Trump’s wish to control Greenland and Panama Canal: not a joke this timeNonePHOENIX — Donald Trump suggested Sunday that his new administration could try to regain control of the Panama Canal that the United States “foolishly” ceded to its Central American ally, contending that shippers are charged “ridiculous” fees to pass through the vital transportation channel linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. President-elect Donald Trump speaks at AmericaFest on Sunday in Phoenix. Panama's conservative president José Raúl Mulino, who was elected in April on a pro-business platform, roundly rejected that notion as an affront to his country's sovereignty. The Republican president-elect's comment came during his first major rally since winning the White House on Nov. 5. He also used his comments to bask in his return to power as a large audience of conservatives cheered along. It was a display of party unity at odds with a just-concluded budget fight on Capitol Hill where some GOP lawmakers openly defied their leader's demands. Addressing supporters at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest in Arizona, Trump pledged that his “dream team Cabinet” would deliver a booming economy, seal U.S. borders and quickly settle wars in the Middle East and Ukraine. “I can proudly proclaim that the Golden Age of America is upon us,” Trump said. “There’s a spirit that we have now that we didn’t have just a short while ago.” His appearance capped a four-day pep rally that drew more than 20,000 activists and projected an image of Republican cohesion despite the past week's turbulence in Washington with Trump pulling strings from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida as Congress worked to avoid a government shutdown heading into the Christmas holiday. House Republicans spiked a bipartisan deal after Trump and Elon Musk, his billionaire ally, expressed their opposition on social media. Budget hawks flouted Trump's request to raise the nation’s debt ceiling, which would have spared some new rounds of the same fight after he takes office Jan. 20, 2025, with Republicans holding narrow control of the House and Senate. The final agreement did not address the issue and there was no shutdown. Trump, in his remarks in Phoenix, did not mention the congressional drama, though he did reference Musk's growing power. To suggestions that "President Trump has ceded the presidency to Elon,” Trump made clear, “No, no. That’s not happening.” “He’s not gonna be president,” Trump said. The president-elect opened the speech by saying that "we want to try to bring everybody together. We’re going to try. We’re going to really give it a shot." Then he suggested Democrats have “lost their confidence” and are “befuddled” after the election but eventually will ”come over to our side because we want to have them.” A cargo ship traverses the Agua Clara Locks of the Panama Canal on Sept. 2 in Colon, Panama. Atop a list of grievances — some old, some new — was the Panama Canal. “We’re being ripped off at the Panama Canal,” he said, bemoaning that his country ”foolishly gave it away.” The United States built the Panama Canal in the early 1900s, as it looked for ways to facilitate the transit of commercial and military vessels between its coasts. Washington relinquished control of the waterway to Panama on Dec. 31, 1999, under a treaty signed in 1977 under President Jimmy Carter. The canal depends on reservoirs to operate its locks and was heavily affected by 2023 Central American droughts that forced it to substantially reduce the number of daily slots for crossing ships. With fewer ships using the canal each day, administrators also increased the fees that are charged all shippers for reserving a slot. With weather returning to normal in the later months of this year, transit on the canal has normalized. But price increases are still expected for next year. Mulino, Panama's president, has been described as a conservative populist who aligns with Trump on many issues. Panama is a strong U.S. ally and the canal is crucial for its economy, generating about one-fifth of that government’s annual revenue. Still, Trump said, that, once his second term is underway, "If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to the United States of America, in full, quickly and without question.” “I’m not going to stand for it," Trump said. "So to the officials of Panama, please be guided accordingly.” He did not explain how that would be possible. A short time after Trump's speech, Mulino released a video declaring that “every square meter of the canal belongs to Panama and will continue to belong” to his country. Without mentioning Trump by name, Mulino addressed the president-elect's complaints over rising fees for ships crossing the canal, saying that they are set by experts who take into account operational costs, and supply and demand factors. “The tariffs are not set on a whim” Mulino said. He noted that Panama has expanded the canal over the years to increase ship traffic “on its own initiative,” and added that shipping fee increases help pay for improvements. “Panamanians may have different views on many issues” Mulino said. “But when it comes to our canal, and our sovereignty, we will all unite under our Panamanian flag.” The canal aside, Trump’s appearance at Turning Point’s annual gathering affirmed the growing influence the group and its founder, Charlie Kirk, have had in the conservative movement. Kirk’s organization hired thousands of field organizers across presidential battlegrounds, helping Trump make key gains among infrequent voters and other groups of people that have trended more Democratic in recent decades, including younger voters, Black men and Latino men. ”You had Turning Point’s grassroots armies,” Trump said. “It’s not my victory, it’s your victory.” Earlier Sunday, Trump said that Stephen Miran, who worked at the Treasury Department in Trump's first term, was his choice to lead the Council of Economic Advisers. Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. FILE - Former Rep. Doug Collins speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at a campaign event at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Oct. 15, 2024, in Atlanta. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Kash Patel spent several years as a Justice Department prosecutor before catching the Trump administration’s attention as a staffer on Capitol Hill who helped investigate the Russia probe. Patel called for dramatically reducing the agency’s footprint, a perspective that sets him apart from earlier directors who sought additional resources for the bureau. Though the Justice Department in 2021 halted the practice of secretly seizing reporters’ phone records during leak investigations, Patel said he intends to aggressively hunt down government officials who leak information to reporters. Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Trump said Atkins, the CEO of Patomak Partners and a former SEC commissioner, was a “proven leader for common sense regulations.” In the years since leaving the SEC, Atkins has made the case against too much market regulation. “He believes in the promise of robust, innovative capital markets that are responsive to the needs of Investors, & that provide capital to make our Economy the best in the World. He also recognizes that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The commission oversees U.S. securities markets and investments and is currently led by Gary Gensler, who has been leading the U.S. government’s crackdown on the crypto industry. Gensler, who was nominated by President Joe Biden, announced last month that he would be stepping down from his post on the day that Trump is inaugurated — Jan. 20, 2025. Atkins began his career as a lawyer and has a long history working in the financial markets sector, both in government and private practice. In the 1990s, he worked on the staffs of two former SEC chairmen, Richard C. Breeden and Arthur Levitt. Jared Isaacman, 41, is a tech billionaire who bought a series of spaceflights from Elon Musk’s SpaceX and conducted the first private spacewalk . He is the founder and CEO of a card-processing company and has collaborated closely with Musk ever since buying his first chartered SpaceX flight. He took contest winners on that 2021 trip and followed it in September with a mission where he briefly popped out the hatch to test SpaceX’s new spacewalking suits. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. President-elect Donald Trump tapped former Sen. David Perdue of Georgia to be ambassador to China, saying in a social media post that the former CEO “brings valuable expertise to help build our relationship with China.” Perdue lost his Senate seat to Democrat Jon Ossoff four years ago and ran unsuccessfully in a primary against Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Perdue pushed Trump's debunked lies about electoral fraud during his failed bid for governor. Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Guilfoyle is a former California prosecutor and television news personality who led the fundraising for Trump's 2020 campaign and became engaged to Don Jr. in 2020. Trump called her “a close friend and ally” and praised her “sharp intellect make her supremely qualified.” Guilfoyle was on stage with the family on election night. “I am so proud of Kimberly. She loves America and she always has wanted to serve the country as an Ambassador. She will be an amazing leader for America First,” Don Jr. posted. The ambassador positions must be approved by the U.S. Senate. Guilfoyle said in a social media post that she was “honored to accept President Trump’s nomination to serve as the next Ambassador to Greece and I look forward to earning the support of the U.S. Senate.” Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump said Wednesday that he will nominate Gen. Keith Kellogg to serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as National Security Advisor to Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence. For the America First Policy Institute, one of several groups formed after Trump left office to help lay the groundwork for the next Republican administration, Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Customs and Border Protection, with its roughly 60,000 employees, falls under the Department of Homeland Security. It includes the Border Patrol, which Rodney Scott led during Trump's first term, and is essentially responsible for protecting the country's borders while facilitating trade and travel. Scott comes to the job firmly from the Border Patrol side of the house. He became an agent in 1992 and spent much of his career in San Diego. When he was appointed head of the border agency in January 2020, he enthusiastically embraced Trump's policies. After being forced out under the Biden administration, Scott has been a vocal supporter of Trump's hard-line immigration agenda. He appeared frequently on Fox News and testified in Congress. He's also a senior fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Former Rep. Billy Long represented Missouri in the U.S. House from 2011 to 2023. Since leaving Congress, Trump said, Long “has worked as a Business and Tax advisor, helping Small Businesses navigate the complexities of complying with the IRS Rules and Regulations.” Former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler was appointed in January 2020 by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and then lost a runoff election a year later. She started a conservative voter registration organization and dived into GOP fundraising, becoming one of the top individual donors and bundlers to Trump’s 2024 comeback campaign. Even before nominating her for agriculture secretary, the president-elect already had tapped Loeffler as co-chair of his inaugural committee. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Trump says he’s picking Kari Lake as director of Voice of America, installing a staunch loyalist who ran unsuccessfully for Arizona governor and a Senate seat to head the congressionally funded broadcaster that provides independent news reporting around the world. Lake endeared herself to Trump through her dogmatic commitment to the falsehood that both she and Trump were the victims of election fraud. She has never acknowledged losing the gubernatorial race and called herself the “lawful governor” in her 2023 book, “Unafraid: Just Getting Started.” Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. James Blair, deputy chief of staff Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Marty Makary, Food and Drug Administration Makary is a Johns Hopkins surgeon and author who argued against pandemic lockdowns. He routinely appeared on Fox News during the COVID-19 pandemic and wrote opinion articles questioning masks for children. He cast doubt on vaccine mandates but supported vaccines generally. Makary also cast doubt on whether booster shots worked, which was against federal recommendations on the vaccine. Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, Surgeon General Nesheiwat is a general practitioner who serves as medical director for CityMD, a network of urgent care centers in New York and New Jersey. She has been a contributor to Fox News. Dr. Dave Weldon, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Weldon is a former Florida congressman who recently ran for a Florida state legislative seat and lost; Trump backed Weldon’s opponent. In Congress, Weldon weighed in on one of the nation’s most heated debates of the 1990s over quality of life and a right-to-die and whether Terri Schiavo, who was in a persistent vegetative state after cardiac arrest, should have been allowed to have her feeding tube removed. He sided with the parents who did not want it removed. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Ron Johnson, Ambassador to Mexico Johnson — not the Republican senator — served as ambassador to El Salvador during Trump's first administration. His nomination comes as the president-elect has been threatening tariffs on Mexican imports and the mass deportation of migrants who have arrived to the U.S.-Mexico border. Johnson is also a former U.S. Army veteran and was in the Central Intelligence Agency. Tom Barrack, Ambassador to Turkey Barrack, a wealthy financier, met Trump in the 1980s while helping negotiate Trump’s purchase of the renowned Plaza Hotel. He was charged with using his personal access to the former president to secretly promote the interests of the United Arab Emirates, but was acquitted of all counts at a federal trial in 2022. Trump called him a “well-respected and experienced voice of reason.” Andrew Ferguson, Federal Trade Commission Ferguson, who is already one of the FTC's five commissioners, will replace Lina Khan, who became a lightning rod for Wall Street and Silicon Valley by blocking billions of dollars worth of corporate acquisitions and suing Amazon and Meta while alleging anticompetitive behavior. “Andrew has a proven record of standing up to Big Tech censorship, and protecting Freedom of Speech in our Great Country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding, “Andrew will be the most America First, and pro-innovation FTC Chair in our Country’s History.” Jacob Helberg, undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment Dan Bishop, deputy director for budget at the Office of Budget and Management Leandro Rizzuto, Ambassador to the Washington-based Organization of American States Dan Newlin, Ambassador to Colombia Peter Lamelas, Ambassador to Argentina Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.Latest News | Over 200 J-K Students Showcase Innovative Projects at SKICC
Kingsview Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of International General Insurance Holdings Ltd. ( NASDAQ:IGIC – Free Report ) during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund acquired 13,944 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $265,000. Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Diamond Hill Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in International General Insurance in the 3rd quarter worth $3,338,000. Deroy & Devereaux Private Investment Counsel Inc. boosted its stake in shares of International General Insurance by 31.6% in the third quarter. Deroy & Devereaux Private Investment Counsel Inc. now owns 189,300 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,597,000 after acquiring an additional 45,455 shares during the period. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC purchased a new stake in shares of International General Insurance during the third quarter worth about $303,000. Mackenzie Financial Corp bought a new stake in International General Insurance during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $411,000. Finally, Marshall Wace LLP lifted its holdings in International General Insurance by 276.8% in the 2nd quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 92,308 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,292,000 after purchasing an additional 67,809 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 54.24% of the company’s stock. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of brokerages have issued reports on IGIC. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on shares of International General Insurance from $22.00 to $26.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, November 7th. Oppenheimer assumed coverage on shares of International General Insurance in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. They set an “outperform” rating and a $30.00 target price for the company. International General Insurance Trading Up 0.1 % Shares of IGIC stock opened at $25.95 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.19 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.48 and a beta of 0.21. International General Insurance Holdings Ltd. has a 12-month low of $11.51 and a 12-month high of $27.00. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $21.71 and its 200-day moving average price is $17.85. International General Insurance ( NASDAQ:IGIC – Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 5th. The company reported $0.67 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.56 by $0.11. The business had revenue of $138.10 million for the quarter. International General Insurance had a return on equity of 22.78% and a net margin of 26.24%. As a group, research analysts predict that International General Insurance Holdings Ltd. will post 2.91 EPS for the current fiscal year. International General Insurance Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, December 18th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, December 3rd will be given a dividend of $0.025 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, December 3rd. This represents a $0.10 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.39%. International General Insurance’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 3.27%. International General Insurance Company Profile ( Free Report ) International General Insurance Holdings Ltd. engages in the provision of specialty insurance and reinsurance solutions worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Specialty Long-tail, Specialty Short-tail, and Reinsurance. It is involved in underwriting a portfolio of specialty risks, including energy, property, construction and engineering, ports and terminals, general aviation, political violence, professional lines, financial institutions, motor, marine liability, contingency, marine, treaty, and casualty insurance and reinsurance. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IGIC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for International General Insurance Holdings Ltd. ( NASDAQ:IGIC – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for International General Insurance Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for International General Insurance and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Boise State's legacy includes winning coaches and championship moments
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Chad’s online journalists decry ban ahead of December 29 electionsThe best second careers for the over-50s: It's NOT too late to change your life with these lucrative jobs that require more life experience than training - and earn up to $150k a year Australians over 50 still needed in some sectors By STEPHEN JOHNSON, ECONOMICS REPORTER FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA Published: 13:19 GMT, 22 December 2024 | Updated: 13:19 GMT, 22 December 2024 e-mail View comments Australians who lose their jobs after the age of 50 often struggle to find work again. Age discrimination is still an issue in Australia and the Reserve Bank's most aggressive rate hikes since the late 1980s are likely to see unemployment rise even higher. Technology is upending job security and the era of artificial intelligence looks likely to favour younger workers who understand algorithms. But white-collar recruitment agency Robert Half says older workers are surprisingly highly-sought after - even in unexpected fields such as technology. Andrew Brushfield, the agency's Asia-Pacific director, said employers often prefer older workers because of their experience and maturity. 'They are actually preferred over other people,' he tells me. 'They've got a bank of experience, they can typically self-manage, they are able to look at their history and their experience and say, "This worked well here, this didn't work well here" and they can apply knowledge to the circumstances they're hired for. 'The fact they're over 50 is irrelevant to many employers out there.' Australians who lose their jobs after the age of 50 often struggle to find another position There is also hope for older workers who are retrenched, with Robert Half having helped senior job-seekers find new professional pathways in competitive job markets in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. 'There's a bit of a preconception that if you get retrenched over 50, you're in trouble, you're not going to get another job, but there are opportunities there,' Mr Brushfield says. Technology project managers Mr Brushfield says over-50s are often wanted within the tech space despite the stereotype about older workers struggling with technology. 'Could you argue that there's some cutting-edge technology that a 55-year-old is less aware of than say a 25-year-old? You probably could,' he says. Andrew Brushfield, Robert Half's Asia-Pacific director, said employers often preferred older workers because of their experience and maturity 'But, for the most part, let's assume that their skillsets are relevant.' Mr Brushfield says older workers with project-management skills are particularly in demand as companies seek to install new software programs. 'We're seeing a huge demand for people with experience to run projects, to implement those new systems or to update that system,' he tells me. Data from employment website Seek shows project managers in NSW earn $130,000 to $150,000, which is significantly higher than Australia's average, full-time salary of $100,017. Older workers who can work short-term contracts are also in-demand. 'People who've had experience in running projects or project implementation earlier in their career can transition into running these projects or project work for six months, 12 months, 24 months,' he explains. There are university degrees and even TAFE courses in project management for those looking to upskill. Payroll officers Workers with experience in payroll can also walk into a job after 50, especially if they are able to demonstrate an ability to work independently with little supervision. 'It's very risky for a company to deal with the very emotional topic like people's pay, so companies typically have people to supervise and oversee the process themselves rather than rely entirely on automation,' Mr Brushfield says. Technology is upending job security and the era of artificial intelligence looks likely to favour younger workers who understand algorithms 'I'm not saying that the size of a payroll team, for argument's sake, is the same as it was 20 years ago because it's not - they're probably smaller - but there is still definitely a need for people with those skills.' Payroll officer jobs have average pay levels of $75,000 to $90,000, with people in this role often studying accountancy at university or completing a diploma in payroll services. Office administration Mature-age workers with secretarial skills are often preferred in office admin roles, covering everything from human resources to personal assistants. They are also regarded as less fickle, making them more reliable in handling confidential corporate information. Executive assistants command average salaries of $95,000 to $115,000, with professionals completing a Bachelor of Business Administration for this role. Customer service jobs Retail outlets are struggling to recruit customer service officers, with fewer European tourists on working visas since Australia reopened in 2021. This means the labour pool for this kind of work is smaller than it was before the pandemic. 'Customer service people who are good are very, very hard to find,' Mr Brushfield says. 'Even though we are getting lots of immigration, what we're still not seeing is the flow of travellers that are in their twenties that historically have done lots of customer service work for us - those types of people aren't back at levels that we're seeing demand being met.' Mr Brushfield says over-50s are often wanted in the tech space because their project-management skills are helpful Older workers are regarded as particularly suitable due to their enthusiasm compared to younger workers. 'Over-50s are received very well because they value the job, they want the job, they're happy to do the job,' Mr Brushfield tells me. 'We're finding right now, the real strength of senior people is customer services because they have years of experience in dealing with people and quite often they have more persistence and commitment.' While a lower-paid sector, the average, full-time salary of $75,634 would be adequate for an older worker who has paid off their mortgage. Tax accountants Mr Brushfield says tax accountants of all ages are in demand. 'The over-50s, they've got those skills in their pocket,' he explains. 'They can do that on call because current legislation in 2024 is not drastically different to the legislation in 2014 or 2004.' In Sydney, accountants have average salaries of $75,000 to $90,000, with those in this profession having a degree in accountancy. Perth Brisbane Melbourne Sydney Share or comment on this article: The best second careers for the over-50s: It's NOT too late to change your life with these lucrative jobs that require more life experience than training - and earn up to $150k a year e-mail Add commentAP Trending SummaryBrief at 4:39 p.m. EST
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Markets stocked with Christmas dinner productsGene editing technology is being widely deployed to generate precise data about disease-causing gene mutations and networks, helping to identify optimal therapeutic targets. These approaches are fueling efforts to develop cell and gene therapies for a growing number of genetic disorders among an estimated 6,000 Mendelian diseases, most of which still lack cures. In this webinar, our expert panelists will discuss recent insights into the relationship between human genetic variation and disease from functional genomic studies. They will share their preferred strategies for improving payload development and delivery in functional genomics studies using gene editing. Key takeaways include: · An understanding of the complexities of therapeutic development including cell and gene engineering and manufacturing challenges. · An introduction to Revvity’s Dharmacon product suite—solutions for targeted editing in almost any cell type including CRISPR knockout, knock-in, and interference.
England captain Stokes to miss three months with torn hamstring LONDON: England Test captain Ben Stokes faces at least three months out after tearing his left hamstring during the tour of New Zealand, team management announced on Monday. The 33-year-old all-rounder had already been ruled out of next year ́s Champions Trophy one-day international tournament in Pakistan and the preceding white-ball tour of India. Further assessments have since revealed the full extent of the injury, with Stokes set to undergo surgery in January, said an England and Wales Cricket Board statement. Stokes suffered the injury while bowling during the third Test against New Zealand in Hamilton last week. Stokes did not bat in the second innings of that match as England slumped to a 423-run defeat -- a result that meant his side still won a three-match series 2-1. “Something else to overcome...go on then!!!!!!!! I ́ve got so much more left in this tank and so much more blood, sweat and tears to go through for my team and this shirt,” Stokes wrote on social media. “There ́s a reason I have a Phoenix permanently inked on my body.” Stokes previously missed this year ́s home series against Sri Lanka and the first Test in Pakistan after tearing the hamstring on the same left leg in August. England ́s next Test is at home to Zimbabwe in May. They will then host a five-match Test series against India starting in June before their pinnacle 2025/26 Ashes tour of Australia.NonePiper Sandler Cuts Sarepta Therapeutics (NASDAQ:SRPT) Price Target to $182.00
As a transhipment port, the Port of Colombo ranks among the best in the world, primarily due to its excellent linear connectivity and capital-intensive seaside operations. However, as landside operations are riddled with extended cargo clearance times, excessive compliance requirements and lengthy waiting times for container pick-up and delivery, its performance stands below par against gateway ports. This not only significantly impacts the quality of service experienced by the thousands of customers who visit the port each day, but may also deter potential foreign investors looking to set up businesses in Sri Lanka. A comprehensive three-year study conducted by a team of researchers from the University of Peradeniya and the University of Wollongong in Australia has now revealed a set of underlying factors that contribute to the poor landside operations performance of the Port. These factors, which are elaborated in this article, relate to the three key aspects of cargo clearance procedures, information-sharing protocols and the physical configuration of port facilities. The findings of the study also include possible short, medium and long-term solution pathways for addressing these factors towards achieving sustainable operational excellence. Seaports form part of the critical logistical networks that facilitate international trade. Efficient and responsive logistics systems can make a substantial contribution to a country’s economy, in terms of revenue generation, employment creation and attracting foreign investment. In this regard, the Port of Colombo is of particular significance, largely due to its strategic location and the ability to accommodate larger vessels. It is a major hub port located in the midst of east-west shipping lanes and ranks among the top 30 global ports in terms of the number of containers handled. According to the Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) published by the World Bank in 2020, it ranks at the 17th place out of 351 ports, earning it the status of the top-ranked port in South Asia. The port boasts of an excellent liner connectivity index, as well, meaning it is well connected to many other ports in the world through direct sailings. Being a transhipment hub, more than 75% of the cargo reaching the port is re-loaded to a different vessel destined to a port elsewhere in the world. Australia, a country of continental proportions, has several large container ports such as Port Botany in Sydney, the Port of Melbourne, the Port of Brisbane and the Fremantle Port in Perth. These ports serve as gateway ports, meaning that they primarily handle export and import cargo. According to the World Bank study (ibid), Australian ports perform poorly in terms of the CPPI, placing the highest-ranked port in Australia, the Port of Brisbane, at the 246th place on the index. The top two ports in the word on this metric are Yokohama port in Japan and King Abdullah port in Saudi Arabia. The CPPI is computed based on the time a ship spends at a port, commonly known as the vessel turnaround time, which largely depends on seaside operations. The time a ship spends at the port comprises waiting time to berth, berthing time, cargo operations time and waiting time to depart. Apart from the efficiency of seaside operations, several other factors, including the number of available berths, the number of vessels visiting the port, the size of the vessel, the number of containers exchanged at the port, and the number of cranes deployed to handle a vessel determine the turnaround time. While there are many factors at play, the differences in seaside performance of the Australian ports and the Port of Colombo can be largely attributed to the crane intensity or the number of cranes deployed per vessel. As a transhipment port, the Port of Colombo accommodates ultra-large container vessels frequently. As such, it is set up to quickly turn around vessels, with a large number of cranes servicing a vessel, so the berth can be allocated to the next incoming vessel within the shortest possible time. To the contrary, given the type of cargo handled and the nature of operations, Australian ports do not see the need to deploy a large number of cranes, which could be idling at times of low vessel traffic. However, this comparative picture is reversed when the focus is on landside operations. A few metrics can be used to compare the landside operations performance of ports such as the truck turnaround time and the container release time. The truck turnaround time is the total elapsed time between a truck entering the port (after necessary pre-approvals) and exiting the port (after picking up or dropping off a container). In Australia, the average truck turnaround time is estimated to be 30 minutes, whereas it takes around 3 hours at the port of Colombo, showing a notable disparity. ‘Cargo release time’ measures the time it takes for an import container with commercial goods or personal effects to be cleared by the border control agencies. ‘Time-release studies’ published by the customs agencies around the world can be useful in this regard. According to the latest time-release study of Sri Lanka Customs, published in 2022, the release time for a full container load is 17.5 hours. However, upon closer inspection, it can be observed that the release time has been measured from the time an agent files a customs declaration until the container is released to the consignee. Given that the customs declaration is typically filed by an agent 3 days after the arrival of the vessel, the release time measured from the point of arrival of a container at the port could be even longer. Comparatively, in Australia, the release time is 2.4 hours from the time the container arrives at the port until it departs the port, showing a significantly better performance. The average release time from arrival to gate out in Singapore is 7 hours and 27 minutes (in 2020). These performance differentials on the landside can be attributed to several factors. They directly or indirectly relate to cargo clearance procedures, including the scheduling of container pick-up and delivery, information-sharing protocols and the physical configuration of port facilities. The extent of technology deployed across the different segments of the cross-border logistics system is another key factor that contributes to these performance disparities. In Sri Lanka, unlike in Australia, the customs agency does not allow for filing of the customs declaration prior to the arrival of cargo at the port. The current practice is that the documents mandated for declaration, such as the delivery order (DO), can only be obtained from the ocean carrier upon berthing of the vessel at the port. Sri Lanka customs has moved towards digitalisation by allowing the customs declaration to be filed online. However, negating the advantages of digitalisation, subsequent to online filing, the importer or their agent must visit the customs office with physical copies of the original documents to obtain clearance. Understandably, this requirement is aimed at minimising potential risks of fraudulent activities. Nonetheless, in terms of the logistics system performance, physical visits not only add to the lead-time but also generate a large amount of paperwork. Comparatively in Australia, the submission and the subsequent evaluation of the declaration are performed entirely online. Another difference between the two cross-border logistics systems is the process followed by trucks visiting the port. Trucks visiting a port in Australia are required to obtain prior appointments following a schedule, thus minimising congestion. However, at the Port of Colombo, there is no such appointment system, and the vast majority of trucks enter the port in the afternoon. This is usually preceded by the customs clearance activities, which are performed in the morning. As a result, long queues in and around the port in the evening are a common sight. This is exacerbated by the procedure that the details of trucks, drivers and containers are compared manually against the gate passes issued by container terminals and customs at those gates. The customs house agent is also required to be present for this ‘clearance’ task. In comparison, there are automated smart gates at Australian ports where the details of trucks and containers are read by sensors, followed by the gates opening automatically. Moreover, in Sri Lanka, once the container exits the port gate, the clearance process could continue further. Some of the trucks are required to visit a container inspection station located in congested areas of the city, which can take several hours to reach despite being only a few kilometres away. The capacity of these inspection centres is also limited, resulting in lengthy clearance times extending into many hours. Contrastingly, in Australia, inspections of containers are carried out prior to releasing it to the importer, with only the containers assessed as high-risk (as opposed to randomly selected containers) are subject to inspections. Therefore, once the container leaves the port, it is often released to the consignee with the exception of only a few containers requiring further inspection by the quarantine agency. Several other differences can also be observed between the two systems. In Australian ports, there is a single gate, the gate of the container terminal that trucks have to cross to enter or exit the port. However, at the Port of Colombo, a truck needs to cross the port gate, which is considered the customs perimeter, after passing the terminal gate. There are duplicated checks done by authorities representing the relevant agency at each gate, which adds to lead-time while also causing inconvenience. Additionally, in many cases, each agency operating at the border demands similar information at different points of time, thus exacerbating the compliance burden on importers, exporters and their agents. Most of these organisations, over time, have deployed their own information systems as part of their digitisation efforts. This has somewhat eased the submission process compared to paper-based processes. However, the information systems have often been developed independently resulting in the need to submit the same information multiple times still prevailing across the board. For example, exporters in Sri Lanka are required to submit overlapping information to customs, the shipping company, the port authority, the container terminal and the export facilitation centre. This is in addition to obtaining necessary clearances from agencies such as the National Plant Quarantine Service, Department of Animal Production and Health, Department of Import and Export Control and the Sri Lanka Tea Board, depending on the type of cargo involved. As this is a rather common problem around the world, international organisations such as the World Trade Organization and World Customs Organization have recommended information systems known as National Single Windows (NSW), which replace multiple systems with a single centralised system. However, the implementation of NSWs has proven to be difficult, expensive and time-consuming for many countries, given the scale and complexity of such initiatives. Interestingly, despite having a highly efficient system for processing documents, Australia does not have a NSW implemented to date. Instead, it has developed a system using a ‘message broker’, to interface the pre-existing information systems of the individual agencies and has proven highly effective. This demonstrates that rather than adopting universal systems, countries are able to develop and implement solutions to suit local conditions. Having identified the key factors affecting the landside operations of the port and their underlying causes, several solution pathways can be proposed. For example, in regard to addressing procedural factors, there are opportunities for streamlining current protocols, in the short-term, for minimising face-to-face contacts and redundant interfaces without compromising the integrity of the system. Introducing pre-arrival clearance could be considered as a medium-term option, prior to adopting more substantial technology-driven solutions such as automated inspections or a fully on-line system, which may well be pursued in the longer run. Although the factors related to information sharing are best addressed through data integration across multiple stakeholder platforms, as a short-term solution, incremental improvements are quite possible with higher-level interfacing at the functional level across the government agencies directly involved in the process. Given that large-scale infrastructure upgrades are long-term options to be considered at the whole-of-the-government level, options such as facility layout improvements, truck appointment systems and smart gates can all be explored as short-medium term options to reduce congestion and improve service levels. Overall, in order to uphold the integrity of the cross-border logistics system, with respect to its core purposes, the proposed changes must be aligned with risk management best practices, as well. As such, long-term pursuit of digitalisation, as well as employee buy-in and leadership commitment to facilitate cultural shifts, are all critical aspects of achieving and sustaining operational excellence. Additionally, any formal evaluation of the proposed solution pathways should include standard tests such as technical feasibility, environmental impact assessment and benefit-cost analysis. Considering that the Port of Colombo performs at the best practice level on seaside operations, there is a compelling case for improving landside operations, as well, to lift its overall performance. This is particularly important as the country aspires to attract foreign investment and given that two more container terminals are poised to start operations soon. As the nation attempts to re-build its economy, it is paramount to have a high-performing logistics system for imports and exports. The businesses and entrepreneurs striving to revive the economy can immensely benefit from having an efficient cross-border logistics system in place. More detailed scholarly publication on this study, including more detailed solution pathways, can be found at https://rdcu.be/dVKIq.