The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has defended his decision to approve a private airstrip amid rising concerns and allegations of preferential treatment. Keyamo said this on the ‘This Morning’ programme on Arise News on Sunday. Where he stressed the importance of fairness and adherence to legal processes in granting approvals for private airstrips across Nigeria. “You can’t single out an individual in a country like this when you have given the same right to so many people and say withdraw that particular one. On what basis?” Keyamo asked. “The people have not breached any terms upon which we gave them the license. If you single them out, the constitution says you should not discriminate against any Nigerian. They are following the rules.” Keyamo explained that the approval process for the airstrip was rigorous and took over a year to complete. “It took me one year to approve that airstrip because we went through so many processes. By law, I said the minister would approve. That is what the law says. And it came to me. I looked at all the processes. I approved,” he said. Related News Tinubu arrives Immigration HQ to unveil technology complex Keyamo, FCCPC differ on Air Peace probe Keyamo to inaugurate Abia airport project next week The minister rejected accusations that the approval could be interpreted as favouritism, emphasising that similar permissions have been granted across the country. “Why should I not approve when others have been approved across the country? That is why we must be careful not to see this as an attack on the church. Once they have fulfilled the obligations, why not?” he questioned. Keyamo also addressed security concerns, assuring Nigerians that stringent measures are in place for private airstrips. He noted that no private aircraft can depart directly from an airstrip to an international destination without undergoing thorough checks at a designated airport. “You cannot take off from any private airstrip in Nigeria and fly outside the country. This is not possible. You must first land at an international airport. You will be well-processed and checked before you fly out. If you are flying in, you must first land at an international airport. You will be processed before you fly to your private airstrip,” he explained. Recall that this is following the House of Rep’s instruction to the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace to stop the issuance of airstrip licenses to private individuals and organisations. They also called for the withdrawal of licenses already granted to Living Faith Church, as well as to other private individuals and organisations, to safeguard national security.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has selected former White House aide Brooke Rollins to lead the Department of Agriculture in his second administration. Here are some things to know about Trump’s choice and the agency that Rollins would lead if she is confirmed by the Senate. She is a lawyer with agriculture ties — and a strong relationship with Trump Rollins, 52, graduated from Texas A&M University with an undergraduate degree in agricultural development before completing law school at the University of Texas. She served as domestic policy chief during Trump's first term, a portfolio that included agricultural policy. After leaving the White House, she became president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. Over the years, Rollins has forged a strong enough relationship with Trump, who has prized proven loyalty in his Cabinet and top adviser picks , that she was among the people floated as a potential White House chief of staff. That job went to Susie Wiles, Trump's co-campaign manager. Rollins, in an interview earlier this year, called Trump an “amazing boss.” USDA is about more than farms President Abraham Lincoln founded the USDA in 1862, when about half of all Americans lived on farms. The sprawling department now reaches into every American neighborhood, grocery store and school cafeteria. The USDA is the primary agency overseeing the nation’s farming, forestry, ranching, food quality and nutrition. The agency has a dual purpose of promoting and regulating agriculture practice and products. The agency oversees multiple support programs for farmers; animal and plant health; and the safety of meat, poultry and eggs that anchor the nation’s food supply. Its federal nutrition programs provide food to low-income people, pregnant women and young children. And the department sets standards for school meals. The next USDA chief could figure prominently in Trump 2.0 Trump did not offer many specifics about his agriculture policies during the campaign. But if he keeps his pledge to impose sweeping tariffs, farmers could be affected quickly — and potentially harshly. During the first Trump administration, countries like China responded to Trump’s tariffs by imposing retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports like the corn and soybeans routinely sold overseas. Trump countered by offering massive multibillion-dollar aid to farmers to help them weather the trade war. The ripple effects could extend to consumers’ grocery bills, as well. When things are going smoothly, agriculture secretaries are not usually prominent faces of an administration. But when the nation’s food supply is at issue, it could be another story. ___ Gomez Licon reported from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Bill Barrow And Adriana Gomez Licon, The Associated Press
Quest Partners LLC boosted its holdings in Cirrus Logic, Inc. ( NASDAQ:CRUS – Free Report ) by 67.4% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 5,466 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock after purchasing an additional 2,201 shares during the quarter. Quest Partners LLC’s holdings in Cirrus Logic were worth $679,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the business. Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp raised its stake in Cirrus Logic by 9.7% during the first quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp now owns 8,444 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $776,000 after buying an additional 746 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in shares of Cirrus Logic by 2.1% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 6,363,188 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $588,977,000 after purchasing an additional 128,393 shares during the last quarter. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co boosted its stake in Cirrus Logic by 3.8% in the 1st quarter. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co now owns 45,404 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $4,201,000 after purchasing an additional 1,645 shares in the last quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund bought a new position in Cirrus Logic in the 1st quarter worth about $176,000. Finally, Quadrature Capital Ltd purchased a new stake in Cirrus Logic during the 1st quarter valued at about $278,000. Institutional investors own 87.96% of the company’s stock. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research analysts have issued reports on CRUS shares. Susquehanna lifted their target price on shares of Cirrus Logic from $135.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock a “positive” rating in a report on Monday, November 18th. StockNews.com lowered shares of Cirrus Logic from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 6th. Barclays cut their target price on Cirrus Logic from $120.00 to $105.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, November 5th. KeyCorp boosted their price target on Cirrus Logic from $155.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price objective on Cirrus Logic from $165.00 to $140.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, November 5th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $132.50. Cirrus Logic Price Performance Shares of CRUS opened at $104.82 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $5.57 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.77 and a beta of 0.96. Cirrus Logic, Inc. has a one year low of $74.83 and a one year high of $147.46. The business has a fifty day moving average of $116.23 and a 200 day moving average of $123.04. Cirrus Logic ( NASDAQ:CRUS – Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, November 4th. The semiconductor company reported $2.25 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.02 by $0.23. The firm had revenue of $541.90 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $520.53 million. Cirrus Logic had a net margin of 17.19% and a return on equity of 18.15%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 12.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.43 EPS. Analysts expect that Cirrus Logic, Inc. will post 5.21 EPS for the current fiscal year. Cirrus Logic Company Profile ( Free Report ) Cirrus Logic, Inc, a fabless semiconductor company, develops low-power high-precision mixed-signal processing solutions in China, the United States, and internationally. The company offers audio products, including amplifiers; codecs components that integrate analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) and digital-to-analog converters (DACs) into a single integrated circuit (IC); smart codecs, a codec with integrated digital signal processing; standalone digital signal processors; and SoundClear technology, which consists of a portfolio of tools, software, and algorithms that helps to enhance user experience with features, such as louder, high-fidelity sound, audio playback, voice capture, and hearing augmentation for use in smartphones, tablets, laptops, AR/VR headsets, home theater systems, automotive entertainment systems, and professional audio systems. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Cirrus Logic Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cirrus Logic and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Penix, the eighth overall pick in this year's draft, was supposed to serve as Cousins' understudy for a year or two, a plan that was scuttled when Cousins quickly lost the zip and accuracy on his passes and his grip on the starting job. It was hard to argue with making the change after Cousins had nine picks and one touchdown pass in his last five starts — but it was a daring move nonetheless with the Falcons trailing first-place Tampa Bay by a single game with three weeks left. Penix made the move pay off with a solid first NFL start in the Falcons' 34-7 rout of the New York Giants on Sunday that bolstered Atlanta's playoff hopes , and the Falcons (8-7) moved back into first place in the NFC South with the Buccaneers' loss at Dallas on Sunday night. The left-hander was not at all overwhelmed by the moment, completing 18 of 27 passes for 202 yards — numbers that would’ve been better if not for at least three dropped passes, one of which Kyle Pitts bobbled right into the hands of a New York defender for Penix’s lone interception. “He went out and played almost flawless football,” coach Raheem Morris said. Cousins will almost certainly be looking for his fourth team in 2025. If the Falcons cut ties as expected, they'll have paid Cousins $90 million for 14 games. Cousins' career earnings are about $321 million and his record is 84-77-2, including a 1-3 mark in the playoffs and 7-7 this season. In the spirit of expedited judgments, let's take a gander at how other quarterbacks have fared with their new teams in 2024. The Pittsburgh Steelers landed the biggest bargain of the season in Wilson, whom they signed for the veteran's minimum of $1.21 million, leaving his former team, the Denver Broncos, on the hook for the remaining $37.79 million of his 2024 salary. Wilson's calf injury in camp forced the Steelers to start Justin Fields, who went 4-2 before Mike Tomlin made the risky switch to Wilson, who's gone 6-3 with 15 TD throws and four interceptions. With the Steelers (10-5) playoff-bound, Wilson will make his first postseason appearance since 2020. The only question is whether it'll be at home as AFC North champ or on the road as a wild-card. They're tied with the Ravens atop the division but currently own the tiebreaker. This was expected to be a rebuilding year in Minnesota after the Vikings lost Cousins in free agency. They signed Darnold, the third overall pick in 2018, to a $10 million, one-year contract and drafted national champion J.J. McCarthy with the 10th overall pick. McCarthy tore the meniscus in his right knee during the preseason opener and has undergone two surgeries, opening the way for Darnold's breakthrough season. Darnold brought a 21-35 career record with him to Minneapolis and all he's done is go 13-2 while setting career highs with 32 touchdown passes, 3,776 passing yards and a 67.2% completion percentage. The Vikings are tied with the Lions atop the packed NFC North and the division crown could come down to Minnesota's season finale at Detroit on Jan. 5. The Las Vegas Raiders signed Minshew to a two-year, $25 million contract and he beat out incumbent Aidan O'Connell for the starting gig. But he only went 2-7 and sustained a season-ending broken collarbone in a Week 12 loss to the Broncos, opening the door for O'Connell (1-4) to return. The Raiders' 19-14 win over Jacksonville on Sunday snapped a 10-game skid but might have taken them out of the Shedeur Sanders sweepstakes. They are 3-12, a game behind the Giants (2-13), who jettisoned QB Daniel Jones less than two years after signing him to a four-year, $160 million contract and have gone with Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito instead. The Chicago Bears had high hopes after drafting Williams with the No. 1 overall pick, but it might turn out that the second QB taken — Washington's Jayden Daniels — is better than the first as was the case last year when C.J. Stroud outperformed Carolina's Bryce Young. Williams has a terrific TD-to-INT ratio of 19-5, but the Bears are 4-11 and have lost nine in a row. Their last win came way back on Oct. 13 against Jacksonville. The 2023 Heisman Trophy winner out of LSU has led the Washington Commanders (10-5) to the cusp of their first playoff appearance since 2020. His bolstered his Rookie of the Year credentials with a five-TD performance Sunday in leading the Commanders to a 36-33 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. For the year, Daniels has 22 TD throws and eight interceptions. The former Auburn and Oregon star hasn't looked much like a rookie after starting an NCAA QB record 61 times in college. The Broncos (9-6) could snap an eight-year playoff drought with a win Sunday at Cincinnati thanks to Nix's steady play , Sean Payton's exhaustive guidance and Denver's traditionally stingy defense. Nix was drafted 12th overall after the Broncos released Wilson despite a a whopping $85 million dead money charge on top of the $37.79 million they're paying Wilson to play for Pittsburgh this year. With 22 TDs and 11 interceptions, Nix has almost matched Russell's win total (11-19) in his two seasons in Denver. AP Sports Writer Paul Newberry in Atlanta contributed to this report. Behind the Call analyzes the biggest topics in the NFL during the season. 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