( MENAFN - IANS) Lucknow, Dec 30 (IANS) Amid the Political barbs traded at each other regarding discussions over the Kumbh Mela arrangements, former Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Dinesh Sharma, has criticised Samajwadi Party (SP) Chief Akhilesh Yadav for not inviting people to the event during his tenure as Chief Minister. "He (Akhilesh Yadav) did not invite people, it was his dereliction of duty. He should have done so, but he did not do so because his previous governments did not want people to come," Sharma said. Sharma emphasised that the Kumbh Mela is a historical event that has attracted millions for thousands of years. "Kumbh is thousands of years old, and people used to come. Now the whole world is surprised to see the new arrangements being made in Kumbh," he added, highlighting the scale and the improvements made under the current government. The BJP leader praised the government's efforts in organising the Kumbh, pointing out the extensive arrangements and the record-breaking turnout. "The government has made such a big arrangement, so many records have been broken. I would say the government deserves praise," Sharma added. Earlier, SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday took a dig at the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh for extending invitations to the top leaders of the country for the Mahakumbh 2025, stating that millions of people attend the Kumbh Mela not due to invitations, but out of faith. "Invitations are not given for Kumbh. People come to Kumbh on their own out of faith. I do not want to say anything about anyone," Akhilesh Yadav told reporters here. He added, "We have learnt and read that people come on their own to such events. Are the crores of people who will come for the Kumbh Mela, invited? This government is different." Akhilesh had also questioned the preparedness of the BJP-led state government ahead of the Mahakumbh-2025 in Prayagraj and said that his party workers are ready to help. "Kumbh should end with fervour. And if the Government wants any help, our party members are ready to help. But with the arrangements we have seen, we have noticed that some work is pending. How are they going to complete all that in just 13 days?" he asked. MENAFN29122024000231011071ID1109040123 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
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Trump offers a public show of support for Pete Hegseth, his embattled nominee to lead the PentagonWASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump offered a public show of support Friday for Pete Hegseth, his choice to lead the Defense Department, whose confirmation by the Senate is in doubt as he faces questions over allegations of excessive drinking, sexual assault and his views on women in combat roles. Hegseth, a former Fox News host, Army National Guard major and combat veteran, spent much of the week on Capitol Hill trying to salvage his Cabinet nomination and privately reassure Republican senators that he is fit to lead Trump's Pentagon. "Pete Hegseth is doing very well," Trump posted on his social media site. "He will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense." The president added that "Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!" The nomination battle is emerging not only as a debate about the best person to lead the Pentagon, but an inflection point for a MAGA movement that appears to be relishing a public fight over its hard-line push for a more masculine military and an end to the "woke-ism" of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Military leaders are rattled by a list of “woke” senior officers that a conservative group urged Hegseth to dismiss for promoting diversity in the ranks if he is confirmed to lead the Pentagon. The list compiled by the American Accountability Foundation includes 20 general officers or senior admirals and a disproportionate number of female officers. It has had a chilling effect on the Pentagon’s often frank discussions as leaders try to figure out how to address the potential firings and diversity issues under Trump. Those on the list in many cases seem to be targeted for public comments they made either in interviews or at events on diversity, and in some cases for retweeting posts that promote diversity. Tom Jones, a former aide to Republican senators who leads the foundation, said Friday those on the list are “pretty egregious” advocates for diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, policies, which he called problematic. “The nominee has been pretty clear that that has no place in the military,” Jones said of Hegseth. Hegseth embraced Trump’s effort to end programs that promote diversity in the ranks and fire those who reflect those values. Other Trump picks, like Kash Patel for FBI director, have suggested targeting those in government who are not aligned with Trump. Trump's allies forcefully rallied around Hegseth — the Heritage Foundation's political arm promised to spend $1 million to shore up his nomination — as he vows to stay in the fight, as long as the president-elect wants him to. "We're not abandoning this nomination," Vice-President-elect JD Vance said as he toured post-hurricane North Carolina. He said he spoke with GOP senators and believes Hegseth will be confirmed. The effort became a test of Trump's clout and of how far loyalty for the president-elect goes with Republican senators who have concerns about his nominees. Two of Trump's other choices stepped aside as they faced intense scrutiny: former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., his first choice for attorney general, and Chad Chronister, a Florida sheriff who was Trump's first choice to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration. Thanking the president-elect for the support, Hegseth posted on social media, "Like you, we will never back down." Hegseth faces resistance from senators as reports emerged about his past, including the revelation that he made a settlement payment after being accused of a sexual assault that he denies. He promised not to drink on the job and told lawmakers he never engaged in sexual misconduct, even as his professional views on female troops came under intensifying scrutiny. He said as recently as last month that women "straight up" should not serve in combat. He picked up one important endorsement from Republican Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama, whose support was seen as a potentially powerful counterweight to the cooler reception Hegseth received from Sen. Joni Ernst, a former Army National Guard lieutenant colonel. Ernst, who is also a sexual assault survivor, stopped short of an endorsement after meeting with Hegseth this week. On Friday, Ernst posted on X that she would meet with him again next week. “At a minimum, we agree that he deserves the opportunity to lay out his vision for our warfighters at a fair hearing,” she wrote. On Friday, Trump put out the statement in response to coverage saying he lost faith in Hegseth, according to a person familiar with his thinking who was not authorized to discuss it publicly. The president-elect and his team were pleased to see Hegseth putting up a fight and his performance this week reiterates why he was chosen, the person said. They believe he can still be confirmed. If Hegseth goes down, Trump's team believes the defeat would empower others to spread what they cast as "vicious lies" against every candidate Trump chooses. Still, Trump's transition team is looking at potential replacements, including former presidential rival Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. DeSantis plans to attend the Dec. 14 Army-Navy football game with Trump, according to a person familiar with the Florida governor's plans who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. DeSantis and Trump spoke about the defense secretary post Tuesday at a memorial service for sheriff deputies in West Palm Beach, Fla., according to people familiar with the matter who said Trump was interested in DeSantis for the post, and the governor was receptive. DeSantis is poised to select a replacement for the expected Senate vacancy to be created by Marco Rubio becoming secretary of state, and Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump is seen as the preferred choice by those in Trump's orbit.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Shane Bieber's first venture into free agency turned into a return trip. The 2020 AL Cy Young Award winner agreed Friday to rejoin the Cleveland Guardians after making just two starts last season before undergoing Tommy John surgery, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. Bieber had been expected to leave the AL Central champions. But he's coming back after agreeing to a one-year, $14 million contract that includes a $16 million player option for 2026, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced. Bieber’s deal will pay him $10 million in salary and includes a $4 million buyout. The 29-year-old only pitched twice in 2024 before having the surgery on his elbow that bothered him during the previous campaign. Bieber felt discomfort in his start on opening day against the Oakland Athletics and again when he faced the Seattle Mariners his next outing. Bieber didn't allow a run in either start, and the club had been encouraged by his velocity and dominance (20 strikeouts). But the elbow became too painful and Bieber elected to have the ligament-replacement surgery. If his recovery follows a normal timeline, Bieber should be back in Cleveland's rotation within the first three months of next season. The Guardians feared his loss would hurt them last season, but the club got off to a fast start under first-year manager Stephen Vogt and ran away with the division title. Cleveland eliminated Detroit in the AL Division Series before losing the ALCS to the New York Yankees in five games. Story continues below video Bieber spent chunks of last season with the team and he received a huge ovation at Progressive Field when he was introduced before the postseason series. The two-time All-Star has spent all seven of his big league seasons with Cleveland, which had contemplated trading him before his elbow issues in 2023 limited him to 21 starts. During the shortened COVID-19 season in 2020, Bieber went 8-1 with a 1.63 ERA over 12 starts and 77 1/3 innings with 122 strikeouts. He led the majors in wins, ERA and strikeouts and finished fourth in AL MVP voting. He was selected by Cleveland in the fourth round of the 2016 amateur draft out of UC Santa Barbara and made his major league debut two years later on his 23rd birthday. Bieber has a career record of 62-32 with a 3.22 ERA over 136 outings spanning 134 starts and 843 innings. He has twice reached 200 innings, throwing a career-high 214 1/3 in 2019. AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
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Laura Loomer, an activist for President-elect Donald Trump 's Make America Great Again (MAGA) political movement, issued an apology to entrepreneur Sriram Krishnan amid a dispute among the MAGA base over H-1B visas in which tech billionaire Elon Musk has fanned the flames. Newsweek reached out to Loomer via online form and Krishnan via social media direct message for comment Sunday afternoon. Why It Matters This week, an intense row erupted among Trump's supporters over H-1B visas, a highly competitive visa program allowing American companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations. Loomer, who runs her own news site called Loomered, began the online fight when she criticized Trump's appointment of Krishnan as his senior policy adviser on artificial intelligence (AI). Loomer noted Indian-born Krishnan's previous support for eliminating some caps on green cards and making it easier for skilled foreigners to work in the United States, which Loomer claimed on X, formerly Twitter , was "in direct opposition" to the Trump agenda. Musk has vehemently backed the visas and his future co-leader of Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy , has also voiced support for bringing skilled foreign workers into the U.S. What To Know Early Sunday morning, Loomer posted to X: "I deeply apologize for accidentally doxxing Sriram @sriramk by sharing public FEC records with his personal info. It was an honest mistake, and I take full responsibility. I've removed the post and I promise that I will be more careful in the future when I post FEC records." In a recent X post, Loomer claimed Krishnan donated to Vice President Kamala Harris ' 2024 presidential campaign, according to The Times of India . Loomer asked Krishnan in the post, "Why did you donate to Kamala Harris's Presidential Campaign less than one month before the 2024 Presidential election? You did even vote for Trump," adding, "Now you want to infiltrate his admin?" the newspaper reported. According to FEC records, there was a Sriram Krishnan who donated over $1,000 to the Harris for President committee and $10 dollars to the ActBlue political action committee (PAC), but there is not enough identifying information to confirm that it was the same Krishnan that Trump tapped as his AI adviser. Before her Sunday post, Loomer wrote on X on Saturday night, "I was not trying to inflict harm on anyone, & if @sriramk felt as though I was trying to 'doxx' him, I sincerely apologize for that. I promise I wasn't doxxing & I believe more speech is the answer. Not less. @elonmusk." The last part of her post was an apparent dig at Musk , who Loomer accused of "full censorship" after her premium account on the social media site was deactivated, claiming it was retaliation for her criticisms of H-1B visas. In a follow-up post from Saturday night, Loomer remained firm in her opinion of H-1B visas and dug more into Musk, writing, "I won't apologize for my views on immigration but I wanted to make it very clear that as a journalist I was posting publicly available FEC records. Not doxxing. I know @elonmusk doesn't care because he doesn't like me, but I am telling the truth. FEC makes that clear too." Meanwhile, on Thursday night, Musk wrote on X, "Just a reminder that the algorithm is trying to maximize unregretted user-seconds. If far more credible, verified subscriber accounts (not bots) mute/block your account compared to those who like your posts, your reach will decline significantly." What People Are Saying Tech entrepreneur David Sacks on Wednesday via X: "Sriram [Krishnan] has been a U.S. citizen for a decade. He's not 'running America.' He's advising on A.I. policy. He will have no influence over U.S. immigration policy. These attacks have become crude, and not in the holiday spirit. I'm signing off now. Have a merry Christmas." Musk on Friday via X: "The reason I'm in America along with so many critical people who built SpaceX , Tesla and hundreds of other companies that made America strong is because of H1B. Take a big step back and F*** YOURSELF in the face. I will go to war on this issue the likes of which you cannot possibly comprehend." Ramaswamy on Thursday via X: "Our American culture has venerated mediocrity over excellence for way too long." He added in a Friday post, "I've said it countless times in the last 2 years & will say it again: the H-1B system is badly broken & should be replaced with one that focuses on selecting the very best of the best (not a lottery), pro-competitive (no indentured service to one company), and de-bureaucratized." Trump told the New York Post in a phone interview on Saturday, "I've always liked the [H-1B] visas, I have always been in favor of the visas. That's why we have them." He added: "I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I've been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It's a great program." What Happens Next Once sworn into office on January 20, Trump could struggle to placate both those in business who believe skilled legal migration boosts the U.S. economy and those of his supporters who think it takes place at the expense of American workers.
By TOM KRISHER, Associated Press DETROIT (AP) — For a second time, a Delaware judge has nullified a pay package that Tesla had awarded its CEO, Elon Musk, that once was valued at $56 billion. On Monday, Chancellor Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick turned aside a request from Musk’s lawyers to reverse a ruling she announced in January that had thrown out the compensation plan. The judge ruled then that Musk effectively controlled Tesla’s board and had engineered the outsize pay package during sham negotiations . Lawyers for a Tesla shareholder who sued to block the pay package contended that shareholders who had voted for the 10-year plan in 2018 had been given misleading and incomplete information. In their defense, Tesla’s board members asserted that the shareholders who ratified the pay plan a second time in June had done so after receiving full disclosures, thereby curing all the problems the judge had cited in her January ruling. As a result, they argued, Musk deserved the pay package for having raised Tesla’s market value by billions of dollars. McCormick rejected that argument. In her 103-page opinion, she ruled that under Delaware law, Tesla’s lawyers had no grounds to reverse her January ruling “based on evidence they created after trial.” What will Musk and Tesla do now? On Monday night, Tesla posted on X, the social media platform owned by Musk, that the company will appeal. The appeal would be filed with the Delaware Supreme Court, the only state appellate court Tesla can pursue. Experts say a ruling would likely come in less than a year. “The ruling, if not overturned, means that judges and plaintiffs’ lawyers run Delaware companies rather than their rightful owners — the shareholders,” Tesla argued. Later, on X, Musk unleashed a blistering attack on the judge, asserting that McCormick is “a radical far left activist cosplaying as a judge.” What do experts say about the case? Legal authorities generally suggest that McCormick’s ruling was sound and followed the law. Charles Elson, founding director of the Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware, said that in his view, McCormick was right to rule that after Tesla lost its case in the original trial, it created improper new evidence by asking shareholders to ratify the pay package a second time. Had she allowed such a claim, he said, it would cause a major shift in Delaware’s laws against conflicts of interest given the unusually close relationship between Musk and Tesla’s board. “Delaware protects investors — that’s what she did,” said Elson, who has followed the court for more than three decades. “Just because you’re a ‘superstar CEO’ doesn’t put you in a separate category.” Elson said he thinks investors would be reluctant to put money into Delaware companies if there were exceptions to the law for “special people.” What will the Delaware Supreme Court do? Elson said that in his opinion, the court is likely to uphold McCormick’s ruling. Can Tesla appeal to federal courts? Experts say no. Rulings on state laws are normally left to state courts. Brian Dunn, program director for the Institute of Compensation Studies at Cornell University, said it’s been his experience that Tesla has no choice but to stay in the Delaware courts for this compensation package. Tesla has moved its legal headquarters to Texas. Does that matter? The company could try to reconstitute the pay package and seek approval in Texas, where it may expect more friendlier judges. But Dunn, who has spent 40 years as an executive compensation consultant, said it’s likely that some other shareholder would challenge the award in Texas because it’s excessive compared with other CEOs’ pay plans. “If they just want to turn around and deliver him $56 billion, I can’t believe somebody wouldn’t want to litigate it,” Dunn said. “It’s an unconscionable amount of money.” Would a new pay package be even larger? Almost certainly. Tesla stock is trading at 15 times the exercise price of stock options in the current package in Delaware, Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas wrote in a note to investors. Tesla’s share price has doubled in the past six months, Jonas wrote. At Monday’s closing stock price, the Musk package is now worth $101.4 billion, according to Equilar, an executive data firm. And Musk has asked for a subsequent pay package that would give him 25% of Tesla’s voting shares. Musk has said he is uncomfortable moving further into artificial intelligence with the company if he doesn’t have 25% control. He currently holds about 13% of Tesla’s outstanding shares.Trump offers a public show of support for Pete Hegseth, his embattled nominee to lead the Pentagon
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– WWE Superstar B-Fab recently competed in her first WWE TV since February earlier this month on SmackDown, competing in the first round of the WWE United Statest Title Tournament. She faced Bayley and Candice LeRae in a Triple Threat Match that was won by Bayley. Triple H recently shared a video on social media , showcasing some behind-the-scenes footage of B-Fab rehearsing her entrance, along with some footage from after the match. Triple H wrote in the caption, “Last week, @TheVibeBri made a big impact in her #SmackDown debut. All of the hard work continues to pay off. The Women’s United States Championship Tournament continues tonight.” You can view that clip below: Last week, @TheVibeBri made a big impact in her #SmackDown debut. All of the hard work continues to pay off. The Women’s United States Championship Tournament continues tonight. pic.twitter.com/eCXeanzBsF — Triple H (@TripleH) November 22, 2024NEW YORK , Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- S&P Global Market Intelligence has released a report today highlighting the convergence in public and private credit markets. The newly published Public and Private Markets Outlook: Converging on Credit is part of S&P Global Market Intelligence's Big Picture 2025 Outlook Report Series. In this new report, S&P Global Market Intelligence's capital markets analysts highlight how public and private credit markets have become increasingly intertwined in 2024, and why we expect this trend to continue in 2025. Public debt markets have grown, but not at the expense of the $1.5 trillion private markets, which continue their rapid expansion. " It may be no coincidence that the fall in Credit Default Swap (CDS) credit events aligns with the growth in provision of private credit. Many companies now have recourse to lines of credit from private sources to an extent not seen in previous cycles. This trend is likely to continue in 2025 but may raise questions about the transparency and measurement of credit risk in private credit funds, where the exposure is ultimately shifted," said Gavan Nolan , Executive Director at S&P Global Market Intelligence. Key highlights from the report include: To request a copy of Public and Private Markets Outlook: Converging on Credit , please contact press.mi@spglobal.com . S&P Global Market Intelligence's opinions, quotes, and credit-related and other analyses are statements of opinion as of the date they are expressed and not statements of fact or recommendation to purchase, hold, or sell any securities or to make any investment decisions, and do not address the suitability of any security. About S&P Global Market Intelligence At S&P Global Market Intelligence, we understand the importance of accurate, deep and insightful information. Our team of experts delivers unrivaled insights and leading data and technology solutions, partnering with customers to expand their perspective, operate with confidence, and make decisions with conviction. S&P Global Market Intelligence is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI). S&P Global is the world's foremost provider of credit ratings, benchmarks, analytics and workflow solutions in the global capital, commodity and automotive markets. With every one of our offerings, we help many of the world's leading organizations navigate the economic landscape so they can plan for tomorrow, today. For more information, visit www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence . Media Contact Amanda Oey S&P Global Market Intelligence +1 212-438-1904 amanda.oey@spglobal.com or press.mi@spglobal.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sp-global-market-intelligences-new-outlook-report-shows-the-convergence-of-public-and-private-credit-markets-and-expects-the-trend-to-continue-into-2025-302313385.html SOURCE S&P Global Market Intelligence5 top tech gifts for the holidays