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Vance takes on a more visible transition role, working to boost Trump’s most contentious picksGlobal IT and Technology Consulting Firm Ampcus Announces Partnership with Monumental Sports and Capital One Arena

How Can Uneven Dispersion in Black Masterbatch Be Improved? A Case Study and Solution 11-22-2024 11:48 PM CET | Associations & Organizations Press release from: ABNewswire Black masterbatch is a vital component across multiple industries, including synthetic fibers (such as carpets, polyester, and non-woven fabrics), blown film products (like packaging bags and cast films), blow-molded products (such as pharmaceutical and cosmetic containers), extruded products (including sheets, pipes, and cables), and injection-molded products (such as automotive parts and electrical appliances). Its advantages-ease of use, no pollution, consistent coloring, improved plastic part quality, and compatibility with automated production systems-make it indispensable. Additionally, black masterbatch can integrate various additives, enhancing its functionality and convenience. Common Questions and Key Factors of Black Masterbatches The key components of black masterbatch include carbon black, carbon black carrier, carbon black wetting agent, carbon black dispersant, and other processing aids. Manufacturers often encounter significant challenges in black masterbatch production. Issues such as low pigment concentration, contamination during dyeing, poor dispersion of carbon black, and inadequate blackness and gloss can affect the final product's quality. These problems lead to inconsistent coloration, reduced material properties, and processing difficulties. Case Study: Addressing Dispersion Issues in Black Masterbatch Production Some black masterbatch manufacturers faced a critical issue. Their formulation, containing 40% carbon black and utilizing EVA wax as a dispersant, showed inconsistent physical properties during extrusion. Some extruded strands were brittle, while others were unusually tough, despite using a twin-screw extruder and maintaining controlled temperatures between 160 degrees C and 180 degrees C. What caused the issue? This inconsistency points to a common problem in black masterbatch production: the non-uniform dispersion of carbon black. What Is the Best Way to Solve Pigment Black Dispersion? Understanding Carbon Black Dispersion Carbon black, a fine powder used for pigmentation and reinforcement, poses a dispersion challenge due to its high surface area and tendency to agglomerate. Achieving uniform dispersion within the polymer matrix is essential for maintaining product quality. Non-uniform dispersion can lead to streaks, spots, uneven coloration, and inconsistencies in physical properties (such as brittleness or unusual toughness). Innovative Solutions for Achieving Uniform Dispersion in Black Masterbatch Production: Introducing SILIKE's SILIMER 6200 [ https://www.siliketech.com/silicone-hyperdispersants-silimer-6200-for-hffr-cables-compounds-tpe-the-preparation-of-color-concentrates-and-technical-compounds-product/]A Proven Hyperdispersant Hyperdispersant SILIMER 6200 [ https://www.siliketech.com/silicone-hyperdispersants-silimer-6200-for-hffr-cables-compounds-tpe-the-preparation-of-color-concentrates-and-technical-compounds-product/ ] is specifically designed to address the challenges of pigment black and carbon black dispersion, improving uniformity and enhancing the overall quality of the final product. Benefits: * Enhanced Pigment Dispersion: Hyperdispersant SILIMER 6200 [ https://www.siliketech.com/silicone-hyperdispersants-silimer-6200-for-hffr-cables-compounds-tpe-the-preparation-of-color-concentrates-and-technical-compounds-product/ ] improves the dispersion of carbon black, ensuring consistent coloration. * Improved Coloring Strength: Hyperdispersant SILIMER 6200 increases the effectiveness of carbon black in achieving desired shades. * Prevention of Filler and Pigment Reunion: Hyperdispersant SILIMER 6200 helps maintain uniformity by preventing the agglomeration of pigments. * Better Rheological Properties: Hyperdispersant SILIMER 6200 enhances the flow characteristics of the masterbatch, facilitating processing. * Increased Production Efficiency, Lowering Costs: Hyperdispersant SILIMER 6200 contributes to a more efficient manufacturing process. Hyperdispersant SILIMER 6200 is compatible with a wide range of resins, including PP, PE, PS, ABS, PC, PET, PBT, and more, making it an ideal choice for a broad spectrum of applications in masterbatches and compounds. Don't let dispersion issues compromise your black masterbatch product quality. Email us at amy.wang@silike.cn to learn more about how SILIKE's Hyperdispersant SILIMER 6200 [ https://www.siliketech.com/silicone-hyperdispersants-silimer-6200-for-hffr-cables-compounds-tpe-the-preparation-of-color-concentrates-and-technical-compounds-product/ ] can help you achieve consistent results and meet the diverse needs of your masterbatches and compounds industry. Media Contact Company Name: Chengdu Silike Technology Co.,Ltd. Email:Send Email [ https://www.abnewswire.com/email_contact_us.php?pr=how-can-uneven-dispersion-in-black-masterbatch-be-improved-a-case-study-and-solution ] Country: China Website: https://www.siliketech.com/ This release was published on openPR.

Janette Nesheiwat, a family medicine doctor who runs a chain of urgent care clinics, is President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for surgeon general ― one of the nation’s leading voices on matters of public health. She’s a fixture on Fox News, home to several of Trump’s other intended Cabinet nominees . And she’s long been a vocal Trump supporter: Her social media accounts feature videos of Trump wishing her a happy birthday, selfies with him on the White House lawn and pictures with members of his inner circle at his Madison Square Garden rally. Her sister, Julia Nesheiwat, also served as Trump’s homeland security adviser during his last year in office. If she’s confirmed by the Senate, she’ll be expected to set the tone on how the government approaches Americans’ medical concerns, launch programs to promote healthy lifestyles and weigh in on ongoing public health issues, from the opioid epidemic to youth nicotine use. And she’ll also oversee the 6,000 members of the United States Public Health Service Corps. Here’s what else there is to know about her: Nesheiwat, the medical director for a New York-area urgent care clinic network, has been a Fox News medical contributor since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. On her website and social media, she’s shared about her medical missions to Ukraine and Morocco. But overall, her public health experience is thin compared to that of the current surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, who also served under former President Barack Obama and was involved in multiple nationwide health care efforts prior to taking the job. Fox News has called on Nesheiwat to weigh in on all sorts of medical stories. When Trump began taking the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine to ward off COVID-19, Nesheiwat came on to say it was a “ smart ” idea and that she’d prescribed it to some of her patients infected with the virus. At the time, no testing had established the effectiveness of using hydroxychloroquine, which has substantial potential harms, to prevent COVID-19. The World Health Organization later said that after completing six trials, it did not recommend taking hydroxychloroquine to either prevent or treat the disease. Nesheiwat emphasized the importance of consulting with a doctor before trying out the drug. But people found ways around that. After Trump began promoting the drug, a man in Arizona died from ingesting a chloroquine-containing aquarium product. Nesheiwat is behind a dietary supplement called BC Boost that contains vitamins C, B-12, D and zinc. The product, which features her image on the bottle, claims that within a few weeks, “your immune system will still be strengthened.” “I was always telling my patients who were unwell drink some tea, take some vitamin b12 and vitamin C,” she says on a website advertising the supplement . “I found myself repeating my all natural regimen to my patients over and over ‘take some B12 and C to Boost’ your immune system.” Medical experts and public health agencies say that for the vast majority of people, the best way to get those vitamins is through a healthy diet . Overconsumption of certain nutrients — including some of the vitamins in BC Boost’s product, albeit at higher doses — may lead to serious health problems , including kidney stones and heart rhythm issues. While the supplement industry is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, the agency does not consider supplements to be medicine, and companies are not required to prove that their products are effective. A 30-day supply of Nesheiwat’s product costs $26.99. Nesheiwat has been a big proponent of the COVID-19 vaccine for adults, saying its benefits “greatly outweigh” any short-lived side effects and describing it as “a gift from God .” But in the years since the peak of the pandemic, Nesheiwat has expressed opposition to vaccine requirements. “To mandate vaccines, at this point, I think, is the wrong move,” she said on Fox News in the summer of last year. She also blamed vaccine mandates for negatively affecting the U.S. workforce. “We lost good firefighters, police officers, teachers, healthcare providers and even athletes who refused to capitulate to the out-of-date, CDC regulations,” she wrote in an opinion piece for Fox News in April 2023. In that same piece, Nesheiwat claimed mask and vaccine mandates were ineffective because the virus continued to spread, even with these measures in place. But she at least partially credited the shots for easing the pandemic: “With time,” she wrote, “the severity decreased most likely due to population immunity and re-infection along with vaccination.” Nesheiwat has also questioned giving the COVID-19 vaccine to children. In late 2021, she said on Fox News that “a booster or third dose might cause ... a rare form of myocarditis or pericarditis ,” which are types of heart inflammation, in young boys. She failed to mention that such side effects following a vaccine are very rare, and that patients are much more likely to develop those conditions following COVID-19 infection than they are from the vaccine. During a 2022 Fox News appearance , Nesheiwat acknowledged that transgender children exist and urged their parents to “accept them and love them for who they are,” noting that rates of suicide attempts among transgender kids are significantly higher than that of their cisgender peers. Despite acknowledging that, she claimed the medical establishment is “only wanting to push drugs and hormones and other types of surgical interventions, rather than taking a conservative approach, such as psychotherapy.” It’s false that doctors are pushing those types of treatments on children. A 2022 Reuters report found that only around 10% of 42,167 children ages 6-17 who’d been diagnosed with gender dysphoria in 2021 were prescribed hormone or puberty blocker treatments. Among those with the diagnosis, a mere 0.6% of them received gender-affirming top surgery. Nesheiwat’s stance on this issue is out of step with that of every major medical group in the United States, which have determined that gender-related medical care is effective and medically necessary. She’s also accused Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra of focusing about transgender health care at the expense of addressing sexually transmitted infections and spoken out against transgender athletes’ inclusion in women’s sports. Trump Picks Fox News Medical Contributor To Be Surgeon General 5 Things To Know About Pam Bondi, Trump’s New Pick For Attorney General Elizabeth Warren Warns Trump Nominee: Hands Off The FedSweden's women's soccer team delivered a commanding 6-0 victory over Serbia, securing their place in next year's Women's European Championship finals in Switzerland. This triumph concluded an 8-0 aggregate victory, ensuring Sweden's participation alongside Nordic neighbors Norway and Finland, who also emerged victorious in Tuesday's playoffs. With seven spots up for grabs, 12,378 fans in Stockholm witnessed a stunning first-half display that dashed Serbian hopes. Filippa Angeldahl opened the scoring with a penalty, followed by Kosovare Asllani and Stina Blackstenius adding to the lead. Midfielder Hanna Bennison added another, and Anna Anvegaard sealed the win, as the Swedes celebrated with a tribute to Caroline Seger. Elsewhere, Norway and Finland secured qualification with respective wins over Northern Ireland and Scotland. Portugal and Poland also advanced with narrow victories. Upcoming matches feature Belgium against Ukraine, and Ireland versus Wales in the final qualifiers. (With inputs from agencies.)

Tech Investment Secrets Revealed! Discover the Insider EdgeNine reasons families are flocking to Ned Kelly’s old stomping groundShare Tweet Share Share Email An important market signal has shifted to positive for Dogecoin, Solana, and DOGEN, raising questions about whether their prices are poised for a dramatic upward move. Is a new surge toward record highs on the horizon for these cryptocurrencies? This article delves into the potential catalysts that could drive a significant rally. DOGEN Rejoys Big Moment: Trump’s Victory Will Send It to the Moon Guess who is going to join Elon Musk’s moon mission soon? DOGEN, the boldest meme coin for alpha males, is gearing up for take-off as Trump’s victory in the recent US election has the entire market euphoric about the prospects of cryptocurrencies, especially meme coins. Donald and Elon are Best Buddies for Meme Coins Donald Trump’s love for crypto is no secret — he’s promised to make the U.S. the global crypto leader in his campaign. And joining him is none other than Elon Musk , the ultimate Dogecoin (DOGE) fan who’s backed the crypto movement and even aligned with Republicans earlier this year. With these two icons fueling the fire, meme coins are set for a wild ride! DOGE Soars 130% in Just One Week! DOGEN will be the Next Star with 500% Surge Following the US election results, Dogecoin (DOGE) has been on a steady rise: from $0.15 to $0.39 in just one week . DOGEN follows the same upward trend, starting at $0.0003 and now trading at $0.0013, a staggering 333% leap . With a total of 13 presale stages, DOGEN is set to rise to $0.0019 by the token generation event (TGE), which represents a 500% increase from its initial price. Like it DOGE style? Grab Some DOGEN Now and Watch It Soars 500% A Community-Driven Token with Referral Program The backbone of DOGEN is its strong and engaged community—an energetic group of investors ready to seize the next big opportunity. With nearly $4,000,000 already raised , DOGEN has proven its appeal among crypto enthusiasts. Adding to its allure is DOGEN’s unique multi-level referral program, which rewards community participation: 7% in USDT from direct referrals 2% from second-tier referrals 1% from third-tier referrals Wanna Surf this Bull Wave? Join the DOGEN Army! Step into the winner’s circle with DOGEN—where elite investors get access to exclusive campaigns, epic perks, and top-tier deals . Live the high life you deserve: luxury cars, stacks of cash , and unforgettable experiences await those who go all-in on DOGEN. Don’t settle for ordinary when you can have it all! Flex Hard, Earn Big – DOGEN is Your Power Move! Dogecoin: From Meme to Major Cryptocurrency Dogecoin is a cryptocurrency that began in 2013 as a light-hearted alternative to traditional coins, featuring a Shiba Inu dog as its logo. Unlike Bitcoin, which has a capped supply, Dogecoin has no maximum limit, and 10,000 new coins are mined every minute. In 2021, its value soared, boosted by social media and endorsements from figures like Elon Musk, making it one of the top cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. The coin’s abundant supply and active community have made it popular for small transactions and tipping online. In the current market cycle, Dogecoin continues to draw interest due to its strong community support and high visibility in the crypto space. Solana’s SOL: A High-Speed Platform for Decentralized Applications Solana is a blockchain platform designed for scalability and speed, offering a foundation for decentralized applications alongside competitors like Ethereum and Cardano. Its architecture enables faster transactions and flexible development across multiple programming languages. SOL, the native cryptocurrency of Solana, is central to its ecosystem, facilitating transactions, running custom programs, and rewarding network participants. The coin holds value by underpinning the operation of the Solana network, allowing users access to a suite of projects. Unlike some platforms, Solana avoids sharding or second-layer solutions, aiming to attract developers and investors with its high-capacity network capable of hosting high-activity products and services. In the current market cycle, Solana’s technology continues to garner attention for its scalability and efficiency. Conclusion Though DOGE and SOL show limited short-term potential, DOGEN stands out with strong growth prospects. Designed for those seeking excellence, DOGEN embodies luxury and success. With expected 700% growth by presale’s end and potential thousand-fold returns this altcoin season, it follows tokens like BONK and Popcat. Early adopters gain real benefits and exclusive perks. 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Sometimes, it takes a village to put out a newspaper. Kent Brooks, owner of the 137-year-old Plainsman Herald down in the southeast corner of Colorado, was ready to call it quits a few months ago, given the tough economics of publishing a rural paper these days. But at the last minute Brooks decided to survey his readers before ceasing publication to see if they would pay more to keep the Plainsman in business. Ninety-five percent of them said yes, with many willing to pay double. Readers began calling, sending emails and mailing handwritten letters and notes begging him to keep on keeping on. “Heck, they wanted to do bake sales,” he told my former colleague Kevin Simpson, who first wrote about the effort to save the paper for The Colorado Sun. The Washington Post has also picked up on the story now. "I guess when over 2,000 print newspapers have gone away in the past few years, it is a feel good story when one decides to keep on rolling," Brooks told me. Residents of Springfield also told him they’d be willing to sponsor various features in the paper. Brooks said he’s in the process now of nailing down sponsors for Kerry Sherman’s sports page, the popular Hooves ‘n Horns section and Dawni O’Bryan’s Happy Trails articles. He’s also sent out notices doubling the annual subscription from $50 to $100. Brooks also has been seeking contractors and volunteers to step in now that his daughter, Lexi, who has been helping for four years, is headed back to college, and his son, Colin, who did technical work for the Plainsman, has started working full-time as an apprentice electrician. “We have a lady who does a garden blog for us, who taught at Springfield High School,” Brooks noted. “I’ve got a lady who lives on a ranch near the border of Western Baca County. She’s our Western bureau.” Brooks has two cowboy poets who contribute to the paper, including Bill Bunting, whose family still runs a ranch on the high plains of southeastern Colorado that his granddaddy homesteaded. Brooks also runs some history pieces from books he’s penned on the Dust Bowl and from “Letters from Colorado,” a collection of missives written by Colorado pioneers to the folks they left behind, back where they came from. A friend’s grandson is on the high school wrestling team and has agreed to write stories and take pictures of the team’s exploits this winter. Brooks also has a community feed on his website for locals to submit photos, articles, coverage of events, obits, etc. ... “And ask your friends and neighbors to do the same,” Brooks suggests on his site. Additional duties will also fall now to longtime employee Hunter Babbitt, who also oversees the flower shop that doubles as the Plainsman's Main Street office. The Knight Foundation also helped out with a grant a while back to enable Brooks to launch a website. “We’ve gotten good response from the community. It’s clear there is a strong willingness to support the Plainsman Herald,” Brooks told me. “So we’re going to give it a whirl. Now it’s either, ‘Man, this is kind of cool,’ or 'I’m an idiot.'” Brooks isn’t the only one making a last stand these days: • Tom Bredehoft, a 62-year-old businessman, came to the rescue of the Burlington Record a few months ago after Prairie Mountain Media announced it was shutting it down. Bredehoft, who lives 45 miles down Interstate 70 in Flagler, saw the paper as a good business opportunity but also thought it was something that just needed to be done. “I still believe in community newspapers,” Bredehoft told Simpson, “and I think there will always be people who want to be able to cut the clippings out of the paper. People want to read the sports scores. People want to clip their kids’ pictures. I just believe there’s always going to be a need and a want, and I think there’s people that will support it.” • The National Trust for Local News has stepped in to help 65 publications around the country, including 23 in Colorado. The nonprofit Trust now has 500 employees, 100,000 paying subscribers, 300,000 print copies distributed per month, $50 million in earned revenue and 2.5 million unique monthly visitors. In other words, they've proven that local news can succeed if its truly local, mission-driven and dedicated to community. The chains like Alden Global Capital, owners of Prairie Mountain, and Gannett are the ones who were screwing up local news, not the locals. The Trust went even further recently and purchased a community press in Colorado to help community newspapers after Prairie Mountain shut down their press in Berthoud and Gannett Newspapers shut down theirs in Pueblo. The Trust has raised $38 million in philanthropic support, Poynter reported in July. But the goal of the National Trust is to bootstrap community news organizations so they can eventually stand on their on and not rely on institutional philanthropy. Board member Marcus Brauchli told me the Trust “has been raising funds to operate small-town papers whose owners want to move on, on the theory that well-operated local news can survive if it doesn't have to return capital to its owners or pay down debt. So it basically takes the cost of capital out of the equation by taking ownership and then offering help in the form of technology and other services that allow the local news company to operate more efficiently and serve its community more effectively.” There are other heroic efforts afoot out there to save local news: • The American Journalism Project recently committed $3.6 million to nonprofit newsrooms like Outlier Media and The Nevada Independent, supporting investigative reporting and operational sustainability. • The Press Forward Initiative distributed $20 million across 205 local outlets, funding initiatives to deepen local coverage and enhance newsroom operations. • Midwestern News Nonprofit Support provided funding for print-focused initiatives, such as the launch of The Midcoast Villager, which addresses gaps in local reporting for communities in Maine. • The Daily Iowan, the University of Iowa’s independent student newspaper, just purchased two weekly local newspapers in the state to give their students a place to hone their craft. What all these efforts have in common is the mission of putting community back in community journalism. “Small-j journalism, which we just call community journalism, may not be at the top of the Pulitzer list every year, but it sure does build a lot of trust,” Ross McDuffie, the first-ever chief portfolio officer for the National Trust for Local News, told the Nieman Lab recently. “I think that if you want your audience to pay attention when you’re holding the powerful accountable, or you’re giving a voice to the voiceless, or you’re shining a light in dark corners, then you sure as hell better show up when they’re celebrating things that are going well in their community, or, God forbid, they’re mourning a shared tragedy.” Brooks said something similar to his readers when he was contemplating closing down. “This newspaper has been a cornerstone of local life for generations, providing news and a sense of connection," he wrote. "However, the realities of modern publishing demand innovation and collaboration to sustain this vital resource for the future. A great deal of community support is needed to carry on.” It takes a village to put out a newspaper now, in other words. And more and more often lately, the village has agreed.

HONOLULU (AP) — Michael Rataj had 16 points in Oregon State's 74-65 win over Charleston at the Diamond Head Classic on Sunday. Rataj also had 12 rebounds for the Beavers (9-2). Damarco Minor also scored 16 points, going 5 of 11 from the floor, including 2 for 5 from 3-point range, and 4 for 4 from the line. Parsa Fallah shot 6 of 7 from the field and 2 for 3 from the line to finish with 14 points. The Cougars (8-3) were led by Lazar Djokovic, who recorded 13 points, eight rebounds and two steals. Derrin Boyd added 13 points for Charleston. Deywilk Tavarez also had 10 points. Oregon State took the lead with 15:29 to go in the first half and never looked back. The score was 35-26 at halftime, with Fallah racking up 13 points. Oregon State closed out the victory in the final half, while Minor led the way with a team-high 14 second-half points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .A thrill ride manufacturer that has designed a 1,000-foot-tall roller coaster that would shatter all height and speed records is looking for a theme park willing and able to build the towering behemoth. The once-impossible dream of a 1,000-foot-tall coaster is now feasible and in top secret development by an unnamed ridemaker, according to Dennis Speigel, an industry expert with International Theme Park Services . “The project is still under heavy wraps with the final international location yet to be announced,” Speigel wrote on the ITPS website. “But the progress is quite well along and so far is nothing short of breathtaking in every sense of the meaning.” ALSO SEE: Six Flags to spend $1 billion on 11 coasters over next 2 years The 1,000-footer would be twice as tall as any coaster ever built and smash a new record for world’s tallest coaster about to be set in 2025. Six Flags announced in November that its 456-foot-tall Kingda Ka coaster in New Jersey would be removed and replaced by a new record-breaking launch coaster in 2026. The 2005 Kingda Ka held the title of world’s tallest coaster for two decades. ALSO SEE: 5 of the world’s fastest coasters are closed, but a new king will soon rise The 415-foot-tall Superman: Escape from Krypton at Six Flags Magic Mountain now reigns as the tallest operating coaster in the world while the 420-foot-tall Top Thrill 2 coaster at Ohio’s Cedar Point remains closed for repairs. Falcon’s Flight will become the world’s tallest coaster at a skyscraping 640 feet when the new ride debuts in 2025 at Six Flags Quiddiya in Saudi Arabia. ALSO SEE: Coaster war brewing between Six Flags Magic Mountain and relatively unknown European rival Speigel got a sneak preview of the 1,000-foot-tall coaster by the as-yet-unidentified ride manufacturer that swore him to secrecy. Technological advancements in computer- and AI-assisted design have made the pipe dream of a 1,000-foot-tall coaster a very real possiblity, according to Speigel. ALSO SEE: 4 reasons why Universal won’t launch Fast & Furious coaster until 2026 “It’s only a matter of time and financial investment before this aspiration becomes a reality,” Speigel wrote on the ITPS website. The record-setting coaster will need to be built on a swath of land large enough to accommodate the amount of track needed for the launch and run out on either side of the 1,000-foot precipice. ALSO SEE: Six Flags Magic Mountain plans 21st roller coaster for 2026 The structural engineering team behind the project has designed a coaster that can withstand immense vertical and lateral forces, according to Speigel. An “ingenious” braking system will help control the incredible speeds of the coaster that will likely require riders to wear safety goggles, according to Speigel. Related Articles

Story by Kiki Aranita, The Philadelphia Inquirer (TNS) There will soon be two more reasons to arrive early at the airport, as new local vendors join the ranks of Bud & Marilyn’s , Sabrina’s , La Colombe, Elixr Coffee , and Jim’s South St. Famous Cheesesteaks at the Philadelphia International Airport: the legendary Oyster House and the rapidly expanding Federal Donuts & Chicken . With their arrival in spring 2025, the B/C connector will look even more like the streets of Center City. Less than a decade ago, your pre-flight options at PHL were probably a cheese plate at Vino Volo or a chicken sandwich from Chick-fil-A. If you had the privilege of holding an American Express Platinum card, you could have had access to the admittedly good salad and buffet bar in Terminal A’s Centurion Lounge, which opened in 2017 . But over the past several years, MarketPlace PHL (the developer and landlord for shops and restaurants at the airport) has built out a sizable roster of local fare. Both Federal Donuts and Oyster House will exist under the airport’s “Founded in Philly” umbrella, which was established this past year and, more than ever before, follows through on the goal that PHL should mimic travelers’ experiences in the city itself. The restaurants are working with Atlanta-based Jackmont Hospitality , the food service company that brought Elixr Coffee into PHL earlier this year, replacing a Starbucks. “We want the customer to come in and say, ‘I recognize these restaurants,’” said Simon Lorady, the vice president of business development at Jackmont, who is originally from Philly . “In an airport, people are on the go and unfocused. We find in studies that they are very anxious. They don’t want to take risks in an airport and default to safer menus.” If you follow airport news, you might recognize Jackmont Hospitality as the same company that operates One Flew South, Atlanta International Airport’s fine-dining restaurant, which has twice been nominated for the James Beard Foundation Awards in 2014 and 2015 and is the only airport restaurant to have achieved this. Demolition has begun for both restaurants. Federal Donuts’ first airport location will be its 12th overall — one of many locations in the works for the private equity-backed fried chicken and donut chain . It will take the place of PHL Flavors, which had supplanted Pinkberry after its pandemic closure. The menu is being finalized, but it will feature most of its current offerings, including, of course, donuts and fried chicken. “This new location will allow us to serve our local fans as they head out of town and to introduce travelers to FD&C as they arrive in our birthplace,” Federal Donuts CEO Jeff Benjamin said. Oyster House will occupy the former location of Legal Sea Foods, which closed in 2020, and take over a small adjacent flower shop. The airport location will have a similar menu to Center City’s Oyster House, with a glass-encased raw bar along the concourse and a craft cocktail program. As part of the licensing agreement, Oyster House chefs will train cooks hired by Jackmont. Sam Mink, who took over in 2009 as the third-generation owner and operator of Oyster House, had once vowed never to open another one. “A company had approached me about this possibility ten years ago but I wasn’t ready at the time,” he said. “We’re excited to be a strong local brand at the airport, to greet visitors as they come into the city, and for our locals to have a martini and plate of oysters before they leave on vacation.” “Sam was a tough nut to crack,” Lorady said. “But I think this relationship is going to go well.” Marketplace PHL is gearing up for an influx of millions of visitors to Philadelphia, in anticipation of the Semiquincentennial (Philadelphia250), the FIFA World Cup, the MLB All-Star Game, NCAA March Madness and the PGA Championship. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File) AP One Oyster House signature that won’t make the jump are the oyster plates that adorn the walls of the decades-old Sansom St. restaurant. Instead, the PHL location will feature photographs of previous incarnations of the Oyster House, owned by Mink’s father and grandfather. Lorady declined to specify the length of the agreements, “The leases are going to be long,” he said. “These will be strong relationships, not flashes in the pan. And there are other things coming down the horizon. They will be part of the local program.” Marketplace PHL is gearing up for an influx of millions of visitors to Philadelphia, in anticipation of the Semiquincentennial (Philadelphia250), the FIFA World Cup, the MLB All-Star Game, NCAA March Madness and the PGA Championship. “Even more ‘Founded in Philly’ announcements are coming soon,” hinted Mel Hannah, Vice President and General Manager of MarketPlace PHL. “With a huge 2026 on the way, we are excited to announce the addition of these two locations, with more to come.” The projected openings at PHL are in line with national trends — airport dining has been upgraded across the country, as airport concessionaires bring cities’ best-known brands portside while airlines and credit card companies fiercely compete for customer loyalty with ever more extravagant dining experiences . ©2024 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Visit inquirer.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. More Life & Culture news Watch US Navy Blue Angels land in Harrisburg Popular talk show host gets heartbreaking health update U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels to showcase aviation skills in central Pa. after 3 decadesPHOENIX — Donald Trump suggested Sunday that his new administration could try to regain control of the Panama Canal that the United States “foolishly” ceded to its Central American ally, contending that shippers are charged “ridiculous” fees to pass through the vital transportation channel linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. President-elect Donald Trump speaks at AmericaFest on Sunday in Phoenix. Panama's conservative president José Raúl Mulino, who was elected in April on a pro-business platform, roundly rejected that notion as an affront to his country's sovereignty. The Republican president-elect's comment came during his first major rally since winning the White House on Nov. 5. He also used his comments to bask in his return to power as a large audience of conservatives cheered along. It was a display of party unity at odds with a just-concluded budget fight on Capitol Hill where some GOP lawmakers openly defied their leader's demands. People are also reading... Addressing supporters at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest in Arizona, Trump pledged that his “dream team Cabinet” would deliver a booming economy, seal U.S. borders and quickly settle wars in the Middle East and Ukraine. “I can proudly proclaim that the Golden Age of America is upon us,” Trump said. “There’s a spirit that we have now that we didn’t have just a short while ago.” His appearance capped a four-day pep rally that drew more than 20,000 activists and projected an image of Republican cohesion despite the past week's turbulence in Washington with Trump pulling strings from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida as Congress worked to avoid a government shutdown heading into the Christmas holiday. House Republicans spiked a bipartisan deal after Trump and Elon Musk, his billionaire ally, expressed their opposition on social media. Budget hawks flouted Trump's request to raise the nation’s debt ceiling, which would have spared some new rounds of the same fight after he takes office Jan. 20, 2025, with Republicans holding narrow control of the House and Senate. The final agreement did not address the issue and there was no shutdown. Trump, in his remarks in Phoenix, did not mention the congressional drama, though he did reference Musk's growing power. To suggestions that "President Trump has ceded the presidency to Elon,” Trump made clear, “No, no. That’s not happening.” “He’s not gonna be president,” Trump said. The president-elect opened the speech by saying that "we want to try to bring everybody together. We’re going to try. We’re going to really give it a shot." Then he suggested Democrats have “lost their confidence” and are “befuddled” after the election but eventually will ”come over to our side because we want to have them.” A cargo ship traverses the Agua Clara Locks of the Panama Canal on Sept. 2 in Colon, Panama. Atop a list of grievances — some old, some new — was the Panama Canal. “We’re being ripped off at the Panama Canal,” he said, bemoaning that his country ”foolishly gave it away.” The United States built the Panama Canal in the early 1900s, as it looked for ways to facilitate the transit of commercial and military vessels between its coasts. Washington relinquished control of the waterway to Panama on Dec. 31, 1999, under a treaty signed in 1977 under President Jimmy Carter. The canal depends on reservoirs to operate its locks and was heavily affected by 2023 Central American droughts that forced it to substantially reduce the number of daily slots for crossing ships. With fewer ships using the canal each day, administrators also increased the fees that are charged all shippers for reserving a slot. With weather returning to normal in the later months of this year, transit on the canal has normalized. But price increases are still expected for next year. Mulino, Panama's president, has been described as a conservative populist who aligns with Trump on many issues. Panama is a strong U.S. ally and the canal is crucial for its economy, generating about one-fifth of that government’s annual revenue. Still, Trump said, that, once his second term is underway, "If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to the United States of America, in full, quickly and without question.” “I’m not going to stand for it," Trump said. "So to the officials of Panama, please be guided accordingly.” He did not explain how that would be possible. A short time after Trump's speech, Mulino released a video declaring that “every square meter of the canal belongs to Panama and will continue to belong” to his country. Without mentioning Trump by name, Mulino addressed the president-elect's complaints over rising fees for ships crossing the canal, saying that they are set by experts who take into account operational costs, and supply and demand factors. “The tariffs are not set on a whim” Mulino said. He noted that Panama has expanded the canal over the years to increase ship traffic “on its own initiative,” and added that shipping fee increases help pay for improvements. “Panamanians may have different views on many issues” Mulino said. “But when it comes to our canal, and our sovereignty, we will all unite under our Panamanian flag.” The canal aside, Trump’s appearance at Turning Point’s annual gathering affirmed the growing influence the group and its founder, Charlie Kirk, have had in the conservative movement. Kirk’s organization hired thousands of field organizers across presidential battlegrounds, helping Trump make key gains among infrequent voters and other groups of people that have trended more Democratic in recent decades, including younger voters, Black men and Latino men. ”You had Turning Point’s grassroots armies,” Trump said. “It’s not my victory, it’s your victory.” Earlier Sunday, Trump said that Stephen Miran, who worked at the Treasury Department in Trump's first term, was his choice to lead the Council of Economic Advisers. Here are the people Trump picked for key positions so far President-elect Donald Trump 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, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Marco Rubio, Secretary of State 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, Secretary of Defense 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. Pam Bondi, Attorney General 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. Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security 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. Doug Burgum, Secretary of the Interior 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., Secretary of Health and Human Services 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, Treasury Secretary 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. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Labor Secretary 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, Housing and Urban Development 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, Secretary of Transportation 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. Chris Wright, Secretary of Energy 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. Linda McMahon, Secretary of Education 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, Secretary of Agriculture 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. Howard Lutnick, Secretary of Commerce 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. Trump Transition FILE - Former Rep. Doug Collins speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at a campaign event at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Oct. 15, 2024, in Atlanta. Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary 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. Tulsi Gabbard, National Intelligence Director 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. John Ratcliffe, Central Intelligence Agency Director 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, Federal Bureau of Investigation Director 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. Lee Zeldin, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator 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.” Brendan Carr, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission 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. Paul Atkins, Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission 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, NASA Administrator 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. Elise Stefanik, Ambassador to the United Nations 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. Matt Whitaker, Ambassador to NATO 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. David Perdue, Ambassador to China 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. Pete Hoekstra, Ambassador to Canada 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.” Mike Huckabee, Ambassador to Israel 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. Kimberly Guilfoyle, Ambassador to Greece Guilfoyle is a former California prosecutor and television news personality who led the fundraising for Trump's 2020 campaign and became engaged to Don Jr. in 2020. Trump called her “a close friend and ally” and praised her “sharp intellect make her supremely qualified.” Guilfoyle was on stage with the family on election night. “I am so proud of Kimberly. She loves America and she always has wanted to serve the country as an Ambassador. She will be an amazing leader for America First,” Don Jr. posted. The ambassador positions must be approved by the U.S. Senate. Guilfoyle said in a social media post that she was “honored to accept President Trump’s nomination to serve as the next Ambassador to Greece and I look forward to earning the support of the U.S. Senate.” Steven Witkoff, Special Envoy to the Middle East 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. Keith Kellogg, Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia 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) Mike Waltz, National Security Adviser 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, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy 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. Tom Homan, ‘Border Czar’ 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. Rodney Scott, Customs and Border Protection Commissioner 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. Billy Long, Internal Revenue Service commissioner 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.” Kelly Loeffler, Small Business Administration administrator 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, Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services administrator 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 and Vivek Ramaswamy to advise White House on government efficiency 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, Office of Management and Budget 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. Kari Lake, Voice of America Trump says he’s picking Kari Lake as director of Voice of America, installing a staunch loyalist who ran unsuccessfully for Arizona governor and a Senate seat to head the congressionally funded broadcaster that provides independent news reporting around the world. Lake endeared herself to Trump through her dogmatic commitment to the falsehood that both she and Trump were the victims of election fraud. She has never acknowledged losing the gubernatorial race and called herself the “lawful governor” in her 2023 book, “Unafraid: Just Getting Started.” Additional selections to the incoming White House Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. James Blair, deputy chief of staff Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Marty Makary, Food and Drug Administration Makary is a Johns Hopkins surgeon and author who argued against pandemic lockdowns. He routinely appeared on Fox News during the COVID-19 pandemic and wrote opinion articles questioning masks for children. He cast doubt on vaccine mandates but supported vaccines generally. Makary also cast doubt on whether booster shots worked, which was against federal recommendations on the vaccine. Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, Surgeon General Nesheiwat is a general practitioner who serves as medical director for CityMD, a network of urgent care centers in New York and New Jersey. She has been a contributor to Fox News. Dr. Dave Weldon, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Weldon is a former Florida congressman who recently ran for a Florida state legislative seat and lost; Trump backed Weldon’s opponent. In Congress, Weldon weighed in on one of the nation’s most heated debates of the 1990s over quality of life and a right-to-die and whether Terri Schiavo, who was in a persistent vegetative state after cardiac arrest, should have been allowed to have her feeding tube removed. He sided with the parents who did not want it removed. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Ron Johnson, Ambassador to Mexico Johnson — not the Republican senator — served as ambassador to El Salvador during Trump's first administration. His nomination comes as the president-elect has been threatening tariffs on Mexican imports and the mass deportation of migrants who have arrived to the U.S.-Mexico border. Johnson is also a former U.S. Army veteran and was in the Central Intelligence Agency. Tom Barrack, Ambassador to Turkey Barrack, a wealthy financier, met Trump in the 1980s while helping negotiate Trump’s purchase of the renowned Plaza Hotel. He was charged with using his personal access to the former president to secretly promote the interests of the United Arab Emirates, but was acquitted of all counts at a federal trial in 2022. Trump called him a “well-respected and experienced voice of reason.” Andrew Ferguson, Federal Trade Commission Ferguson, who is already one of the FTC's five commissioners, will replace Lina Khan, who became a lightning rod for Wall Street and Silicon Valley by blocking billions of dollars worth of corporate acquisitions and suing Amazon and Meta while alleging anticompetitive behavior. “Andrew has a proven record of standing up to Big Tech censorship, and protecting Freedom of Speech in our Great Country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding, “Andrew will be the most America First, and pro-innovation FTC Chair in our Country’s History.” Jacob Helberg, undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment Dan Bishop, deputy director for budget at the Office of Budget and Management Leandro Rizzuto, Ambassador to the Washington-based Organization of American States Dan Newlin, Ambassador to Colombia Peter Lamelas, Ambassador to Argentina Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

Regula , global developer of identity verification solutions, has been reviewing fraud trends in the Crypto industry. In this sector, deepfakes have become a threat, probably surpassing traditional document fraud. Deepfakes can be used to spread disinformation and to promote crimes like fraud. It is currently a largely unregulated technology. The survey finds that 57 percent of crypto companies have reported audio deepfake attacks, the highest among all surveyed sectors. Following this, 53 percent face video deepfake fraud, surpassing the 45 percent impacted by fake documents. The study also shows that while the Crypto industry experiences an average loss of $440,000 from advanced fraud techniques like deepfakes, in terms of the most concentrated impact of the financial fall-out, 37 percent of firms lose over $500,000 per attack, with an average loss of $440,000. Crypto organizations are not only more frequently targeted by deepfake fraud but also rely on unique defense strategies. According to the study: • 57% rely on multi-factor authentication (MFA), for instance email token verification. • 53% use biometric facial recognition. • 37% leverage fingerprint biometrics, compared to a global average of 52%. • 45% adopt digital document verification combined with liveness checks. To combat some of the adverse impacts of cyberattacks and to address some of the weaknesses with standard practices, 90 percent of crypto firms are relying on live video interviews with document checks. A mix of biometric verification and online document verification remains the second most dominant choice, with 93 percent support. As indicated above, only 37 percent of companies in the sector use fingerprint biometrics, trailing the global average of 52%. Gaps such as these potentially leave the industry vulnerable. Is regulation the answer for tackling these trends? 39 percent of Crypto companies advocate for the establishment of a dedicated regulatory body to monitor and combat deepfake-related threats – well above the global average of 29 percent. Commenting on this, Henry Patishman, Executive Vice President of Identity Verification Solutions at Regula states: “Crypto is facing a new frontier in fraud, where deepfake attacks have surpassed traditional threats in prevalence.” He adds: “This shift calls for a reevaluation of identity verification – not just as an onboarding tool, but as a critical defense measure, emphasizing real-time liveness detection and robust, multi-layered security.” Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news.Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.Burha Para : “I am more happy than you. Prime Minister Modi ji is also very happy that we could rehabilitate you after 40 years,” Union Home Minister Amit Shah told Bru tribal community members in this remote village on Sunday. Amit Shah said the central government , in association with the Tripura government, has been doing its best to rehabilitate the displaced Bru (Reang) families so that they can live with dignity in their homes. He said he would go back with immense happiness that the PM Modi government has been able to successfully rehabilitate all the displaced Bru people in Tripura. “We have made available 25 types of livelihood opportunities for you. These include animal husbandry, dairy, honeybee keeping and millet farming,” he told the settlers. Besides interacting with the villagers, the home minister visited several homes and enquired about people’s problems and the government benefits they were getting. When a few residents told him that they had not yet received their Ayushman Bharat health cards, he assured them that all of them would get them within two days and instructed the district magistrate to ensure that. Bru migrants from three districts of Mizoram — Mamit, Lunglei and Kolasib — came to North Tripura district in 1997, 1998 and 2009 due to serious ethnic violence between Bru and Mizo communities in Mizoram . Uttam Kumar Reang told Amit Shah that before the central government took steps for their rehabilitation, the Bru refugees were living in very pathetic conditions. “Earlier we were living in jhuggis, but now we have concrete houses. We now have Aadhaar and voter cards. We have cast our votes in the past,” Reang said. The Bru tribals were rehabilitated following a quadripartite agreement signed on January 16, 2020. The pact was signed between the governments of India , Tripura and Mizoram, and representatives of Bru organisations for the permanent rehabilitation of Bru migrants in Tripura. While about 70 per cent of the Bru (Reang) tribals are Hindu, the remaining are Christians. A total of 12 locations were identified in Tripura’s North Tripura, Dhalai, Gomati and South Tripura districts for establishing resettlement colonies of Bru tribals. While nine of these are on forest land, three are on government land. Settlement works are going on in these 12 identified locations, officials said. As part of the agreement, 754 acres of land has been made available to resettle these families. The final figure of families for rehabilitation under the agreement stands at 6,935 with a population of 37,584, the officials said. Common development work like power lines, brick soling of internal roads, installation of deep tube wells for providing drinking water, building power infrastructure, connectivity to households, installation of solar street lights, opening of new fair price shops, anganwadi centres, schools and health sub-centres is almost complete in 11 locations. The common developmental work in the last approved resettlement colony, Kala Lawgang in South Tripura district, is going on and is likely to be completed by the end of this financial year, according to the officials. Overall, Rs 821.98 crore is being spent to resettle these families in the 12 colonies, an official said. Of the total amount, Rs 793.65 crore is being borne by the Union home ministry and Rs 28.34 crore by the state government for common development works. Till date, the home ministry has released Rs 693.13 crore, of which Rs 406.42 crore went directly to the beneficiaries under the direct benefit transfer.

Is Enron back? If it’s a joke, some former employees aren’t laughing

OTTAWA, ON , Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - China's recent decision to ban exports of gallium, germanium, antimony, and other high-tech materials with potential military applications in retaliation for U.S. restrictions on semiconductor-related exports, underscores the precariousness of global supply chains. This development highlights the vital role of the Canada-U.S. trade relationship in addressing supply chain vulnerabilities. China's actions serve as a stark reminder of the challenges posed by geopolitical tensions, particularly on the reliable supply of critical minerals. These materials are essential not only for technological innovation and economic growth but also for defense applications critical to national security. Canada has long been a dependable partner, providing certainty to U.S. manufacturing and defense industries by serving as a major supplier of minerals and metals. In 2022, 52% of Canada's mineral exports—valued at over $80 billion—were destined for the U.S.. Strengthening the free flow of minerals and metals between Canada and the U.S. is more critical than ever. Imposing tariffs on Canadian mineral and metal exports to the U.S. would run counter to the shared goals of secure and reliable supply chains. Such measures risk disrupting the essential flow of these resources, undermining the competitiveness of North American industries, and exacerbating vulnerabilities in critical mineral supply chains that both nations are working to address. The partnership on critical minerals between Canada and the U.S. began in earnest with the development of the Joint Action Plan on Critical Minerals Collaboration in 2020 under President Trump. This collaboration has continued under the Biden administration, demonstrating the enduring importance of this strategic alliance. As the U.S. prepares for a new administration, we look forward to working closely with the incoming Trump administration to build on this foundation, ensuring the resilience of critical mineral supply chains and supporting shared economic and defense priorities. "The minerals and metals industry in Canada stands ready to strengthen our partnership with the United States , ensuring the free flow of these essential resources that drive economic growth, defense capabilities, and technological advancement on both sides of the border. The security and well-being of all Canadians and Americans depends on it." said Pierre Gratton , President and CEO of MAC. The mining industry is a major sector of Canada's economy, contributing $161 billion to the national GDP and is responsible for 21 percent of Canada's total domestic exports. Canada's mining sector employs 694,000 people directly and indirectly across the country. The industry is proportionally the largest private sector employer of Indigenous peoples in Canada and a major customer of Indigenous-owned businesses. About MAC The Mining Association of Canada is the national organization for the Canadian mining industry. Its members account for most of Canada's production of base and precious metals, uranium, diamonds, metallurgical coal, mined oil sands and industrial minerals and are actively engaged in mineral exploration, mining, smelting, refining and semi-fabrication. Please visit www.mining.ca . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/strengthening-canada-us-critical-mineral-partnership-amid-rising-geopolitical-tensions-302321578.html SOURCE The Mining Association of CanadaNew Delhi [India], December 22 (ANI): As part of its budget demands, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has proposed reforms in India's Priority Sector Lending (PSL) framework and has asked for more Development Finance Institutions (DFI), the industry body stated on Sunday. The Priority Sector Lending (PSL) is a vital policy tool in India, aimed at ensuring that key sectors crucial to the nation's development receive adequate financial support. Also Read | Rozgar Mela: PM Narendra Modi To Distribute Over 71,000 Appointment Letters to Recruits in Government Departments. Mandated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), PSL obligates banks to allocate a specified proportion of their loans to sectors such as agriculture, education, housing, and small industries. The framework ensures equitable credit distribution, contributing to the socio-economic growth of underserved areas. Despite its massive success, the PSL framework requires regular recalibration to remain relevant. This recalibration is essential to ensure that the financial resources are optimally distributed, in harmony with our vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, CII said in its release. Also Read | AIBE 19 Answer Key 2024 To Be Released Soon At allindiabarexamination.com, Know Steps to Download. For instance, while agriculture contributes 14 percent of the GDP today, its PSL allocation remains at 18 per cent, unchanged from when its GDP share exceeded 30 percent. Similarly, sectors like infrastructure and innovative manufacturing lack adequate PSL focus despite their potential to drive economic growth, CII has pointed out. India's economy has evolved rapidly over the past few decades, with employment focus shifting to newer sectors because of increased education levels in the society and higher disposable incomes. In view of above, Chandrajit Banerjee said, "Sectors like agriculture have reduced contribution to GDP from 30 per cent in 1990s to about 14 per cent now. Hence, it is time that Priority Sector Lending (PSL) framework be reviewed every 3-4 years to align based on emerging priorities and PSL allocations should be in line with GDP contributions and sectoral growth potential. For instance, we could look at inclusion of Emerging and High-Impact Sectors, including digital infrastructure, green initiatives, healthcare, and innovative manufacturing." CII has recommended expanding the scope of Priority Sector Lending (PSL) to include key sectors such as green initiatives, digital infrastructure, and healthcare. This includes funding for green energy projects, electric vehicles, and climate-resilient agriculture to support environmental sustainability. The industry body has advocated for prioritising investments in digital technologies like artificial intelligence to boost technological growth. Additionally, it has asked for allocating funds towards healthcare innovation to enhance the sector's capabilities and ensure better access to healthcare solutions. CII has further pointed out that besides the above sectors, Infrastructure and manufacturing are poised to make substantial contributions to India's economic growth. The current Development Finance Institutions like SIDBI and NABFID have their roles cut out as they have earmarked sectors to finance. Therefore, CII has suggested setting up of a high level committee to look at the revision of Priority Sector Lending norms and also explore the need for any new DFIs to cater to some of the new and emerging sectors. The CII recommendation is that of transition to Outcome-Based Metrics, where the focus needs to shift from absolute lending targets to measurable developmental outcomes, ensuring impact-driven credit distribution. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)Meet man who failed in NEET, JEE, studied in govt school, moved to Pune, went to MIT, he is now...