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It's the holiday shopping season, which likely means more use of your credit card. And with each swipe, a transaction fee follows. The fee is often paid by the retailer and may be passed onto the customer. A group of lawmakers are taking aim at lowering the rate of those transaction fees. Retailers currently pay around 2-3% on every transaction, totaling $224 billion in 2023, according to industry analysts CMSPI . Visa and Mastercard, two payment networks that dominate the market, argue the fees pay for a valued service for quick and secure transactions. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois, says it's a problem that permeates every business accepting cards. "Visa and Mastercard don't bargain their charge on every single bill. They dictate how much they're going to charge," Durbin said. Durbin, who is pushing the Credit Card Competition Act, is advocating for more competition in the credit card market to help businesses play a hand in negotiating fees. "When you reduce the cost for retailers, whether they're restaurants or shops, they end up passing it along, and reduce prices for customers," Durbin said. But payment groups argue that there are already many payment options available that drive competition. "There's cash, check, Venmo, Zelle, credit card, debit card, the list goes on and on," Richard Hunt of the Electronic Payment Coalition said. "Millions of Americans use their credit card many times throughout the day. It is safe and it is secure and is very valuable to make ends meet." Hunt says the costs pay for services, protecting businesses and customers alike from fraud and stolen information. He says taking away the service could jeopardize not only private information but also take away benefits that customers rely on, like reward points or cash back. "[Customers] use that money to pay for groceries and gasoline prices and to buy gifts during the holidays. This move by Congress would jeopardize those reward points," Hunt said. But Sen. Durbin believes that increased competition will not harm rewards programs, which he says are a key factor in attracting customers to apply for credit cards in the first place. Earlier this year, Visa and Mastercard settled a lawsuit over the fees, resulting in lower costs over the next few years and allowing smaller merchants to collectively bargain for better rates. During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing last week, both Republicans and Democrats questioned Visa and Mastercard's profit margins, which hover around 50 percent and are fueled in part by fees. Lawmakers argued that such high profit margins should not exist amid record-high credit card debt. Representatives for Visa and Mastercard defended the fees, stating they provide security from fraud, drive innovative payment technologies, and offer lifelines for customers, especially those who are low-income, relying on points and benefits. Sen. Durbin admits the bill is unlikely to pass in the current lame-duck session of Congress but notes there has been bipartisan interest in the proposal.Trump Team Hasn’t Signed Transition of Power Agreements: White House Press Secretary
These were Juan Soto’s numbers in 2024: 41 home runs, 109 RBIs, a .288 batting average. Keep doing that over the next 15 years and he’ll be making roughly $1.2 million for every home run, $467,890 for every RBI, or $307,229 for every hit. (All of those figures are pre-tax, of course.) Soto’s $765 million, 15-year agreement with the New York Mets — the richest contract in terms of total value to a player in U.S. major sports history, a massive move by billionaire Mets owner Steve Cohen — provides a chance to look at the numbers in some very silly ways. He’ll make $314,815 per game. Based on his numbers this season, he’ll get $671,053 for every extra-base hit, or $46322 every time he swings the bat no matter if he misses, hits a tapper back to the mound or has Mr. Met celebrating in the stands after driving one out at Citi Field. Of course, that’s assuming Soto remains as healthy and productive as he was in 2024. If he misses significant time, those rates just go up. “Thank you Uncle Steve,” Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo wrote on social media. Some of the numbers around the sports world, when broken down by accomplishment, are simply eye-popping in this era. (These examples are based on current earnings, not taking into account restructurings or any other potential changes.): MLB | Blake Snell, Dodgers: The two-time Cy Young winner will earn about $65 million in 2025, most of which is a signing bonus that comes his way in January. He’s never made more than 32 starts in a season. If he makes 32 starts in 2025, he’d be getting (when factoring in the signing bonus) $2,031,250 per game. For comparison’s sake, Detroit’s Tarik Skubal made $2.65 million for the entire 2024 season — and won a Cy Young award. MLB | Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers: His record $700 million deal is no longer a record because of the Soto deal, but Ohtani still holds the mark for average total value at $70 million a year. The only member of baseball’s 50-50 club (54 homers, 59 stolen bases in 2024) would — at this past season’s rate — be making $619,469 every time he hits one out or steals a base. NFL | Dak Prescott, Cowboys: It’s unfair to break down his stats this year because he’s hurt, but Prescott’s current deal is worth an average of $60 million a season. Based on his career average, that means over the lifetime of his current contract with Dallas, the quarterback gets $13,680 for every passing yard. NFL | Quarterbacks in general: The per-game numbers in the NFL for starting quarterbacks are wild. Patrick Mahomes’ current $450 million contract isn’t even at the top of the cash-per-game standings: Prescott gets about $3.5 million for every Dallas regular season game, while Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow and Green Bay’s Jordan Love are around $3.25 million per game. NBA | Stephen Curry, Warriors: At nearly $56 million this season, Curry leads the NBA salary race (for this year, anyway). The NBA’s all-time 3-point king is earning about $680,000 per game in 2024-25; if he was paid by the 3-pointer only, he’d be getting about $161,908 every time he makes one of those this season for Golden State. NBA | Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, Celtics: Brown is starting a five-year deal worth around $285 million, and Tatum will start a five-year deal next year worth around $314 million. At those rates, Boston would be paying their two best players (at their current scoring paces) around $27,406 for every point scored. To compare — Larry Bird, for his career, made about $1,100 per point. NHL | Leon Draisaitl, Oilers: He’ll start a contract next year with Edmonton that will pay him an average of $14 million a season over eight seasons. At his current rate of scoring, he’d be earning roughly $119,393 for every goal or assist over that span. NHL | Igor Shesterkin, Rangers: Shesterkin just got the richest extension for a goalie at $92 million over eight years. At his current averages, every time he makes a save for New York, he’ll be earning $5,084. MLS | Lionel Messi, Inter Miami: Based just on his MLS guaranteed salary, Messi got just over $1 million per goal this season ($20.4 million, 20 goals). His full deal with Inter Miami is worth at least $150 million for 21⁄2 years — Messi made $229 every second he was on the field in the 2024 regular season. Golf | Scottie Scheffler, PGA: Scheffler’s official earnings in 2024 were $29,228,357 (plus an Olympic gold medal, which is priceless). And that doesn’t include $34,037,500 million in bonuses and unofficial earnings, including $25 million for winning the FedEx Cup. Add it all up, and that meant the world’s No. 1 player earned about $11,243 per shot he took this season. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
NoneIn a move to finance the space sector manufacturing and other related areas, state-owned IIFCL has urged the government to bring the space sector under the harmonized list of infrastructure for easier financing of satellite vehicle manufacturing activity in the country. Currently, India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited (IIFCL) is providing advisory services to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) through its subsidiary IIFCL Projects Limited (IPL), which helped in transferring 13 satellites from ISRO to NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) that involved a very complicated legal process and IPL has also done their business plans, according to a top IIFCL official. "Space sector is something which we have been engaged in through our subsidiary IPL. IPL got repeated mandates from ISRO for helping them in many of their endeavours, including transfer of space satellites," IIFCL managing director PR Jaishankar told a Delhi-based news agency. The NSIL is the commercial arm of ISRO with the primary responsibility of enabling Indian industries to take up high-technology space-related activities and is also responsible for the promotion and commercial exploitation of the products and services emanating from the Indian space programme. At the same time, Mr Jaishankar said, "We would like to engage with the space sector in terms of financing the space satellite vehicles manufacturing and other related areas. So, we have requested the government to include the space sector in the harmonized list of infrastructure so that we can be enabled to provide funding to this sector." As per the extant guidelines, IIFCL can provide funds only to sectors in the harmonised master list of infrastructure. Presently, it includes five main sectors and 37 sub-sectors. Earlier this year, the Union Cabinet liberalised foreign direct investment (FDI) policy allowing up to 100 per cent FDI through the automatic route in the space sector. Foreign firms now planning to build satellites would not require government approval up to 74 per cent of the investment while up to 49 per cent in the case of launch vehicles. This increased private sector participation would help to generate employment, enable modern technology absorption and make the sector self-reliant. Besides, Mr Jaishankar also said that IIFCL is planning to set up a subsidiary for issuance of asset backed securities (ABS) or covered bonds, as it aims to securitize its assets and conserve capital for further growth in business. "Presently, the company is working on details and once it is crystalised, we will take it to the board for its approval.The idea is to hive off part of our assets, he said, adding, the company will maintain a threshold and will focus on increasing the sanctions and disbursements more as compared to growing the asset size or loan book size.
The DeFi King: Why ZDEX’s Market Frenzy Is Unmatched by AVAX or ADA
Global energy executive joins Prometheus Hyperscale to accelerate sustainable data center growth and provide strategic counsel on $10B flagship project in Evanston, Wyoming HOUSTON , Nov. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Prometheus Hyperscale, a leading developer of sustainable hyperscale data centres, is delighted to announce the appointment of Bernard Looney as Chairman of the Board of Directors. Mr. Looney, former CEO of BP, brings to the role more than three decades of energy sector expertise – from the frontline to the boardroom. He will provide strategic guidance on the development of the company's growth plans, including its $10B flagship data center in Evanston, Wyoming , which will be among the largest facilities of its kind in the world when completed. The announcement of Mr. Looney's appointment comes as societies and large technology companies grapple with how to power the explosive growth in artificial intelligence (AI). The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that by 2026 data centers globally will use over 1,000 terawatt-hours (TWh) annually, around the same as Japan uses today. Against this backdrop of soaring demand and squeezed supply, Prometheus is pioneering new standards in hyperscale data center operations. These approaches include harnessing a variety of energy sources to power its data centers, including renewables, natural gas and possibly nuclear at a later date through our strategic partnership with Oklo. Prometheus aims for its data centers to not impact grid customers. Another key challenge is the enormous amount of power and water used to cool data centers to prevent the servers from overheating. Prometheus Hyperscale uses a unique liquid cooling system that dramatically outperforms traditional air-cooling methods, reducing energy consumption by up to 50%. This system also utilises deep underground water reservoirs and captures the waste heat to reuse or sequester it. It's believed that Prometheus Hyperscale's flagship project will be the first hyperscale data center in the United States to combine liquid heat transfer and heat reuse technologies. Founded by Trenton Thornock , an experienced leader in energy, finance and infrastructure, Prometheus Hyperscale's flagship project in Evanston, Wyoming , promises to be the most advanced sustainable data center in the United States , and one of the largest in the world, when it becomes operational in 2025/26. The 1GW-capacity developed site will cover an area of 640-acres (one square mile), making it approximately three quarters the size of New York's Central Park. Four further sites are currently earmarked across Arizona and Colorado . As Chairman, Mr. Looney will ensure the successful execution of Evanston as well as Prometheus's broader business goals. His appointment comes following the recent announcement that Trevor Neilson , a renowned climate technology entrepreneur and philanthropist, will serve as the company's President. It's estimated that $1 trillion will be invested in the U.S. in data centers in the next five years – with an additional $1 trillion internationally. Trenton Thornock , Founder and CEO of Prometheus Hyperscale commented: "Having Bernard Looney join as Chairman is a tremendous step forward for Prometheus. Bernard's track record and transformative leadership in the energy sector aligns perfectly with our vision for the future of data centers. His insights, as well as his extensive operational and project delivery experience, will be invaluable as we bring our flagship project in Evanston, Wyoming to life and set new benchmarks for sustainable digital infrastructure." Trevor Neilson , President of Prometheus Hyperscale, commented: "Bernard is the perfect person to guide Prometheus as we form partnerships across the energy sector to access low-carbon electrons that will power the future of AI. His extensive industry experience and leadership will be instrumental as Prometheus establishes itself at the forefront of sustainable data center operations." Bernard Looney commented: "I am delighted to join Prometheus Hyperscale at this pivotal moment as the world grapples with the intersection of AI, Energy and Sustainability. Innovative power solutions are desperately needed to ensure that AI is unleashed to tackle some of the biggest global challenges including healthcare, economic growth, and the energy transition. We must work to find solutions that lead to Net Positive AI – where the benefits to our world outweigh any costs. The flagship Evanston project is one such solution and I look forward to lending a helping hand, working alongside Trenton, Trevor, and the entire Prometheus team to help bring this vision to life. I can't imagine a more exciting challenge." Factsheet: Prometheus Hyperscale's Flagship Project in Evanston, Wyoming Prometheus's site in Evanston, Wyoming , aims to redefine sustainable infrastructure in the data center industry, setting a new benchmark for operational excellence and environmental responsibility. Key aspects of the project include: Extensive Land and Power Capacity: The project encompasses a 12,000-acre ranch, including a dedicated 640-acre plot (about 1 square mile) for data center facilities. Prometheus has secured an initial 120 MW of grid power through Rocky Mountain Power, with plans for an additional 120 MW, ensuring robust power availability without curtailment risks. On-Site Renewable and Low-Carbon Power Generation: With an on-site generation goal of over 1 GW, which will make it one of the largest data centers in the world, Prometheus is incorporating a mix of wind, solar and gas power sources. Additionally, the company has a strategic partnership with Oklo focused on next-generation fission-based nuclear power, delivering reliable, sustainable baseload energy to the campus. High-Performance Fiber Connectivity: The Evanston site will connect directly to the Northern transcontinental fiber trunk, offering high-speed, low-latency connections between the East and West Coasts. With agreements for up to 400G of service and plans to scale up to 800G when commercially available, the project is poised to meet the rigorous connectivity needs of AI, cloud, and high-performance computing clients and to be one of the biggest data centers in the world. Cutting-Edge Liquid Cooling Technology: Prometheus's unique liquid cooling systems will be deployed to achieve unparalleled energy efficiency by capturing and reusing waste heat. This innovative solution is specifically engineered for high-performance computing environments and will play a critical role in reducing the carbon footprint of the facility. Strategic Location and Access to Skilled Labor: Located 80 miles from Salt Lake City, Utah , the Evanston site benefits from proximity to a large, skilled workforce, bolstered by a regional Journeyman Lineman program focused on data center operations. This strategic location supports the project's operational and expansion goals while reinforcing Prometheus's commitment to regional economic growth. For more information about Prometheus Hyperscale and its sustainability initiatives, please visit www.prometheushyperscale.com . About Prometheus Hyperscale Prometheus Hyperscale, founded by Trenton Thornock , is revolutionizing data center infrastructure by developing sustainable, energy-efficient hyperscale data centers. Leveraging unique, cutting-edge technology and working alongside strategic partners, Prometheus is building next-generation, liquid-cooled hyperscale data centers powered by cleaner energy. With a focus on innovation, scalability, and environmental stewardship, Prometheus Hyperscale is redefining the data center industry for a sustainable future. SOURCE Prometheus Hyperscale
NoneDelicate challenge for Nvidia chief
By JUAN A. LOZANO, Associated Press HOUSTON (AP) — An elaborate parody appears to be behind an effort to resurrect Enron, the Houston-based energy company that exemplified the worst in American corporate fraud and greed after it went bankrupt in 2001. If its return is comedic, some former employees who lost everything in Enron’s collapse aren’t laughing. “It’s a pretty sick joke and it disparages the people that did work there. And why would you want to even bring it back up again?” said former Enron employee Diana Peters, who represented workers in the company’s bankruptcy proceedings. Here’s what to know about the history of Enron and the purported effort to bring it back. Once the nation’s seventh-largest company, Enron filed for bankruptcy protection on Dec. 2, 2001, after years of accounting tricks could no longer hide billions of dollars in debt or make failing ventures appear profitable. The energy company’s collapse put more than 5,000 people out of work, wiped out more than $2 billion in employee pensions and rendered $60 billion in Enron stock worthless. Its aftershocks were felt throughout the energy sector. Twenty-four Enron executives , including former CEO Jeffrey Skilling , were eventually convicted for their roles in the fraud. Enron founder Ken Lay’s convictions were vacated after he died of heart disease following his 2006 trial. On Monday — the 23rd anniversary of the bankruptcy filing — a company representing itself as Enron announced in a news release that it was relaunching as a “company dedicated to solving the global energy crisis.” It also posted a video on social media, advertised on at least one Houston billboard and a took out a full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle In the minute-long video that was full of generic corporate jargon, the company talks about “growth” and “rebirth.” It ends with the words, “We’re back. Can we talk?” Related Articles Enron’s new website features a company store, where various items featuring the brand’s tilted “E” logo are for sale, including a $118 hoodie. In an email, company spokesperson Will Chabot said the new Enron was not doing any interviews yet, but that “We’ll have more to share soon.” Signs point to the comeback being a joke. In the “terms of use and conditions of sale” on the company’s website, it says “the information on the website about Enron is First Amendment protected parody, represents performance art, and is for entertainment purposes only.” Documents filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office show that College Company, an Arkansas-based LLC, owns the Enron trademark. The co-founder of College Company is Connor Gaydos, who helped create a joke conspiracy theory that claims all birds are actually surveillance drones for the government. Peters said that since learning about the “relaunch” of Enron, she has spoken with several other former employees and they are also upset by it. She said the apparent stunt was “in poor taste.” “If it’s a joke, it’s rude, extremely rude. And I hope that they realize it and apologize to all of the Enron employees,” Peters said. Peters, who is 74 years old, said she is still working in information technology because “I lost everything in Enron, and so my Social Security doesn’t always take care of things I need done.” “Enron’s downfall taught us critical lessons about corporate ethics, accountability, and the consequences of unchecked ambition. Enron’s legacy was the employees in the trenches. Leave Enron buried,” she said. Follow Juan A. Lozano on X at https://x.com/juanlozano70BOONE, N.C. (AP) — Myles Tate led Appalachian State with 20 points and Dior Conners hit the game-winning 3-pointer with one second left as the Mountaineers defeated William & Mary 79-76 on Sunday. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * BOONE, N.C. (AP) — Myles Tate led Appalachian State with 20 points and Dior Conners hit the game-winning 3-pointer with one second left as the Mountaineers defeated William & Mary 79-76 on Sunday. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? BOONE, N.C. (AP) — Myles Tate led Appalachian State with 20 points and Dior Conners hit the game-winning 3-pointer with one second left as the Mountaineers defeated William & Mary 79-76 on Sunday. Tate had five rebounds and 10 assists for the Mountaineers (3-2). Conners went 5 of 9 from the field (5 for 8 from 3-point range) to add 15 points. CJ Huntley shot 6 of 9 from the field and 1 for 4 from the line to finish with 14 points. Noah Collier led the Tribe (3-5) in scoring, finishing with 19 points and eight rebounds. William & Mary also got 13 points from Malachi Ndur. Kyle Pulliam also had 12 points. Appalachian State went into the half leading William & Mary 42-30. Jamil Muttilib put up 12 points in the half. Tate led Appalachian State with 15 points in the second half. NEXT UP Appalachian State plays Wednesday against Sam Houston, and William & Mary visits Old Dominion on Monday. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. Advertisement
On Football analyzes the biggest topics in the NFL from week to week. For more On Football analysis, head here . ___ Getting benched may have been the best thing that happened to Bryce Young and Anthony Richardson. Both second-year quarterbacks are playing well since returning to the starting lineup. Young has steadily improved after coming back in Week 8. He’s displayed the skills that earned him a Heisman Trophy at Alabama and convinced the Carolina Panthers to draft him ahead of C.J. Stroud with the No. 1 overall pick in 2023. Young had his best game on Sunday, nearly leading Carolina to an overtime win over Tampa Bay if it weren’t for Chuba Hubbard’s fumble in field-goal range. He threw for 298 yards and a go-ahead touchdown pass in the final minute of a 26-23 loss . Young almost led the Panthers to a win over the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs a week earlier only to see Patrick Mahomes drive Kansas City into position for a winning field goal as time expired. Rookie coach Dave Canales benched Young for veteran Andy Dalton after just two games in which he had a 44.1 passer rating. The 23-year-old has completed 60.4% of his passes for 1,062 yards, six TDs and three interceptions — none in the past three games — while going 2-3 in the five starts since Young got another opportunity to lead the Panthers (3-9). Richardson has led Indianapolis to a pair of comeback wins late in the fourth quarter in three starts after he regained his starting job. The Colts (6-7) selected Richardson No. 4 last year and he started just 10 games before coach Shane Steichen benched him for Joe Flacco in Week 9. Richardson completed only 44.4% of his passes with four TDs and seven picks in his first six starts. He’s improved to 52.4% with three TDs and two picks since coming back. The 22-year-old tossed a 3-yard TD pass to Alec Pierce on fourth-and-goal with 12 seconds remaining and then ran in for a 2-point conversion to lift the Colts to a 25-24 win over New England on Sunday. Young and Richardson both have a long way to go to prove they can be franchise quarterbacks. But there’s far more optimism now that they’re not busts. Young is on his third head coach and second offensive coordinator in two seasons. Canales is known for getting the best out of quarterbacks, helping Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield revive their careers. He made a bold decision to bench Young after just two games but that allowed him to watch, grow and learn without the pressure of having to perform. Now it appears Young might have a future in Carolina when that seemed unlikely in September. Richardson just needs more experience. He threw only 393 passes in college and started four games as a rookie before he was injured. Steichen’s decision to bench him for Flacco didn’t work out. Flacco, who was the AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year last year after leading Cleveland to the playoffs by going 4-1 in five starts, struggled in two games. Still, that gave Richardson a chance to reset after tapping out for a play in the game before he was benched. Quarterbacks need time to develop. They can’t be judged fairly after one or two seasons, especially when they were high draft picks who joined bad teams that lacked talent. Clock management blunders Matt Eberflus lost his job as Chicago’s head coach a day after he watched the offense run out of time with a timeout in hand, missing an opportunity to push Detroit to overtime on Thanksgiving. But Antonio Pierce made an even worse decision on Black Friday that cost the Raiders a chance to beat the Chiefs. Aidan O’Donnell drove Las Vegas to the Chiefs 32 with 15 seconds left. Instead of trying for a game-winning field goal down 19-17, Pierce wanted O’Donnell to take the snap, allow more time to tick and throw the ball away. But O’Donnell wasn’t ready for the snap, the Chiefs recovered the fumble and escaped with the win. aManaging the clock shouldn’t be this difficult for NFL head coaches. Tucker’s troubles Ravens kicker Justin Tucker is having the worst season of his 13-year career. If he wasn’t one of the best kickers in NFL history, Baltimore would’ve made a switch already. But coach John Harbaugh has too much respect for Tucker, who began the season as the most accurate kicker in league history. Tucker has missed a career-high eight field-goal attempts, including two in a 24-19 loss to Philadelphia. Harbaugh, a former special teams coach, isn’t planning to replace Tucker. But the Ravens (8-5) have Super Bowl aspirations and Tucker needs to straighten things out. One solution would be to place him on injured reserve to work on his technique. In this case, Tucker has earned the right not to be released. Plus, he’s signed through 2027. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Rob Maaddi, The Associated PressSenate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) issued a stark warning to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other skeptics of vaccines on Friday after a new report detailed the Donald Trump nominee’s ties to a lawyer who sought to revoke approval of the lifesaving polio vaccine for children. “The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives and held out the promise of eradicating a terrible disease,” McConnell, who had polio as a child, said in a statement. “Efforts to undermine public confidence in proven cures are not just uninformed – they’re dangerous.” “Anyone seeking the Senate’s consent to serve in the incoming Administration would do well to steer clear of even the appearance of association with such efforts,” McConnell added, in a not-so-veiled reference to Kenndy being tapped by Trump to lead the U.S. Health and Human Services Department next year. The New York Times revealed on Friday that Aaron Siri, a lawyer Kennedy has been consulting on whom to select as top health officials for the next Trump administration, has filed multiple legal petitions to block vaccines in recent years. That includes a 2022 petition for the Food and Drug Administration to withdraw its approval of a standard polio vaccine for babies and children, claiming the agency needs to do further studies to prove its safety. If confirmed, Kennedy would oversee the FDA and multiple other federal public health agencies. The environmental lawyer and son of former U.S. Attorney General and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy is a prominent vaccine skeptic who has spread wild conspiracy theories over the years. Trump’s choice of Kennedy to lead the top health agency has alarmed public health experts and 77 Nobel laureates who urged the Senate to reject his expected nomination last week. Some Republican senators have expressed concerns about Kennedy’s views, but none have publicly declared their opposition to his path to confirmation. “I believe vaccines are appropriate. They have to be safe. I want to know what his real concerns are and what he would want to do different, but I do not want to lose our vaccine programs,” Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) told reporters on Thursday. Don't let this be the end of the free press. The free press is under attack — and America's future hangs in the balance. As other newsrooms bow to political pressure, HuffPost is not backing down. Would you help us keep our news free for all? We can't do it without you. Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you. Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you. Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all. Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages. McConnell, meanwhile, reflected on his boyhood experience of struggling with polio and his parents’ “pain and fear of watching their child struggle with the life-altering diagnosis of polio.” “From the age of two, normal life without paralysis was only possible for me because of the miraculous combination of modern medicine and a mother’s love. But for millions who came after me, the real miracle was the saving power of the polio vaccine,” he said Friday. “For decades, I have been proud to work with devoted advocates – from Rotary International to the Gates Foundation – and use my platform in public life to champion the pursuit of cures for further generations,” the senator added. “I have never flinched from confronting specious disinformation that threatens the advance of lifesaving medical progress, and I will not today.” Related From Our PartnerStaff reporter John Lee Ka-chiu hopes for closer collaboration among the government and the innovative industry, academia, research and investment sectors, to build a comprehensive IT ecosystem in the city. Alongside a 1,800-square-meter AI educational base to be opened at Cyberport next year, the city's tech hub will also see an Artificial Intelligence supercomputing center to be gradually put into service from year-end. Lee said on social media that he had visited the new AI supercomputing center and an AI laboratory at Cyberport together with Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong on Friday. The center's first phase, set for completion by year-end, will provide computing power of around 300 petaflops - quadrillion floating-point operations per second - which will increase to around 3,000 petaflops next year and will be able to finish handling 10 billion pictures within an hour. "This will provide strong support for the pressing need for computing power in Hong Kong [innovative] industry and will drive scientific research breakthroughs," Lee said. "Meanwhile, the Cyberport AI Lab showcased a range of AI solutions, services and products for enterprises to test and experience and to promote related research and development and collaboration." Additionally, phase two of the center is set to be completed between next year and 2026. Lee emphasized the importance of industry efforts in promoting the development of innovative industry. "I am happy to see that enterprises are setting up an AI educational base in Hong Kong to offer professional and technical training to local university students," he said. "The educational base will offer courses covering AI foundation theories, applications, talks hosted by top [AI] professionals and academics, as well as field trips to the mainland. These can allow more young people to get to know about AI, cultivate their interests, and in turn train up professional talents." Meanwhile, Lee cited the International Institute for Management Development's latest World Digital Competitiveness Ranking, which showed Hong Kong's ranking moved up three places to seventh globally. He said it shows Hong Kong remains one of the most digitally competitive economies in the world. "AI has been an important driver of a new round of industrial transformation and in digital economy development. Hong Kong must seize the opportunity to further enhance its competitiveness and innovative capacity," the CE said. He urged industries across the SAR to give full play to their creativity and promote the application of AI and digital intelligence via the city's thriving AI ecosystem.ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Senate Republicans recommended on Friday that the state write laws banning transgender girls and women from participating in high school and college sports, setting the stage for action in the 2025 legislative session. The vote by a committee that was studying the issue is hardly a surprise. Lt. Gov. Burt Jones — a possible Republican contender for governor in 2026 — announced almost identical goals at the panel's first meeting in August . It’s an issue that’s already been addressed in Georgia. Legislators in 2022 empowered the Georgia High School Association to regulate transgender students' participation in sports. The association, which regulates sports and activities for all public schools and some private schools, then banned transgender boys and girls from playing on the school sports teams matching their gender identity. Jones and others argue that doesn't go far enough and that lawmakers themselves need to act. It's a sign Republicans believe there is more political gain in fears about transgender women playing women’s sports or using women’s bathrooms. At least 26 mostly Republican states have passed laws or rules to restrict transgender girls from participating high school sports and, in some cases, transgender women from college sports , according to the Movement Advancement Project, a gay rights group. In Georgia, additional action appears more likely now after House Speaker Jon Burns and Gov. Brian Kemp, both Republicans, have voiced support for further legislation. Jeff Graham, executive director of the LGBTQ+ advocacy group Georgia Equality, said his group is playing defense, concerned about the possibility of other bills that could further restrict gender-affirming care or ban transgender people from using public bathrooms that match their gender identity. “We’re expecting that it’ll be at least what we saw in 2023 and 2024, with the number of bills and more than likely laws,” Graham told reporters Friday. But Burns, from Newington, has said he's not interested in other bills dealing with transgender people besides those dealing with girls' and women's sports. Republican State Sen. Greg Dolezal, of Cumming, who led the Senate study committee, said Friday that he, too, is not interested in a broader bill regulating bathroom usage, although his committee recommended that schools that host sporting events require athletes to use locker rooms based on their assigned sex at birth. Dolezal said senators would seek to write legislation that regulated public schools and colleges, as well as private institutions that compete against public schools and colleges. The committee also recommends that people be able to sue or file grievances if schools break the rules, and that state money be withheld from schools that break the rules. Supporters of more action have focused on the 2022 NCAA women’s swimming championships at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, where Lia Thomas, a transgender woman, swam for the University of Pennsylvania and won the 500-meter freestyle . The NCAA has since revised its policy on transgender women’s participation, saying it will follow the rules of respective athletics federations. World Aquatics, the swimming governing body, banned transgender women who have been through male puberty from competing in women’s races. That means Thomas wouldn’t be allowed to swim in NCAA events today. “My basic contention that this is a solution in search of a problem remains,” Graham said. He said he fears that many people who oppose laws that seek to restrict transgender people will be afraid to testify and lobby at the Georgia Capitol, citing assault charges against a man accused of shaking U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace in a Capitol office building in Washington, D.C. Dolezal repeatedly tried to turn down the emotional temperature of the issue on Friday. “I think that there’s a group of people that wants to be respected and I think that they deserve respect,” Dolezal told reporters. “But I also think that you can be respectful, but also recognize that in the sporting arena, fairness and competition is important.” Jeff Amy, The Associated Press