then retreated indoors for what Shanahan said was a treatment session. Brandon Allen, 32, will start in Purdy's place, and the 49ers are also without defensive end Nick Bosa (oblique). Shanahan said players believe in Allen, even if he's an unknown. "Outside of here people haven't seen a lot of Brandon. But it's his second year (with the 49ers)," Shanahan said. "Obviously guys want Brock up, but guys are excited to see Brandon play." Shanahan said they are "a little surprised" Purdy experienced tightness and discomfort in his shoulder after an MRI exam on Monday that showed no long-term cause for concern. "The way it responded this week, it's really up in the air for next week," Shanahan said of Purdy. Allen is familiar to Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, who was an assistant coach with the Rams during Allen's two-year run in Los Angeles. Allen broke into the NFL in 2016 with the Jaguars and is 2-7 in nine career starts. He went 1-2 with the Broncos in 2019 and 1-5 in six starts over two years with the Bengals in 2020 and ‘21. Shanahan said Allen's confidence grew throughout the week and he doesn't anticipate a major change in how he calls the offense. Left tackle Trent Williams (ankle) also missed practice for the third consecutive day. Without disclosing the nature of the ailment to Purdy's throwing shoulder, general manager John Lynch confirmed Friday an MRI exam took place to determine the severity of any injury. Allen worked with the first team most of Thursday and Friday with Joshua Dobbs also taking snaps. Lynch described Purdy's status for the 49ers (5-5) this week as "tenuous." "Hopefully, he makes progress, and we can have a shot at this weekend, but we'll see," Lynch said in an interview with KNBR in San Francisco. "I think it's tenuous." When Purdy was on the field this week, he primarily worked on the side in position-specific drills with QB coach Brian Griese. Williams played through an ankle injury last week after being listed as questionable but exited the stadium with an exaggerated limp on Sunday. Run game coordinator Chris Foerster said the 49ers aren't where they want to be at 5-5 because they haven't won close games, not because of injuries. "Seven games left is like an eternity," Foerster said. "So much can happen. Do the math. What was our record last year? It was 12-5. I was on a 13-win team that was nowhere near as good as the team last year." With or without Purdy, Foerster said the challenge for the 49ers is not to give up the ball to a defense that has 19 takeaways. The 49ers have 13 giveaways this season. --Field Level MediaTarkett leads effort to renovate respite center as part of Tarkett CaresActive investing fares well in small-cap space
A 27-year-old Chicago man faces felony and misdemeanor charges for allegedly taking part in the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. Patrick Gorski, 27, was arrested Thursday and charged with a felony count of obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder and four misdemeanor offenses: entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building. He was released pending trial, according to court documents. Gorski joins more than 50 other Illinois residents charged in relation to the insurrection, according to prosecutors with the Northern District Court of Illinois. Gorski attended the “Stop the Steal” rally before marching toward the Capitol building with others, prosecutors said. Wearing a “Make America Great Again” hoodie and hat, he climbed a wall onto the northwest stairs, taking selfies and helping other rioters remove tarps from the inaugural scaffolding and passing a bike rack to others in the mob. The group broke the police line while Gorski allegedly shouted “This is our house” and “Let us in,” before he made his way to the Lower West Terrace Tunnel, prosecutors said. He is then alleged to have entered again near the Senate Wing door at 3:14 p.m. before trying to re-enter the building through the East Rotunda Doors, though police kept him and others out. Gorski, who previously worked as a freelance photographer in Chicago, told investigators he hadn’t been at the riot but was in Washington sightseeing, according to court documents. He also said anyone who alleged he was there was only doing so because of his political views. In messages obtained by investigators, Gorski often shared election conspiracies and later discussed being there with friends, according to court documents. “Last time this happened it was done by the British in 1812 regardless this was one of the most historical things ever,” he wrote in a message to a friend Jan. 6, 2021. “Zero media covering it when it was actually happening [sic] I was the closest thing to a photographer there.” After at least four tips identified him as someone who had been part of the riot, he began messaging people he thought had sent the tips, according to court documents. “I did nothing wrong lol please put me in the select j6 committee [sic] to show it was people like you that gave up our country,” he said to a friend he believed gave the FBI tips on his whereabouts that day. “I don’t know what you thought you’d get out of it by submitting my name to a database when it is already public.” Another Illinois man charged in the attack, Theodore Middendorf of McLeansboro , has now sought to delay a guilty plea resulting from the riot. His lawyer argued that Trump’s election means “there will be an upcoming, likely significant, change in administration and uncertainty” around how such cases will play out. Trump has promised to pardon those who have been prosecuted for their role in the attack, which more than 50 Illinois residents were charged for. Contributing: Jon SeidelHarry Kane becomes the fastest player to score 50 goals in the Bundesliga
You have to admit, that really is very funny. After all the scribbling over the summer about how sporting directors are now arguably even more valued and sought after than head coaches, and after weeks of waiting for Dan Ashworth’s transformative move to Manchester United, he has ended up on the Old Trafford scrap heap in almost record time. Manchester United spent about as long waiting for Ashworth to be able to make the switch from Newcastle as he actually spent in the job itself, with the club mutually consenting Ashworth just five months after his arrival at the club. There are always significant missteps in the early days of any new ownership’s regime, and Ashworth has apparently quickly been seen as one of them by INEOS. Is that a kneejerk of immense proportions, or a swift, decisive action to correct an obvious mistake? Details are sketchy at the moment, which makes it difficult to say, but only time can bear out the truth in any case. Just look at United’s summer business, which was generally regarded as appropriate and sensible as the new Premier League season approached, but was quickly exposed as woefully deficient. READ: Ranking Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s mistakes at Man Utd: Disability budget cuts in at five The folly of their decision to hold onto Erik ten Hag was certainly pressed home by United’s poor early-season form. Ashworth has been on record to say he played no role at all in the decision to keep the Dutchman, and nor is it clear what his stance was on his dismissal at this stage. Nor is it clear at what point United had made up their minds that Ashworth would be given the heave-ho. It’s not uncommon for everyone at a club to be aware of an impending departure like that but to keep it closely under wraps; it does neither party any good to leak it. But the lack of Ashworth quotes on the club statement that announced Ruben Amorim’s arrival feels significant. This isn’t a ‘they can’t sell him because he’s on the club calendar’ kind of thing: such omissions are rarely done by accident. It’s a moment’s work to include them. Press officers often base those kinds of quotes off a quick one-minute phone call, or just write them on the quoted party’s behalf and get the sign-off by text or email. That makes their omission more likely to be purposeful than not. The club may have wanted Ashworth’s name nowhere near Amorim’s appointment, or Ashworth himself may not have wished to be associated with it; the early reporting suggests it may have been a little of both . Either way, both parties would have known there was an issue. Whatever that problem was, it is an undeniable setback for United that screams of their indecision about what they actually want to be. Ashworth’s appointment was meant to set them up for the longer-term future by giving them a level of certainty and cohesion that has been demonstrably lacking at the top of the club for years. United may see it differently, arguing that their decision to wield the axe so quickly is the clear and decisive act of a club that still knows the direction they want to go in and had found that Ashworth was not that. Amorim’s arrival may only have compounded that feeling and it’s possible they have an appointment in mind who they feel better aligns with his vision. Still...the whole point of hiring a sporting director is that they are meant to be more of a constant than the head coach, ensuring a cohesive through-line to the club’s thinking. It should not ideally work the other way round. INEOS might also argue that sticking with Ashworth despite feeling it was not working was the best thing to do, and that fear of embarrassment should be last on their list of priorities when they’re trying to rebuild themselves. United, as an institution, have been embarrassing enough for ten years without adding more to that by going down the wrong path just because of the optics of it – and god knows that club has held itself back because it has been more concerned with saving face and rarely admitting to a mistake than actually doing what is in their own best interest. Even then, you have to ask what had happened in those five months to lower his stock so considerably; they did not go through a protracted HR wrangle with Newcastle by accident. To effectively go with Amorim over Ashworth is a vote of enormous confidence in their new manager, but the wisdom of that will only become clear over time. Quite possibly, Ashworth’s face simply didn’t fit at United. It happens sometimes. Their weight is now well and truly behind the Ruben Amorim machine – and it has to pay off for them. MORE MAN UTD COVERAGE ON F365... 👉 Man Utd: Neville tells Amorim to copy Maresca’s strategy at Chelsea after Forest ‘mess’ 👉 Hargreaves names only Man Utd player who is now ‘undroppable’ after Forest defeat 👉 Ten of the greatest backheel goals, including Cristiano Ronaldo and iconic Arsenal pairTrump team signs agreement to allow Justice to conduct background checks on nominees, staff
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Donald Trump has yet to move back into the White House and already fissures are opening in his coalition, amid squabbling between Elon Musk and his Silicon Valley "tech bros" and his hardcore Republican backers. At the heart of the internecine sniping is Trump's central election issue -- immigration -- and the H1-B visas that allow companies to bring foreigners with specific qualifications to the United States. The permits are widely used in Silicon Valley, and Musk -- who himself came to the United States from South Africa on an H1-B -- is a fervent advocate. The world's richest man, who bankrolled Trump's election campaign and has become a close advisor, posted on X Thursday that welcoming elite engineering talent from abroad was "essential for America to keep winning." Vivek Ramaswamy, appointed by Trump as Musk's co-chair on a new advisory board on government efficiency, suggested that companies prefer foreign workers because they lack an "American culture," which he said venerates mediocrity. "A culture that celebrates the prom queen over the math olympiad champ, or the jock over the valedictorian, will not produce the best engineers," he posted, warning that, without a change in attitude, "we'll have our asses handed to us by China." Skepticism over the benefits of immigration is a hallmark of Trump's "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) movement and the billionaires' remarks angered immigration hawks who accused them of ignoring US achievements in technological innovation. Incoming White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller posted a 2020 speech in which Trump marveled at the American "culture" that had "harnessed electricity, split the atom, and gave the world the telephone and the Internet." The post appeared calculated to remind critics that Trump won November's election on a platform of getting tough on immigration and boosting American manufacturing. But it was Michael Faraday, an English scientist, who discovered that an electric current could be produced by passing a magnet through a copper wire and Ernest Rutherford, a New Zealander, who first split the atom. And Alexander Graham Bell may have died a US citizen but he was a British subject in Canada when he invented the telephone. Trump voiced opposition to H1-B visas during his successful first run for the White House in 2016, calling them "unfair for our workers" while acknowledging that he used foreign labor in his own businesses. The Republican placed restrictions on the system when he took office, but the curbs were lifted by President Joe Biden. Trump is known for enjoying the gladiatorial spectacle when conflict breaks out in his inner circle. He has been conspicuously silent during the hostilities that Politico characterized as "Musk vs MAGA." Many MAGA figures have been agitating for a complete closure of America's borders while the problem of illegal entries is tackled, and hoping for a steer from Trump that would reassure them that he remains firm in his "America First" stance. For some long-time loyalists, Silicon Valley has already inserted itself too deeply into MAGA politics. "We welcomed the tech bros when they came running our way to avoid the 3rd grade teacher picking their kid's gender -- and the obvious Biden/Harris economic decline," said Matt Gaetz, the scandal-hit congressman forced to withdraw after being nominated by Trump to run the Justice Department. "We did not ask them to engineer an immigration policy." When Musk almost single-handedly blew up a deal painstakingly hammered out between Democrats and Republicans to set the 2025 federal budget, Democrats used "President Musk" to mock Trump, who is famously sensitive about being upstaged. It remains to be seen whether these cracks can be smoothed out or if they are a portent of further strife, but critics point to the chaos in Trump's first term as a potential indicator. "Looking forward to the inevitable divorce between President Trump and Big Tech," said far-right conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer, a MAGA figure with so much influence that she had a seat on Trump's plane during the campaign. "We have to protect President Trump from the technocrats." Loomer has subsequently complained of censorship after she was stripped of her paying subscribers on X, which is owned by Musk. "Full censorship of my account simply because I called out H1B visas," she posted. "This is anti-American behavior by tech oligarchs. What happened to free speech?" rle/ft/sms
NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers formally asked a judge Monday to throw out his hush money criminal conviction , arguing that 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 anything short of immediate dismissal would undermine the transition of power, as well as the “overwhelming national mandate" granted to Trump by voters last month. They also cited President Joe Biden’s recent pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, who had been convicted of tax and gun charges . People are also reading... “President Biden asserted that his son was ‘selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted,’ and ‘treated differently,’" Trump’s legal team wrote. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, 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 a willingness to delay the 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 his conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier. He says they did not and denies any wrongdoing. 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. Taking a swipe at Bragg and New York City, as Trump often did throughout the trial, the filing argues that dismissal would also benefit the public by giving him and “the numerous prosecutors assigned to this case a renewed opportunity to put an end to deteriorating conditions in the City and to protect its residents from violent crime.” Clearing Trump, the lawyers added, would also allow him to “to devote all of his energy to protecting the Nation.” Merchan hasn’t yet set a timetable for a decision. He could 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. An outright dismissal of the New York case would further lift a legal cloud that at one point carried the prospect of derailing Trump’s political future. Last week, special counsel Jack Smith told courts that he was withdrawing both federal cases against Trump — one charging him with hoarding classified documents at his Florida estate, the other with scheming to overturn the 2020 presidential election he lost — citing longstanding Justice Department policy that shields a president from indictment while in office. The hush money case was the only one of Trump’s four criminal indictments to go to trial, resulting in a historic verdict that made him the first former president to be convicted of a crime. Prosecutors had 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 said the payments to Cohen were properly categorized as legal expenses for legal work. A month after the verdict, the Supreme Court ruled that ex-presidents can’t be prosecuted for official acts — things they did in the course of running the country — and that prosecutors can’t cite those actions to bolster a case centered on purely personal, unofficial conduct. Trump’s lawyers cited the ruling to argue that the hush money jury got some improper evidence, such as Trump’s presidential financial disclosure form, testimony from some White House aides and social media posts made during his first term. Prosecutors disagreed and said the evidence in question was only “a sliver” of their case. If the verdict stands and the case proceeds to sentencing, Trump’s punishments would range from a fine to probation to up to four years in prison — but it’s unlikely he’d spend any time behind bars for a first-time conviction involving charges in the lowest tier of felonies. Because it is a state case, Trump would not be able to pardon himself once he returns to office. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump on Sunday pushed Russian leader Vladimir Putin to act to reach an immediate ceasefire with Ukraine, describing it as part of his active efforts as president-elect to end the war despite being weeks from taking office. “Zelenskyy and Ukraine would like to make a deal and stop the madness," Trump wrote on social media, referring to Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In a television interview that aired Sunday, Trump also said he would be open to reducing military aid to Ukraine and pulling the United States out of NATO . Those are two threats that have alarmed Ukraine, NATO allies and many in the U.S. national security community. Asked on NBC's “Meet the Press” if he were actively working to end the nearly 3-year-old Ukraine war, Trump said, “I am.” He refused to say if he had spoken to Putin since winning election in November. “I don’t want to say anything about that, because I don’t want to do anything that could impede the negotiation,” Trump said. Trump's call for an immediate ceasefire went beyond the public policy stands taken by the Biden administration and Ukraine and drew a cautious response from Zelenskyy. It also marks Trump wading unusually deeply into efforts before his Jan. 20 inauguration to resolve one of the major global crises facing the lame-duck Biden administration. Trump made his proposal after a weekend meeting in Paris with French and Ukrainian leaders in Paris, where many world leaders gathered to celebrate the restoration of Notre Dame cathedral after a devastating fire. None of the advisers traveling with him appeared to have expertise on Ukraine. Kyiv would like to close a deal, Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. “There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations should begin.” “I know Vladimir well. This is his time to act. China can help. The World is waiting!” Trump added. He was referring to mediation efforts by China that many in the West have seen as favoring Russia. Zelenskyy described his discussions Saturday with Trump, brought together by French President Emmanuel Macron, as “constructive" but has given no further details. Zelenskyy cautioned that Ukraine needs a “just and robust peace, that Russians will not destroy within a few years.” “When we talk about an effective peace with Russia, we must talk first of all about effective peace guarantees. Ukrainians want peace more than anyone else. Russia brought war to our land,” he said Sunday in a post on the Telegram messaging app. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded to Trump's post by repeating Moscow’s long-standing message that it is open to talks with Ukraine. Peskov referenced a decree by Zelenskyy from October 2022 that declared the prospect of any talks “impossible” as long as Putin was Russia's leader. That decree came after Putin proclaimed four occupied regions of Ukraine to be part of Russia, in what Kyiv and the West said was a clear violation of Ukrainian sovereignty. Trump’s former national security adviser, retired Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, warned there was no such thing as a quick fix to ending Russia’s war with Ukraine. “What I’m worried about is this kind of flawed idea that Putin can be placated, right, that Putin will come to some kind of a deal,” McMaster told “Fox News Sunday." “I think it’s really important for President Trump to adhere to his instinct in this connection ... peace through strength,” McMaster said, adding, “How about give them what they need to defend themselves, and then saying to Putin, ‘You’re going to lose this war?”’ While Trump has said before that he would like to see a quick ceasefire in Ukraine, his proposal Sunday was framed as a direct appeal to Russia. The quick responses from Ukraine and Russia demonstrated the seriousness with which they regarded the idea from the incoming American president. Both Trump and President Joe Biden pointed this weekend to Russia’s disengagement in Syria , where the Russian military largely moved out of the way while Syrian rebels overthrew the country’s Russian-allied president , as evidence of the extent to which the Ukraine war has sapped Russia’s resources. Biden said at the White House on Sunday that resistance from Ukraine had "left Russia unable to protect its main ally in the Middle East.” The Biden administration and other supporters of Ukraine have made a point of not being seen to press Ukraine for an immediate truce. Ukraine's allies fear a quick deal would be largely on the terms of its more powerful neighbor, potentially forcing damaging concessions on Ukraine and allowing Russia to resume the war again once it has built back up its military strength. Trump portrays himself as up to making fast deals to resolve conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East that have frustrated many of the Biden administration's own mediation efforts. There is no prohibition on incoming officials or nominees meeting with foreign officials, and it is common and fine for them to do so — unless those meetings are designed to subvert or otherwise affect current U.S. policy. The Logan Act bars private citizens from trying to intervene in “disputes or controversies” between the United States and foreign powers without government approval. But the 1799 statute has produced just two criminal cases, none since the 1850s and neither resulting in a criminal conviction. In the NBC interview taped Friday, Trump renewed his warning to NATO allies that he did not see continued U.S. participation in the Western military alliance as a given during his second term. Trump has long complained that European and the Canadian governments in the mutual-defense bloc are freeloading on military spending by the U.S., by far the most powerful partner in NATO. NATO and its member governments say a majority of countries in the bloc are now hitting voluntary targets for military spending , due in part to pressure from Trump in his first term. Asked whether he would consider the possibility of pulling out of NATO, Trump indicated that was an open question. “If they’re paying their bills, and if I think they’re treating us fairly, the answer is absolutely I’d stay with NATO,” he said. But if not, he was asked if he would consider pulling the U.S. out of the alliance. Trump responded, “Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely.” Trump expressed the same openness when asked if Ukraine should brace for possible cuts in U.S. aid. “Possibly,” he said. U.S. arms and other military support are vital to Ukraine's efforts to fend off invading Russian forces, and Biden has been surging assistance to Ukraine before leaving office. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Saturday announced nearly $1 billion more in longer-term weapons support to Ukraine. Austin spoke to his Ukrainian counterpart Sunday about the status of the war and U.S. military backing, the Pentagon said. Russian forces kept up their grinding advance in eastern Ukraine, taking the village of Blahodatne, according to a statement Sunday by Russia’s defense ministry. If confirmed, that gain would bring Russian forces a step closer toward capturing the town of Velyka Novosilka and disrupting a key logistics route for the Ukrainian army, military analysts said. Kozlowska reported from London. Associated Press writer Jill Colvin in New York and AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report.