WASHINGTON — Donald Trump said he can't guarantee his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won't raise prices for American consumers and suggested once more that some political rivals and federal officials who pursued legal cases against him should be imprisoned. The president-elect, in a wide-ranging interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" that aired Sunday, also touched on monetary policy, immigration, abortion and health care, and U.S. involvement in Ukraine, Israel and elsewhere. Trump often mixed declarative statements with caveats, at one point cautioning "things do change." Here's a look at some of the issues covered: President-elect Donald Trump takes the stage before he speaks at the FOX Nation Patriot Awards, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Greenvale, N.Y. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa) Trump threatened broad trade penalties, but said he didn't believe economists' predictions that added costs on those imported goods for American companies would lead to higher domestic prices for consumers. He stopped short of a pledge that U.S. an households won't be paying more as they shop. "I can't guarantee anything. I can't guarantee tomorrow," Trump said, seeming to open the door to accepting the reality of how import levies typically work as goods reach the retail market. That's a different approach from Trump's typical speeches throughout the 2024 campaign, when he framed his election as a sure way to curb inflation. In the interview, Trump defended tariffs generally, saying that tariffs are "going to make us rich." He has pledged that, on his first day in office in January, he would impose 25% tariffs on all goods imported from Mexico and Canada unless those countries satisfactorily stop illegal immigration and the flow of illegal drugs such as fentanyl into the United States. He also has threatened tariffs on China to help force that country to crack down on fentanyl production. "All I want to do is I want to have a level, fast, but fair playing field," Trump said. He offered conflicting statements on how he would approach the justice system after winning election despite being convicted of 34 felonies in a New York state court and being indicted in other cases for his handling of national security secrets and efforts to overturn his 2020 loss to Democrat Joe Biden. "Honestly, they should go to jail," Trump said of members of Congress who investigated the Capitol riot by his supporters who wanted him to remain in power. The president-elect underscored his contention that he can use the justice system against others, including special prosecutor Jack Smith, who led the case on Trump's role in the siege on Jan. 6, 2021. Trump confirmed his plan to pardon supporters who were convicted for their roles in the riot, saying he would take that action on his first day in office. As for the idea of revenge driving potential prosecutions, Trump said: "I have the absolute right. I'm the chief law enforcement officer, you do know that. I'm the president. But I'm not interested in that." At the same time, Trump singled out lawmakers on a special House committee who investigated the insurrection, citing Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo. "Cheney was behind it ... so was Bennie Thompson and everybody on that committee," Trump said. Asked specifically whether he would direct his administration to pursue cases, he said, "No," and suggested he did not expect the FBI to quickly undertake investigations into his political enemies. At another point, Trump said he would leave the matter up to Pam Bondi, his pick as attorney general. "I want her to do what she wants to do," he said. Such threats, regardless of Trump's inconsistencies, have been taken seriously enough by many top Democrats that Biden is considering issuing blanket, preemptive pardons to protect key members of his outgoing administration. Trump did seemingly back off his campaign rhetoric calling for Biden to be investigated, saying, "I'm not looking to go back into the past." Immigration advocates hold a rally in Sacramento, Calif. on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, to protest President-Elect Donald Trump's plans to conduct mass deportation of immigrants without legal status. (AP Photo/Haven Daley) Trump repeatedly mentioned his promises to seal the U.S.-Mexico border and deport millions of people who are in the U.S. illegally through a mass deportation program. "I think you have to do it," he said. He suggested he would try to use executive action to end "birthright" citizenship under which people born in the U.S. are considered citizens — though such protections are spelled out in the Constitution. Asked specifically about the future for people who were brought into the country illegally as children and were shielded from deportation in recent years, Trump said, "I want to work something out," indicating he might seek a solution with Congress. But Trump also said he does not "want to be breaking up families" of mixed legal status, "so the only way you don't break up the family is you keep them together and you have to send them all back." President-elect Donald Trump shakes hands with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Notre Dame Cathedral as France's iconic cathedral is formally reopening its doors for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark in 2019, Saturday Dec.7, 2024 in Paris ( Ludovic Marin, Pool via AP) Long a critic of NATO members for not spending more on their own defense, Trump said he "absolutely" would remain in the alliance "if they pay their bills." Pressed on whether he would withdraw if he were dissatisfied with allies' commitments, Trump said he wants the U.S. treated "fairly" on trade and defense. He waffled on a NATO priority of containing Russia and President Vladimir Putin. Trump suggested Ukraine should prepare for less U.S. aid in its defense against Putin's invasion. "Possibly. Yeah, probably. Sure," Trump said of reducing Ukraine assistance from Washington. Separately, Trump called for an immediate cease-fire. Asked about Putin, Trump said initially that he has not talked to the Russian leader since Election Day last month, but then hedged. "I haven't spoken to him recently," Trump said when pressed, adding that he did not want to "impede the negotiation." Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell speaks during a news conference at the Federal Reserve in Washington, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) The president-elect said he has no intention, at least for now, of asking Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to step down before Powell's term ends in 2028. Trump said during the campaign that presidents should have more say in Fed policy, including interest rates. Trump did not offer any job assurances for FBI Director Christopher Wray, whose term is to end in 2027. Asked about Wray, Trump said: "Well, I mean, it would sort of seem pretty obvious" that if the Senate confirms Kash Patel as Trump's pick for FBI chief, then "he's going to be taking somebody's place, right? Somebody is the man that you're talking about." Trump promised that the government efficiency effort led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will not threaten Social Security. "We're not touching Social Security, other than we make it more efficient," he said. He added that "we're not raising ages or any of that stuff." He was not so specific about abortion or his long-promised overhaul of the Affordable Care Act. On abortion, Trump continued his inconsistencies and said he would "probably" not move to restrict access to the abortion pills that now account for a majority of pregnancy terminations, according to the Guttmacher Institute, which supports abortion rights. But pressed on whether he would commit to that position, Trump replied, "Well, I commit. I mean, are — things do — things change. I think they change." Reprising a line from his Sept. 10 debate against Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump again said he had "concepts" of a plan to substitute for the 2010 Affordable Care Act, which he called "lousy health care." He added a promise that any Trump version would maintain insurance protections for Americans with preexisting health conditions. He did not explain how such a design would be different from the status quo or how he could deliver on his desire for "better health care for less money." Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Kash Patel spent several years as a Justice Department prosecutor before catching the Trump administration’s attention as a staffer on Capitol Hill who helped investigate the Russia probe. Patel called for dramatically reducing the agency’s footprint, a perspective that sets him apart from earlier directors who sought additional resources for the bureau. Though the Justice Department in 2021 halted the practice of secretly seizing reporters’ phone records during leak investigations, Patel said he intends to aggressively hunt down government officials who leak information to reporters. Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Trump said Atkins, the CEO of Patomak Partners and a former SEC commissioner, was a “proven leader for common sense regulations.” In the years since leaving the SEC, Atkins has made the case against too much market regulation. “He believes in the promise of robust, innovative capital markets that are responsive to the needs of Investors, & that provide capital to make our Economy the best in the World. He also recognizes that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The commission oversees U.S. securities markets and investments and is currently led by Gary Gensler, who has been leading the U.S. government’s crackdown on the crypto industry. Gensler, who was nominated by President Joe Biden, announced last month that he would be stepping down from his post on the day that Trump is inaugurated — Jan. 20, 2025. Atkins began his career as a lawyer and has a long history working in the financial markets sector, both in government and private practice. In the 1990s, he worked on the staffs of two former SEC chairmen, Richard C. Breeden and Arthur Levitt. Jared Isaacman, 41, is a tech billionaire who bought a series of spaceflights from Elon Musk’s SpaceX and conducted the first private spacewalk . He is the founder and CEO of a card-processing company and has collaborated closely with Musk ever since buying his first chartered SpaceX flight. He took contest winners on that 2021 trip and followed it in September with a mission where he briefly popped out the hatch to test SpaceX’s new spacewalking suits. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. President-elect Donald Trump tapped former Sen. David Perdue of Georgia to be ambassador to China, saying in a social media post that the former CEO “brings valuable expertise to help build our relationship with China.” Perdue lost his Senate seat to Democrat Jon Ossoff four years ago and ran unsuccessfully in a primary against Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Perdue pushed Trump's debunked lies about electoral fraud during his failed bid for governor. A Republican congressman from Michigan who served from 1993 to 2011, Hoekstra was ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term. “In my Second Term, Pete will help me once again put AMERICA FIRST,” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice. “He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role.” Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump said Wednesday that he will nominate Gen. Keith Kellogg to serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as National Security Advisor to Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence. For the America First Policy Institute, one of several groups formed after Trump left office to help lay the groundwork for the next Republican administration, Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Customs and Border Protection, with its roughly 60,000 employees, falls under the Department of Homeland Security. It includes the Border Patrol, which Rodney Scott led during Trump's first term, and is essentially responsible for protecting the country's borders while facilitating trade and travel. Scott comes to the job firmly from the Border Patrol side of the house. He became an agent in 1992 and spent much of his career in San Diego. When he was appointed head of the border agency in January 2020, he enthusiastically embraced Trump's policies. After being forced out under the Biden administration, Scott has been a vocal supporter of Trump's hard-line immigration agenda. He appeared frequently on Fox News and testified in Congress. He's also a senior fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Former Rep. Billy Long represented Missouri in the U.S. House from 2011 to 2023. Since leaving Congress, Trump said, Long “has worked as a Business and Tax advisor, helping Small Businesses navigate the complexities of complying with the IRS Rules and Regulations.” Former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler was appointed in January 2020 by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and then lost a runoff election a year later. She started a conservative voter registration organization and dived into GOP fundraising, becoming one of the top individual donors and bundlers to Trump’s 2024 comeback campaign. Even before nominating her for agriculture secretary, the president-elect already had tapped Loeffler as co-chair of his inaugural committee. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. James Blair, deputy chief of staff Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Marty Makary, Food and Drug Administration Makary is a Johns Hopkins surgeon and author who argued against pandemic lockdowns. He routinely appeared on Fox News during the COVID-19 pandemic and wrote opinion articles questioning masks for children. He cast doubt on vaccine mandates but supported vaccines generally. Makary also cast doubt on whether booster shots worked, which was against federal recommendations on the vaccine. Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, Surgeon General Nesheiwat is a general practitioner who serves as medical director for CityMD, a network of urgent care centers in New York and New Jersey. She has been a contributor to Fox News. Dr. Dave Weldon, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Weldon is a former Florida congressman who recently ran for a Florida state legislative seat and lost; Trump backed Weldon’s opponent. In Congress, Weldon weighed in on one of the nation’s most heated debates of the 1990s over quality of life and a right-to-die and whether Terri Schiavo, who was in a persistent vegetative state after cardiac arrest, should have been allowed to have her feeding tube removed. He sided with the parents who did not want it removed. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.Technology Can Transform Tourism – Minister BartlettConor McGregor lost a civil rape case. Will it harm his earnings or UFC career?
Percentages: FG .540, FT .720. 3-Point Goals: 11-23, .478 (Lilly 5-9, Erold 3-6, Lesburt 2-4, Cooley 1-3, Wrisby-Jefferson 0-1). Team Rebounds: 1. Team Turnovers: 1. Blocked Shots: 5 (Cooley 2, DeGraaf, Erold, Lilly). Turnovers: 10 (Jenkins 2, Lewis 2, Wrisby-Jefferson 2, Cooley, Erold, Lesburt, Lilly). Steals: 3 (Lesburt, Lilly, Wrisby-Jefferson). Technical Fouls: None. Percentages: FG .509, FT .833. 3-Point Goals: 8-19, .421 (Palesse 3-3, Benard 2-2, van der Plas 1-1, Kopa 1-4, Godfrey 1-5, Sangha 0-1, Thompson 0-1, McMillan 0-2). Team Rebounds: 6. Team Turnovers: 1. Blocked Shots: 1 (Kopa). Turnovers: 10 (Benard 3, McMillan 2, Sangha 2, Godfrey, Palesse, van der Plas). Steals: 5 (Benard 2, Kopa, McMillan, van der Plas). Technical Fouls: None. A_953 (2,176).
North-East Gateway To Vast Southeast Asian Markets, Scindia Tells InvestorsPope Francis will visit the French Mediterranean island of Corsica in December, days after skipping the reopening of Paris's Notre Dame Cathedral which was ravaged by a fire in 2019, the Vatican said Saturday. Francis, 87, declined an invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron to attend the Notre Dame reopening ceremony in Paris on December 7. He will however head to Corsica's capital Ajaccio for a conference on the Catholic faith in the Mediterranean one week later on December 15, the Vatican said. Some French bishops were "annoyed" by the pope's decision to stay away from the Notre Dame gala, according to one bishop speaking on condition of anonymity. But the head of the Bishops' Conference of France (CEF) Archbishop Eric de Moulins-Beaufort said: "The star of the Notre Dame reopening ceremony is Notre Dame itself." The pope had not wanted his presence to be a distraction from the essential point of the occasion, he added. "It's not a snub aimed at France," said another bishop. Francis's one-day trip to Corsica will be the first papal visit to the island, where 90 percent of its 350,000 population is Catholic, according to the local Church, and religious traditions remain deeply rooted. He will give two speeches, preside over a mass and meet Macron during his nine hours on the island, the Vatican said. "It is a historic event, we will give ourselves the extraordinary means to put on an exceptional welcome for the Holy Father," said Bishop of Ajaccio Francois-Xavier Bustillo said in a video posted on social media. Francis, who will celebrate his 88th birthday on December 17, has been to France twice since becoming head of the worldwide Catholic Church in 2013. He visited Strasbourg in 2014, where he addressed the European Parliament, and last year went to Marseille for a meeting of Mediterranean area bishops, where he met Macron. He has yet to make a state visit to France, one of Europe's main majority-Catholic countries. He is also yet to make state visits to Spain, the United Kingdom or Germany. The Argentine pontiff prefers visiting smaller or less established Catholic communities, from Malta to Mongolia. The Corsica visit was championed by the popular media-friendly Bustillo, who was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in September 2023. "It will not be a state visit, but a pastoral visit. It will be a beautiful moment, a moment of hope and joy," he told AFP. In addition, the head of the Catholic Church is scheduled to be at the Vatican on December 7-8 for a service at which he will create 21 new cardinals. Rescheduling appointments over coming months would appear to be tricky, given the multitude of events due to take place in Rome in 2025, a Catholic jubilee year. Bustillo is one of the active cardinals Francis has appointed in the Mediterranean region, with the pope keen they "work together to meet the specific challenges of the area", a bishop told AFP on condition of anonymity. Those issues include migration, global warming and interreligious dialogue. Corsica will be the 47th overseas visit for Francis and his third this year, after a long tour of the Asia Pacific in early September and a trip to Belgium and Luxembourg the same month. cmk-bur/tw/jm
Power couple: green energy, gas giant bet on renewablesCHANTILLY, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 16, 2024-- Amentum Holdings, Inc. (“Amentum” or the “Company”) (NYSE: AMTM), a leading advanced engineering and technology company, today announced results for the fiscal year ended September 27, 2024, and affirmed its outlook for fiscal year 2025. “We reported strong results for fiscal year 2024, delivering top-line and bottom-line growth,” commented Amentum Chief Executive Officer John Heller. “2024 was a significant year in our Company’s history, culminating in the merger of Amentum with Jacobs’ Critical Mission Solutions and Cyber & Intelligence businesses to create one of the strongest advanced engineering and technology companies in the industry. Today, over two months since the merger, we continue to be excited about the combined strength of these two historic businesses. We have transformed Amentum into a larger, more diversified company with broader customer reach and capabilities to deliver greater value to the world’s most complex challenges. In fiscal year 2025 we already see positive momentum and are confident in our outlook.” Revenues $8,388 $7,865 7% Operating income $291 $57 Net loss $(82) $(314) Diluted loss per share $(0.90) $(3.49) Pro Forma Revenues $13,858 $13,371 4% Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDA 1 $1,052 $986 7% Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDA Margin 1 7.6% 7.4% +20 bps Pro Forma Adjusted Net Income 1 $489 $453 8% Pro Forma Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share (EPS) 1 $2.01 $1.86 8% 1 – Non-GAAP financial measures should be considered in addition to, but not as a substitute for, the information provided in accordance with GAAP. Management believes that these non-GAAP measures provide another measure of Amentum’s results of operations and financial condition, including its ability to comply with financial covenants. See Unaudited Pro Forma Non-GAAP Financial Measures at the end of this press release for more information and a reconciliation of our selected reported results to these non-GAAP measures. GAAP Results GAAP revenues, which exclude Jacobs' Critical Mission Solutions and Cyber & Intelligence (CMS) businesses, increased 7% year-over-year driven by new contract awards and growth on existing programs. GAAP operating income increased primarily as a result of a non-cash impairment charge that was recognized during fiscal year 2023. Operating income also benefited from reduced intangible amortization expense and the higher revenue volume. GAAP net loss and diluted loss per share improved year-over-year due to the higher operating income and a gain on the acquisition of a controlling interest, partially offset by higher interest expense and a loss on extinguishment of debt. Pro Forma and Non-GAAP Results Pro forma revenues, which include the results of CMS prepared in accordance with the requirements of Article 11 of Regulation S-X, increased 4% year-over-year driven by new contract awards and growth on existing programs partially offset by the expected ramp-down of other historical programs. Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDA increased 7% year-over-year primarily due to the higher revenue volume and improved operating performance. Pro Forma Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share increased due to the higher operating income partially offset by increased tax expense. As of September 27, 2024, the Company had a total backlog of $45.0 billion, compared with $26.8 billion a year ago, an increase of $18.2 billion primarily due the addition of backlog from CMS. Funded backlog as of September 27, 2024 was $7.6 billion. Notable Fiscal Year 2024 Awards Amentum affirms its fiscal year 2025 guidance originally presented at Capital Markets Day on August 13, 2024 and provides Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share (EPS) guidance. Revenues $13,800 - $14,200 Adjusted EBITDA 1 $1,060 - $1,100 Adjusted Diluted EPS 1 $2.00 - $2.20 Free Cash Flow 1 $475 - $525 1 – Represents a Non-GAAP financial measure - see the related explanations included elsewhere in this release. Amentum does not provide a reconciliation of forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures due to the inherent difficulty in forecasting and quantifying certain significant items. These items are uncertain, depend on various factors and could have a material impact on GAAP reported results for the relevant period. Amentum will host a conference call beginning at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time on Tuesday, December 17, 2024 to discuss the results for the fiscal year ended September 27, 2024. The conference call will be webcast simultaneously to the public through a link on the Investor Relations section of the Amentum website at . After the call concludes, a replay of the webcast can be accessed on the Investor Relations website. Amentum is a global leader in advanced engineering and innovative technology solutions, trusted by the United States and its allies to address their most significant and complex challenges in science, security and sustainability. Our people apply undaunted curiosity, relentless ambition and boundless imagination to challenge convention and drive progress. Our commitments are underpinned by the belief that safety, inclusion and well-being are integral to success. Headquartered in Chantilly, Virginia, we have more than 53,000 employees in approximately 80 countries. Visit us at to learn how we advance the future together. This release contains or incorporates by reference statements that relate to future events and expectations and, as such, could be interpreted to be “forward-looking statements” as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements may be characterized by terminology such as “believe,” “project,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “outlook,” “target,” “endeavor,” “seek,” “predict,” “intend,” “strategy,” “plan,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including projections of financial performance; statements of plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations; any statement concerning developments, performance or industry rankings relating to products or services; any statements regarding future economic conditions or performance; any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing; and any other statements that address activities, events or developments that the Company intends, expects, projects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such plans, estimates or expectations include, among others: changes in U.S. or global economic, financial, business and political conditions, including changes to governmental budgetary priorities; our ability to comply with the various procurement and other laws and regulations; risks associated with contracts with governmental entities; reviews and audits by the U.S. government and others; changes to our professional reputation and relationship with government agencies; the occurrence of an accident or safety incident; the ability of the Company to control costs, meet performance requirements or contractual schedules, compete effectively or implement its business strategy; the ability of the Company to retain and hire key personnel, and retain and engage key customers and suppliers; the failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the 2024 transaction with Jacobs Solutions Inc.; potential liabilities associated with shareholder litigation or other settlements or investigations; evolving legal, regulatory and tax regimes; and other factors set forth under Item 1A, Risk Factors in the annual report on Form 10-K (the “Annual Report”), and from time to time in documents that we file with the SEC. The above list of factors is not exhaustive or necessarily in order of importance. For additional information on identifying factors that may cause actual results to vary materially from those stated in forward-looking statements, see the discussions under the section entitled “Risk Factors” in the Annual Report. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and we assume no obligation to update or revise such statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. This release includes the presentation and discussion of pro forma financial information that incorporates the results of CMS prepared in accordance with the requirements of Article 11 of Regulation S-X. This release also includes the presentation and discussion of Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDA, Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDA Margin, Pro Forma Adjusted Net Income, Pro Forma Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share, and Free Cash Flow, which are not measures of financial performance under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in the United States (“GAAP”). These pro forma and non-GAAP measures should be considered only as supplements to, and should not be considered in isolation or used as substitutes for, financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP. Management of the Company believes these pro forma and non-GAAP measures, when read in conjunction with the Company’s financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP and, where applicable, the reconciliations herein to the most directly comparable GAAP measures, provide useful information to management, investors and other users of the Company’s financial information in evaluating operating results and understanding operating trends by adjusting for the effects of items we do not consider to be indicative of the Company’s ongoing performance, the inclusion of which can obscure underlying trends. Additionally, management of the Company uses such measures in its evaluation of business performance, particularly when comparing performance to past periods, and believes these measures are useful for investors because they facilitate a comparison of financial results from period to period. The computation of pro forma and non-GAAP measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies, thus limiting their use for comparability. Definitions of applicable non-GAAP measures and reconciliations to the most directly comparable GAAP measures are provided elsewhere in this release. Cost of revenues (2,013 ) (1,894 ) (7,590 ) (7,083 ) Selling, general, and administrative expenses (137 ) (99 ) (353 ) (297 ) Amortization of intangibles (57 ) (74 ) (228 ) (298 ) Equity earnings of non-consolidated subsidiaries 22 10 74 56 Goodwill impairment charges — — — (186 ) Interest expense and other, net (108 ) (112 ) (438 ) (397 ) Loss on extinguishment of debt (42 ) — (45 ) — Gain on acquisition of controlling interest 69 — 69 — Benefit for income taxes 76 9 40 19 Less: net loss attributable to non-controlling interests 4 17 1 7 Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 452 $ 305 Accounts receivable, net 2,401 1,440 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 231 186 Total current assets 3,084 1,931 Property and equipment, net 144 85 Equity method investments 123 104 Goodwill 5,556 2,891 Intangible assets, net 2,623 988 Other long-term assets 444 414 Total assets $ 11,974 $ 6,413 Current liabilities: Current portion of long-term debt $ 36 $ 45 Accounts payable 764 560 Accrued compensation and benefits 696 369 Contract liabilities 113 120 Other current liabilities 356 282 Total current liabilities 1,965 1,376 Long-term debt, net of current portion 4,643 4,067 Deferred tax liabilities 370 141 Other long-term liabilities 444 413 Total liabilities 7,422 5,997 Common stock, $0.01 par value – 1,000,000,000 shares authorized and 243,302,173 shares issued and outstanding at September 27, 2024; no shares authorized, issued or outstanding at September 29, 2023. 2 — Additional paid-in capital 4,962 772 Retained deficit (527 ) (445 ) Accumulated other comprehensive income 23 48 Total Amentum shareholders' equity 4,460 375 Non-controlling interests 92 41 Total shareholders' equity 4,552 416 Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 11,974 $ 6,413 Net income (loss) $ 22 $ (23 ) $ (83 ) $ (321 ) Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities: Depreciation 6 7 23 27 Amortization of intangibles 57 74 228 298 Amortization of deferred loan costs and original issue discount 6 5 22 21 Goodwill impairment charges — — — 186 Derivative instruments 3 16 37 21 Equity earnings of non-consolidated subsidiaries (22 ) (10 ) (74 ) (56 ) Distributions from equity method investments 15 7 61 49 Deferred income taxes (98 ) (43 ) (115 ) (62 ) Equity-based compensation 15 — 18 3 Gain on acquisition of controlling interest (69 ) — (69 ) — Other 8 (1 ) 14 2 Changes in assets and liabilities, net of effects of business acquisition: Accounts receivable, net 52 (36 ) 81 (68 ) Prepaid expenses and other assets 8 49 78 56 Accounts payable, contract liabilities, and other current liabilities (100 ) 109 (211 ) (24 ) Accrued employee compensation and benefits (14 ) (40 ) 43 (82 ) Other long-term liabilities (2 ) 18 (6 ) 17 Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities (113 ) 132 47 67 Acquisitions, net of cash acquired 488 — 488 — Purchase of property and equipment (4 ) (4 ) (11 ) (12 ) Contributions to equity method investments (1 ) (1 ) (1 ) (17 ) Return of capital from equity method investments — — — 14 Other — — (1 ) (2 ) Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities 483 (5 ) 475 (17 ) Borrowings on revolving credit facilities — 234 562 1,201 Payments on revolving credit facilities — (234 ) (562 ) (1,201 ) Proceeds from borrowing under the term loans 2,620 — 2,620 — Repayments of borrowings under the credit agreement (4,002 ) (9 ) (4,177 ) (34 ) Proceeds from issuance of Senior Notes 1,000 — 1,000 — Payments of debt issuance fees (38 ) — (38 ) — Proceeds from borrowings under other agreements — — 1 5 Repayments of borrowings under other agreements (3 ) (3 ) (13 ) (67 ) Capital contribution 235 — 235 — Capital contribution from non-controlling interest — — — 13 Distributions to non-controlling interests (4 ) (1 ) (6 ) (24 ) Other (1 ) (2 ) (4 ) (5 ) Net cash used in financing activities (193 ) (15 ) (382 ) (112 ) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash 4 (2 ) 7 1 Net change in cash and cash equivalents 181 110 147 (61 ) Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 271 195 305 366 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 452 $ 305 $ 452 $ 305 The presentation and discussion of Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDA, Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDA Margin, Pro Forma Adjusted Net Income, Pro Forma Adjusted Diluted EPS, and Free Cash Flow are not measures of financial performance under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in the United States (“GAAP”). These non-GAAP measures should be considered only as supplements to, and should not be considered in isolation or used as a substitute for, financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP. Management believes these non-GAAP measures, when read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP and the reconciliations herein to the most directly comparable GAAP measures, provide useful information in assessing trends in our ongoing operating performance and may provide greater visibility in understanding the long-term financial performance of the Company. The computation of non-GAAP measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies, thus limiting their use for comparability. is defined as pro forma net (loss) income attributable to common shareholders, which incorporates the results of CMS prepared in accordance with the requirements of Article 11 of Regulation S-X, adjusted for pro forma interest expense and other, net, pro forma (benefit) provision for income taxes, pro forma depreciation and amortization, and excludes the following discrete pro forma items: is defined as Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDA divided by Pro Forma Revenues. is defined as pro forma net (loss) income attributable to common shareholders, which incorporates the results of CMS prepared in accordance with the requirements of Article 11 of Regulation S-X, excluding the discrete pro forma items listed under Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDA and the related pro forma tax impacts. is defined as Pro Forma Adjusted Net Income divided by pro forma diluted weighted average number of common shares outstanding. is defined as GAAP cash flow provided by operating activities less purchases of property and equipment. The following table presents the unaudited pro forma combined reconciliation of Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDA, Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDA Margin, Pro Forma Adjusted Net Income and Pro Forma Adjusted Diluted EPS to the most directly comparable pro forma measures for the Company, including CMS, for the fiscal year ended September 27, 2024: Non-operating expense, net (390 ) — — 45 — — (345 ) Provision for income taxes 1 (37 ) (13 ) (120 ) (11 ) — — (181 ) Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interests (3 ) — — — (16 ) — (19 ) Net income margin 2 0.2 % 3.5 % Depreciation expense 37 — — — — — 37 Amortization of intangibles 499 — (499 ) — — — — Interest expense and other, net 345 — — — — — 345 Provision for income taxes 37 13 120 11 — — 181 EBITDA margin 6.9 % 7.6 % 1 - Calculation uses a full year estimated statutory rate on each non-GAAP tax deductible adjustment, unless the nature of the item requires application of specific tax treatment for related impacts. 2 - Calculated as net loss attributable to common shareholders divided by revenues. The following table presents the unaudited pro forma combined reconciliation of Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDA, Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDA Margin, Pro Forma Adjusted Net Income and Pro Forma Adjusted Diluted EPS to the most directly comparable pro forma measures for the Company, including CMS, for the fiscal year ended September 29, 2023: Non-operating expense, net (279 ) — — (69 ) — — (348 ) (Provision) benefit for income taxes 1 (4 ) (9 ) (142 ) 17 (2 ) — (140 ) Less: net (loss) income attributable to non-controlling interests 9 — — — (41 ) — (32 ) Net (loss) income margin 2 (1.1 )% 3.4 % Depreciation expense 45 — — — — — 45 Amortization of intangibles 592 — (592 ) — — — — Interest expense and other, net 348 — — — — — 348 Provision (benefit) for income taxes 4 9 142 (17 ) 2 — 140 EBITDA margin 6.3 % 7.4 % 1 - Calculation uses a full year estimated statutory rate on each non-GAAP tax deductible adjustment, unless the nature of the item requires application of specific tax treatment for related impacts. 2 - Calculated as net loss attributable to common shareholders divided by revenues. The following table presents the unaudited pro forma combined reconciliation of Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDA, Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDA Margin, Pro Forma Adjusted Net Income and Pro Forma Adjusted Diluted EPS to the most directly comparable pro forma measures for the Company, including CMS, for the quarter ended September 27, 2024: Non-operating expense, net (140 ) — — 42 — — (98 ) Provision for income taxes 1 (11 ) (4 ) (30 ) (10 ) — — (55 ) Less: net (loss) income attributable to non-controlling interests 2 — — — (3 ) — (1 ) Net (loss) income margin 2 (1.4 )% 3.2 % Depreciation expense 9 — — — — — 9 Amortization of intangibles 125 — (125 ) — — — — Interest expense and other, net 98 — — — — — 98 Provision for income taxes 11 4 30 10 — — 55 EBITDA margin 5.4 % 7.8 % 1 - Calculation uses a full year estimated statutory rate on each non-GAAP tax deductible adjustment, unless the nature of the item requires application of specific tax treatment for related impacts. 2 - Calculated as net loss attributable to common shareholders divided by revenues. The following table presents the unaudited pro forma combined reconciliation of Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDA, Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDA Margin, Pro Forma Adjusted Net Income and Pro Forma Adjusted Diluted EPS to the most directly comparable pro forma measures for the Company, including CMS, for the quarter ended September 29, 2023: Non-operating expense, net (91 ) — — — — (91 ) Provision for income taxes 1 (2 ) (4 ) (36 ) (1 ) — (43 ) Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interests 19 — — (28 ) — (9 ) Net (loss) income margin 2 1.1 % 4.0 % Depreciation expense 11 — — — — 11 Amortization of intangibles 148 — (148 ) — — — Interest expense and other, net 91 — — — — 91 Provision for income taxes 2 4 36 1 — 43 EBITDA margin 8.1 % 8.0 % 1 - Calculation uses a full year estimated statutory rate on each non-GAAP tax deductible adjustment, unless the nature of the item requires application of specific tax treatment for related impacts. 2 - Calculated as net loss attributable to common shareholders divided by revenues. View source version on : CONTACT: Investor Relations Contact Nathan Rutledge Contact Roela Santos KEYWORD: VIRGINIA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: ENVIRONMENT OTHER DEFENSE HOMELAND SECURITY CONSULTING OTHER ENERGY PROFESSIONAL SERVICES PUBLIC POLICY/GOVERNMENT ENERGY STATE/LOCAL DEFENSE SOURCE: Amentum Holdings, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/16/2024 04:30 PM/DISC: 12/16/2024 04:28 PM
After Ukraine claimed that Russia had used an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in a recent attack, Moscow clarified that it was instead an experimental intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM). The strike targeted the city of Dnipro as tensions in the 33-month-long conflict continue to rise. In a televised statement, Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed using a new missile system, the "Oreshnik," which he described as carrying hypersonic equipment. "Russia reserves the right to use weapons against military targets in countries permitting strikes on Russian soil," Putin said. He added that the launch was in response to Ukraine's use of Western-made long-range weapons against Russian territory. Kyiv initially identified the missile as an ICBM based on its speed and trajectory. "Today, there was a new Russian missile. All the characteristics—speed, altitude—are [of an] intercontinental ballistic missile," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, calling for an international response. U.S. officials disputed Ukraine's claims, identifying the missile as a medium-range IRBM with hypersonic capabilities. The Pentagon said it was an RS-26 "Rubezh" road-mobile ballistic missile with an MIRV payload carrying six conventional warheads. Putin confirmed it was non-nuclear, stating, "In response to the use of American and British long-range weaponry, on 21 November this year, the Russian armed forces carried out a combined strike on one of Ukraine's military-industrial complex sites." Hypersonic Missiles vs. ICBMs: Key Differences Both hypersonic missiles and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) represent cutting-edge military technology, but they are designed for different purposes and operate using distinct mechanisms. Hypersonic missiles are known for their exceptional speed, traveling at over Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound) and their ability to maneuver mid-flight, which makes them incredibly difficult to detect and intercept. ICBMs achieve similar speeds but follow a high-arching ballistic trajectory, with limited maneuverability during their descent. When it comes to payload, ICBMs are primarily used to deliver nuclear warheads over vast intercontinental distances. Many are equipped with multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs), allowing a single missile to strike several targets simultaneously. Hypersonic missiles, on the other hand, are often deployed for precision strikes on critical targets and can carry either conventional or nuclear warheads. Experts point to range as a key differentiator in recent tests. ICBMs are designed for global reach, with ranges exceeding 5,500 kilometers (about 3,418 miles). In contrast, IRBMs, like the one tested by Russia, have a shorter range of 1,800 to 5,500 kilometers (about 1,118 to 3,418 miles), which confines their use to regional targets. The Broader Context The missile launch follows Ukraine's recent use of United States-supplied ATACMS and United Kingdom-provided Storm Shadow missiles against targets inside Russia. Earlier this week, the Biden administration authorized Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied, longer-range missiles to strike deeper inside Russia, a move that drew an angry response from Moscow. Days later, Ukraine fired several of the missiles into Russia, according to the Kremlin. The same day, Putin signed a new doctrine that allows for a potential nuclear response even to a conventional attack on Russia by any nation that is supported by a nuclear power.SAN FRANCISCO , Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Silicon Valley's seasoned veterans in retail and e-commerce are rallying behind Jingo , a bold leap forward in transforming the online shopping experience. By blending personalization with advanced technology, Jingo is rethinking the way shoppers discover products and how brands connect with their audiences. A Powerhouse Backing Founded by e-commerce veterans, Ujjal Pathak and Rohan Bhanot , who bring years of experience building online shopping platforms, Jingo has secured backing from a powerhouse group of investors and advisors with expertise from leading companies such as Pinterest, Walmart, Minted, eBay, Square, Nike, Klarna, and Intuit. Their collective knowledge in e-commerce, retail, and fintech provides the strategic guidance needed to bring Jingo's vision of a smarter, more equitable shopping platform to life. Solving the Real Problem in E-Commerce Amazon has been shaping online shopping for nearly 30 years, while Walmart has stood as a retail giant for over 60. While these platforms revolutionized e-commerce for past generations, Jingo is built from the ground up to meet the needs of today's digitally native consumers. Designed with Gen Z and Millennials in mind, Jingo delivers a shopping experience that feels intuitive, personal, and deeply connected to modern lifestyles. For customers, the challenge isn't simply finding products—it's making better decisions . Endless choices often lead to decision fatigue and frustration. Jingo tackles this by prioritizing relevance over sheer quantity. Using machine learning, the platform curates and presents personalized assortments early in the shopping journey, showing the most relevant products at the right time. This thoughtful approach fosters confidence and transforms decision-making into an enjoyable process. For brands and sellers, major marketplace platforms often tie visibility to significant advertising spend, creating barriers for smaller players. Jingo flips this model by leveraging advanced machine learning to surface products only to customers with genuine interest. This precision eliminates waste, reduces noise, and ensures that every connection between brands and customers feels meaningful. Empowered by tools like real-time insights, predictive analytics, and curated discovery, brands can optimize inventory, anticipate trends, and connect with their ideal audience without relying on costly campaigns or third-party tools. Jingo is creating a marketplace where both customers and sellers thrive, redefining how value is delivered in online shopping. A Transformative Vision for the Future Jingo's ambitions go far beyond optimizing today's online shopping experience. The platform is building toward a future where commerce is redefined through intelligent systems that seamlessly integrate into users' lives. Imagine a world where shopping evolves from a process you initiate to an experience that happens intuitively. Jingo's end-state vision is to create intelligent systems capable of learning, adapting, and acting on behalf of users , delivering personalized, proactive, and effortless commerce. This approach points to a future where products appear at your doorstep before you even think about shopping, making commerce an invisible yet integral part of daily life. By designing systems that dynamically adapt and provide proactive support, Jingo aims to fundamentally change the way consumers and brands interact, setting a new standard for convenience, personalization, and connection. Flipping the Script for Brands and Sellers Beyond offering better targeting, Jingo is reimagining the commission structure to create a fairer and more seller-focused marketplace. For the first 1,000 brands and sellers who join, Jingo introduces a groundbreaking model: These incentives, coupled with Jingo's advanced tools like predictive analytics and real-time insights, empower sellers to focus on delivering quality products while Jingo ensures they reach the right customers. By reducing the noise-to-signal ratio, brands can build lasting, loyalty-driven relationships in a transparent and equitable ecosystem. Brands and sellers interested in being part of this transformative journey can contact the Jingo team at partner@jingo.app A Bold Vision for E-Commerce With the support of Silicon Valley's leading minds, Jingo is setting a new benchmark for what online shopping can achieve. By addressing decision-making challenges for consumers and creating deeper, more equitable connections for brands, Jingo is leading the next wave of e-commerce innovation. To celebrate its launch, Jingo is running a referral campaign from December 6, 2024 , to February 28, 2025 . Participants can earn credits to shop on the platform once it's live, with prizes of $50,000 for the top referrer, $30,000 for second place, and $10,000 for third. Jingo is more than a platform—it's a movement toward smarter, more personalized, and intuitive commerce. By building systems that anticipate, simplify, and deliver, Jingo is shaping the future of shopping for consumers and sellers alike. Get in Touch For PR inquiries, strategic partnerships, or more information, contact contact@jingo.app View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/redefining-the-future-of-shopping-jingo-gains-silicon-valleys-backing-302324337.html SOURCE Jingo Technologies, Inc. Best trending stories from the week. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. You may occasionally receive promotions exclusive discounted subscription offers from the Roswell Daily Record. Feel free to cancel any time via the unsubscribe link in the newsletter you received. You can also control your newsletter options via your user dashboard by signing in.
Mike Ransford Joins Syntec Optics (Nasdaq: OPTX) as Site ManagerPlayStation launches free-to-play version of ‘Gran Turismo’ December 6Starting in September of 2027, all new passenger vehicles in the U.S. will have to sound a warning if rear-seat passengers don't buckle up. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Monday that it finalized the rule, which also requires enhanced warnings when front seat belts aren't fastened. The agency estimates that the new rule will save 50 lives per year and prevent 500 injuries when fully in effect, according to a statement. The new rule will apply to passenger cars, trucks, buses except for school buses, and multipurpose vehicles weighing up to 10,000 pounds. Before the rule, seat belt warnings were required only for the driver's seat. Under the new rule, outboard front-seat passengers also must get a warning if they don't fasten their belts. Front-centre seats will not get a warning because NHTSA found that it wouldn't be cost effective. The agency said most vehicles already have warnings for the outboard passenger seats. The rule also lengthens the duration of audio and visual warnings for the driver's seat. The front-seat rules are effective starting Sept. 1 of 2026. Rear passengers consistently use seat belts at a lower rate than front passengers, the agency says. In 2022, front belt use was just under 92 per cent, while rear use dropped to about 82 per cent. About half of automobile passengers who died in crashes two years ago weren’t wearing belts, according to NHTSA data. The seat belt rule is the second significant regulation to come from NHTSA in the past two months. In November the agency bolstered its five-star auto safety ratings to include driver assistance technologies and pedestrian protection. Safety advocates want the Department of Transportation, which includes NHTSA, to finish several more rules before the end of the Biden administration, because president-elect Donald Trump has said he’s against new government regulations. Cathy Chase, president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, urged the department to approve automatic emergency braking for heavy trucks and technology to prevent impaired driving.
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ROME (AP) — In 2020, it was a run to the Champions League quarterfinals just as Bergamo was becoming the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic . Last season, it was an upset victory over Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League final to end the German club’s European-record unbeaten run at 51 games. Atalanta keeps on surprising and its latest exploit was moving atop Serie A following a 3-1 win at Parma on Saturday for its seventh straight win in the Italian league. And to think that coach Gian Piero Gasperini considered leaving Atalanta toward the end of last season. Now, Gasperini has the chance to guide “La Dea” (The Goddess), as the team is nicknamed, to its first ever Italian league title. There’s a long way to go, though, and it should be noted that Atalanta is level on points with second-place Inter Milan, which routed Hellas Verona 5-0 earlier, and that Napoli has a chance to reclaim the lead when it hosts Roma on Sunday. Also Saturday, AC Milan and Juventus drew 0-0 at the San Siro in a match with few chances from both sides. Milan produced one shot on goal and Juventus created two. Atalanta's Mateo Retegui scored his league-leading 12th goal of the season, Ederson made it 2-0 before the break and Europa League final hero Ademola Lookman restored the two-goal advantage after Matteo Cancellieri had pulled one back for Parma. Retegui’s fourth headed goal of the season put him atop that category across Europe’s five major leagues, according to Opta, while Lookman volleyed in a cross from Juan Cuadrado after having two goals disallowed. Gasperini was sent off midway through the second half for protests. But he was smiling in the stands at the final whistle. Atalanta's 34 goals are the most in Italy, and trail only Barcelona (42), Bayern Munich (36) and Paris Saint-Germain (36) across Europe's top five leagues. Atalanta has won two and drawn two in the Champions League this season. Marcus Thuram scored twice for defending champion Inter at Verona. Inter was missing top striker Lautaro Martinez, who was out sick. But five goals in the first half made Lautaro’s absence a non-issue. Joaquin Correa opened the scoring 17 minutes in, Thuram then scored twice before more goals from Stefan de Vrij and Yann Aurel Bisseck. Correa nearly added another in second-half stoppage time but his effort hit the woodwork. Inter's only loss across all competitions this season was a derby defeat to Milan in September. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer