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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday that he has chosen Keith Kellogg, a highly decorated retired three-star general, to serve as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, who is one of the architects of a staunchly conservative policy book that lays out an “America First” national security agenda for the incoming administration, will come into the role as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters its third year in February. Trump, making the announcement on his Truth Social account, said, “He was with me right from the beginning! Together, we will secure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, and Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN!” Kellogg, an 80-year-old retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as national security adviser to Vice President Mike Pence , was chief of staff of the National Security Council and then stepped in as an acting security adviser for Trump after Michael Flynn resigned. As special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Kellogg will have to navigate an increasingly untenable war between the two nations. The Biden administration has begun urging Ukraine to quickly increase the size of its military by drafting more troops and revamping its mobilization laws to allow for the conscription of those as young as 18. The White House has pushed more than $56 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s February 2022 invasion and expects to send billions more before Biden leaves office in less than two months. The U.S. has recently stepped up weapons shipments and has forgiven billions in loans provided to Kyiv. Trump has criticized the billions the Biden administration has spent in supporting Ukraine and has said he could end the war in 24 hours, comments that appear to suggest he would press Ukraine to surrender territory that Russia now occupies. As a co-chairman of the American First Policy Institute’s Center for American Security, Kellogg wrote several of the chapters in the group’s policy book. The book, like the Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025,” is designed to lay out a Trump national security agenda and avoid the mistakes of 2016 when he entered the White House largely unprepared. 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.” Trump's proposed national security adviser , U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz of Florida, tweeted Wednesday that “Keith has dedicated his life to defending our great country and is committed to bringing the war in Ukraine to a peaceful resolution.” Kellogg featured in multiple Trump investigations dating to his first term. He was among the administration officials who listened in on the July 2019 call between Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in which Trump prodded his Ukrainian counterpart to pursue investigations into the Bidens. The call, which Kellogg would later say did not raise any concerns on his end, was at the center of the first of two House impeachment cases against Trump, who was acquitted by the Senate both times. On Jan. 6, 2021, hours before pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol, Kellogg, who was then Pence’s national security adviser, listened in on a heated call in which Trump told his vice president to object or delay the certification in Congress of President Joe Biden ’s victory. He later told House investigators that he recalled Trump saying to Pence words to the effect of: “You’re not tough enough to make the call.” Baldor reported from Washington. AP writer Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
How major US stock indexes fared Tuesday, 12/24/2024
Sharon Williams, 58, overheard some concerning talk among the residents at the apartment complex where she lives with her mother. Some of the residents at Homer G. Phillips Senior Apartments in St. Louis said they turned their heat off during the day because they didn't want their utility bills getting too high. In the Midwest, where temperatures can quickly drop below freezing, this can be life-threatening for older people, who are much more susceptible to hypothermia. Williams, who is the president of the residents association, reached out to a representative of Ameren, the power company serving St. Louis, whom she had met at a senior fair. She asked her to help the residents in her complex sign up for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), a federally funded initiative that provides eligible households with financial help for energy costs. Williams explained that the residents were unlikely to have learned about the program on their own: "Most of them don't have vehicles or use the internet regularly," she said. Ameren agreed to send a representative with applications for the program. Williams set up a table in the lobby, brought a printer so people could print out their bills and assured the skeptics that it wasn't a scam. That event was three years ago, and it was such a success that Williams has kept it up ever since. She and her mom qualify for a small monthly subsidy, as well. "It's been a tremendous help because my mother has a lot of medications, and I have a lot of mobility issues," she said. Sandy Padgett, executive director of the Consumers Council of Missouri, a consumer advocacy nonprofit, wants more people to be aware that they can do something about the rising cost of utilities, which have outpaced inflation and wages in recent years. She points out that many Missouri utility companies are again asking for rate increases: Ameren has asked for a 15% rate increase from the Missouri Public Service Commission; Missouri American Water is seeking a 41% increase for households, plus doubling their monthly customer charge; natural gas company Spire has proposed an 18% rate increase and a 20% increase in the monthly customer charge; the Metropolitan (St. Louis) Sewer District has begun initiating a 32% increase over the next four years; the St. Louis Water Division increased rates by 20% in July 2023 and by another 24% in January. There's always tension surrounding utilities, many of which have a monopoly on the services residents need to survive. But the Consumers Council fears the utility companies are heavily favored in Missouri, Padgett said. "We are concerned about the amount of influence utilities may have on incoming Gov. Mike Kehoe, given the political donations he's received from them," she said. Kehoe has received about $600,000 in donations from utilities during his political career. The council is pushing for better assistance programs for consumers, easier access to financial help, and transparency in the number and locations of disconnections. Every state requires a public hearing before granting a rate hike. Showing up to testify at these hearings is one way to influence the decisions. "That testimony is meaningful," Padgett said. Unfortunately, she added, "some hearings only have a handful of people," which doesn't reflect the scale of the affordability problem. Ameren disconnected more than 16,000 Missouri households in September, and more than 17,000 in October. "That shows people are having trouble paying their bills," Padgett said. People experiencing financial hardship or surviving on limited incomes may try to ration heating or cooling in ways that could lead to hospitalization or even death, in extreme cases. Beyond poor health outcomes, access to utilities is tied to the ability to survive in many other ways. Those cut off from electricity cannot refrigerate food, for instance. If a home is excessively cold or hot, children cannot do their schoolwork. Williams, who recognized the challenges facing residents in her building, took action to make sure they could access the assistance available. Utility companies ought to take a proactive approach in sending representatives to areas with high disconnection rates or delinquencies to make sure customers enroll -- and stay enrolled -- in programs that can help them. Prioritize keeping vulnerable people warm during the winter over seeking even greater profits. (Aisha Sultan is a St. Louis-based journalist who studies parenting in the digital age while trying to keep up with her tech-savvy children. Find her on social media: @AishaS.)
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The tenacity of hopeWhales with a lot of money to spend have taken a noticeably bullish stance on Oracle . Looking at options history for Oracle ORCL we detected 15 trades. If we consider the specifics of each trade, it is accurate to state that 60% of the investors opened trades with bullish expectations and 40% with bearish. From the overall spotted trades, 5 are puts, for a total amount of $705,955 and 10, calls, for a total amount of $862,606. What's The Price Target? Based on the trading activity, it appears that the significant investors are aiming for a price territory stretching from $120.0 to $270.0 for Oracle over the recent three months. Volume & Open Interest Development Examining the volume and open interest provides crucial insights into stock research. This information is key in gauging liquidity and interest levels for Oracle's options at certain strike prices. Below, we present a snapshot of the trends in volume and open interest for calls and puts across Oracle's significant trades, within a strike price range of $120.0 to $270.0, over the past month. Oracle Call and Put Volume: 30-Day Overview Significant Options Trades Detected: Symbol PUT/CALL Trade Type Sentiment Exp. Date Ask Bid Price Strike Price Total Trade Price Open Interest Volume ORCL PUT TRADE BEARISH 06/20/25 $16.75 $16.0 $16.65 $175.00 $499.5K 908 300 ORCL CALL SWEEP BULLISH 03/21/25 $43.2 $43.0 $43.18 $130.00 $280.7K 344 65 ORCL CALL TRADE BEARISH 12/19/25 $25.25 $25.0 $25.0 $170.00 $170.0K 252 68 ORCL CALL TRADE BULLISH 01/17/25 $2.52 $2.44 $2.5 $175.00 $125.0K 4.6K 604 ORCL PUT SWEEP BULLISH 01/17/25 $0.89 $0.81 $0.81 $160.00 $89.2K 15.1K 2.1K About Oracle Oracle provides database technology and enterprise resource planning, or ERP, software to enterprises around the world. Founded in 1977, Oracle pioneered the first commercial SQL-based relational database management system. Today, Oracle has more than 400,000 customers in 175 countries. Where Is Oracle Standing Right Now? Trading volume stands at 2,434,869, with ORCL's price up by 1.34%, positioned at $171.41. RSI indicators show the stock to be may be approaching oversold. Earnings announcement expected in 76 days. Expert Opinions on Oracle In the last month, 5 experts released ratings on this stock with an average target price of $192.8. Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move Benzinga Edge's Unusual Options board spots potential market movers before they happen. See what positions big money is taking on your favorite stocks. Click here for access .* Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from UBS keeps a Buy rating on Oracle with a target price of $210. * An analyst from RBC Capital downgraded its action to Sector Perform with a price target of $165. * An analyst from Jefferies has decided to maintain their Buy rating on Oracle, which currently sits at a price target of $220. * An analyst from Citigroup persists with their Neutral rating on Oracle, maintaining a target price of $194. * Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Morgan Stanley continues to hold a Equal-Weight rating for Oracle, targeting a price of $175. Trading options involves greater risks but also offers the potential for higher profits. Savvy traders mitigate these risks through ongoing education, strategic trade adjustments, utilizing various indicators, and staying attuned to market dynamics. Keep up with the latest options trades for Oracle with Benzinga Pro for real-time alerts. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Ligue 1: Simon’s wonder goal earns Nantes victory over Rennes